It is the third year the library has given people the opportunity to pay off their library fines with donations of non-perishable food items for the Salvation Army Christmas Appeal, and library manager, Sonya Lange, said it has been a big success again this year.

“People have always been generous with it,” Sonya said.

“We’ve found that a lot of the people who do donate are not necessarily those who need to pay off fines. Some have heard about it and just want to come in and put something in the collection.

“Then we’ve had some people who were waiting for the Food for Fines to come on, so they could pay off their fines in this particular way.”

Sonya said the total amount of fines paid with food this year was about $80, but the total amount of foodstuff donated was well above that figure.

Captain Alana Mills said each year there was always a need in the community.

“Hopefully this year we’ll be able to give something to each family,” Alana said.

“There is quite a lot of need in this community at the moment, especially among the farmers. Huge. There’s been a little bit of recent rain, but that’s not going to relieve the pressure overnight.

“Our rural chaplains do fantastic work in the community and no-one’s going to walk away empty handed, that’s our goal.”