LADIES, get your wallets ready and be prepared to fork out cold, hard cash for a good man.

Come Wednesday, 10 eligible men – including former national swimmer Leslie Kwok and Polo Boys actor Hansen Lee – will be up for “sale” at Park Hotel Group’s Christmas Bachelor Auction.

The highest bidder stands to win a lunch date with her hunk of choice, along with prizes that could range from KLM Airways return tickets to Bali to watches by Charles Jourdan.

Bids are expected to start from $200 for each bachelor.

Proceeds will benefit the Breast Cancer Foundation (BCF), and at least $20,000 is expected to be raised.

For the past few years, Park Hotel group has worked with organisations such as Raffles Design Institute and Make-A-Wish Foundation to organise charity events.

Mr N Gunalan, its director of marketing communications, told The New Paper all 176 seats for the dinner, which cost at $250 per head, have been sold out.

Explaining the idea of offering bachelors up for auction, he said: “Men need education and awareness because they could have a sister, a wife or girlfriend who has breast cancer.

“So what better way to bring the message across than to have men raise funds for a women’s cause?”

We suss out three of the bachelors for hire...

HENRY GOLDING, 22
ESPN presenter

HENRY Golding knows first-hand how breast cancer can affect lives – his 55-year-old housewife mum, who lives in England, had Stage 2 breast cancer when he was just 6 years old.

She underwent an operation then but suffered a relapse two years later. Thankfully, his mum survived after undergoing radiotherapy and has been “going strong ever since.”

The presenter of ESPN’s Castrol Football Crazy, who is of British and Iban (an indigenous tribe in Sarawak) heritage, recalled: “My parents were pretty open about it and explained her condition.

“That’s why I’ve always supported breast-cancer awareness – it’s something close to my heart.” This is not the first time Golding is raising awareness for breast cancer.

CLEO magazine’s Most Eligible Bachelor 2009 in Malaysia recently starred in an online instructional breast-cancer awareness video which shows him demonstrating how to do a breast self-examination.

He said: “While doing the video, I was taught how to feel and identify lumps if they were Category One, Two or Three.”

He even knows that the best time to do the examination is seven to 10 days after a woman’s period.

All bachelors will get an opportunity to win more bids for themselves by showcasing their talents.

As the youngest bachelor of the lot, Henry plans on juggling while lap-dancing at the same time.

What does he think of being tagged an eligible bachelor?

Henry said: “It’s nice that people think I’m eligible, but we’re branding ourselves in aid of charity.

“I wouldn’t consider myself the most eligible bachelor, but I do fine.”

And his sales pitch to the women?

“I’m youthful, full of spunk and I know how to give a breast self-exam,” he said with a cheeky grin.

JOSHUA GAVIN HONG, 28
Business development

BACHELOR Joshua Gavin Hong, 28, plans to show off his bartending skills with an alcoholic concoction during the charity auction.

The drink is made with Bailey’s Irish cream and butterscotch schnapps.

Mr Hong, who works in business development in a new media company, has had some bartending experience.

Four years ago, he worked at a bar during his undergraduate days at the University of Queensland.

The graduate in developmental biology joked: “Making the ladies drinks (at the auction) will get them drunk so they don’t see what I really look like, and all myflaws.”

The bachelor spends his weekends coaching children in swimming at the APS Swim School, founded by local swimming coach Ang Peng Siong. The fitness buff also works out at the gym twice a week.

This is the first time Mr Hong is taking part in such an event. He said a colleague had submitted his photograph for the auction and he gamely agreed.

Does he find it embarrassing to have himself auctioned?

He said: “No, I have very thick skin, so whether or not anyone bids for me, I don’t really care.

“It’s just about having a good time.”

On why he makes the cut as an eligible bachelor, the spiffy dresser said: “I’m eligible because I wear nice shirts and ties.

“And I’m a good lunch companion.”

SAMUEL SCHWARZ, 39
IT director

SWISS national and Singapore PR Samuel Schwarz, 39, hopes audiences will fork out at least $50 during the auction next week for a kiss on the cheek.

Women will get a single red rose along with the smooch from this bachelor, who was selected as one of Female magazine’s 50 Gorgeous People last year.

The IT director, who has lived in Singapore for the past decade, said: “Being grateful for women, I thought it would be a good opportunity to pay them back.”

The part-time model added that an auction involving bachelors would be a fun way to help raise awareness and funds for a good cause.

Mr Schwarz said: “I don’t know anyone with breast cancer, but there is still a stigma with being sick. People just don’t want to talk about it.”

But he confesses to feeling apprehensive about how well-received his kisses will be.

After all, he pointed out that Singaporeans are generally reserved.

He joked: “I get drenched in cold sweat thinking no one’s bidding for me. We may have to force them up on stage to be kissed.”

So why should women bid for him?

He said: “Career, check. Condo, check. No car, just MRT, not so good.

“No criminal history and I’m toilet-trained.”

This article was first published in The New Paper.