Law firm leads drive to help foodbank

VOLUNTEERS: Wayne and Wendy Heyworth have been helping out at the foodbank for the last year. Mr Heyworth said he helped out 'because the kids can't help the situation they may be in and he likes being able to help out'. Mrs Heyworth said she was always happy to help when she could because 'people have always been good to me'.

A law firm committed to helping those in need has gone one step further by organising a collection of goodies for the Tauranga Community Foodbank.

Baywide Community Law Service managing solicitor Beverley Edwards was inspired to support the 2014 Bay of Plenty Times Christmas Appeal after seeing other businesses get behind it.

She encouraged all the businesses in Harrington House to donate goodies for the foodbank to hand out in the lead-up to Christmas. Baywide Community Law, Beca, Quay Property, Foot Mechanics, Chris Rejthar and Associates, Copy Corner and Jackson Reeves Lawyers managed to collect almost 500 items.

Other collections had focused on providing the basics that people needed so Ms Edwards decided it would be nice to donate the specialty items the foodbank did not usually get.

"I thought, 'why don't we do something that's what people want - what they don't expect to get when they go to the foodbank'."

Staff from the building donated chocolates, toiletries and even some presents for kids, she said.

"It's awesome because that's not something that Countdown or anyone will give them."

Ms Edwards said she supported the foodbank because it was able to help provide the other needs of many of the clients she worked for.

"We provide people's legal needs but that doesn't mean strictly law. People will come in Friday afternoon and they've been kicked out of their flat," she said. "It's the social things we see. We don't generally give treats so this is really nice to extend what we do by the foodbank.

"We are part of the community. That doesn't just mean law, that means other needs the people have, especially at Christmas time," she said.

As of yesterday more than 8000 items valued at $2 each had been donated, along with more than $18,000 cash, bringing the total donated to $34,650.95.