Refugees regularly arrive in Wellington and they are settled in with the help of various government and community agencies. One of those is the Anglican Cathedral, and members of the RC of Port Nicholson and the Interact Club help the church in its work. “The Interactors help unload the supplies donated to the refugees, and club members stock the pantries for families when they first arrive," says the club’s organiser for this activity Dr Marc Rands, who is a member of the Cathedral congregation.There is a group of club members whom we regularly ask to buy grocery items – generally dry goods and tinned food rather than fresh items like meat,” he says. The Church works with government agencies to provide a house, and to furnish it. The refugees arrive through the Red Cross and are from Colombia, Iran, Iraq, Palestinian, and Syria.
“Typically, the church will help out with bedding, linen, furniture and white wear, and club members will come in with the smaller things.”
For instance, “we have provided pantry supplies five times in Feb, April, June, August, December, and the full household goods for a family of four in October last year.”
On each occasion the Church is providing supplies for around 15 families (about 40 people) who are settling in Wellington.
“The Club has supported one of these families each time, which have ranged from one to seven people, and we are told whether they are adult males or females, or children, and if children, their gender and age, so appropriate toys can be sourced, or infant formula provided.
“Once we have dropped off the goods, other volunteers take everything to the houses, make beds, fill cupboards and turn the houses into homes.”
John Bishop