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New Zealand Rugby Players' Association – Fundraising for St John

Friday 14 May 2010, 12:02PM

By ARC Team

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NELSON

The New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association (NZRPA) has put together a team of four to take up the challenge of completing the Rollo’s 24-Hour Adventure Race on Queens Birthday weekend to:

- honour and thank St John for their outstanding contribution in caring for the New Zealand community over the last 125 years (particularly the sporting community)

- raise funds to help purchase the latest Patient Simulation Manikin; and

- highlight the upcoming annual St John Appeal: 20th -27th June 2010

Thanking St John for 125 years of service

St John is one of New Zealand's longest serving community and charitable organisations and has been caring for and helping New Zealanders for 125 years.

“St John has assisted and cared for so many people through the work they do. They have done this for 125 years and to such a high standard we just felt we wanted to do something to honour and thank them” said NZRPA CEO Rob Nichol.

“We want to create some awareness and appreciation, raise some funds to help purchase the latest Patient Simulation Manikin and also ensure St John is at the forefront of people’s minds during their national appeal week 20th-27th June 2010”

St John Chief Executive Jaimes Wood says St John is delighted the NZ Rugby Players’ Association is undertaking this fantastic fundraising initiative on behalf of St John.

“St John has a long and valued relationship with the sporting community, providing first aid services at rugby games and other sports and recreational activities for 125 years.

“It is timely this initiative is taking place this year, as 2010 is the 125th anniversary of St John. The first recorded case of St John providing medical assistance at sports games was at a rugby game in Sydenham in 1891.”

Did you know St John

- treats more than 350,000 patients a year

- attends nearly 300,000 emergency incidents a year

- provides ambulance services to more than 85% of New Zealanders

- provides community services nationwide

And while St John are renowned for their ambulances they deliver plenty more:

- first aid cover at more than 8,500 events last year

- first aid training courses for nearly 60,000 Kiwis a year

- youth programme with over 5,500 members

- community programmes including Heath Shuttles, Caring Caller and Friends of the Emergency Department

Fundraising for Patient Simulation Manikin

St John needs the public to provide financial support. The ambulance services are not fully funded by Government and St John relies on a range of other sources to make up the shortfall of around $12 million a year in its ambulance operations funding. St John does not receive Government funding for its community services.

“We sat down with St John and asked them what they really needed and did not have funding for” said former Professional Rugby Player and current Sky Rugby Presenter Ian Jones.

“They highlighted their need for the latest Patient Simulation Manikin which would be transported around the country allowing trainees to learn and test their emergency treatment skills”

“So we are competing in the Rollo’s 24 Hour Adventure Race hoping people and businesses, and in particular the sporting community, will join us in thanking St John and helping us raise the funds to contribute towards buying this latest technologically advanced and proven Patient Simulation Manikin”

Rugby players and other sportspeople will recall the constant presence of St John on the sporting sidelines throughout New Zealand as part of their earliest sporting memories.

“Ever since I can remember St John has been on the sidelines ready to help if needed” said former Professional Rugby Player and current NZRPA Player Services Manager David Gibson

“From the age of four when I started playing rugby I remember them, at school tournaments, age grade teams, watching my father play club rugby and even right through till now when I take my kids to sport.

There would not be a person in New Zealand who has not had St John assist them or their family or friends in times of need”

“It is great to be able to help recognise their contribution and raise some funds to help purchase what is much needed clinical training equipment”

The Rollo’s 24 Hour Adventure Race

The Rollo’s 24 Hour Adventure Race – at lands end (doubling as the 2010 NZ Adventure Racing Championships) www.adventurenelson.co.nz is 24 hours of non-stop adventure over 9 continuous stages. Stages involve kayaking, mountain biking and / or tramping to locate a series of checkpoints scattered about the spectacular terrain, rivers and ocean areas of Golden Bay. The Race will be held on the 5th and 6th June 2010.

The course description is kept secret until the race start. Details of each stage including checkpoint co-ordinates are provided following completion of the previous stage. All team members complete the entire course together (must stay within 100 meters of each other at all times). The estimated completion time is between 18 and 28 hours.

“This is a massive challenge for us” said former Professional Rugby Player and current Blues Professional Development Manager Ben Meyer “ While we have all been pretty active over the years this adventure racing caper looks like a true kiwi challenge and one that frankly we are pretty daunted by”

“But the cause is fantastic and our pride is such that we are determined to complete this challenge and do St John, our fellow NZRPA player members and those supporting us proud - even though it will probably leave us in a state like we have never been in before and requiring more medical treatment, massages and TLC than all our rugby careers combined ever did”

How to support the NZRPA and donate to St John

All donations go directly to St John and the purchase of the Patient Simulation Manikin. Any excess funds raised will be applied towards the purchase of additional clinical training equipment.
Individuals can:

- Make an online donation directly on the St John website www.stjohn.co.nz by clicking on the “NZRPA” banner on the homepage.

- Post your cheque to your nearest St John Regional Office - with code “NZRPA Race”

- Phone 0800 ST JOHN (0800 785 646) to make a donation whilst quoting “NZRPA Race”

Businesses can:

- Contact Gemma Brown at the NZRPA +64 9 630 3075 gemma.brown@nzrpa.co.nz to become a corporate donor

The NZRPA Fundraising for St John adventure racing team

Ian Jones

former All Black, Chiefs, Northland / Kamo, North Harbour / East Coast Bays, Gloucester, London Wasps rugby player and current Sky Rugby Presenter

David Gibson

former NZ Maori, Highlanders, Blues, Auckland / Ponsonby, Northland, Otago / University rugby player and current NZRPA Player Services Manager

Ben Meyer

former Blues, Auckland / University, North Harbour / North Shore, Counties / Karaka, Edinburgh rugby player and current Blues Player Professional Development Manager

Rob Nichol

NZRPA CEO

For further information please contact:
New Zealand Rugby Players’ Association
Gemma Brown
T +64 9 630 3075 M + 64 21 819 377
gemma.brown@nzrpa.co.nz
St John
Ali Tocker
External Communications Manager
St John
M 027 211 2159
E ali.tocker@stjohn.org.nz
Rollo’s 24 hour Adventure Race Director
Chris James
M + 64 27 444 2124
www.adventurenelson.co.nz