Generous Lakes residents help local foodbank stock up for Christmas

Poppy Russell-Quill, Annemarie Quill, Kiri Gillespie and Angela Freeman helped collect food as part of the Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal. Photo / Andrew Warner

The Bay of Plenty Times hit The Lakes last night collecting cans to help out those in need before Christmas.

A dozen staff and volunteers went door to door asking for donations of non-perishable food, personal hygiene items and baby products.

Several boxes of food and other items were collected to donate to the Tauranga Community Foodbank as part of the 2015 Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal.

Tauranga Community Foodbank chairman Alan Plunkett was "very grateful" for the items people gave.

"The generosity of Tauranga people was shown again tonight," Mr Plunkett said.

Volunteer Dianne Arlidge said the donations this year had been constant throughout Tauranga. "It's just amazing," Ms Arlidge said.

"Although a lot of people had already donated, they showed their generosity again."

Ms Arlidge said many businesses and corporations had helped as well by donating money for them to purchase perishable items such as eggs for people who needed help over the Christmas period.

Mr Plunkett said although they had received numerous donations, "it still goes on".

"We're still in need," Mr Plunkett said. Yesterday was the first can drive held, and will be followed by a collection on Thursday, December 17 and Wednesday, December 23.

People can expect volunteers wearing blue Bay of Plenty Times T-shirts or foodbank badges to knock on their doors on those dates.

If you will not be home or do not wish to be disturbed but would like to donate, donations can be dropped off at the Bay of Plenty Times office at 405 Cameron Rd, or to the Tauranga Community Foodbank on Brook St near Fraser Cove.

The Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal, in conjunction with The Hits, was launched last month to help the Tauranga Community Foodbank.

This is the fifth year the Christmas Appeal has been held. During this time more than $314,000 has been raised for the foodbank.

At last count the 2015 Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal had netted nearly 5000 food items and $16,000 in cash for the Tauranga Community Foodbank.