Food boxes delivered to flood-hit families

RESPONSE: Volunteer Jordy Tua and New World Regent manager Todd Leathem loading boxes of food into the vehicle for delivering to isolated families stricken by the recent floods. PHOTO/SUPPLIED

Food donated by Whangarei businesses was dropped to families most affected by the recent floods.

Whangarei retailers New World Regent, Countdown and The Mad Butcher provided items for food parcels for over 32 flood-stricken families in regions such as the Hikurangi swamp, Hukerenui, the lower Bay of Islands, Maungaturoto and Moerewa.

The parcels included basic food items such as long-life milk, coffee and spaghetti. Many of the families live in remote rural areas and have poor access to main centres.

Some had lost full fridges and freezers of food thanks to the floods, said New World Regent manager Todd Leathem.

"As a community store, there are people in dire need of food in the community - so it's basically helping them out," he said.

The food parcels were organised and distributed by Labour MP Kelvin Davis, with the most recent delivery made on Thursday.

"The situation remains pretty desperate with local roads collapsing further since the recent rain at the weekend, preventing families in remote rural areas from being able to travel in and out freely," Mr Davis said.

"It has been very humbling to have the response that we have had from local folk."