Ian Greaves spent five years organising pastoral care for kiwifruit growers during the Psa outbreak. Photo / Carmen Hall
Ian Greaves spent five years organising pastoral care for kiwifruit growers during the Psa outbreak. Photo / Carmen Hall
''We aren't going to have any suicides this time''.
That was the driving force behind Ian Greaves' five-year commitment to help kiwifruit growers with their mental health and wellbeing when Psa, a disease that affects the fruit, wiped out every Hort 16 A crop nearly a decade ago.
As anindustry advocate with 30 years' experience, an orchard owner and grower regulator he knew the effects of a crisis.
''I had been through a downturn previously and I knew what it was like to see growers in anguish and how tough it was on people. My whole approach was we had more than 100 scientists working on the plants to try and fix Psa but what about the people? I didn't want people either hurting themselves or being so hurt they didn't come out the other side.''
He mobilised a team of volunteers and put a lifesaving pastoral care plan in place which consequently won him a Kiwibank Local Hero Award in 2014 and Horticulture New Zealand's inaugural President's Award in 2015.
''I know we saved lives," Greaves said.
The group ran courses on suicide prevention training for front line staff across the industry so they knew how to deal with situations including anyone suffering from a critical mental health issue.
''Some of those included receptionists who would get calls and if they sensed it was critical they wouldn't hang up from the person until some support was arranged.''
The way through came with a plethora of initiatives urging growers to seek help and reassuring them they were not alone.
Counsellors, psychologists and sleep experts were just some of the professionals made available alongside drop-in clinics and marriage-enrichment courses, while 1200 leaflets were distributed with emergency numbers for everything from financial to physiological help.
Some growers thought parts of the roll-out were ''mumbo jumbo'' but 50 couples showed up for the marriage-enrichment course.
''A lot of growers didn't use them but those that did, really needed them and having them in the background was reassuring. I certainly had letters and emails and people talking to me afterwards saying, 'I knew I could carry on because there was some support there'.''
Grief was another emotion growers had to deal with which took its toll.
''When you have to cut your orchard out it is your business. But it's also like losing a person and a lot of growers didn't realise they were in a grief cycle which is often followed by helplessness, anger and blame before you come out the other side and start to see hope again.''
Most farmers and rural people are pretty resilient and independent so we wanted to say it was okay to ask for help and ''we made it our culture and gave people permission to go to their neighbours and ask if they were alright''.
In November 2010, Psa meetings were held around the region including Katikati Town Hall which packed out. Photo / File
Greaves also became a seasoned speaker, addressing his largest crowd of 600 people at Baypark where he faced his own vulnerabilities.
''I am standing in this big group and I asked 'is anyone stressed?' I put my hand up and said I am to break the ice because I was going through it as well.''
''Then the hands started to rise.''
Today Greaves is grateful attitudes have changed around mental health and it's no longer seen as ''a weakness to ask for help''.
Sitting on a wicker chair in the sun at his home in Bethlehem, the 58-year-old said he ''was just in the right place at the right time''.
If you are worried about your or someone else's mental health, the best place to get help is your GP or local mental health provider. However, if you or someone else is in danger or endangering others, call 111. If you need to talk to someone, the following free helplines operate 24/7: • DEPRESSION HELPLINE: 0800 111 757 • LIFELINE: 0800 543 354 • NEED TO TALK? Call or text 1737 • SAMARITANS: 0800 726 666 • YOUTHLINE: 0800 376 633 or text 234 • For others, visit: mentalhealth.org.nz/get-help/in-crisis/helpline
Tomorrow we look into concerns surrounding the kiwifruit labour shortage.
