Local charities receive more than $1.5 million

Local charities receive more than $1.5 million on the occasion of Farmers centenary

New Zealand charities get a welcome boost tomorrow (Tuesday October 20) with Farmers donating $1,507,360 to 59 different local community charities the length and breadth of New Zealand.

Farmers has turned 100 and to celebrate the company launched an ambitious charitable project that saw each Farmers store from Kaitaia to Invercargill, distribution centre and head office select a charity or local community project to support.

The fundraising activity culminates tomorrow (Tuesday October 20) with all stores holding a centenary breakfast and presenting a cheque for their local community cause or charity.

Farmers managing director Rod McDermott praised the generosity of local shoppers, customers and communities.

“This was our opportunity to give back to the communities within which we’ve operated for 100 years. We are pleased with the generosity of Farmers customers and the enthusiasm of our partner charities.

“Also, I cannot speak highly enough of the effort and enthusiasm put in by all the staff at Farmers. My thanks go out to them one and all.”

The range of selected charities is diverse with recipients including Ashburton Cancer Society, Age Concern North Shore, Riding for the Disabled, Rangiora Local Volunteer Fire Brigade and Nelson Search & Rescue amongst others.

Paul Norfolk, CEO of recipient charity Kidney Kids says, “Kidney Kids is ecstatic at the initiative by Farmers for their 100 year celebration. Together we’ve achieved a significant milestone in fundraising which is one of the best co-operative fundraising ventures.”

Farmers celebrated its centenary with a number of community projects and in-store events, as well as with limited edition centenary collectable merchandise.

In addition, Farmers has organised a Tsunami Relief Fund for Samoa and Tonga. To date Farmers has donated six containers, or more than 40,000 pieces of essential daily needs such as pillows, mattresses, towels, crockery, clothes, soap and toiletries, to those in need in Samoa and Tonga. Farmers customers were also asked to donate and rallied to the cause with a staggering $240,000 raised to date. Farmers committed to match this amount dollar for dollar meaning the company will provide in excess of $480,000 to the people of Samoa.

Each store is listed below along with their chosen charity and funds raised:

Store / Final Amount Donated / Selected Charity
Albany Home / $ 16,660 / Auckland Dyspraxia Support Services
Albany Mega / $ 19,580 / RNZBF Guide Dog Services
Ashburton / $ 10,860 / Ashburton Cancer Society
Bayfair / $ 17,900 / Trust Power TECH Rescue Helicopter
Blenheim / $ 16,620 / Marlborough Community Hospice
Botany / $ 38,480 / Heart Children NZ
Browns Bay / $ 6,800 / Age Concern North Shore
Chartwell / $ 11,180 / Riding for the Disabled
Colombo St / $ 32,020 / Ronald McDonald House
Cuba St / $ 17,920 / Ronald McDonald House
Dunedin / $ 61,620 / Otago Community Hospice
Eastgate / $ 38,080 / Cholmondeley Children's Home
Gisborne / $ 167,970 / Rescue Helicopter
Glenfield / $ 20,500 / Wairau Valley Special School
Hamilton / $ 19,920 / Hospice Waikato
Hastings / $ 16,980 / Cranford Hospice
Hornby / $ 6,600 / Duffy's Books in Homes Programme - St Bernadette Primary School
Hornby / $ 3,000 / Duffy's Books in Homes Programme - Gillerthorpe Primary School
Hornby / $ 6,000 / Duffy's Books in Homes Programme - Sockburn Primary School
Hornby / $ 5,200 / Duffy's Books in Homes Programme - Hornby Primary School
Invercargill / $ 14,520 / Care Trust of Southland
Kaitaia / $ 6,640 / Salvation Army
Kilbirnie / $ 12,060 / Mary Potter Hospice
Lampton Quay / $ 16,740 / Ronald McDonald House
Levin / $ 12,080 / Volunteer Fire Brigade
Lynmall / $ 8,300 / Kiwi Can
Manukau / $ 57,720 / South Auckland Hospice
Masterton / $ 25,080 / Wairarapa Hospice
Matamata / $ 37,000 / Local Volunteer Fire Brigade
Napier / $ 9,480 / National Heart Foundatkon - Hawkes Bay
Nelson / $ 55,520 / Nelson Regionals Hospice
New Plymouth / $ 10,880 / Coastal Poathway Extension to Bell Block
Newmarket / $ 15,780 / Auckland's Womens Refuge
Northlands / $ 20,480 / Westcoast Air Rescue
Oamaru / $ 15,660 / North Otago Cancer Society
Pakuranga / $ 14,300 / Life Education Trust
Palmerston North / $ 19,800 / Rotary Club Project - Star 2
Papakura / $ 13,820 / Blue Light Youth Leadership Mentoring
Paraparaumu / $ 30,780 / Mary Potter Community Hospice
Porirua / $ 19,240 / Wellington Free Ambulance
Queensgate / $ 29,880 / Te Omanga Hospice
Queen Street / $ 2,500 / Project K
Rangiora / $ 12,200 / Volunteer Fire Brigade
Riccarton / $ 21,780 / Nurse Maude Hospice
Richmond / $ 13,740 / Nelson Search and Rescue
Rotorua / $ 20,640 / SPCA
Shirley / $ 17,580 / St Johns Ambulance
Shore City / $ 15,980 / Wilson Home Trust
St Lukes / $ 104,420 / Kidney Kids
Taupo / $ 17,000 / Café for Youth Health
Tauranga / $ 49,700 / Waipuna Hospice
Thames / $ 24,320 / Thames Search and Rescue
Timaru / $ 31,240 / South Canterbury Heart Kids
Upper Hutt / $ 8,040 / Riding for the Disabled
Wairau Park / $ 4,780 / Project K Development Trust
Wanganui / $ 27,820 / Wanganui Hospital
West City / $ 11,450 / Muriwai Surf Lifesavers
West City / $ 11,450 / Piha Surf Lifesavers
West City / $ 11,450 / Bethells Beach Surf Lifesavers
Westgate / $ 5,260 / West Auckland Hospice
Whakatane / $ 7,980 / Eastern Bay of Plenty Hospice
Whangaparoa / $ 5,820 / Hibiscus Coast Community House
Whangarei / $ 30,160 / Hospice North Haven

ENDS

Notes to Editors:
Farmers was founded in Auckland in 1909 and began life as Laidlaw Leeds, a mail order business supplying rural communities outside of the city and around New Zealand. The company soon expanded into retail and during WW1 merged with The Farmers Union Trading Company. Today Farmers Trading Company Limited is New Zealand’s only nationwide department store and is New Zealand owned and managed.

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