Wednesday, 30 November 2011
Day 280 - Addington Action votes to become incorporated
Tonight's monthly meeting of Addington Action voted to approve a constitution and formally applied for legal incorporation.
Tuesday, 29 November 2011
Day 279 - A work truck soon
Good news!
The Canterbury Community Trust has agreed to donate $15,000 towards a work truck, its operating costs etc.
The truck will enable a more regular and reliable work schedule by volunteers to be organised.
Addington Action currently relies on the good will of it's members who loan their cars. Often, when we need to work, a car isn't available that can tow a trailer or carry lots of tools.
So getting a dedicated work truck will solve a lot of problems by enabling a planned out work schedule and provide certainty to people being assisted and volunteers offering their time.
Something like
The monthly meeting tomorrow night will discuss what type of truck to get, insurance, and an operating budget.
Should be all sorted early by in the new year.
The Canterbury Community Trust has agreed to donate $15,000 towards a work truck, its operating costs etc.
The truck will enable a more regular and reliable work schedule by volunteers to be organised.
Addington Action currently relies on the good will of it's members who loan their cars. Often, when we need to work, a car isn't available that can tow a trailer or carry lots of tools.
So getting a dedicated work truck will solve a lot of problems by enabling a planned out work schedule and provide certainty to people being assisted and volunteers offering their time.
Something like
- Mondays - Deliveries/supplies
- Tuesdays - Food bank
- Wednesdays - Veggie gardens/food coop
- Thursdays - Uninsured house repairs
- Fridays - Uninsured house repairs
- Saturdays - Uninsured house repairs
- Sundays - Veggie gardens
The monthly meeting tomorrow night will discuss what type of truck to get, insurance, and an operating budget.
Should be all sorted early by in the new year.
Saturday, 26 November 2011
Day 276 - getting ready for visit from Unesco Youth Forum
This morning, the large backyard section of an earthquake damaged home was given a third spray to kill off convolvulus so that a large veggie garden can be put in that can feed 8 families.
On Friday December 9, a team of 20 youth will arrive on a bus with gumboots, wheelbarrows, and overalls to clear the land of rubble and accumulated rubbish from 1-4pm.
They will be in Christchurch for the UNESCO Youth Forum on 9-12 December.
The forum will bring 50, 15-25 year olds from disaster-hit areas in the Asia Pacific Region together with 50, 15-25 year old Christchurch folks for a symposium on how to best involve youth on the rebuild of communities after disasters.
Establishing a very large number of veggie gardens is becoming an urgent task because of the rising levels of poverty in this area. Nothing like the humble spud and cabbages!
On Friday December 9, a team of 20 youth will arrive on a bus with gumboots, wheelbarrows, and overalls to clear the land of rubble and accumulated rubbish from 1-4pm.
They will be in Christchurch for the UNESCO Youth Forum on 9-12 December.
The forum will bring 50, 15-25 year olds from disaster-hit areas in the Asia Pacific Region together with 50, 15-25 year old Christchurch folks for a symposium on how to best involve youth on the rebuild of communities after disasters.
Establishing a very large number of veggie gardens is becoming an urgent task because of the rising levels of poverty in this area. Nothing like the humble spud and cabbages!
Friday, 25 November 2011
Day 275 - Interior Painting
Today spent a few hours painting Michelle's lounge. We applied two coats of white to the ceiling and two to the walls. On the team today were Mike, Michael and Naiana, who is from Brazil and going to study here next year. We used donated paint, and mixed "Cotton Seed" with white for the walls which made a light cream colour. It was really easy to apply with the long extension roller, and came out looking great.
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Day 273 - Red Cross – Independent advice grant for vulnerable homeowners
Copied from the Avonside Blog
The Red Cross have announced a grant for vulnerable homeowners who live in the Red Zone, or have repairs in excess of $100,000. The following is from the Red Cross website:
The Red Cross have announced a grant for vulnerable homeowners who live in the Red Zone, or have repairs in excess of $100,000. The following is from the Red Cross website:
(a grant of) up to maximum of $750 per household to assist vulnerable homeowners with obtaining assistance on what to do with their earthquake damaged property.Full information and an application form can be found here.
The grant is aimed at assisting vulnerable people whose property has been assessed at costing over $100,000 to repair and/or their land has been zoned red. A vulnerable person can be defined as the applicant or a member of their household must either be disabled/have a pre-existing medical condition, or be over 65 yrs or have children who live with them who are under 18 years.
