Rotorua floods: Community raising money for Ngongotahā victims

In the wake of the recent flood devastation the Rotorua community have come together with fundraisers, support and now a community garage sale to help those affected.

Last Monday, as residents returned to their sodden and damaged homes, Red Cherry Ink owner Emma Brake drove out to help her family members in any way she could.

"A lot of my family were affected, some of the damage has been terrible.

"Had I not gone out there on Monday and seen it first-hand I just wouldn't have known."

Her first thought was what could she do to help.

"I was speaking to one of my cousins and they told me about families who are really struggling.

"I just felt like if I could do something, even a little something it's better than nothing."

So Brake is hosting a community garage sale and despite so far only letting people know in the St Michael's School notices she said the donations had been flooding in.

"There's just so much stuff, and now we're trying to drum up as much help as we can.

"Just come along and buy stuff, it's all going to be really cheap."

The garage sale will be in the old Video Ezy building on Old Taupo Rd.

"It's currently leased by Bayleys, so I just rang and asked if we could use it," Brake said.

"The community has all been so cool coming together for this."

People who wanted to make donations should email redcherryink@gmail.com to arrange a drop-off time with Brake.

Red Cherry Ink is also donating $20 from every tattoo towards the cause.

Image 1 of 61: Flooding in Rotorua. Cormac Davis, 12, . Moncur Dr. Photo/Ben Fraser

Last Sunday morning Ngongotahā School classmates Toby James, 10 and Simon Gillies, 10 held a bake sale which raised more than $750 for the flood relief fund.

Toby's mum Jacky said Ngongotahā had always been an "amazing little community".

"It's really come to the foreground through this.

"We're really proud of Simon and Toby."

It was Simon who came up with the idea to host a bake sale at the Rotorua Farmers Market.

His mum Jenny Lux said as a family they went around the flood area in their gumboots the day after the floods and saw "the desperation".

"He has run his own stalls at the market before [selling seedlings] so he knew it was something he could do."

Toby James, 10 (left) and Simon Gillies, 10, with their bake sale at the Rotorua Farmer's Market. Photo/Supplied

As well as the boys taking baking along they had a special donation from a classmate's sister.

Lux said it was Haniki Richards' birthday on Saturday and she donated her birthday cake to the stall.

Simon also brought a large pumpkin he grew and sold tickets to people who wanted to guess the weight.

"It was the first one I've grown," he said.

Both boys were surprised when someone managed to guess the exact weight.

"We couldn't believe it, we didn't think someone would guess the actual number," Toby said.

Simon said their goal was to raise $400 so they were happy to make so much money.

Both of them wanted to thank the people who bought their baking and their mums for helping them make it all.