Call out for canned goods

Keen ears will likely hear the sirens and loud hailers announcing the collectors’ arrival on your street. Photo: Nikki South.

Sirens will be blaring in the region next week, but for an emergency of a more generous nature.

Western Bay of Plenty Fire, Police and St John centres and Emergency Management Bay of Plenty are supporting the Salvation Army, Papamoa Food Services and local foodbanks by hosting an emergency services drive on Wednesday, December 5, from 6-8pm.

Staff and volunteers will move through a number of communities across the Western Bay to collect food donations. This year, the Tauranga drive will cover streets around Bayfair, Matua and the Lakes.

Mount Maunganui community constable Kurt Waugh says it's a great event where everyone helps out their local communities.

'Everyone comes out onto the streets with their kids all happy and excited to see fire trucks and police vehicles and ambos,” says Kurt.

'All emergency services are doing the drive on behalf of the community, to make sure that everyone has food for Christmas. That's what it's all about, and with the help of the public there should be no one going without this Christmas.”

Bring your food donations out for the Salvation Army and other local foodbanks and the collectors will take them to be distributed.

At this time of the year, foodbanks come under increasing pressure and accept all non-perishable food donations including powdered or long-life milk, tinned fish and meats, instant rice, fruit juice, muesli bars and other non-perishable items to help make up food parcels.

If you won't be home on December 5 between 6-8pm and would still like to donate, drop boxes will be set up throughout the community.

Drop boxes will be set up in the Katikati, Papamoa and Te Puke and Maketu community police stations, Tauranga, Greerton and Mount Maunganui fire stations and the Omokoroa community centre.

For further enquiries on the emergency services foodbank drive, email Kurt Waugh on: kurt.waugh@police.govt.nz

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