Play Santa and support Southland tamariki
It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . . but that won’t be the case for everyone in Southland.
Oranga Tamariki Southland site manager Raewyn Hubbard said it had been a difficult year for many wha¯nau and some would struggle to stretch their budgets to celebrate Christmas in 2020.
As the recipient of this year’s Southland Times’ Annual Christmas Tree Appeal, she hoped the organisation and Times readers would be able to bring joy to these families.
This would be the third year Oranga Tamariki would benefit from the Christmas gift collection and Hubbard said the appeal had shown her how committed Southlanders were to looking after their children.
‘‘The families have been extremely grateful. It’s brought them so much joy and happiness. Southlanders are quite generous,’’ she said.
Presents collected during the 2020 appeal would be distributed to children in wha¯nau care, Hubbard said. ‘‘It means we’re able to give gifts to those who may not have been able to afford gifts for their children,’’ she said.
Stuff group sales manager Nick Jeffrey said it was great to give back to the community, particularly after what had been ‘‘the definition of a tough year’’.
‘‘If there’s ever a time to give back to
worthy causes, this is the year,’’ he said.
The Christmas tree has gone up at the Southland Times office at 46 Deveron St, Invercargill, and people are invited to come and place their gift donations under it, before December 18.
Gifts will be distributed to all age groups – from babies to teens – and wrapped gifts should be marked to indicate whether they’re for a boy or a girl and what age group they would be suitable for. People are also invited to donate non-perishable food items.