Girl Guides on a mission for cans of food

BEN CAMPBELL

RUNNING LOW: Ponsonby Girl Guides leader and Auckland City Mission worker Hailey Rohl-Marriott is holding a can collection to help replenish the mission’s food stocks.

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A group of service-minded girls are helping to make sure those in need have enough to eat this winter.

The Ponsonby Girl Guides are holding a can collection for the Auckland City Mission's winter appeal and hope to get enough cans to spell out the name of their group.

Guide leader Hailey Rohl-Marriott is a nursing student and works at the mission as a medical receptionist and drop-in worker and decided to combine her two passions for the appeal.

She says the Guides have a number of service hours to do to earn badges and it's a great opportunity to help the mission.

"We'll have a meeting when they bring in cans and as part of that, we'll have a social worker from the homeless team coming to talk to the girls."

Ms Rohl-Marriott started working at the mission almost two years ago after doing a nursing placement at the detox clinic.

About five months ago she decided to become a Guide leader, despite never having been part of the organisation.

The group meets once a week in Freemans Bay and will hold its can collection night on July 22.

The goods will help to stock up the mission's foodbank.

City missioner Diane Robertson says stocks are low and in the past year, the mission has provided 7207 emergency food parcels along with $2 million worth of food to community foodbanks.

"More than 700 beds are given out every year and thousands of jerseys, blankets, raincoats and shoes will be handed out over in the next few months. But we need more of everything if we're to meet the coming demand."

Ms Rohl-Marriott says items most needed include blankets, warm clothes, bedding, gloves, socks and toiletries.

To donate cans to the Ponsonby Girl Guides' appeal email ponsonbyguides@gmail.com.

To contribute to the Auckland City Mission, go to www.aucklandcitymission.org.nz.

- © Fairfax NZ News