A HELPING HAND: Year 5 Havelock North Primary students, Allegra Reid, and Phoebe Driscoll gifted lunch to Tiare Te Ngaio and the rest of the students at Omahu school. PHOTO/Paul Taylor.
"One to eat, one to give" is the motto that two Havelock North primary students have adopted in a bid to give back to those less fortunate.
What started as a school project has grown into something much bigger, with Year 5 students Allegra Reid and Phoebe Driscoll gifting 53 lunches to the whole school roll at Omahu School.
A news report on TV about some children not having any lunch at school stuck with Allegra Reid and sparked an interest in providing a helping hand - one that resulted in the creation of '2-for-1-lunchbox'.
"We want everybody to have lunch at school. Not everybody does and that makes us sad."
Friend Phoebe Driscoll said it was "so much fun and really nice".
"Some people don't have as much as us and I feel kind of bad sometimes when we've got all this and they don't, so we thought it would be quite cool to do that."
Allegra's mother Giselle Reid said the response from sponsors who donated food, work space, labels and packaging was "amazing".
On Tuesday, they made 106 lunches at OM Goodness Specialty Breads premises in Queen St, who donated their premises for the morning - half of which went to the decile 1 school, with the other half going to staff and students at Havelock North Primary who paid $10 on December 4.
The lunchboxes were filled with local ingredients, including a Yabon bun
filled with Holly ham, an OMG breadstick, popcorn, a Yummy apple, Scott's strawberries and a Yabon donut.
Brebner Print and East Coast Packaging also helped with advertising and packaging.
"They worked really hard and it's been a fantastic learning experience. They've just thoroughly enjoyed it.
"It's the girls' project. Bettina and I were just there to facilitate it; drive them around and make a few phone calls in the background."
She hoped this would be the "first of a few".
Omahu School principal Lynnett Pohe said it was a "beautiful gesture on behalf of Havelock North Primary School to provide a balanced lunch for our children".
She kept it as a surprise, so it would be a treat for the Year 1 to 8 students.
Havelock North primary principal Nick Reed was among those who bought a lunch for himself and for a child in need.
"The girls had the idea that they really wanted to support those in a more challenging position then ourselves and we're really proud of them and the concept they have come up with."
It was quite a process so they did it all themselves - all the research, pricing and they put together a great little product.
He said it was "nice to be able to do something for those who are not as fortunate as they are".
"They recognise that they kind of live in a bit of a bubble in Havelock and it's great for them to be able to recognise that and support those who are less fortunate."