Centenary raises $2m for charity, tsunami aid

Farmers' HQ matched dollar-for-dollar the $240,000 shoppers gave specifically for tsunami relief. Photo / Greg Bowker

Shoppers have given $1.5 million to charity as part of celebrations to mark the 100th birthday of Farmers department store.

Members of the public also gave $240,000 to the Farmers Tsunami Relief Fund for Samoa and Tonga - which the company matched, taking the total to $480,000.

The stand-out givers to NZ charities were residents of Gisborne who, despite their city's modest population, contributed a whopping $167,970 for rescue helicopter services.

Shoppers at Auckland's St Lukes mall were the next most generous, giving $104,420 to the charity Kidney Kids.

The fundraising was organised by staff of the nationwide retail chain to mark 100 years since Farmers was founded in Auckland.

This week, after the mammoth fundraising effort, Farmers presented 59 charities with cheques totalling $1,507,360 at a special breakfast to mark the campaign's end.

Each Farmers store picked one charity or local community project to support.

Farmers managing director Rod McDermott praised the generosity of shoppers and the effort and enthusiasm put in by his company's staff.

PICTURE OF GENEROSITY
* Gisborne: $167,970 to Eastland rescue helicopter
* St Lukes: $104,420 to Kidney Kids
* Dunedin: $61,620 to Otago Community Hospice
* Manukau: $57,720 to South Auckland Hospice
* Nelson: $55,520 to Nelson Regional Hospice
* Botany: $38,480 to Heart Children NZ
* Matamata: $37,000 to the local volunteer fire brigade
* Timaru: $31,240 to South Canterbury Heart Kids
* Whangarei: $30,160 to Hospice North Haven