Toys help fellow helicopter

At least one of the blokes at Henley Men's Shed has reason to be grateful to the Life Flight Trust's Westpac rescue helicopter.

"They saved my life," Richard Trail said on Wednesday at the handing over of a cheque for $1870, money raised by the sale of 160 toy helicopters made and sold by Men's Shed members.

Two years ago, Mr Trail, a farmer, sustained life-threatening injuries in a quad-bike crash while rushing at night to check water supplies.

His shouts attracted help - "They thought it was a sheep, but we don't have sheep," he said - and that set off a chain reaction that eventually led to him being whisked by helicopter to Palmerston North Hospital.

These days, Mr Trail steers clear of quad bikes - "I hate them," he said - but he enjoys his weekly visits to the Men's Shed.

The cheque was presented by Henley Men's Shed chairman Murray Campbell to Life Flight Trust fundraising co-ordinator Niall MacKay, from Wellington, who stressed how essential community support was for the $10million-a-year Westpac Rescue helicopter and fixed-wing service.

He said the helicopter flew about 130 missions a year in Wairarapa, at a cost of around $2500 per mission. At present that aircraft was out of commission, getting a $250,000 transmission repair job. A replacement machine had been hired, but simply getting it from Otago to Wellington and back had cost $18,000.

Mr MacKay paid tribute to all supporters and in particular to the Red Angels, individuals who commit to regular donations of $10 or $20 a month, to the service.

Henley Men's Shed co-ordinator John Bush, who came up with the idea of the helicopter production line, said he was looking at ways the shed could continue supporting the Westpac Rescue service.