Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter Trust’s long standing Principal Sponsor is handing over the baton after more than three decades of dedicated emergency air support for the region.

It marks the end of an era of unwavering sponsorship from the Lowe Corporation, whose outstanding contribution helped establish the Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter Trust’s inception as a dedicated rescue operation back in 1992.

Lowe Corporation Managing Director Andy Lowe says continuing to facilitate hundreds of lifesaving missions each year has been incredibly important in honoring his father Graeme Lowe’s legacy.

“Continuing my father’s mission to provide air medical lifesaving support for the community over 34 years has been an immense honor and a privilege not lost on my family. We have been proud to have been aligned with such a critical community cause and step aside with a deep sense of gratitude and positivity for the service’s future. We’re proud to name the rescue helicopter’s new Principal Sponsor as the Wallace Foundation, led by its founder Havelock North based Commercial Property Developer, Jonathan Wallace alongside his wife Maree.”

The new partnership aligns before the imminent arrival of the region’s new Airbus H145.

Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter Trust Chair Blair O’Keeffe reflects on the history and significance of Graeme and Andy Lowe’s long-standing association.

“We are incredibly grateful for Lowe Corporation’s ongoing support of our air rescue service and would like to recognize how integral its contributions have been in delivering countless vital lifesaving missions across Hawke’s Bay and beyond. The sheer duration of consistent significant sponsorship from Lowe Corporation is remarkable and a reflection of the commitment and unassuming humility of a respected Hawke’s Bay family. There’s no doubt the Lowes have left a lasting legacy.”

Jonathan Wallace says supporting the service at a pivotal time in its history was a deeply personal decision.

“Hawke’s Bay is where we call home and the region has been incredibly good to us. As a family we support many community initiatives but feel passionately about supporting the lifesaving work of the region’s rescue helicopter in a larger, more enduring way. The critical role the rescue helicopter plays in helping anyone, anywhere, at any time at no cost to the patient makes the Hawke’s Bay Rescue Helicopter Service pretty unique, and that’s what’s driven us to get behind it. We’re very motivated to partner with such a vital essential service providing an anchor of support, alongside other community sponsors.”