Toot for Tucker: North Canterbury answers the call for food donations

Volunteers celebrate the record haul at Kaiapoi Community Support. PHOTO: DAVID HILL

North Canterbury residents dug deep and answered the call of tooting horns and wailing sirens to donate food to the annual Toot for Tucker appeal on Tuesday night.

The appeal helps stock the many food banks in the area and supports the increased demand from those in need, particularly as Christmas approaches.

Large numbers of volunteers, Fire and Emergency NZ firefighters, school students, and community groups turned out to help in Kaiapoi, Woodend/Pegasus/Ravenswood, Rangiora, Oxford, Amberley, Leithfield and Waipara.

Organiser Bev Wright said she was pleased with the response.

“It was absolutely amazing and I’m flat tack now sorting out all the boxes that have come in.”

Amberley Lions member Allan Hislop helps Amberley School pupil Hema Laxon, 12, unload their car at the annual Toot for Tucker appeal in Amberley, while Vanessa Nelmes helps to co-ordinate the unloading operation. PHOTO: JOHN COSGROVE

She said one of the highlights was the response from the small rural community of Waipara.

"This was their first year and they have supplied 21 banana boxes full of food.

"That’s an amazing response from such a small community and we are so grateful for their support."

Oxford Community Trust worker Emily Chapman says the community was very generous.

“We had a great response and were pleased at the high quality of the food donated.”

Last Thursday, more than 100 volunteers, including army, fire brigade, police and ambulance staff, collected 135 boxes, amounting to about $10,000 in food, during the Rolleston Toot for Tucker drive.