NEWS 14 The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>June</strong> 24, <strong>2021</strong> Satisfaction from helping others VOLUNTEER WEEK By LOUISE LEITCH Volunteering is away of life for Norman Maindonald. He has dedicated more than 40 years of service to the community in Christchurch, and more recently, <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong>. The Rangiora resident, who volunteers with Community Wellbeing <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> Trust as aRestorative Justice panellist, says volunteering gives him asatisfaction that nothing else does. Aselfprofessed jack of all trades, masterofnone, Norman held variousjobs in Christchurch, including arole as manager at Smiths City, before becoming South Island sales representative for Masport. ‘‘I was happily married, with two children. Ihad agreat job but Iwas too comfortable, says Norman. ‘‘My prayer was, if Ican do something more productive, let me know.’’ Normanbelieves his prayer was answeredwhen aserious car accident in 1984 left him with afracturedskull and unable to resume his job. Once he had recovered sufficiently he poured himself into prison ministry,avoluntary role he had begun while employed fulltime. When Norman began working with men at Rolleston Prison, some 41 years ago, his wife Shirley, while supportive of her husband’s decision, Volunteer week .. . Norman Maindonald says he gets ‘‘tremendous satisfaction’’ from volunteering. PHOTO: COMMUNITY WELLBEING NORTHCANTERBURY TRUST stated categorically thatshe did not want to be involved. ‘‘But three years later, she was more involved in the ministry than Iwas,’’ says Norman. The couple took prison inmates into their home for what was known as 72 hour parole, part of aprogramme to help prisoners nearing their time for release to transition successfully back into society. ‘‘They were often men from the <strong>North</strong> Island without any whanau locally to support them, says Norman. We would feed them, talk with them. Shirley and Imust have had dozens of prisoners through our home.’’ Norman grew up in Kurow, <strong>North</strong>Otago and describes his parents as straight up and down good people. ‘‘I was brought up to abide by the rules because Ihad parents who cared for me, loved me, but not everyone’s so fortunate,’’ says Norman. ‘‘I get tremendous satisfaction from helping someone who has been in a heap of trouble to turn their life around and have hope for the future.’’ It was Norman’s work with offenders that in 2003, led Deirdre Ryan, now manager of Community Wellbeing<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> Trust, to invite Norman to join apilot Community projects benefit Twentysix community projects have been supported by the Kaikoura District Council totalling $55,000 over the last year. The Creative Communities scheme has contributed $22,000,while the CommunityInitiative Fund added$15,000 and the Sports New Zealand Rural Travel Fund has provided $13,380 forthe community. ‘‘It’s great to see the range of different projects that have received funding,from art classes and sports equipment through to the development of amarine mammal app,’’ community services manager Susi Haberstock says. ‘‘These initiatives highlight the skilland energy withinour community.’’ The Creative Communities fund supported the 48 Hours in Kaikouraphoto exhibition, art classes for adults and tamariki,the Kaikoura Arts Trailwebsitetopromote artists in the district and Zoetrope drawing classes in schools. Funding has alsobeen made available for two murals, an art book, an exhibition, the Kaikoura Talent Quest, the Kaikoura Children’s Choir, Inspiration Container Lego exhibition and Re(start) Art workshops. Art class ... Rosvita Haas teaches an art class to local school children, funded by the Creative Communities fund. The council’s Community Initiative Fund supported a magician’s performance in the Kaikoura Hospital Rest Home, asummer holiday reading programme, the Great Kaikoura Whale Count andTinkertime,a monthly activity programme for over65s. The fundhas also supported the development of arange of Maori resources to be utilised acrossarange of projects including performance and the development of a marinemammalapp which will enablereal time collectionofmarine mammalsightings. The Sports NZ Rural TravelFund was used to help Kaikoura High School hockey, Kaikoura Netball PHOTO:KAIKOURA DISTRICTCOUNCIL Centre and Kaikoura Rugby travel to localsporting competitions. The George Low Trust Fund has been running for more than 40 yearsto providerecreational equipment for Kaikoura youth, and it has funded hockey equipment at Kaikoura High School, swim equipmentfor the Kaikoura AquaticCentre, which is under construction, the Kaikoura NetballCentre’s junior umpire