Rotorua locals collecting for Kaikoura Earthquake victims

Beni Hafoka has organised a food and water collection for those affected by the Kaikoura Earthquake.

A Rotorua real estate agent has teamed up with her Tauranga counterpart to send goods to quake-affected people in Canterbury and Kaikoura.

Remax Rotorua sales consultant Hannah Macdonald said her colleague Beni Hafoka had transported tonnes of supplies to people in Christchurch after the 2011 quakes and was gearing up to do it all again.

"We heard what Beni was doing and we asked what we could do from here," she said.

"It's really generous of him and we hope the Rotorua community will help out as well.

"There are people still stuck there and not just people in homes, but also homeless people.

"It's not just for Kaikoura, but also the other affected areas like Wellington as well.

"As Kiwis this is what we are known for," she said.

Mr Hafoka has parked a truck up at the old weigh station opposite Links Reserve on Maunganui Rd in Tauranga and has already collected a couple of cubic metres of non-perishable food and bottles of water.

In 2011, Mr Hafoka did a similar collection. He asked the businesses around his work for donations, then grabbed some trolleys from New World and went door-to-door to ask for food and water.

This resulted in 25 tonnes of supplies, which were shipped to Christchurch by a freight company.

"Last night, we were sitting on the couch and the news came on. I was thinking of pushing the button on this again," Mr Hafoka said.

"My 9-year-old daughter said 'I wish I could do something' and that was it. I went down to Countdown, bought some bottles, and started sharing Facebook posts."

He has organised two freight options to get the supplies to the South Island on Monday.

"People here, everyone just wants to help, but they don't know how," Mr Hafoka said.

"A lot don't want to give money to an organisation, they want to give something physical."

People can drop donations off at Russell Hardie Property Management/Remax Rotorua at 147 Old Taupo Rd or to Mr Hafoka at the old weigh station on Maunganui Rd or at his office Tarpaulin Makers (BOP) on Portside Drive.

He can be contacted on 027 200 7932.

- Additional reporting Matthew Martin