School delivers big on food parcels

CHARITY CHOW: Wairarapa College student council members Harriet O'Hara, 16 (left) and Lucy de Lara-Bell, 17, display some of the donated food they and fellow council members collected on Thursday morning for the Masterton Food Bank.

Wairarapa College students raced supermarket trolleys around in the rain for the Masterton Food Bank on Thursday.

The Student Council held their annual winter Mufti Day at the Masterton school and had collected donations in the rainbow-hued trolleys for the town food bank. Assistant principal Charmaine Nelson said the council wanted to do something for the community and recognised at this time of year it can be tough for some families.

"So students were asked to bring in a non-perishable item of food in lieu of their gold coin donation to group class and the response was overwhelming."

Mrs Nelson said many of the classes donated several items from each student and "they were thoughtful contributions with lots of rice, canned foods, pasta, cereals and pack soup".

Any money donated was also given to the food bank, she said.

Prefect Sophie Osborne organised the supermarket trolleys and each group class was visited with a trolley decorated in their house colours.

Masterton Food Bank coordinator Lyn Tankersley said she could hardly believe her eyes when the Wairarapa College trailer pulled up on Thursday morning.

"It was just a joy to see so much food. It was absolutely fantastic and was all lovely non-perishables."

Mrs Tankersley said the food bank had been experiencing a high demand in food parcels. She said 175 parcels were given to families in May alone, which was unusually high.

"We are really grateful for the food, we are 100 per cent volunteer-based and have to pay for everything."

The Wairarapa College Student Council is made up of representatives from each house from both junior and senior years, head students and the Board of Trustees' representative, which makes 18 in total.

Deputy head girl Josie Major chairs the council and Year 12 student Alice Evans is secretary.

Mrs Nelson said the role of the council is to represent students' views, discuss and put into action solutions to issues that arise, and fundraising that includes the upcoming Westbush Challenge in September.