Strangers offer support after Northland woman shares harrowing tale of childhood abuse

Flowers from a stranger for Beverley Lind. Photo / Michael Cunningham

A bunch of vibrant orange flowers with a hand written message of encouragement from a stranger is one of the tokens of support a Northland woman has received after telling her harrowing story of life at an Auckland orphanage.

Whangarei woman Beverley Lind, now aged 70, spoke out last month following an apology after highlighting abuse suffered at the Orphans' Home Papatoetoe run by a trust established by the Anglican Church.

Mrs Lind spent 13 years at the orphanage from 1947, and believes others were abused. She spoke out as she wanted to encourage people to come forward.

Since then she has been overwhelmed by the support that has come from friends and people she doesn't know.

Flowers were left at her lawyer's office - Henderson Reeves - with a note that read: "Each flower is 10 hugs and 10 smiles for a very brave survivor".

"It makes me feel very humble that someone would give flowers to the lawyers for me ... someone I don't even know," Mrs Lind said.

"By telling my story it has opened others' eyes. I've kept it bottled up so no one has really known what I have been going through.

"People have stopped me in the street and spoken to me about what happened. It's been so positive for me I know I have done the right thing."

There have also been phone calls and cards from people all supporting her decision. She said if sharing her story helped others then it had all been worthwhile.

As a result she had heard of two others who had suffered abuse - but not at the same orphanage - who approached lawyers to discuss what their next course of action would be.

"Having the story in the paper was like the final closure for me. I can now start my life again."

The Anglican Church has also formally acknowledged there were failures in meeting obligations to care for Mrs Lind and her three siblings.

Mrs Lind, her two brothers and sister were placed in the orphanage after their parents separated and their father was unable to care for them due to a head injury.