Bonus Bonds investors donate more than $100,000 to Cancer Society

The wind up of ANZ Investment’s Bonus Bonds scheme is seeing thousands of people donate their holdings to the Cancer Society of New Zealand, with more than $100,000 donated so far.

The Bonus Bonds scheme, which wound up in October 2020, is currently seeking to pay out remaining funds to the more than one million investors.

As a long-term supporter of the Cancer Society, ANZ has offered bondholders the option of donating their funds to the Cancer Society to help with its work in the community.

“We’re delighted that so far more than 6000 bondholders have chosen this option which means we will be able to pass on more than $100,000 on behalf of these investors,” said Andrew Webster, General Manager, Branch Network at ANZ NZ.

“This generosity from bondholders will be welcome – particularly as the Cancer Society’s annual Daffodil Day street collection was cancelled this year due to the Covid-19 lockdown.”

The Cancer Society is the only organisation that funds research into all types of cancers, and provides support to anyone affected by cancer, including families and friends, no matter what age you are or the type of cancer someone might have.

“We are so grateful to ANZ for giving customers the option to redirect their holdings to the Cancer Society and in particular those bondholders who have generously chosen to do this. Through the support of ANZ and the generosity of New Zealanders, we can ensure no one has to go through cancer alone,” said Lucy Elwood, CEO at Cancer Society of New Zealand.

ANZ is currently working to find around 890,000 people who bought or were gifted Bonus Bonds over the 50 years the scheme was in operation.

“While we have found a home for more than half the remaining funds, there are still thousands of New Zealanders who may not realise they have a bit of money in the bottom of their sock drawer,” Mr Webster said.

“We encourage anyone who is a bondholder, or suspects they might be, to give our dedicated hotline a call. For those who think they might only be owed a few dollars, they could consider donating their share to the Cancer Society like 6000 others have done already.”

The Bonus Bonds team can be reached at 0800 266 374 or for more information visit www.bonusbonds.co.nz.

For media enquiries contact: Briar McCormack 021 280 1173

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