Issue 2 – Summer 2016

RED Good people doing good things

Red Cross Disaster Welfare and Support Team member Lyn delivers supplies in Kaikoura.

When a severe earthquake destroyed homes and blocked roads, Red Cross was there to help. We’re continuing to support affected communities as they begin their recovery journey.

Even before the earth stopped shaking, it was clear this was a big one. The 7.8 magnitude earthquake that hit central New Zealand in the early hours of 14 November was one of the strongest earthquakes ever felt in New Zealand, sending shockwaves right across the country.

Red Cross’ Disaster Welfare and Support Teams (DWST) were quickly deployed to the worst-hit areas in Marlborough and Kaikoura. Here, the quake and its aftershocks blocked roads, destroyed buildings and ripped apart the land.

One of the teams’ first tasks was setting up temporary centres for people unable to return to damaged homes.

The centres not only offered

people a safe place to sleep, they also provided access to food and water, information and emotional support, Red Cross Disaster Management Officer Stephen Manson said.

“People need food, water and a bed, but just as important is having someone there for a bit of support. Not knowing if you’ll have a home to go back to, or when an aftershock will hit, can be extremely stressful, but sometimes a friendly chat can help.”

Red Cross volunteers also helped Civil Defence and the New Zealand Army evacuate tourists stranded in Kaikoura after the quake. About 1,000 tourists were flown to Christchurch by helicopter, where they were met by Red Cross volunteers.

November Earthquake Response

RED Good people doing good things

The physical damage caused by the earthquake is easy to see. Less visible, but just as powerful, are the psychological impacts of the quake.

Red Cross Kaikoura branch president Lorraine Diver and other local members spent long hours putting together food parcels, bottled water and essential supplies to deliver to people throughout the district.

With roads damaged and supplies running short in the town, the parcels were a helping hand for families like Shannen, Justin and their toddler, Zaiden, after the quake.

Red Cross dropped into the family’s rural home near Kaikoura to deliver a care parcel and check they were OK. Shannen told team members she had been afraid to go into the house – even though it was declared safe – so they had

spent several nights sleeping in the car.

“It’s just nice to see a friendly face,” she said. “I’ve been a bit scared for Zaiden and I have no family on the South Island. And this food will definitely help. He loves fruit!”

Some people are still too afraid to sleep in their homes. Others no longer have a home. Many have lived through the Christchurch earthquakes, and many more are worried about their future, with tourists shut out of the town.

Since the quake, Red Cross have been door-to-door on outreach visits throughout Marlborough and Kaikoura. DWST members, trained in psychological first aid, call in to see how people are doing and provide information about extra support available.

Blenheim team member Tony Fenemor, working in

Marlborough only a few days after the quake, said he saw a lot of traumatised people.

“People were saying the night of the quake they were wondering when it was going to end.”

The main thing is we are making contact with people and letting them know they’re not

on their own.

With sewerage and plumbing systems seriously damaged in the quake, Red Cross also deployed a water, sanitation and hygiene engineer to Kaikoura to support public health efforts.

Fresh food and a friendly face

November Earthquake Response

— Tony Fenemor

On the road to recovery As communities now attempt to find a new normal, Red Cross is looking at long-term recovery programmes in the region.

Red Cross will adapt lessons learnt after the Christchurch earthquake to support Kaikoura and Marlborough going forward, Secretary General Tony Paine says.

“Recovery is a marathon, not a sprint. We know the earthquake’s impact on people’s wellbeing and the region’s economy will continue to be felt for a long time.

“We will work closely with local community agencies and the local iwi in the affected regions to find ways to best support people.”

Being prepared for a disaster or an emergency will help you and your family make it through.

• Make a household plan. Have enough emergency supplies, including food, water and essential medication, to last at least three days. Don’t forget about food for your pets!

• Learn first aid. After a disaster, emergency services may be stretched. Knowing what to do could save a loved one’s life.

• Download Red Cross’ First Aid and Hazard Apps for up-to-date and useful information direct on your mobile phone.

• Meet your neighbours and connect with your community, so you are better able to share resources and skills in an emergency.

