Wellington Charities To Be Supported By NZ Art Show

News Release – New Zealand Art Show 2011 31 May 2011

Wellington Charities To Be Supported By NZ Art Show

The New Zealand Art Show today announced the two organisations to benefit from the 2011 Show’s Charity Evening to be held on Friday, 29 July at Wellington’s TSB Bank Arena on Queens Wharf; the Neonatal Trust and the Wellington Hospitals & Health Foundation, the official charity of Wellington Children’s Hospital.

The Art Show’s executive director Carla Russell says, “We’re delighted to support the Neonatal Trust NZ and Wellington Children’s Hospital for 2011. This is the third year we have supported Wellington Children’s Hospital and the Foundation. The Charity Evening will recognise the valuable work both the Neonatal Trust NZ and Wellington Children’s Hospital undertake to better the lives of prem babies and sick children, and also their families. The Charity Night was established three years ago and we are pleased to support children’s high-need health care again.”

Each organisation sells tickets to their friends and supporters to the special gala evening where their guests are treated to an evening of beautiful art, fine wine and food, and lively entertainment (this year the ever-popular Beat Girls), as well as enjoying an exclusive viewing of the Show’s 3,000+ exhibits. A significant proportion of the ticket sales will be donated back to both charities by the NZ Art Show.

Michael Meads, chief executive of the Neonatal Trust NZ says, “We are pleased to be selected by the NZ Art Show as one of the two charities it supports. The Trust helps support the families of neonates who are very vulnerable when they’re born so early - it’s a very emotional time for everyone. We provide counselling, food and petrol vouchers for families amongst other things, and this year have assembled the Neonatal Earthquake Survival Kits which have been put to such good use in Christchurch. The Trust also provides funding for neonatal staff’s ongoing education and research.

“Having a premature, and often critically ill, baby puts huge emotional pressure on a family, but there are frequently financial stresses as well. The proceeds of the Charity Evening will go towards supporting neonatal families – making a difficult start that little bit easier.”

The NZ Art Show continues its support of Wellington Hospitals & Health Foundation and its appeal to fund a new iCrib to be used for very sick babies at Wellington Children’s Hospital. Foundation chair Bill Day says, “We are pleased to be partnering again with the NZ Art Show to help sick babies and children at Wellington Children’s Hospital. Proceeds from the evening will go towards the purchase of a much needed $15,000 iCrib at Children’s Hospital. It’s a specialist piece of equipment which is wider than standard cots so it’s good for babies who have lots of medical tubes. What makes the iCrib so special is that if a baby has to be transferred to ICU, they’re not disturbed as they stay in the same cot. It’s been designed with brackets to hold pumps, a shelf for the oxygen tank, and the mattress moves up and down electrically which is good for blood tests and dressing changes. It’s real state of the art.”

Carla Russell adds, “This year’s Charity Evening on Friday, 29 July will be a wonderful event that will not only help the Neonatal Trust and the Wellington Hospitals & Health Foundation raise substantial funds, but also their guests will be treated to a visual feast at New Zealand’s biggest art show.”

This year’s New Zealand Art Show runs from Friday, 29 July to Sunday, 31 July in the TSB Bank Arena on Queens Wharf, Wellington. The NZ Art Show’s Charity Evening is supported by the ASB Bank.

ENDS

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