Pride of NZ: Wrapping victims with love

Carolyn Cragg with snuggle packs she and her team assemble for children. Photo / Stratford Press

A desire to help abused children and strengthen families motivates social volunteer.

Carolyn Cragg
Community Spirit
She is regularly verbally abused and threatened with violence. Yet every time Carolyn Cragg becomes even more determined to keep on speaking out and doing all she can to bring love and comfort to some of New Zealand's most needy children.

Mrs Cragg says when she and some like-minded people got together to form 4thekidz in 2012 they were motivated by a desire to strengthen families to help prevent child abuse. "We were just a pack of dreamers, thinking we were going to change the world."

Her nominator says Mrs Cragg's dedication to the local community as well as to children and families nationwide is heartwarming, describing a woman who is determined to bring comfort and hope to children caught up in adult problems.

One of the ways Mrs Cragg is doing this is through Tedz for Kidz.

This project, originally launched by Tauranga's Suzy Brown, aims to provide toys for children who have experienced the trauma of abuse. Since starting the Taranaki branch of this project under the 4thekidz umbrella, this project has grown, with "snuggle packs" being put together by Carolyn and her team of volunteers. Each pack contains a blanket, a teddy bear, a torch and a notebook and pens or a colouring book and crayons.

The packs are given to children after they have experienced a forensic investigation as a way of showing them that they are not faceless, that their community loves them and wants them to be safe.

"Every child should have something of their own, that they can love, tell their secrets too, and that will always love them. The bears and the blankets give children this, a little bit of love to wrap around themselves and to hold on to."

Being nominated for the Pride of New Zealand Awards is "humbling", says Carolyn, who adds that the entire team of volunteers at 4thekidz should be nominated. "All of them are making a difference to the children and all of them deserve recognition."

A survivor of abuse herself, Carolyn is committed to helping not just the children, but the adults responsible as well. "We can't ignore them. We can't expect people to change if we don't give them the tools, if we don't show them we believe they can change."

The Pride of New Zealand Awards are proudly brought to you by The New Zealand Herald, The Hits and TSB Bank.
Nominations for the 2015 awards have now closed.
To see more stories of our wonderful nominees click here.
For more information on the awards go to the official website.