Citrus fruit distributed by the Clyde and Districts Lions Club over the past week is a gift of health from clubs in the north, says project co-ordinator Kate Whyte and fellow member Sue Noble-Adams.

The fruit is gathered by the Whangarei Lions Club and other organisations, and is primarily from the gardens of individual people.

“They are sending health down to us - it’s brilliant,” Sue said.

This year is the third in which the citrus distribution has been organised by the Lions clubs, and it is now a smooth running part of their community work, Kate said.

The Whangarei Club puts out a call that they will be collecting fruit on a certain date, she said, and a similar call goes out in Central Otago to members about when the fruit will arrive so they can pack the boxes into bags, then take some away to distribute. 

This year, there were four pallets containing 96 boxes of citrus fruit, transported free of charge by Mainfreight. 

Clyde and Districts Lions Club members pack the boxes of citrus into individual bags for distribution.

“It’s mostly from people’s gardens so you don’t know year in and year out what you will be getting,” Sue said.

This year, the harvest included oranges, grapefruit, lemons, limes, and a few tangelos, with more lemons than grapefruit.

The fruit is distributed to residents over 65, front-line workers at health centres, clubs that have a mainly older membership, and boxes of fruit also go to food banks. About 1000 individual bags were packed this year, with some fruit also processed by Lions members.

“A lot of over-65s are on heart medication so they can’t eat grapefruit, so we also make marmalade and lemon honey,” Sue said.

Seniors are often forgotten in the community so are very appreciative of receiving the fruit, and knowing they are remembered, Sue and Kate said, with distribution runs often taking some time as the recipients welcomed the human contact.

“There is something really nice and satisfying in giving people these fruit bags,” Sue said.

”Because it’s citrus fruit and it’s healthy and life-giving, it’s a good thing.

“It’s knowing that someone is thinking about you.”