Charlotte and her nanny Lyn are the sweet treat angels of foodbank

Charlotte Hinga-Hall, 12, puts together and donates bags of lollies for the Tauranga Community Foodbank as a treat for the kids. Photo/John Borren

Charlotte Hinga-Hall and her nanny Lyn from Maungatapu are the sweet treat angels of the Tauranga Community Foodbank.

Lyn has been donating to the foodbank for about 20 years and Charlotte, now 12, has been helping her out since she was 5.

Three years ago, the pair's contribution morphed into something new when Charlotte was given too many lollies for Christmas. An idea was born, Lyn said.

"She doesn't eat a lot of lollies, and they were just sitting on the bench and so we thought, what are we going to do with them?"

Lyn, 65, suggested they make up little treat bags and give them to the foodbank. They have been doing that about every two months ever since.

Lyn and Charlotte also make and donate cake mixes and, this Christmas, bags of pasta and little Christmas crackers.

"Everybody is entitled to have something, aren't they?"

Lyn said it also acted as a life lesson for Charlotte, who attends Tauranga Intermediate School.

"It teaches her to weigh out things. And also, I'm trying to teach Charlotte that you don't have to be paid for everything that you do. A lot of kids, if they make their bed, they expect to be paid."

Charlotte has taken ownership of the lolly bags.

"I get told that it's her job and she knows what she's doing and she does them," Lyn said.

"If Charlotte had her way, she would keep making those lolly bags. She said there are lots of kids in Tauranga, they all need one."

Lyn said it was something more people could easily do for the foodbank.

"When I go to the supermarket, I just pick up a packet of flour or something and then when we've got enough, we do it."

Their special Christmas lolly bags have candy canes and chocolate this year.

Charlotte said it was "great fun" making them with her nanny.

She said what they were doing was important "because the people don't really get that much food and it's a treat for them".

Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin said the bags of lollies made by Charlotte always put a smile on the kids' faces.

"I truly wish she got to see what a difference it makes to their day. I often tell them that they have earned the treat by helping pick the fruit and veggies from reception to add to their family's food parcel."

And the coconut chocolate cake mixes put together by Lyn and Charlotte "absolutely fly out the door", Goodwin said.

"Our customers are so grateful for these extras and having something extra as a treat for afternoon tea or school lunches that they have been able to make themselves."