MANGAWHAI'S NO.1 NEWSPAPER
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Its cheeky Charlie to the rescue in new story bookA magical stingray living in the Mangawhai Estuary is at the centre of the latest story book adventure from the Northland Rescue Helicopter.
Cheeky Charlie to the Rescue follows Northland Rescue Helicopter’s new chopper, Charlie, on his first day on the job when an unexpected rescue call comes in. The new helicopter will be operational later this year and is one of two new choppers to join the service’s fleet. Fans of the story book series will recognise brother and sister duo Ollie and Tia from previous books. No strangers to getting themselves into trouble, this time they encounter a friendly stingray who goes by the name of Tipene while out exploring the mighty Mangawhai on an old tyre tube. The fourth instalment in the rescue service’s series of children’s books follows the success of Mighty Mike to the Rescue, Lima Leaps to the Rescue, and Juliet to the Rescue and is illustrated once again by Auckland artist Tony McNeight. Cheeky Charlie to the Rescue was launched at three Northland primary schools during the Northland Rescue Helicopter Annual Appeal. All proceeds from the sale of the books go to the Northland Rescue Helicopter which is operated by Northland Emergency Services Trust. Vanessa Furze, General Manager at Northland Rescue Helicopter, says given the popularity of the first three books, the team is excited to introduce the Northland community to their new chopper in the latest book. “Not only are the books a fun, educational fundraising initiative, they’re also an opportunity to raise awareness about the lifesaving work our team does,” she says. “Like the previous books, we think Charlie will be just as popular with parents as it will be with kids. Setting it in Mangawhai is also a chance to showcase yet another beautiful part of Northland.” The new book also incorporates elements of te reo and Maori legend as an educational element as well as reflecting the influence and importance of the Maori population in Northland. Furze says the story also has an underlying safety message about the importance of wearing life jackets on the water, which is increasingly important as the busy summer holiday period draws nearer. “It’s a great little adventure story, with the kids heading out to explore Mangawhai before things go a little sideways. We want nothing more than for everyone to have fun over summer but it’s also key for people to take the right precautions when they are on the water to keep themselves safe,” she says. The Northland Rescue Helicopter flies close to 1,000 rescue missions each year, making it one of the busiest rescue helicopter services in New Zealand. Buy Cheeky Charlie to the Rescue online at nest.org.nz/bookstore, with all proceeds going to Northland Rescue Helicopter. Cheeky Charlie is the fourth instalment in the rescue service’s series of children’s books. |