Taniwha supporters help raise funds to save lives
Taniwha partner organisations Total Sport, Waikato River Trails and Shine are grateful to the South Waikato community for their overwhelming support for the Taniwha that took place last year.
The run, walk, mountainbike event raised about $15,000 for charity Shine, helping to save lives.
A total of 1140 people participated in the Taniwha, walking, running or mountainbiking along the Waikato River Trails.
Total Sport Event Manager Dave Franks says: ‘‘This has fast become one of the premiere events in Total Sport’s calendar.’’
The majority of participants were from the Waikato, but hundreds from outside the area also came along to enjoy the beauty of the Waikato River Trails.
Waikato River Trails Trust general manager Glyn Wooller says: ‘ There are enormous economic benefits to our community from people who live in Auckland and elsewhere who don’t normally visit the south Waikato.
Jane Drumm, the executive director of Shine (Safer Homes in New Zealand Everyday), is thrilled with the support that Shine receives as a result of the Taniwha.
‘‘Domestic abuse is an enormous problem throughout New Zealand. The $15,000 raised by this event for Shine is a huge help in our work to make homes violence free.’’
Shine is a leading national anti-domestic abuse charity that helps thousands of people every year to be safer, happier and more settled. Shine offers a range of integrated services that support adult and child victims to be safe, ideally in their own homes, as well as supporting men who have used abuse to change their behaviour.
The charity focuses on achieving what makes the biggest difference for the women, children, men and families affected by domestic abuse.
While many communities have domestic abuse services, they often have limited capacity and limited hours. In many rural areas, there are no local services at all. When a woman is in a terrifying and possibly life-threatening situation, it is essential that she is able to access help from a service with the expertise to assist her to become safer and that the service is available outside of business hours.
Shine’s national tollfree Helpline (0508 744 633) provides callers throughout New Zealand with information, support, assistance with risk assessment and safety planning, and referrals to other services, and operates seven days a week, from 9am till 11pm. Most callers are victims of domestic abuse themselves, but may also be family members, friends, colleagues, employers and professionals, who want to know how to help someone they have concerns about.
Another key Shine service is Shine safe@home, now operating in Auckland, Tauranga and Christchurch. Shine safe@home is delivered to victims and their children who are at high risk of serious injury or homicide and so far has been 100 per cent successful at stopping further assaults when safety plans have been followed. This is an amazing result, considering all this service’s clients had suffered numerous assaults before receiving the service.
Shine safe@ home provides intensive safety planning and secures victims’ homes, including installation of locks, security lighting and a silent alarm system that can directly alert the police communications centre. Shine’s goal is to expand this service to the entire country.
Shine also provides domestic abuse awareness and response training across the country. This includes training and support for all district health board family violence teams, and a national contract to provide training for the NZ College of Midwives.
Shine is able to do this work with support from a growing number of New Zealanders.
See: 2shine.org.nz for more information on how individuals can support Shine.
Thanks
Shine, Total Sport and the Waikato River Trails Trust would like to thank these Waikato businesses and organisations for their support of the Taniwha. You are helping Shine to save lives.
South Waikato District Council, Taupo District Council, Rouse Group, Tourism South Waikato, Cool Blue, Classic Hits, South Waikato News, NZ Mountain Biker Mag ,Go Bus Tokoroa, South Waikato Cook Island Wardens, Whakamaru School helpers, Tokoroa Mountain Bike Club, Mi Camp Lake Whakamaru, South Waikato Sports and Events Centre, Hay and Straw Company, Pokuru Farms Ltd, Brownies Spit Spectacular, Hancock Forest Management, Tokoroa City Lions, Tokoroa and Dis- trict Lions, Sport Waikato, Deejays, Revive and Restore Massage, Rhubarb Cafe‚ Ricoh, Trek and Travel - Hamilton, Liquor Warehouse Liquor Centre, Bryan’s Plant & Flower Shop, Hair Affair, Mangakino Hotel, Torpedo 7, Out in the Styx, Hilton Hotel Taupo, Taupo Bungy, The Warriors, Scoffers Tokoroa, Multiday adventures, Paterson Burn Optometrists, Maraka Dairy Coy, Bus Stop Cafe´ , Van Dykes, Z Fuel, That Dam Lodge, Arorangi Loge, Horners Confectionary, S C Johnson, McDonalds, Lake Maraetai Lodge, Albercos Restaurant, South Waikato Cycles, Morrissey’s, Body Focus, Hop’n’ Stop In, Super Liquor, Dixie Cummings, NZ Ripeners ltd, WestPac, Eco Store, BNZ Dominion Rd, Avery Robinson Ltd - Dyson New Zealand, Total Interactive.