Kia ora

 

My name is Josephine Hoyne Sim. I am organising Aviva’s 2026 Annual Street Appeal for Friday 22nd and Saturday 23rd May. I am hoping the U3A Godley could help us.

 

Aviva is a Canterbury-based family violence and sexual violence agency. We provide a range of services to support people of all ages and genders to overcome the enduring harms of violence, including education groups, one-on-one support, home security upgrades, and our 24/7 support line.

 

This year’s appeal is especially important. Right now, the "cost of living crisis" isn't just a headline for the families we support - it’s a trap. When you can’t afford rent or groceries, leaving a dangerous home feels impossible. As bills rise and budgets shrink, we are seeing a heartbreaking reality: women are being forced to stay in abusive homes because they simply cannot afford to leave.

 

Economic uncertainty acts as a pressure cooker for family violence. Tensions rise, and options disappear. We cannot let safety become a luxury item.

 

We are looking for community groups to raise their hands to cover a collection site for our Annual Street Appeal. Volunteers would collect donations with Aviva branded buckets and vests at their local mall or supermarket.

 

It may not be the most glamorous job, but the Aviva Annual Street Appeal is our largest fundraiser of the year – helping to fund our services year-round. It is also essential for getting our name out to smaller communities, letting those struggling know that we are here and we are available to help.

 

If you would like to arrange to collect, please let me know. We have a number of sites booked already. We can see if one of them suits your group or we can work together to find a suitable collection site.

 

If you feel you don’t have enough members to collect or bucket collections aren’t your speed, but you still want to support Aviva, please let me know. There are a number of ways you can support us, from running your own fundraiser, to creating food or care packs, or simply making a donation.

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Contact: Josephine Hoyne Sim - 027 342 1210 or josaphineh@aviva.org.nz

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