Plymouth Brethren volunteers help rebuild fences for cyclone-affected farmers
Cyclone Gabrielle tore through the Hawke’s Bay region in New Zealand, leaving a mass of destruction in its wake, including thousands of kilometres of broken fencing. Members of the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church quickly came together to support and loaded nearly 100 kilometres of free fencing onto a convoy of trucks to deliver to 300 impacted farmers.
Coordinated through the Rapid Relief Team (RRT) under the banner of their Farmers Community Connect (FCC) initiative, dozens of trucks convoyed through Napier and Hastings with the fencing supplies, funded by members of our Church.
Rapid Relief Team Director for New Zealand, Danny Blampied, said the day was all about bringing farmers together.
“The farmers have had a hard ride and we are trying to get them to come out from their farms and connect with one another, and also connect with any services – that could be veterinary services, financial advisers or mental health services and support.
“What we are really aiming to do is to get them to come and to talk and get things off their chests because of what they have been through.
“This is the first Farmers Community Connect event we have ever done in New Zealand. They were originally set up in Australia to support farmers with the droughts, and they were really well-received.”
See how the day unfolded in Hawke’s Bay.
About Cyclone Gabrielle
Cyclone Gabrielle was a severe tropical cyclone that devastated parts of New Zealand and Australia in February 2023. It is the costliest tropical cyclone on record in the Southern Hemisphere, with estimated total damages of around NZ$13.5 billion.
On February 13 and 14, Cyclone Gabrielle lashed Hawke’s Bay with gale-force winds, a large easterly swell, and record rainfall. This caused rivers to burst their banks, devastating the region. A National State of Emergency was declared on Tuesday, February 14. The cyclone caused widespread damage and flooding and resulted in a period of extreme isolation and vulnerability. Over 70,000 residents were left without lifelines, including health services, power, road connectivity, wastewater, drinking water, internet, and cellphone networks.
