Mazda Foundation Delivers Christmas Cheer

22 December 2006

Aucklanders have dug deep into their pockets this Christmas to put smiles on the faces of sick children spending Christmas at Kidz First Children’s Hospital.

The Mazda Foundation invited people to purchase an extra gift while out Christmas shopping for the children at Kidz First and the tills have been ringing in response. A Mazda CX-7 vehicle stationed at Westfield shopping malls around Auckland is now filled to the brim with presents which were delivered today to Kidz First Children’s Hospital in Manukau City.

“We have been overwhelmed with the generosity of people,” said Pamela Tregonning, Executive Director for the South Auckland Health Foundation. “It has brought happiness and excitement to these youngsters’ lives at a time when they most need it.”

Kidz First, at Manukau’s Middlemore Hospital, has an 82 bed inpatient facility and specialises in burns, plastics and orthopaedic treatment and has a Neonatal Unit for premature and critically ill newborns.

Each year 11,000 children are admitted to Kidz First and 20,000 are treated in one of the busiest emergency departments in the Southern Hemisphere. Christmas is a particularly busy time with lots of new patient admissions.
“Being in hospital is never nice, but when it is over the Christmas period it can be even more upsetting for both children and family,” said Andrew Clearwater. “The Mazda Foundation is delighted that Aucklanders have got behind this initiative to bring some joy into these youngsters’ lives this Christmas.”

About the Mazda Foundation:

The Mazda Foundation was established by Mazda New Zealand in 2005 to provide for specific areas of community need. Three rounds of funding are carried out each year to individuals and organisations for environmental, educational, employment and skills development, cultural or community projects. The Mazda Foundation Trust is funded through contributions from every new Mazda retailed and support from Mazda dealers throughout New Zealand, as well as dedicated fundraising activity by Mazda New Zealand.

ENDS

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