Auckland City Missioner Helen Robinson urges Auckland to donate this year to help struggling families during Christmas.
Video / Michael Craig
For one day, Santa’s workshop wasn’t in the snowy North Pole.
It was at Craggy Range Winery.
For the sixth year, Hawke’s Bay elves arrived at the winery, preparing to pack 3300 “Santa sacks” for one of the biggest single contributions to the Christmas Cheer Appeal.
Craggy Range, in association with its supporters and business partners, created A Children’s Christmas in 2018 to support and make a difference to the lives of children across the Hawke’s Bay and Wairarapa regions.
The regions are estimated to have 23 per cent of children living below the poverty line, many experiencing extreme hardship.
Rugby balls, footballs, netballs and all sorts were being pumped, while others were packing books, tablets and watches, following the science and technology theme of the event.
Peabody Jr said this year the idea was to “encourage education” and focus on children “getting into school or staying in school”.
This was especially relevant after Cyclone Gabrielle. “With all the disruption in their lives, we wanted to help them get back into the swing of things.”
Jo Reyngoud, from the Flaxmere Baptist Church, said people were often overwhelmed when receiving their gifts – tears, a lot of gratitude, and people saying, “Are you sure this is all for us?”
“It really does give people some hope in a time where there is a lot of stress,” she said.
Helpers at Craggy Range filled thousands of sacks with presents for children. Photo / Paul Taylor
Craggy Range chief executive Craig Sims said that, when staff were told about a grandmother and her grandchildren who “had never had a Christmas”, “it made it real” for the sponsors and helpers.
The foundation A Children’s Christmas works year-round planning and preparing the event.
“It never stops,” Reyngoud said. “When I think about what people have gone through in the last 12 months, people are very generous.”
Drop-off points:
Hawke’s Bay Today offices, Hastings: 301 Heretaunga St East (open from 9am until 2pm), Napier: 105 Dickens St (open from 9am until 2pm)
CHB Mail: 76 Ruataniwha St, Waipukurau (open Tuesday and Thursday 9am until 2pm, Wednesday and Friday, 9am until noon)
Customer Service, Napier City Council; cash and online donation at www.napier.govt.nz
