ANZ Christchurch team volunteer to help quake hit farmers in Waiau

ANZ volunteers from Christchurch have used their volunteer day to help farmers putting their lives back together following the Kaikoura earthquake.

Waiau farmer Rebecca Kelly said although the quake happened four months ago lives are still very different for those living with the damage.

"There's been a lot of stress on farms and farmers, and therefore farming families," Kelly said. "If our lives are all crazy busy and things are broken here we still have to keep things happening for our kids. So we are stretched."

ANZ teamed up with the Canterbury Rural Support Trust who identified a group of farmers in the area who needed help with things like gardening, organising firewood for winter and general clean-up work.

Waiau farmer Marty Kelly (left) with Brendan Stafford & Nick Sanders from ANZ. Photo / Supplied

"ANZ have offered to help in my garden, help around the house, and that's pretty awesome because the farm is key here, the farm is what makes our income but sometimes it's just nice to have some stuff done that you know really needs to be done." Kelly said.

Waiau farmer Marty Kelly also had a team of volunteers helping out on his farm.

"It's awesome these guys have volunteered to do this," Mr Kelly said. "And it is the little things, that suddenly the woods done and it's in the shed and it's just a load off your mind."

As part of #ANZinthecommunity staff can volunteer one day each year to help a local community or charity. Each year staff volunteer more than 15,000 hours in the community.

ANZ Regional Manager Agri for Canterbury and West Coast David Pratt said the team understood the challenges facing a community picking up after an earthquake.

"It is certainly something the team have been keen to get out and try and do something to help," Pratt said.

12 ANZ staff volunteered on four Waiau farms last Wednesday, another team of volunteers with visit more Waiau farmers this week.