Supplies for pupils in Fiji

THE HANDOVER: Richard McCosh (centre) hands over stationery to Born and Raised Pasifika, to be sent to schools in Fiji, also helping are Ala Malanicagi, Viliame Kuruyabaki, Howard Hall (Meteor), Reverend Joe Waqa, Kelera Kuruyabaki, and Peter Te Huna.PHOTO/ BEVAN CONLEY

A Whanganui business has gathered about $18,000 worth of stationery to donate to schools in Fiji.

Whanganui woman Sheryl Chapman heard children in Fiji were in need of school supplies so got in touch with Meteor Office Products general manager Richard McCosh to see if he could scrounge some together.

"I just thought, oh, give it a go," Mrs Chapman said.

"I emailed him and I just said 'I'm just seeing if you could donate or whatever'."

Mrs Chapman said it "just skyrocketed".

"I was just blown away."

Mr McCosh took the idea and ran with it, getting in touch with his suppliers to see if they could donate. "ACCO, they basically donated six pallets of product. It's suitable for school use, so it's binders and pads and things that school students could use."

Another supplier, Staedtler, also donated a large amount of product.

In total, Mr McCosh said they had about 600 of everything.

"There's basically enough, theoretically, for 600 kids," he said.

He estimated the products had a combined retail value of $18,000.

Meteor also donated some items, and co-ordinated it all.

Mr McCosh handed the goods over to Born and Raised Pasifika on Tuesday, to be included with other items donated in support of Fiji following Cyclone Winston.

"It's great to be able to do something for not necessarily our community but a community that many people from Whanganui know of.

"That's something we as a company like to do ... I was certainly blown away by the generosity of our suppliers."