Countdown Kids Hospital appeal best year yet

Whangarei Hospital special care baby unit Clinical Nurse Educator Joanne Towns and Clinical Nurse Manager Lynette Te Ahu with donated pieces knitted by Countdown staff for babies in the unit.

Children and babies at Whangarei Hospital will get some extra care and attention thanks to the generosity of Northland's Countdown supermarket customers.

On Thursday, the Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal presented Northland District Health Board with a cheque for more than $87,000, after the supermarket chain's best campaign since the appeal began in 2007.

NDHB said it was a welcome donation and was thanks to hundreds of contributions from customers to help change the lives of sick Kiwi kids. It would allow the purchase of much-needed children's medical equipment.

As well, Countdown staff donated a swag of warm woollies they had knitted for the hospital's special care baby unit.

Since it began in 2007 the Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal has raised $6.92 million nationally.

Hundreds of fundraising events, organised by Countdown team members, suppliers and local district health boards, were held over three months between August and October.

The Countdown Kids Hospital Appeal 2013 started on August 6 and ran for 12 weeks. It was previously known as the Fresh Future Children's Hospital Appeal.

All funds raised go towards 10 dedicated children's hospitals and wards around New Zealand including Whangarei, Waikato, Bay of Plenty, Hawke's Bay, Wellington, Greymouth, Christchurch, Otago, Invercargill, and Auckland.