Food donations flood in
At 6pm on Monday night, blaring sirens called Marlborough residents to action – and they delivered. More than 650 boxes of food were filled for the needy and hungry, with donations still arriving at Foodbank yesterday morning. Marlborough Foodbank manager Wynnie Cosgrove said at this stage they had a good start on 2020. ‘‘We have enough stock to last until August or September, and people donate throughout the year,’’ she said. While canned foods were common, she said some generous residents had donated special Christmas treats for families. The donations packed by Foodbank would be delivered to various organisations, such as Salvation Army, churches and women’s refuges, which would then distribute the food. About 300 volunteers, from 26 organisations walked the streets of Marlborough – including Blenheim, Picton, Renwick, Havelock and Seddon – on Monday night. First National volunteer Stu Mclean said most of their team had turned up to help. ‘‘The fire truck goes up ahead and blasts the siren so people know we’re coming, and we walk up and down the streets and people come out and give you food. ‘‘In the last couple of years we’ve had to unload the vans a couple of times, there’s that much stuff.’’ Salvation Army’s John and Hannah Griffiths were taking part for the fifth year, and said they normally filled their truck four times over. Marlborough Youth Trust volunteer Amy Bain, 17, was participating for the first time. ‘‘I think it’s so cool and a really good thing for the community to be a part of,’’ she said. All supermarkets would collect for Foodbank for the next week, or drop off donations to the Marlborough Youth Trust building.