Accor appoints Cure Kids Fiji Adminstrator

Accor Hotels & Resorts has further strengthened its commitment to the Cure Kids Fiji cause, appointing a dedicated Cure Kids Administrator to coordinate fundraising events and opportunities for the Fiji Islands children’s charity.

Paulette Newton has been welcomed to the newly created position of Cure Kids Administrator, a role that complements her existing responsibilities as personal assistant to Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa’s General Manager.

Accor Hotels manage the Sofitel Fiji Resort & Spa, Mocambo Hotel Nadi and Mercure Hotel Nadi in Fiji and since helping to launch Cure Kids Fiji in April last year, Accor Hotels has raised more than FJ$280,000, for medical care for the children of Fiji.

The funds raised by Accor have contributed to assisting sick and underprivileged children in the Fiji Islands, with new equipment purchased for the Latouka Hospital located on the western side of Viti Levu.

Accor’s fundraising efforts to date have allowed for:

** New incubators for premature babies

** New pediatric probes and vaccines to treat children with kidney disease

** Sponsored teaching and consulting visit from children’s kidney specialist, Dr William Wong, from Starship Hospital in Auckland

Cure Kids Fiji Spokesperson and General Manager of Accor’s Mocambo Hotel Nadi Murray Davison said, “The entire Fiji Cure Kids team not only wants this fantastic charity to continue, but to  grow  – with that as our goal we have made the decision to appoint a Fiji based Cure Kids administrator”.

“One of the key people involved in organising our fundraising efforts to date has been Paulette Newton and we are very happily we can announce that she has accepted the role as this administrator, responsible for the co-ordination of Fiji Cure Kids fundraising, and any Cure Kids activity we hold here in Fiji including our primary event, the 2008 ‘Race to Survive.”

Speaking on her new appointment Paulette Newtown says, “As a Fijian and Lautoka local, I have obviously seen first hand the positive impact Cure Kids Fiji has on our community and in bring much needed valuable equipment and knowledge to help our children in medical need.”

“Behind the scenes there is endless support for Cure Kids with a team of people stretching across Fiji, New Zealand and Australia, with the work thus far certainly not the result of a single individual but rather a combined effort on behalf of Accor’s many hotels, regional offices and suppliers and guests.”

“When I look at what we have already achieved I’m proud that I’ll now be in a position to focus, contribute and coordinate our efforts to help the Cure Kids Fiji team achieve even better results in the years to come.”

Accor’s signature fundraising campaign for Cure Kids is the annual ‘Race to Survive’ endurance event, the next scheduled for 2008 after the success of the inaugural 2007 event which garnered support from a range of international participants and sponsors such as Rosie Holidays, Tappoo, Colonial, Vodafone, BlueGas, Mechanical Services/Daikin, UBFreight, Fijian Holdings and Air Pacific.

While Cure Kids critical medical research into childhood diseases continues in New Zealand, the money raised by the ‘Race to Survive’ and all Accor fund raising initiatives in Fiji funds ongoing basic, life-saving medicines, equipment and medical staff training via an ongoing visiting doctors program.

For further information visit www.curekidsfiji.com or www.accorhotels.com.au/ www.accorhotels.co.nz

Report by The Mole