Saving her daughter and building a new life

A determination to stay alive to save her daughter was what kept Valeriya Horyayeva going amid the horror of the Russian invasion of her Ukranian homeland.

Valeriya, who arrived in Nelson as a refugee last year, tells host Matt Lawrey about their escape, the impact of the war on their family, and their new lives in Nelson on Episode 10 of The Nelson Pod.

Separated by the Russian attack from her husband, who was in another part of the country, Valeriya and her daughter Tereza, her grandmother and her two dogs spent the start of the invasion sheltering in the corridor of her grandmother’s apartment building in the city of Sumy. Valeriya tells Matt that central corridors are the safest part of a building in a war zone because they offer the greatest structural protection in the event of a bombing. Other strategies she employed to increase her daughter’s chances of survival included carrying Tereza on her front, in case

Valeriya was shot in the back, writing her sister in Poland’s contacts on Tereza’s arm and filling Tereza’s pockets with information about her family, in case Valeriya was killed. After two weeks hiding in the corridor, Valeriya, Tereza and Valeriya’s grandmother made a run for it. Along with the dogs, the family spent four stressful days driving to Poland. They were met at the border by people with posters saying ‘Welcome – you are safe!’ Valeriya and Tereza were able to quickly make it to New Zealand because her mother is married to a Kiwi and lives in Stoke.

Valeriya says she is very grateful for the special work visa that allows her to work in marketing for Jens Hansen Jewellers. She says Tereza is coping well and is already speaking with a Kiwi accent.

“She has a lot of friends here. She goes to Stoke School and she is so happy,” Valeriya said.

Valeriya is grateful for the support they have received from the people of New Zealand and

Nelson.

“New Zealand has a huge heart,” she said. She is deeply concerned, however, about the spread of Russian propaganda.

“People are exhausted but it’s not just a war for Ukraine. It’s a war between democracy and totalitarianism,” she said.

“There are not two truths….we were invaded by another country.”

Watch or listen on: thenelsonpod.co.nz

Support workers undertrained, understaffed, underpaid

I think that support staff NZ wide, if reading this, would be in total agree ment with the issues as stated. But further we could also state... why are so many experienced, qualified and excellent support workers not getting work. Many are in extremely dire finan cial straits, extremely highly stressed and more. As for other problems, they go deep and wide. Very few providers are doing much better and they tend to be Not For Profit org’s. That the ser vice is not fit for purpose is totally cor rect. Most support workers can testify of ‘breaches with client care’. Most can also testify of the endless breaches to NZ employment law, health and safety and the Guaranteed Hours Framework (what a farce). The buck stops with the Ministry of Health and MBIE... full stop. But that absolutely does not absolve the contracted providers for not meeting their contracted duties to clients... or responsibility to staff. For all of what’s wrong, Labour (as the present government) needs to step up, acknowledge all the major issues (especially where NZ law and H&S is involved) and deal with all of this... now. As far as the National Party comments go... really? Sorry Blair, you need to go back and dig into what the truth really is about National’s part in the current debacle. The only truth I see is that National was in government when the Pay Equity case was before the courts. So, no part truths... no expediency... no ‘experts’. (I must say the pay the equity situation will not solve any of the other very serious service issues which must be addressed to prevent further harm.) Go ask the people who actually know. And while you’re at it, go get at the truth about what is happening to the service in the community. Oh, by the way... staff have been leaving in droves (please don’t blame Covid for all of that... or even most of it, because that would simply not be true). We believe a munity Support Service has become a necessity because of the seriousness. Finally, Graham - you’re 100% right, please know that. Thank you so much for speaking up. There are so many who cannot. And you are doing the seriously difficult and isolated role of caring for your lovely wife. The very least you can expect is that the contracted carers actually happen and the staff are capable.

TJ Johannson

The amazing life of Uli

Great guy! Interesting to talk to. A good community man.

Sasha Kerslake

Incredible human whom I’d love to meet. And thanks Nelson Weekly for sharing some of those stories. I lived in St Pauli. Way to go Uli.

Matt Gargiulo

Bloody knew Gandalf was a DJ.

Mobmask Bmc

Save this Winter

75!

Amy Taylor

Local Legend: Tracey

Alexander

Great work Tracey, well deserved. Thanks for being a great community connector.

Kimberley Anderson

What’s On!

Neon, Glow in the Dark Roller Disco

Friday, 7 July, 6.30pm

Skate Nelson

Bring your friends, your neon/glow in the dark gear, extra $$ and come down for some fun. Entry $10 per skater.

Baby & Kids Sale –by Multiples Nelson

Saturday, 8 July, 10-3pm

Founders Heritage Park

Pre-loved & new multiples gear for sale. Gold coin entry pp. Entry to Founders is free if you are a local. Raising funds to better support parents of multiples in the region.

Winter Wine Fest

Saturday, 8 July, 2-5pm

The Boathouse, 326 Wakefield Quay

Come and meet with our amazing community of local wine producers and experience some of the best our region has to offer. Tickets $16.81 from Eventbrite.

Hon Dr Nick Smith

MAKING NELSON NZ’S BIKING CAPITAL

This week we turned on the new lights along the Railway Reserve between Beatson Road and St Vincent Street, making this popular cycleway and walkway safer and more convenient.

It’s about improving transport choices. I am proud that Nelson has the highest proportion of people in NZ commuting to work by bicycle. The Railway Reserve is one of our key cycleways but in winter it is too dark early morning and late afternoon for commuters. We should provide lighting for cyclists and walkers, just as we provide lighting on main roads for vehicles.

This $530,000 Council project has been completed on budget and ahead of schedule for which thanks are due to our Council transport team and contractor Powertech. We have also secured the funding to extend this lighting along the Railway Reserve from Beatson Road past Annesbrook and Stoke to Bunnings. This 5km section will be completed over the next year.

This lighting does not just improve Nelson for cyclists. I’m struggling to find daylight hours for my training for the New York City Marathon and loved being able to train along this route at 8pm over the weekend with the new lighting. It also means there are more hours when Nelsonians can take their dog or themselves for a walk.

We have a great network of walkways and cycleways. My children, home for a midyear break from Otago Uni, commented over the weekend that they missed Nelson’s pathways as much as our sunshine. Lighting is just one of many improvements we need to continue to make to this network to ensure we stay the most active and healthy city in NZ.

Nelson’s biking reputation has been further enhanced this week with the securing of the 2024 and 2025 Enduro MTB National Championships, which attract hundreds of visitors to the region. Big thanks to the Nelson Mountain Bike Club and Cable Bay Adventure Park. This great event helps showcase our Coppermine, Great Taste, Old Ghost Road and Heaphy trails, and the Kaiteriteri and Wairoa Gorge Mountain Bike Parks for visitors.

We are proudly making our city the biking capital of NZ.

Nelson Matters Nick Smith MAYOR OF NELSON

Out And About With Blair

Sport has always been a huge part of my life. I played and refereed rugby and football, as well as coaching and umpiring netball. In fact, my first ever trip to Nelson (I grew up in rural Canterbury) was as a 10-year-old footballer to play in the Jack McKnight 11th grade football tournament at Saxton Field. I know how important sport is for our local community and that’s why every week I can, I am out supporting our local sports clubs. All of the superstars we saw in action in the Super Rugby final last weekend started playing at a club level, and I can’t wait to see the next generation of local players killing it at a professional level like Leicester Fainga’anuku has been all year.