The Grassroots Trust Rescue Helicopter serves the Manawatū-Whanganui area. Photo / ZKaviation
The Grassroots Trust Rescue Helicopter serves the Manawatū-Whanganui area. Photo / ZKaviation
A charitable rescue helicopter will soon be back at full throttle after sufficient funds were raised to refurbish its rescue winch.
The fundraising goal for the Grassroots Trust Rescue Helicopter, which serves the Manawatū-Whanganui area, was $300,000. The money will enable the rescue winch to be overhauled and maintained, ensuringthe BK117 rescue helicopter crew can continue delivering advanced medical care throughout the region.
Providing free air health and rescue services to the public, the crew consists of pilots, air crew officers and critical care flight paramedics.
“A rescue winch is a vital piece of equipment for every rescue helicopter,” base manager and air crew paramedic Leigh said.
The crew is often needed in vast and remote locations with inaccessible terrain, such as dense bush areas in the Tararua Ranges, Whanganui National Park and Ruahine Forest.
The Grassroots Trust Rescue Helicopter winch in use during an operation.
Where patients had required medical care, the winch had been crucial in numerous rescues and was sometimes the only option to reach them, the trust said.
The Grassroots Trust is part of the North Island’s largest pool of community rescue helicopters, supported by Philips Search & Rescue Trust (PSRT) through fundraising and promotion.
The Grassroots team completed 407 missions in 2025, according to PSRT.
This included 142 rescue operations and 21 patients being taken to hospital for urgent care.
A paramedic operates the helicopter's winch.
Winch extractions were done in areas such as the Whanganui River, Martinborough and Totara Forest Park.
“The support that poured in for this campaign was truly humbling,” PSRT head of marketing and fundraising Sharni Weir said.
“With every contribution doubled, thanks to one of our extremely generous supporters doubling donations up to $150,000, the $300,000 raised will go a long way towards ensuring continued safety for the Manawatū and Whanganui communities.”
During a recent mission, the Grassroots team was dispatched to rescue a woman suffering a medical event deep within the Tararua Ranges.
After locating her, a paramedic was winched down to assess her condition. It was decided the best course of action was to winch the patient, her belongings and the paramedic back into the aircraft and land at a nearby farm.
The winch extraction enabled the woman to be transported safely to hospital.
PSRT general manager Vanessa Richmond thanked the community for their donations to help keep the vital equipment mission-ready.
“The next time someone’s life is on the line, the rescue helicopter crew can respond with confidence.”
