JOHN BISSET/Things
Presbyterian Support Fiona Jackson, manager of the South Canterbury Refugee Settlement, and her team prepare to welcome more refugees to Timaru. (File photo)
More and more refugee families are arriving in Timaru, with one settling in just over a week ago and another in the coming weeks.
Presbyterian support South Canterbury Refugee Settlement manager Fiona Jackson said the family who arrived more than a week ago were so grateful for the help from community groups who helped them get to Timaru, arriving in town with flowers in hand to say thank you.
Jackson said the family has moved to a… house recently prepared by Zonta Timaru and the family “appreciated” all the hard work to “make the house a home”.
“The family is settling in well and really appreciated the community groups that helped them set up their homes and donated things to set them up,” she said.
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“Hopefully we plan to host another family in the coming weeks.”
Delivered
Anne Rich, left, Floss Dynes, Rhonda Anderson and Kate Flynn in the latest refugee home they’ve decorated to look more homely.
Jackson said Presbyterian Support South Canterbury Refugee Settlement will help 110 people during this fiscal year.
They are expected to arrive every seven to six weeks, she said.
In May, Presbyterian Support South Canterbury (PSSC) was confirmed by Immigration New Zealand (INZ), along with Ashburton’s Safer Mid Canterbury, as two organizations that continue to provide support services for refugee camps.
PSSC’s contract for Timaru is for another six years†
The number of refugees entering the country since 2020 had been disrupted due to Covid-19.
Zonta Timaru member Kate Flynn came up with the idea of furnishing a home for refugees after a conversation with Multicultural Aoraki in 2020.
Members knew the age and gender of the children so they could provide toys and decorate the rooms.
Delivered
Zonta Timaru members decorated and furnished this room with toys and a handmade quilt made by a Zonta member.
“Timaru has been declared a refugee city, it is really important that we support them.”
The house and basic furnishings were supplied by Presbyterian Support South Canterbury Refugee Settlement and Zonta Timaru volunteers furnished and decorated it.
Jackson said the family really appreciated it.
“The family landed at Timaru Airport with flowers in hand and were already grateful for the work the community has done,” Jackson said.