Sport rallies for popular volunteer

Hockey manager at Hawke's Bay Hockey, Dean Hulls

Hawke's Bay Hockey is calling on the community to get behind sporting stalwart Angela Nilsson-Findlay, who is battling cancer.

Hockey manager at Hawke's Bay Hockey, Dean Hulls, said Ms Nilsson-Findlay had been a well-known volunteer across sporting codes for many years.

She managed to balance a full-time job as a physical education teacher at Taradale High School with raising four children and managing and coaching school, representative and academy hockey programmes as well as playing the sport herself.

Ms Nilsson-Findlay is battling cancer, secondary to breast cancer diagnosed in 2012.

"After being involved in netball at all levels for a long time, Ange took up playing hockey just three years ago as all her family are involved in the game," said Mr Hulls.

"Her involvement, along with her husband Graeme, helped start up the Bay Independent Women's Club teams and so she took up playing.

"She's really passionate about what she does, she really wants the best for the kids she's involved with.

"She just jumps on the pitch, helps out and mucks in. The least we can do as a community when she's not having a good time of it, is get behind her and offer our help to someone who has helped us so much."

-The Findlay Family Benefit Match this Saturday at Park Island, Napier, will see a Hawke's Bay team take on a New Zealand invitational team, including junior, current and former Black Sticks players, to raise money for Ms Nilsson-Findlay and her family.

Entry will be a gold coin donation and spectators are asked to wear pink in support.

A Givealittle page set up for the family had also raised $375 last night.

To donate to the Findlay family's Givealittle page, go to: givealittle.co.nz/cause/findlayfamilybenefithockeymatch