Recovery Newsletter July August 2013

July/August 2013 | Issue 9

NEWSLETTER WELCOME

ANGELA PYKE EDITOR

¡ Red Cross volunteer Kevin Alderton helps passenger Daphne Irvine out of a Cross Town Shuttle.

CROSS TOWN SHUTTLES CONNECTING THE COMMUNITY The earthquakes have made it more difficult for Daphne Irvine to get around Christchurch. The active Linwood resident uses public transport when possible, but with reduced bus services this is not always an option.

Cross community transport, which focuses on medical appointments.

As well as providing extra capacity in this area, the Cross Town Shuttle programme aims to relieve social isolation and encourage people to participate in recreational activities and community events.

With no bus stopping near her local hearing clinic, Mrs Irvine is grateful that she can now catch a Cross Town Shuttle to her appointments and enjoy the company of other passengers.

Other passengers have caught the shuttle to attend ‘Senior Chef Cooking Classes’ at Princess Margaret Hospital, including one elderly gentleman whose wife recently died.

She always cooked for them, so he is now learning to prepare meals for himself, so that he does not have to rely on his sons. At the end of a class the participants socialise and eat their newly prepared meal together.

“It’s a wonderful service. I have a new hearing aid which needs to be fitted and checked regularly for the first few weeks, so it’s very helpful to be able to catch the shuttle,” she says. “It’s bright and cheery and drops me right at the door.”

There are three Cross Town Shuttles on the road in Christchurch. They are part of the recovery community transport programme and are designed to expand on existing Red

Six-year-old Willow Connor and her mother Andrea Gorton have six weeks of rides booked so that Willow, who has cerebral palsy, can have casts put on her legs before the busy swimming season. Despite missing out on a school concert one afternoon

Welcome to the July/August edition of the New Zealand Red Cross recovery newsletter. We are pleased to introduce our new Cross Town Shuttles and to share more inspiring stories from recipients of the Christchurch Schoolchildren’s Grant and Winter Warmer Packs.

These and the many messages of thanks we have received reinforce that practical assistance is only one aspect of recovery projects. Just as important is the emotional impact of knowing that someone cares.

We will soon farewell our Recovery Programme Manager Jane Edgar.

We are grateful for the leadership and commitment she has shown to recovery staff, volunteers and the community since she joined the team last November. We wish Jane all the best for the new challenges ahead.

angela.pyke@redcross.org.nz

IN THIS ISSUE Cross Town Shuttles connecting the community Outdoor experiences popular with grant recipients Winter Warmer Packs bring warmth and smiles

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NEW ZEALAND RED CROSS JANE EDGAR – RECOVERY PROGRAMME MANAGER

JANE EDGAR RECOVERY PROGRAMME MANAGER

Over the winter months we have paused a little to do a “health check” on our direction, to ensure projects and grants are grounded in strong recovery principles and to ensure we are fully nurturing and maximising our partnership opportunities with others living and working in recovery.

With the 2013 Winter Warmer Pack project all wrapped up we acknowledge the massive contribution of over 100 different community groups and agencies who were involved in referring

recipients and distributing thousands of the 8250 packs given out. These partnerships boosted community engagement, revved-up voluntary spirit and delivered a message to affected people – that they are still very much in our thoughts.

With the first flush of daffodils covering Hagley Park we move forward with confidence knowing that our Christchurch Schoolchildren’s Grant, allocated $9.3 million, is supporting our young people to learn, grow and move forward. It is a model based on partnership with 179 schools and was born out of collaboration – 100 per cent buy-in from individuals, agencies and schools.

Our recovery community transport project – the Cross Town Shuttle – is ramping up and our partnerships will enable us to reach those who most

need to be connected to medical services and leisure activities.

Strengthening our partnerships extends the reach of what we do, ensures our money goes further and helps us reach those most in need.

The recovery journey is a complex one and needs many creative heads to listen and share solutions. I would like to extend my thanks to the many partners who have generously given their time and support to Red Cross recovery programmes. It is through working together that we continue to create exciting opportunities for the future.

Jane Edgar

GUEST COLUMN just listening and asking if there was anything they needed. Good job Cantabrians!

KATE BRADY RECOVERY MANAGER AUSTRALIAN RED CROSS

When I visited Christchurch in early August I was impressed with how much energy there seemed to be in the city, and how many people were out and about enjoying the things that they were doing.

What really stood out was how people in coffee shops and out in the street were practising what professionals would call ‘Psychological First Aid’. Rather than jumping to solutions or suggestions when someone was telling them about a partner losing a job or a child being upset, people were

The city has certainly changed since I was last there last year – not just the buildings, but also the mood. People appear to be a lot more settled into an unsettled routine. Things like road works and changing road routes seem to be things that people are taking in their stride. At the same time, there are a lot more comments about how many of the city’s landmarks are now gone. While there are a lot of great things happening in Christchurch, particularly on the social front, there is still a way to go.

The key recommendations I would give to people would be: Look after yourself, spend time with people that make you feel good, do things that you enjoy, and try to fit in some exercise and relaxation. It is normal to be very tired at this point, so the

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things that are good for us can just seem like too much effort, but they are so important. It’s not uncommon for people to get physically ill after they have been going through recovery for a few years, so it’s important to prioritise our wellbeing. The All Right? campaign conveys this message very well.

One of the strengths that organisations like Red Cross can bring to disaster recovery is the access to learning from around the world. We are in a unique position where we work at all levels from local communities through to international forums. We are able to discuss issues with our colleagues from around the world who have a wide range of experiences. At the same time, we can help the rest of the world learn from what is happening in Christchurch.