• Consider joining your local Disaster Welfare and Support Team. Use your skills to help others during disasters and emergencies. Find out more at redcross.org.nz/get-involved.

Donate to Red Cross’ November 2016 Earthquake Appeal at redcross.org.nz/donate. 100 per cent of donations goes towards the response and recovery efforts in affected communities.

Red Cross International and National Disaster Manager Andrew prepares his getaway kit.

RED Good people doing good things

As war raged across Europe, Red Cross welcomed a group of Polish children to New Zealand. Today New Zealand Red Cross continues to support new Kiwis as they rebuild their lives in Aotearoa.

It’s late 1944 and the USS General Randall has just arrived in Wellington harbour. The American ship usually transports soldiers, but today it has brought something very special: 733 children.

The children are all refugees from Poland, escaping the horrors of World War II. Many of the children have lost family during the war, so 102 adult caregivers travelled with them aboard the ship.

(1/2-003661-F), John Dobree Pascoe Collection, Alexander Turnbull Library, W

ellington

Polish children arrive at Pahiatua in 1944.

Krystine Tomaszyk, who arrived from Poland as a child.

As the ship begins to unload, the children wave over the side of the ship. Waiting below are Red Cross nurses, carrying food and treats for the children.

This was the first refugee resettlement programme New Zealand Red Cross participated in. In November 1944, the nurses welcomed the children to Wellington and helped them board the train to Pahiatua, where they would live for the next few years.

Krystine Tomaszyk was one of the children who arrived on the USS General Randall. Still living in Wellington, she remembers the long journey to New Zealand more than seventy years ago.

“When we travelled on the ship, it was wartime – it was dangerous,” she says.

“The main thing that stood out were Red Cross people, because of the uniforms. It was the Red Cross who brought us drinks – the milk came in little bottles at that time and every child got a little bottle of milk with a straw.”

Once they arrived in Pahiatua, the children were given Red Cross clothing parcels and messages were passed on to family back home.

The children would stay in the camp, known as “Little Poland” by locals, until 1949. After peace was declared in Europe, Krystine and many of her friends remained in New Zealand.

“The war ended and we couldn’t go back to Poland

because Poland was left behind the Iron Curtain and so we stayed on,” she explains.

We were very lucky because New Zealand

was a very friendly place. You have

wonderful people, very accepting

people. They took us in, they treated us as people and they

gave us tremendous opportunities.

Seven decades later, war is still forcing children and families to seek safety across the sea. So far, more than 4.5 million people have fled the conflict in Syria, while millions more are escaping from violence in other parts of the world. Red Cross continues to support new Kiwis as they resettle in Aotearoa.

Mohamad Eid Morad and his family fled their home near Damascus three years ago. He arrived in New Zealand with his wife Imane, the couple’s two children and Mohamad’s mother Gazala in March.

Oldest son Diaa is a keen scientist and wants to study medicine, while younger brother Ahmed is passionate about football and photography. In New Zealand, the boys have been able to continue their schooling and their hobbies in safety.

“The people in New Zealand are wonderful,” says Imane. “They like to help and are very nice. Red Cross welcomed us, helped us with the house and showed us how to enrol in school.”

Every year, Red Cross supports 1000 people as they rebuild their lives in New Zealand.

To find out more about volunteering, donating

goods or lending a hand, visit redcross.org.nz/refugee.

Mohamed Eid Morad (second from right) relaxes with his family at home in Wellington.

— Krystine Tomaszyk

RED Good people doing good things

“The Mediterranean is a river. You can cross it in a morning.”

“This rubber boat is safe. It will take you to Germany or Sweden.”

“You won’t need water or food.”

“You can fly to Europe from Libya without a passport or visa.”

These are the lies many people, seeking safety from war and extreme hardship, are told before they attempt to cross the Mediterranean.

Every year, thousands of people die as they seek refuge across the sea in overcrowded and unsafe boats. The Responder, a rescue boat operated by Red Cross and Migrant Offshore Aid Station, patrols the Mediterranean to save people at risk of drowning.

More than 2,000 people have been plucked from the sea by

the Responder since August and, among those rescued, misinformation is rife.

Humanitarians often talk about communications being aid. People need information to assess the risks and benefits of leaving home, the journey and possible reception at their destination. It’s clear people are dying because they lack the right information.

