Celebrating the heroes who help keep our communities safe
When you’re a firefighter out on a call it’s essential to know someone in the brigade has got your back, but it’s also handy knowing someone is supporting you back at the office.
Steve Gee and Jono Turnbull are volunteer firefighters who both work at Connetics (Southern) Ltd in Cromwell, a network contractor that specialises in power installations and maintenance.
While they’re with different brigades - Gee is chief fire officer for Clyde and Turnbull is a recruit for Cromwell - and have very different roles within the business, they say having a co-worker who understands their dual roles is critical.
They’re grateful to work for a company that understands the importance of their role and values their commitment to the community.
Gee and Turnbull are two of the nearly 12,000 Kiwis who volunteer for Fire and Emergency New Zealand and are ready to respond in a crisis.
Their ability to do that depends on workplaces who are willing to be part of the back-up crew.
Stuff’s community newspapers are partnering with Fire and Emergency to recognise the local businesses who support this important work with the Proud Employer mark, which acknowledges the role they play in keeping communities safe by allowing their staff to respond to an incident during working hours.
“The company is very supportive of the community input that Jono has in Cromwell and I have in Clyde,” says Gee.
With his job based in Cromwell, Gee is less likely to be called out during the day, but says volunteering for Fire and Emergency constantly requires juggling responsibilities between his work and home lives. However, he says volunteering is more than worth it.
“People often ask me why I’m involved with Fire and Emergency. It’s because I have a genuine interest and It’s something I can do to give back to the community. There’s also a lot of value in terms of your own personal development. I treat it as a sport, a hobby and a whole lot of other things rolled into one. It keeps me fit, it keeps the brain active, and it keeps me grounded.”
Turnbull volunteered for mountain rescue in the UK and was keen to continuing volunteering in some capacity when he moved to New Zealand. He was thrilled to be accepted as a recruit with the Clyde Brigade.
“It’s a fantastic thing to be involved in,” he says.
Poll: Does the building consent process need to change?
We definitely need homes that are fit to live in but there are often frustrations when it comes to getting consent to modify your own home.
Do you think changes need made to the current process for building consent? Share your thoughts below.
Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.
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91.4% Yes
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8.1% No
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0.5% Other - I'll share below!
Original Art on Baseball Caps / Hats
Hello everyone,
I am presenting a limited release of hand-painted artwork on Baseball Caps. There will only be 29 caps in this range. For now, please do have a look at the first seven Caps attached. I will post more in the future as I work on them.
Price per piece = $55.00.
Fabric look/feel is suede-like (not real suede). It is a really nice quality cap. You can zoom out each photo to view better.
Adjustable backstrap with metal clasp.
NOTE: Some Caps have more than one photo to give you views from different sides (I can send you more photos if required).
Mother's Day is just two weeks away. This would make a really memorable yet practical gift for that special person. OR...get it for yourself! Just know that when you are wearing it to brunch, on your walks or at tennis/golf, YOU are the only person in the world with this original piece of wearable art ☺️.
Pickup in Remuera or happy to courier:
P&p $16.00 (with signature)
Rural addresses +$5.50.
If you want it sent overseas, I am happy to quote.
For the remaining Caps that I will be painting, if you have any suggestions that you would like to see, or if you would like to order a cap with a particular bird/flower et , I am happy to consider. No portraits please! That would be too hard on fabric 😅.
Have a lovely weekend,
Connie.
PS. I apologise for the low photo resolution as I had to resize them down to be able to post.
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Lest we forget...
On this ANZAC Day, let's take a moment to remember and honor the brave men and women who have served and continue to serve our country.
Tell us who are you honouring today. Whether it's a story from the battlefield or a memory of a family member who fought in the war, we'd love you to share your stories below.
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