Hawke's Bay volunteer Dave Ferguson hopes to trade his way from an acorn to a house for charity

Dave Ferguson has volunteered at The Acorn Project since it launched in 2019 and is hoping to raise funds for the charity through a series of trades, starting with an acorn. Photo / Warren Buckland

A Havelock North volunteer hopes to trade his way up from a humble acorn to a car or even a house as part of a fundraiser for The Acorn Project.

Dave Ferguson has been with the group since it launched in 2019, providing wraparound support for youth aged 12-24 years and their families who have been impacted by cancer in some way.

He wanted to do something "a bit different" from the typical fundraisers - sausage sizzles and bake sales - he does with other charity groups he volunteers for.

Ferguson stumbled upon an article about Kyle MacDonald, a Canadian man who traded up from a single-red paper clip to a two-storey farmhouse over a year of bartering.

Instead of a paperclip, he'll be using an acorn sourced from near the founder of The Acorn Project's house.

Dave Ferguson says the acorn-swap idea was inspired by a Canadian man who started with a single-red paper clip and traded his way up to a two-storey farmhouse house over one year. Photo / Warren Buckland

"Even if I only get something very small, as long as I can get bigger than an acorn then that's good," Ferguson said.

"I don't have a goal in mind but it would be great to end up with a car or a house."

The money raised will go towards regular expenses.

He plans to make the trades over a three-month period starting in April.

The first swap has been lined up with The Acorn Project offering a pen or a cap.

Ferguson said he found volunteering for the group, which involved about five to six hours a month helping facilitate events and activities for the members, a very rewarding experience.

"The reason I keep going is to see the smiles on the members faces.

"It's really heartwarming."

Anyone interested in learning more about the fundraiser can email acornswap@gmail.com