Vodafone and Run The Red are excited to announce Donatelive! a new service which is the first of its kind in New Zealand. The service enables customers with Vodafone live! capable handsets to donate to the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust.

Vodafone customers send a freeTXT spelling YEP (yellow-eyed penguin) to 5483 (live), they are then directed to a Vodafone live! page to find out about the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust and the work they are doing to save one of our national treasures. They can then donate $3, $5 or $9 and in return will receive multimedia content downloaded directly to their phone. Content includes Yellow-eyed penguin ringtones, screensavers and videos. Vodafone will pass on 100% of the donation to the charity.

This new initiative is launching to the public on October 11 in conjunction with the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust's 20th Anniversary. The service has been created by the 2007 Graduates as part of the Vodafone Graduate Programme and will be available for an initial three month period.

We are really thrilled to be able to use our technology to create an interactive way for customers to support a charitable organisation. We are also proud to introduce a donation initiative which has never been used in New Zealand before. says Raphael Hilbron, Head of Corporate Responsibility at Vodafone.

The Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust was formed in 1987 by Dunedin conservationists with the aim of saving the penguin by restoring coastal forest and controlling predators. The penguin is the focus but the Trust's efforts also benefit other native species of plant and animal. Current All Black Anton Oliver is the patron of the Yellow-eyed Penguin Trust.

The Trust is based in Dunedin but manages land and penguin interests in the whole of mainland New Zealand.