Bay leads cyclone quilt project

Caroline Mason (left), Robyn Curd, Rachael Pratt, Julie Tassone and Glenda Moore at Bernina Tauranga, which has donated more than 120 quilts, the biggest donation nationwide, to be sent to Vanuatu. Photo / George Novak

More than 120 quilts have been patched in Tauranga for people in Vanuatu rebuilding their lives after Cyclone Pam.

Nationally, up to 500 quilts are expected to be donated.

Quilt co-ordinator Caroline Mason said she had been on cruises to the islands and was saddened to see the devastation caused by the cyclone.

"When you saw the devastation [of Vanuatu] it was just all black. It was black, brown and horrible. There was no colour left."

Mrs Mason said she decided to collect a bag of quilts to send to the Pacific nation.

A visit to Bernina in Tauranga sparked the quilt-a-thon idea, with store manager Robyn Curd jumping on board and offering the store as a drop-off point, she said.

A quick call to the Bernina head office prompted a nationwide collection.

"Now we have 20 shops from Whangarei to Invercargill [involved] but Tauranga has just jumped in and grabbed it. We have over 100 quilts donated already," Mrs Mason said.

Each of the quilts was hand-sewn and brightly coloured to help lift the spirits of those who have been affected by the natural disaster, she said.

Every quilt bears a small card with a greeting written in Bislama - the language of Vanuatu.

"We stand strong with you, Vanuatu. Many New Zealand women came together to sew plenty of gifts for the families of Vanuatu," it reads.

Mrs Mason said the initiative was about community spirit and supporting the people of Vanuatu.

Mrs Curd said she thought the quilts for Vanuatu was such a good idea she rang suppliers for donations and secured materials for those who wanted to help.

Tauranga resident Sandy Hume said she was excited to be part of the project. The quilt took her about two weeks.

Bernina Tauranga will collect quilts until April 15, when they will be taken to Vanuatu on the Pacific Pearl cruise ship.