Mission collection boost for rescue trust | Hawkes Bay News | Local News in Hawkes Bay

At the Mission Concert in just over a fortnight's time Rod Stewart will bring a smile to the faces of the 25,000-strong crowd.

And in turn, the traditional generosity of the great Mission crowd will put a smile on the faces of those who steer the Hawke's Bay Helicopter Rescue Trust.

In return for assisting with the major job of organising car parking at the venue on concert day, the Rotary Club of Napier is granted permission to carry out a bucket collection for a worthy local charity.

As club president Paul O'Leary said, through the years the concert-going public had been generous to the 160-odd volunteers.

"We generally get around $20,000 from the collection," Mr O'Leary said.

"It has become the major fundraiser for us over the past 20 years - this year is the 20th Mission Concert and we have been there from the start."

He said the club was focused on supporting local charities, and in the past had collected for organisations like CanTeen, the Child Cancer Foundation, Surf Lifesaving HB, Cranford Hospice and the Napier Women's Refuge.

This year it was decided to support the rescue helicopter service.

He said representatives of the rescue trust had made a presentation to Rotary, and spoken to the club about the importance of community support.

"They are such a worthy cause - I think most people out there know of someone who has been assisted by them," Mr O'Leary said.

The trust's marketing and fundraising manager Louise Harvey said such donations were "crucial" in keeping the rescue helicopters running.

"Half our funding comes from donations - that's about $1.2 million," she said.

"Rotary's decision to support us is just brilliant - excellent."