Top of the South communities to the rescue - again!

Thank you, to all our clients and the wider Nelson Tasman community. You have once again dug deep to support one of the region’s most vital services, the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter.

We are pleased to be able to announce that the NBS Rescue Helicopter Appeal, which ran throughout October, raised a total of $64,273.14 for the helicopter rescue service, providing a much-needed boost in what has been a difficult year.

Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust (NMRHT) General Manager Paula Muddle said it was an incredible effort from the community considering the uncertainty created by the COVID-19 pandemic. We are really grateful to all who donated and, of course, especially grateful to NBS and our other corporate sponsors. They are so crucial to our operations.”

This year, we have boosted our support for the rescue helicopter, providing a lifeline for the trust which runs the service. That’s why you’ll now see the NBS logo on the belly of the helicopter.

“Without NBS and our other sponsors, we just wouldn’t have the vital community service we have today,” says Paula. “We are so thankful.”

NBS CEO Tony Cadigan said the entire NBS team had worked hard to facilitate the October appeal and were proud of the amount raised.

“It’s a cause we all feel strongly about. The crew at Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust do an incredible job and, as we can see from the huge level of community support, the people across Nelson Tasman acknowledge that.

“While times are tough for many, our region has shown that this service and its contribution to the wider community matters”.

Back at the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter base, Crewman Medic and one of the faces of the campaign this year, Carl Babe said the entire team had been humbled by the response to the appeal.

“We’re incredibly lucky to have such a committed and engaged community, right across the top of the South. They have a real sense of ownership, and that support is so vital. I would fear for the service if we didn’t have that.”

Babe said while the pandemic had some impact on the type and frequency of rescues carried out, there was one constant: the number of rescues continued to increase year on year.

“I don’t think we’ll see those numbers slow down, so we are going to have to continue to work smarter and ask the community to continue to back us.”