Editorial: Help out homeless if you can

Kevin and Kiri Swannell serve soup to the needy at Clive Square, Napier. Photo: Warren Buckland

'Tis the soup season. The past few bone-chilling days were made for the stuff.

Soul food. Comfort in a cup.

Speaking of cups, there were scores of them filled and dished out to the homeless at Clive Square on Monday night. A night that reached a minimum of 4 degrees.

On said night, Kiri and Kevin Swannell were the hosts. It's their Monday night gig.

At the same timeslot in winter every week, I'm usually at home, sipping a glass of red, moaning at how our heat pump is rubbish compared with a log burner, fretting about how to de-frost the car the following morning.

That's the sole problem with reading about the Swannell family's kindness; those of us with first world problems tend to look a little self-absorbed in comparison.

With a house donated by Property Brokers, the couple now need assistance to relocate and renovate it for the homeless. Hawke's Bay Today has got on board with the campaign - Limitless Hope Emergency Shelter Appeal.

A long list of those willing to help is starting to take shape. Included so far are Gerry Molloy, K&S Security, Fat Parrot Architecture and a cash fund boosted by the Z service station at Taradale and Gull@Omahu. Pat Magill has also offered to help, so too has Henare O'Keefe.

The list grows every day. This paper will continue to publish the names of individuals and businesses who give freely of their time and talents to this noble cause.

The Swannells of course aren't out there to make anyone feel guilty. They're simply asking those who can to chip in where possible.

-To donate funds for the building's relocation, visit https://givealittle.co.nz/project/limitlesshope.