Celebrating our lockdown heroes
New Zealand Mural Contest goes online to mark the unsung heroes from lockdown 2020
answering numerous phone calls or trying to find those unknown houses and driveways.
Marg at times found it hard, especially lifting heavy boxes, but she enjoyed serving, and always being active, even when many suggested she should pass on the baton, knowing the food parcels could make a big difference in people’s lives motivated her to keep going.
Peter Mackay New Zealand Red Cross
Peter Mackay is a long-serving member of the local branch of the New Zealand Red Cross.
Peter Mackay led a team of volunteers, who delivered Meals on
Wheels, helped organise food parcels, shopped and provided emotional support, especially to the elderly in the community.
Many elderly people were required to stay at home during that period of time. Groups like the Red Cross, Katikati RSA, Katikati Community Centre, Katch Katikati and Katikati Taiao rallied together to ensure that no one would go without. Even those members of the Red Cross who were over 70 years of age responded by providing a phone service to people who needed help and emotional support.
The Red Cross are committed to supporting vulnerable Kiwis, they are still delivering over 11,500 meals a week across New Zealand and are always looking for volunteering and funding support.
Sue Spriggins Katikati Christian Foodbank
The Katikati Christian Foodbank operates under the umbrella of the Reach Out Trust, which is the combined social arm of the local Christian Churches.
At the start of the first Covid lockdown in 2020, most of the volunteers were over the age of 70 and were required to isolate at home and therefore not able to continue operating the food bank. Sue, manager of the food bank, was asked at that time to take over running it.
An approach to the local Countdown supermarket helped overcome the issue of limitations on supply of certain food items. A small team of volunteers was gathered, and supply and delivery of parcels continued. This helped meet the needs of families and individuals, some of who had lost their source of income because of Covid.
The food bank also supported school breakfast and lunch programmes.
Sue has continued to serve as a leader, supported by a team of helpers whose desire is to meet the growing needs of our community.
Chris Steel Katikati Advertiser
Chris Steel was the editor of Katikati Advertiser at the time.
Chris was a supporter of the local community, supporting and reporting on the many events, activities, meetings and people that help
connect the Katikati community together.
It was during the first lockdown in 2020, that this true support really became very evident. Chris, along with a number of other local organisations, knew the importance and reliance of the paper our community has, so they fought hard to have the paper start up again. It is a lifeline for our community, with many elderly people relying on the weekly paper for their local news and information.
The paper would be back in circulation again on April 16.
Patrick Dunn
Patrick Dunn was a special Katikati resident, a man who represented all that is good about Katikati.
Pat gave to his community, like so
many of us do. He was a member of the St Johns community, a proud freemason, a sports coach and sportsmen, a cub leader, a phone operator for Life Link and somebody everyone loved to see when they were dropping off their recycling at the Tetley Rd Recycling Centre.
Sadly, not long after the 2020 lockdown, Patrick passed away suddenly in July.
It is important we don’t forget all those who helped people in our community, who gave support, who cared and thought of others. It is also important that as a community we don’t stop continuing to do that work, to show that care, and continue to support each other.