And there’s another information gap, among people in countries where the newcomers hope to settle. The lack of information fuels rejection, xenophobia and fear.

What’s often missing in destination countries like New Zealand is an understanding of the refugee journey. For people fleeing conflict in Syria and other countries, there is no home any more. No peace. Many others face a daily struggle for food, water, an education, a job, a future.

Kiwi aid worker Rosemarie North has spent three weeks on the Responder, the rescue ship saving people in the Mediterranean. She explains how we can all make a difference for those seeking a safer life.

Rosemarie on board the Responder.

In their shoes we would probably do the same thing. We didn’t create the conditions of our own births. We won the lottery. We arrived to food, vaccinations, antibiotics, school and peace. If we’d been born a generation or two earlier, we could well have been the ones on the run, looking for safety and enough to eat.

No person or organisation alone has the power to bring about the peace, social justice and economic development that will remove the factors that force people to flee for their safety. But we can all play a part in making the welcome warmer when people come to New Zealand by safely challenging casual racism around us, volunteering to teach English in our neighbourhood, encouraging children to take an interest in the world, donating money to those who help or simply finding out more about the migration crisis.

‘Irregular migration’, as it’s sometimes known, is unlikely to stop any time soon. We need to work together to find solutions. And we particularly need ordinary, decent people to step up. We can’t let the haters win.

Rosemarie

Americas: Red Cross has reached more than 31,000 people with medical care, relief items, clean water and hygiene support since Hurricane Matthew struck Haiti in October.

Red Cross volunteers have been delivering relief to remote areas hit by the hurricane and working to prevent the spread of disease like cholera. Red Cross mobile medical clinics have also travelled to isolated villages, treating people without access to health services.

Europe: Red Cross psychological support experts are helping communities in central Italy after the country was rocked by a series of earthquakes in August and October. More than 40,000 people have been forced to leave their homes after the quakes, the strongest in 30 years.

Red Cross Visso branch president Giovanni Casoni says people are terrified.

“They don’t know what will happen next and many people can’t return home. This is why our psychosocial support volunteers are so important.”

Recent tremors have followed the major quake in August, which killed almost 300 people.

Pacific: Red Cross is helping communities prepare for the upcoming cyclone season, holding pre-disaster meetings and pre-positioning stocks across the region.

About eight to 10 tropical cyclones are expected this season, compared with 18 last season, with an elevated risk for Tonga, Papua New Guinea, Niue and the Solomon Islands.

Red Cross is still working with communities hit by Category 5 Cyclone Winston when it slammed into Fiji in February.

A Red Cross nurse performs a malaria test

on a child in Haiti.

RED Good people doing good things

A new collaboration between New Zealand Red Cross and Plunket is giving young babysitters the skills to act in an emergency.

The first people at an accident aren’t usually doctors. They’re neighbours, workmates, friends – or babysitters. New Zealand Red Cross has joined with Plunket to offer a one-day course giving teenagers essential skills for babysitting.

Sixteen students took part in a pilot at Bishop Viard College in Porirua recently. Red Cross delivered the first aid component of the course, focusing on first aid for children and infants.

The training taught teenagers how to respond to choking, poisons, wounds, allergic reactions, head injuries and concussion.

New Zealand Red Cross Training Coordinator Lesley Jacobson says the course is about sharing lifesaving skills.

“Accidents can happen anywhere. Knowing what to do when a child bumps their head or chokes on their lunch can mean the difference between life and death.

“This course will give babysitters the knowledge and confidence to act when an emergency happens and will help make our communities safer.”

Students Phoebe McClean, 14, and Alisha Stapp, 15, completed the pilot course and say the first aid skills they learnt will be useful.

“These are the skills that could save a person. We could stop children from choking,” Phoebe says.

The students practised their new skills by acting out realistic scenarios and trying techniques on manikins.

Plunket Education in Schools National Coordinator Maire Perrott says all babysitters should know how to respond in an emergency, and partnering with Red Cross for the course would help ensure this.

New Zealand Red Cross and Plunket are now looking to develop the course and launch it nationwide.

