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Wednesday 20 December 2023
Motueka’s Christmas angel delivers ELISE VOLLWEILER Tarmra Heal-Palmer reckons that no kid should be left wondering why Santa didn’t come. The creator of The Christmas Project charity delivered presents and Christmas snacks to 217 children last Saturday, bringing festive cheer to many Motueka households. Tarmra stumbled into her role as Santa’s helper about eight years ago, when she learned of a family who could not afford to purchase presents for their children. She set about making sure those children had something to celebrate on Christmas Day, and The Christmas Project was born. She put out the call the next year and found herself purchasing presents for about 50 children. “I became aware that a lot of kids weren’t having Christmas, and I couldn’t cope with it,” she says. Each year she posts on social media, asking people to message her if they need help providing presents for their children. There is no judgement, Tarmra says, and she does not care what the parents are doing. “It’s about the children.” Over the years, she has begun to ask the community to help her with the project as the need continues to swell. Several local businesses, and individuals now donate money or
Tarmra Heal-Palmer is surrounded by the dozens of bags of Christmas presents that have since been delivered to local families. Photo: Elise Vollweiler. products to stuff the children’s stockings, which gives the project a “huge start”. “People have been so bloody generous,” she says. “It’s a lot of time, a lot of work, but well worth it when we get to drop off to the parents.”
Last year, Tarmra and her helpers sorted, wrapped and delivered 171 bags of presents and goodies, with the numbers swelling again this year to well over 200. She says that this year, she made sure there was a little extra food in the bags, as she is well aware
that the cost of living is hitting families hard. In a well-deserved role reversal, Tarmra was the recipient of a present herself last week, when she was flabbergasted to be nominated on Seven Sharp’s ASB Good as Gold Santa Edition.
Initially told she was being interviewed for research, she was astonished to suddenly find herself talking to host Hilary Barry, who told her she had won $2000 for all the good that she did in the community, and that she “hundred percent deserved” the prize.
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