Napier street collection a cheerful boost

Three-year-old Dorothy Symons gets a "thank you" sticker from Lee Smith.

For many of the Napier City Council crew last Friday turned out to be a very cheery day.

A very Christmas Cheery Day as they donned the Santa hats, picked up the festive little red buckets and took to the central city streets to collect for the annual Christmas Cheer Appeal.

And after their stints over a four-hour period the result was a credit to the shoppers and strollers happy to do their bit for the community by popping coins and in several cases notes into the buckets.

At the end of the day, when the counting was wrapped up the result was a terrific $1320 boost to the appeal’s cash fund.

“It was a great result,” Napier Christmas Cheer co-ordinator Helene Overend said.

The council crew have been doing their street collection bit for the appeal since 2015 and that year the teams gathered together about $540, so the latest appeal really hit the community spirit mark.

The cash fund, which is crucial for buying the huge amount of food items needed to pack the hundreds of cheer parcels, was also boosted by several annual supporters and has nudged up over the $3000 mark.

Alexander Construction, a supporter of the appeal as well as one of the Napier drop-off points, came through with $500 while BDO Central dropped off $350 and Ian Dick Concrete Contractors stepped up with $200.

On the grants side of the equation the appeal has been well supported by the Hastings District Council, First Light Community Foundation, Eastern and Central Community Trust and the Trust House Foundation.

And for Hastings Christmas Cheer Appeal co-ordinator Jo Reyngoud a passerby made her day.

“Someone slipped $60 into my hand to go toward a grocery parcel.”

More than 1000 parcels will be prepared for distribution to people and families in need across Napier and Hastings this Christmas.

The appeal wraps up on December 19.

Donations

Previously acknowledged $600

Napier City Council street collection $1320

Alexander Construction $500

F White $50

Ian Dick Concrete Contractors $200

BDO Central $350

Anonymous $110

Total $3130

Drop-off points Napier: Hawke’s Bay Today and The Hits at NZME House, Dickens St; Toyworld, Paper Plus Taradale, Alexander Construction, Mitre 10.

Hastings: Hawke’s Bay Today, Hastings Public Library, Havelock North Public Library, Flaxmere Public Library.