Volunteers need for Edgecumbe

People are still trying to clean up following the floods in Edgecumbe. Supplied photo.

With several hundred Edgecumbe homes needing to be cleared of sodden furniture, ruined possessions and water damage, the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce together with other Chambers in the region, is putting out a call to businesses and sporting organisations who operate nearby to help.

'The residents of Edgecumbe are facing the devastation of their homes on a massive scale," says a statement from the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce.

"This isn't just about giving money, it's about assisting people who are grieving from seeing everything in their homes destroyed and their properties damaged by water and silt.

'Everything in people's homes has to be stripped out. For residents it's an emotional and traumatic task. They have seen a significant part of their lives destroyed."

The volunteers who spent Easter in Edgecumbe left knowing that the job of getting Edgecumbe back together has a long way to go – 'Keeping the volunteer support in place is going to be crucial for some time.”

'Businesses in the Bay of Plenty and Waikato able to assist could make up a team and pitch in for a half day or longer if they can.

"It would make a great deal of difference, provide a moral support and be a huge contribution to getting Edgecumbe back up and running as quickly as possible."

Businesses and others wanting to assist can contact: edgecumbevolunteers@gmail.com

There are other ways to assist our neighbours - Bay of Plenty Floods Appeal 2017 - www.redcross.org.nz/donate/bay-plenty-floods-2017/

The Ngati Awa Volunteer Army is being set up by Te Runanga o Ngati Awa, working with Whakatane District Council and BOP Regional Council.

The main tasks for volunteers will be helping remove silt and flood-damaged items from public land, and from private properties where landowners have given consent.

Volunteers need to be at least 16 years old, physically fit and healthy enough to work for four hours on a shovel, and preferably with their own gumboots, wet weather gear and old clothing.

The first clean-up operation is planned for Saturday, weather permitting.

Federated Farmers is asking anyone with surplus feed to consider donating it to farmers in the Edgecumbe area as part of an effort being organised by Hay Man co-owner Jason Hill, who can be contacted on 027 458 5295.

Federated farmers also has its own adverse events trust, and asked anyone who wanted to help its charitable work to contact it on 0800 327 646

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