Keep up the good work Canterbury and best wishes from across the ditch!

RECOVERY NEWSLETTER JULY/AUGUST 2013 continued from page one

because of a hospital appointment, Willow says she “still had fun” and found the Cross Town Shuttle exciting.

She particularly liked “the cool drink holders” on the child’s seat.

The Cross Town Shuttle also takes passengers to shopping centres, supermarkets, fitness and rehabilitation classes, and will transport groups to

¡ A Cross Town Shuttle.

‘Have a Go’ dance classes at the upcoming Body Festival.

The shuttles are driven by trained Red Cross volunteers. The door-todoor service operates on a ‘book-aride’ system, with partner agencies and outreach volunteers referring passengers who have limited mobility options.

GRANTS

OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES POPULAR WITH GRANT RECIPIENTS Broadfield is one of a number of schools that have used their Christchurch Schoolchildren’s Grant to enjoy the outdoors this winter.

The school used part of its $5,340 grant to fund a day-long bus trip for the whole school to the Kaituna Valley and Selwyn Huts.

Broadfield School principal Mike Molloy says the trip lifted the children’s spirits.

“There was great excitement leading up to the trip. On the day, all students attempted to walk the various stages of the Kaituna Valley walk, where they learnt about local Maori landmarks that our classes are named after,” he says.

“We still have children who are anxious sleeping and will not enter

¡ Broadfield School students learning about their school’s connection to the local area.

parts of their house on their own.

Days out like this help the children to leave their worries behind for a while. Our senior students showed great leadership and care to the younger ones and all students now have a better understanding of the school’s connection to the area.”

The school also used the grant to have artist Simon Rutherford in residence for two weeks to teach students how to weave and to host a Matariki Day celebration which included an early morning breakfast and a hangi lunch.

“Each event was a wonderful celebration and not only enjoyed by the students, but by parents, caregivers and guests,” says Mr Molloy.

Trips to Hanmer Springs have been another popular use of grant funding by primary and intermediate schools, as have camps and skiing trips. Secondary schools have also used grant funding for camps, field trips and sports days as well as Kapa Haka and Pasifika events, dances and concerts.

CHRISTCHURCH SCHOOLCHILDREN’S GRANT

9.3

$

million allocated

by The New Zealand Red Cross 2011 Earthquake Commission

179

applications approved

61,000+ young people in greater Christchurch to benefit

1.1

$

million for counselling and psychosocial support

2

$

million for individual hardship

1.38

$

million for encouraging coping and resilience

1.82

$

million for wellbeing-focused initiatives

297K

$

for supporting new entrants and school leavers

283K

$

for other initiatives

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NEW ZEALAND RED CROSS RECOVERY NEWSLETTER JULY/AUGUST 2013 PROGRAMMES

STAFF PROFILE

ANNEMARIE REYNOLDS Anne-Marie is the Recovery Volunteer Programmes Team Leader.

¡ Sokneng Rik, 10, tries on the beanie as her grandmother Morley Chum (right) and Red Cross volunteer Yanni Tromp (left) look through the Winter Warmer Pack.

WINTER WARMER PACK BRINGS WARMTH AND SMILES Grandmother Morley Chum is enjoying feeling warmer this winter, thanks to her Red Cross Winter Warmer Pack.

Mrs Chum and her family moved from Kampong Spue in Cambodia to New Zealand in 2000. Sadly, her husband died from a heart attack in 2006, which meant she was living alone in her Lincoln home at the time of the February 2011 earthquake.

“I was very scared as I was by myself,” she says. “I cried and ran to my friend’s house so I wasn’t alone.”

Mrs Chum’s home was too damaged to continue living in, so she moved to Hoon Hay to live with her daughter’s family. She feels much safer now and her granddaughters enjoy having their grandma around more.

“I like the blanket, it’s very warm. It’s cold here sometimes. The gloves and socks are also very good.”

Meanwhile, her granddaughters are enjoying eating the marshmallows and playing the Yahtzee game that came in the Winter Warmer Pack.

Mrs Chum’s youngest granddaughter Sokneng, 10, has taken a liking to the beanie.

This year 8,250 Red Cross Winter Warmer Packs were distributed to members of the community in greatest need. Last year 4,500 were given out. The packs were made up and distributed by volunteers from Red Cross and partner agencies.

Anne-Marie is responsible for the on-going development of the Red Cross recovery volunteer programmes. This involves managing the volunteers who support the delivery of programmes to Canterbury residents affected by the earthquakes.

Before this Anne-Marie was the Area Manager for Refugee Services, a role she held for 21 years. For the last two years she was also the National Volunteer programme manager and has spent 10 years as a volunteer herself.

“I value the concept of volunteering and I am committed to ensuring that volunteers enjoy their experience with New Zealand Red Cross,” she says. “I believe this is achieved by maintaining good recruitment practices and providing excellent training, supervision and support.”

REMINDER! We have grants available to assist people in greater Christchurch with moving house and storing their belongings.

For eligibility or more information go to www.redcross.org.nz and click on Canterbury.

However, the house gets very cold in winter. Mrs Chum is grateful for her Winter Warmer Pack, particularly the large blanket and the draught stopper.

NATIONAL OFFICE

KEY STATISTICS $

89

million distributed in grants

109,857 3,727 5,164 grants recipients

outreach visits

door knocks

12,750 winter warmer packs distributed

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PO Box 12140, Wellington 69 Molesworth Street, Thorndon, Wellington 6144 Phone 04 471 8250 Email national@redcross.org.nz Website www.redcross.org.nz