The aftermath of cyclone Gabrielle from above in Hawke's Bay. Video / Hastings District Council, Matt O'Kane
Tauranga’s former mayor who was part of aid efforts in Ukraine during the war with Russia has returned and is now involved in flying donations into cyclone-ravaged Hawke’s Bay and Tairawhiti.
Tenby Powell is a member of the Tauranga Aero Club, which is calling for essential supplies to then be flown down to those impacted by Cyclone Gabrielle in Napier, Hastings, Wairoa, and Gisborne.
Powell, who was born in Wairoa, said the aero club’s Mount Maunganui hangar was being made available as a supplies warehouse and donation drop-off point. The club called for donations of essential supplies such as canned food, sanitary items, nappies, torches, batteries, and other items.
The first flight delivering small generators into Wairoa flew out at midday yesterday.
Since this story was first published online yesterday, the donation drive has been inundated with items.The collection now no longer needs clothing but rather hygiene and sanitary items, Powell said. More flights were heading to Wairoa today.
Powell said the club’s committee came up with the idea as updates of the devastation from the cyclone came through.
Extensive flooding at Awatoto seen from above the Napier Golf Course. Photo / Photography by Corena
“There is a breadth of capability that exists within the club with some very experienced pilots. We have the ability, with the hangar, to act as a warehouse and distribution point,” he said.
“Tauranga Aero Club is highly respected around the country with many pilots with a lot of experience.”
The club also has connections with local trucking firms that were helping to deliver supplies, he said.
“Given that people have lost everything ... Between now and when the roads open up, this can make a material difference.”
Powell said the club was self-funding the mission, with some members offering their personal planes such as a Golden Eagle which were better able to carry large loads.
The deliveries would continue for as long as the club was able and for as long as donations were needed.
The priority was getting aid to where it was needed, Powell said.
“Even providing tea and coffee for the shelters for the refugees, anything, where we can bolster supplies before the supermarket B-trains roll in, will help.”
However, Powell said the club was not in a position to deliver financial donations.
Powell said, from his Ukraine experience, that it was imperative to have solid coordination when it came to aid efforts.
“I’ve got calls into Civil Defence to make sure we can coordinate this.”
The initial focus, for now, remains on Hawke’s Bay but the club was organising ways to deliver donations to Tairawhiti also.
Aero club chief flying officer James Churchward said it was incredible to see the number of donations already being made this morning.
“It’s incredible to see the community spirit. We have so many connections ... it will be great to get these to the people who really need it.”
Churchward sent an email to the club’s members about 11pm yesterday “and by 8 this morning there’s already people showing up [with donations], it’s awesome.”
Within a few hours, the Tauranga Aero Club clubroom has been swamped with donations of essential supplies for Hawke's Bay and Gisborne. Photo / Supplied
Within the space of three hours, half of the aero club’s clubrooms have been taken over with bags and boxes of essential supplies.
Tauranga woman Jay Hurley was one of those who donated.
Hurley fought off tears as she explained how emotional she felt about the disaster.
“I think everyone’s feeling helpless at home. It’s the least we can do since we escaped it all. My heart just breaks for all of those people who lost everything.”
Hurley said she had been looking online for Givealittle pages to help in some way when she found the aero club’s Facebook post calling for donations.
“I just thought, ‘yes, this is something I can do straight away’.
“This is amazing, just the impact that this will have.”
People wanting to donate can do so by dropping the following items off at the Tauranga Aero Club, 240 Aerodrome Rd, Mount Maunganui, beside the airport.
