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Countdown donates a record $1.22 million to children’s wards

Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal donates a record $1.22 million to children’s wards

27 November 2013

From cheese rolls and cake stalls, to cycle challenges and treadmill races, donations to this year’s Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal have tallied a staggering $1.22 million, with the results of all fundraising efforts to be presented to 10 children’s wards around the country this week.

This year’s result means that since the Appeal first began, seven years ago, a total of $6.92 million has been raised to buy much needed medical equipment for Kiwi kids in hospital. This year alone, the Appeal has raised enough money to purchase 280 medical devices and pieces of equipment.

The Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal, which runs from August to October each year, saw dozens of locally-led activities take place right across the country, including head shaves, trivia nights and golf tournaments, as well as 169 miles run on a treadmill, 250km biked around the Bay of Plenty, and a large-scale South Island cheese roll sale – which involved local Countdown team members and volunteers baking, coating and packing 5,000 famous Southland cheese rolls to raise money for the Appeal.

Ruth Krippner, Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal spokesperson, says the efforts really show that you don’t have to be a doctor to help sick kids, and that she is humbled by the response from Countdown customers.

“We are so proud to have raised a record $1.22 million thanks to the generosity of Countdown customers, our team, and our suppliers. Their fundraising activities have helped us raise such a significant amount of money to help children admitted into the care of their local hospitals, and it really does go to show that every little bit counts.

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“Our goal each year is to raise as much money as possible to help sick children across New Zealand by buying much needed hospital equipment. This is part of our commitment to giving back to the communities that we live and work in, and supporting good causes that make life better for Kiwis,” says Ruth.

Funds from previous Appeals have been used to purchase everything from essential medical tools like cardiac monitors and ECG machines to the more holistic items – puzzle books, activity tables and toys – all of which play a vital role in restoring young children back to health.

Maddie Collins, ambassador for this year’s Appeal, has Nephrotic Syndrome FSGS, a condition that her dad, Adam Collins, says required both her kidneys to be removed when Maddie was eight (one year prior to her transplant), and replaced by one of his own.

“Maddie is assessed weekly for any signs of her kidney disease returning, and is a regular user of the monitoring equipment provided with funds from the Appeal. It’s quite incredible to see communities working together to fundraise, and these efforts couldn’t be achieved without the leadership and support of Countdown customers and their team.

“Maddie is just one of thousands of Kiwi kids who benefits from these efforts – and will benefit in years to come. We are very grateful for the support of the communities and Countdown for making this happen,” says Adam.

Cheque presentations are taking place around the country this week to present the other participating hospitals with the funds from the Appeal.

Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal
• The Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal ran from 5 August to 27 October 2013
• It was previously known as the Fresh Future Children’s Hospital Appeal, and has raised more than $6.92 million since it first began in 2007
• All funds raised go towards 10 dedicated children’s wards and hospitals around New Zealand: Whangarei, Kidz First (Auckland), Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, Wellington, Greymouth, Christchurch, Dunedin, and Invercargill
• Each year the Appeal donates a one-off payment to two smaller hospital units. This year Waitemata and Palmerston North will receive donations.

CHEQUE PRESENTATIONS

RegionDateTimeCountdown store
Greymouth27th November10.00amCountdown Greymouth
Northlands28th November10.00amCountdown Whangarei
Bay Of Plenty28th November10.30amCountdown Fraser Cove
Waikato28th November10.00amCountdown Bridge Street
Wellington28th November10.00amCountdown Newtown
Kidz First29th November10.00amCountdown Manukau
Hawke’s Bay5th December10.00amCountdown Carlyle
Christchurch5th December10.00amCountdown The Palms
Southland5th December2.00pmCountdown Invercargill
Otago13th December11.00amDunedin Hospital

About Countdown
Countdown is one of New Zealand’s largest employers with more than 18,000 team members across 167 supermarkets, distribution centres, processing plants and support offices. We serve 2.5 million customers every week, and work with more than 1,100 food producers and suppliers throughout New Zealand, as well as thousands of independent farmers. We’re committed to being part of the communities we live and work in: some of our activities include the Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal, which has raised more than $6 million in the past seven years for children’s hospital wards, and Countdown Food Rescue which donates more than $1 million of food each year to The Salvation Army and other food banks charity partners, so we can help Kiwis in need.

www.countdown.co.nz

ENDS

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