Bald Angels helpers ham it up for a happier Christmas

Bald Angels helpers, from left, Lliam Storms (Greece), Jeff Matiasi (Auckland) and Lee Costello (Kerikeri) ham it up as they prepare Christmas food packs for struggling Mid North families. Photo / Peter de Graaf

For hundreds of struggling Mid North families it won't be Santa bringing joy this Christmas but a group of volunteers calling themselves the Bald Angels.

The Kerikeri-based charity has organised a toy drive for the past four years with the donated gifts distributed to children in need.

This year the Bald Angels also spent more than $7000 buying a mountain of food to give away, including meat packs and more than 60 Christmas hams. The money came from fundraisers such as last year's world-record big shave.

Fresh produce has been harvested from Kerikeri Community Garden, another of the charity's initiatives.

Bald Angels founder Therese Wickbom said more than 700 new and quality second-hand presents had been donated this year, including a giant dolls house which had been "extremely challenging" to wrap.

This year the charity had called for gifts suited to teens, who were often overlooked, and presents suited to active play. People had responded with lots of cosmetics, balls, kites, swingball sets, craft boxes and activity toys for toddlers.

Twenty-five volunteers from across the Mid North, and one all the way from Greece, spent two hours wrapping the gifts on Tuesday afternoon. The wrapping paper was also donated.

Representatives from the police, Plunket, Women's Refuge, the district health board, Te Hauora o Ngapuhi, Hospice Mid Northland and other agencies will choose presents according to the age and gender of children they are in contact with. Their staff will then deliver the presents.

Mrs Wickbom said one of the most rewarding aspects of the project was that it allowed police to form closer bonds with families having a hard time.

"When they turn up at a family's home laden with gifts and food they have an opportunity to create a different kind of relationship, instead of just turning up when things are bad. They can have a chat, remind them about asking for help before it's too late, and show them there's people out there who care."

Bald Angels member Inky Storms, of Takou Bay, said in the charity's first year three volunteers wrapped the presents in her living room.

The project had grown hugely since then with this year's wrapping operation needing a team of 25 and filling the Kerikeri Sports Complex.