Editorial: Season to take load off others

Kiri and Kevin Swannell put on a special Christmas dinner for the homeless last night.

Hawke's Bay is buzzing with the Christmas spirit.

As I've been whizzing about doing some last-minute shopping, retailers have told me that business is bustling.

And the general feel around Napier and Hastings has been positive - apart from the odd bit of frustration about finding a park.

For some the frustration runs deeper, such as how to stretch an already tight budget to feed extended family coming to visit.

Earlier this month Hawke's Bay Today reported that there had been a spike in people needing food and clothes from the Salvation Army.

The Napier branch had seen a 21.5 per cent increase in the number of people calling out for help.

Meanwhile, the social work support team and budget advisers had seen 451 new clients since July. That's a lot of families feeling the pressure.

While many of us get caught up worrying about our own day-to-day battles, one couple continue to look further afield.

Kiri and Kevin Swannell, who run a weekly soup kitchen in Clive Square, put on a special Christmas dinner last night.

Donations came from Pak'nSave Napier, Vegeland Meeanee, the Salvation Army, Greenmeadows Scout Hall, the Cabana, Stuart Nash, Maxine Boag and more.

Together they filled empty bellies and spread smiles throughout the community.

The Swannells said this year's focus was on "building the bridge between the community and rough sleepers".

And it appears their festive dinner goes some way to building community connections.

The Swannells are doing more than giving locals a hot meal - they are taking some of the pressure off already burdened shoulders.