Food for Christmas and presents for the children: Families grateful to receive hampers

Glenda Marshall (left), Christchurch Methodist Mission administrator, with Jill Hawkey, the mission's executive director, are helping to keep track of the hampers. Photo: RNZ / Rachel Graham

By Rachel Graham

A Christchurch grandmother is now confident Christmas will be a good day, after receiving a hamper of food and presents from a Christchurch Methodist Mission programme.

The Christchurch Methodist Mission was a hive of activity on Monday, with people dropping off hampers for families who need a helping hand in the morning, before the hampers were gratefully picked up in the afternoon.

The Christchurch Methodist Mission has been running the Support a Family hamper scheme for 16 years.

Executive director Jill Hawkey said 155 families were provided with a hamper this year.

Andrea Morgan, with four-month-old granddaughter Anika-Rose, says the hamper will ensure they can all have a great day on Christmas. Photo: RNZ / Rachel Graham

She said those families were some of the 1000 families the mission has assisted during the year, and had been identified as those that were in need of a bit more help at Christmas time.

The hampers include food for Christmas Day and presents for the children.

Andrea Morgan was one of those picking up a hamper.

She became tearful as she explained the difference the hamper will make for her and her family.

"A big difference. I have my two grandchildren in my care. Which is a little bit difficult in some ways."

Paul Kumar, with partner Jo, and children Elias and Amos were picking up a Christmas hamper to ease some of the pressure of Christmas. Photo: RNZ / Rachel Graham

Morgan said the two grandchildren in her care are aged six and two and a half, and she was expecting about 10 or 11 people to be at her house on Christmas day.

She said it will now be a great day because of the hamper.

Morgan said equally important was feeling supported, by both the donors and the Methodist Mission.

May Bryant, who donated a hamper, says she had a great time picking out presents and treats for the family she was helping out. Photo: RNZ / Rachel Graham

Another person picking up a hamper was Paul Kumar and his family.

He said the hamper meant that now they could have a worry-free Christmas.

"Especially with young children under five, they want Santa, they want something under the tree. And they are too young to know about the economic times right now. So it is great to have one part of Christmas covered."

The hampers were donated by local parishes, work groups, families and individuals.

They were given a specific but anonymous family to buy for, with details such as the number of children, their ages and interests.

Rachel Marshall and Stephanie Cook dropped off a hamper put together by their Nursing Workforce Development Team at Te Whatu Ora Waitaha. Photo: RNZ / Rachel Graham

One of those who put together a hamper was May Bryant, who said it was great fun selecting gifts and treats for the family assigned to them.

"We get joy walking up the aisles and saying: 'Shall we buy this cereal, no let's buy the chocolate one for a treat', and hopefully making someone else feel a bit of the joy we all deserve at Christmas time."

Rachel Marshall and Stephanie Cook were also dropping off a hamper which was put together by their Nursing Workforce Development Team at Te Whatu Ora Waitaha.

Their hamper was for a family with four children.

Marshall said it was great to be able to help others, and said it also brought together the team as they worked together on the hamper and got into the Christmas spirit during a present wrapping session.