The mantra ‘help thy neighbour’ is strong within Marlborough’s rural communities following the August weather event.

Earlier this week, the Rural Support Trust hosted a successful and well-attended ‘farmers and growers’ drop-in session’ in Rai Valley for those impacted.

Council Recovery Navigator Charlotte Wood says the room was “full of people helping people and neighbours helping neighbours”.

“The loss of productive land for those present is particularly difficult to come to terms with. Many farms have been left grappling with deposits of silt, gravel, and logs as well as damage to waterways and fences,” she said.

Rural Support Trust gathered several farm consultants and support agencies together including members of Council’s recovery and rivers teams, LIC Farmwise Consultant, Ravensdown, Fonterra, Farmsource staff, DairyNZ, Vets on Alabama and FMG at Rai Valley’s Miller’s Rest Tavern.

Attendees were able to chat to those present about the impact of the weather event in a relaxed setting.

Rural Support Trust’s Sarah White says it is great to see farmers coming together to talk.

“Taking time off farm is really important as many farmers and workers will already be feeling tired in what is normally a really busy time on farm and now with the added pressure of flooding,” she said.

“We ask those that still need on farm clean up help offered by Enhanced Taskforce Green to please take the offer and self-register at https://bit.ly/3xKlWpN or contact Top of the South Rural Support Trust 0800 787 254.”

Rural Support Trust also encouraged farmers to apply for the Mayoral Relief Fund (Primary Industry Business) by going to https://bit.ly/3qDevN2

“These initiatives are there to support you and your business,” she said.

With one crew from Enhanced Taskforce Green already on the ground in Marlborough working out from Havelock, the drop-in session provided an opportunity to sign affected landowners up.

Rural Support Trust will hold another drop-in ‘barge meeting’ for those affected in the primary sector on 23 September at Fish Bay in Kenepuru Sound. More drop-ins will be arranged in the coming weeks.

For more details about drop-in sessions or for regarding any other issues, please contact Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254 or sarah.white@ruralsupport.org.nz

Operation: Isolation Assist

The neighbourly theme continues with the restarting of the Rural Women NZ Kenepuru Branch’s Operation: Isolation Assist.

Representative Ellen Orchard says after the July 2021 weather event the Kenepuru and Sounds community were cut off and isolated.

“Our branch was unable to have a meeting because of Covid-19 restrictions and road closures. But we were made aware there was a need to set up a volunteer base because of the high costs of barges, water taxis, and overnight accommodation needed to access essential medical requirements and supplies,” she said.

As a result, Operation: Isolation Assist was created.

This is a list of volunteer accommodation ‘hosts’ in Havelock, Blenheim, and Renwick for Sounds community locals who are impacted by road closures from the recent weather event. It is aimed at those who need to go to town for overnight stays of one or more nights due to appointments, supplies, doctors, dentists, hairdressers, or vet visits.

“It also includes discounted motels and some transport options for those who do not have a vehicle in town or cannot afford the barge cost,” said Mrs Orchard.

For more information and for host contacts, please contact Kenepuru Branch RWNZ’s Ellen Orchard on 021 1413235 or ellen@pelorustours.co.nz or Mel Price on 0274884402 or goprice@xtra.co.nz

Community Online Webinar

This afternoon the Marlborough District Council with support from Waka Kotahi will host a community online webinar from 4.00 pm to 5.00 pm.

To join go to: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/85406135757

The webinar will provide affected residents with information on the recovery efforts underway across the region. There is no requirement to register.

More specific, community focused meetings via webinar, or face-to-face as they can be arranged, will be scheduled in the coming weeks with other supporting agencies.

A transcript of the meeting will also be made available afterwards for those who are unable to attend online. Please call Council on 03 520 7400 to provide details for the information to be forwarded by post.

A recording will also be posted on the recovery section of Council’s website early next week. Go to: August Weather Event 2022 Recovery Information - Marlborough District Council

Thirty-two properties in Marlborough remain red stickered, 63 yellow stickered and 24 white stickered due to the damage sustained from the August weather event.

Marlborough is currently under a Recovery Transition Period to deal with the ongoing issues communities are facing.

For more information:

Visit the Recovery section of Council’s website here: August Weather Event 2022 

For the Marlborough Recovery Update posted every Friday on Council’s website go to: https://bit.ly/3RUydQ5

For information about the status of your local road because of this weather event, please contact Marlborough Roads on recovery@marlboroughroads.com or phone: 0800 213 213 or 03 520 8024 between 8.00 am – 5.00 pm, Monday to Friday.

You can also visit the Marlborough District Council Website for local roading alerts/updates and sign up to the Antenno App to receive notifications on your phone about the recovery effort including links to future updates every Friday.

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