23 Jan 2022

Tonga collection drive organisers call for more drums to hold donations

5:34 pm on 23 January 2022

Organisers of a collection drive have been so inundated with donations to be shipped to Tonga, they're asking for more drums to hold the extra goods.

The Aotearoa Tonga Relief Committee is coordinating shipping containers at Auckland's Mt Smart Stadium to be filled with donations, including emergency supplies from family in New Zealand to relatives in Tonga.

Donations for Tonga are sorted at Mount Smart Stadium. Photo: RNZ / Lydia Lewis

Shipping companies are being called upon to donate more containers for families to fill at the Auckland donation drive at Mount Smart Stadium.

Aotearoa Tonga Relief Committee Secretary Pakilau Manase Lua says they desperately need more metal, solid cardboard or plastic 44 gallon drums.

"We have filled six containers already - 20 foot containers. Each one has 110 drums. We have another four containers coming. So that is 400-500 drums," he said.

"So that is the volumes we are looking at, so if we can source them, we will even buy them if we have to for our communities to use."

Eight shipping containers donated by Matson South Pacific Shipping were set up at the venue to be filled with donations for the Kingdom.

The collection drive has drawn hundreds of people showing up in support over the weekend.

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