Trudy didn't realise how different it was living rurally when she first moved to Weber. Photo / Leanne Warr
Trudy didn't realise how different it was living rurally when she first moved to Weber. Photo / Leanne Warr
When Trudy Hales first moved to Weber, she had little knowledge about what it was like to live in a rural community.
But the people in that community soon solved that.
"When I got out here, this community really wrapped around me which I was super grateful for because at the time I didn't realise how different it is living rurally rather than living in town," says Hales.
So when Tararua Reap was given funding from the Ministry for Primary Industries for a project to boost wellbeing and support services in rural communities, she saw it as her opportunity to give something back.
General manager Claire Chapman says Reap had been focusing on what resources and skills already existed within communities and building on those.
"Rather than try to do the same old thing, we are trying something new. We've brought on board three rural connectors who link people with support services and foster local initiatives."
Hales, along with Vicky Tomlinson, from Woodville, and Ella Domper, from Norsewood, put her hand up for the role.
The connectors started in August last year and all three have been helping others in their communities.
One of the more recent initiatives was a photography course run in Weber.
Other activities included organising first aid courses in Woodville, and a regular kai and kōrero gathering in Norsewood.
Hales says the role was something she could do almost within her daily life and Reap needed people who were already active in the community.
She says it was a chance to identify any opportunities where she could identify someone who needed support or any of the services Reap could offer.
"For us it was about learning what Reap does and what they do offer and kind of being that point person that if we identify some need out here we can connect them back in to services in town."
One example of that was the vaccine passes in December.
Reap had an influx of people wanting access to their passes or to get them printed and laminated.
"They shot a message to the three of us and said 'do you want to find out if there's a need in your area?'."
While there wasn't so much of a need in Weber, Hales did manage to help one person.
She says for most people it was relatively simple, but for some people on their own, or older people, who might not have access to wifi, it wasn't that simple.
Much of Trudy Hales' time has been spent online helping others in the Weber community. Photo / Leanne Warr
The idea of having the access to services without having to go into Dannevirke was a big part of what attracted Hales to the role.
"Living rurally, for me, it's an hour return trip to town. Having those little outposts means that people don't always have to go to town to find that service. They can connect out here and we can put someone in touch."
She says Reap was also willing to pop out to provide support with any community event or service they could provide.
"It's the opportunity to identify some need that potentially they could come to us and deliver, which is probably one of the best things about it."
Hales has a background in marketing and communications and worked for radio in Hawke's Bay and Wellington.
When she married husband Simon, the couple moved to Takapau and she commuted for a while, until it got too expensive, and then had two children.
Her background in promotions was another thing that attracted her to the role and she has already begun planning some events, once she's able to.
