The Cancer Society’s annual Daffodil Day fundraiser will be heavily affected this year as the charity faces scaled-back fundraising due to COVID-19, but the pledge announced by ANZ today is a welcome relief.

To help make-up for the forecasted 30% loss in Cancer Society’s donations compared to 2019, ANZ, the Cancer Society’s major sponsor of 30 years, has pledged to match public donations through its Digital Daffodil up to the value of $500,000. The aim is to raise $1 million.

The Cancer Society Auckland announced its heart-breaking decision on Tuesday that it will not be running its much-loved annual Daffodil Day street appeal – the first time in 30 years it will not take place in Auckland. At this stage, the Daffodil Day street appeal will still go ahead in the rest of New Zealand.

Cancer Society CEO Lucy Elwood says the money raised on Daffodil Day is crucial to funding the work it does to support the one in three New Zealanders impacted by cancer.

“People may not be out and about as much this year to see our volunteers on the street, and our Auckland street collection can’t go ahead in Level 3. We still need people to donate to us online,” she said.

“This is why the ANZ match funding is so crucial to us and why we have a simple request. If you would have dropped coins or notes in a bucket, please donate that amount online via the ANZ Digital Daffodil and it will be doubled”.

“We’re incredibly grateful to our partner ANZ. In a year like no other it’s fantastic to see this pledge come to life.”

ANZ CEO Antonia Watson says: “We’re proud of the 30 years we have been helping the Cancer Society support those who have experienced cancer, either themselves, their family, friends or loved one.

“Donating via the Digital Daffodil is easy. It features a QR code to scan, something which people are well used to in the current environment.

“We’re committed to fundraising for the Cancer Society because cancer doesn’t stop. We’ve tried to make it easier for people to donate because they may not be reminded by seeing a collector on the street.”

People can also visit the ANZ website to download and print a Digital Daffodil to put up outside their home and become a Daffodil Day community champion.

“We’re encouraging New Zealanders to put one on their letter box, window or fence so people on their daily walks will be able to donate. I encourage anyone who is able to, to donate, because every donation makes a difference,” Ms Watson says.

ANZ and the Cancer Society have a long-standing relationship going back thirty years with ANZ raising more than $20million for the charity in that time.

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