A dozen trucks laden with 75km of fencing materials to help hundreds of Hawke’s Bay get back on their feet after Cyclone Gabrielle rolled into Hastings Showground this morning (TUESDAY) ahead of a major community event on Friday.

The convoy was organised by charity the Rapid Relief Team (RRT) to bring about $375,000 worth of fencing to the region’s farmers. About 250 farmers will receive the supplies at an RRT Farmers Community Connect (FCC) event at the Tōmoana Showgrounds, Elwood Rd, Hastings from 8am Friday.

RRT NZ director Danny Blampied said the arrival of the materials in Hastings was great news for affected local farmers – who lost millions of metres of fencing during the crisis.

“It was a great effort as the sun rose over Hawke’s Bay today by everyone involved to get 75km of fencing materials and 20,000 fence posts loaded onto a dozen trucks for the Farmers Community Connect event on Friday in Hastings,” Mr Blampied said.

“The convoy made a stop at Esk Valley and we said hello to some locals there and explained what RRT was doing to help local farmers hit by Cyclone Gabrielle.

“Then we continued onto Hastings and arrived at the Showgrounds in preparation for Friday.

“The excitement is growing now that we have all of the materials here and the RRT volunteers are gearing up to distribute the fencing to 250 registered Hawke’s Bay farmers.

“Thanks to the suppliers in Auckland, Wellington and Central North Island and to our great team of drivers who made the journey to Hastings Showground. What a great team effort all around and now we look forward to the farmers turning up on Friday for what will be a wonderful opportunity to connect with the local community.”

The Hastings event will be the inaugural FCC celebration in New Zealand, focusing on the needs of Hawke’s Bay farmers devastated by Gabrielle as they try to pick up the pieces. With their families, the farmers will also enjoy breakfast and lunch provided by RRT volunteers.

An important part of the day will be the opportunity for attendees to talk to around 20 rural support services, including local government, mental health providers and farm advisory.

“We understand that there are over 2,000 stock and beef farmers in the greater Hawke’s Bay area who have lost an average of 5 kms of fencing per farm due to flooding and slips because of Cyclone Gabrielle,” Mr Blampied said.

“The Fencing Pack contains such things as posts, battens, and wire that farmers will require to rebuild their fences.”

Established in 2013 by the Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, the Rapid Relief Team is a global charity made up of volunteers that provides tangible support to communities in need.

The Rapid Relief Team (RRT) is supported by 14,500 volunteers across 14 countries who are inspired by community spirit and the gift of giving and are dedicated to giving back to the communities where we live and work.

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