Raising money for children's health

The Dunedin Hospital Early Child Care Centre pupils perform at the Countdown Kids 2015 Fundraising Campaign for Otago launch at Dunedin Hospital yesterday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
The Dunedin Hospital Early Child Care Centre pupils perform at the Countdown Kids 2015 Fundraising Campaign for Otago launch at Dunedin Hospital yesterday. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
A fundraising campaign to benefit Dunedin's children's health services was launched yesterday.

The Countdown Kids 2015 Fundraising Campaign for Otago launch was held in the whanau room at Dunedin Hospital.

About 50 people attended the event. Dunedin Hospital Early Child Care Centre pupils performed several songs, including One Day a Taniwha, Twinkle Twinkle Chocolate Bar and a rousing Tu Tira Mai Nga Iwi.

Southern District Health Board commissioner Kathy Grant, speaking at the launch, said the money raised by the campaign helped the board's health professionals deliver their ''skill, expertise, integrity and compassion''.

The campaign last year helped purchase a portable camera so children did not have to travel to Christchurch for eye examinations.

Countdown South Island operations manager Jo McNaught said Countdown supported 11 children's hospitals across New Zealand, including in Dunedin and Invercargill.

The campaign was in its ninth year and $1.3million was raised in New Zealand last year, ''the best year we have ever had''.

''And we are looking to top that this year.''

Countdown human resource manager Pam Cookson said the money raised was pooled nationally.

Last year, Dunedin Hospital was given more than $115,000 and Southland Hospital more than $70,000.

Last year, the six Countdown supermarkets in Otago raised about $47,000, she said.

''We have set ourselves a target to smash that this year, and go over $50,000.''

The campaign for Southland will be launched at Southland Hospital tomorrow.

shawn.mcavinue@odt.co.nz

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