Media Release

West Coast raises more than $55,500 to support the Solid Energy Rescue Helicopter service

9 June 2009

West Coasters’ efforts last month raised more than $55,500 for the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust, the body behind the Solid Energy Rescue Helicopter.

Around New Zealand, May is Westpac Rescue Helicopter Awareness Month and on the West Coast Rotarians, local businesses, schools and staff members from helicopter sponsors Solid Energy and Westpac all contributed to the fundraising effort.

More than $6,500 was collected during the 22 May street appeal, with Rotary club members and school children and teachers along the Coast assisting. Another $12,500 was raised from collections in South Westland, the Solid Energy Rescue Helicopter Open Day and other events held in the region during the month, such as the raffle at the Martins Mitre 10 Open Day in Westport.  Fundraising by Solid Energy West Coast staff resulted in more than $15,000 in donations from individuals and companies.  More than $21,500 was donated by tourists visiting Solid Energy’s Stockton Opencast Mine with Outwest Tours over the last year.  In Christchurch, Solid Energy staff worked with people from Westpac to raise more than $5,500 for the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust.

Solid Energy’s Anna Nolan, and Joanne Wright, a representative from Westpac, presented a cheque to Trust representative Trevor Watt and Solid Energy Rescue Helicopter pilot Nigel Clark in Greymouth (9 June). 

Public donations and business sponsorship support are vitally important to the service, as payments from ACC and hospitals cover only 40% of the Canterbury West Coast Air Rescue Trust’s operational costs.

Solid Energy Communications Director, Vicki Blyth, says, “The number of companies that continue to support our efforts with fundraising for the service is overwhelming. We take this as acknowledgement of how important West Coasters see the service provided by the rescue helicopter.”

Based in Greymouth, the Solid Energy Rescue Helicopter operates from Karamea to Haast and is one of Solid Energy’s major community support initiatives.  It has been operating since 1997 and Solid Energy became the major sponsor in 2001. The service is a partnership between the Trust, the Order of St John and Garden City Helicopters Ltd, which also operates the Westpac Rescue Helicopter and New Zealand Flying Doctor Service out of Christchurch.