Let's Not Forget

Kiwis are accustomed to seeing poppies adorning passers-by in the streets during the month of April and in the lead-up to Anzac Day services. We will all miss this familiar sight while in lockdown, and the RSA is losing a vital opportunity to fundraise for its services, which reach many thousands of serving and ex-serving personnel and their families in New Zealand.

Following the RSA’s hard call to postpone the national Poppy Day Appeal and Anzac Day services, Perpetual Guardian wants to lead the charge and support and help our heroes by contributing to this ‘Let’s Not Forget’ campaign.

This Givealittle campaign provides New Zealanders with a platform to honour our veterans and active military, preserving a deep part of New Zealand’s history while people are unable to come together for events or fundraise face-to-face due to the lockdown.

The Perpetual Guardian Foundation is contributing $25,000 on behalf of their generous donors and this donation will go directly to the RSA, along with public donations received via the Givealittle page. In addition, Perpetual Guardian itself is also donating $1,500 towards the campaign. RSA needs these funds for its critical work to support our veterans, the oldest of whom will be among the most vulnerable to the effects of COVID-19.

Perpetual Guardian founder Andrew Barnes says, “New Zealand, with the rest of the world, is living through a moment in history. As we proceed with our nationwide lockdown to break the chain and save lives, the government has advised that NZ Police will receive support from Defence Force personnel in order to keep Kiwis safe during the lockdown period. The extra work our current Defence Force members are doing here at home is a timely reminder of how much we have relied on our service people to protect us over the years – and now is the time to help our heroes in return.”

RSA National President BJ Clark says, “The RSA is pleased to be working with the Perpetual Guardian on the ‘Let's Not Forget’ campaign and thanks Kiwis in advance for any support they can give. Our service people and their whanau have sacrificed so much for New Zealand, to protect our way of life – this campaign is a way we can give back and thank them.