Coin-op amusement giant Namco Bandai has donated €20,000 to the Christchurch Earthquake Heritage Building Fund in New Zealand.
Following a similar donation to the Japanese earthquake aid effort, the donation will be put towards restoration of heritage buildings which were "uniquely Christchurch", said chair of the fund’s trust, Anna Crighton.
Crighton said the donation would provide a morale boost to the people of Canterbury, at a time when about 900 buildings in central Christchurch were slated for demolition, about half of the buildings in the city centre. The government had pledged in its budget announcement to match the donation dollar for dollar up to $10m she said.
The president and chief executive of Namco Bandai Games Europe, Shu Takahara, and that of Bandai SA, Masaaki Tsuji, presented the cheque, saying they had wanted to let the people of Christchurch know that they were still thought of.
The donation was made up of employee contributions and a company contribution from Namco Bandai’s international subsidiaries, said Takahara.
Tsuji said the heritage fund had been chosen to ensure buildings in the future would not cause more harm and since other charities such as the Red Cross had received many donations all ready.
