Around 100 people are gathered at Mt Drury in Mount Maunganui to hear from community leaders about the Rena oil spill.

The aim of the gathering is to try to lift people's morale in dealing with the oil.

Over 100 people gathered at Mt Drury to hear from civic and church leaders about the Rena oil spill.

Event organiser Awanui Black says it's an opportunity to bring the wider community together and have time to wind down.

'We have been in that busy mode, we've been in the deal with the crisis mode and we haven't had that still time.

'It's a chance for us to gather our thoughts and boost each others morale.”

He says they are now moving from the sprint to clean the oil off the beach to the marathon of maintaining clean beaches.

Awanui says two Tangata Whenua (people of the land) elders opened and closed the event, with a welcome on behalf of Tangata Whenua.

'We had the Ministers representing the coalition of churches that presented sermons and prayers and Mayors Stuart Crosby and Ross Patterson spoke on behalf of the territorial authorities.”

Awanui says they're now turning their focus on what they can do for the people who are on the front line dealing with the Rena and the clean up.

'We're looking at how we can support them with things other than material ways because a lot of that has already been taken care of.

'A lot of this stuff around the crisis has been negative and for good reason because we go through the raft of emotions.”
He says too much negative emotion can cause some effects within the people carry it.

'We have some really good people in the ICC and they are getting drained. We want to make sure is that we are all in this together and help each other out.”