Triplets and sister make for unique foodbank volunteer team

The odds of conceiving triplets naturally in New Zealand is said to be about one in 8100.

But the odds of finding a set of teenage triplets selflessly giving up their spare time is probably even rarer.

Olivia, Kaitlin and Liam Turner are a unique team of volunteers at the Tauranga Community Foodbank. The 16-year-olds are joined by sister Monique, 14, as they spend their spare time toiling away inside the foodbank's Brook St warehouse.

"We just like it because it's really a way to help people," Olivia said.

"Especially people who are in need. There are so many people."

Olivia talks as she constructs cardboard boxes for future food parcels. It might appear to be a mundane task but it is part of a much larger thing and she knows it.

"It's doing your bit."

Monique, who is also constructing boxes, said she liked to help people in the community and the foodbank was a logical way of doing that and making a real difference.

"It's something good. You make the parcels up knowing it's going to a good cause; for people who might not be able to get it otherwise. There's something about helping people."

The girls moved to Tauranga from Auckland last year and have been involved with the foodbank and Waipuna Hospice for much of the year.

When asked what her friends thought of her volunteer work, Monique said she did not think her friends knew.

"I don't really talk about it I suppose. It's just something I do."

Dad Grant Turner said, "We are very proud of them.

"We've actually got six teenagers and they all help out in some way with other organisations also," Turner said.

"They are good kids. We just try to teach them to do the community thing. We are Christians so serving other people is important."

Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin said she had experienced a surge in people offering to volunteer in recent weeks.

The foodbank operates with about 41 regular volunteers during the week and a "large, large list" of back-ups, she said.

Parenting website Kidspot lists the odds of conceiving triplets naturally is about one in 8100 while the odds of conceiving quadruplets naturally is about one in 729,000.

By comparison, the chances of having twins is about three in 100, the website stated.