Tayler's on a mission for Christmas

Seeing people go hungry at Christmas is too much for Tayler Berridge-Smith to bear.

The nine-year-old Maungawhau School pupil is collecting cans and other food items to make 10 hampers for the Auckland City Mission’s Christmas Appeal.

She has spent the last few weeks visiting homes and businesses in Mt Eden collecting cans, rice, pasta, cereal and other food items.

Her family also gave up having fireworks at Guy Fawkes and will be having a low-key Christmas, giving the money they save to the appeal instead.

Tayler says she was inspired to make the hampers after talking with her family about how much people have to spend at Christmas.

"I got to thinking about how some people never have a special Christmas because they don’t have enough money even for a normal day," she says.

"So I wanted to do something to help them."

Tayler has got her family on board with the project, and mum Yvonne has been collecting and packing items into the hampers.

Her class at Maungawhau School is also putting together a hamper.

Each pack includes 10 to 12 cans including soup, baked beans, spaghetti, corn and fruit as well as rice, cereal, pasta, flour, sugar and special treats.

Mrs Berridge says she has been amazed at people’s generosity.

"I didn’t think anyone would give anything but
everyone’s been so generous," she says.

"Even people with very little have given Tayler cans, I’ve been really amazed."

Mrs Berridge says the collection has inspired her.

"If every neighbourhood in the country made up hampers like this, imagine what we could do," she says.

City Missioner Diane Robertson says it is wonderful when children get involved in the appeal.

"It is the real spirit of Christmas and such a caring gesture," she says.

Ms Robertson says donations of money, food and gifts are desperately needed, as the economic downturn has seen a decrease in donations.

"We’ve got more people coming to see us and less to give," she says.

"We hope people will start thinking about what they can afford and what they
can do to help this Christmas."

To donate to the Auckland City Mission, visit any post shop or the mission at 140 Hobson St.

To help with Tayler’s hampers, email yb.at.work@xtra.co.nz.

- © Fairfax NZ News