Tuesday, 22 November 2011
Day 272 - final paint prep
Today's job for Michael, Mike and Naiana was spot undercoating of a repaired room in Walton St Sydenham. The next steps are;
- 2 coats of paint on Friday
- Shifting furniture back in to make the next room clear for repairs
- Fixing a leaking roof
- December 9 - clearing a backyard of accumulated rubbish so that a large community veggie garden can go in.
Monday, 21 November 2011
Day 271 - WeCAN Open Letter
This is an open letter issued by WeCan and republished by Addington Action
An Open Letter to All New Zealanders
From the centre of three earthquakes we write this letter to you, the people of New Zealand.
Can we ask you to listen to us?
Please hear our hearts’ cry.
We would like you to know what is really happening for the people of Canterbury.
What you have been led to believe is not the reality for thousands of Cantabrians.
There has been dishonesty in the way the Government has portrayed their handling of people affected by the earthquakes. They are not telling the truth.
There were never 11,000 sections ready for more than 5,000 displaced households as stated by Mr Brownlee on a street corner in June. There is no affordable land in Canterbury for many of these people. Our Government, on your behalf, are forcing thousands from their land with no hope of being able to purchase new land. This will become another dark reality in our history and we are the generation allowing this to happen.
Rateable value is not market value. Mr Brownlee’s statement to our nation that ‘the offers are extremely fair’ is dishonest. He has the facts in front of him and he knows for over 2000 people rateable value is not the value of their home’s equity. Yet he persists in telling you the opposite. He is not telling the truth.
The Government knows people throughout Canterbury are in major battles with their insurance companies. The Government has left us to fight these corporates on our own. Elderly New Zealanders are being financially slaughtered by corporate giants; many Cantabrians are in this terrible fight. These insurance companies who have been receiving our full replacement premiums for decades are arguing over fine print to minimise their responsibility. There is a level of dishonesty flowing through many insurance claims. They break their own Fair Insurance Code by failing to act in good faith with openness and fairness in their dealings with clients. Their secrecy and now their escalation of premiums will mean billions will flow from this country in the decades to come. We New Zealanders need to stand up and demand a fair deal from our insurance industry. We need the government to stand up for all New Zealanders in this fight, but instead they collude with the insurance companies in back room deals.
Many Cantabrians now have their land branded and stigmatised. Some areas with homes hardly affected by the quakes are being forced off their land and other areas where most homes are seriously hit must stay on their land. It is reasonable and fair for people to know why. The government needs to be more honest and transparent about the full logic behind these decisions.
Cantabrians throughout our region have been asking, pleading for open dialogue with this Government. There has been and is a systematic shutdown from Mr Brownlee and this government to the people of Canterbury. Key decisions for our future are made without consultation. Our heritage is being destroyed in the inner city. Our houses and magnificent trees are being cleared in the red zone with no thought to the future. We have asked for a Memorial River Park to be created to honour those who have died and those who have left their land due to the earthquakes. This reserve will be a testament to what has happened here in Canterbury. All we get is silence. The lack of listening to our people is frightening. We have zero say or control on what is taking place on this land of ours.
New Zealand, we know this is hard to hear. We know our ‘quake struggles’ since 4 September 2010 have been immense. We know many of you wish it would just go away.
We also know that this letter is the reality.
There is an elephant in the room of this nation and it is Canterbury.
Please do not shut yourself off to our plight.
Please back us when you hear us battling on so many fronts.
We are ordinary kiwis like you.
We are not wanting something we do not deserve.
We want a reasonable outcome considering the premiums and levies we have paid for decades.
We want an open and fair process. This is all any of you would ever ask for. To make this happen, we need independent advocacy to support us who are battling. The Ombudsman is not resourced or able to meet this need. We need an independent Advocacy Commission.
We are asking the Government in this letter to implement this body on our behalf. We are asking them to do what they said in their June cabinet papers they would do, provide some way to a mediation and disputes process. This advocacy commission is vital for fair outcomes for all.
Please New Zealand, hear this reality and get behind us. Support us. We are also doing this for you. We are paving the way in case you are struck by a disaster of this magnitude.
From this day on let this be our catch cry,
We will listen to the concerns of people in this nation,
We will strive to seek fairness and justice for every man, woman and child in this wonderful country of ours, Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Rev Mike Coleman
On Behalf of WeCan!
and the many Cantabrians who are struggling to be heard.
November 2011
+++++
An Open Letter to All New Zealanders
Can we ask you to listen to us?
Please hear our hearts’ cry.
We would like you to know what is really happening for the people of Canterbury.
