Late last year AUSSTAT/KiwisSTAT was pleased to be able to offer assistance to Habitat for Humanity who are helping to build new homes for families affected by the devastating Christchurch earthquakes. Over $8,000 was raised towards families being offered new homes in a sub-division in Kaiapoi, just outside the city.

The picture above is of the Evans Family in front on their partially built new home. The entire family participated in the build.

Our thoughts are with the people of Christchurch and Canterbury as we mark one year since the devastating earthquake of 22^nd February 2011, especially those who lost family, friends and colleagues.

We hope you have been able to find some peace today as we remember the events of that day and as we look towards building a better, brighter future in our great city and province.

The AUSSTAT/KiwisSTAT team.

At 2:20pm Monday 13 June, Christchurch was struck with another strong aftershock measuring 6.3 on the Richter scale. Power, water and other services were lost to much of the east of the city for a period of time.

We were on limited resources for the remainder of Monday and throughout Tuesday but are back and fully operational as of first thing Wednesday morning.  Thanks for everyone who made this possible.

All the team at AUSSTAT/Kiwis STAT are well and we thank those of you that have written in with messages of support and kind thoughts.

Onwards and upwards!

The last month has been rather crazy in Christchurch.  Its a wierd feeling living a relatively normal life in the middle of a natural disaster. Most of us now have a “regular insurance assessor” –which is a bit like having a “regular panel beater”. Everyone has their stories here so tea-time conversation goes on wild and new tangents.

If you need a great story that trumps all earthquake stories have a bit of empathy for Jane –one of our locum account managers.  Jane and her husband had planned to go to Japan for a skiing which made for a timely “Quake Break” and got stuck in Tokyo in the 8.9 earthquake.  Fortunately they had their wits about them and despite being fairly frightened as you would be under the circumstances they slept in their clothes and kept their trusty ski-helmets at their side all night with bags packed ready to make a break for it.  We were ever so pleased to see Jane safely back in Christchurch where, aftershocks aside, our biggest problem is boiling drinking water, traffic jams and learning new loo-flushing etiquette.

Thanks for all the support and messages flooding in from around the world.

Many have asked how and where they can donate funds to the people of Christchurch.

Please link directly into the following websites for information.

Red Cross

Christchurch Mayoral Fund

Salvation Army

Thanks again for you kind thoughts and wishes of a speedy recovery, it is fabulous to know we have some many wonderful people behind us!