Gifts From Motat Visitors Made For A Very Special Christmas

MEDIA RELEASE
14 January 2013

Gifts From Motat Visitors Made For A Very Special Christmas

New Zealand’s largest transport and technology museum, MOTAT, helped bring Christmas cheer to thousands of underprivileged Kiwis thanks to the generosity of its many visitors during December.

MOTAT visitors donated more than 6,000 gifts to families supported by the Auckland City Mission and Barnardos.

MOTAT Marketing Manager, Deanna Wharton, explained that from the start of December until Christmas, visitors were invited to purchase and donate a gift from MOTAT’s gift shop instead of paying an admission fee.

All donated presents were gifted through the Auckland City Mission and Barnardos to families in need. Gifts donated ranged from board games and books to toy cars and educational activity kits, promising families hours of Christmas fun.

“MOTAT takes pride in being a community-focussed organisation, which includes educating children and also putting our efforts behind fantastic initiatives such as this.

“MOTAT believes that people should be able to celebrate Christmas no matter what their situation, so we’re thrilled to offer a helping hand to Kiwi families again this year,” said Mrs Wharton.

Gold coin donations from the popular MOTAT Nights, Christmas Lights events, which saw almost 8,000 people come through MOTAT’s doors to enjoy a spectacular Christmas evening, were also used to purchase gifts for the charities. This contributed to the total value of the gifts donated this year being up by almost 50% on the previous year.

Auckland City Mission CEO, Diane Robertson, said the gifts and donations were well received at their Christmas Day event.

“We give out around 20,000 presents over Christmas so MOTAT’s donations are a real help. People were delighted they were able to receive or give a loved one a present at our Christmas lunch. Without the donated presents some families would not have any gifts to share on Christmas Day,” said Ms Robertson.

Operations Manager (Upper North) for Barnardos, Christine Olsen, was also grateful to MOTAT and its visitors for thinking of their families.

“MOTAT’s Christmas drive is critical at this time of the year as families are really struggling financially. These donations meant that a number of families were able to have a joyful Christmas that they may not have had otherwise. We had some extremely grateful families come Christmas day,” said Ms Olsen.

This is the seventh year MOTAT has partnered with the community to raise gifts for those less fortunate at Christmas time.

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MOTAT Christmas Pumphouse

MOTAT Nights Christmas Lights

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