October 16 2005

New Zealanders Urged To Take A Minute During Labour Weekend

New Zealanders around the country are being encouraged to take a minute this Labour weekend to think about ways that they can give back to the community.

Robin Hood Foundation chief executive officer, Jude Manion, said Take A Minute is a national campaign that aims to get people to take a minute out of their busy lives to think of a simple way that they can help make New Zealand a better place to live. The idea is the brainchild of both the Robin Hood Foundation and Hubbard's.

"We've seen a lot of local and international disasters, crises and relief efforts in recent times. These sorts of things can sometimes overwhelm people to the point of inertia where they simply don't know which way to turn in order to help.

"Take A Minute aims to get people to stop for one minute and think of at least one way that they can help their community. The one minute approach makes it a lot more manageable for people and collectively makes a significant contribution to the community.

"New Zealand has some pretty alarming statistics such an estimated half a billion plastic bags a year which create landfills that take decades to break down. Also, one in four New Zealanders lack literacy skills and eight out of 10 of us will need a blood transfusion during our lives."

Take a Minute, therefore, offers people a wide range of ideas that will make a difference. Some of the suggestions are as simple as refusing plastic bags at the supermarket through to thinking about donating blood.

Jude said that it was fitting that as a labour of love, Take A Minute will officially get underway over Labour Weekend.

"However, it doesn't start and end during Labour Weekend," Jude said.

"Kiwis will be able to pick up new suggestions every day on how they can Take A Minute plus offer some of their own by simply visiting the Hubbard's website - www.hubbards.co.nz or checking out the changing back of packs on some Hubbard's cereals."

Here are just a few suggestions to get you started:

ENDS

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