Whanganui Volunteer Fire Brigade raises $6000 for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer NZ

Simon Dibben, Francis Flis and Aaron Whitford moments before tackling the Sky Tower Stair Challenge on Saturday. Photo / Gavin Pryce

The Whanganui Volunteer Fire Brigade has raised more than $6000 for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand.

Three members of the brigade, team captain Aaron Whitford plus Simon Dibben and Francis Flis, were in Auckland last weekend to compete in the Sky Tower Stair Challenge.

The brigade has raised just over $6000 since its fundraising campaign started in late 2020.

Neighbouring volunteer brigades Feilding and Ruapehu also had successful fundraising campaigns, raising $18,500 and $13,000 respectively.

More than 1000 firefighters competed in the Stair Challenge, raising $1,367,876, the highest amount raised since the event began in 2005.

Competing in the donned section and wearing structural firefighting kit with breathing apparatus weighing about 25kg, Whitford and Dibben both finished the challenge.

Dibben, who competed in the donned section for the first time, finished 12th overall with a time of 14 minutes 17 seconds.

Flis finished third in her age category and fourth in the female rural category with a time of 24 minutes and 16 seconds.

Competing in the challenge for the first time, Flis said it was quite daunting in the moments leading up to the event.

"You're just at the bottom on the outside and you look up and think, 'what have I got myself into?'

"It's not as daunting once you are inside. Everyone involved was awesome, there was a real camaraderie."

She said it was as hard as she had expected it to be and more, climbing to the 61st floor of the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere.

"I just got to the top and it was such a relief. My partner Gavin helped me take all my gear off and everything because I was just exhausted. He reminded me to look outside and see what I'd achieved."

Flis was looking forward to the 2022 edition of the event, aiming to beat her time and see if she could get some extra firefighters to take part in the challenge.

Whilst he would've liked to have had more time to prepare, Whitford finished with a time of 38 minutes and 59 seconds.

Whitford, whose six-year-old son waited for him at the top of the tower, said the challenge raised money for a great cause.

Last year he met a seven-year-old boy named Liem who spoke at the firefighters prizegiving dinner.

"To hear this little boy's story, and that he is now in remission, highlights the work that Leukaemia and Blood Cancer NZ do and how important these fundraising events are for the organisation.

"Every day, seven Kiwis are diagnosed with a blood cancer, and Liem reminded all of us not to take anything for granted, that leukaemia doesn't discriminate regardless of how old or what gender you are."