Lima leaps to the rescue in new story book

MEDIA RELEASE                       
8 November 2017

Lima leaps to the rescue in new story book

Following the success of its first children’s book, the Northland Rescue Helicopter has released a second instalment – and this time it’s the chopper nicknamed Lima who plays the starring role.

Lima Leaps to the Rescue, the follow up to last year’s popular Juliet to the Rescue, is an adventure tale about two kids who go hunting for treasure in the sand dunes of Ahipara.

The book will be launched at Whangarei’s Saint Francis Xavier Catholic School on Thursday (November 9) as part of Northland Rescue Helicopter’s Annual Fundraising Appeal throughout November. Okaihau Primary School in the mid-north will also host a launch the following day during their annual grandparent’s day.

All proceeds from the sale of the books go to the Northland Rescue Helicopter.

Illustrated by Auckland artist Tony McNeight, the book brings rescue chopper Lima to life, and once again features Juliet characters Tama, Poppy and Jack, along with new characters Kenny the Kererū and brother and sister team Ollie and Tia.

While on holiday in the Far North with their parents, Ollie and Tia head off looking for an old ship wreck (and some long lost taonga) when a boogie board ride down the dunes goes wrong.

Northland Rescue Chopper General Manager, Vanessa Furze, says the first book was such a great success they wanted to create a series of books to bring all the helicopters to life.

“The original idea behind creating a story book was it being a fun yet educational fundraising idea. But it became much more than that by showcasing what we do as a rescue service and raising awareness of the lifesaving work our team does.

“We think Lima will be just as well read by kids and their parents as Juliet was, and the setting in the sand dunes of the Far North puts the spotlight on another beautiful part of the region.”

The new book also incorporates elements of te reo as an educational element as well as reflecting the influence and importance of the Māori population in Northland.  The Northland Rescue Helicopter has completed 163 flights to the Far North in the past year, including 119 jobs from Kaitaia Hospital.

Ms Furze says the Lima story also has an underlying safety message and a focus on raising awareness about staying safe over the extremely busy summer holiday period.

“It’s a great little action-packed story, with boogie boarding in the sand dunes and searching for lost treasure. But while we want everyone to have fun over the summer, we also want people to be careful and look after themselves and others,” she says.

The Northland Rescue Helicopter flies more than 900 rescue missions each year making it one of the busiest rescue helicopter services in New Zealand.

*Buy Lima Leaps to the Rescue here with all proceeds going to Northland Rescue Helicopter

ENDS

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