Fight for flight: Canterbury’s Westpac Rescue
Canterbury’s Westpac Rescue Helicopter is a lifeline for rural and remote Canterbury communities, where access is limited and every second counts. In late November, you can soak under the stars at Hanmer Springs and support this lifesaving cause.
O n Friday, 28 November, the Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa will host a unique late-night event, Night for Flight, to raise funds for the rescue helicopter service that supports some of Canterbury’s most remote communities. From 5pm to 10pm, the award-winning pools will transform with live music, local fare, raffles, a VIP spa event and more – all proceeds going towards the Canterbury Westpac Rescue Helicopter.
“Night for Flight is a celebration of community, resilience, and the chance for us to come together and give something back. Many rural Cantabrians and visitors alike will have a connection to the rescue helicopter service, whether that’s a first-hand experience or that of family or a friend,” says Hanmer Springs Thermal Pools and Spa general manager Sarah Wiblin.
Between January to August 2025, the helicopter has been called out for 108 North Canterbury jobs including accidents, medical emergencies, search and rescue missions and time-critical patient transfers, and to 455 missions across wider Canterbury. Sarah says Night for Flight, which aims to raise $25,000, reflects the values of a community that knows the importance of looking after its own.
Hanmer Springs local Juliet Fitzpatrick is a critical care paramedic for the helicopter, who regularly flies missions across Canterbury and the Hurunui District. “All my colleagues know how much our rural communities rely on the rescue helicopter service.”
“I know that for my own community, the rescue helicopter is often the difference between life and death, and I am privileged to be part of the crew that makes this much of a difference,” she says. Juliet has worked on the rescue helicopter for a decade, and still admires the “gorgeously remote areas” when called to a back country job. “While we often have to make big decisions in really remote locations, it’s what we train for and it’s so rewarding when that combination of our training, skill and the speed of the helicopter result in a positive outcome for the patient.”
Find out more and book your tickets at nightforflight.co.nz
