To our Chairperson, Jan Robinson for being elected a Trustee for the Kaipara Community Health Trust as the Representative for the Otamatea Ward.
The Kaipara Community Health Trust helped Linking Hands get up and running as a Health Shuttle Service by giving us their old Shuttle Van which has served us well for the last 6 year before being replaced recently.
September 2013
New Health Shuttle Launch
Exciting news on September 12th Eileen Parsons, President of the Maungaturoto Rotary Club, cut the ribbon on our new Health Shuttle van. This day has been a long time coming and made possible with financial help from local and national Rotary groups, our own local Anglican Opportunity Shop and funding through Sir John Logan Campbell Trusts in Auckland. This Shuttle is now set to continue to serve our Community for a long me to come.
June 2013
Linking Hands Client
Focus on Linking Hands. By Ann Briggs.
This month’s interview with Max Bunting, a Linking Hands client, is the third in our series featuring administrators, drivers and clients.
Q. How did you come to live in Maungaturoto?
A. I came first from Christchurch to Auckland, some years ago. Then I wanted to get away from the city, and moved to a flat in Paparoa. This did not work out, and Jayne from Linking Hands helped me to get my present place with Neville Westlake 2 ½ years ago, at the old bowling club beside Fonterra. So Linking Hands helped me from the start.
Q. How did you get further involved with Linking Hands?
A. In June last year I was diagnosed with cancer, and had to go to Auckland hospital for six weeks
radiation treatment. Brian Dent from Linking Hands took me to Brynderwyn each time, to connect with
the Whangarei shuttle, and he looked after my dog, Tig, whilst I was having treatment. He’s also promised to look after Tig if anything happens to me, so he’s taken a huge load off my mind. Brian is a good mate – he picks me up in the morning even when he’s been on night shift the night before.
Q. Did you need more help from Linking Hands?
A. Yes. Unfortunately, the radiation treatment didn’t work, and Linking Hands helped me to go to Whangarei hospital for operations. There is no local transport around here, and a taxi would have cost around $200. One time when I was taken back to hospital with stomach pains, Brian waited seven hours with me until I was seen. When I was recovering and I couldn’t ride my bike, they helped me to get to doctor’s appointments and to fetch prescriptions.
Q. How would you describe Linking Hands?
A. Linking Hands has kept me alive: they give me both hope and help. They have given me the support to fight cancer, because they care. I am quite sure I have beaten the 'monster' through their help. They
are my friends. They do it all for just a donation, and I’d like to see people out in the town supporting
them financially. The Linking Hands drivers go over a wide area; they go out of the way to reach people in remoter places, using their own cars if needed. If someone who is reading this needs help with a health-related problem, I would say: Don’t be afraid to ring, just phone Linking Hands, and they will be with you. And remember that Linking Hands needs money for petrol and other costs: please donate what you can.
April 2013
Linking Hands Driver
Focus on Linking Hands. By Ann Briggs.
Linking Hands driver, is the second in our series featuring administrators, drivers and clients.
Q. What drew you to Linking Hands?
A. I was doing nothing. After working as an Air New Zealand aircraft engineer for 36 years I’d moved to Paparoa with my wife, Rosemary, and worked for some time as a volunteer fireman. The fire service work was becoming too physically demanding, and I wanted something worthwhile to do.
One day about four years ago, I brought some furniture to the old Linking Hands office, and got talking
with Jayne and Maureen. They asked me if I’d be a driver and I agreed. I drive one day a week, and can be called out on other days if needed, and Rosemary helps in the office.
Q. What do you enjoy about the work?
A. I get to meet a lot of people, and have a good chat with them: a trip to hospital gives plenty of
time for that. I’ve learned about the area, especially about the history of Maungaturoto and Paparoa.
Some clients don’t like to talk, and that’s OK too. I’ve got to know the area pretty well, though there
have been some mistakes: for example taking someone to Settlement Road off the Paparoa-Oakleigh
Road instead of the one at Kaiwaka.
I used to get involved in the maintenance of the vehicles, but now I mainly give advice about it. I
do regular checks and note repairs that have to be done on the vehicles, or give them a look-over be-
fore a warranty test. I’m an engineer – it’s my way.
Q. What skills does it take to be a driver?
A. I like driving – I can do it and I enjoy it. I’d enjoy it more if we had better vehicles. They are getting old and it’s hard to keep them going. I’d say to someone who was thinking of joining: ‘Don’t hesitate. You just need to be an average driver, nothing special.' You have to appreciate that getting elderly people in and out can take a bit of time and ingenuity. I sometimes worry about bringing people home
from hospital: will they be alright? It’s good, though, when you get someone home; they can be
so thankful. Thanks are enough, but some people just take the service for granted. We don’t ask for
money, the service is free, but if everyone who could afford it, gave a little, it would help.
