Ngāti Pikiao leader Piki Thomas was acknowledged in the Minister of Health Awards for leading the distribution of nearly 20,000 hygiene packs across the Waiariki region. Photo / Andrew Warner
Ngāti Pikiao leader Piki Thomas was acknowledged in the Minister of Health Awards for leading the distribution of nearly 20,000 hygiene packs across the Waiariki region. Photo / Andrew Warner
Rotorua's Ngāti Pikiao leader Piki Thomas has been recognised for getting nearly 20,000 hygiene packs sorted and distributed across the Waiariki region during the lockdown.
Thomas was runner-up for the Māori Health Volunteer Award in the Minister of Health's Volunteer Awards, nominated by Te Arawa Whānau Ora.
The winner wasPatricia Sigley from the Far North, who also took out the Volunteer of the Year award.
Thomas said although he was the face acknowledged, there were countless hands that worked tirelessly, and the award was a reflection of the hard work put in by many during the lockdown.
"I just happened to be the one amongst many, many people that contributed."
Thomas led 80 volunteers to complete the packaging of a total of 19,200 Whānau Ora Hygiene Packs which have been delivered to whānau across the Waiariki region.
The hub was based in Rotorua and packs were distributed across the Central North Island. The distribution of the packs was part of the wider response, Te Arawa Covid-19.
One of the places the hygiene supplies were stored in Rotorua. Photo / Supplied
Te Arawa Covid-19 is a collaboration of marae, hapū and organisations across the Te Arawa region to support people and communities through the pandemic.
Thomas said Whānau Ora moved quickly to source the packs nationally and internationally but said there was no Plan B.
His role was to co-ordinate the distribution of the packs, which he said was only possible with the volunteers.
A lot of his planning work was done after-hours at home and included who could work, health and safety plans, site and health inductions, food, forklifts and venues.
Venues needed to be reshuffled several times due to not being up to standard, and an empty building beside Noel Leeming was provided by Ngāti Whakaue for free.
Volunteers unloading a truck of supplies. Photo / Supplied
Another big aspect of his role was morale, "making sure that our people were engaged, happy in their work and felt like they were contributing to a greater cause".
Trucks from Auckland delivered supplies in bulk which were removed, stacked and put in order. Volunteer chains then boxed the supplies, ready for distribution.
"We'd spend really big hours during the day ... it was a bloody good workout."
Born and raised in Rotorua, Thomas had many strings in his expansive network and when the country went into lockdown, he pulled them tightly together.
His day job was National Māori Advisor for Fire and Emergency New Zealand and he was seconded to support Whānau Ora during alert levels 4 and 3.
His sister, the former chief executive for Whānau Ora, recently passed away and he continued supporting the agency.
A team of volunteers packing the hygiene supplies. Photo / Supplied
Healthy Families Rotorua manager Mapihi Raharuhi was the project lead for Waiariki Whānau Ora's hygiene packs and said Thomas' ability to remain calm and solution-focused was "an absolute asset".
"Piki has displayed Te Arawa Whānau Ora Collective's mātāpono or organisational values which are based around respect, caring for and looking after our whānau and communities.
"His support for community-led responses shows the value of good leadership and a strong understanding of local communities."
The Minister of Health Volunteer Award judging panel said they were impressed by the solutions-focused attitude of Thomas, and his ability to make the most of his extensive networks.
They said incorporating established risk-management processes ensured all 80 volunteers were kept safe and informed.
