For Immediate Release

MEDIA RELEASE

Quakes & Ladders Game Raises Funds for Canterbury Families

Families living with family violence will benefit from sales of Christchurch-inspired board game Quakes and Ladders, thanks to a fundraising effort supported by local businesses.

Twenty-four Z stations, as well as several other local businesses, have come on board to support production and sale of the game so that as much money as possible from each sale can be given to Christchurch Women’s Refuge. Z New Zealand has kindly donated use of its point-of-sale technology and 24 local Canterbury stations, as well as Casual and Country Homestore in Ferrymead, have agreed to retail the game and forgo any proceed from sales.

Christchurch resident Siobhan Grimshaw created Quakes and Ladders – a twist on the traditional Snakes and Ladders – in December 2012 as a lighter-hearted memento of the post-earthquake drama and trauma many Canterbury people have been through, and are still experiencing. The game was born of Siobhan’s own – and her friends and families’ – frustration in trying to move ahead with their lives while battling earthquake-related red tape. Once she realised that there was potential to sell the game she was keen to identify a local charity to benefit and, having read about the effect of the earthquakes on levels and severity of family violence, contacted Christchurch Women’s Refuge.

“We’re so pleased to be associated with such a great piece of Canterbury creativity” says CWR’s Marketing and Funding Manager, Julie McCloy. “Demand for our services has certainly increased in the last two and half years, and so the support of our community and the businesses within it is really vital if we are to continue providing effective services to enable women, children and men to overcome family violence.”

Christchurch Women’s Refuge had been nominated as one of Z Templeton’s Good in the Hood charities last year, and that opened the door to the idea of recruiting Z stations to support sales. “We knew our community already supported Christchurch Women’s Refuge” says John Allen, one of the Z franchise owners, “so when they approached us about selling Quakes and Ladders, we were very keen to make it happen. It’s a great way for us to support our local community, and that is really important to us at Z.”

Playing pieces of nuts and bolts retain the rebuild theme and the game includes upward Ladders such as ‘Scope of Work Completed’ and downward Quakes such as ‘Insurance Company Restructures’ – all terms familiar to many Cantabrians. “We’ve been retailing online and through several other shops since December, but securing the

support of the Z stations is an amazing opportunity” says Siobhan. “This is a wonderful collaboration that allows us to get the game out there more widely and generate funds to support Canterbury families.”

Blacks’ Fasteners, Office Max, Warehouse Stationery and Fotocopy in Ferrymead, have all donated items or services to produce and package the game. Thanks to their support, previous production costs have been dramatically reduced so that now over 75% of the $20 retail price will go directly to Christchurch Women’s Refuge.

For any concerns related to family violence, please call Christchurch Women's Refuge on their 24-hour free-phone 0800 1 REFUGE (0800 1 733 843). In an emergency always call 111.

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About Christchurch Women’s Refuge
• Christchurch Women's Refuge exists to support New Zealand families – children, women and men - become their best, free from family violence.
• Christchurch Women's Refuge is an independent, local charity and was the first refuge established in New Zealand (1973). This year Christchurch Women's Refuge celebrates 40 years of service to the Canterbury community.

Christchurch Women's Refuge Services:
• Free Support & Information Lines for those living with family violence
• Proactive follow-up with women named on Police Incident Reports as living with family violence, and men named as perpetrators (North Canterbury)
• Family safety planning
• Access to free Ministry of Justice approved education programmes for women, children and men
• Community based support and advocacy for women, men and children living with family violence
• ReachOut crisis intervention service for men
• Shine safe@home service, including home security improvements to enable women and children to stay safely in their own homes (since September 2012)
• Access to residential Safe House for women and children
• Specialist Peer Support from women and men who have overcome family violence for those on the same journey. This is a new service in the New Zealand family violence sector. The first training programme will take place in mid-2013
• Community Development, including specialist family violence training; capacity building of other agencies; and raising public awareness of family violence and its effects.

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