Sometimes the best raffle wins are the ones nobody expects. Rajeev, an Auckland resident, spotted a car raffle online, bought a ticket to support a good cause, and thought the winner’s phone call was a scam. It wasn’t.
A Long-Running Partnership Behind the Prize
Suzuki New Zealand has supported Blood Cancer NZ for 15 years, providing vehicles for staff and backing fundraising efforts that assist people living with leukaemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and related blood conditions. The charity works to ensure Kiwis do not face a blood cancer diagnosis without support.
This year, that partnership extended into new territory. Blood Cancer NZ was selected as the charity partner for the 2026 Grocery Charity Ball, the grocery industry’s flagship annual event, held with the support of the New Zealand Food and Grocery Council.
The Raffle and the Night
With backing from the Grocery Charity Ball Trust and Suzuki, Blood Cancer NZ ran its first-ever car raffle. The prize was a Jimny 5-Door, displayed at the entrance of the ball on the evening of the event. Tickets went on sale online across a ten-week period ahead of the night.
The winner was announced during the ball itself. There was a chance the winning ticket holder might be in the room, but the ticket had been sold to Rajeev, who had found the raffle online and, by his own account, entered purely to support the charity.
When Blood Cancer NZ rang to deliver the news, Rajeev’s first instinct was scepticism. Annabel Lush, Head of Operations at Blood Cancer NZ, noted that his reaction was entirely understandable — and that the team was delighted to confirm it was genuine.
Collecting the Keys
A few weeks after the ball, with the reality of the win fully settled in, Rajeev arrived to collect his Jimny with his mother alongside him. The Jimny 5-Door is a capable, body-on-frame 4×4 that has built a loyal following in New Zealand for its off-road ability and compact dimensions.
For Blood Cancer NZ, the raffle represents a new fundraising avenue — one that generated public engagement well beyond the ball’s guest list, reaching people like Rajeev who had no prior connection to the event.
The charity’s work continues year-round. Details on how to support Blood Cancer NZ are available through their website.
