ABOUT DRFX
DRFX HEAT - the Why...
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Winter 2017 saw Wairarapa Hospital in a continuous state of code red, meaning there were more patients than beds, causing surgeries to be delayed. This was partly due to the fact the beds were filled with patients presenting with winter related illnesses.
The very damp weather and numerous viruses had a greater than usual impact on workplaces, schools, medical services and households.
In August the Times Age ran an article about the region running out of firewood. 74.4% of Wairarapa houses are heated by firewood leaving many to ration or burn wet wood. The combination of damp and cold and lack of wood exacerbated health issues and created greater stress in the region.
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That was 6 years ago and in that time the situation has not improved. Since covid, food, rent and power inflation, has eaten into families spare cash. Being able to spend money on firewood at any time of year has become extremely hard.
Why wait 6 years? Well the first iteration of HEAT was close to getting off the ground and then I became ill. It took a few years to get myself sorted and while HEAT has always been something I wanted to do, I had to be well enough to deliver it. Plus the time I spent recovering allowed me to hone the idea and put the charitable structure in place.
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December is the best time to buy firewood, but for many Wairarapa the worst time for cash flow. Christmas, New Year, School Holidays, Child Care and so on, make it a tough time to buy.
The flow on effect is that as the supplies reduce, the price goes up and often the wood does not have enough time to dry out. Families are then short of heating and/or are using wood that can exacerbate health issues.
The aim of HEAT is to help solve that problem. By providing lower cost options for firewood making
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Families warmer
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Air quality improvements inside and outside the home
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Improvements in Mental health
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Potentially better school performance from children in the household
2023 was our pilot year with 1 family, followed by 2024 taking off slowly and us providing help to 8 families. We are well set already for 2025 and have firewood to support up to 18 families.
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We are still fundraising and acquiring firewood and looking towards 2026.
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