Double your impact: Hato Hone St John calls on New Zealanders this Giving Day

Hato Hone St John’s Giving Day returns today - a 24-hour nationwide appeal where every donation made will be matched to fund urgent ambulance station upgrades across Aotearoa.

The organisation has set an ambitious $2 million target, with all funds going toward the upgrade or rebuild of 13 ageing stations - facilities that are essential to keeping frontline ambulance crews cared for, equipped, and ready to respond.

New figures show ambulance crews responded to more than 547,587 emergencies

in the past year - a 3.1% increase on the year prior[1]. Some regions recorded increased demand in their service of more than 4%, underscoring the growing pressure on outdated stations.

When Steve, 55, from Pukekohe, experienced a sudden cardiac episode, his heart rate was racing at a dangerous 290 beats per minute - nearly triple the average. A Hato Hone St John crew responded immediately, rushing him to Middlemore Hospital and ultimately saving his life.

“A Hato Hone St John ambulance crew rushed me to Middlemore Hospital - at one point, my heart rate was 290 beats per minute. They saved my life,” Steve says. “I’ll do whatever I can to give back. If that means sharing my story, I’ll share it a hundred times. Because without them, I wouldn’t have a story to tell.”

Hato Hone St John General Manager, Fundraising Leanne Tiscorna has highlighted this fundraising is crucial to the organisation: “For years, we’ve answered the call from New Zealanders. Now we’re asking you to answer ours. Over the past decade, demand for our services has increased nearly 90%. This Giving Day will help provide modern - fit for purpose - spaces. With your help today, we can be there for Aotearoa tomorrow.”  

Communities across Aotearoa rally behind frontline crews

From regional stations to social feeds, Kiwis are stepping up to support the people who never fail to show up for them.

Comedian Tom Sainsbury has created a special social media skit to spotlight Giving Day and draw attention to the state of some stations and the role they play.

And in Nelson, a live donation drive will be held at the local ambulance base - a station that not only responds to thousands of callouts each year. The station is among those earmarked for urgent redevelopment.

For more information and to donate to Hato Hone St John, visit the Light the Way Annual Appeal website at Lighttheway.stjohn.org.nz

ENDS

Contacts

Hato Hone St John media team P: 0800 756 334 | E: media@stjohn.org.nz

For imagery:

Generic images can be accessed here: St John Press Gallery

Hato Hone St John media releases can be accessed here: Media Releases

Proceeds from Annual Appeal 2025 will go towards:

1. Kawakawa (Major renovation)
2. Whangarei (New build)
3. Auckland Central (Annual upkeep - repairs)
4. Waihi (New build)
5. Cambridge (New build))
6. Morrinsville (New build)
7. Palmerston (New build)
8. Rangiora (Renovation funded - planning stage)
9. Nelson (New build)
10. Akaroa (New build)
11. Oamaru (New build)
12. Riversdale (New build)
13. Invercargill (New build)

Other Annual Appeal facts:

• The first Annual Appeal was held in Auckland in 1907, and it was named Ambulance Saturday.
• In 1975 the first 24-hour live Telethon was televised on TV2 to raise money for St John Ambulance. The event raised just under $600,000 in 24 hours, which was a national fundraising record at the time.
• In 2024 the Annual Appeal raised $3.9million towards building projects.