Media Release - LIFEWISE

29 June 2011

Announcing the business and community leaders sleeping rough on July 7 to tackle homelessness

After launching the 2011 Big Sleepout campaign in mid-May, Lifewise is now delighted to announce that 75 business and community leaders have signed up to swap their creature comforts for cold concrete and ‘sleep rough’ for one night, raising much needed funds to enable Lifewise to tackle homelessness in Auckland.

John McCarthy, general manager of Lifewise, says of the group “as an organisation we are inspired by all those who have taken up this challenge. They are an amazing group of individuals committed to improving the social well-being of this city and in particular how this city responds to the needs of those who are homeless.”

The group includes two former Mayors, four members of Parliament, one Auckland councillor, one New Zealand Entrepreneur of the Year, four Sir Peter Blake Trust Emerging Leaders plus an incredible array of leaders from the community and business sectors.

AUT University will host the event in Hikuwai Plaza on its city campus, with Vice-Chancellor Derek McCormack and a number of senior staff also taking up the challenge to sleep rough. AUT has a close relationship with Lifewise, helping to create a long-term strategy to get rough sleepers off the streets in the CBD.

McCarthy describes the inaugural 2010 event as a tremendous success. “Not only did it put homelessness in the spotlight, those taking part told us the experience and the opportunity to interact with those who live and work with the issue of homelessness increased their understanding of an often ignored issue. There’s no doubt it made an impact on those ‘rough sleepers’.

“This year, we’re doing it again but with a difference. We are ramping up the intensity and making it even more realistic; we’re asking people to sleep out in mid-winter and in the open-air. With the temperatures dropping in Auckland now, it’s going to be tough.”

Lifewise asks people to get behind all those taking part and donate to their efforts through the event website - www.bigsleepout.org.nz.

END

• Agnes Naera, Rotary Club of Auckland

• Akbar Makani, SIFE-AUT

• Alin Ungureanu, Oceania Group

• Andrew L'almont, Mortgage Express

• Andrew Harris, Blackcat Consulting Ltd

• Angus Fletcher, The Fletcher Trust

• Antonia Baker, The Property Market

• Bob Harvey, Waterfront Auckland

• Brad Taylor, NZ Bakels

• Cathy Casey, Auckland City Councillor

• David MacGregor, BrandWorld

• Debra Dorrington, AlexanderDorrington

• Derek McCormack, Vice Chancellor, AUT University

• Dick Hubbard, Hubbards

• Don Mann, Vodafone Warriors

• Eric Young

• Gareth Hughes, Green Party

• Hayden Raw, The Common Room

• Helen Steemson, The Common Room

• Ian Hankins, Westpac Team

• Ian Holland, Westpac Team

• Ian Leader, Westpac Team

• Ian Robertshaw, AUT University

• Jacinda Ardern, Labour Party

• Jacki Johnson, IAG New Zealand

• James Eivers, The Property Market

• Jayson Bryant, winevaulttv.com

• Jonny Broderick, Broderick Printing

• Julian Wilcox, Maori Television

• Keren Phillips, The Common Room

• Lorna Murray, Connect Supporting Recovery

• Lynn Frith, Auckland Central Methodist Parish

• Magdel Hammond, Connect Supporting Recovery

• Melina Schamroth, m.a.d.woman

• Marc Ellis, Charlie's Group

• Mark Spring, DTR

• Mark Owers, The Property Market

• Matt Messias, Howick College

• Megan Barclay, Leadership NZ

• Meteria Turei, Green Party

• Michael Stowers, Stowers Audit and Accounting Services

• Mika, Mika Haka Foundation

• Moana Mackey, Labour party

• Ngarimu Blair, Ngati Whatua O Orakei

• Nick Jones, IAG New Zealand

• Nigel Murphy, AUT University

• Nigel Sanderson, FundraiseOnline

• Pete Hodkinson, USU Students’ Association

• Poto Williams, Western Refuge Society

• Prince Devanandan, Methodist Church of New Zealand

• Renee Liang, Chinglish

• Richard Harris, Jasmax

• Richard Hills, Auckland Council

• Rick Ede, Unitec Institute of Technology

• Rick Boven, The New Zealand Institute

• Rob Thomas, Auckland Council

• Robert Bruce, SublimeNZ Ltd

• Roshan Fernando, Retail Marketing Services

• Sam Fitzgerald, Huljich Wealth Management

• Sarah Trotman, Bizzone

• Shelley Campbell, Sir Peter Blake Trust

• Simon Diprose, Curious

• Simon Moore, Ernst & Young

• Simon Smith, APC by Schneider Electric

• Suzie Marsden, Westpac Team

• Tim Alpe, JUCY

• Trevor Mugridge, Ernst & Young

• Tuhi Leef, Westpac Bank

• Jeff Hayward, TVNZ

• Lindsay Chalmers, TVNZ

• Peter Ennis, TVNZ

• Phil Hobden, TVNZ

• Sharon Jackson, TVNZ

• Vaughn Davis, The Goat Farm Ltd

• Vedran Babich, Fisher Funds Management

ENDS

Background - The 2011 LIFEWISE Big Sleepout

When: Thursday July 7 to Friday July 8 (6.30pm to 7.30am)

Where: Hikuwai Plazaon AUT University’s city campus (an open-air plaza with some shelter)

What happens: Auckland business and community leaders raise sponsorship to spend one night ‘sleeping rough’ and experience what it’s like to be homeless. The money raised will provide services for the homeless in Auckland.

Website: www.bigsleepout.org.nz

Twitter: @bigsleepout and our official tag is #lifewiseBSO

The 2010 LIFEWISE Big Sleepout recently gained two awards from the Fundraising Institute of New Zealand – Online Campaign and Premier Fundraising award.

Background – LIFEWISE

LIFEWISE is an Auckland-based not-for-profit community agency that is initiating new ways to solve challenging social issues and provides services to vulnerable and at-risk people of all ages. Core work includes supporting children and families, older people and those living with disabilities as well as homeless and marginalised people (through The LIFEWISE Hub).

Website: www.lifewise.org.nz

Twitter: @lifewiseNZ and our official tag is #lifewise

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