Two years of hard work comes to a conclusion this week, when St John in Nelson formally introduces an Events ambulance to its local fleet.
The fully-equipped ambulance will be used by St John to provide first aid cover at events in the Nelson region. St John in Nelson attends over 250 events each year, including a range of large community events and sporting activities (Opera in the Park, A & P Shows, cycling, rugby, netball, speedway,) as well as smaller scale events, such as school fairs.
Dennis Creed, who is Chair of St John in Nelson, says the fundraising campaign for the ambulance was unique.
“The theme of the campaign was ‘Every Piece Counts’,” says Mr Creed. “By running the campaign this way, we were able to ‘build’ the ambulance like a jigsaw puzzle so to speak. Donations were used to buy ‘pieces’ of the vehicle, including equipment inside.”
There were some incredibly innovative fundraising activities, he says. “One of the best known was the ‘ambulance pull’ in February 2012, when teams of ASB staff members, the Nelson College First XV and the Marist Rugby Club taking turns to pull one of St John’s vintage ambulances 8 kilometres from Richmond to Annesbrook, while collecting donations along the way.”
There were many other significant fundraising activities as well, says Mr Creed. “One which competed with the ambulance pull for sheer endurance was the ASB team from ASB Relationship Banking, who embarked on a 24 hour sponsored walk from ASB Nelson over the Maungatapu Saddle to ASB Blenheim. They managed to raise over $15,000 towards the Events ambulance.”
St John is a charity, says Mr Creed, “and the generosity of the community is very important for us. We’d like to thank everyone who has contributed towards this campaign, and we hope that if they see the Events ambulance around Nelson, they will feel some important sense of ownership towards it.”
St John in Nelson would like to offer special thanks to:
- Murray Leaning for his ideas, support and the energy he put in for this appeal.
- Classic Hits for getting behind the appeal and promoting it widely.
- ASB Staff for their energy and commitment to this appeal and St John in Nelson.
- Major Sponsors: Nelson Pine Industries, The Rotary Club of Whakatu, Fresh Choice Nelson, Quality Bakers Nelson.
- Thanks also to Fulton Hogan, Mainline Commercial, Ching Contracting Leisure Line Dancing Nelson and Nelson College who have also been big supporters of this appeal.
St John warmly invites media to attend the dedication of the Events ambulance this Thursday, 28 February, at 5.50pm, St John ambulance station, corner of Gloucester Street and St Vincent Street.