Source: Rapid Relief Team New Zealand
The Rapid Relief Team (RRT) charity has delivered 5,300 free meals to healthcare workers at Auckland City Hospital, marking the final event in a major nationwide campaign that has provided more than 36,040 meals to healthcare workers across 50 hospitals.
Arranged in collaboration with Auckland Hospital Foundation, the final event at Auckland City Hospital saw 100 RRT volunteers serve 5,300 meals across two days.
The campaign launched to coincide with International Nurses Day in May this year, aligning with the global theme of “Empowered Nurses Save Lives.”
Going on to hold 61 appreciation events over the last five months, RRT sought to recognise the critical role nurses play in delivering care and helping them feel seen and appreciated by their local communities.
At each event, nurses and healthcare staff were offered a free meal and refreshments by RRT volunteers, while providing staff a moment to connect with colleagues and enjoy a small token of appreciation from volunteers local to their area.
In total, the initiative has reached an equivalent of more than one-third of all New Zealand’s 80,960 registered nurses.
Reflecting on the day, RRT New Zealand General Manager Paul Simmons said the campaign had achieved its purpose of providing a meaningful opportunity to thank nurses for their tireless work.
“Serving 5,300 meals across Auckland has been a fitting way to complete this major campaign of putting compassion into action by recognising the extraordinary work being carried out in hospitals every day.”
“In Auckland and right across the country, our volunteers have been out there personally thanking healthcare teams for their work while providing a simple but practical gesture of thanks.
“We now look forward to building on this success over the coming months and years to ensure healthcare staff continue to feel the appreciation they deserve,” Mr Simmons said.
Speaking at the event Candy Schroder, Chief Executive Officer at Auckland Hospital Foundation, said that “the corridors have been buzzing” in the hospital in the build-up, and that the initiative itself had “lifted spirits”.
“Thousands have come down from the hospital – the atmosphere has been electric”
“It’s a huge morale booster. They [healthcare staff] are in the trenches taking care of all of us after a difficult winter and influenza season.
“It is wonderful to see the community come out, rally around the staff and show how much they appreciate all the work they do here at the hospital.
Also speaking at the event, Mike Shepherd, Group Director Operations at Auckland City Hospital, said the support had been “unbelievable”.
“The sense of knowing that the community cares about our staff is incredibly important,” he said, adding that “it’s been a super hard winter, so to understand that the community does care about the work they do and the way they do it is great. A huge thank you to the Rapid Relief Team – they make an incredible difference.”
The initiative also formed part of RRT’s global effort, which supported healthcare workers in multiple countries, providing a total of over 57,000 meals across 110 hospitals.
About Rapid Relief Team NZ
Established in 2013, the Rapid Relief Team is the charitable arm of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church which provides practical support, community assistance and disaster relief across New Zealand and around the world. For more information on RRT, please go to www.rrtglobal.org.
About Auckland Hospital Foundation
Auckland Hospital Foundation is the charity supporting adult health services at Auckland City Hospital. The Foundation’s vision is for all New Zealanders to have access to world-class healthcare – accelerating discovery, innovation, and quality of patient care beyond the scope of government funding.
For more information on AHF, please visit www.ahf.org.nz.