A community response to the plight of deer farmers in cyclone-hit Hawkes Bay has meant local fencers will fly north to help, complete with their own meals for five days.

Wānaka’s Mandy Bell, chair of the Deer Industry NZ, put out the call last Friday (February 24) for people to supply food for fencers heading north, to ensure the visitor would not impose on the already stretched host community.

Bex Sarginson of Food For Love had been watching the devastation wrought by the cyclone on TV news and leapt at the chance to help.

Within 48 hours, 15 volunteers (new to Food for Love) prepared meals for five days. 

“What an amazing community we live in - just incredible,” Mandy told the Wānaka App.

Mandy Bell PHOTO: Deer NZ

Last week and this week are two of the most crucial weeks of the deer farmer’s calendar, she explained.

Young deer are being weaned, then the stags are back out for mating.

However the slips caused by Cyclone Gabrielle have meant many boundary fences in Hawkes Bay are not secure, and farmers are losing stock.

“If we don’t help in the next few weeks to get animals in, that’s their next year’s income [gone],” Mandy said.

“They don’t like to ask for help, but they’re exhausted.”

The Deer Farmers’ Association is coordinating help by volunteers on the ground in a push to have emergency repairs to boundary fences within the next two weeks. 

Any local volunteers who have experience in fencing and would like to help should contact the main coordinator in Hawkes Bay ([email protected]).

Mandy said another option for people to help is to ‘fund the fencers’ by donating money to support the fencers who are taking time off work to help.

The first four Wānaka volunteers will head north this week, and Food for Love’s meals have already been flown up.

“I want to say a huge ‘thanks’ to Food for Love,” Mandy said.

Food for Love coordinator Bex Sarginson told the Wānaka App: “We can’t do it without our community.”

“People jump at the chance to help - as long as they know the story,” she said.

“For some people it’s the only way they can help.”

Fifteen people prepared baking and convenient ‘heat and eat’ meals which will make the visiting volunteers independent of their hosts. The meals were delivered to Food for Love by Monday morning.

“We have Edgewater doing lasagnas for next week,” Bex added.

She is looking for any businesses which are happy to supply a ‘heat and eat’ meal for five men.

The group is also looking for more volunteers to cook: “The more the merrier, if we’ve got another three weeks to go.”

Food For Love always welcomes cash donations to “keep the ball rolling”, she said.