We have some great results to share from last November’s Pack the Bus Christmas gift drive, which Council supports.

The drive is a literal drive – a bus that Tranzit drives through the Wairarapa, with the support of all three councils, Mediaworks, Mitre 10 Mega Masterton and Property Brokers. It parks up at various points to receive Christmas gifts and food from the public and a number of schools.

As a result of 2022’s Pack the Bus, more than 900 families in our region received presents and Christmas cheer, a third more than the previous Christmas.

The bus was filled up four times and it wouldn’t have been possible without the efforts of many volunteers, schools, businesses and members of the public who generously donated time and gifts.

A huge thanks to Craggy Range vineyard in Martinborough, which every year donates hundreds of gifts and mobilises its vineyard workers to help get these gifts onboard, and to the supermarkets that supported us with gifts and/or parking.

Thank you to the many schools that sent student convoys with gifts or allowed us to drop by, and to the teachers and parents who made that such a smooth process.

And thank you to our elected members and staff who showed up on the day to help with the collection and packing.

The gifts were warehoused and distributed to 30 various community agencies by Emerge Aotearoa, ensuring all donations stayed local.