May 18, 2011

Around 300 Fonterra staff and shareholders take to the streets in 33 towns and cities tomorrow (Thursday, May 19) to collect for Sunday’s Christchurch telethon. One exception is Palmerston North where the street appeal takes place on Saturday morning.

The collectors can be recognised by their Rise Up Christchurch t-shirts and official telethon collector lanyards. They will be carrying Rise Up Christchurch -branded collection buckets.

Fonterra staff and shareholders are giving up their time to collect for the telethon that runs on Māori TV for 12 hours from 9am on Sunday May 22. In most towns and cities the collectors will be on the streets between around 8am and 1pm.

Joining colleagues in the Auckland CBD will be Fonterra CEO Andrew Ferrier who is looking forward to helping out.

“There are still a lot of people in Christchurch whose lives have been turned upside down and it is not a time to stand back. Our people have already provided practical help and significant donations in the immediate aftermath of 22 February and this is an opportunity to do more.”
To ensure all funds raised by Rise Up Christchurch – Te Kotahitanga can go to the people of Christchurch, Fonterra has come on board as a major supporter and is contributing $500,000 towards production and administration costs.

The funds raised in the street appeal – and throughout the telethon – are banked directly into the Government’s Christchurch Earthquake Appeal to help rebuild Christchurch communities including parks, sports fields, community halls, schools, libraries and more.

But Fonterra, its staff and shareholders have already been busy helping out Christchurch – since October last year they have confirmed donations of more than $4.4 million to Christchurch Earthquake recovery efforts.

The amount does not include the proceeds of tomorrow’s public street appeal or any further possible donations during the Telethon.

Thursday’s street collections by Fonterra staff and shareholders are in Auckland (CBD, Takanini / Papakura and Sylvia Park), Whakatane, Timaru, Geraldine, Temuka, Ashburton, Te Awa, Hamilton, Kaikoura, Nelson, Takaka, Balclutha, Normanby, Manaia, Opunake, Kapuni, Okaiawa, Kaponga, Eltham, Stratford, New Plymouth, Hawera, Patea, Waverley, Wanganui, Tirau, Morrinsville, Te Aroha, Hamilton, Cambridge, Paraparaumu, Wellington and Whangarei. The Palmerston North collection is on Saturday (May 21).

Sustenance
Also coming to the telethon party is McDonald’s, which is donating $1 from the sale of every Angus Burger sold this week to the telethon fundraising appeal.

McDonald’s managing director Mark Hawthorne says the company has worked closely with the relief efforts in the aftermath of the two earthquakes and has been working hard to support the recovery.

“The one dollar donation from every Angus burger sold through the week leading up to the telethon will provide a direct benefit to the families and communities most affected by the earthquake.”

Rise Up Christchurch –Te Kotahitanga is a 12-hour global telethon for Christchurch beginning at 9am, on Sunday 22 May. Supported by Fonterra, it is being broadcast on Maori Television from Christchurch, Auckland and Wellington, with live crosses to regional centres and global activities in London, Los Angeles and Sydney.

ENDS

© Scoop Media