Last crusade for Farmy Army

“This time doesn’t it require a shovel. Instead, we need help to pack fresh food hampers,” says Helen Heddell, Federated Farmers Farmy Army’s coordinator of catering.

“If you can help us this Friday, we’re asking people to go to one of two locations. If coming from the north, please head straight to New Brighton by 10.30am. We’ll be operating from the Roy Stokes Hall carpark, which is opposite New Brighton Police Station.

“If you’re coming from the south, east or west, please meet at the Riccarton Racecourse’s main driveway before 10am. We need help there to freight the frozen meat and the home baking we’ve received to the New Brighton Police Station.”

Heddell says that in August organisers thought Farmy Army had completed its last mission after delivering Sunday roasts with meat donated by Alliance Group and vegetables donated by farmers from around Ashburton.

“[But] such has been the true spirit of Christmas that we started planning for this last operation... As word got out the volume of donated food grew and grew.”

Federated Farmers, Rural Woman New Zealand, Young Farmers, the Student Volunteer Army and the New Brighton Police have been putting food packs together during the week. 

“Unlike August, we’re now delivering food packs to agencies who will then get them to those most in need. What the Farmy Army wants to encourage is the same spirit of community we share in rural New Zealand.

“We hope recipients will ask their neighbours and family over to share their Christmas. Now is the perfect time to move forward, help each other and bolster our Canterbury spirit.”

Federated Farmers Farmy Army acknowledges the support of Alliance Group, Christchurch Earthquake Appeal Trust, Ashby Meats, the Mad Butcher and CQ Printing.