Kaumātua Jerry Hapuku next to Orange Sky's new Hawke's Bay laundry van. Photo / Orange Sky
Kaumātua Jerry Hapuku next to Orange Sky's new Hawke's Bay laundry van. Photo / Orange Sky
The Hawke’s Bay arm of a service offering showers, laundry and conversation to the housing deprived has made its official debut.
Orange Sky Aotearoa’s laundry van - set to make the rounds around the region - was officially dubbed Piki, short for Piki Te Ora or “Uplift Life”, at a blessing held at Hastings Church on Wednesday after a public vote through social media decided the name.
Orange Sky’s laundry vans contain two solar-powered washing machines and two dryers, while their hybrid vans also include a shower.
Emah Butler, Orange Sky national co-ordinator, said that although the official launch was this week, the not-for-profit had already started cleaning loads of laundry and training volunteers last week.
She said they were about halfway to the number of volunteers they needed in Hawke’s Bay and had just trained 17 more in the past week.
“If anyone has the time and would like to give back and support your community, then please look up Orange Sky, we would be more than happy to invite them into our tribe,” Butler said.
Butler said they were sticking with seven shift locations for the laundry service for now, but that did not mean that couldn’t change.
Emah Butler, Orange Sky national co-ordinator, said that although the launch was this week, the not-for-profit had already started cleaning loads of laundry and training volunteers last week. Photo / Orange Sky
“We are always looking for new locations where we have service providers that can provide a meal or a health service, so we can wrap our service around them.”
Hastings Mayor Sandra Hazlehurst said the Orange Sky van was another opportunity to provide care and kindness for the most vulnerable.
“It’s more than laundry, it is about sharing the love, showing we care and the opportunity to hear people’s stories, for them to have someone to talk to,” Hazlehurst said.
Kaumātua Jerry Hapuku said the van was a great initiative for the homeless of Heretaunga and Ahuriri.
“This van or waka, Piki Te Ora, will look after them. They can have no worries now, just come in, do their washing, and go back to where they were,” Hapuku said.
“We share that responsibility to awhi [care for] our people in those circumstances.”
There were currently seven shifts operating:
MONDAY
10am to 12.30pm at Whatever It Takes (Wit) 905 Heretaunga St West, Hastings.
2pm to 4.30pm at Camberley Community Centre 703 Kiwi St, Hastings.
James Pocock joined Hawke’s Bay Today in 2021 and writes breaking news and features, with a focus on the environment, local government and post-cyclone issues in the region. He has a keen interest in finding the bigger picture in research and making it more accessible to audiences. He lives in Napier. james.pocock@nzme.co.nz
