Source: Radio New Zealand
Gavin Baxter walking the length of New Zealand to raise money for foodbanks. SUPPLIED
A retired Salvation Army pastor is battling blisters and hunger as he walks the length of New Zealand to raise money for foodbanks.
It comes as food charities [https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/national/580728/foodbanks-warn-of-closures-if-government-fails-to-give-ongoing-funding
call for urgent ongoing government funding] as they face unprecedented demand during the cost of living crisis.
Gavin Baxter is a ‘nobo’ – north bound – tramper, he doned his boots at Bluff on the first day of the year and expects to spend six months on the Te Araroa Trail.
“There are times when I’ve been walking that I’ve been hungry but it just helps me relate to the real need that there is even in New Zealand.”
Half a million people in New Zealand are turning up at food charities needing help every month.
“It’s staggering, it’s deeply moving to think that these are the people who have actually got the courage to turn up. How many more are out there that are in deep need of assistance and perhaps don’t have that courage.”
Baxter has a sponsorship website up and running and aims to raise $10 for every kilometre he walks – so far he’s on track.
Blisters on his feet and a heavy pack are no deterrent, he recently made it to Queenstown.
“There’s a whole thing in the hiking industry about ultra-light, I think I’ve gone into ultra-heavy.”
Gavin Baxter at Lake Hawea as he walks the length of a country to raise funds for foodbanks. SUPPLIED
Top of his mind are those who are hungry because they cannot afford food after paying their household bills.
Baxter was the pastor at Greymouth’s Salvation Army and has recently had surgery to overcome prostate cancer.
The Salvation Army has 60 foodbanks across the country, its food security manager Sonya Cameron said there has been continued high demand for food parcels so far this year.
“Our centres are saying that they’re seeing a lot of new whanau needing support. I spoke to Cameron Miller who’s the core officer at Hutt City Salvation Army, he said that they’ve worked all the way through Christmas and the new year and that demand has been very high,” Cameron said.
“He said that they’ve got the basics but nothing more.”
It’s a similar story elsewhere.
“Whakatane were saying that they’d seen 24 whanau in just three hours the other day. They said that they’d never experienced that before at this time of year.”
The Salvation Army, Auckland City Mission and Food Network are among the organisations that received one-off grants till mid-2026, through the Food Secure Communities programme.
Late last year they warned of substantial closures if the government does not provide ongoing funding this year.
“For us, stable long term funding would allow us to plan with confidence, retain our staff, invest in infrastructure and respond to community need,” Cameron said.
The Ministry of Social Development (MSD) is evaluating the effectiveness off its one-off funding, including which households benefit from the programme.
A report is due to be provided to the Minister of Social Development and Employment next month.
MSD group general manager of insights, Fleur McLaren, said the evaluation has been done through interviews and a survey of organisations that have received the funding.
“It will examine how FSC infrastructure investment has made a difference to sector capacity and capability to support households experiencing food insecurity,” she said.
“It is also looking at which households benefit from FSC, in what ways and in what circumstances.”
Tracey Watene chairs the Aotearoa Food Rescue Alliance, which has been interviewed as part of the evaluation.
“We’re hopeful that this will inform decisions about how crucial this funding is and the value it gives to communities across Aotearoa,” she said.
“Budget 2026 will be a key decider. We’re preparing to engage fully as that process unfolds.”
Meanwhile, Gavin Baxter is sticking to his quest to raise money for foodbanks, his wife Bev is his support along the way, driving a campervan so they can stay together when the trail meets a town.
Baxter’s view as he walked from Arrowtown to Macetown. SUPPLIED
“Because Bev’s with me every day, she’s my trail angel.”
He aims to raise $30,000 dollars during his six-month tramp.
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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand
