Day 188 - Tools Tools Tools!

Today we visited Bunnings and collected a large and varied assortment of tools and equipment including:

-cordless drill, nail gun, electric sander
-screwdrivers, chisels, handsaws, hammers
-multipurpose ladders, brushes, carpenters belts
-PPE (safety gear)

We also purchased a water blaster for paint stripping and cleaning duties, and a dehumidifier for preparing interior spaces.
We visited two homes continuing previous work, assessing and planning for necessary repairs. There are a few broken windows to be attended to and a leaky chimney to be sealed. A couple of fine days will see these completed.

Day 187 - replacing window and new trailer

Today Matt, Tony and Mike picked up a trailer for the crew to use. It is a 4x2, rated for 1000Kg and galvanised for a long life. Also comes with spare wheel, long towing bar and ladder racks for ladders or timber.

A galvanised fold up cage and cover has also been ordered. This will help shift people to better accommodation, and removing rubble.

This afternoon, the main job is replacing a window on a damaged house for an elderly lady. The window will be primed today, and a separate paint crew will go around in about a month to do final coats.

Weekly food parcel distribution restarts this week after a break for a few weeks due to illness of volunteers and to much other stuff happening.

Day 186 - big rubber toolbox

Matt, Matt and Mike visited many places needing repairs to make a bit of a plan for the rest of the week. Matt and Matt completed the blocking up of a damaged chimney so the house can stay warm with electric heating.

Then, went to Bunnings and got a giant rubber toolbox to go on the front of the trailer. Finally somewhere to keep tools without loading and unloading each day and always forgetting something! Picking up the trailer tomorrow morning.

Sadly visited one uninsured house that needs a total rebuild. Something we can't touch.

Day 185 - Saw stand

Yesterday - we got a mobile saw stand for the cross cut saw. It folds up, is robust and even has wheels so it can be easily moved. Great for ensuring accurate cuts of framing timber for patching roofs and walls, and much better for workers backs.

Day 184 - Repairs Done and Plans for Next Week

We had a good turnout today to finish the work on 15 Macaulay St. Mike, Mike, Tony, James, Tim, Callum and Matt were present and pitching in.

Work finished included the tall front fence, the shorter driveway fence, the driveway entrance gates and the water mains pipe. A general garden and rubbish tidy was done also.

Next week we have qualified builder Matt arriving from Northland. Matt has kindly flown himself down and will be billeted with John and Helen McNeil for the week. Members of the volunteer crew will take turns to work with him throughout the week.

So we are looking forward to a busy and productive week!

Day 184 - more repairs

The crew will be out today doing more repairs to uninsured homes. Looks like it will be a beautiful day!

Day 183 - Tool time!

News today of a donation of $10,000 from Canterbury Earthquake Assistance Trust based in Hamilton . This donation will be used to buy tools and equipment to enable the volunteers to help as many people as possible affected by the quakes.

One of the side benefits of the repair project is to get young people keen on getting trade skills for the future rebuild of Christchurch. For that to happen the volunteer project has to run like a proper work site.

Day 179 - a donation from Papanui

A very kind lady from Papanui sent a cheque for $500. It will be used to buy more building materials to fix uninsured homes of elderly folk damaged by the quakes.

Day 174 - starting to clear

Snow slowly melting and slushy. Might be better for building repairs next week.

Day 173 - and more snow

Yep - still snowing

Day 172 - more snow

Looks like a holiday for a few days because of the latest snow dumping. Looks beautiful outside!

Day 169 - a rain day

No building repairs today as previously planned due to the rain. Will try for tomorrow.

Wait - the weather is cold but clear, so text message sent to the 15 on the building crew to meet at 1pm.

• 12noon - Sam Russell and I pick up more roofing materials from Bunnings.
• 1pm - Tony McDonald, Tony Macdonald, Phil Nussbaumer, John McNeil join Sam and I to sort out the depot and get all the building materials under cover.
• 2.30pm - Michael Parsons, Alex Briden and I replace a complicated gate post at a home.
• 4.30pm finished.

Might have another go tomorrow to hang gates if there is a break in the weather.

Day 168 - building crew txt

Quite a few more bods have put their hands up to help with the repairs since the recent news coverage.

The cell phone numbers of all volunteers are added to a txt group mailing list. They will all get a cell phone txt message on a work day with the time and address to meet. Messages will also be sent for weather cancellations. There is no need to reply unless you wish to leave the group.

Day 165 - Volunteers come to aid of Addington uninsured

Reprinted from The Press and The Timaru Herald Monday, August 8 2011.

Ofelia Chambers' uninsured earthquake-damaged Christchurch home is finally getting some attention.