Thirteen-year-old Amy Campbell was first on the scene of a car crash. Luckily, she had recently completed a Red Cross first aid course, so she knew what to do.

She shares her story:

First on the scene

New Zealand Red Cross’ free People Savers course gives children basic first aid skills to help them act quickly and safely in emergencies – just like Amy did. Contact your local Red Cross to find out more.

It started when I left school early to go to the dentist. Suddenly, right in front of me, there was a massive collision.

I asked my Nana to stop.

“There will be other people trying to help,” she said, but I was feeling nervous and said: “No, there is no one there!”

We jumped out and checked our safety so we wouldn’t get hit by a car or cut by glass.

I grabbed my phone out and dialled 111. I told them: “There’s a man stuck in the car and there’s smoke coming out.”

I was feeling really scared at that time. I wondered if he would be all right, but I kept calm and carried on.

I was glad there was help on the way. I left the scene when the ambulance, police and fire truck arrived. When I got into the car I realised I was shaking.

Red Cross Training Coordinator Lesley quizzes young babysitters on their first aid knowledge.

Students practise their skills on manikins.

RED Good people doing good things

Volunteering in a Red Cross Shop has led to a full-time job for Christchurch mum Abbey Borland.

It’s a busy morning in New Zealand Red Cross’ Manchester Street shop. Customers are trying on outfits, volunteers are sorting donations and in the middle of it all, keeping a close eye on the operation, is shop coordinator Abbey Borland.

The Red Cross role is a dream job for Abbey. The Christchurch mum started volunteering in her local Rangiora Red Cross Shop four years ago, attracted by her love of second-hand shopping. Now, she works full-time as coordinator of one

of New Zealand Red Cross’ biggest shops, the Manchester Street superstore.

“I’ve been an op shopper since I was a teenager,” she says. “Working in the shop is quite exciting – you never know what’s going to come out of the bag next. It’s amazing what people give away.”

After studying, Abbey spent time raising her young children. When she decided to return to the workforce, she found she needed more experience to put on her CV.

Volunteering in the shop was not only a way to gain work experience, it also helped her develop valuable skills.

“I was quite a quiet, timid person. Working for Red Cross really gave me the confidence

to put myself out there.

“I don’t think people nowadays realise what skills they can gain by volunteering. It’s more than just going somewhere and giving your time - you make friends and meet new people who you would never otherwise meet.”

As well as overseeing the Manchester Street shop, Abbey is now completing a retail qualification through Service IQ, offered free through Red Cross Shops for staff and volunteers.

Abbey is looking for more volunteers to join her and the rest of the Manchester Street team. If you’re keen to gain new skills, meet new people and help support people in need, volunteer at your local Red Cross Shop.

RED Good people doing good things

Red Cross volunteer Nigel takes to his bike to help people in Christchurch.

It’s hard to miss Nigel Rushton when he’s out and about on his bike. With a custom trailer and brightly coloured flags, Nigel’s bike brings a new meaning to Meals on Wheels.

New Zealand Red Cross’ Meals on Wheels service is about more than just a hot meal. The service delivers independence to many elderly and disabled people, as well as people recovering from illness or hospital treatment.

Nigel has been delivering Meals on Wheels in central Christchurch for six years. He started delivering by car but, as an avid cyclist, he was always keen to try out the route on his bike.

After the 2011 Canterbury earthquake, Nigel decided to give it a go.

With streets damaged and roads closed, many people

If you’re interested in delivering Meals on

Wheels and helping in your community, get in touch with your local Red Cross or visit redcross.org.nz.

Want to get involved?

struggled to get around the city. On his bike, Nigel – and the much-needed hot meals – could make it through to the people who needed them.

The roads on his route may now be almost all repaired, but Nigel has never looked back. He modified a trailer to attach to his bike and every Monday loads the boxes of hot meals on to the back.

While his main motivation is helping others in the community, Nigel enjoys delivering Meals on Wheels on his bike for a range of reasons.

“It helps the environment by reducing pollution and congestion. I also benefit from it by getting lots of exercise and fresh air,” he says.

Sometimes the weather can get pretty fresh, but rain, snow or shine Nigel is on his bike delivering meals. When the

weather turns, he pops on a rain poncho and carries on.

