Baking pupils take the lead for Red Puppy Bikkie Day

Blind Foundation chief executive Sandra Budd.

Hawke's Bay students will be getting out their mixing bowls, popping on their aprons and whipping up some puppy-shaped bikkies for the annual Blind Foundation Red Puppy Bikkie Day.

Red Puppy Bikkie Day is on Monday, July 4, with keen cooks encouraged to "bake a difference" for guide dog puppies by selling puppy-shaped bikkies to friends, work colleagues or classmates.

However, Napier Boys' High School will be selling biscuits today and tomorrow, with the Manuka Hub at Parkvale school selling their's tomorrow.

The students and staff at Napier Boys were proud to support "such a fantastic cause", and wished the Blind Foundation every success.

Parkvale's Year 2 and 3 pupils had been "baking up a storm" and asking for a gold coin donation in exchange for a biscuit. They had been learning about showing respect and kindness towards each other.

Last term they surprised the children, teachers and local community with small random acts of kindness, such as washing the teacher's cars, hiding little treats around the school and collecting donations for the Hastings SPCA.

Blind Foundation chief executive Sandra Budd said Blind Foundation Guide Dogs' red puppies in training were working hard to one day be the eyes of New Zealanders who are blind or have low vision.

"Raising guide dogs requires a staggering amount of time, effort and money," she said. "We appreciate the tremendous fundraising support and efforts of schools, clubs, daycares and workplaces around the country so New Zealanders who are blind or have low vision can enjoy the freedom and independence a guide dog offers."

- Visit bikkieday.org.nz to sign up as a baker, find out more information or make a donation.