Christmas Appeal: Foodbank volunteers hit the streets

Angela Freeman (left) and Nicola Dowdall (right) from the Bay of Plenty Times collect cans from Greerton resident Pauline Fryer during last year's Christmas Appeal. Photo / File

Get your cans and non-perishable goods ready, as can drives start this week for the Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal for the Tauranga Community Foodbank.

The Bay of Plenty Times is holding can drives each week until Christmas.

Staff members and volunteers from the foodbank will be hitting the streets to collect donations for the paper's Christmas Appeal, which is supporting the foodbank for the fifth year running.

Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin

The first can drive will be this Thursday at the Lakes, followed by Matua on Thursday, December 17 and Papamoa on Wednesday, December 23.

All non-perishable food, personal hygiene items and baby products will be gladly received.

Collectors will be knocking on doors in and around the Landing from 5.30pm on Thursday.

Anyone who will not be at home but who still wants to donate to the appeal can leave non-perishable goods to be collected on their doorstep with a note.

Donations can also be dropped at the Bay of Plenty Times office at 405 Cameron Rd, or to the Tauranga Community Foodbank on Brook St near Fraser Cove. Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin (pictured) said the can drives were a great thing to be involved with.

"It's a really positive thing for the people who give because it's that personal interaction you get with the people collecting, and the ability we have to answer questions they might have about the foodbank - where the food goes and things like that."

The 2015 Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal has so far collected nearly 5000 food items and $16,000 in cash for the Tauranga Community Foodbank.