new zealand red cross
Issue 4/2012 In this issue: a community crusader queens honours arms trade treaty
wardrobe challenge a winner
Message from Penny It never ceases to amaze me that so much goes on in the every day life of Red Cross. The frequency with which Link is now produced and the many stories we read is testament to the fact that all around the country Red Cross people are busy every day of the year.
¡ Becca Gaunt receiving her $400 Country Road Gift Card from South Island regional retail manager Jill Lyne.
Canterbury University student Becca Gaunt will be a little warmer this winter after winning New Zealand Red Cross’ wardrobe challenge. When presented with a $400 Country Road gift card at the Church Corner Red Cross shop in Christchurch, Becca could not stop smiling. The challenge asked people to visit a new destination to mark World Red Cross Red Crescent Day, and help make their dollar go further. Upon heading to their local Red Cross store, participants selected an outfit for under $50 and posted the photo to New Zealand Red Cross’ Facebook page. The picture with the most “likes” would win.
Becca, whose photo received 803 likes, said that she sat back and watched the votes roll in. The challenge had 18,000 unique views on Red Cross’ Facebook page, and almost 2,000 likes on the competition photos. Every dollar spent at a Red Cross shop supports the National Society’s work with vulnerable people.
Recently I have visited many members in Bay of Plenty, Waikato, Otago, and Southland. Quite a contrast in climate as I moved from the warmer temperatures of Tauranga down to Gore where the day was somewhat grey and cold for this Hawke’s Bay resident! I am not hardened like our southern colleagues! It has been a great pleasure to talk to, listen to concerns, and to present awards to many members and I look forward to many more occasions as I try to meet with members up and down the country. It is not only the amount of activity we see – it is the huge variety of things Red Cross do, ranging from singing, to disaster response, and training of aid workers to work in places in the world that the ordinary person would not dream of visiting. While in Dunedin I heard the Red Cross choir practising for a concert to celebrate their 70th anniversary, but also heard about the heroic experience of one of our delegates who was once taken hostage when working in Africa. We are indeed an organisation of enormous diversity.
¡ Becca Gaunt’s winning entry.
Penny Mason
National President
make nuclear weapons the target
red cross volunteer recognised as a community crusader
New Zealand Red Cross is reigniting the debate for a ban on the use of nuclear weapons, educating a new generation on the issue and asking our government to continue to be a global leader. Kicking off the campaign is an essay competition for tertiary students, which opened on 8 June and closes 27 July. It has been 25 years since New Zealand’s anti-nuclear policy which declares New Zealand and its territorial waters a nuclear-free zone, was enshrined in law. The anti-nuclear debate has fizzled out in recent years, but the issue has not gone away with experts suggesting nuclear weapons are an even bigger threat today.
¡ Community Crusader Robbie Drew.
“The debate about nuclear weapons is ultimately about human beings,” New Zealand Red Cross Advocacy and Policy Manager Gabby Emery says.
Red Cross volunteer Robbie Drew has become a More FM Community Crusader selected in recognition of his volunteering efforts.
“There are still at least 20,000 nuclear weapons in the world. They have a combined destructive force equivalent to approximately 150,000 Hiroshima bombs. Around 3,000 of them are maintained on launch-ready alert at all times.”
In addition to volunteering at Burwood hospital each week at the 304 club for elderly and those with disabilities, Robbie works tirelessly as part of Red Cross’ volunteer team supporting the earthquake recovery. He is a part of the outreach team who offer a listening ear, comfort and encouragement to the community.
With $1,000 first prize up for grabs, the essay competition, run in conjunction with the International Committee of the Red Cross, asks New Zealand tertiary students to write up to 2,000 words on ‘Why do we need an international treaty to ban nuclear weapons?’
“Robbie has an enormous heart, is compassionate and leaves smiles behind everywhere he goes” states Jolie Wills, Outreach and Community Advisor – Recovery. Jolie nominated
car seat for transport van
Robbie after learning that More FM wanted to acknowledge the heroes within their community. “Robbie bounces into our Red Cross office each morning bringing cheer, helping everybody in any way possible, lifting us all up to carry on the work we are doing. He is our office angel.” Being named as a More FM Community Crusader meant that Robbie was invited to a Crusaders training session in the week prior to the home match, a double pass to the game, a 2012 official Crusaders rugby jersey and his photo and details on why he is a hero in the community displayed on the big screen during the home game.
internal challenge Did you know we have a facebook page and twitter account dedicated to telling your stories to the public? We are putting out a challenge to get Red Cross people to like our facebook page, follow our tweets and get one friend to like us as well! Will you? FIND US ON FACEBOOK:
facebook.com/newzealandredcross FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: ¡ Jenny Strawbridge, president of the Central Hawkes Bay Branch accepts a child’s car seat donated by Plunket. The seat will get plenty of use in the Hawkes Bay community transport van.
