Te Puke and Maketū firefighters tackle stair challenge

Maketū Volunteer Fire Brigade's Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge participants Jack Brawn, Kirsty Levien and fire chief Shane Gourlay.

Five of the district's firefighters are looking for help with an energised way of raising funds.

All five - Jack Brawn, Shane Gourlay and Kirsty Levien, of, Maketū, and Jodi Purdie and Matt Atchison, of Te Puke - will be powering their way to the top of the Sky Tower at the Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge in May.

The event is a fundraiser for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand and, as well as sponsorship for the climb, each brigade is collecting vehicle batteries as a way of adding to their contributions.

The Maketū brigade is collecting in the Maketū area and Jodi and Matt from the Te Puke area.

None of the three Maketū volunteers have tackled the annual 1103-step climb before.

Chief fire officer Shane says when the idea was floated he decided to put his name forward.

As well as presenting ''a bit of a challenge'', he says there was a personal reason for taking part.

''I had a mate who passed away from leukaemia in the 80s and thought about him quite a bit and decided to do it and dedicate it to him.''

Shane and the other brigade members have been training on Mauao and Pāpāmoa Hills.

''Whenever we can get some training in we will.'' There are several categories of climb depending on the type of cylinder being carried and whether breathing apparatus is in operation.

''I'm in the old fella category, hopefully,'' jokes Shane.

The Maketū team has already surpassed its fundraising target of $1500. It has several raffles, one with the prize of tickets to One Love donated by the festival's organisers.

Te Puke firefighters Matt Atchison and Jodi Purdie will be tackling the Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge in May. Photo / Cooper Purdie

Jodi will be tacking the challenge for the third time, and the second doing it with the heavier steel cylinder in the Firefighter of Steel category.

As well as bettering her time of last year, she was inspired to have another go straight after last year's climb.

''Last time I did it I went to the prizegiving, which I hadn't done the previous year, and at the event they had a recipient from the charity speak and her story floored me,'' she says.

''Her name was Laura and the way she spoke - she had so much support from Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand. She was only 24 and in her second year of remission. She didn't just speak of the monetary support, it was also the other support and having
people to lean into.

''It wasn't just her, it was her whole family that received that support because obviously, everybody is affected when somebody in a family gets one of these diseases. To be honest, that was what drove me to want to go a little bit harder this year on the fundraising side.

Jodi and Matt are being sponsored by Pāpāmoa gym Primal.

Anyone with batteries for the Maketū brigade can either drop them at the fire station or send a message to the brigade's Facebook page and collection can be arranged. For those donating to the Te Puke Brigade, batteries can be left at Stihlshop Te Puke or email Jodi at jodicanhelp@gmail.com to arrange collection.