Successful dinner raises $21k for Life Flight Trust

Wairarapa Times-Age

The Life Flight Trust has been given enough money to make eight missions after a fundraiser held in Martinborough last month.

The inaugural Take Flight Spring Fling held on September 29 was a tremendous success, with $21,000 raised for the trust.

The fundraising was spearheaded by local grandmother Janice Hutchings, whose grandson has been airlifted on numerous occasions.

Her daughter Jacqui Morland said her son would not be alive if they did not have this vital service.

"We are so thankful for the work Life Flight undertake for our community and to everyone who helped make our event a success."

The dinner was sponsored by The Village Cafe and guests were treated to an evening of live entertainment, delicious food - served by volunteers - and local wines.

The Harvest Lunch Martinborough Committee donated a cheque to the cause, and some guests from the McLeod group made a donation over and above the ticket price, as well as other donations of goods and services from the community.

A raffle for a playhouse donated by Pain & Kershaw Mitre 10 raised more than $2000.

NatColl design student Mariam Abubakar did all the promotional work free of charge.

Life Flight relies on about $2500 from the community for every mission flown and the organisers were delighted the funds raised will meet the costs of over eight trips.

Trust chief executive David Irving was to collect the cheque at the cafe on Tuesday.