Hauora Hokianga’s $20k rescue helicopter fundraiser hits target in seven days

A campaign to raise $20,000 to upgrade the rescue helicopter landing pad at Rawene Hospital, in the Hokianga took only seven days to hit its target

Hauora Hokianga is celebrating after a public appeal for help to upgrade its rescue helicopter pad reached the $20,000 total in just seven days.

The helicopter is vital to health services in the isolated Hokianga.

Hauora Hokianga, the independent health provider in the area, needed to raise $20,000 to complete the upgrade of its helipad at Rawene Hospital.

The helipad ensures rescue helicopters can quickly transfer patients in need of urgent care to specialised facilities.

The health service launched a Givealittle campaign last week to raise the much-needed funding and senior project manager Alan Tidswell said the target being reached so soon “just goes to show how highly the service is regarded by people in the Hokianga and elsewhere”.

Helicopters on average use the helipad twice a week at Rawene Hospital, but last week eight helicopters landed there, and the number is expected to increase, said chief executive Margareth Broodkoorn.

“Our current helipad needs an upgrade to accommodate larger emergency helicopters.

“The planned improvements include: expanding the helipad to support a wider range of rescue operations; installing new lighting for safe landings at all hours; and establishing a temporary helipad at the Rawene Golf Club during the upgrade to ensure uninterrupted emergency services,” Broodkoorn said.

“This work is vital to keep [the] emergency helicopter service fully operational and safe for our community.’’

The upgrade is planned to start on March 10 and will take a month to complete.

As well as Hauora Hokianga, funding for the project comes from the Government’s Resilience Fund and Health New Zealand/Te Whatu Ora.