A very bear-y little Christmas

Police Constable Lewis McLaren, of Invercargill, was overwhelmed with the bounty of bears that came his way  courtesy of Whitcoulls Invercargill customers and supervisor Gail MacKintosh.

Shop manager Roz Waldron said customers had gone all-out this year donating  560 bears to the police and the Southland Hospital children’s ward.

 

"The public have been absolutely amazing with their donations this year, which is super awesome," she said.

 

Some customers donated five or six bears.

 

Police Senior Constable Simon Ballantyne, of Invercargill, said the annual event  was a good project to be involved with that got better each year.

 

Police throughout the district would be distributing the bears, Const Ballantyne said.

 

"It’s a cool feeling. ‘It gives us the opportunity to give back to the community to people that are less fortunate this time of year. 

 

Police teams dealt with a lot of trauma, he said.

 

"When we can give something little like this back to the community or to a person, it makes a bit of a difference in their lives — especially with kids at this time of year and if they’re going through some pretty hard times."

 

 - By Toni McDonald