Big cheque for White Ribbon Australia

HARCOURTS Ballarat real estate consultant Christine Browning realised domestic violence could happen to anyone when the daughter of a close friend ended up a victim at the hands of her partner.

This was the moment that galvanised Ms Browning’s involvement with the White Ribbon charity.

White Ribbon Australia operates in collaboration with, and alongside, many other organisations working to end men’s violence against women.

Her active fundraising contribution reached its pinnacle when she handed over a cheque for $6545 to White Ribbon Victorian Ambassador Paul Niall in the Harcourts Ballarat office this week.

The donation was the result of an event attended by 190 people at Ballarat and District Trotting Club organised by Ms Browning.

Guests enjoyed a three-course meal and a night of racing while bidding on auction items and purchasing raffle tickets for items generously donated by sponsors.

The hottest contested item was a diamond valued at $2000 courtesy of Bill Allan from Allan Brothers Jewellers.

Between races 100 boxes were sold, 99 containing a fake diamond.

Ms Browning said, “After diamond testing the contents of 90 of the boxes to no avail it was getting so exciting.”

“We heard a scream when a woman, having tested the last of four boxes she’d purchased, realised she had won the real diamond.”