Nelson City Council will this Christmas support our community by donating $5000 to the Fifeshire Foundation’s Big Give Christmas gift and food appeal.

Council is also planning to donate staff time to the appeal.

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused Council to re-evaluate how best to bring some festive cheer to our community, knowing that due to the economic uncertainty it has caused, there are more people than ever who may find Christmas especially difficult this year.

Council has therefore decided that rather than holding Nelson’s Christmas Celebration lunch this year, it will instead use funds to support the Big Give Christmas Appeal. In addition to donating Council staff time, elected members will also be invited to volunteer to help the appeal.

The Fifeshire Foundation helps vulnerable people in Nelson/Tasman and has been holding the Big Give every year since 2016.

The Big Give aims to relieve some of the pressure of the festive season for struggling families and individuals by giving Christmas packages, including food parcels, toys, gifts, and supermarket vouchers.

Last year, 400 packages were given out and this year the Foundation hopes to match or exceed that number again.

Mayor Rachel Reese said in donating to the Big Give, Council hoped to spread the Christmas cheer a little further and support the wellbeing of our community in a way that won’t be impacted by a change in COVID Alert Levels.

“The Big Give is a fantastic cause that will help ease the stress and burden the festive season can bring to some members of our community. I encourage anyone, whether they are individuals or businesses, to join us if they are able, in supporting the Big Give, either financially or through the donation of time.”

Fifeshire Foundation Chairperson Don Everitt said he and the Board of Trustees wanted to thank Mayor Reese for her thoughtful suggestion and Nelson City Council for being one of its long-standing community partners.

“We are so pleased to hear of this offer of additional support to assist local people who find themselves in difficult circumstances this Christmas.

“This year many families are in need more than ever before. We have already stepped up our efforts to do even more for our community, and we are delighted to see Council doing the same and encouraging others to join them.

“For more than 25 years, the Fifeshire Foundation has been helping fellow locals in Nelson and Tasman in hardship or crisis, with funds raised from local donors and sponsors, providing temporary assistance to see them through. We continue to feel very privileged to assist in this way.”

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