KEY DATES JUly
ORLD POPULATION DAY 11 W
ORLD NATURE 28 W CONSERVATION DAY
twitter.com/nzredcross
NTERNATIONAL DAY 30 IOF FRIENDSHIP
political update
who am i? Do you want to nominate someone you think we should all know about? Please send us a picture and a contact number so we can show them off around the New Zealand Red Cross. Email us at communications@redcross.org.nz. Who am I?
The past month saw the delivery of the 2012 Budget, which attempts to bring the country to surplus by 2014/2015 while tackling largescale, intergenerational social issues. Budget 2012 sought to engage in new spending only through its offset by new revenue generation (limiting available tax credits) and savings in other portfolios, particularly decreased spending in the public sector. New spending initiatives have centred on the creation of funds which seek to place ownership of social issues and their solutions in the hands of the community. New Zealand’s position within the international community has seen a significant shift towards Asian nations over the traditional European relationships. Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade restructuring plan saw a closure of some diplomatic postings across Europe and an expansion of representation throughout Southeast Asia and China. Minister McCully announced that the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) Provincial Reconstruction Team will be withdrawn from its Afghanistan mission in 2013. NZDF personnel were deployed for the UN mission of conflict resolution to Syria. Following these decisions New Zealand formalised its existing relationship with NATO in a nonbinding agreement. This only further demonstrates New Zealand’s developing relationship with the United States as well as our current campaign bid for a Security Council seat in 2015. The legislative progress of the Immigration Amendment Bill has been met with some criticism by those working in the sector. The measures that seek to deter people-smuggling into the country include provisions which enable the detention of mass arrival groups and places limitation on legal avenues for appeal and judicial review. New Zealand Red Cross also made a submission on this Bill.
Who am I? Graeme Faulkner, Tasman Area Manager.
Charlotte Joblin, Corporate and Trust Fundraising Assistant. How long have you been with Red Cross?
How long have you been with Red Cross?
I am currently in my fourth week.
In this role, just a month. The new kid on the block.
What do you do? My job involves a lot of data correlation and background research. I sort out records and develop broad overviews of our current sponsors creating a risk analysis.
What do you do?
What is your favourite rainy day activity?
Reading – books, magazines, the newspaper, anything.
Curling up inside in the warmth with a good book. Why New Zealand Red Cross? New Zealand Red Cross is renowned nationally and internationally for the great work they do, it is a privilege to be a part of it. Biggest Indulgence? A big glass of “sav” at the end of the day.
To sum it up, overall supervision of the Tasman Area branches. What is your favourite rainy day activity?
Why New Zealand Red Cross? I have been involved with New Zealand Red Cross in emergency management all of my life. When this position came up it was the next step. Biggest Indulgence? I wouldn’t say I really indulge, but I do love relaxing at home particularly getting into some gardening.
logistics training plan (Logistics 2015) and outlined the purpose and responsibilities of the Regional Logistics Unit in Kuala Lumpur, through which New Zealand Red Cross replenishes much of its prepositioned stock.
To strengthen the ability of New Zealand Red Cross to respond in times of disaster sixteen staff, volunteers and aid workers undertook a two day logistics and warehouse management training programme during April 2012. The training provided an update on the Federation logistics five-year strategic
KEY DATES AUGUST
The training covered good warehouse management, which was timely as late last year New Zealand Red Cross took over management of its Auckland warehouse. Best practice when receiving and dispatching goods was also discussed and clarified through practical exercises. The course was run by Jeremy Francis, an aid worker currently on mission as the Regional Logistics Coordinator in the Kuala Lumpur Regional Logistics Unit.
NTERNATIONAL DAY 9 IOF THE WORLD’S
INDIGENOUS PEOPLE
NTERNATIONAL 12 IYOUTH DAY
cliffdale rescue competition
¡ “The initiative test”. Teams were required to transport the entire team plus equipment across an imaginary toxic stream.
¡ The team that achieved second place. From left to right: Back Row – Steffan Rolfe, Alistair Fagg-Banfield, Julian Tavener, Kees de Jager, Paul Davenport (Kilo) way in the back, Lisa Clarke and Odius Ruegg. Front Row – Corwin Ruegg and Matt Swailes.
