The Star: September 14, 2017

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Latest Christchurch news at www.star.kiwi
Thursday September 14 2017
Our People
The Star
Larina Tiffen
Author captures best of humanity
ANGELS: Larina Tiffen organised thousands
of donations to be delivered to people in and
around Kaikoura after last year’s North Canterbury
earthquake.
Larina Tiffen from Miss Lilly’s Angel Trust has written a book
about Christchurch residents who, having experienced a disaster
themselves, stepped up to help after the 7.8 magnitude North
Canterbury earthquake in November. She spoke to Gabrielle Stuart
Could you tell me a bit about the
people in your book?
They’re really just ordinary people
doing extraordinary things in a time
of need to help other people. The book
is called Come Together, and we’ve featured
30 local families who suffered in
the Canterbury earthquakes. They tell
their stories of how the earthquakes
affected them, and why they came
to help Miss Lilly’s Angels after the
North Canterbury earthquake.
It must be difficult to pick – but
could you tell me a couple of their
stories?
Well, there was Phil and Mike, who
lost their homestead and then their
dad in the earthquakes. When the
North Canterbury earthquake hit,
they drove as far as they could and
then walked the rest of the way to
Kaikoura to try to help.
Another was Maria, who on
September 4 was giving birth to her
daughter when the power went out
and everything turned to custard.
She and her friends came out with
a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado full of
toiletries and hand sanitiser and essentials
they donated, because she had
been through it herself and she knew
how terrifying it was.
Then there were the people from
North Canterbury, like Sparky, who
was home with his wife and daughter
and five grandchildren when the
earthquake hit. How they got out alive
I don’t know. They were isolated and
could hear the slips all around them.
As the kids were coming down
their stairwell, the hot water cylinder
popped up and buckled the stairs, so
one of the boys couldn’t get past. He
had to go out to the deck and jump
and, as he jumped, the whole deck
collapsed. Then they got to the railway
and as they got there they saw the sea
was gone. So they said, if we go up the
hill we’ll be hit by rocks, if we don’t
we’ll be hit by a wave. He lost his job,
and lost his house and meeting him I
said s**t, things are tough. But he said
money is the root of all evil, and the
fact the family is okay is priceless.
And Richie’s in the book, with
Christchurch Helicopters. I spent a lot
of time with him flying things back
and forth for people. He worked so
hard, I have a lot of respect for him
and all the team there.
So there are no broken buildings in
this book, because it’s about people,
it’s about us healing through other
people’s stories.
And you’ve been writing the book
while managing your food truck and
catering business?
Yes, and I have a two-year-old and
my husband works away from home,
so there have been a lot of days I have
been up until 2am writing and then
catering the next day, functioning on
three hours sleep. I’ve been working
on the book since January almost
every day. Today, I got the final proof,
and there were lots of tears.
So tell me about your background?
I’m originally from Timaru. I
studied as a counsellor and worked
for a while with New Zealand Police
in victim support and with women’s
refuges.
After the Canterbury earthquakes,
I worked with a lot of people and with
children traumatised by it. And I saw
that through my own individual experience,
because my family lost three
homes and lost jobs and had to relocate.
We went through it ourselves,
too. That’s actually how we built Miss
Lilly’s, with recycled stuff from our
own home. So when Kaikoura was
hit, I felt it was my time to pay it
forward after all the good will we had
received.
ADvERTORIAL
Canterbury Master Painters Win Big
“A big shout out to all the fabulous Master Painters members in the Canterbury region
who always go the extra mile in providing the highest quality services to our customers,”
says Gary Fyfe, the Canterbury Master Painters President. “We would like to acknowledge
our local winners and colleagues after the exciting recent 2017 National Master Painters
awards ceremony.”
2017 Canterbury Award Winners
Master Painters is the national body for the painting
industry which is now over 100 Years old and have
grown to include 13 associations around the country.
The Master Painters logo represents and provides to
the consumer trust, security and confidence that their
painter or decorator will provide the highest quality of
industry standards and services.
The MP logo provides peace of mind during your
painting and decorating experience for you and
your family. Master Painters members offer a 5 year
workmanship warranty* available for all new and rework
on Residential Dwellings.
*Warranty is an optional item with Terms and Conditions
that are outlined on the MPA website.
2017 Commercial Master Painter of the Year -
Stripes Painting & Decorating Ltd, Canterbury
2017 Commercial Award Winners
• New Exterior Small to Medium
- G K Fyfe Ltd, Canterbury
• New Exterior - Large
- Switched On Property Maintenance, Canterbury
• New Interior - Large
- Stripes Painting & Decorating Ltd, Canterbury
• Rework Exterior - Character
- Frame Contracting Ltd, Canterbury
• Rework Interior - Character
- Frame Contracting Ltd, Canterbury
• Speciality/Industrial Coatings
- Ranger Specialist Coatings, Mid & South Canterbury
• Intergrain Timber Rework
- G K Fyfe Ltd, Canterbury
2017 Residential Award Winners
• New Interior Over $25k
- Chamlang Ltd
• New Exterior Over $25K
- Newman Decorators, Canterbury
• Intergrain New Timber Award
- Chamlang Ltd, Canterbury
Congratulations again to all the
Canterbury members who have done
a fabulous job and who make the
Master Painters Association proud.
Spring is here. Time to think about those painting and
decorating jobs you have talked about over the winter.
Call the Canterbury Master Painters President Gary
Fyfe on 0800 PAINTNZ or look for painters who have
the Master Painters logo.
Master Painters, put your trust in their
painting skills and service.
www.masterpainters.co.nz