programme and the Korora schoolholiday programme. The council acknowledges the efforts of volunteers who sit on the community grant boards and go through the applications. Restorative Justice service, that was being developed in <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> by Safer Communities Council with the help of Rangiora Police. Afounding Restorative Justice <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> panellist, Norman is now approaching 18 years as a volunteer with what was named the Turnaround Programme, now known as the <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> Police Diversions Panel. Restorative Justice <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong>, run by CommunityWellbeing <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> Trust, provides an opportunity for victims to talk to offenders and say how their lives have been affected by the offenders’ actions. Participation is voluntary, in a facilitated conversation between offenderand victim. ‘‘Victims can be reluctantto take part in arestorative justice conference initially,’’ says Norman, ‘‘but afterwards they often say it was the best thing that could have happened.’’ Losing Shirleyseven years ago, after 50 years of marriage, has been difficult, but Norman remainsaspassionate about helping peopleasthe day he began his voluntary service. ‘‘Life isn’t about being abig shot. Being the wealthiest, most influential person around doesn’t mean athing, that’s just egotism’’, says Norman. ‘‘We’re here to help others and if Ican do something to genuinely help someone else, why wouldn't I?’’. Baker’s delight ... Percival Street Bakery’s awardwinning head baker Wayne Rewi, with his apprentice bakers Nicole Young (19) and Johnny Murchison (20) and some of the bread they make on site in Rangiora. PHOTO: SHELLEY TOPP Passion for baking bread By SHELLEY TOPP Two Rangiora apprentice bakers are bucking the nationaltrend of attracting youngpeople into the baking profession. The earlystarts put many youngpeople offtraining to become bakers. However, Johnny Murchison (20) and Nicole Young(19), who bothwork at the awardwinning Percival Street Bakeryin Rangiora are both passionate about their career choice, despitethe earlystarts. Both Johnny and Nicole admitgetting to work early is tough,particularlyfor Nicolewho is anatural night owl, but they say seeinghow much customers enjoy the bread and other food they make more than compensates. Wayne Rewi, the head baker at Percival Street Bakery, says bakingbread is his passionand he is lucky to havetwo such talented apprentices working with him. ‘‘It is hardtoattract young,enthusiastic people into the bakingprofession, but both Johnny and Nicole are alsopassionate about bakingand bread making, so we are fortunatetohave Kaikoura eerily quiet ‘‘Reality is startingtokick in,’’ says Kaikoura Mayor Craig Mackle. As winter setsinand with no international tourists for 15 months, the towniseerily quiet. ‘‘Hopefully it will pick up abit nextmonth with the school holidays.Last winterwas pretty amazing,’’ Mr Mackle says. ‘‘I think it comes downtoadapting to the new environment and some businesses havedone really well, but you’ve got other businesses who are dependent on touristsand they can’t adapt so easily.’’ The <strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> Transport InfrastructureRecovery alliance’s finalproject, at Peketaand the Parititahi Tunnels, south of Kaikoura, is coming to end. But there is causefor optimism,as Kaikoura’sMayor’s Taskforce for Jobshas exceeded its targets. More than 50 people were placed in jobs in its first six monthsand funding has been secured for another year. ‘‘There’s been ahell of alot of people put into work and they’ve evendirected peoplewheretogo, evenifthey fall outsidethe criteria, so they’re stillhelpingthem which is good to see.’’ Statistics from the Ministry of Social Developmentshows there were66Kaikoura residents on a Jobseeker’s Benefit at the end of May.This is the same number as May 2020.InMay, 2019 therewere 27. ‘‘Unemployment is about half whatitcould have been and hopefully we will get that lower too, butyou’ve got to have the work to be able to offerthe employment,’’ Mr Mackle says. them.’’ Johnny is in charge of caring for the bakery’s four bread starters, which all havenames.They include the oldest, Boris, which turns 10 in November. Nicole,who is gluten free, specialises in makingthe bakery’s large range of glutenfreeproducts. Wayne saysthere is somethingspecial about baking bread. ‘‘There is justsomething about it. It is not the same every day.Little thingssuch as temperature play abig partinthe perfect loaf.Not justanyone can pick it up, you have to wanttolearn it.’’
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