BNZ to build up $1m for cancer unit brick by brick

Northland cancer charity Project Promise has been given a massive boost, with BNZ Bank aiming to raise $1 million towards building a new oncology unit in Whangarei.
Project Promise is the brainchild of the Northland Community Foundation. It aims to raise $3 million in three years to build a new oncology unit at Whangarei Hospital.
The unit will make life easier for many Northland cancer patients and their families, although some will still have to travel to Auckland for some treatments, including radiotherapy.
Yesterday Geoff Grigg, from BNZ Partners Northland, said all seven BNZ stores in Northland, as well as BNZ Business Partners and the bank's partners, were behind the scheme to raise $1 million by selling 1000 bricks for $1000 each.
Mr Grigg said the bricks would be used to build a wall in the unit's entrance and buyers could put plaques on them with their name or the name of a loved one lost to cancer.
He said 10 bricks had been sold before the campaign was even launched and he hoped all bricks would be snapped up to make the project happen as soon as possible.
BNZ recently took over the Project Promise account from the National Bank and Mr Grigg said coming up with a suitable scheme to support the charity fitted with the bank's community project of being seen as the bank for Northland.
"It's a great way to support a great cause that will benefit the whole of Northland," he said.
"Three of our business partners - Whangarei Brick and Tile, Engraving Systems and printing.com - have provided all the bricks, plaques and engraving and printing for free. Cancer touches everybody and everybody knows somebody affected by cancer and this facility will be so important to so many and this is about BNZ being part of the community."
Mr Grigg said people wanting to buy a brick could go to any of the seven BNZ branches in Northland or its Business Partner centre.
"And they will be tax-deductible donations too."
He said people keen to save up for a brick could get a BNZ Pig piggybank from any BNZ branch. They could hold 1000 $1 coins.
Northland Community Foundation chairman Jack Broome said it was another example of how the Northland community had got behind Project Promise.
"To have somebody like BNZ, which is such a big part of the community, supporting Project Promise to this degree is massive," Mr Broome said. "I'm absolutely, totally wrapt at this amazing gesture which should make the oncology unit happen even sooner."
People can make a separate donation to Project Promise at any BNZ branch through the account number 02 0492 0111777 00.