Auckland hotel donates $450K to support child health and wellbeing

Quality Hotel Parnell, part of Choice Hotels Asia-Pac, will support the health and wellbeing of future generations of New Zealanders through its generous donation of $450,000 to the Liggins Institute.

The donation is made possible due to the charitable nature of the hotel, where a foundation established for the late owner Mr Norman FB Barry uses all profits (outside of operating costs and an improvements allowance) to support healthcare research.

The Liggins Institute, a world-leading research institute at the University of Auckland, works to improve life-long health through excellent research into the long-term consequences of early life events.

Wayne Darbyshire, General Manager of Quality Hotel Parnell, says the donation will support a partnership programme with schools that empowers teenagers to use the latest research evidence to understand and improve their own health, and take steps to avoid serious health issues in the future such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

“It is imperative that research organisations like the Liggins Institute have the financial support they need to help New Zealanders live longer, healthier lives,” Darbyshire said.

When past owner of Quality Hotel Parnell, Mr Norman FB Barry, originally established the Norman FB Barry Foundation in order to support healthcare research, he had no idea the hotel would flourish to the extent that would allow such a sizable gift back to the community.

“Mr Barry would be proud to know his hotel’s generous donation is going towards such a worthy initiative,” says John Smith, Chairman of the foundation.

Quality Hotel Parnell will host a cheque signing ceremony on Tuesday 23 August in front of an audience of around 60 key stakeholders and Auckland University professors.

Jacquie Bay, LENScience Director, says the schools partnership would not be possible without philanthropic support from the Norman Barry Foundation.

“Our children and adolescents are our country’s future. Translating our research outcomes into a reality in the community could provide a powerful tool for preventing the onset of disease, and we are extremely grateful for Quality Hotel Parnell’s support.”