Media Release
22 October 2014

NZ artists and celebrities use their creativity to help keep Kiwi kids safe

Some household Kiwi names are getting their creative on in the name of protecting New Zealand children.

And the public has the chance to do their bit by bidding on and buying the famous creations.

November 14 marks the fourth annual ‘Buddy Day’ - New Zealand’s only child abuse prevention awareness day.

Delivered by Child Matters, Buddy Day involves 1500 adults in Auckland, Wellington, Hamilton and Tauranga adopting a life-size cardboard ‘Buddy’ and taking it into communities and workplaces. The Buddy is used as a tool to generate conversations about the wellbeing of New Zealand children - and that it is up to all adults to keep kids safe.

In aid of Buddy Day, six limited edition Buddies are being auctioned off on Trade Me to raise money for national child advocacy organisation Child Matters.

Taking part in creating the Limited Edition Buddies Trade Me ‘Cool’ Auction are Auckland artist and The Lucky Taco owner Otis Frizzell, WORLD fashion designer Denise L’Estrange Corbet, Black Seeds frontman Barnaby Weir, and artist PJ Paterson.

The Shortland Street cast are also decorating a Buddy that will be auctioned off.
The Limited Edition Buddies will be auctioned off through a Trade Me ‘Cool’ Auction starting 30 October and ending 10 November.
The auction is primarily designed to create publicity and raise awareness about Buddy Day. One hundred per cent of proceeds raised through the Trade Me ‘Cool’ Auction will help Child Matters in their work to raise awareness about the issue of child abuse in our community, and inspire every adult in New Zealand to make a difference when it comes to keeping children safe.

One of WORLD founders and director's Denise L'Estrange-Corbet came across the charity and made sure that WORLD could be a part of the positive community concept.

“WORLD is a factory of ideas and experiments,” says one of the label’s designers Benny Castles.

“We felt that the Buddy concept gave WORLD a fun and interesting opportunity to explore and enjoy our creative endeavours in a new and unusual way whilst hopefully contributing to an incredible positive message.

“As parents we all felt that the open and community-centric ideals of Buddy Day were an important message to be involved in and to spread across our network, hopefully inspiring awareness and generosity.

“The WORLD Buddy is on-trend,” he says.

“He is dressed in new season WORLDman and wearing an outfit inspired by WORLD's Spring Summer 2015 collection.

“Hopefully we have made the point that children like adults have a wide variety of personalities and can show who they are through how they dress. It asks us as adults to treat children with mutual dignity and respect.”

Auckland-based artist Otis Frizzell said he often gets asked to contribute to different charities, causes and fundraising auctions.

“I can’t be involved in every one, but Buddy Day looked fun, and although I don't have any kids of my own, I still think the wellbeing of Kiwi kids is an important subject. As corny as it sounds, the kids are the future,” he said.

“I received the blank Buddy and just had it standing there in my office for a while, waiting for an idea. Then I thought of putting tattoos on it because I'm into tattoos. But then I thought that might be inappropriate, because the Buddy represents a child.

“Then I thought if I made my Buddy a cartoon of me, then it could have the same tattoos as me, like a 'mini me' and boom – there was my idea. So I reshaped the head to look more like me and drew a cartoon of my face on him. Then a few of my tattoos on the arms, and dressed him up like I dress.

“I even got a small Lucky Taco t-shirt printed, because I'm always wearing those tees.
And there he was. Lil' Otis.”
It was a friend of Barnaby Weir’s who alerted him to Buddy Day and as soon as he heard about it, he said he absolutely wanted to be involved.
“I’m not a father, but I am an uncle and you don’t have to be a parent to be aware of the appalling child abuse statistics of this country so of course I wanted to be involved.

“My Buddy will definitely reflect the imagination and fun of a child.”

Weir’s Buddy will shadow him on his daily jaunts leading up until the auction.
“I think he will have a lot of fun with me, going to band practice and cafes – together we’ll generate some conversation around child abuse prevention and the responsibility that all adults have to keep children safe.”
Auction winners are invited to pick up their Buddy at the specified ‘Buddy Day Breakfast’ location on the morning of Buddy Day, 14 November. Buddy Day breakfasts are held on the morning of Buddy Day in Auckland, Tauranga, Wellington and Hamilton.

If winners are unable to attend the breakfast, their Buddy will be couriered to them before Buddy Day so they can use them to participate in the awareness event.

For more information about Buddy Day and the Trade Me ‘Cool’ Auction, visit www.buddyday.co.nz

-ENDS-

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