In the two weeks leading up to Good Friday StarLight delivered over 100 gifts to Hawkes Bay and 360 in Palmerston North. The Easter gifts went to both inpatient wards at two hospitals, day fellowship groups such as Agape Fellowship and the Luck Venue, Women’s Refuge and MASH houses.

Starlight are grateful to all the businesses and individuals that generaously donate gifts to make this possible. The generosity of others has enabled a little joy to reach some of those on the edges of society who may otherwise have been looking on, and not participating in the Easter celebrations so many of us take for ranted. StarLight frequently hears the comment, “You don’t know what a difference this makes”. Every gift, however small, is appreciated.

StarLight is a group of extraordinary people who bring joy and hope to mental health patients. As part of this they make care packages for people who arrive in MidCentral DHB mental health inpatient unit. This year they wanted to gift 450 packages and they met their target thanks to funding from the Awapuni Rotary Club. Rotary’s Dave Chapple helped to present the care packages to the unit.

Staff at Community Mental Health (CMH) were amazed when StarLight turned up out of the blue with a fantastic array of Christmas presents for people who use mental health services.

Kathy Simpson started StarLight in Auckland where she gathered presents for mental health clients for about 10 years. “I have a heart for those who don’t often have a friend.”

Clinical coordinator Heidi Graham said, “We are very grateful to StarLight and all the businesses that donated the gifts.”

When Kathy moved to Manawatu she found someone to take over her Auckland commitments and with the help of Cathy Barker began canvassing for donations in the MidCentral District Health Board region.

She started her collection with 24 piles of goodies based on the 24 beds in ward 21 - the Acute Mental Health Ward.

Her hand-written requests for donations brought more and more until there were six boxes full. This meant mental health was able to distribute gifts to MidCentral mental health community services also.

Gifts included: hand knitted soft toys, patchwork quilts, socks and chocolates. Cathy Barker was the main architect of the gingerbread houses although Kathy Simpson was also up until midnight helping put the finishing touches on these.

At the same time StarLight has gathered presents from the Hawkes Bay DHB region for mental health patients in the Hawkes Bay area as well.