Operation Blue Santa: Christmas Cheer is on a roll in Hawke's Bay

Peter Brothers, of Equippers Church Hastings, with Hastings police officer Sergeant Libby Bradford as Operation Blue Santa gets into stride. Photo / Warren Buckland

The movement of thousands of donated gifts and goodies in Hawke's Bay has begun with groups now packing, wrapping and distributing to needy homes with Christmas Day just over a week away.

Among the efforts was the third Operation Blue Santa, co-ordinated by a combined churches project in Napier and Hastings with police joining in on Wednesday as hundreds of Christmas packs began being distributed.

Part of it includes 4000 Santa Sacks from Craggy Range, and 23 trolleys of goods bought this week as result of donations raised among about eight churches, said Equippers Hastings Pastor Peter Brothers.

It's the third year for Operation Blue Santa and while there are several appeal projects in the region the need is increasing each year, and Brothers said he hopes more families can be reached next year.

Meanwhile donations continue to roll in for the Hawke's Bay Christmas Cheer Appeal which started at the end of last month.

Items can be left at Hawke's Bay Today offices in Napier and Hastings, the Napier City Council's CBD service centre, the Napier Public Library, currently situated in the MTG complex in Tennyson St, the Taradale library, Mitre 10 Mega in Prebensen Drive, Alexander Construction in the Onekawa Industrial District, Westpac in Taradale, and public libraries in Flaxmere and Havelock North.

Cash donations can be made at the Hawke's Bay Today offices, the Napier City's Council's Hastings St service centre, or on-line via https://www.napier.govt.nz/napier/grants/christmas-cheer/

Latest acknowledged donations to the Hawke's Bay Christmas Cheer Appeal:
Napier Tech Junior Band $40
Anonymous $72.10
Calder and Fitzmaurice $100
L Faulknor $100
J Twizzle $60
C Carpenter $20
Shed 2 $150
Anonymous $100
Anonymous $100