Gladstone’s Hurunui-o-Rangi Marae Committee identified it needed to invest in a good first aid kit, so it reached out to the District Health Board for some guidance.
““We are often looking for a band aid or something and I always think we should have those close at hand, but often we have to look hard for what is needed,” said Mary Nunn, Marae Trustee.
“I wanted the marae to get some good first aid supplies, so all our whānau could benefit. So I called Janeen Cross, the Māori Health Coordinator at the hospital, for some advice.”
Janeen was quick to take up the opportunity to support a community initiative and ensure marae could access good first aid supplies.
“Sometimes it’s the small things that are missing, and those small things can make all the difference,” she said.
There are seven physical marae currently functioning in Wairarapa and, with funding from Selina Sutherland Hospital, enough first aid kits have been purchased so they can each receive one.
Recommended by St Johns, the kits attach to the wall and are well stocked with necessary items.
General Manager of Selina Sutherland Hospital, Cate Tyrer, welcomed the opportunity to support the marae.
“Of course we were happy to help,” she said. “Keeping the community well is at the heart of healthcare and we will always try to do what we can to improve things for people. Good first aid is a priority.”
Reverend Mihi Namana, Hurunui-o-Rangi Marae kuia, agrees.
“They will help to keep our whānau safe and well, and that’s the most important thing for us all,” she says.
The first aid kits will be distributed to each of the seven Wairarapa marae this week.
