Waimea Weekly
Affordable Funerals and Cremations We can provide every service and option, and leave you with memories of a lifetime of love. 03 544 4400 • www.wrfs.co.nz
Locally Owned and Operated
Page 20 - 22
Wednesday 12 April 2017
Top apprentices Page 8
toP of the south
sPeedWay
easter extravaganza
Tasman in the medals
this Weekend
Page 27
Arson victims overwhelmed by support Simon Bloomberg Reporter
simon@waimeaweekly.co.nz
PC Systems officer manager Sally Cadigan says “Richmond is awesome” after their neighbouring businesses came to the rescue following Friday’s devastating arson attack on their offices on McGlashen Ave. The fire, allegedly lit in a skip bin next to the building by two youths late on Friday night, caused extensive damage to PC Systems office as well as destroying an estimated $250,000 worth of stock. All the stock in next door’s Rowan Dron Electrical was also damaged although fortunately no one was injured in the blaze that started just after 11pm. Police apprehended the youths, aged nine and 13, as they were allegedly trying to set fire to a bus in the nearby Nelson Coachlines depot, after receiving a 111 call from two freedom campers in Petrie Carpark. The 13-year-old has been charged with arson and will appear in the Nelson Youth Court on Wednesday. Although PC Systems lost everything in the blaze, it was business as usual for the company on Monday after staff and neighbouring Richmond businesses rallied around to help. PC Systems was able to find a temporary premises just 30m away after quick work by a real estate agent over the weekend allowing them
PC Systems staff, back row from left, Andrea Highet, Sally Cadigan, Nigel Curtis, Mike Terry, Gary Hucker and Bryan Hackett with, front row from left, Wayne Sellars of The Sign Crew, Sinful’s Lisa Buchanan, Justin Sellers of The Sign Crew, Richmond OPD’s Greg Monk and PC System’s Neil Albury at PC System’s temporary office in Petrie Carpark on Tuesday. Photo: Simon Bloomberg. to open up on Monday. Staff brought all their own laptops to work to get things upand-running while Sinful Coffee owner Lisa Buchanan provided a free lunch for everyone at PC Systems and Rowan Dron Electrical. Richmond Office Products provided a “loner desk” for PC Systems reception, Orange Dog printed free job cards, Pacific Net provided afterhours access for setting up their servers and An-
freeview
drew Healy Signs came out on Sunday to arrange new signage for their temporary offices. “Richmond is awesome,” Sally says. “We’ve had so many offers of help.” “We had the keys to the temporary office half an hour after we called the real estate agent about a leasing the building and our phone people were here working over the weekend. Sinful turned up with lunch on Monday and
OPD arrived with a desk and pens. We’ve had so many offers of help with moving and our customers have been amazing. It’s been very, very cool.” PC Systems co-owner Neil Albury says the amount of support from the business community has been “overwhelming”. Although he estimates they lost $250,000 of equipment in the blaze, he says their business is a “cloud based” computer company that could
continue operating. Neil is also surprisingly philosophical about the arson attack saying “I’m not dwelling on that”. He also wants to thank the two freedom campers who called emergency services and then valiantly tried to put out the fire using plastic bags of water to douse the flames. Richmond Volunteer Fire Brigade
SEE PAGE 2
Motor Homes & Caravans
• Televisions • Satellite Dishes • Satellite Receivers • Installation • Service
FAVSAT SATELLITE & AUDIO SYSTEMS
Additional copies $1
Ph: 0274 376 019 A/H: 544 8867 www.free2view.co.nz 100% locally owned and operated
Don Clementson Qualified Electronics Technician
www.nelsonlive.co.nz