Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal raises $42k for Hawke's Bay DHB

The Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal has raised $42,000 which the Hawkes Bay DHB will use for medical facilities and equipment.

Of that, $16,000 will go towards extending the Newborn Behavioural Observation (NBO) system throughout the Hawke's Bay Community and $26,000 will go towards a critical cooling unit.

The cheque was presented to the HBDHB deputy executive director provider services Claire Caddie by Countdown Hawke's Bay group manager Wayne Dohmen at the Hastings Countdown store on Thursday morning.

The Hawke's Bay stores get behind the appeal every year, holding events like a group charity walks, quiz nights and more.

"2018 marks the 12th year of the Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal which this year raised funds for 21 children's hospitals and wards around New Zealand, who will all receive much-needed items, such as new equipment or upgraded facilities for patients," Dohmen said.

"Since the Countdown's Kids Hospital Appeal was first launched in 2007 a total of $12.8 million has been raised for sick Kiwi kids."

"I'm proud to say that since the launch our Hawke's Bay hospital has benefited to the tune of $866,344."

Napier Countdown store manager Philippa Reston said they were thrilled with the outcome for the Hawke's Bay region.

"We held a quiz night between our own team and the hospital team at the Napier RSA and managed to raise $2500 which was really great.

Some of our staff also donated paintings and one of them went for $500. We also had signed rugby jerseys from the Magpies so overall it was a wonderful result."

Marathon runner Perry Newburn also jumped on the bandwagon and spent 24 hours running to and from Countdown stores across Hawke's Bay to raise money for the appeal.

He raised $944.60 for the cause and was joined by several Magpies rugby players on the last leg of the run when he returned to Napier.

"We're just so thrilled with the result overall, because the money stays within the Hawke's Bay community and there's someone who will actually benefit from it, if not today, but in the future. "We want to say a big thank you to the customers, because they make donations when they're visiting the stores and get behind the crazy little things that we do.

"Our staff are incredible too, as this is work that they do on top of their busy schedules, but we definitely get back what we put in."