‘Mums supporting mums' is how fundraising team member Aeilidh Mikkelsen describes the work of non-profit organisation Bellyful.

The Tauranga branch of the nationwide charity, which offers free meals and support to families with new-born babies, is hosting a fundraising event at Craft Collective on Twelfth Ave this Wednesday.

This event will get attendees creating their own jewellery and Christmas tree ornaments out of polymer clay, but 14 of the 22 available tickets already sold.

'All profits are going directly to Bellyful Tauranga to help us make the meals which we deliver to Tauranga families,” says Aeilidh, a fundraising team member of Bellyful Tauranga.

'Depending on how many meals go out, we usually hold ‘cookathons' once every three weeks and our volunteers normally cook a couple of hundred meals at a time.”

With the influx of new families moving to Tauranga, the local Bellyful branch has been getting 'busier and busier”.

Aeilidhsays families are either referred to the charity or have requested their help, and meals are available to everyone regardless of their situation.

'Essentially, it's not a ‘means tested' thing,” Aeilidh explains. 'We're not a foodbank and it's not for people who need financial help. We are basically a support network for mums and their families.”

Craft Collective founder Amy Campbell says it was easy for her to get in and support Bellyful Tauranga.

'Being a mum myself, I can certainly appreciate the fantastic help they offer local families,” says Amy.

'Next Wednesday is all about having a little fun and I'm just very happy to be able to support the important work bellyful Tauranga does.”

To purchase tickets visit the Craft Collective website at: www.craftcollective.co.nz or for more information about Bellyful Tauranga visit: www.bellyful.org.nz/tauranga/