Media Release June 2011

Twenty Deserving Organisations Need Your Votes to Earn Financial Assistance

A campaign set up by The Palms to inject $100,000 into the Christchurch community has uncovered a vast range of services and groups affected by the February earthquake and in desperate need of practical financial assistance.

From ensuring many abandoned pets are cared for, to stretching resources to provide health care services to the public, the organisations whose services and day-to-day activities have been hampered are many.

The Palms’ $100k campaign asked for nominations for deserving community organisations, and received more than 350 from the public over the two-week nomination period.

To determine the top 20 community organisations to put to public vote, The Palms’ team considered the content of each nomination and the level of financial assistance needed in each case, along with the nature and extent of the services required by the people of Christchurch.

“The overwhelming response to this initiative has highlighted how much support many groups and services in our local community still need,” says The Palms Shopping Centre manager Keryn Ward. “It was humbling to hear how each of the nominated community organisations has coped following the earthquake, and to learn how they would use the funding.”

The top 20 community organisations are: Aranui Food Distribution Centre, Blind Children’s Charitable Trust, Canterbury Caledonian Pipe Band, Canterbury Charity Hospital, Caring for Carers, Coastal Spirit Kanga Cup Team, Dallington Scout Group, Dog Watch, Freeville School, Kilimanjaro NZ Expedition, Marshland School, ParaFed Canterbury, Redcliff’s Primary School, Saint Pauls School, Shirley Tennis Club, Student Volunteer Army – Hope For Christchurch, Sumner Surf Life Saving Club, Supporting Families with Mental Illness, Women’s Centre Incorporated and Your Studio Trust.

The Palms Shopping Centre is asking members of the public to vote for their favourite community group in the top 20, by visiting www.thepalms.co.nz. Further details about each of these groups are also available on the website.

Voting on the top 20 opened on Monday 30 May at 10am and will close at 5pm on Wednesday 15 June. More than 3,000 votes were received on the first two days of voting.

It is intended that the winning charities will use the funding to help resume normal activity and boost the work they do in the community. The distribution will be in the form of five gifts of $10,000 and one major funding pool of $50,000.

The five recipients of $10,000 will be announced, one per day, over the five days from Monday 20 June. The organisation that received the most votes from the community, and thus receives $50,000, will be announced on 2 July at a special event at The Palms to celebrate the grand reopening of the first phase of the centre.

To vote for your favourite charity, school or community group in the Top 20, and for full terms and conditions, visit www.thepalms.co.nz. Would-be recipients of the funding are also encouraged to rally votes amongst their contacts and supporters. The campaign is open for voting from all New Zealanders, with one vote per person.

ENDS

About The Palms
The Palms Shopping Centre in Shirley (four kilometres from the Christchurch CBD), is an asset in the AMP Capital Shopping Centre Fund (ASCF). The Fund has 11 properties under management with a total fund size of over A$2 billion.

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