For the people who rely on the service, the dedication of volunteers like Nigel is vital.

Christchurch resident Kristin Leek is one of the recipients on Nigel’s route. She started receiving Meals on Wheels after a stay in hospital and looks forward to Nigel arriving every Monday.

“I was so grateful to have Meals on Wheels when I came out of hospital. It’s amazing that Nigel delivers it all by bicycle!”

RED Good people doing good things

FIJI TONGA

VANUATU

TAJIKISTAN

UKRAINE LEBANON

GAZA AFGHANISTAN

MYANMAR

SOMALIA SOUTH SUDAN MARSHALL ISLANDS MALAYSIA

INDONESIA

What is Restoring Family Links?

Every year, thousands of family members are separated by conflicts, disasters or migration. Red Cross’ Restoring Family Links service works to reconnect these families and clarify the fate of those who remain missing.

As a case management support volunteer, I enter cases into our database, organise notes about a case and document processes or ideas for improvements. I also help with the searches for the missing.

What inspired you to volunteer?

I wanted to volunteer with the Restoring Family Links programme because I felt it is a service that can meaningfully

improve the lives of those who have already endured many difficulties. I feel so privileged to live in a country where I have my friends and family safely around me; my family is probably the most valuable treasure that I have! So to be able to help reunite other families is hugely meaningful and humbling.

What do you know now that you didn’t know when you first started volunteering?

I have learnt that there are many people in our neighbourhoods who are living their lives under the weight of great uncertainty. Some of them don’t know if their loved ones are alive or dead and they live with this for years, sometimes decades.

What’s your favourite part about being a Restoring Family Links volunteer?

My favourite part is the atmosphere in the Red Cross office and the dedication of the other members of the team. I feel I am part of something bigger, a team of people who genuinely care about others and don’t take their privilege for granted.

Where can you find out more about Restoring Family Links?

Head to familylinks.icrc.org to

find out more about Red Cross’ Restoring Family Links service or if you have lost contact with loved ones overseas, please contact familylinks@redcross.org.nz.

Thousands of dedicated Kiwis make up our New Zealand Red Cross whānau. Restoring Family Links volunteer Vicky Wall, of Wellington, is one of them. She talks about her work with Red Cross.

Leaving a legacy of hopeAs a scientist and researcher, Jeanette Crossley helped hundreds of people living with serious medical conditions.

Although she is no longer with us, Jeanette continues to help vulnerable people in her community - thanks to a generous gift to New Zealand Red Cross in her will.

Jeanette started her career in Auckland, undertaking important work in diabetes research and developing a test for cystic fibrosis in newborns. She also devoted a lot of time

to researching and supporting people with Addison’s Disease. It was a condition she had a personal connection with, as she was living with a related syndrome called APECED.

Jeanette left behind a remarkable legacy: not just her years of dedication to research and her community, but to Red Cross as well.

By leaving a gift in your will, you can help ensure Red Cross will always be there. Even if you don’t think you have much to give, any gift can make a huge difference to those in need.

To find out more or to request a free copy

of our bequest booklet, get in touch with Kate Dixon on 0800 697 277 or at kate.dixon@redcross.org.nz.

Our Fundamental Principles Humanity

Impartiality

Neutrality

Independence

Voluntary Service

Unity

Universality

Read more about them at redcross.org.nz/about-us/what-we-stand-for

Who are we?New Zealand Red Cross is part of the largest humanitarian network in the world - the International Red Cross Red Crescent Movement. We’ve been helping in New Zealand since 1915.

Every day, we work to help Kiwis – whether that’s providing a hot meal, offering a safe ride to the hospital or helping former refugees rebuild their lives. We also help communities affected by disaster and conflict right across the world. As we often say, disasters don’t discriminate and neither do we.

Join the conversationFollow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for all the latest New Zealand Red Cross news and updates.

Get involved ɠ Volunteer ɠ Become a member ɠ Donate ɠ Leave a lasting gift in your will ɠ Fundraise to help others

Join today at redcross.org.nz/get-involved

NewZealandRedCross @NZRedCross nzredcross

Jeanette Crossley left a gift in her will to help others.