Hawke's Bay's Anzac spirit kicks in as Aussie bushfire fundraising kicks off

Clubs Hastings CEO Jackie Wells, left Taradale RSA GM Ben Allen and Napier RSA CEO Dorothy Paki with a Australian fires donation box which the RSAs will have out for donations. Photo / Warren Buckland

The devastating fires sweeping across parts of Australia have seen a great emergence of the Anzac spirit across New Zealand, and Hawke's Bay is well and truly part of it.

And the Anzac factor was well to the fore when it came to the Returned Services Associations in Hastings, Napier and Taradale pledging to provide support.

Support from their members as well as from across the community.

There will also be support coming from the world of coffee.

On the RSA front, Clubs Hastings chief executive officer Jackie Wells said representatives from the three associations met on Tuesday to put together a campaign they hope will raise $10,000.

That money will be spent to give a family from the fire front lines a break in Hawke's Bay.

"A firefighter or someone who has helped in some way."

Wells said donation boxes were being put out at the three RSAs for people to contribute to.

The RSAs will also happily take pledges of support from the business side — meals or tours or other events the visiting Aussies can relax and enjoy.

That had already emerged, Wells said.

They have already been contacted with the offer of a winery visit and a dining experience.

Wells said the RSAs had all been looking to spark something and she was called by Napier RSA CEO Dorothy Paki who ran the plans for the have-a-break fundraiser by her.

"So were looking at different ideas but were all thinking along the same lines to do something to help — so we called the meeting and have now kicked it off."

She said the RSA would match dollar for dollar what comes in and they hope to wrap the fundraiser up on January 26, the day before Australia Day is observed.

"What has been happening there is just devastating — we had to step in."

As did Ethan Phillips, owner of Empire Coffee Roasters in Pirimai, Napier.

He decided to donate $1 for every coffee sold over the weekend of January 18 and 19, and sent out Instagrams to other cafe groups Empire Coffee Roasters is part of to spread the word.

Within 24 hours of him putting the word out 10 other cafes across the country, along with one on Norfolk Island, said they would also donate $1 for every coffee sold over that weekend, although a couple would be collecting this weekend as well.

"We're flexible about the time though and we want to get as many cafes on board as possible."

Phillips reckons they could raise between $5000 and $7000, which would go to the New South Wales Fire Service to assist the needs of firefighters and their families.

"The more we get the better," he said.

A Facebook page coffee4aus was being set up to list the cafes involved.

Phillips had also sparked a fundraising campaign in the wake of the Christchurch mosque shootings to support families of victims.