Growing support for Daffodil Day

When the Cancer Society’s Waikato/Bay of Plenty division faced a shortage of daffodils ahead of its annual fundraiser earlier this year, the Co-op’s Lichfield site stepped in to help.

A team of 40 volunteers planted 3,000 daffodil bulbs along the entrance to the site, which sits in the heart of the Waikato. The flowers were then harvested and sold for the Daffodil Day fundraiser in late August. Lichfield Environmental Advisor Matthew Pim says partnering with the Cancer Society was a natural fit for the site.

“With one in three New Zealanders receiving a cancer diagnosis in their lifetime, it’s something we were more than happy to support,” he says.

“We wanted to help our local Cancer Society raise funds and continue their incredible work, supporting the people and their whānau battling cancer.

“It’s fair to say there is a collective pride in knowing we are doing something that will positively impact the local community.” says Matthew Pim, Lichfield Environmental Advisor

Proceeds from the daffodils grown on Lichfield’s site will stay within the community, helping local families. This includes transport to and from cancer treatment, accommodation at Cancer Society lodges for those receiving treatment away from home, and support services for people fighting cancer. 

Cancer Society CEO for Waikato/Bay of Plenty Helen Carter says the Cancer Society relies heavily on the generosity of communities. “The support of Fonterra and the wonderful team at Lichfield meant we had daffodils to harvest and sell on Daffodil Day, helping thousands of cancer patients access free support when they need it most. We are excited to see this relationship flourish and perhaps extend to other sites around our region,” she says.

“Volunteers are at the heart of the Cancer Society – we simply could not do what we do without them. The Lichfield team’s warmth, willing hands, and laughs [went] a long way to offsetting the shadows and sadness of cancer.”

The Lichfield site’s support for Daffodil Day this year is just one of the ways Fonterra helps communities around the country.

The Co-operative supports communities through its Doing Good Together programme, focusing on three pillars: putting good quality nutrition in the hands of those who need it most, providing care and support to keep rural communities strong, and empowering communities to protect and restore nature.