Chopper
Appeal

It`s an Adrian Appreciation post - and a HUGE congratulations at the same time!

Why? Adrian has just passed his final exams to be a Critical Care Paramedic and we couldn`t be prouder.

Adrian has been on quite a journey to achieve this milestone. In 2007, a car crash left his baby daughter with injuries that were barely survivable. Watching the flight paramedics save his daughter inspired Adrian. He wanted to become one of them.

Adrian joined the Westpac Rescue Helicopter in 2023 as a paramedic, working alongside the very crew that saved his own family.

You may have seen Adrian over the years on the news or in our publications speaking about his journey in support of the rescue helicopters and the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust.

Adrian - while being busy with your job and your studies, you`ve always had time to support the Trust - sharing your story, taking part in events, and even using your skills as a former chef to cook dinners as auction prizes.

We appreciate all you do to support the Trust and the incredible work you do on the Canterbury Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

Thank you - and congratulations!

www.airrescue.co.nz

These girls have had a bumpy ride - but thanks to the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and our sister service, the New Zealand Flying Doctor Service, they`re home.

Lilly and Penny Eades were born prematurely in Dunedin Hospital. Mum Sarah was flown there by the NZ Flying Doctor Service as there was no room in Christchurch`s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

The family eventually got back to Christchurch - with twin Lilly flown on the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and sister Penny on the NZ Flying Doctor Service two weeks later.

“𝗜𝘁 𝗵𝗮𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘆 𝗿𝗶𝗱𝗲 𝗯𝘂𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗼𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗻𝗻𝘆 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗯𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗳𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼𝗴𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗴𝗮𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗻𝗱, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁, 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘀𝗼 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗹.”

Like the rescue helicopters, the New Zealand Flying Doctor Service is a 24/7 service. We`re proud to work together to provide critical care in the air when patients need it the most.

Read Sarah`s story here: https://www.airrescue.co.nz/stories/three-flights-two-services-and-a-family-reunited

Or see Patient Stories on our Linktree

What an amazing selection of photographs we received for the H145 photo competition earlier this year.
We are incredibly grateful to all who send their images through but there can only be two winners (because we loved them both).

Congratulations to Tim Ward (photo 1) and Mikayla Blackmore (photo 2), there are some Air Rescue goodies here for you and your pictures are beautifully displayed on our new banners.

We`ll post the other photos we received later this week. Please keep them coming though if you spot our helicopters out an about round the region or if you pop onto base and take some shots here.

The results of the Rescue Warriors fundraising cycle ride have just been announced - and it`s incredible.

$𝟯𝟲𝟰,𝟬𝟱𝟳.𝟰𝟱

That`s how much these mid-Canterbury blokes have raised for our MISSION 2026 campaign and the rescue helicopter service.

The final tally was announced at a celebration event in Ashburton tonight.

We are simply in awe at what these mid-Canterbury blokes have achieved for themselves, the rescue helicopter service, and the community. Our most heartfelt thanks to the Rescue Warriors, their families, and every individual, organisation and business who donated to the ride.

"𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗽𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝘀𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀, 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻, 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗿𝘂𝗹𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗶𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗯𝗹𝗼𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵,” 𝗖𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗯𝘂𝗿𝘆 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗔𝗶𝗿 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗰𝘂𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗿 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘆 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀.

Read more here on our website.