Mark Fretwell (left) of Metal Solutions Gisborne and Daryl Gowers on one of his many scrap metal runs. Gowers is going the distance for this year's Gisborne Relay for Life. He plans to complete 250 laps of the track at Showgrounds Park over March 14-15.
Mark Fretwell (left) of Metal Solutions Gisborne and Daryl Gowers on one of his many scrap metal runs. Gowers is going the distance for this year's Gisborne Relay for Life. He plans to complete 250 laps of the track at Showgrounds Park over March 14-15.
Cancer Society stalwart Daryl Gowers is set to add another chapter to his extraordinary fundraising story.
Having raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for the Gisborne East Coast branch of the Cancer Society, Gowers is to take on one of his more physical challenges at the 2026 Relay For Lifeat Showgrounds Park on March 14-15.
“For most people, Relay For Life is a chance to walk a few laps, honour loved ones and soak up the atmosphere,” Gisborne East Coast Cancer Society said in a media release.
“For Gisborne’s Daryl Gowers, it’s a 24‑hour test of endurance, community spirit and unwavering commitment to supporting those with cancer in the community.
“This year he aims to complete an extraordinary 250 laps of the track. This is roughly 100km, or as he puts it, ‘almost Gisborne to Wairoa’.
Gowers estimated it would take him around six minutes for each lap with minimal breaks.
“I don’t plan on sleeping,” he said. “If I fall asleep, I might sleep for too long.”
On his Facebook page, Gowers said Metal Solutions Gisborne was “proudly supporting” his efforts by donating $1 for each lap he completed, and other companies were welcome to do the same or donate to the cause.
“Every single one of us has had family and friends who have had cancer, so we’re all connected that way,” he said.
Gowers has been involved in eight Relay For Life events. This includes during Covid-19, when he completed laps around his neighbourhood, walking for 14 hours straight.
However, his fundraising efforts extend far beyond the track.
A ute filled with cans collected by Daryl Gowers, who has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Gisborne East Coast Cancer Society over the years. Gowers will continue his fundraising efforts at the Relay for Life event.
Having been described as a “scrap saviour”, Gowers actively collects scrap metal from the community such as lawnmowers, pushbikes, refrigerators, car batteries and cans.
This all started after a Facebook post years ago, looking for scrap, which generated a huge response. He had more than 100 messages that day from people wanting to drop off things to support his cause.
In a story in the Gisborne Herald a couple of years after he started this, Gowers said: “I like helping people out and I like pulling things to bits. I can’t fix anything but I’m really good at destroying stuff.”
The Gisborne-born, Kaiti School old boy’s relationship with scrap metal dates back to his teens, when he worked at Gisborne Bottle Exchange - his job predominantly involving recycling scrap metal.
He was a supervisor at a pasta factory in Australia for 30 years before returning home and volunteering at the Salvation Army, then switching to the Cancer Society after his sister was diagnosed with cancer.
