Plunket needs up to $4m a year to keep services going

Plunket is aiming to raise between $2m and $4m this year to continue to provide and improve the support and advice it gives to 90 per cent of Kiwi parents.

NZME and the Hits are partnering with Plunket to raise money for the 111-year-old organisation this week with hosts at The Hits radio station setting themselves ambitious goals in the hope New Zealanders will reach into their pockets.

The 1000 Days to Raise a Bundle campaign is in its second year and kicks off today with the Breakfast and Drive shows competing to see who can raise the most funds.

The Breakfast show's Sam Wallace and producer Lu are kayaking from Auckland to Waiheke today to raise funds, while Paul 'Flynny' Flynn will run 15km tomorrow.

On Friday the station will run a radiothon with Hits' hosts from around New Zealand taking part in the fun.

Plunket chief executive Amanda Malu said the charity, which helps about 50,000 newborns each year, relied on fundraising to provide extra services on top of the nursing services and Plunketline, which were funded by the government.

The services included providing programmes to educate and support parents, as well as running playgroups connecting mothers in their communities.

Malu said the additional services gave vital reassurance and support to new parents because babies did not come with handbooks.

Some of the topics covered include breastfeeding sleeping, settling, toilet training.

As well as keeping its existing services running, Plunket was looking to extend its Plunketline services so parents could book a face-to-face chat with experts such as lactation consultants. It would also benefit people in rural areas who might not be able to access services in their communities.

Plunket will celebrate its 111th birthday on May 14 and while babies and families had not changed, the way Plunket delivered its service particularly utilising social media and technology to communicate with families had, Malu said.

"The pressures on families are different today than they were 111 years ago, but then 111 years ago we had a really high rate of infant mortality so it was just different times.

"We get lovely letters, lovely feedback from people even years later who say Plunket really got them through some tough times when they had young families. It's really great to know the work we are doing does genuinely make a difference of a lifetime for families."

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