5 Feb 2026

Demand high for Wellington school stationery drive

From Checkpoint, 4:25 pm on 5 February 2026

A Wellington charity supplying school stationery to families who can't afford it may be forced to turn people away because demand is so high. Te Awakairangi School Stationery Drive, supplies children in the Hutt Valley with essentials like exercise books, pens, and backpacks. It's just one of several cost families face at the start of the school year on top of things like school uniforms. Nicky Smith, the organiser of Te Awakairangi School Stationery Drive spoke to Lisa Owen.