An exciting addition to this year’s Cadbury Jaffa Race will be the release of six famous Auckland faces designed by children from Taieri Parents Centre prior to the major race. Six celebrities born and still living in Auckland fondly known as a JAFA (Just Another Famous Aucklander) have been chosen to roll down Baldwin Street and raise money for charity. The children have painted polystyrene balls red and have drawn the celebrity faces onto the balls. Famous faces include Prime Minister John Key and Leader of the Opposition Phil Goff. The heads will be auctioned at the Cadbury Dairy Milk Gala Fun Day on Saturday 11 July at the Edgar Centre and raise money for Parents Centre NZ Inc.

Tickets sales for the Cadbury Jaffa Race are exceeding last year with approximately $60,000 worth of tickets sold to date already. The money raised from this year’s race is supporting Parents Centre NZ Inc, The Malcam Charitable Trust and schools throughout Otago, Southland and South Canterbury.

On Friday 17 July, 30,000 Cadbury Jaffas will be released from the top of the steepest street in the world, Baldwin Street, Dunedin. Each Cadbury Jaffa is individually stickered and the first five to the bottom of the finishing chute win a prize. Prizes this year include a $1000 grocery voucher, $750 petrol voucher, $500 Prezzy card, mobile phone and Cadbury chocolate hamper.

A street appeal will be held and ticket sellers will be out in force this Friday 10th July around the main streets of Dunedin and suburbs including Mosgiel. The Malcam Charitable Trust founder Malcolm Cameron said “We are just delighted to be involved again and feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to work together with Parents Centre NZ Inc and the schools to participate in this fantastic event”. Taieri Parents Centre president Judy Baines said “We appreciate the opportunity to raise awareness of both organisations in the community. This money enables us to continue to provide services nationwide to meet the needs of our community”.

The finale event of the Dunedin Cadbury Chocolate Carnival week kicks off at 11am with the steepest street party in the world. Veteran comedy and circus entertainer Sam Jay from Auckland is a man of many talents, all of them strange. Sam draws on over 7 years experience travelling the world and is trained in circus, comedy, juggling and contortion – something the crowds do not want to miss. Other entertainment includes music, Madagascar characters, clowns and jugglers and the Cadbury Kids holiday programme fashion parade of Cadbury costumes.

The main race will commence at 12.30pm and the collection of the winning numbers will be much easier this year thanks to the team at Otago Polytechnic’s Architecture, Building and Engineering school. Cadbury asked Polytechnic staff to assist with the design and development of a new finishing chute and building experts Graham Burgess and Kevin Dunbar came to the rescue.

Cadbury events coordinator Lee-Anne Anderson said “The Cadbury Jaffa Race really is an event not to be missed, it’s fun for the whole family and at the same time we can raise a lot of money for these organisations to continue the great work they do in our community”.

For more information on Dunedin Cadbury Chocolate Carnival events visit www.chocolatecarnival.co.nz