Helicopter rescue house beats odds
A global pandemic and a dearth of supplies couldn’t stop the hardworking tradies of Nelson, as the completed helicopter house was revealed to the public on Friday following over a month of delays.
The Mitre 10 Mega Nelson Helping Hands project saw a three-bedroom house built from scratch by local organisations, with the proceeds being donated to the Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter endowment trust.
The completed house was unveiled to the public on Friday. It will open from 11am to 2pm this weekend.
Mitre 10 Mega Nelson marketing manager Murray Leaning said the 124 square metre house had three bedrooms and two bathrooms, and was designed by Premier Services architectural designer Scott MacKay.
Features included a walk-in wardrobe for the master bedroom, a scullery, a deck, a sloping ceiling, and two bifold stacking doors.
The project had been plagued by supply shortages and illness, causing the house’s construction taking an extra six weeks to complete.
Additionally, the ongoing pandemic had caused a labour shortage.
‘‘It’s a miracle we managed to get it finished.’’
The generosity of locals had allowed to project to go ahead, with local labour companies supplying GIB board, paint and more when it looked to be impossible to source, Leaning said.
Many of them and their loved ones had been helped by the rescue chopper, and were more than happy to provide materials free of charge, or send workers to help build.
‘‘Nelson Marlborough Rescue Helicopter had touched everybody in Nelson.’’
Gibbons Naylor site manager James Riordan said supply issues had caused the project to be quite challenging. Gibbons Naylor employees had donated a couple of days a week to the project, with tradies working in their own time and evenings on the house.
Riordan said the helicopter house was a great way for him to use his skills as a builder to help the community, rather than ‘‘giving two dollars at a coin drop’’.
‘‘I worked on the last helicopter house, I’ll work on every one there is.’’
Nelson Marlborough Rescue
Helicopter general manager Paula Muddle said she had been ‘‘blown away’’ by the generosity shown by people involved in the project. The funds raised from selling the house would be put into the Rescue Helicopter endowment trust,
That would allow the chopper to continue working for generations to come.
‘‘It’s just been an absolute pleasure so humbling to see everyone pitch in during these times.’’
The house had already been sold by The Cooper Group to a local family.