06-08-2025
BestStart Raises $91,000 For Whānau Āwhina Plunket
Press Release – BestStart
The money helps Plunket to deliver free community services for families, including home visits, new parent groups and parenting programmes.
BestStart early education centres around the country have raised a total of $91,000 to support Whānau Āwhina Plunket, thanks to their 2025 BestStart Butterfly Appeal.
The money helps Plunket to deliver free community services for families, including home visits, new parent groups and parenting programmes.
'This is the 10th year that BestStart have supported us with this amazing appeal – and they generated a record-breaking total this year – we are so grateful for their efforts, '' says Fiona Kingsford, Whānau Āwhina Plunket Chief Executive.
'All sorts of fun activities for tamariki go into the BestStart Butterly Appeal fundraiser, from face- painting to teddy bear picnics and more, we truly appreciate it.'
Over the past 10 years, BestStart centres around the country have raised an incredible $483,000 to support Whānau Āwhina Plunket's community services, Fiona says.
'BestStart and Plunket are both committed to making a positive difference in the lives of tamariki and their whānau. Our butterfly logo symbolises growth, care and transformation; values shared by both organisations.'
BestStart Howick topped the appeal, raising $2,043. Each team member cooked a dish from a different culture, and they held a Friday takeaway night for local families. 'We are so happy to be this year's top fundraiser, as it so aptly matches with our philosophy of 'Bringing communities together from the heart'. This time it was bringing communities together through delicious food,' says Centre Manager, Philomena Lobo.
About Whānau Āwhina Plunket:
Pēpi, tamariki and whānau are at the heart of Whānau Āwhina Plunket. The charity is Aotearoa New Zealand's largest health and wellbeing support service for tamariki – seeing 290,000 under-fives in 2024. About three-quarters of newborns are enrolled with Whānau Āwhina Plunket each year. Our nurses provide clinical assessments, and along with Kaiāwhina and Community Karitāne, support whānau and families, through home and clinic visits, as well as PlunketLine 0800 933 922, a free 24/7 telephone advice service for parents.
Our website is one of the country's most widely read digital child health resources, with 1.8 million visits each year. It is available data-free through the Zero Data portal at and you can choose to view it in English or te reo Māori.
