Update from Rangiora Earthquake Express located at Rangiora Racecourse

In the last two days a group of 500 volunteers in Rangiora have distributed more than 30,000 kgs of food, by helicopter. Rangiora Racecourse has been a hive of cooking and food distribution with more than 150 helicopter trips delivering food parcels to some of the worst hit suburbs in Christchurch.

>From Monday 28/02/11 Rangiora Earthquake Express is escalating its distribution of food via road transport.

The volunteer group is working with Civil Defense, Salvation Army & New Brighton Police Station to distribute the food.

They still need (in order of priority)

1. Non perishable food items: tins - i.e. baked beans, spaghetti, corn, peas, tuna, corned beef, long life milk, sugar, pet food etc
2. Empty and full water bottles.
3. Baby needs: nappies, food, and formula

4. Sanitary products; Toilet paper, Nappies, feminine hygiene items
5. Batteries, candles, lighters, matches, 6. Boxes

For full details of how you can help the volunteer led feeding scheme for those affected by the Christchurch earthquake please go to //www.facebook.com/pages/The-Rangiora-Earthquake-Express

Ends

Background

Rangiora Earth Quake Express was set up on the 23rd February 2011. Brendan Malone of Rangiora went on air asking if locals could fill water bottles and take them in to the Chevier centre in Rangiora. At the same time Jayne Rattray project manager and Ben Walker of Helicontrax organized their resources to start flying in food. Assisted by Fiona Parkes they joined forces with Brendan Malone to fly goods in. They took to the air funding the helicopters themselves.

The two Helicontrax helicopters have been flying into the South Eastern suburbs of Christchurch: Wainoni, Bexley and Brighton for the past 4 days. These are the areas that the local police have identified as the worst hit suburbs.

Twenty drop off points were identified and we now have 150 personnel including the police on the ground distributing food, water, and other essentials to those people most in need of food.

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