Northern Advocate
  • Northern Advocate home
  • Latest news
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Sport
  • Property
  • Video
  • Death notices
  • Classifieds

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • On The Up
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
  • Sport
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Residential property listings

Locations

  • Far North
  • Kaitaia
  • Kaikohe
  • Bay of Islands
  • Whangārei
  • Kaipara
  • Mangawhai
  • Dargaville

Media

  • Video
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-Editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

Weather

  • Kaitaia
  • Whangārei
  • Dargaville

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Northern Advocate

Christmas lunch with a difference at Whangārei's Salvation Army

Imran Ali
By Imran Ali
Multimedia Journalist·Northern Advocate·
20 Dec, 2021 04:00 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Andrea Paul, left, and Verrell Bryson of the Salvation Army in Whangārei prepare food hampers for families in need this Christmas. Photo / Tania Whyte Photo / Tania Whyte

Andrea Paul, left, and Verrell Bryson of the Salvation Army in Whangārei prepare food hampers for families in need this Christmas. Photo / Tania Whyte Photo / Tania Whyte

A Christmas lunch for needy families is off the menu but on comes a takeaway hangi and other goodies as demand for food parcels in Northland soars.

The Salvation Army in Whangārei will give away 150 hangi packs on Christmas Day, apart from hampers and presents made possible through donation from members of the public and businesses.

Another charity, 155 Community House, which also caters for the needy including the homeless, is experiencing a high demand for food and has given away more than 1,000 food parcels between mid-August and mid-October.

The charity received $6,000 in much-needed donations to its food bank recently and is appealing for more.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Salvation Army Whangārei team leader community ministries Trevor McLean said in the absence of the annual Christmas lunch, a hangi was a way of providing something for needy families this festive season.

"We do monthly hangi at work but this one is specifically for the community. Each hangi pack will also contain pudding and fry bread and we're going to do up to 150, which is our normal Christmas lunch."

McLean said while his staff have had to buy meat, donations for food parcels, Christmas hampers, presents and vouchers have been good so far.

About 258 hampers will be given out either Wednesday or Thursday while the weekly supply of 160 food parcels across Northland will continue as normal, he said.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

"The numbers getting food parcels have been quite steady until early December, when families started saving for Christmas and their holidays. But we're in a pretty good situation at the moment with donations," he said.

McLean said 58 members of the public and organisations were sponsoring a family this Christmas with presents and food parcels.

At 155 Open Arms, the demand for kai remains high and volunteers are dishing out on average 100 food parcels a week.

The charity is organising a lunch for 80 people on Christmas Eve.

Discover more

We've got to manage demand: How Northland food banks are preparing for a surge in demand

29 Aug 06:00 PM

Motel sought for mostly rough sleepers in Whangārei

22 Aug 05:00 PM

Whangārei South Rotary marks centennial with care-package donation

20 Jun 05:00 PM

Northland leaders' wish list ahead of today's Budget

19 May 06:00 PM

Food bank co-ordinator Sam Cassidy said there was enough food at the moment but would be grateful for any donations of kai and money over the coming weeks as some families would struggle in the New Year.

Donations can be dropped off at 155 Open Arms, 102 Robert St, during opening hours, and cash can be donated online, www.155.org.nz/donate.

Call 09 437 0185 ext 4 or freephone 0800 120 926 for queries on donations.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Northern Advocate

Northern Advocate

Fans flock to Māori All Blacks, Black Ferns pre-game signing event

04 Jul 04:50 AM
Northern Advocate

Farmer's neglect: Emaciated stag was trapped in fence and thick mud, other deer were dead

04 Jul 02:57 AM
Northern Advocate

Police investigating after person suffers injuries in alleged Whangārei assault

04 Jul 01:57 AM

There’s more to Hawai‘i than beaches and buffets – here’s how to see it differently

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Northern Advocate

Fans flock to Māori All Blacks, Black Ferns pre-game signing event

Fans flock to Māori All Blacks, Black Ferns pre-game signing event

04 Jul 04:50 AM

With over 9000 tickets sold, organisers are expecting big crowds at the double-header.

Farmer's neglect: Emaciated stag was trapped in fence and thick mud, other deer were dead

Farmer's neglect: Emaciated stag was trapped in fence and thick mud, other deer were dead

04 Jul 02:57 AM
Police investigating after person suffers injuries in alleged Whangārei assault

Police investigating after person suffers injuries in alleged Whangārei assault

04 Jul 01:57 AM
Kaipara confirms 8.3% rates rise, including targeted fee for local museums

Kaipara confirms 8.3% rates rise, including targeted fee for local museums

04 Jul 12:00 AM
From early mornings to easy living
sponsored

From early mornings to easy living

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • The Northern Advocate e-edition
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Subscribe to the Northern Advocate
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The Northern Advocate
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP