Egmont Air is proud to have played a part in the Rapid Relief Team’s (RRT) $1.5 million donation towards the new Taranaki Base Hospital ICU, part of the hospital’s newly opened East Wing building, Te Rau Mātāpuna o Taranaki. The building officially opened on 25 June 2026, with patients and services transitioning in from 29 June 2026.

Cameron Prestidge, Director of Egmont Air, is also the Rapid Relief Team New Zealand Director, and helped lead the fundraising push that made the donation possible. He emphasised the importance of the contribution in meeting the healthcare needs of the growing Taranaki region.

“This is about helping the Taranaki Health Foundation deliver a cutting-edge hospital that meets the needs of the growing Taranaki region. The support from locals has been incredible, and we are glad we can make a combined, significant contribution to this new ICU. When people have an emergency or need help after an operation, this new facility will provide them with the very best care.”

In recognition of the community effort behind it, the Rapid Relief Team, Egmont Air and accompanying donors have been named as a supporter of the ICU ward.

As a Taranaki-based business, Egmont Air was glad to support the initiative alongside the wider community. It’s a project close to home, and one that reflects the same values Egmont Air brings to its own work: supporting the health, safety, and wellbeing of the people in the industries and communities it serves.

The Taranaki Base Hospital ICU now sits within a six-storey building that also houses a new emergency department, maternity and neonatal units, radiology, laboratory services, and a rooftop helipad with direct access to the ED, ICU, and operating theatres. The new wing lifts the hospital’s patient spaces from 96 to 151, a 57 percent increase, and is one of the largest fully electric hospital buildings in the country, running on the campus energy centre rather than gas boilers. It also holds a five-star Green Star rating, the first healthcare facility in New Zealand to achieve that mark.

For Egmont Air, contributing to the Taranaki Base Hospital ICU is about giving back to the region that has supported the business for years. It’s a reminder that strong, healthy communities and strong, healthy workplaces go hand in hand.

Want to support the Rapid Relief Team’s ongoing work in the community? You can make a donation here.