Rescue chopper in the running

The Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter has made it to the top 10 finalists in New Zealand for a vital funding boost and they need community votes to push them over the finish line.

AMI and Neighbourly have teamed up to give away $20,000 to the nation’s top causes, with the funds split between a neighbourhood category and a regional category.

The Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter is currently second in Neighbourly’s online voting poll in the regional category, with 18.5 per cent of votes, less than five per cent behind the leaders.

Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust general manager Paul Muddle said she was ‘‘really surprised’’ to be listed in the top 10 organisations nationwide.

‘‘There’s some really good charities in there’’.

Muddle said it was a ‘‘really good opportunity, finally for a small community, to win something nationally’’.

The money would be ‘‘very welcomed at the moment’’, Muddle said.

With more than six team members on rotating shifts covering the rescue chopper, they all need a uniform and gear to go on the hundreds of missions every year.

Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter crewman Paul ‘‘Ernie’’ Bryant said if they received the grant it would help fund the ‘‘smaller stuff that is used over a yearly basis’’ including life jackets, boots and iPads for aiding searches.

He said their success on the Neighbourly site poll ‘‘highlights the degree of support the community has in our organisation’’.

‘‘To be second nationally, that would indicate to me there’s people around the country who are seeing the work that we do and it’s their opportunity, to go, ‘Yeah I’ll vote for them and give them a shove in the right direction’.’’

Votes can be lodged at neighbourly.co.nz and the competition finishes on March 24.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, the Business Breakfast Club Charitable Trust supported the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter Trust by donating $10,000.

Business Breakfast Club trustees Zoe Bond said it was their first donation since it had become a charitable trust board and hoped it would be the ‘‘first donation of many’’.

‘‘We see the helicopter coming and going on rescue missions on a daily basis. It is great to know that our funds raised are going to a worthy, local cause and potentially helping to save lives.’’