MayDay MayDay MayDay

Train One – Save Many

is the theme of Coastguards national fundraising appeal which starts on 1st May.  Running for two weeks until Sunday 15 May, all donations made during MayDay will be invested in supporting Coastguards critical volunteer training programme.


It costs $34.40 per week to give each volunteer the extensive practical training, both in the water and the air, to ensure they can respond to each call for help with speed and accuracy to help fulfil the charity’s ongoing mission to save lives at sea.


  • 2,268 volunteers are currently involved with Coastguard throughout New Zealand.
  • 239,835 hours of volunteer time have been given to local communities by Coastguard volunteers from July 2010 to March 2011
  • Last year 3,622 people called for help from Coastguard volunteers (that’s 10 per day)
  • On top of that Police called on Coastguard volunteers 843 times
  • 6,560 people were rescued by Coastguard volunteers last year (an average of 17 people every day)
  • Three people are rescued by every Coastguard volunteer each year


Donations to support the training of Coastguard volunteers can be made by


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