A shed in Timaru’s port precinct is bringing cultures and organisations together in their efforts to keep the community warm.
The Timaru Rotary Club has been taking offcuts from a furniture factory near Saltwater Creek for four years.
Members transport the offcuts to a shed on Hayes St where — every Wednesday — members gather to process it into firewood and kindling.
From there, a group of former refugees transport the wood to Family Works so it can be delivered to those in need.
Rotary spokesman Tony Henderson said the recycled wood was put into reused meal bags — which were donated from farmers in spring — and the kindling was stored in repurposed meal kit cardboard boxes.
Mr Henderson said the project was preventing the wood, bags and boxes from going to the landfill, but that was not all the club was reusing.
‘‘The [Rotary] workers are all recycled too!’’
While firewood was not in high demand through summer months, the men would still gather weekly to cut the wood so there was a large pile for next year.
Mr Henderson said the men simply liked, ‘‘helping others in the community that are worse off than us’’.
And also, ‘‘getting together and telling each other off’’.
He often threatened to dock the volunteers’ wages.
Wood processor Bruce Fraser said, ‘‘I wouldn’t come if I didn’t like it. They don’t pay me much’’.
Family Works spokeswoman Christine Liggett said the firewood was accessible for all families in the community.
‘‘We’ve widened the circle a bit this year.’’
Mrs Liggett said the Rotary members had the processing of firewood down to a fine art.
When she received phone calls about a newborn baby going to a home with no heating, she could get the wood out to the family quickly, as the men were quick to act.
‘‘Nothing is an issue.
‘‘They are machines — working machines.’’
She said the former refugees were also very efficient workers.
‘‘They have a very good work ethic.’’
She said instead of pausing to chat, the men worked hard until the job was done.
Refugee Settlement Services case worker Ari Jan said while Work and Income could help families with firewood once a year, it was expensive as it all needed to be paid back.
Mr Jan said for larger families, the amount of wood they could access from Winz was not enough to keep the entire home warm through winter.
He said the project really did make a big difference in peoples’ lives.
