The Star: September 15, 2016

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Thursday September 15 2016 15
News
‘Army’ to the rescue
• By Gabrielle Stuart
THE PLIGHT of children
rescued from their homes
by Child, Youth and Family,
sometimes with nothing but
the clothes on their back, has
mobilised an army.
“Paddy’s Army”, that is – a
group of about 25 St Patrick’s
School pupils in Bryndwr who
have collected almost 150 pairs of
pyjamas to give to foster children.
The pyjamas will be included in
backpacks made up by volunteer
group Foster Hope Christchurch,
which also include things like
toiletries, books and soft toys.
Co-ordinator Ngarie Worsley
said the packs were personalised
for each foster child, to try to make
them feel loved and valued at a
rough point in their lives, when
they had to leave their own homes
to move in with a foster family.
“We used to see children come
with garbage bags full of stuff,
and if your stuff is in a garbage
bag you don’t exactly feel so
great,” she said.
The St Patrick’s pupils were
inspired to help by the stories
of one of their classmates, who
was a foster child, Paddy’s Army
member Izzy Gibson said.
“We thought that we’re so
PJS: St Patrick’s Catholic Primary School pupils Kate Wield and
Izzie Gibson with some of the 148 pairs of pyjamas their class
raised money to buy for foster children. PHOTO: GEOFF SLOAN
lucky to have all the things that
we have, when some people are
being taken out of their homes
in the middle of the night to go
to a family that they don’t even
know,” she said.
They created posters, spoke in assembly
to inspire their fellow pupils
to help, and did “a lot of nagging”
to collect the pyjamas, fellow army
member Kate Wield said.
In the past, the pupils have
organised a blanket collection for
St Vincent de Paul, and they plan
to do more to help local charities
in the future.
Mrs Worsley said the pupils’
effort would make a huge difference
to Foster Hope, which works
to put together about 5000 packs
each year.
“It just blows my mind and I
think it’s incredible, because 150
pairs of pyjamas means that we
can more than do what we need
to do this year,” she said.
She said the charity still needed
donations of things like toiletries,
small toys or craft activities.
•More information can be
found at www.fosterhope.
org.nz/christchurch.
$26,000 raised
for Maddie
MORE THAN $26,000 was
raised for a St Margaret’s
College pupil in need of a
kidney transplant.
A total of $26,218.10 has been
donated to 12-year-old Maddie
Collins (right) following a ball
held recently for her.
Maddie Collins is in need
of a kidney transplant and her
best hopes of finding a suitable
match require her to travel to
the United States. The trip is
expected to cost $350,000.
The ball was held on September
3 and the money was raised
from ticket sales, donations
and an auction.
Fundraising efforts continue
with a national mufti day
planned for tomorrow.
West Melton School is joining
the fundraising efforts to
help ex-pupil Maddie, who lives
in the area.
The event has been put
together for schools and businesses
across the country to get
involved in.
West Melton School principal
Sue Jackson said the school
had no hesitation in getting
involved in ‘Mufti Day for
Maddie.’
“We were touched by Maddie
and her family when she was
a student here. Maddie is such
a wonderful girl who has so
much to offer. Taking part in
this event is the least we can do.
“We often have mufti days
for good causes. I can’t think
of a better one than this,” Mrs
Jackson said.
The mufti day is a fundraising
event held across the country
for schools and businesses
to help raise the money needed
for Maddie to get to the US.
•To donate to Maddie
visit https://givealittle.
co.nz/cause/givethe
giftoflifetomaddie.
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