Tararua Rural Support Trust cyclone recovery expo a hit

Some of members the crowd, including Tararua Mayor Tracey Collis, meeting and greeting each other. Photo / Dave Murdoch

There was a great turnout at the Cyclone Recovery Expo, held for farmers and families hit severely by Cyclone Gabrielle.

There were 150 farmers registered for the expo on Thursday at the Dannevirke Showgrounds.

Outside, a forklift loads a pile of posts on to a farmer’s trailer. Photo / Dave Murdoch

The farmers were invited to come in and receive free fencing gear and a goodie bag full of items to help with those little extras just before Christmas, along with free coffee, some food and the opportunity to catch up with rural professionals and service providers.

There were a lot of trailers. Photo / Dave Murdoch

All items and materials were funded by donations to the East Coast Rural Support Trust.

Co-ordinator Jane Tylee said the trust knows rural people are experiencing very challenging times, and the hope was they would take time off the farm to catch up with like-minded people and take home a few things which will make life a little easier as they head into the busy season on the farming calendar.

She said Tararua Rural Support Trust is a free, confidential service with individuals rural people can chat to and know they understand the issues they face.

Inside, rural service providers like Ali Forbes of NZ Beef and Lamb (next to organiser Jane Tylee) had displays for farmers and families to view. Photo / Dave Murdoch

Nicky Allomes hands Pauline De La Haye a goodie bag of locally sourced gifts. Photo / Dave Murdoch

The A&P Home Services Hall was buzzing with people conversing, receiving goodie bags with locally sourced presents, hot coffee, sausages, muffins and other food items and gaining information, while outside, farmers with their utes and trailers took possession of a roll of fence posts, wire, strainers and staples to help with repairing fences.

The fire brigade displayed how wide rural access points have to be to allow emergency services through. Photo / Dave Murdoch

Ngāti Kahungunu offered blood pressure checks and other health advice. Photo / Dave Murdoch

The fire service was on hand to display the amount of space they and other emergency services need to access rural properties, and Ngāti Kahungunu was there to carry out blood pressure tests and offer other health advice.

You can access the Rural Support Trust on 0800 787 254.