Auction raises awareness for child abuse prevention

Media Release
12 November 2014

Celebrity Trade Me auction raises awareness for child abuse prevention

The message that it’s up to all of us to keep kids safe was shared more than 16,000 times last week, thanks to the recent creativity of some household Kiwi names.

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

In aid of the event, Black Seeds and Fly My Pretties frontman Barnaby Weir, Shortland Street cast members, Auckland artist and entrepreneur Otis Frizzell, WORLD fashion designer Benny Castles and artist PJ Paterson joined confectionary company United Sweets in decorating life-size cardboard cut-outs of children to be auctioned off in a Trade Me ‘Cool’ auction last week.

The auction, which closed on Sunday night and received a total of 16,331 views, took place in support of Buddy Day, happening this Friday 14 November.

In addition, the six auctions raised $796.10, of which 100 per cent went to Child Matters to further the organisation’s work to raise awareness about the issue of child abuse in New Zealand, and inspire every adult in New Zealand to make a difference when it comes to keeping children safe.

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.

“We are so pleased with the results of our Trade me auctions. Not only did we raise nearly $800 for Child Matters, more importantly we got nearly 16,500 views on our auction listings,” says Child Matters Buddy Day manager Janine Evans.

“That kind of exposure is priceless to us, because Buddy Day is about reaching as many people as possible with the message that it is up to all of us to keep kids safe.”

To find out more about Buddy Day, visit www.buddyday.co.nz

ENDS

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