Girl hit by truck
ASHBURTON
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Thursday, July 3, 2014
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THE INDEPENDENT VOICE OF MID CANTERBURY
Ready for the challenge Captain Jon Dampney dives in for a try as, a week out from their Ranfurly Shield Challenge against Counties Manukau in Pukekohe, Ashburton Trust Mid Canterbury showed they are up for the challenge, beating Ellesmere 38-6 in a warm-up game yesterday. FULL STORY
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Beds found for homeless men BY SUE NEWMAN
SUE.N@THEGUARDIAN.CO.NZ
Homeless men are swelling the number of people seeking emergency accommodation in the Ashburton District. Presbyterian Support and the Salvation Army jointly run an emergency accommodation scheme that picks up people who would otherwise be sleeping rough. Over the past two-and-ahalf years the scheme has provided accommodation for 16 individuals and families, often for one night, but on occasion for up to one week. It’s a scheme that provides a
temporary stop gap for people who have fallen through the cracks of other helping agencies, said Presbyterian Support manager Jackie Girvan. And increasingly this appeared to be transient men, who had lost a job or had had to leave accommodation in a hurry, she said. “In some ways they’re very vulnerable, because people will often help a woman and child but not single males. Sometimes they are men who’ve missed out all over the show and they’re on the move, looking for the next thing and they have no family
support.” The Ashburton District Council is the scheme’s main funder, granting it $2000 in both 2012 and 2013 and signing over another $2000 last week. Ashburton does not have an emergency house, rather accommodation was provided in camping grounds and motels around the district, Mrs Girvan said. “For most of these people it provides a breathing space while we look at longer term options. Having this fund gives us the option of making some quick decisions for the night and then we look at solutions.”
In 2012 accommodation was provided to three single men, one woman and one family. Last year numbers had almost trebled, with accommodation provided for three single men, one female, one father with four children, two women with children and a family with four children. Six months into this year three individuals and families have sought help. The cost of providing accommodation over that period ran out at about $120 a person or family. “There’s not a huge demand out there but it is handy to have this buffer. By the time these
people get to us there is often no one else who can help them,” Mrs Girvan said. Victim Support and the Women’s Refuge did a great job in providing accommodation for people who were homeless through fire or through family violence; the emergency housing scheme was for people who suddenly found themselves homeless and needed a warm place to stay for a night or two. The need for emergency shelter might be growing but that did not translate into the need for an emergency house, she said.
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