Hato Hone St John has kicked off its 2025 Annual Appeal, aiming to raise $4.5 million for ambulance stations across New Zealand. The “Light the Way” campaign runs through June with key fundraising moments including street collections on 14–15 June and a Giving Day when donations will be doubled. Thirteen projects are slated, combining new builds with critical repairs.
An Infrastructure Investment Beyond Construction
“This is about future-proofing our stations, the home base for our emergency crews, so that no matter what tomorrow brings, our teams will always be there for communities when they need us most,” says Hato Hone St John Chief Executive Peter Bradley.
These ambulance stations serve as essential bases not only for emergency responses but also as safe, restorative spaces for frontline staff. “For our ambulance officers they are also a home away from home and a place to reset, recharge and connect with each other after attending a call out,” Bradley adds.
They also double as community hubs where volunteers lead first aid courses and St John Youth programmes, playing a crucial role in public health and education.
Addressing Increasing Demand with Modern Facilities
The 2025 Annual Appeal supports the building of new stations in Whangarei, Waihi, Cambridge, Morrinsville, Palmerston North, Nelson, Akaroa, Oamaru, Riversdale, and Invercargill. It also funds major renovations in Kawakawa and Rangiora, and ongoing repairs at the Auckland Central station.
Hato Hone St John crews responded to more than 450,000 incidents nationwide last year. “Over the past decade demand for our services has increased nearly 90%,” Bradley says. “To keep up with this growing demand, our ambulance stations need to grow and adapt. Many require urgent repairs or complete rebuilds to meet modern safety standards and ensure we can continue to look after our ambulance officers and stay ready to respond.”
Engaging Stakeholders to Participate
The campaign invites participation from individuals, schools, and businesses. Volunteers and staff will be collecting donations in person across the country on 14 and 15 June. The Giving Day, still to be announced, will offer a one-day opportunity for supporters to double their impact.
Every dollar raised helps sustain not only emergency ambulance services — which cover 97% of New Zealand’s geographical area — but also the facilities that support their crews and communities.
First launched in 1907 as “Ambulance Saturday,” the Annual Appeal has a long and proud history. The first live 24-hour Telethon on TV2 raised nearly $600,000 — a national record at the time in 1975. More recently, the 2024 campaign brought in $3.9 million for station upgrades and repairs.