Taupō charity shops process unexpected lockdown donations

Donated goods piled up outside the Salvation Army's Taupo Family Store on Spa Rd around August 27, 2021.

They're decluttering and they want it gone.

Charities say this appears to be the mindset of people living in the Taupō district who have contributed to a pile of possessions outside various charity shops.

Turning out the cupboards seems to be a lockdown pastime. Rubbish bags full of donated possessions began piling up three weeks ago, when the country went into Covid-19 alert level 4 lockdown,

Lake Taupō Hospice opened to receive donations at alert level 3, and spokesman Ross Mortimer says they are philosophic about the huge upswing in donations.

"We are not able to sell anything at this time. We take the view that accepting donations during lockdown is like money in the bank."

Ross says customers will enjoy shopping through the new inventory, now that the shop is open for business at alert level 2.

Lake Taupō Hospice Shop, Totara Point, Taupo.

Lake Taupō Hospice asks people to donate only good-quality items, and Ross says they have to pay to deal with any rubbish dropped off outside the store.

The money raised at the shop for Lake Taupō Hospice goes towards supplying equipment and services to terminally ill and dying people.

"Hospice is an essential service. Our nurses haven't stopped working during lockdown."

Ross says volunteers have been specially trained to use personal protective equipment so hospice can continue to deliver much-needed equipment such as beds, mattresses, walkers and wheelchairs.

"There has been a high demand for this type of equipment, especially when we are in lockdown."

Ross said some services were necessarily limited during lockdown, but says the message to the community is "should our patients need us we will be there".

Lieutenant Jonathan Whybrow from The Salvation Army Taupō said they didn't see a change in demand for their community services after lockdown began three weeks ago.

Char and Jonny Whybrow from the Taupo Salvation Army.

The Salvation Army works with two foodbanks in the Taupō district, among other services, and Jonathan said they have regular meetings with welfare providers in Taupō.

"We have offered resources and personnel to assist other agencies, but so far this hasn't been needed."

Jonathan said many people will have seen there were lots of donated goods left outside the Salvation Army's Taupō Family Store in Spa Rd during lockdown. He said there were signs on the building and on Facebook to say donations cannot be accepted during alert levels 3 and 4.

"Due to government instruction, our staff were not allowed to go to the store during this time as our stores were not an essential service. As such, the items were removed by the [Taupō District] Council following advice from the civil defence team.

"Unfortunately, these items were then destroyed."

He said The Salvation Army would love to accept donations from now onwards, when the district is at alert level 2. People can drop off quality goods at either the Spa Rd store Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm, and on Saturday when the store is open from 9.30am to 4pm. Or they can ring 378 4472 to arrange a free pickup.

Community Animal Rescue and Education (CARE) operations manager Helen Rabinska said they have been pleasantly surprised that people seem to have held on to their donations over lockdown. They can accept donations at only alert levels 1 and 2, and says it will be most helpful if their supporters can stagger their donations over the next few weeks.

Public donations to the Care Op Shop outside the Nukuhau St store during alert level three. Photo / Rachel Canning

"If everyone turns up next week with things to donate we will be overwhelmed."

When the country went into lockdown, Helen said they scaled back their services to dealing with emergency call-outs only.

"About 25 cats were in the cattery, and we fostered them out to volunteers during lockdown."

Late on August 17, the team transported 10 puppies to their second foster home in the Esk Valley, Napier, in the few hours before lockdown came into effect.

"A man found four shot dogs in the bush. We think one of them gave birth while she was injured and before she died, or else the puppies were dumped on her. The 10 puppies were trying to suckle off the dead mother when the man found them. He raised them for five or six weeks, then we re-fostered them to Dan and Trina Bergloff-Howes."

Just hours before lockdown came into force, Taupō animal rescue centre CARE drove 10 bush puppies to foster carer Dan Bergloff-Howes, in the Esk Valley, Napier. Photo / Supplied

She said they received about the same number of calls about animals in distress as they usually would. Some of the call-outs are quite complicated and require a few people to deal with it.

"We had an injured cat that ran under a commercial building. We caught it and due to hip trauma it had to be euthanised by the vet. Currently, we are trying to trap a cat who has an eye hanging out."

Helen says the best way people can support CARE is to come and buy things from the CARE Op Shop in Nukuhau St, Taupō.

"Rather than ask for donations, we ask that people shop with us. We still have to pay vet bills and rent over lockdown."