Your local Citizens Advice Bureau recruiting now!
Your local Citizens Advice Bureau recruiting now!
“I was surprised by the professionalism of the training. It was as good as any I’d attended in my working life,” said a recent graduate. “I certainly learned a lot about our community, and I appreciated the way my mentor encouraged me until I found my feet. Your colleagues help you, and you learn something new every shift.”
“You never know what you’re going to be asked” says one CAB volunteer. “Sometimes there’s no ‘official’ place to go for answers, so we use our local knowledge." Another says “We often help people who’ve bought something. We explain their legal rights and obligations and explain the various options. We don’t tell people what to do. Our aim is to help clients find the best solution for their particular circumstances.”
While the CAB Website, with answers to more than 2,500 common questions, is available 24/7, Nelson Tasman CAB recently opened satellite offices in Motueka (Community Centre, Mondays 9-noon) and Richmond (TDC Thursdays 10-1.00pm) which has increased the number of people seeking help. Although many still phone or email, having offices in these areas means clients now have the option of talking with someone face-to-face. Sometimes having an independent person listening to your worries helps put things into perspective.
And to be able to provide such a comprehensive, service free of charge to anyone, requires well trained volunteers.
If you are interested in joining the team of volunteers, CAB Nelson Tasman is recruiting now. There’s a mixture of classroom sessions and self-directed modules, before you sit with your mentor to gain practical experience.
Email nelsontasman@cab.org.nz or phone 03 5482117 for an information pack now. Training begins in May.
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
Would you like a free copy of our February 2025 issue?
Kia ora neighbours. We give away free copies to readers whose recipes are used in our magazine. We're still on the hunt for tomato recipes, so send your family's favourite way to use up your homegrown harvest, to: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. If we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of the mag