Angels host free festive party
The Angels Trio Christmas lunch had dozens of volunteers delivering lunch, gifts, and fun to all-comers.
The trio, Vera Manawaiti, Chanel Faapue and Lovey Paul, ran the event last year as well, having started their mission of feeding the hungry midway through last year.
Faapue said they had learned a lot from the experience last year.
Yesterday’s event which hosted more than 200 people was ‘‘kept a lot simpler’’.
For the children attending there was face-painting, bouncy castles, and sports, and tables of donated gifts.
Manawaiti said the generosity of the community was ‘‘overwhelming’’.
‘‘The response from volunteers, so many people just showing up and saying; ‘I’m here, where can I help?’. ‘‘It’s amazing.’’ Faapue said when people found out about the event, ‘‘they get really excited,’’ because this time of year could be difficult.
The Angels Trio, and volunteers, have been fundraising for the event with bucket collections, sausage sizzles, and have been accepting donations of presents and food.
In the final preparation for the event, the trio and volunteers were busy yesterday pre-preparing salads and wrapping the presents.
Yesterday morning, Paul and Faapue were both getting the last few bits and pieces, including some more meat for the barbecue, while Manawaiti was organising a room full of presents and buffet tables of salads and snacks.
The gifts, donated by members of the community, as well as teddy bears from Whitcoull’s, were wrapped and categorised for attending children.
‘‘The amount donated is amazing, we still have more presents to wrap. People would show up and say; ‘Oh, I’ve got some presents for you’, and it would be a whole trolley full of brand new toys.’’
Each member of the trio was rushing with last minute preparations, but Manawaiti said it was worth it because ‘‘it’s all for the community’’.