Charity behind cancelled Matamata Mustang draw proves elusive

Saturday, 18 July 2026

A search for two of the leading trustees behind the NZ Rescue Charitable Trust’s failed Matamata muscle car promotion has turned up only closed doors, barking dogs, and an Auckland building site.

New information shared with the Waikato Times suggests close to $1million of promotional keyrings were sold for the defunct raffle, while in-person visits to four Auckland addresses listed as offices for the charity did not locate anyone connected to the organisation.

NZ Rescue ran the Key to Communities Shelby Promotion, which offered people the chance to win one of three Shelby GT350 vehicles (worth a combined value of $574,985) by buying a $100 Key to Communities keyring.

The draw was promoted as a fundraiser for Matamata’s Pohlen Hospital but was cancelled on June 5, the day it was to take place, after the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) began investigating the promotion following complaints from the public.

The Waikato Times understands more than 9000 keyrings, of a maximum of 20,000 available, were sold during the promotion however, that figure has not been confirmed by NZ Rescue or the DIA.

An update on the DIA’s investigation was sought this week, but the department would only say its investigation was ongoing.

The DIA has previously described the campaign as a “sales promotion”, regulated under the Gambling Act 2003 but not requiring a licence if it meets the Act’s requirements.

The department has confirmed multiple complaints raised concerns about the structure and operation of the promotion, including whether it complied with the Gambling Act, as well as matters relating to transparency, delivery of goods, refund processes and overall conduct.

The Waikato Times visited four Auckland addresses connected to NZ Rescue, its associated businesses, and trustees Shaan Hulena and Sandra Ratcliffe this week.

The addresses were listed in the New Zealand Companies Register and Charities Register, and were in central Auckland, Epsom, Royal Oak and Beach Haven on the North Shore.

None of the properties revealed the whereabouts of Hulena or Ratcliffe.

NZ Rescue Charitable Trust’s street address is listed as 116 Symonds Street, Auckland - the Metropolis Museum - which is marketed online as an events venue with office spaces in its upper levels.

Calls to multiple Auckland-based real estate agents indicated NZ Rescue was highly likely to still hold the lease for the building.

However, when the Waikato Times visited, the ground-floor doors were tightly locked and entry to the building was not possible.

There was no visible NZ Rescue signage, and holes could be seen in some upper-level windows. There seemed to be more signs of life in the adjacent Symonds Street Cemetery.

At the Epsom address, no one answered the door, and the only response came from a yappy terrier-cross dog barking from inside the property.

The Royal Oak address revealed a busy construction site with about a dozen multi-level townhouses around three-quarters built.

The Beach Haven address was occupied, but no contact was made with Hulena or Ratcliffe.

NZ Rescue Charitable Trust was registered in July 2024, and the Charities Register lists its trustees as Jeffrey Nother, Ratcliffe and Hulena.

Nother is not connected to any other businesses involved with NZ Rescue, and attempts to contact him have also been unsuccessful.

Hulena has previously held senior fundraising roles with the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust.

Companies Register records show Hulena and Ratcliffe are directors and shareholders of NZ Rescue Limited, The Key to Communities Limited, Hooked on Communities Limited and Communities for People Limited.

NZ Rescue Limited was incorporated in September 2024, about two months after NZ Rescue Charitable Trust.

Companies Register records list Ratcliffe and Hulena as the company’s directors and shareholders, and its business classification is “fund raising … on a commission or fee basis”.

The Key to Communities Limited and Hooked on Communities Limited were incorporated in November 2025, with Ratcliffe and Hulena listed as directors and shareholders.

Records list Hooked on Communities Limited’s registered office and address for service as the Metropolis Museum - the same as the NZ Rescue Charitable Trust.

Communities for People Limited was incorporated in February 2025, with Ratcliffe and Hulena also listed as directors and shareholders.

The Waikato Times is not suggesting those companies were involved in the cancelled Shelby promotion.

NZ Rescue’s website says it supports communities through health, education, sport and wellbeing initiatives, including through its Key to Communities and Hooked on Communities campaigns.

Those campaigns have been used in other promotions listed online by NZ Rescue and associated websites.

The Waikato Times has contacted more than a dozen people who bought keyrings as part of the promotion. None had received keyrings, and two had received refunds.

An email sent by NZ Rescue to one purchaser in May stated Key to Communities keyrings had sold out and there would be a delay while more stock was sourced.

The email said the purchaser’s order, and their entry into the promotion’s prize draw, had been confirmed.

An email to the Waikato Times from one complainant, who wished to remain anonymous, said their concerns centred on the value of the keyrings used in the promotion.

“A typical … sales promotion would be an insurance company offering a new car as a prize to customers who take out a new policy during a specified period,” the complainant said.

“In that case, the promotion is incidental to the company’s ordinary business.”

The complainant said they would be interested to see where the DIA investigation leads, “given the amount of money that may have been raised before the operation was stopped”.

NZ Rescue, Hulena and Ratcliffe have been repeatedly approached for comment by phone, email and in person.