The 2012 Cliffdale rescue competition was held in Christchurch on Saturday 12 May. This annual event for Canterbury region based response teams saw seven teams complete for the prestigious ‘Cliff Dale Trophy’. Christchurch disaster welfare support team entered a team and came second. A fantastic effort as this was the first time a placing in the top three has been achieved in over 10 years. From 8.30am till 4.30pm the teams were tested on a number of skill
sets including reconnaissance, first aid, triage, welfare centre set up, ladders, lowers, radio/GPS plus an initiative test.
¡ Lisa Clarke calms down an “evacuee in shock” at the welfare centre set up exercise.
Tanya Jenkins a New Zealand Red Cross emergency management trainer was one of the umpires on the day. She was impressed by the high standard of skills displayed by all the teams which reiterated what an achievement second place was. As a bonus New Zealand Red Cross’ team was voted the most friendly by the 20 volunteer casualties.
¡ Anxious wait for results after a hard and tiring day.
the history of new zealand red cross Did you know that between 1941 and 1946 New Zealand Red Cross’ sent nearly 6,000 tonnes of food and 55 million cigarettes to ¡ Margaret Tennant. captured or hospitalised soldiers? Neither did Margaret Tennant until she took on the daunting, but rewarding task of writing the history of New Zealand Red Cross. Margaret is a retired Massey University professor whom for a number of years, had been working on a history of the voluntary sector in New Zealand.
ORLD HUMANITARIAN DAY 19 W
Throughout this time Red Cross came up in a number of contexts and after meeting with New Zealand Red Cross President Penny Mason and Chief Executive John Ware she began to research the wider New Zealand Red Cross history. Margaret admits the project has its challenges including the quantity of material to handle, the balancing of local, national and international perspectives as well as telling a good story, while continuing to record the fundamental details of the organisation’s history.
centres, it’s simply not going to be possible to cover all of them in this particular book.” “One thing I really love about the research is its variety. One day I’ll be reading about local volunteers knitting socks for soldiers and jerseys for refugee children and the next I’m delving into the complexities of New Zealand’s relationship with the Geneva Conventions and International Humanitarian Law.”
Margaret hopes that her work will prompt other local historians to add their contribution to the historical record. “At various stages there were more than 500 branches in 30-plus
Overall, Margaret feels a certain responsibility in this project. “Many people identify closely with Red Cross and will have their own views on what is important about its history. I’ll need to bring all my historical training to bear on telling the story in an interesting yet scholarly way.”
NTERNATIONAL DAY FOR THE 23 IREMEMBRANCE OF THE SLAVE TRADE
NTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST 29 INUCLEAR TESTS
AND ITS ABOLITION
queens honours Tanya Jenkins and Judy Finn, two fantastic New Zealand Red Cross personnel have been honoured with Queen Service Medals.
Tanya is the emergency management trainer in our Christchurch office. Here she assists 19 response teams providing them with training modules while also assisting South Island emergency management officer Steve Manson. On top of this Tanya describes herself as an “environmental addict” as she cannot get home quick enough to begin planting trees or saving birds. This commitment to conservation is what Tanya received her Queen Service Medal for. Tanya has been actively involved in volunteering in conservation for
over 30 years. She founded Marine Watch New Zealand, New Zealand Association for Environmental Education (NZAEE), a yearly welcome of the Siberian Godwit to Christchurch and Sea Week. Tanya’s passion for the environment saw her put the hard yards into each of the above projects that are now common place in schools and other environmental groups. She spent 10 years taking a caravan from school to school educating on the environment before she began NZAEE and ensured environmental issues were part of all school curriculums, even writing it herself. Tanya’s motto for conservation is “awareness and education will result in people wanting to protect”. When asked about receiving the award she stated, “I was just so excited, so honoured and gobsmacked, overwhelmed and all round stoked”. “You don’t do the things that I do to get recognitions. It’s so great to know that what you are doing is being noticed”. Judy strongly believes “you only get out what you put in”. She has used
palmerston north red cross book fair
this motto to get involved in as many community organisations as possible. Judy has been the secretary of the Te Aroha Red Cross branch for the last 18 years and is described by Area Manager Sue O’Donnell as “a very special lady that always has a smile on her face”. Judy received her Queen Service Medal for services to the community. She has been actively involved in Te Aroha since moving there in 1957. She quickly became involved in the Parent Teachers Association, Red Cross, Piako Arts Council, Piako Community Orchestra, St Marks Anglican Church and has now turned her focus to Te Aroha Senior Citizens. Judy considers Red Cross to be one of the most valuable organisations she belongs to and loves helping people out. She was surprised to receive the award, “I don’t think I do anything more than anyone else but I am honoured to have received it”. arms trade treaty
Once again the Palmerston North Red Cross Book Fair was a great success, this year earning more than $90,000.
