Help at hand for earthquake-hit NZ jewellers

Posted March 01, 2011 | By Lorna Goodyer

Kiwi jewellers have rallied around their earthquake-hit peers with offers to help affected businesses get back on their feet.

After the success of last month’s New Zealand jewellery industry forum, the two lead associations, Jewellers Association of New Zealand (JANZ) and Jewellers and Watchmakers New Zealand Inc (JWNZ) have come together to lend their support for Christchurch jewellers.

JWNZ secretary Craig Anderson said, “The JWNZ national office has received offers of help in many ways including workshop facilities, help with completing customers’ repairs, places to stay for a few days’ break from Christchurch, as well as financial support.”

Similarly, JANZ president Mark Beckett contacted Jeweller late last week to advise that a special bank account was being established for anyone wanting to donate to the jewellers affected by the earthquake.

At the time of publication, the banking details were still being finalised.

Anderson revealed that JWNZ’s members in the Christchurch area are understood to be “safe and well”. “I have had contact with, or heard from or about, almost every local JWNZ member,” he said, adding that a few jewellery stores based in the suburbs are even open for business.

Steve Crout, the president of JWNZ, said local communities need to support these retailers in order for them to recover.

“If these people are 'open for business’ one of the best things that others can do is to use them,” said Crout. “They will all need work and sales to keep staff and themselves in jobs, everyone has mortgages, loans, bills and so on – they need to pay the rent and put food on the table. Supporting these people will be invaluable.”

He added, “In fact, next time a jeweller needs to buy a piece of jewellery they should first look to Canterbury instead of importing. This way not only do the members benefit immediately but the taxes also help rebuild lives and communities for the future.”

Anderson said in an email to JWNZ’s members that it was unclear at present what help affected jewellers would require. “This will become clearer over the days and weeks ahead,” he said, adding that JWNZ would decide the most appropriate course of action in due course.

Russell Sinclair of the New Zealand Retailers’ Association (NZRA) met with Crout on February 28 to discuss how JWNZ and JANZ could individually and collectively support their affected members alongside the NZRA. The NZRA has already posted information on its www.retail.org.nz website that it hopes will help affected retailers in the Christchurch area.

Sinclair said, “This information is being well utilised and we are encouraging all Christchurch retailers both members and non-members to use this resource. This offer has been extended to Steve Crout and Craig Anderson of JWNZ, as well as JWF.”

He added, “As of today we have Brian Finlayson of the NZRA on the ground in Christchurch for the sole purpose of visiting and supporting NZRA members – including any JANZ , JMF or JWNZ members – in need of support.”

One affected jeweller, N H Finney & Co, said it envisaged being fully operational again within a few days. “We have gathered at work today and begun our clean-up, stock is progressively getting back on shelving and the odd order is leaving the building,” the jeweller told JWNZ members through Anderson’s email.

Beckett told Jeweller that the Kiwis were extremely appreciative of the Australians that had gone to New Zealand to help with the wider recovery.

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