Japan Friends Of New Zealand Fundraising For Flood Relief

The Japan Friends of New Zealand Flood Recovery Fundraiser Committee is hosting a charity auction in Tokyo, Japan on 27 April, 2023 to raise funds for people impacted by the severe flooding brought on by Cyclone Gabrielle in New Zealand in early 2023.

From halfway across the world, New Zealanders based in Tokyo watched the NZ news with disbelief as Cyclone Gabrielle swept away homes and livelihoods. Jacky Scanlan-Dyas, Partner, Hogan Lovells (a top 10 global law firm), and a Gisborne native and long-term resident of Japan, called on her New Zealand professional network in Tokyo to come to the aid of her hometown.

Scanlan-Dyas said: “We want the people of Gisborne and the surrounding areas to know that they are not forgotten and we are with them.”

To help raise some much-needed funding for Aotearoa, a dozen senior Tokyo-based New Zealand businesspeople joined Scanlan-Dyas in forming the Japan Friends of New Zealand Flood Recovery Fundraiser Committee, and are now organizing an evening event involving a charity auction at the Tokyo American Club in Tokyo, Japan on 27 April. The event will include a kiwi-style buffet, free flowing drinks, dancing and live music, with a chance to win amazing door prizes of two pairs of return tickets from Japan to New Zealand, generously provided by Air New Zealand Japan.

The highlight of the event will be a live auction of goods, services, and experiences generously donated by corporate sponsors and individual supporters across Japan and Aotearoa. Items include wines, signed rugby jerseys, nights in hotels, a special tour of the New Zealand Embassy, and the opportunity to win a dinner with former All Blacks coach Steven Hansen.

100% of profits from the event will go to SuperGrans Tairawhiti Trust, a Gisborne-based registered charity which has been providing grass-roots support for those affected by the floods, in the way of food, water, household goods, and emergency care.

Molly Pardoe, Chair of SuperGrans said: “Disaster relief is a journey that requires ongoing effort. We are overwhelmed by the support, and we are deeply grateful to this team of Kiwis in Japan who have come together to do something wonderful for their whanau back home.”

Supporters for this initiative include the New Zealand Embassy in Japan, the Australian and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce, and the Japan New Zealand Business Council, as well as over a dozen corporate sponsors. His Excellency Mr. Hamish Cooper, New Zealand Ambassador to Japan, and Ms. Rehette Stoltz, Mayor of Gisborne, will be speaking at the event.

Event details

• Name: Japan Friends of New Zealand – Flood Recovery Fundraiser Auction
• Date: Thursday, 27 April, 2023 | 19:00 – 21:30 JST
• Venue: Tokyo American Club (Tokyo, Japan)
• Price: JPY 18,000
• Registration: Sign up by 20 April via the event page
• Auction: Online bidding available here for those who are unable to attend the event in person

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