Every year thousands of civilians are displaced, injured or killed due to the misuse of weapons.
The local army, as well as an army of volunteers, helped make the day a success.
New Zealand Red Cross along with Amnesty International and Oxfam New Zealand co-hosted an event on 13 June. The three organisations worked together to raise awareness and advocate for an Arms Trade Treaty both globally and locally.
The public were out in full force with some lining up from 6.30am, even though doors did not open until 10am.
¡ Volunteer Pauline with the Army volunteers. Photo taken by Kandace Humphries.
The event on 13 June was a discussion on the upcoming Arms Trade Treaty negotiations with a panel of experts.
¡ Above Left: locals searching for a bargain; Above Right: Red Cross volunteers enjoying the book fair; Below: the book fair before the crowds descended. Photos taken by Negar Kharaee.
This stance is not new to the International Committee of the Red Cross who have been calling for stricter regulations since the late 1990s. This July, the UN General Assembly will convene a conference on the Arms Trade Treaty with the aim of producing a legally binding treaty to regulate the transfers of arms and small weapons.
NEW ZEALAND RED CROSS LINK
otago
area round-up
The Otago area would like to announce the appointment of Niall Shepard QSM as the Area Chair in Otago.
te aroha
Niall brings a great deal of Red Cross experience to his new role. At a local level he has been involved with the Dunedin response team as team controller and a member of the Dunedin Red Cross branch.
¡ Niall Shepard with outgoing Chair Jim Wilson
At an international level, Niall has served Red Cross as an international aid worker for New Zealand Red Cross on several missions and as a member of the New Zealand Red Cross IT and telecommunications response unit.
¡ President Penny Mason and 2011 volunteer of the year Alan Byers. Photo courtesy of the Piako Post.
President Penny Mason officially awarded Alan Byers with his volunteer of the year award earlier this year. In the Piako Post a rural Waikato newspaper, President Penny Mason described Alan Byers and his wife Grace as ‘quite the couple’ which Te Aroha are extremely lucky to have. Alan has spent over 20 years dedicating his free time to helping those in need in his community get to where they need to go. He is a volunteer driver and coordinator of the Te Aroha Red Cross community service van. He manages and trains volunteers and drives locals to and from their hospital appointments. It is a job he loves. “I enjoy helping people and you get to meet a lot of nice people.” Alan spends about 30 hours a week driving people to and from the Waikato and Thames hospitals for their appointments.
The Eastbourne Red Cross branch would like to acknowledge the passing of New Zealand Red Cross Life Member Louise Ryan. Louise joined the Eastbourne Red Cross branch in 1990 where she was the treasurer for 20 years, a local coordinator of the annual Red Cross collection as well as a convener for meals on wheels. She was awarded a Red Cross service award in 1999 and made an Honorary Life Member in 2008. President of the Eastbourne branch Margaret Rankine worked alongside Louise for many years. “She was a treasure in our community.”
waikato
napier
Waikato had its first ever Get Ready, Get Thru expo at the end of April this year.
The Napier Red Cross knitting group is going strong, with between 30 and 40 members knitting garments to sell at a stall in the Taradale shopping centre.
It was presented by Waikato valley emergency with more than 10,000 people attending. New Zealand Red Cross had a stall set up and it was their job to engage with the Waikato valley community and share the message, ‘Get Ready, Get Thru’.
christchurch
The stall has been a fantastic earner, last year it raised $10,000 and their latest stall this year brought in just over $2,000. ¡ Photograph by Warren Buckland Hawkes Bay Today.
The group really has been busy, with local paper the Napier Courier writing an article on them earlier this year asking for more donations of wool to keep up with the demand. National Office PO Box 12-140, Wellington 69 Molesworth Street, Thorndon Wellington
Alan told the Piako Post that his award was “very nice, but it wasn’t expected”. Despite his many years volunteering Alan has no intention of slowing down. Adamant he will continue to be a driver and help out for as long as he can whenever and wherever needed.
eastbourne
This edition written by Olivia Cramond.
Here is a great photo of Christchurch’s Church Corner Red Cross shop during the snow fall in Christchurch in June.
Phone: 04 471 8250 Fax: 04 471 8251 Email: national@redcross.org.nz www.redcross.org.nz