Make a difference in the Big Heart Appeal street collection

Published: 11 January 2021

Show your big heart and support research at the Heart Foundation Big Heart Appeal street collection, on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 February 2021.

Fay and Lorraine volunteering in the Big Heart Appeal

Heart disease is the single biggest killer of men and women in New Zealand, and the Heart Foundation is calling for people to show their big heart by giving your time in its Big Heart Appeal street collection.

"We have a long and proud record of research investment, which has improved the heart health of all New Zealanders for more than 50 years, but we still have much more work to do. We simply can't do it alone." says Heart Foundation Medical Director, Dr Gerry Devlin.

"It's big-hearted people like sisters Fay Edgeler and Lorraine South who can really help us to make a difference," says Gerry.

For the Timaru sisters, volunteering for the Heart Foundation began more than 30 years ago when their father, Dave Annett, became involved with the charity.

"Dad was the chairman of the local branch of the Heart Foundation for many years and our whole family used to get roped into helping him with fundraising and events," says Fay.

The sisters' father had three heart attacks, including one while visiting the Great Wall of China in the 1980s, and he began getting major angina attacks the year before he died at the age of 91.

Over the years, both Lorraine and Fay have supported the Heart Foundation in many diverse ways, from helping with Jump Rope for Heart events at local schools to supporting community heart health initiatives. But lately the pair has been actively involved in organising the South Canterbury Big Heart Appeal collection days.

Between them, they coordinate all the volunteers from the region for the two-day street collection.

"We are very lucky that we have a core group of great volunteers here in Timaru as well as some keen individuals in Twizel, Temuka, Geraldine, Pleasant Point and Fairlie who come on board and collect donations in their local area," says Lorraine.

"We try to talk to every collector and thank them for their time and help. Some of them have been collecting for many, many years."

Faye says the local Heart Foundation committee also gets behind the organising of the Big Heart Appeal.

"Everyone who takes part seems to enjoy the experience and helps again, and again. Often when we call our volunteers, they tell us they've already got the dates marked on the calendar," says Fay. "There's a certain satisfaction in volunteering."

Heart Foundation volunteer collectors are urgently needed to collect much-needed funds nationwide on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 February 2021.

Not only will you be raising life-saving funds for heart research, you’ll also be connecting with people in your local community and having fun supporting a cause that really makes a difference.

It’s easy to join, you can choose where and when you volunteer, and you can bring a friend if you like. You'll be among our big-hearted supporters, who share a passion for helping others and safely connecting with people in the community.

You can sign up to volunteer:

Volunteer for our Big Heart Appeal