Tot's gesture to help mission

In a bid to raise the last of the funds needed to build a water tank and deliver a children's programme at a village in Vanuatu, a 4-year-old Stratford boy has offered his golden locks.

Joshua Strange will shave off his hair to help his sister Anna Strange, who on December 8 will leave for Vanuatu with nine other young people from Stratford Baptist Church.

"We were going to do a head shave as a fundraiser, but ran out of time. We were discussing it and Joshua said 'I will shave my head'," says Anna.

Joshua also joined an 11km-walkathon fundraiser last month on the New Plymouth boardwalk.

Anna, who is a carer at a local kindy and plans to study early childhood education next year, says her passion is kids.

She had plans to volunteer at a Uganda orphanage early next year, but had to put that on hold and says she welcomed the opportunity to go on the Vanuatu mission.

She says her motivation is to help others less fortunate.

"For me it is not so much the water tank, as to see the impact on the children not having to collect water but instead going to school," she says.

Anna is the second of six children, and coming from a large family has fostered her love for children, she says.

The group will return to New Zealand on December 22. Funds raised will be used to build a water tank and to buy supplies for the children's programme.

Joshua's hair will be cut at the Stratford Baptist Church on December 1 at 11am. The group is eager for more help: businesses/individuals to sponsor the hair cut, water tank or donate supplies for the children's programme - cheques to Stratford Baptist Church (reference: Vanuatu mission), 131A Celia Street, or phone Anna at 027 9104 933.