'Christmas cheer' payments have gone to families for the holiday season. Photo / Mark Mitchell
This Christmas the Herald is again featuring charities which have been selected for a $10,000 donation from Auckland Airport. Eleven charities have been chosen and the 12th donation will go to the families of the Pike River 29. The $120,000 came from change given by travellers at the airport this year.
For the grieving families of 29 men lost in the Pike River mine, the financial burden is being eased by the generous Kiwi spirit.
More than 12,000 New Zealand companies, families or individuals have given money to boost a fund that will support the families as they come to terms
with the loss of loved ones in the West Coast mine in explosions last month.
The Pike River Disaster Relief Trust fund, now at $6.5 million, has been boosted by being picked as one of the beneficiaries of Auckland Airport's "12 days of Christmas" promotion.
The fund will receive one of 12 payments of $10,000 made possible by the generosity of airport users.
Ian Young, who helps with administration of the fund, said it was "humbling" to see the fund selected from more than 300 charities that applied for the 12 Days Of Christmas offerings.
The contributions made to the fund in a short time were "staggering".
"It's just symptomatic of the huge amount of support we have had right throughout the whole country," Mr Young said. "The financial side is only a small part of what [the families] are going through. But as long as the trust can take the financial stress away from them at this time, then it will help."
"Christmas cheer" payments have been made to help lift the holiday season. Spouses or partners of the men killed are getting $10,000 each, every child $2500 and parents $2500.
The rest of the money from the fund will be distributed next year.
Mr Young said the cash would be provided through the likes of family trusts to support the families.
"There's obviously 29 different situations involved. So it will just be on a case-by-case basis. The dependent kids are the obvious ones that need to be looked after."
