Kids At Christmas Charity Auction

3 December 2007

New Zealanders have the chance to make a difference to the lives of some of our nation's most special children next month when the second annual Kids At Christmas Charity Auction kicks off.

The auction, run in association with sellmefree.co.nz, allows New Zealanders to bid on money-can't-buy experiences, with the proceeds going to Starship, Make A Wish Foundation and Starjam. More than $270,000 was raised for the three charities last year.

Among the unique and memorable experiences up for grabs this year are:

  • Lunch in London with Sean Fitzpatrick
  • A day at a US PGA event following Tiger Woods' caddy Steve Williams, followed by dinner with Steve at the end of play.
  • A behind the scenes tour of Weta Workshop with Richard Taylor
  • Luxury packages at some of the world's top retreats, including Huka Lodge in Taupo, Treetops in Rotorua and Palazzo Versace on the Gold Coast
  • A two month unlimited Business Premier travel pass anywhere on the Air New Zealand network
  • A round of golf with Olympians Sarah Ulmer and Hamish Carter
  • Morning tea with National Leader John Key
  • Kiwi FM Radio DJ for a day

Even Air New Zealand Chief Executive Rob Fyfe's culinary talents are up for grabs as he offers to cook a lucky bidder dinner in their own home. And for those more interested in his business skills, Mr Fyfe will offer himself as a business mentor.

"Air New Zealand and sellmefree.co.nz have lifted the auction to another level this year. We hope that Kiwis will show the same generous Christmas spirit they did last year and provide these three amazing charities with a gift that will make a big difference to the lives of the children they support," Mr Fyfe says.

"While the retail value of all the lots on offer is well in excess of $500,000, bidders shouldn't need deep pockets to secure an experience. For example, the chance to have a flying lesson from Air New Zealand's Chief Pilot, Captain David Morgan, in the Boeing 777 flight simulator will be attractive and affordable for many. Another affordable lot includes a collector's edition of the popular Top Gear magazine autographed by British TV host Jeremy Clarkson."

Mr Fyfe said he was up for the challenge of whipping up a meal for four but couldn't promise he would out do the efforts of Dish magazine chef Claire Aldous, who is offering a four course meal.

"I made the mistake of mentioning I'd done an Italian and French cooking course this year and found myself volunteered as chef for a day! But it's a great cause and I'm sure it will be fun," Mr Fyfe said.

The charity auction goes live at 7am Monday10th of December and will close at 9pm on Wednesday, 19 December.

To check out the auction when it goes live go to www.airnewzealand.co.nz/ and click on the Kids At Christmas Charity Auction link. We recommend you start registering now.


ENDS

Issued by Air New Zealand Public Affairs. Ph: 09 336 2761


Note to the editor:

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NOTE: The content of all Air New Zealand media releases are accurate at the time of issue, as stated at the top of each release. For updates on any changes, please contact Air New Zealand.

Air New Zealand is proud to be a member of Star Alliance. The Star Alliance network was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer worldwide reach, recognition and seamless service to the international traveller. Its acceptance by the market has been recognised by numerous awards, including the Air Transport World Market Leadership Award, Best Airline Alliance by both Business Traveller Magazine and Skytrax. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Blue1, bmi, Continental Airlines, Croatia Airlines, EGYPTAIR, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shanghai Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, Spanair, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI, United and US Airways. Aegean Airlines, Air India, Brussels Airlines and TAM have been announced as future members. Overall, the Star Alliance network offers 19,500 daily flights to 1,071 airports in 171 countries.

For more information about Air New Zealand visit www.airnewzealand.com and for more information about Star Alliance visit www.staralliance.com.

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