Christmas Appeal: Gift boosts appeal

ANZ Tauranga helped Tauranga Community Foodbank tick items off its wish list. Pictured are Tony Barkley, ANZ Tauranga agribusiness manager, and Philippa de Vere, Tauranga Community Foodbank board member. Photo / John Borren

Tauranga Community Foodbank's Christmas wish list has been given a boost thanks to a $500 donation from ANZ Tauranga.

The bank's staff chose to split their $1000 Christmas donation between Tauranga Community Foodbank and Merivale Community Centre and spent yesterday afternoon at Brookfield New World selecting groceries for the organisations.

Agribusiness manager Tony Barkley had suggested the foodbank to the other staff as a recipient for the cash.

"Christmas is always a time of sharing. It doesn't have to be presents, but just sitting down for a meal together.

"I thought a lot of people probably didn't have that opportunity, so that's why I suggested the foodbank."

The food the bank staff bought was all from the foodbank's Christmas wish list - a list of items the foodbank relies on the public to donate rather than buying in.

"We got quite a bit of baby stuff, I'd say about 40 per cent of what we brought went on formula and nappies.

"We also got instant puddings, tinned tuna and salmon, pasta, chocolate cake mixes, mayonnaise, and stacks and stacks of recipe sachets.

"It was very hard to choose.

"I could have spent double that easily."

The bank also took part in the 247 Cameron Rd building's food collection, which was covered in Monday's Bay of Plenty Times.

"Every year we've contributed to that as well," Mr Barkley said.