New Zealand's Most Trusted Charity

On 30th May I attended the Readers Digest Most Trusted Brands Awards 2018 and very proudly accepted the award for Most Trusted Charity on behalf of Canterbury & West Coast Air Rescue Trust, Life Flight Trust, Philips Search & Rescue Trust and the Auckland Rescue Helicopter Trust.  The four organisations who combine to provide the service which is known so well throughout New Zealand as the Westpac Rescue Helicopter.

To be recognised as New Zealand’s Most Trusted Charity means a great deal to all of our staff, our crew, our sponsors, and everyone who donates to keep our helicopters in the air 24/7/365.

Trust is fundamental to everything we do.

The operation of rescue helicopters relies on trust between pilots, paramedics and doctors as they respond to emergency calls; trust between the patient, their families and our clinical team so that we can provide the best possible care; and ultimately the trust of the public that we will be there when they need us, because New Zealanders have come to rely upon us in their moments of greatest need.

Each year our helicopters provide rescue services to thousands of New Zealanders who for one reason or another have found themselves in a moment of crisis.  Whether they are lost or injured at sea or in the bush, if they have been involved in a motor vehicle accident, or are experiencing a life threatening medical event, quite often the rescue helicopter is the lifeline that for a moment in time is the difference between life and death.

To be New Zealand’s Most Trusted Charity also means that you trust us to be the custodians of the millions of dollars raised every year from public donations.  You trust that we will use the money wisely, that we will not be wasteful, you trust that your dollar goes to helping someone in need.

Rescue helicopters may appear to be simple but in fact are enormously complex.  To provide our service requires a unique combination of aviation and clinical skills.

On one hand they are expensive but on the other hand, when it is your life on the line they are priceless.

It is wonderful to know that we are trusted because we too place a great deal of trust in Kiwis from all walks of life to support us with their kind donations.

We can only be there when we are needed thanks to the huge generosity of the New Zealand public, alongside support from Westpac NZ, and a number of sponsors who together provide more than half of the funding required to operate our services.

Westpac NZ began sponsoring rescue helicopters more than 35 years ago and over time became a sponsor for the four organisations recognised by this award.

Their support hasn’t just come by way of a cheque, but also from the whole Westpac team who have so generously given of their time over the years.

We know how proud they are of their relationship with rescue helicopters, and we know how proud the rescue helicopters are to have developed a sponsor relationship which is enduring, dependable, and one of mutual trust.

Westpac have long seen the tremendous value that rescue helicopters provide to their communities, and if you speak to any Westpac team member - from a teller to their Chief Executive - support of the rescue helicopters is their key social investment in NZ.

With that said, I take this opportunity to acknowledge the support we have received over many, many years from Westpac NZ, and we look forward to your continued support in the future.

We all take very seriously our responsibility to provide exceptional service as part of New Zealand’s Emergency Response framework, and to be recognised with this award gives us the sense of satisfaction and confidence that we are providing the service that the NZ public expects from us.

We are enormously proud to receive this award.

Thank you Readers Digest, thank you Westpac, and thank you to the New Zealand public.