Emergency help available when you need it

Christmas and the summer holidays are supposed to be a time of joy, but unfortunately for some Kiwi families, that’s not always the case.

Even if you’ve planned the picture-perfect holiday, there’s things which can go wrong, from accidents or arguments to more serious incidents.

Thankfully, should you or your neighbours need it, help is at hand in times of emergency; you don’t have to face it alone.

Struggling to make ends meet or with family relationships? The Salvation Army’s Timaru Community Ministries offers counselling and assistance with budgeting, food, social work and addiction services, plus services for Seniors, Youth and Children.

Visit the office at 206 Wai-iti Road, Timaru or phone 03 684 7139.

Although Christmas can be stressful, it should never have to boil over to violence or abuse. If you or someone you know is a victim, the best thing you can do is get help.

Organisations like Shine have a free national helpline from 9am-11pm every day (050 874 4633) or the Timaru Women’s Refuge is there for on-the-ground services with a 24/7 Crisis Line at 0800 00 7750 and offices at 12 Sarah Street.

For women, Timaru has a number of pregnancy services, ranging from Pregnancy Counselling and the Family Planning Clinic to maternity and childbirth services at Timaru Hospital with a dedicated unit that’s staffed by midwives 24/7.

Protecting the community over this year and next, regular emergency services such as the police, fire brigade, St John Ambulance and the hospital are also there to help in times of distress.

Contact 111 for emergencies, or visit the hospital on Queen Street or phone 03 687 2100. While not every emergency can be avoided, there’s things you can do to reduce the risk these summer holidays. ■ Watch your alcohol consumption – drink responsively, don’t drink and drive, and look out for your mates. Alcohol-related causes affect everything from falls to violence to road deaths, so taking it easy on the bottle really could make this a safer holiday for all. ■ Plan your nights out – tell someone where you’re going and don’t walk home alone. Leave unsafe situations before they get dangerous – sometimes the best thing to do is just walk away. ■ Practice safe sex – see Timaru’s Family Planning clinic at 14 Butler Street for contraceptives and other services.