What you have been led to believe is not the reality for thousands of Cantabrians.
There has been dishonesty in the way the Government has portrayed their handling of people affected by the earthquakes. They are not telling the truth.
There were never 11,000 sections ready for more than 5,000 displaced households as stated by Mr Brownlee on a street corner in June. There is no affordable land in Canterbury for many of these people. Our Government, on your behalf, are forcing thousands from their land with no hope of being able to purchase new land. This will become another dark reality in our history and we are the generation allowing this to happen.
Rateable value is not market value. Mr Brownlee’s statement to our nation that ‘the offers are extremely fair’ is dishonest. He has the facts in front of him and he knows for over 2000 people rateable value is not the value of their home’s equity. Yet he persists in telling you the opposite. He is not telling the truth.
The Government knows people throughout Canterbury are in major battles with their insurance companies. The Government has left us to fight these corporates on our own. Elderly New Zealanders are being financially slaughtered by corporate giants; many Cantabrians are in this terrible fight. These insurance companies who have been receiving our full replacement premiums for decades are arguing over fine print to minimise their responsibility. There is a level of dishonesty flowing through many insurance claims. They break their own Fair Insurance Code by failing to act in good faith with openness and fairness in their dealings with clients. Their secrecy and now their escalation of premiums will mean billions will flow from this country in the decades to come. We New Zealanders need to stand up and demand a fair deal from our insurance industry. We need the government to stand up for all New Zealanders in this fight, but instead they collude with the insurance companies in back room deals.
Many Cantabrians now have their land branded and stigmatised. Some areas with homes hardly affected by the quakes are being forced off their land and other areas where most homes are seriously hit must stay on their land. It is reasonable and fair for people to know why. The government needs to be more honest and transparent about the full logic behind these decisions.
New Zealand, we know this is hard to hear. We know our ‘quake struggles’ since 4 September 2010 have been immense. We know many of you wish it would just go away.
We also know that this letter is the reality.
There is an elephant in the room of this nation and it is Canterbury.
Please do not shut yourself off to our plight.
Please back us when you hear us battling on so many fronts.
We are ordinary kiwis like you.
We are not wanting something we do not deserve.
We want a reasonable outcome considering the premiums and levies we have paid for decades.
We want an open and fair process. This is all any of you would ever ask for. To make this happen, we need independent advocacy to support us who are battling. The Ombudsman is not resourced or able to meet this need. We need an independent Advocacy Commission.
We are asking the Government in this letter to implement this body on our behalf. We are asking them to do what they said in their June cabinet papers they would do, provide some way to a mediation and disputes process. This advocacy commission is vital for fair outcomes for all.
Please New Zealand, hear this reality and get behind us. Support us. We are also doing this for you. We are paving the way in case you are struck by a disaster of this magnitude.
From this day on let this be our catch cry,
We will listen to the concerns of people in this nation,
We will strive to seek fairness and justice for every man, woman and child in this wonderful country of ours, Aotearoa, New Zealand.
Rev Mike Coleman
On Behalf of WeCan!
and the many Cantabrians who are struggling to be heard.
November 2011
Sunday, 20 November 2011
Day 270 - Fun fair great success
Over 1200 people attended the Addington Fair yesterday. The fair was organised by Gap Filler and was a fundraiser for the repairs of uninsured houses being done by Addington Action.
A total of $1699.70 was raised, $1092.50 from the BBQ and $607.20 from stall holder koha.
The music was excellent and drew large crowds and incorpoated Ukes, Pizza Boxes, lap guitar, blow up animals, traditional song and dance, choir, jazz, rock and blues!
Performances by Broken Bear Club , Addington School Cultural Groups, Addington School Uke Orchestra and Choir, The Haze, Neville Barrie, Pat Hannah + JC superstar, Mundi, Blues Professor. The MC was Mike Coleman.
The concert was organised by Richard Hensby.
Photo Diary by Coralie Winn (Gap Filler)
A total of $1699.70 was raised, $1092.50 from the BBQ and $607.20 from stall holder koha.
The music was excellent and drew large crowds and incorpoated Ukes, Pizza Boxes, lap guitar, blow up animals, traditional song and dance, choir, jazz, rock and blues!
Performances by Broken Bear Club , Addington School Cultural Groups, Addington School Uke Orchestra and Choir, The Haze, Neville Barrie, Pat Hannah + JC superstar, Mundi, Blues Professor. The MC was Mike Coleman.
The concert was organised by Richard Hensby.
Photo Diary by Coralie Winn (Gap Filler)
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