Guide biscuit sales important to recovery

Guide biscuits are a well-loved piece of Kiwiana and GirlGuiding New Zealand relies on strong sales for more than 50% of its income. However, due to the devastating earthquake in Christchurch, no biscuits will be sold in the city this year during Guide Biscuit Season, potentially resulting in 10,000 unsold cartons of biscuits - a huge loss in precious revenue.

To help the Christchurch girls get back on their feet after this crippling disaster, Guiding girls from across the rest of New Zealand will be appealing for additional gold coin donations when they sell their biscuits. In return, all donated product will be given to food banks and people in need as a result of the earthquake’s damage.

So GirlGuiding New Zealand is urging New Zealanders to buy Guide biscuits!

“We need to get the public and former members to get behind us all over New Zealand. Every biscuit that is bought outside of Christchurch will help,” said GirlGuiding New Zealand’s Chief Executive Ruth Teasdale. “Buying Guide biscuits is a simple way of getting behind Christchurch and helping the recovery.”

“In Christchurch, the challenge we have is our girl-based selling force is not available, sales locations are not available and we are conscious people might not be out looking to buy the biscuits,” says Christchurch based Ruth Teasdale.

The girls have been excited about this year's Guide biscuits, particularly a group of five girls and their leaders who have worked in partnership with Griffins, the manufacturer, to eliminate all the issues from last year to ensure this year's batch is not just good, but the “best ever.”

“The last ten days have been challenging,” said Ruth Teasdale, “but for over 100 years, Guiding has been teaching young girls and women many skills that have been important during the earthquakes including leadership, disaster preparedness, camping skills and having good emergency kits.”

“These skills have been needed, particularly in Christchurch, during recent months and we are pleased that what our current girls and thousands of former members learned through Guiding has been useful at this practical level.”

The Christchurch stock is worth about $420,000. The cost price of any broken or damaged stock will be covered by insurance but much of the stock in the region is thought to be undamaged.

There are 1600 girl members and approximately 200 leaders and volunteers based in Christchurch as well as staff at the National Office in Armagh Street. The organisation’s national office in the central city was extensively damaged during the latest earthquake.

You can go to www.girlguidingnz.org.nz/biscuits to buy a carton to donate now or you can donate a gold coin when you purchase your biscuits in your local community. As GirlGuiding NZ is a registered charity, donations are tax deductible.

100 percent of all donations will go directly towards product in Christchurch being donated to foodbanks/people in need as a result of the earthquake damage.

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