E-cigarettes are a good substitution for real cigarettes
I am quietly surprised how pleased I am to be back at work. I have been with the U-Turn Trust almost a year now and think myself so lucky to be part of such a dynamic team.
One day it's strategic and political: meetings with Bill English to discuss caring for families of Flaxmere, where we agree in the main government agencies struggle to make a difference with very complex families.
We discuss how these families would be known to justice, police, health, Winz etc.
Our model would be to provide stable housing and wrap-around pastoral care with evaluation. We believe we can make a difference to these families predominantly through building trust.
The alternative is these families will continue to be dysfunctional and the associated economic and social costs will be a burden to us all.
Next, Gary and I walk to the garden to talk irrigation for our garden. We have received $5000 from the Bernard Chambers Trust.
This year is going to be a big one for U-Turn. Housing, both HNZ and new builds around the marae, building of the Flaxmere Boxing Academy, consultation and design of MAC alcohol-free clubrooms, progressing our whanau ora Takitimu Ora partnership with Te Taiwhenua Heretaunga, Nga Marae (a collective of 18 Marae in the Heretaunga region), Nga Kairahii and Te Wananga oTeWhareTapere O Takitimu. These are big pieces of work that are all in various stages of progress.
There are, of course other things on our wish list, a waharoa (carved entranceway) to our community garden, a barbecue area for our garden, painting the marae. And of course, finding sustainable funding. I pull up to the marae and Pam greets me with a grin. She proudly shows me the smokefree signage she has placed at the marae. The garden is looking its best. Gary updates me.
The only damage done over the break was someone had picked up the bee hives but had obviously dropped them in a hurry. We joke about them being our killer bees and guardians of our garden. The bees have been given to us by Pam's cousin and we are growing our hives. For those of you who keep bees you will appreciate how we have become very attached to our bees. They have become our friends.
There is much to get on with this week with reports and funding applications due. Henare and Pam assure me they have had time to rest and have a break. I sit with Pam one day during our coffee break and I notice she is smoking an e-cigarette. She has had only had three "real" cigarettes in the past 24 hours she tells me. Pam has smoked for 40 years so this is a big deal for her and the mere fact that she has taken this step is amazing.
An e-cigarette is a great substitute for a cigarette. It looks like a cigarette, can be puffed on like a cigarette, releases vapour like a cigarette and provides nicotine through cartridges the addictive substance contained in regular cigarettes but without the 599 additives including 81 cancer causing chemicals guaranteed to kill 1:2 people that smoke them. Our government is grappling with whether they should be subsidised? Why?
We have families arriving every day for food. The garden is also busy.
People kindly donate children's clothing and books. We leave them by the entrance to the garden. People are generous and people are in need.
Also on my wish list for this year is a project called the Jammie Army. This is based on providing flannelette pyjamas for children for winter.
I learnt of this by someone I sat next to flying to Auckland. This woman was prepared to start this project with me. We could work in partnership with child providers to target those children living in overcrowded, cold, damp homes, with little to no heating or warm blankets.
By providing pyjamas, it keeps children warmer during winter nights and can help prevent chest infections and children being readmitted to hospital.
We would be very keen to hear from you if you would like to be involved.
Let's keep our children warm this winter.
-Ana Apatu is chief executive of the U-Turn Trust, based at Te Aranga Marae in Flaxmere