Backyard barbies offer ‘a little normality’ for rural Wairoa communities

GETTING TOGETHER: Hereheretau Station hosted the first of 15 Backyard BBQs being run by the Wairoa Community Development Trust over the coming months, to support local farmers. Picture supplied

Connection, support and an effort to bring a little normality back into the lives of Wairoa’s cyclone-stricken rural community is the ethos behind the Backyard BBQ initiative.

On the back of the successful Wairoa Rural Round Up evening, a series of 15 barbecue get-togethers are scheduled, with the first hosted by Hereheretau Station.

The initiative is being driven by Wairoa Community Development Trust with support from the Ministry for Primary Industries and a range of other sponsors.

“These are an opportunity for the community to get together with rural professionals who local farmers have established relationships with,” organiser Sue Wilson said.

“It is a good time to check in and see if there are any issues for farmers as we head into winter . . . that includes the likes of access to processing, roading issues, compliance and budgeting advice.

“Wairoa has some excellent resources and expertise on hand to help, so the trust really wants to make sure our farmers know who they can turn to.”

The resilience of the rural community was “incredible” but she was well aware there was a feeling of fatigue and a need

for support.

Rural Support Trust Hawke’s Bay coordinator Jonathan Bell said it was crucial communities connected after adverse events.

“It is a time to get a little bit of normality back into people’s lives, an opportunity to talk and share stories and a chance to listen and support other members of your community,” he said.

Pāmu chief executive Mark Leslie said a silver lining to the damaging weather events was the way rural communities had come together.

“Pāmu is very keen to keep supporting local people, neighbours, communities and organisations who are working shoulder-to-shoulder in the wake of Cyclone Gabrielle,” he said.

“It is important to keep the spotlight on these areas as this recovery will be a marathon, not a sprint, and the people at the coalface deserve our backing now and into the future.”

He and his teams knew only too well the devastation left by the cyclone, with 24 Pāmu farms impacted, seven of those severely.

■  For more information on the Backyard BBQs, email admin@eastcoastexpo.co.nz or phone 027-446-7261