Central Hawkes Bay: Food Bank appeal in its ninth year

Students from Argyll East School with their donations.

The PGG Wrightson Food Bank appeal is still going strong and organisers say they are looking forward to another bumper collection in 2020. The collection appeal is now in its ninth year and it never ceases to amaze the organisers and collectors how the community will pull together in times of need.

There is a growing number of collectors who pledge their support every year, so now the appeal is able to cover Waipukurau, Waipawa, Otane, Pōrangahau and Takapau.

The local community and business organisations have recognised this as a very worthwhile project, hence the support from the Ruahine Cadets, St John Ambulance Cadets, Waipukurau Rotary Club, Women's Institute, CHB District Council, Progressive Otane, Findex, Takapau Lions Club, Pōrangahau Village community and Māori Women's Welfare League and the team from the PGG Wrightson retail store.

Collection night is supported by vehicles manned by local volunteer fire brigades, St John Ambulance and police (if they're not out protecting our community).

Collectors will be doing a "pre-feed" of bags and reminder notices, one week before the collection, then walking/driving the streets in the townships of Otane, Waipawa, Waipukurau, Pōrangahau and Takapau on Thursday, November 19 between 6pm and 7pm, supported by private vehicles and 111 service vehicles.

If you hear the sirens blaring or see flashing lights, it's a reminder to hang your recyclable "eco-bag" with your donation on your gate post or letterbox. Somebody will be there to collect it. If you're not going to be around on the day, but would still like to donate, then call into the PGG Wrightson store at 12 Takapau Rd, Waipukurau. There will also be drop boxes in the CHB District Council foyer and Waipawa Library where you can make a donation.

In previous years, PGG Wrightson have supplied more than 3500 single use plastic bags for the collection. But with the worldwide move away from the use of plastic, this year there will be recyclable eco-bags.

Organisers are asking people to have a look in their cupboards for anything they can spare, to help those in need at this time of the year.

Tins of fruit, veges or beans, jars of jam, sauces and pickles, packets of biscuits, pasta, noodles, soup and even household cleaning products are welcomed or maybe there are still some spare rolls of toilet paper stored away from when we all went into lockdown. Any non-perishable food items will all go to needy families within the CHB community.

Tegel Foods has again pledged to donate a wide range of frozen chicken products which will be a welcome addition to anybody's Christmas dinner. And Mr Apple has donated apple boxes for packing all the goods into.

If you are able to help collect on the day with a car, ute or van, then please call Judy Strawbridge and her team at PGG Wrightson, Waipukurau, phone (06) 858 6772, we'd love to hear from you.