Volunteer guide

• One in five Kiwis die from heart disease.
• Heart disease is New Zealand's single biggest killer, claiming the lives of more than 6,000 of our family and friends each year. Funds raised from our street collection go towards life-saving heart research.
• Every 90 minutes a New Zealander dies from heart disease.
• More than 186,000 Kiwis are currently living with heart disease.
• 1 in 4 people presenting to hospital with a heart event are under 55 years old.
• 2017 saw the biggest increase in the number of people living with heart disease for the last 10 years.

The purpose of the Heart Foundation is to stop all people in New Zealand dying prematurely from heart disease and enable people with heart disease to live full lives.

This is achieved by funding life-saving research and providing care and support, education and prevention programmes to New Zealand communities.

It will go to funding life-saving heart research and specialist training for cardiologists. The training will ensure our cardiologists learn the latest techniques and skills so they can continue to provide expert care to New Zealanders living with heart disease.

The Heart Foundation is the leading independent funder of heart research in New Zealand.

You can phone 0800 830 100 or go online to donate to the Heart Foundation.

Each street collector receives a collection bucket. We will arrange the delivery of your bucket to you. Each collection bucket will contain:

• A Heart Foundation volunteer bib
• Two rolls of stickers to give to your donors in exchange for a donation
• A BNZ charity collection bag
• A charity acknowledgment receipt attached to the collection bag
• Contact details of the event organiser are written on a sticker on top of the bucket lid.

Our banking partner is BNZ. All BNZ branches are aware that Heart Foundation street collectors will be depositing their collections with them.

If your local BNZ is closed after your shift, could you please deposit the donation amount by 4pm on Tuesday 26 February 2019.

Step by step instructions for banking:

1. At the end of your shift (or later in the week if the banks are closed), please take your collections straight to the nearest BNZ branch. Here is a link to the BNZ Branch finder bnz.co.nz/locations
2. Put all your donations into the BNZ charity collection bag provided with your collection bucket. There is no need to separate the coins and notes, and no need to pre-count the money.
3. Fill out the charity acknowledgment receipt which is inside the BNZ charity collection bag. 
4. Hand the bag and receipt over to the bank teller.
   • The bank teller will then give you back the charity acknowledgment receipt and the money will then be sent to the closest BNZ depot to be counted and deposited into the Heart Foundation bank account. Please note that the BNZ branches will not be counting donations.
     NB: If the bank teller is not aware of what to do, please give them this instruction sheet. If needed, the bank account number of the Heart Foundation is 02 0500 0307076 03.
5. Before you go, please take the receipt with you (the receipt is not required by the Heart Foundation; it's a safeguard for you to ensure you have a record of the money being banked).
6. Due to space limitations, BNZ will not take your bucket and equipment, just the money collected.

Please return your bucket and equipment to one of the following addresses as soon as possible:

• Your nearest Heart Foundation branch
• The Heart Foundation support office 9 Kalmia St, Ellerslie, Auckland 1051

If you have any questions about the banking process or the return of the equipment, please contact the Big Heart Appeal team on 0800 244 432 or by email on events@heartfoundation.org.nz

If you are collecting at a supermarket, mall, or shopping centre, please make sure to report first to the checkout manager OR store manager. Explain that you are there to collect donations on behalf of the Heart Foundation. Ask where you should be collecting and follow their directions.

Please remember that while you are collecting on the store's premises, you need to obey their rules and regulations. We are guided on collection site set-up (e.g. the use of tables and chairs) by the individual collection site’s own procedures. If you have any questions about set-up, please contact the Big Heart Appeal team at events@heartfoundation.org.nz or on 09 571 9182.

All of our Heart Foundation street collectors must wear the Heart Foundation bib supplied and we encourage you to wear as much red as possible.

Use the collection bucket provided for all donations.

Offer everyone who donates a heart sticker and thank them for their donation.

Be visible and engaging. Smile and make eye contact.

Actively ask, "Hello, would you like to support the Heart Foundation Big Heart Appeal?"

We do not give change.

If people want to donate online, encourage them to visit heartfoundation.org.nz/donate

If people choose not to donate, respect their decision.

Do not open your bucket on the street for any reason.

Please don't block shop and business entrances if you are collecting on the street.

While you are representing the Heart Foundation, we ask that you refrain from: smoking, drinking alcohol or sugary drinks (Coca-Cola, Power Ade, fizzy drinks etc.) and avoid eating obviously non heart-healthy foods (i.e. takeaways, pies, chocolate bars etc.)

Please remember to bank the donations you collect as soon as possible at your nearest BNZ branch. See the banking instructions.

As a Heart Foundation street collector, your safety and the safety of those around you is very important to us. The Heart Foundation asks that you:

• Consider your own safety and that of others around you at all times
• Report any hazards, injuries or "near misses" to your area coordinator
• Phone St John Ambulance (111) for urgent medical assistance
• If you are collecting in a shopping mall or other indoor location, please ensure you are familiar with the evacuation procedures and take note of your nearest exit 
• Your safety is more important than the donations. In the unlikely event that a member of the public threatens you, hand over the bucket immediately
• If you have to take buckets with money back to your car, be aware of your surroundings. Avoid parking your car in an isolated spot. If unavoidable, ask someone trustworthy to accompany you to your car.
• If you are collecting in a sunny location, ensure that you have sunscreen, a hat and water.