"We are grateful for every dollar we get from Cash for Communities..."
There are the panicked calls in the middle of the night. Urgent trips negotiated up windy, potholed, muddy drives. Emergency beacons directing Westpac Choppers to injured farmers in remote, regional New Zealand.
“At a moment’s notice, we may be responding to an accident or a medical event. We are often there on someone’s worst day, but it is a privilege to be there for them.”
Johs van Pierce is helicopter pilot for Northern Rescue, formally known as Northland Emergency Services Trust. He has helped his fair share of farmers over the last six years.
“We have a lot of rural communities in Northland that are a long way from help if something does go wrong. Farmers are a big one for us. They are often dealing with hazardous environments, so we need to be able to get help to them quickly, especially in places where cars and ambulances can’t access,” he explains.
Farmers and Growers showed their appreciation for their mahi during 2025’s Cash for Communities, handing over a donation of $1,883 in May. The charity has received more than $10,000 since 2020. Support that is incredibly welcome by Northern Rescue.
“A lot of funding does come from hospitals and the Government. However, that doesn’t cover all the gaps in the service. New ventilators, new equipment for picking people up, new strops, new gear, and the maintenance for the helicopters. These donations help cover the shortfall we can sometimes see,” says Johs.
This same gratitude is felt at the opposite end of the country by Hato Hone St John Southland. Though based in Invercargill, they cover an area of more than 150,000 km2 and treat more than 100,000 patients a year, many in rural areas.
“Our trucks are never not muddy. I can’t tell you how many remote, farm roads I have been down. But it is an honour to be there for our patients when they need us most,” says Braden Stark, Southland Area Operations Manager for Hato Hone St John.
Like the Northern Rescue, St John receives funding from Government and ACC, but this funding does not meet every need.
“Right now, we share our home base with Fire and Emergency New Zealand. We have both grown to meet the needs of the community and are busting at the seams. We are fortunate to have a bit of land on Clyde Street, and plans are underway to build a new Southland HQ,” he explains.
The new hub is expected to cost around $10 million, and government money goes directly to patient care.
“We are grateful for every dollar we get from Cash for Communities, and the Southland Community. This donation is going directly to building the new station, so we can continue to be there for our patients.”
Some of the Cash for Communities recipients rely completely on donations to function. The Cancer Society is one such charity. They support cancer patients and their whānau with services like information, practical or emotional support, transportation, or accommodation.
“New Zealand has one of the highest cancer rates in the world, one in three kiwis will be diagnosed. We are proud to be able to help people and families through their journey,” says Gavin Booth, Manager of Cancer Society Southland who gratefully received $2,341 from Cash for Communities.
For many on Gavin’s staff, farming is their way of life, too.
“You do not get to choose when or if you are diagnosed. It could be in the middle of lambing or shearing or harvest. Some of our cancer navigators are farmers too, so they can give targeted support.”
Cash for Communities helps charities and organisations of all kinds and sizes. From schools and sports clubs to helicopters and ambulances. Every little bit helps, and for the groups working in and with our rural communities, they are grateful for the acknowledgement.
“When we started Cash for Communities 15 years ago with Ballance, we could only hope our customers would get behind it. They have, and then some. Cash for Communities real success is not the programme itself. It is the thousands of Farmers and Growers who choose, year after year, to support their rural communities through their everyday purchases,” says PGG Wrightson CEO Stephen Guerin.
In 2025, Cash for Communities hit a major milestone: $1 million to community organisations and charities across the motu.
“We are very pleased to play a part in facilitating the health and wellbeing of our rural communities. Giving back, keeping our rural communities and people strong, is an honour,” Stephen says.
