Canterbury@Heart families temporarily relocated to Auckland

2 March, 2011 - Seven heart families from Christchurch temporarily relocated to a camp facility in Clevedon yesterday, feeling safe and relaxed for the first time since the devastating earthquake. They are among the first group of Cantabrian families of children with childhood heart conditions to stay at the camp organised by @Heart (formerly Heart Children NZ).

More families will arrive in the next few days as soon as flights to Auckland are available. They will either join other heart families at the camp or be billeted to Auckland families with the help of @Heart. Many of the heart families are traumatised by the disaster. @Heart’s Family Support Workers and Counsellor are on-site at the camp to provide practical and emotional support to these families.

@Heart has over 300 families with a heart child in the Christchurch area. Many of these families’ homes have been severely damaged and in some cases loved ones missing. They are struggling to cope in the aftermath of the earthquake. The camp provided much-needed relief to heart families who want to have a break away from the devastation in Christchurch.

The Clevedon camp is now fully operational thanks to the tremendous support and assistance from businesses and communities especially the locals from Clevedon. They came to help clean, hang up curtains, set up the rooms and cook for the families. One Clevedon local has even lent a petrol-filled vehicle for the families to use.

Many businesses have also been amazing. @Heart received meat from the Mad Butcher, breakfast cereal from Hubbards, washing machines, freezers and a projection system from DTR Hire, TV and DVD from Noel Leeming, a Sky box connected by Sky, plastic storage units from Storage Box Botany, vouchers from Pak n Save Albany, crockery and cutlery from Carlton Party Hire and Body Shop, lunch boxes for the kids from Décor, pillows from Sleepyhead, carpeting from Hills Flooring, toilet rolls from Gilmours Panmure, fabric, curtains and blankets from David’s Emporium, and a caravan from South Auckland Caravans. Corporate supporters including United Water, Lion Nathan and Nielsen Group have been collecting food for the camp.

Lara Syddall, CEO@Heart said, “We are humbled by the overwhelming response to our appeal. Donations of supplies and offers of assistance poured in from all corners within a short period of time of our appeal. While we are now in such a great situation that we have to stop accepting donations of goods and food, we need money for flights and the myriad of related costs to keeping the heart families together.”

Donations in support of @Heart Earthquake Assistance can be made directly into @Heart bank account 12-3209-0368133-00. Please include CTY-EARTH as a code and email your details to support[at]heartnz.org.nz so a receipt can be issued.

ENDS

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