Rotorua families face struggle as winter hits

Patrick Perston can't have his 3-year-old daughter to stay because his house is too cold. Photo/Stephen Parker

It could be another cold winter for many Rotorua families who can't afford to keep their houses warm.

For Love Soup Rotorua volunteer Patrick Perston finding a rental property has been life-changing - but he faces spending the winter in it without heating or insulation.

Mr Perston separated from his partner earlier this year and said he found himself at "rock bottom".

"I was living in my car for six weeks, before Love Soup helped me find a property," he said.

"It's been awesome and completely changed the way I was thinking. I shut myself off from friends and family because I was too embarrassed to tell them."

Finding a home allowed Mr Perston to take up work in a local packing house and now he is fighting to make his home warm enough for his daughter.

"It's pretty hard, I don't want my daughter to get sick," he said.

Mr Perston's daughter will turn 4 this month, but can't spend the night with her dad until he can get heating and insulation.

"I sleep with six blankets on my bed and use a small oil heater to keep myself warm," he said.

"The house is so cold that I can see my own breathe."

Patrick Perston only has a tiny oil heater and sleeps with 6 blankets on his bed. Photo/Stephen Parker

Mr Perston is working hard to save for better heating, but after bills and groceries it is something he will struggle to afford.

Elmer Pieffer from Love Soup Rotorua said there were a lot of people who would be spending this winter cold.

"The cost of firewood and everything else, it's hard to warm a house," he said.

Mr Pieffer said Love Soup often got requests for sleeping bags from families who did not have insulated shelter.

"People don't come for our dinners because they'd rather stay dry and hungry than go out into the cold, get damp and come home to a freezing house," he said.

Community groups across Rotorua are making a winter appeal for basic food, clothing and bedding supplies.

Western Heights Community Centre manager Neil Tolan said there were a lot of families in Rotorua who would find it hard to heat their homes this winter.

"Kids will be getting sick, because they are living in cold houses," he said.

"Some families will try their best to at least heat one room, but you still have children going back to cold bedrooms."

Mr Tolan said the centre was always after donations of thick curtains, bedding and blankets to be distributed to families.

Rotorua Salvation Army corps officer Ralph Overbye said the organisation could also use donations of blankets and clothes to help people stay warm.

"We also always appreciate donations to the foodbank, because if we can ease the amount people have to spend on groceries it gives them more space in their budget to cover other expenses like heating and clothing," he said.