Nor'West News: June 25, 2020

NOR’WEST NEWS Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Thursday June 25 2020 3
News
Foodbanks benefit from Rotary
DEMAND: Rotary club members John Henderson (left), and Leith Falconer help deliver
“unwanted” vegetables to food banks as part of a new initiative.
BELFAST KAIAPOI Rotary Club
members have been working hard
to see what more they can do for
the city’s foodbanks.
They initially started off by
giving cash grants, but have
since decided to deliver unwanted
vegetables rescued from
supermarkets to foodbanks who
have been struggling with high
demand due to Covid-19.
Club president Peter Pratley
said the cash grants was a shortterm
solution to a much greater
issue.
“We were only touching the
tip of the iceberg,” he said.
The club was conscious of the
next wave of potential redundancies
once wage subsidies finished
and realised the pressure
on foodbanks could get heavier.
With a desire to take a longer
view and initiate an ongoing
service to those in need, chairman
of the community group
at the club, Graham Robertson,
and his team got creative.
Said Mr Robertson: “With
supermarkets maintaining a
high standard for purchase of
produce, there is a large amount
rejected and relegated to the
seconds bin.
“We decided we could rescue
all those ugly duckling veges
and get them to the great community
organisations that package
and deliver them to local
households.”
By investing in the “ugly and
rejected” produce, the club has
ventured into a long-term initiative
that will keep the foodbanks
stocked and those in need
getting nutritional food over a
longer period of time.
“We now have a relationship
with several producers who are
generous by making their crops
available to us, some we buy,
and some are donated,” said Mr
Robertson.
“Manpower is our greatest
investment and of course we can
stretch our funds a lot further
this way and to many more
foodbanks than just those in our
local area.’’
Through hard work and a
“clever” initiative, thousands of
households in Canterbury are
now receiving a minimum of
four tonnes of nutritional food
every week.
Lions club
to close
its doors
THE CHRISTCHURCH North
Lions Club has decided to close
its doors after supporting the
community for more than 50 years.
The club was established to support
a number of causes to improve
communities and the environment
throughout Christchurch.
John Darby of the Lions club
said dwindling membership numbers
was to blame.
“From an initial membership of
50, the numbers have dwindled
to 17 – and all members are now
elderly,” he said.
“Despite every effort to attract
new and younger members, efforts
have been in vain. Changing social
conditions and responsibilities are
probably the cause.”
The demise of the club was
“deeply regretted” as there was
now a gap in funding and services
previously provided “willingly” to
the community.
One of the club’s first of many
fundraisers was the elephant race
along Papanui Rd in 1966 which
raised money for intellectually
disabled children.
Said Mr Darby: “In closing, the
Christchurch North Lions Club is
proud of the many thousands of
dollars raised over the years.”
Your MP in
Christchurch
Central
Duncan Webb
MP for Christchurch Central
duncan.webb@parliament.govt.nz
Christchurch Central Office
282-290 Durham Street North,
Christchurch Central
03 366 5519
Authorised by Duncan Webb MP, Parliament Buildings, Wellington