Cantabrians and Coasters keep digging deep for rescue choppers

(Airwaves Issue 6 Spring / Summer 2008)

Cantabrians’ and Coasters’ charitable spirit is alive and well – they have dug deeper than ever during this year’s Westpac Chopper Appeal and raised $146,877 in Canterbury and $45,557 on the Coast. That’s a 10 per cent increase in Canterbury and a whopping 114% increase on the Coast, over last year.

The Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust has joined other trusts around the country to extend a nationwide thank you to the hundreds of thousands of generous New Zealanders who donated a record $929,000 during the May appeal.

The funds raised this year have set a new benchmark for the appeal with donations exceeding the previous record of $771,364 raised last year.

Bridget Neill, the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust's Marketing and Communications Manager, said this year’s appeal was a huge success for the region and the funds raised would make a vital contribution to the operation of our Westpac and Solid Energy rescue helicopter services.

“We are continually overwhelmed by the generosity of our communities. We are heavily dependent on the huge number of volunteers who assisted during our appeal month, raising funds to enable us to stay in the air,” she said.

Last year the Canterbury Westpac Rescue Helicopter and West Coast Solid Energy Rescue Helicopter completed more than 600 rescues, and patients included victims of road, boating, farming and recreational accidents as well as those with urgent medical conditions.

Westpac National Sponsorship Manager Mark Graham said the dedicated team of pilots, paramedics, flight crew and volunteers is what makes the service special within the New Zealand community.

"It’s a truly crucial and vital service which can make a life or death difference for thousands of New Zealanders every year. We’d like to say a big thanks to our supporters who really pulled out all stops this year to raise money for their local chopper,” he said.