Local Focus: Hawke’s Bay Toy Drive races into action

With sections of the rural community still cut off after Cyclone Gabrielle, a new charity is making special deliveries for Dartmoor’s younger residents.

The Hawke’s Bay Toy Drive has been flat out delivering fresh fruit, vegetables, bread and even toys and Easter eggs for the children.

Founder Nancye Rewi said more than 40 care packages were delivered in the past week alone: “That’s 40 packs of Lego, Easter eggs, McDonald’s vouchers and also lots of the donated toys.”

While Rewi lives in Clive, her family members in Pakowhai were hit hard by the cyclone.

“My nieces and nephews lost everything in the floods and we were looking after them. We took them to Kmart and all they wanted to do was buy toys.

“The sparkle, the happiness, the joy that they had with receiving toys was just overwhelming. So I thought I had to do it for all the kids here in Hawke’s Bay.”

With the school holiday around the corner, the toys, books and Easter eggs delivery provided some much-needed positivity for the Dartmoor children. Photo / Supplied

Rewi said she couldn’t have done it without the help of others.

The Kindness Collective donated $10,000 and $30,000 worth of new Lego, and McDonald’s offered $5000 of vouchers.

“All the other toys have been donated from all around the country. We’ve had parcels shipped up from the South Island, from up north, from everywhere,” she said.

The Toy Drive has so far given away 250 packages.

While Dartmoor may still be isolated six weeks after the cyclone, it’s certainly not forgotten.

Access is becoming easier with a temporary footbridge now replacing the boat pulley system over the river.

“It’s great having the footbridge”, said Dartmoor resident Sarah Grant. “We don’t have to get wet bottoms from sitting on the boat. And we don’t have to worry about when it rains.”

Construction of the temporary one-lane bridge is due to be completed by the end of April.