Range of support for those dealing with onslaught

Please, not again – that was the allpervasive feeling north of Auckland when yet another major rain deluge struck the region on Tuesday, May 9.

Properties that had never flooded before January 27 were submerged again, dozens of drivers stranded as roads were blocked once more, and tonnes more soil, rocks and trees slipped from their moorings. When many people are still clearing up or waiting for insurance payments from the first big floods, the re-occurrence every few weeks of more of the same feels like it’s adding insult to injury.

For people living in rural areas, there can be the added hardship of isolation – even at the best of times, it’s often difficult to find the time and opportunity to connect with neighbours and the wider community, especially when the clear-up worklist gets ever-longer.

However, at times like this it’s more important than ever to get off the property and meet other people, and to realise that there is nothing wrong with accepting a bit of help now and again.

Michelle Ruddell is a dairy farmer and chair of Northland Rural Support Trust, so knows only too well the trials rural people throughout the region are currently having to deal with.

She says the torrential rainfall and flooding across Northland and Auckland, combined with power and communication outages, slips and damage to roads has made life incredibly challenging for farmers, growers or anyone living in rural areas.

“The ongoing wet weather has been really draining and stressful for many people,” she says.

“Many people are feeling this way, and when you’re having those days and when it’s all getting too much, it’s important to know there is help there.”

The Rural Support Trust is a relatively new organisation, founded in 2008 by rural people, for rural people.

“We’re not there to advise them, we’re there to support them and connect them with people who provide whatever help they might need,” Ruddell says.

“It’s always confidential, it can be over the phone or a one-on-one chat with one of our facilitators. Sometimes farmers and growers just want a yarn over a cuppa.”

The trust also organises and takes part in collaborative events either out in the community or online, such as the recent Big Check-In, a national Zoom event to support rural people affected by Cyclone Gabrielle.

“That was fabulous – to be able to show people that we’re all vulnerable and acknowledge that it’s happening to many people,” Ruddell says. “It was an opportunity for people to just listen – they didn’t have to say anything or contribute.

“People said it was really encouraging to know that they’re not the only ones going through it all.”

Rural Women New Zealand (RWNZ) is also providing a range of support, including grants of up to $1000 for anyone at all living rurally who is experiencing hardship, including being under mental and emotional pressure.

President Gill Naylor says the adverse events fund, which is financed entirely by donations and fundraising, has not surprisingly been experiencing high demand lately.

“The need is unprecedented at this point in time, this has been huge,” she says. “There have been some heart-wrenching stories out there.

“It’s really humbling to be able to let people know someone cares. There’s more to it than just the dollar amount.”

Naylor stresses that RWNZ is not just for farmers and growers.

“Our focus is on rural communities as a whole. We’re about the people and that includes schools, health facilities, whatever’s involved in communities – we represent small town New Zealand.”

She says for people who are working their way through complex insurance claims or processes for more significant funding, the RWNZ grants can provide speedy and timely support.

“We cover anywhere that’s been affected and it’s going to be ongoing,” Naylor says. Both organisations stress that the most important thing is for rural people to realise that they can get help and there is nothing wrong with needing a bit of a legup every now and again.

“There’s support out there and there are organisations that are there to help and our role is to help those farmers and growers to connect with people,” Ruddell says.

Info: Rural Support Trust – call 0800 787 254 or visit www.rural-support.org.nz

Rural Women NZ – https://ruralwomennz. nz/charitable-grants-and-support-draft/

The Big Check-In recording - https:// us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/bvpPmgGTq xBdZ6JLroXpFFNabMHefKwk2BK1pJnPn 943wYQek4Z28Fs_-k1-Kuu6.mK-0OLb0fBNEtK_?startTime=1683183621000