Classic cars take road trip to fundraise for Northland Rescue Helicopter

From left: St John intensive care paramedic James Price, pilot Fransje van Hoppe, fundraiser organiser Phil Schultz, and pilot Alex Hunt. Photo / Steve Macmillan

Northland classic car enthusiasts are being asked to join a vintage road trip around the region to help raise money for the Northland Rescue Helicopter.

So far, 10 cars are set to hit the road on the four-day trip, led by former Auckland ambulance officer and motor mechanic Phil Schultz behind the wheel of his yellow 1979 Mini.

The goal is to have 19 classic cars on the October 7 trip - Covid lockdown permitting - to help raise at least $5000 for the vital Northland Emergency Service Trust (Nest).

Each entry fee will donate $250 to Nest. Donations will be collected along the way as the roadtrip winds from Whangārei to Dargaville, onto Opononi before cruising to Houhora, Cape Reinga, Kaitaia, Paihia and back to Whangārei.

Pit stops include two private car-associated collections in Dargaville, two car-related museums in Paihia, and a final dinner at Settlers Hotel in the city.

The road trip marks the second charity drive classic car lover Schultz has organised to support Nest.

"Obviously I see the value in the service up here with how busy it is and what I find is the people who donate when I am out in the community have been transported by one of the Northland Rescue Choppers," he said.

"There are a lot of people out there who are sympathetic to the service. We just can't do without it."

Last year was the busiest for Northland's rescue helicopters in Nest's 33-year history.

In the first five months of this year the choppers undertook 584 missions, 149 more than over the same period last year.

Schultz was one of the first people in the ambulance service to be involved in a chopper rescue.

"There was a really bad car crash in Port Waikato and the driver was so badly injured I did not want to move him."

"We had to call on an Air Force helicopter to transport him to Middlemore Hospital. The staff formed a circle with their cars and used their lights to make a landing pad," Schultz said.

The classic car fundraiser coincides with the October launch of the annual fundraising appeal for the Northland Rescue Helicopter service.

Principal sponsors Northpower and Top Energy will match public donations to the appeal – ending mid-December - dollar for dollar up to $200k.

Anyone keen to join the fundraiser can contact Schultz on 027 498 3974.

Meanwhile, the rescue chopper has received the largest amount of funding from the Northland Regional Council's Emergency Services Fund (ESF), which has recently been allocated for 2021-2024.

The Northland Emergency Services Trust - which runs the helicopter service - will get $535,000 annually to support the provision of helicopter rescue and ambulance services and necessary helicopter upgrades.

Surf Life Saving Northern Region will get $224,000 annually to provide professional lifeguard services in six key Northland locations during the peak holiday period.

St John Northern Region will get $90,000 a year to support and train volunteers.

Coastguard Northern Region will get $84,000 a year to support maritime rescue services in Northland.

Far North & Northland Land Search and Rescue will get $30,000 jointly annually towards buying life-saving equipment and training volunteers.

Far North Radio and Sea Rescue will get $9000 annually to support the radio service, in particular its continued search and rescue and emergency response.