Emergency Department inundated with gifts and messages of support

Christchurch Hospital's Emergency Department has been inundated recently -not with injured or sick patients - but food and kindness.

Home baking, messages of support and lots of other special goodies have flooded into the department's doors since the February 22 earthquake and it's keeping staff smiling and their stomachs full.

Emergency Department clinical nurse manager Anne Esson says emergency departments from district health boards around the country had provided tremendous support.

"We have never felt alone through this," Esson says.

Emergency Department associate clinical nurse manager Barb Nelson says the public's generosity has also been amazing.

"It just doesn't stop. We've had baking arrive from all over the country - from the deep south to the far north - it's wonderful," Nelson says.

Emergency Department nurse Nikki Collis - rostered on the day of the 6.3 quake and now living with her family in a camping ground outside of Christchurch after her Opawa home sustained significant damage - says the public's support has helped keep her going.

Knowing that we have the whole of New Zealand behind us is brilliant," Collis says.

Places donations have come from include:

* Wellington Hospital ED - box of coffee and a parcel with new underwear for staff who had lost their homes * Arthur Burns Preschool in Mosgiel - food parcel * Dunedin Hospital ED - four boxes of home baking * Rotorua ED - large box of food and blowing bubbles * Waitemata DHB - casseroles, baking and a new coffee machine * Waitakere Hospital Auckland - food parcel * Christchurch residents - food parcels * James Hargest College Invercargill - baking * Tamahana Whanau Whanganui - lollies

* Tippet family from Auckland (on Waihekei Island) - catered meals for all staff for a week.

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