School Lunch Collective driver Nick Te Kotahi. Photo / Brydie Thompson
School Lunch Collective driver Nick Te Kotahi. Photo / Brydie Thompson
Te Puke’s Nic Te Kotahi travels more than 340km each day delivering lunches to schools across the Bay of Plenty, from Tōrere to Mamaku.
He is one of six delivery drivers for the School Lunch Collective, starting his day as early as 4am at the Mount Maunganui production kitchen beforepacking the meals into insulated bins and loading them into his truck.
He delivers about 1100 lunches to 12 schools each day in the Tauranga region.
Once he has finished his deliveries, he heads back to clean his truck and make sure everything is ready for the next day.
Te Kotahi has become a familiar face at school gates, known and welcomed by staff and students.
School Lunch Collective drivers Nick Te Kotahi, Lennie Beaufill and Naiomi Huni. Photo / Brydie Thompson
He has been on the job since January, and said he interacts well with the teachers and principals and has a good connection with the students, chatting about the Warriors and the All Blacks.
Te Kotahi said he had heard many children were only turning up to school for the lunches.
“Every parent wants their kid to get fed. There are some kids out there that rely on the school lunch programme.”
Te Kotahi said he has had his fair share of challenges trying to get to schools to deliver the meals.
School Lunch Collective drivers Nick Te Kotahi School Lunch Collective driver Nick Te Kotahi. Photo / Brydie Thompson
He recalled his first flood when he was driving towards a single-lane bridge near Tāneatua.
Where there were usually paddocks, all he could see was water for 200m.
After getting trapped and the water levels rising, he contacted his supervisor, worried that he wouldn’t be able to deliver the meal load in the back of his truck.
He decided he had to make the delivery or the students would go without lunch for the day.
He made his way to Waimana to find that the school was closed due to the flooding on the two bridges leading to it.
He made it to the next school and finished his deliveries by 12.30pm.
