Craig Andrews from the Pines Holiday Park has a simple reason for supporting the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
“It’s one hell of a good service – without it, people are buggered.”
Craig and his wife Katrina would know better than most. Their holiday park sits right next door to the domain where the rescue helicopter lands in Hanmer Springs, North Canterbury.
After spending years camping at the Pines Holiday Park, Craig and Katrina made the lifestyle decision to purchase it in 2019. They quickly discovered that whenever the rescue helicopter comes in to land, it attracts quite a crowd.
“I figured I had a trapped audience, so I asked for a bucket and some stickers, and it went from there!”
Now, when the helicopter comes in, Craig and Katrina head out with the donation bucket, collecting contributions from their campers.
“I’d say about 95% of people are more than happy to donate to the rescue helicopter. I tell people, even if you’ve only got a few coins to spare, every little bit helps get that helicopter in the air and on its way to pick someone up.”
Alongside collecting donations from campers, Craig and Katrina are proud members of the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust’s Business Support Crew, donating annually from their business. It’s a commitment they plan to continue.
“We’re very proud to be part of the Business Support Crew. The rescue helicopters are such a worthwhile service to support. You never know who will need it next – it could be you, or a friend. And without that helicopter, it’s a long ride in the ambulance to town.”
Craig and Katrina have supported the service in other ways too.
“There have been a few times the crew have asked us to look after the stretcher or some gear while they go in to do a winch job. We’re more than happy to help.”
Their latest fundraiser directs the fees from early check‑in requests to the rescue helicopter service.
“If someone asks to check in before 1 pm, it’s a $20 fee, and we’ll tally that up and pass it on to the rescue helicopter service. It’s another way we can gather a bit more support.”
They’ve also been proudly watching the construction of the new Hanmer Springs helipad next door—another project they’ve supported.
Construction of the dedicated emergency helipad is being led by the Hanmer Springs Community Trust, with support from the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust. It will provide a safe, paved, and well‑lit landing zone usable in a wider range of conditions. A concrete pathway to the Hanmer Springs Health Centre will allow for faster, safer patient transfers, giving people the best chance at survival and recovery.
“We’d like to thank the committee behind the fundraising and the workers who donated time to achieve this work – from planning to fundraising to breaking soil. It will be a valuable part of our community and a great asset to have,” Craig says.
And do Craig and Katrina ever tire of hearing the chopper overhead? No.
“I’ll never get sick of hearing the whirring of the helicopter because I know that one day that could be me in there, and I know if that ever happens, they’ll take really good care of me.”
