Trust provides calls, jokes, emails for people in need
For the past four weeks, Di Gleeson has been a lifeline for many people.
Whether it was helping get them groceries, sending a joke to make them laugh or just being a listening ear on the phone, the Central Taranaki Safe Community Trust community safety officer has been there.
The trust is a neighbourhood support system that does community patrols and sends out weekly crime updates for Eltham and Stratford but with lockdown they reached out even further,
Gleeson said. ‘‘This has really emphasised we need neighbourhood support groups in New Zealand,’’ she said.
Before lockdown, Gleeson, trustees and other volunteers picked up their phones and called more than 1000 people from the trust’s system. ‘‘We were seeing how they were going to cope.’’
From that, 127 people said they would like a weekly call from someone, so Gleeson and deputy community safety officer Georgie Cox did just that. ‘‘Some were lonely or needed to know someone was there to support them.’’
Gleeson also sent everyone in the system daily emails that included important coronavirus information, as well as children’s competitions and a joke. ‘‘We wanted to keep everyone’s spirits up. The thanks from the community’s been really amazing.’’
The trust teamed up with other local community groups, such as Team Hope, to drop off groceries and also got in touch with schools in Stratford and Eltham to identify any ‘‘vulnerable families’’ and get them what they needed.
‘‘It’s not a 9-5 job, it’s 24/7,’’ she said. ‘‘It shows we’re actually needed here.’’