Daffodil Day 'close to hearts of many'

GOLDEN: Rotorua Daffodil Day co-ordinator Tracey Crompton arranges some of the flowers. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER 270814SP3

Rotorua is set to be awash with a sea of yellow daffodils today as people show their support for the Cancer Society.

More than 20,000 fresh daffodils have gone out to businesses around the city while thousands more silk daffodils, windmills and teddy bears will be for sale on street corners around Rotorua.

Co-ordinator Tracey Crompton said Rotorua people were typically very generous in donating and she didn't expect this year to be any different.

The local branch had raised $24,000 through the pre-sale of daffodils to businesses which Mrs Crompton said was about 20 per cent up on last year.

"We've had flowers for Africa."

Today they'll be at 26 different spots around Rotorua with a mix of long-standing and new volunteers manning the stalls, as well as students.

The support of Rotorua people in previous years had been "phenomenal" - something Mrs Crompton put down to the wide-reaching nature of the disease. "I think it's close to the hearts of so many. With one in three people [getting cancer] if you haven't experienced it you know of someone who has."

She said many of the clients who had been through cancer also supported the cause as their way of giving back.

Mrs Crompton said all the money raised in Rotorua stayed in Rotorua. "It's a win-win. The more we raise the better services we can provide."

For other ways to donate to the Cancer Society's Daffodil Day appeal go to www.daffodilday.org.nz, text "daffodil" to 305 or visit any ANZ bank.