Two hundred Christchurch families will be warmer for the rest of winter after a fundraising effort by Kiwis in Singapore.

The fundraising followed a screening of Canterbury earthquake film When A City Falls, with more than 150 expatriate Kiwis and their friends donating money for Christchurch families through the Singapore Chamber of Commerce.

Film director and producer Gerard Smyth was flown to Singapore for the screening and to answer questions from the audience.

The money raised from ticket sales was matched by Fisher & Paykel, Smiths City and Westpac and used to buy 200 convection heaters, which were being distributed to families in need in Christchurch's eastern suburbs, particularly in Aranui.

Fisher & Paykel Southeast Asia general manager Miles Webster said the event had aimed to "give a little extra support to our friends and families in Christchurch" and it had been a "great success".

Aranui Community Trust co-ordinator Rachel Fonotia said it was important for families to keep warm and stay healthy, and the heaters would help with that.

"We're really, really grateful because lots of people are still in homes that haven't been fixed since the earthquakes," she said.

Some families were worried about increasing their power bills, but Fonotia said it was "OK to plug in". "Even if it's only for an hour, just so you're not freezing - anything to keep our families warm," she said.

Barbara Joyce, 73, was "thrilled" to receive a new oil heater.

The heat pump in her Farnborough St flat had been damaged in the September 2010 quake and the house needed to be rebuilt.

- © Fairfax NZ News

Comments