5 March 2004

Press release

The generosity of Waitakere residents and businesses has seen a shipping container filled to the brim with goods to help victims of cyclone-ravaged Niue.

Over the past month, goods have been turning up at Henderson’s Corban Estate – a venue offered by Waitakere City as a collection point for donations.

The Council also organised for a call centre (manned by community volunteers) to be set up in its Civil Defence headquarters so that residents could make donations and is supporting the Sir Howard Morrison ‘Project Aroha’ fundraising concerts.

Community volunteers have worked tirelessly for weeks, some turning up on almost a daily basis to sort the donations and load them into the container or to take phone calls.

The last donations were loaded into the container yesterday – and it is due to be collected today for shipping.

A vast array of goods were dropped off at the warehouse, including equipment, products and furniture for Niue's hospital, a truckload of toilet rolls from the local Carter Holt Harvey plant, and a variety of household items from towels and plastic containers to mini gas cookers and clothes lines.

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