Fundraising for Geraldine Kindergarten is a laugh a minute.
The Great Laugh 2025 — which is set to be held on the final weekend of the school holidays — will boast two well recognised New Zealand comedians, one ‘‘absolutely hilarious’’ local MC along with another local comedian.
The fundraiser was the brainchild of Nicky Taylor back in 2019.
Mrs Taylor’s children were enrolled in the kindergarten at the time and she was involved with their committee.
Mrs Taylor was aware that one of the teachers’ husband had been a comedian in the past.
‘‘Which just sparked the idea of a comedy night.
‘‘The night I took it to a meeting, Zoe [the teacher] announced they [the couple] were moving back to her homeland, so I was thrown a little as was hoping Mike [Boon] would be a part of it.’’
However, Mr Boon advised her to email Richard Carrington — manager for a number of comedians — and he was able to tag the fundraiser on to Michelle A’Court and Jeremy Elwood’s tour.
‘‘We jumped at that, and had two months to organise it . . . over Christmas!
‘‘That was a huge hit, so from that we branded ‘The Great Laugh’.’’
Mr Boon later moved back to Geraldine and he has been the event’s MC since.
While Mrs Taylor’s children had all left kindergarten now, she was a relief-teacher there and had got back on board to run the event again.
She said 100% of the profit would be going to the new purpose-built 3-year-old and under centre.
The build will be located opposite the kindergarten in Wilson St with an intake of up to 27 children.
With an up to 18-month waiting list in the area there was a ‘‘huge shortage’’.
This year’s headline act will be Justine Smith, who won the Billy T Award in 2003 and the New Zealand Comedy Guild’s Best Female Comedian award in 2008 and 2016, as well as Best MC 2016.
Supporting acts will be Aaron Beard, and Al 2.0 (Alastair Bolland after his run in with a defibrillator at Woodbury School’s camp on Valentine’s Day).
