Caravan provides homeless solution for Whanganui tent tenant but parking space needed

A tent has provided summer shelter for a homeless woman and her pets. Now she needs somewhere warmer. Photo/Bevan Conley

A caravan will provide a perfect solution for a Whanganui woman forced to live in a tent - she just needs a safe place to park it.

Helen has been camping in a tent with her pets since late last year when the property she rented was sold.

Now a friend has provided a housing solution by purchasing her a caravan but she will need somewhere to park it.

The friend, who wishes to remain anonymous, said it has been quite hard to find a suitable caravan.

"We wanted to find one that will be comfortable for her and we've been searching the listings for a few weeks.

"Caravans are a lot more in demand than they used to be but we've found a good one with a chemical toilet on board."

Helen 64, has been rescuing unloved pets for many years and when she lost her rental home, she rehomed some of them but could not bear to part with her two beloved dogs, three cats and a goat named Danny.

Danny has now been rehomed to a place with other goats and Helen says she is very grateful for all the help and offers she has received since the Chronicle reported on her plight in January.

"There were a couple of offers for temporary housing that did not work out for different reasons but I really appreciate them.

"I am very grateful to Lyndsay who helped me out with a replacement cooker for my one that was stolen and to everyone who wanted to lend a hand."

Although she is on a priority waiting list with Housing New Zealand, Helen says she is not pinning her hopes on that.

"I know there are a lot of families in the queue and I would like to see them housed.

"The caravan will be fine for me if I can just find a good location for me and my pets."

Helen says camping, on the whole, has been a relaxing experience but a tent is not ideal when the weather gets colder and she looks forward to having a warmer home soon.