A Friendly Voice on the Phone
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Thursday, April 9, 2020 Since Sept 27, 1879 Retail $2.20 Home delivered from $1.40 THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY New chapter Situation P6 urgent P24 A friendly voice on the phone BY SUSAN SANDYS They included about 70 who [email protected] attended the 206 Club, and those Social distancing is keeping New who attended exercise classes. Zealanders alive in the Covid-19 “It’s a lot of talking on the tele- pandemic, but dealing with isola- phone, it’s quite time-consuming tion is not easy. for those who are doing it. They Age Concern Ashburton is en- do enjoy it because they feel they suring the lockdown weeks are are contributing to a very real not as difficult as they could be, need,” Small said. and keeping in touch with its cli- “People can feel quite alone ents. and quite vulnerable.” Chairperson Trish Small said Director of day services Adair the organisation made the de- Pethig is responsible for a large cision about one week prior to proportion of the calls being lockdown that it would tem- made, ensuring her 206 Club cli- porarily close its services, as it ents get at least once-per-week aimed to keep its clients safe and contact. healthy. And now that closure re- Phoning about one dozen peo- mains in place as the lockdown ple per day, she will ask whether continues. they need support, help with gro- Small said Age Concern Ash- ceries or medication and if they burton had since had a number are worried about anything. of directives from head office in Pethig says said most of those Wellington, aimed at making sure she phoned lived alone, and were systems were in place to ensure most likely missing the day or two clients would not be left without they spent at the Ashburton Sen- the contact and support they iors Centre each week, enjoying needed. a structured programme with a These systems included Age cooked meal and entertainment. Concern’s employees, and volun- She said chatting about the teers associated with the organi- news was a popular topic on the sation, phoning clients to talk to phone, especially considering them. many of the older clients did not Altogether there were about have internet. 270 clients throughout Mid Can- “It’s lovely to be doing some- terbury benefiting from regular thing and knowing that I’m ac- contact with the organisation tually helping them get through Age Concern director of day services Adair Pethig makes about one dozen calls a day to stay in during lockdown. their week,” Pethig said. touch. PHOTO SUPPLIED We’re all in this together Ph 03 307 7900 Gluyas Nissan to subscribe! Why not Browse our Fantastic 79 Kermode Street | (03) 307 5800 Kendall Sandrey Sales Consultant Online Stock selection now! Mob 027 486 0016 Scott Donaldson Sales Manager Mob 027 225 5530 www.gluyasnissan.nz www.gluyasnissan.nz News 2 Ashburton Guardian Thursday, April 9, 2020 www.guardianonline.co.nz A trip to Auckland last month was like no other for Delwyn Moylan. PHOTO ASHBURTON GUARDIAN A holiday to remember BY HEATHER MACKENZIE Using the hop-on and hop-off didn’t know the new numbers, so persuaded him that taking himself ing him I had to concentrate on [email protected] bus to get around, she found that the chap asked her to look it up on off to the City Mission was a far someone else, and not my own Mid Canterbury Volunteering Co- she and perhaps one or two oth- her phone. better option. thoughts.” ordinator, Delwyn Moylan, could ers were the only ones on it, the “I sat down on a bench so I could “It did make me wonder just With what was going on and the only describe her recent venture Auckland Museum was practically use my phone and he sat on the how many other homeless peo- lockdown looming Moylan knew to Auckland as being strange. empty, and all the central city ca- grass two-to-three metres away ple throughout the country were she had to cut her holiday short Parts of her long-awaited hol- fes seemed to be closed by 2pm. from me. It was certainly surreal to feeling the same way he was. Stay- by two days, say goodbye to the iday were so unexpected she felt “There were a few people be looking up facts like that with a ing at home during a lockdown is friends she was staying with and at times like an extra in a science around, but nowhere near what complete stranger.” daunting enough but when you head back to Ashburton early. fiction movie. there normally would be.” When she told him the official don’t have a home to go to, what Luckily for her she managed When she left Christchurch on Come Friday morning and the toll for that Friday was 39, he told can you do?” to change her return trip, leaving March 17 everything was relatively streets of Auckland were even her that that was the end for him, In a strange twist, talking to him Auckland on lockdown day, March normal. more deserted. he was going to drown himself in helped Moylan too. She said she 25. There might have been chat “I found it hard to believe that the harbour. was getting very unsettled walking Moylan realised how lucky she around Covid-19 and large gather- the biggest city in New Zealand It turns out that her grass-sitting around what should be a busy and was to get on that flight, when ings being cancelled and sporting could turn into a ghost town so companion was homeless, and vibrant area of Auckland and yet the pilot informed the passengers events being on hold, but when quickly,” she said. because of his homeless state he hardly anyone was around. theirs was the last Jetstar domestic she landed in Auckland the city Moylan was having a look was terrified the police or even the “Near the Team New Zealand flight heading to Christchurch for seemed like it was going about its around the Viaduct Harbour military police were going to come headquarters the only people the foreseeable future. usual business. on the Friday when a chap ap- to take him away or worse. about were two homeless char- While her holiday didn’t go en- However, over the next few days proached her and out of the blue “I spent the next half an hour acters, a family of four and about tirely to plan thanks to Covid-19, Moylan said the city got quieter asked her how many people were talking to him and eventually I eight construction workers pack- Moylan said it was certainly one and quieter. dead. Moylan replied that she calmed him down and eventually ing up, very strange. But by help- she will always remember. Lawyers adapting to lockdown conditions BY JAIME PITT-MACKAY out general information every day “There has been a worry that and suspected fewer arrests would Sittings were scheduled for [email protected] and everyone is just operating re- domestic violence will increase be made by police during the lock- March 27, 30 and 31, and all Defence lawyers have been kept motely now, doing whatever their during this but we haven’t had down. non-custodial cases will be admin- busy trying to keep track of dates clients need,” she said. any protection order applications While the court is shut during istratively rescheduled to a future and keeping in touch with clients Keeping in contact with her cli- come through but they may be the lockdown, some cases are still date, with bail conditions remain- with the local court closed during ents involved plenty of emails, going straight to Women’s Refuge,” progressing, including Youth Court ing where they apply, unless varied the lockdown. phone calls, text messages and she said. cases, which Gilchrist has attended by application. Local lawyer Marilyn Gilchrist even Facebook messages, while While she expected the weeks by phone during the lockdown. Defendants who are in custody said most of her cases that were be- they had set up an 0800 number for after the lockdown is lifted to be No sittings will be held at the will have their case called in the fore the court had been put off with their clients to contact them as of- busy, Gilchrist said she has only court during the, at least four week, scheduled Christchurch District dates set for early May. ten they do not have enough mon- had two new legal aid applications period New Zealand is at Alert Lev- Court daily custody court before a “The courts have been sending ey to have credit on their phones. sent her way during the lockdown, el 4. District Court Judge via AVL. The Ashburton Guardian wishes to advise readers that there will be no paper published on Good Friday. News www.guardianonline.co.nz Thursday, April 9, 2020 Ashburton Guardian 3 ■ ASHBURTON LEARNING CENTRE Responding to changing needs BY HEATHER MACKENZIE [email protected] Since its opening, in 1979, the Ashburton Learning Centre (ALC) has worked with hundreds of Mid Cantabrians to improve their lit- eracy and/or numeracy skills. ALC manager Mary Philip said it is not an exaggeration when she says gaining or improving skills in these areas is a life-changing event. She said many of those they help have had long-term under- lying conditions that have nev- er been diagnosed, and some of them, like Irlen Syndrome, are rel- atively simple to overcome once the correct diagnosis is made.