Community support: Traffic Safe Hawke’s Bay provides free home services to those in need

Joanne Beams sits in front of her house as Traffic Safe Hawke’s Bay staff work on her fence in the background. Photo / Rafaella Melo

When Napier resident Joanne Beams lost her husband in May last year, she found herself struggling to keep up with tasks around the house.

“First, he got dementia, and then last year he was diagnosed with stage four cancer,” the 58-year-old said.

Caring for him while taking over the house maintenance was overwhelming.

Now, with the development of her own health issues — including sciatica and back pain — she says she no longer can handle certain jobs, such as painting the fence.

“My husband would do that in his healthy days,” she said.

Joanne Beams points to a family photo on her wall, featuring her husband and their two children. Photo / Rafaella Melo

Beams told Hawke’s Bay Today she recently came across a Facebook post offering free community house services for those in need.

“I just messaged back that I’d love my fence to be painted and now they are here,” she said.

“It’s a godsend just to get that help, make it look a bit nicer out there.”

The help is also a way to alleviate her loneliness.

“The kids come and visit, but they have their own lives. I haven’t seen anyone for a couple of days, so it’s nice having people around.”

She’s just one of many in Hawke’s Bay to benefit from this initiative by Traffic Safe Hawke’s Bay, a traffic management company that dedicates staff’s downtime to helping the community.

“Our branch was set up in June last year. Our guys are all on full-time contracts, so especially with the industry being a bit slower at the moment, we can help people out who need it,” operations manager Jaz Simpson said.

Jaz Simpson, operations manager at Traffic Safe Hawke’s Bay. Photo / Rafaella Melo

Through community Facebook pages, the team offers assistance with tasks such as water blasting, painting, and cleaning overgrown areas.

“Anything like that, that people struggle to get done themselves. We’ve got people here ready to go, so we just help them out wherever we can, Simpson said.

Helping Beams with her fence was the company’s first community project of the year.

Staff member Edwina Falaoa chats with Joanne Beams. Photo / Rafaella Melo

For staff member Edwina Falaoa, this was her first time helping the community during work hours.

“I love helping the community, especially our elders. I usually do it in my personal life, but coming and doing this today, during my work time, was a blessing,” she said.

Branch manager Kupa Mackie fixes Joanne Beams’ fence, showing the hands-on effort behind the initiative. Photo / Rafaella Melo

Branch manager Kupa Mackie said it was a way to give back to the community and change perspectives.

“As workers on the road, we are always seen as a nuisance or inconvenience, so this is an opportunity to change perceptions for the better.”