Bulging Banana boxes

Methodist Social Services want to see a bonanza of banana boxes filled with non-perishable food this weekend.

The annual drive to restock the shelves at the city’s two foodbanks takes place this weekend and the Director of Methodist Social Services, Michelle Grey, is keen to see hundreds of banana boxes bulging with food and household provisions.

The generosity of the community last year saw 771 full boxes, with 849 filled the year before.

Michelle Grey would like to see the 2005 figure reached and hopefully surpassed this year to meet the ongoing demand from people for food.

“Christmas and new year place a huge pressure on people especially families facing school fees, uniforms and equipment when the new term begins,” she says.

The non-perishable food Michelle would like to receive for the Methodist Social Services and Salvation Army food banks are breakfast cereals, tinned meat and fish, milk powder, noodles and pasta, soup, sandwich spreads and tinner fruit.

However she would like to stock the shelves with more than edibles. Of importance are razors, soap and sanitary items such as tissues and toilet paper.

People can either leave their food donations outside their gate on Saturday afternoon, drop them into the food banks or organise their own food collection at their place of work.

The annual drive is supported by Mayor Jono Naylor whoi is going to spend time sorting the food at the warehouse used by both the Salvation Army and Methodist Social Services.

“I encourage those of us who have enough to contribute to those who haven’t,” he says.