Ashburton Courier: November 28, 2019

Page 2, Ashburton’s The Courier, Thursday 28 November 2019
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Getting involved by accident
Volunteer of the month -John Driscoll
You could say it was by
accident John Driscoll,
from Birthright Canterbury,
got into volunteering.
An accident stopped
John from farming and
saw him join Ashburton
Rotary which lead to his
involvement with thennamed
Birthright Ashburton.
Ashburton Rotary
started Birthright in Ashburton
in 1946, to help
war families with only
one parent.
John, who is the Volunteering
Mid & South
Canterbury and the Hotel
Ashburton Volunteer of
the Month, went on to
become the rotary representative
at Birthright.
He was appointed by
then­president Dr Phil
Godfrey.
Sixteen years later,
John is still involved, he
became branch president
in 2014, and thoroughly
enjoying every minute of
his volunteering.
He says volunteering is
about helping others and
gives asense of achievement,
it helps him be
positive and he likes giving
his time.
His greatest achievement
is securing the
future of Birthright and
helping it gain a new
identity so it becomes an
even better organisation.
After two years as the
Rotary representative
John joined the Birthright
committee. With
funding an ongoing issue,
John discussed, at a
national meeting, about
Ashburton and Christchurch
branches joining
John Driscoll
together.
It was especiallybeneficial
for Ashburton to have
help with funding. Once
the amalgamation took
place they formed new
identity, Birthright Canterbury.
In his time, John
has served as atrustee of
the Birthright Canterbury
Charitable Trust.
The amalgamation has
placed Birthright Canterbury
in abetter place with
a committed group of
localssupporting the work
in Ashburton. It includes
a social worker, family
visitors (always inneed of
more), and those, like
John, who work away in
the background doing
whatever come up
whether its practical
assistance like procuring
firewood, assisting atthe
holiday programmes or
supporting young people
to attend the Birthright
camps.
John is passionate
about his volunteering
with Birthright including
some of the activities
they’ve done such as fishing
at Clearwater Resort,
boating at Lake Hoodand
delivering goods to families.
Others within the
organisation say if they
need something done they
ask John, whose practical
skills, strategic thinking
and sense of humour is
greatly valued by them.
Another activity is helping
to collect gifts from
the Christmas Tree set up
at Heartland Bank. John
said the bank, and its
predecessor, had generously
hosted the Christmas
tree allowing members
of the community to
leave so many wonderful
gifts for Birthright families.
He says the goodwill to
families is unreal.
“The Christmas Spirit
is alive in the community
who are so generous”.
John’s volunteering
gives him so much enjoyment
helping other
people and hoping to
make things better for
people.
Organisations and
groups are encouraged to
get nominations in for the
Volunteering Mid &
South Canterbury &the
Hotel Ashburton Volunteer
of the Month. Nomination
forms are available
by contacting
Volunteering Mid &
South Canterbury, Community
House, 44 Cass
Street Ashburton, ph
3081237 ext 240 or email
volmidcant@gmail.com
or pick up acopy at Four
Square in Rakaia.
Stories of pain, message of love
By Mick Jensen
White Ribbon Day
motorcycle riders shared
storiesand spread
messages of love and
respectduring astopover
at St Joseph’sSchool on
Friday.
Supportinga
nationwide awareness
campaign, the bikers
declared they willnot
condoneviolencebymen
againstwomen and
insteadwill stand up and
speak out against it.
Some 13 motorbikes
have been part of a10­day
South Island tour
spreading the messages of
the White Ribbon
campaign.
At St Joseph’s School,
motorcyclistsroared
throughthe maingates
and were greetedwith a
rousinghaka.
Youngerpupils and
older pupils splitinto two
groups and were
addressed by the visiting
bikers.
Speaking to the
youngergroup, ride
leader Brian Mahonfrom
Nelson encouraged
students to be ‘‘nice to
people’’ and ‘‘to look after
your friends’’.
He urged them to have
respectfor others,totalk
to their matesand to have
fun in life.
Anotherbiker talking
to the older school group
spoke candidly about his
life and an abusive family
history.
He had grown up with
an angryand violent
father.
He in turn had not been
very nice to his own wife
in the early years,but he
had changed and had
made better choices and
had since treated her well.
‘‘I was later able to talk
to my father later in life
and forgave him.’’
The youngsters were
alsotold it was OK to ask
atrusted adult for helpif
there were problems at
home.
The White Ribbon
riders headednorth after
the Ashburton stop over.
Family Violence
remains asignificant
social problem for the
Canterbury community
with11,308family harm
episodes referred to the
Christchurch Metro
Police between 1July
2018and 20 June 2019.
Research suggests that
only20% of family
violence is reported to
police.
Photo: White Ribbon
Day motorcycle rider
Brian Mahon speakswith
youngsters at St Joseph’s
School.
28-32 MooreSt, Ashburton l Phone 03 550 7000
2228712