Koha Shed manager Sherron Sunnex asks children to come forward and receive presents. Photo / Laurel Stowell
Koha Shed manager Sherron Sunnex asks children to come forward and receive presents. Photo / Laurel Stowell
With a theme of "Sharing is Caring", Whanganui's Koha Shed put on a free market during its annual Community Christmas Party.
On December 22 people were waiting outside for the noon-3pm event to begin, Koha Shed manager Sherron Sunnex said.
"I knew it was going to be bedlam."
When they got onto the Duncan St property they found free facepainting, a bouncy castle and a free raffle to register for. There was a free market for adults and a space where children could choose brand new gifts for their adults.
There were bins of presents for children of all age groups, and Sunnex said a total of 300 were given away.
"We save up stuff that comes in all year, for birthday and Christmas presents, and the girls spend a few days wrapping."
Victoria Sunderland and Juliana Wiparata, one, came for lunch and some free "shopping". Photo / Laurel Stowell
Victoria Sunderland came in order to get out of the house for a day. She and one-year-old Juliana Wiparata had a free sausage sizzle lunch, and she took away a packet of nappies for her grandson.
Juliana got a present from the girl year 1-3 box. A similar gift for another girl consisted of a book, a doll, a hair tie and two little balls.
Juliana's present may be the best she will get this year, Sunderland said.
"This will probably be the slackest Christmas we have ever had."
She said the Koha Shed is "probably the best idea ever" because prices are going up. She would have taken some free food too, but what was left was mainly shrimp-flavoured instant noodles.
Volunteers Clive Mumby and Tui Newton have little food left to give by 1pm.
Sunnex said the shed gives out 90 to 100 food parcels a month. People have donated plenty leading up to Christmas, but she can always take more and raises money to buy items.
Next year Kiritahi Firmin will give a free nine-day course in gardening, to teach people how to grow their own food. Her students will work in the Koha Shed garden, and in their own, and the course is already full.
There's also a "free supermarket" being planned, Sunnex said.
"We've got a couple of good people working on it."
During the party she urged attendees to "go shopping again", and by 3pm there was hardly anything from the free market left over.
"That's brilliant. That was how it was meant to be," she said.
