Christmas Appeal: Pupils pour heart into festive boxes (+ video)

Children from Pahoia School got their thinking caps on to provide the Tauranga Community Foodbank with 20 boxes and 15 bags of groceries for needy families over Christmas.

The school decided to run a food collection for the first time and requested a "wish list" from the foodbank.

Pupils thought carefully about what items to bring to school for the collection and turned up an amazing assortment of food items and gifts.

Matija Ford, 9, and Niko Butler, 9, rattled off a big list of boxed items.

It included marshmallows, Milo, tissues, nappies, cereal, soup, washing powder, pasta, fudge, shampoo, honey, lollies and toys.

"We did it because we wanted to help people in need and thought it would be a nice thing to do," Niko said. "The whole school has been helping in the last two weeks.

"This is the first time we've done it but I think the school is going to keep doing it.

"The food will go to help people in need. It's Christmas and we want everyone to have a happy Christmas. Some families find Christmas a sad time because they don't get much food."

Matija said the children had made an effort to get "nice stuff" for the foodbank. "It's a hard time of year for people."

Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin said she was delighted with the effort such a small school had made for their community.

"They've really put thought into what they've bought."

Mrs Goodwin said the schools appeal earlier in the year had a fantastic result with a large number of local schools taking part.