Auckland charity brings Christmas cheer to Auckland preschoolers
Christmas has come early for preschoolers at seven childhood centres around Auckland.
The Kindness Collective Foundation is bringing Christmas cheer to 250 vulnerable children at these facilities run by the Taonga Education Centre:
Nga Taonga Aroha Early childhood centre in Otara, Aranga Early Childhood centre in Manurewa, Homai Nga Taonga ECC, Manurewa, Nga Taonga Manako ECC, Kelston, Eden Campus ECC, Mt Eden, Kakano Early Childhood Centre in Clendon and Potiki Early Childhood Centre in Clendon.
The Auckland charity has paid for Christmas parties, trees and decorations for each childcare and is buying Christmas presents for the youngsters.
But the giving doesn't stop there.
The charity is donating 80 food boxes and grocery vouchers to childcare families to tide them over during the expensive festive season.
"The Kindness Collective Foundation heard about the hard work we do at our centre to keep our whanau going and they reached out to me to offer their help," said Emma-Jane Jones, centre supervisor of Nga Taonga Aroha Early childhood centre in Otara.
Jones said 2020 had been a tough year financially and she was "blown away" by such a giving gesture.
"At my centre in Otara, I don't have any parents that pay fees so we're always a little bit strapped for cash... and for them to jump on board has been phenomenal."
Jones said she believed in giving preschoolers wrap- around care which extended to their whanau.
"We make sure the children always have clothing, rain jackets and food and that's often coming out of our teachers' pockets."
Jones said that if the charity had not stepped in, she would have had to pay for her centre's Christmas party, which kicks off on Thursday.
"I have four children of my own and my children have learned from a young age that they're privileged in some ways and quite often my children get less so I can support the children in my care," she said.
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Poll: 🗑️ Would you be keen to switch to a fortnightly rubbish collection, or do you prefer things as they are?
Aucklanders, our weekly rubbish collections are staying after councillors voted to scrap a proposed trial of fortnightly pick-ups.
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By-election for Otara-Papatoetoe area
Just to let everyone know that we have another by-election happening, and here is the reason why. Below are details and dates, so keep an eye on your letter boxes.
The Manukau Court’s Ruling
The Manukau District Court determined that the Papatoetoe subdivision result of the Ōtara–Papatoetoe Local Board election was invalid, ruling that the outcome had been “materially affected” by voting irregularities. Judge Richard McIlraith found that the scale and nature of the irregularities met the legal threshold required to void an election under New Zealand’s local electoral laws.
In his decision, Judge McIlraith stated that the evidence presented — including reports of stolen voting papers, fraudulent use of ballots, and other procedural irregularities — was sufficient to conclude that the integrity of the election had been compromised. The court noted that at least 79 voting papers were identified as having been cast without the rightful voter’s knowledge during a judicially supervised examination of ballot boxes.
While the judge acknowledged that the election had been administered “properly and in accordance with all requirements” by Independent Election Services and the electoral officer, he concluded that the fraudulent activity originated outside the official process and nonetheless impacted the final result to a degree that required the election to be voided.
As a result of the ruling, the court ordered that a new election must be held, with Auckland Council confirming that the fresh poll must be completed by 9 April 2026
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