At the weekend, community group Addington Action began repair work on uninsured homes in the area occupied by the elderly.

Mrs Chambers, 69, who is originally from Venezuela, lost her husband when his heart deteriorated after the September earthquake.

Her Macaulay St property, which she owns, was damaged in the February quake. Both the chimney and fence collapsed.

"I'm taking care of my young grandson and I get really worried about safety issues now that I don't have a fence," she said.

On Saturday, more than 10 people, including three builders, arrived at her house to help out.

"They tidied up and they sorted out of the garden, which was great because it had started to look like a jungle," she said. "They have started making a fence and everyone was so friendly."

Mrs Chambers said the group was bringing the community together.

"It was just so comforting to see them helping out where they can. There was a lot of young people who were giving their time and people brought food and tea ... it was really good."

The Earthquake Commission had removed her chimney but without insurance she was not eligible for a heating alternative.

"The house has been freezing this winter. I've got a cushion stuffed into the gap where the chimney used to be," she said.

Addington Action organiser Mike Peters said despite having "bugger all money and bugger all resources", the group was able to help. "A lot of the houses don't have major damage. It's all little things really, but for an 85-year-old or whoever, they can't be expected to get on to the roof or do stuff like that."

The weekend was a "great success", he said. "People are definitely really appreciative and that's what it's all about."

The group will continue to repair uninsured Addington homes over the next two months.

Day 164 - It was freezing

We must have been mad, but 3 of us from Addington Action went back today to finish off the fence on Macaulay St. There had been a cold Southerly blow over earlier in the day, and still a lot of biting chill in the air. But the job got done.

"Nine" and Tony Mcdonald did the fencing and yours truly was Teaboy.

Must remember to get hold of some old swannies for loaning the volunteers on cold days.

Day 163 - 1st home repaired with pizza

12 sturdy souls took part in the first day of uninsured house repairs. James Roberts came from Comcare along with 3 young lads (Alex, Callum and Tim) who helped out plus his dad Owen. Both James and Owen are trained builders.

Phil Nussbaumer (a local builder), Tony McDonald and John McNeil from Spreydon Baptist formed another team.

Local residents Ofelia and "Nine" helped clear up the section and Lynette Neill put on heaps of jam scones, and warmed up the pizzas donated by 0800 Hungry.

I got to be tea boy.

Some finishing off work will be done back on site tomorrow at 1pm for an hour and a half.

A giant pile of junk is being assembled on the front lawn over the next few weeks that will then be picked up and taken to the dump by Addington Action.

Macaulay Street was a great start.

Day 162 - 1st house repair 9am tomorrow

Last minute preparations are being made for the repairs which start tomorrow.

If you want to help

• Meet corner of Macaulay and Spencer Streets in Addington, Christchurch
• 9am start
• Finish no later than 4.30pm
• 2 hot meal breaks at 11am and 2pm
• Wear old clothes and strong footwear
• Bring car and trailer if you have one

The jobs are

• Build front fence to keep grandchild off the road
• Fix roof
• Trailer loads to rubbish dump
• Mow lawn

Weather looks OK - should be fun!

Day 161 - building materials ordered

Today I got to spend $5,003.81 at Bunnings on building materials for repairing 20 uninsured homes of elderly Addington residents.

The stuff has been stockpiled in a loaned garage to make it quick and easy to get anything needed.

They gave us a very good discount, so thanks Penny and the trade department crew.

Got a bit of everything likely to be needed but will need to buy more once it becomes obvious what gets used up the most. The dosh came from Rotary Earthquake Fund.

Day 160 - 25 gas heaters

Two trailer loads of free gas heaters were picked up today to distribute to freezing homes. NZ Baptist churches have been providing gas heaters to organisations to distribute to residents. A full gas bottle is included.

Addington Action was able to order 25 heaters just in time before they ran out. The heaters will be delivered by Friday.

Also picked up 60 snuggle sacks from same outfit that will be distributed by committee members to local people who need them.

Day 159 - Plains FM interview

Today, Canterbury University journalism student Shelley Nahr recorded a radio interview with me for a programme next Monday morning at 7am on Plains FM.

The interview was about why the need to repair uninsured homes.

• How many uninsured homes are there in Christchurch?
• Why are people uninsured?
• Why Addington Action came about and how we are organised

All good questions.

Day 158 - to many referrers and not enough workers

The one useful thing I learned at the conference last Friday was that

Every group is referring people for assistance, and there ain't enough workers to do the assisting.

Addington Action has been forwarding the names of families so that they can be seen by a social worker to help them dig themselves out of what ever hole they have ended up in.

The queues are getting longer and the social workers are looking more stressed as the social crisis deepens in Christchurch.