With the roll-out of the COVID vaccine, I’m sure everyone’s breathing a sigh of relief that we now have a way out of the persistent threat of COVID-19. It’s been just over a year since the country went into its first lockdown; in that time, we’ve all had to adapt to a lot of change, but now we can look forward to more freedom of travel, and even welcoming home our friends and relatives who may live overseas.
The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine is proven to be safe and effective; it will be free and voluntary for everyone in New Zealand aged 16 and over, regardless of their visa or citizenship status. Please don’t be fooled by misinformation or by vaccine scams that may be going around. Accurate information is available from trusted providers of health content, such as the Ministry of Health, the Government’s Unite Against COVID-19 site (covid19.govt.nz/health-andwellbeing/covid-19-vaccines) or from your District Health Board. If you see something about the vaccine that doesn’t seem right, report it to CERT NZ or call 0800 2378 69.
Being immunised is the best way we can protect ourselves, our families, and those who may be vulnerable due to a health condition. So I hope that you’ll get the vaccine when the time comes – for your own health, as well as for others.
Until then, it’s important to keep up all the recommended health and safety precautions when you’re out in the wider community. Hopefully, we’ll avoid any further risk until we can all benefit from the collective protection of the vaccine.
Stay safe and keep well.
Gabby Clezy
Chief Executive Officer
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Many happy returns, Orla!
Orla Gee was expecting to spend his birthday quietly at home, but little did he know that all his friends at Sunnynook’s Cockayne Court had something else planned – a celebratory event to mark his ‘90th years young’ birthday (11 March). Surrounded by his well wishers, Orla cut into a delicious chocolate gateau cake and blew out the candles! Enjoying special occasions with good friends is a regular thing at Cockayne Court, with tenants always looking after each other. Belated birthday greetings from all the staff at Haumaru, Orla!
Spotlight on: Nicky Bibby
Welcome to Nicky Bibby, our new Community Manager South/East, who joined our team on 15 March. Nicky has seen quite a bit of the world and is dedicated to providing a high standard of service, having been a flight attendant for Air New Zealand for the past 21 years. She’s excited about her new career with Haumaru Housing and says she feels very privileged to be part of the team. When she’s not meeting and getting to know her tenants around the villages, Nicky likes to spend her time supporting her daughters, Bella and Sophia, in their various sporting pursuits. Do say ‘Hello’ to Nicky when you see her next.
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Knitting up a storm for children’s charities
Meet Joan Smylie and Irene Croft of Harmony Village in Glen Eden, who have had a very busy few weeks knitting a range of cute bags and clothing for Barbie dolls and teddy bears to give to charities working with disadvantaged children. With wool given to them by family members, the ladies have so far knitted over 70 items, to be donated to young patients at Auckland’s Starship Hospital, to KidsCan charitable trust and to other charities providing services for intellectually handicapped children. Joan (on the left) and Irene are hoping that their craftwork will bring some cheer and happiness to their new owners.
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Minister for Seniors receives warm welcome at Acacia Court
A wonderful reception was held in Papatoetoe’s Acacia Court community house on 30 March for the Minister for Seniors, the Hon Dr Ayesha Verrall. The Minister had been invited to visit a Haumaru village, and a mihi whakatau and karakia were performed by Otara senior Papa George and a waiata, ‘Te Aroha’, sung by Haumaru staff. In front of a packed audience – which included tenants from Whitehaven Court, Hills Court and Otara Court, as well as representatives from a wide range of community organisations – Dr Verrall first spoke about her background as a doctor in Wellington and how, during last year’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, she was closely involved in developing New Zealand’s contact tracing system.
As an expert on vaccines, tuberculosis and COVID-19, Dr Verrall is also Associate Minister of Health. She said that the nation should be very optimistic about the Pfizer vaccine, which has now been administered to millions of people around the world, meets very high safety standards and will allow the country to build up protection from COVID-19. Dr Verrall hopes that as many people as possible will be immunised – older people, in particular – so that everyone can enjoy life as it was before the pandemic started.
Dr Verrall also spoke about the Government’s ‘Better Later Life He Oranga Kaumātua’ strategy, which is designed to make the future better for people as they age. A key part of this is creating diverse housing options, so that older people can be secure in their living environments.
The Minister then enjoyed lunch with tenants and staff and, as you’ll see below, was greatly in demand for photo opportunities!
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A poem for ANZAC Day
The following poem was written by Belmont Court tenant, Marie Hindmarsh, in 2014 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the First World War. We thought it fitting to include in our April edition in the lead-up to ANZAC Day.
We will remember them
We’ve read about those brave young men who went off to fight a war.
It’s hard for us to imagine today, exactly what they saw.
Leaving behind their families mum – dad – wives and many a kid.
They went off to war to keep us safe and that’s exactly what they did.
The conditions that they lived in were dire to say the least!
They lay in those deep muddy trenches, trying to keep away the beast.
No food, no warmth, only death and despair but they fought with all their might.
For endless days the bullets flew many times throughout the night.
Death was all around them their comrades lay where they fell.
How did they keep their sanity when living in this hell?
They thought about their loved ones and kept them in their heart.
They wondered would they see them again, or from this life depart.
When given the orders to advance they didn’t hesitate.
They marched ahead guns blazing, with brothers into hell’s gate.
Many thousands of these brave young men were cut down at the battle scene.
The land now red with the blood of heroes where those fields had once been green.
So remember them each and every one, when making your donation!
It may have been your great granddad or maybe a relation.
Buy a poppy and wear it with pride, take a minute to remember why they died.
They gave of their lives unselfishly to make a better land for you and me.
So come on people fly that patriotic flag high and raise a glass up to the sky.
