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Free flights to Hawkes Bay for Christchurch residents are to end

Friday 18 March 2011, 8:21AM

By Hawke's Bay Regional Council

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HAWKE'S BAY

Hawke’s Bay council’s offer of free flights to the region for Christchurch residents, who are struggling in the aftermath of the earthquake, is to end.

The offer of flights and accommodation was made by the Mayors of Hastings and Napier as a gesture of goodwill to Canterbury residents, who are trying to rebuild their lives, following the devastating earthquake which struck the region on February 22nd.

The Hastings District and Napier City Councils combined to allocate up to 200 thousand dollars towards the flights, which has helped many Christchurch residents have some time out in Hawke’s Bay.

Hastings mayor Lawrence Yule says “it’s very gratifying that the offer was so well received by Christchurch residents but the funding is now exhausted’.

“However, that’s not the end of the project Mr Yule says. The Councils will continue to help Christchurch residents into accommodation in Hawke’s Bay as long as the service is required but the southerners will have to find their own way here”.

Over a thousand offers of accommodation have been received from Hawke’s Bay residents while around 800 return flights will have been taken by Canterbury people, by the time the funding comes to an end.

Napier Mayor Barbara Arnott says” children have been greatly affected by the traumatic events of February 22nd, and those who travelled north were warmly welcomed into their host families and many had been placed in local schools during their time in the Bay.

Christchurch residents who would still like to be allocated accommodation only with a host family in Hawke’s Bay from a few days to a month, are asked to call 06 8344114 or go to www.hastingsdc.co.nz to register their details.