The rural recovery power couple

Allan and Sue Baird are doers, not thinkers. When Mid Canterbury’s farmers were hit hard by extreme weather, they jumped into action.
“Snow, wind, flood, and drought; we’ve had the lot,” said Allan.
Allan was one of the founding members of the Rural Support Trust, back in 1992 when it was called the “Mid Canterbury Emergency Relief Committee.”
After 32 years of service to the region, he’s stepped as a trustee.
“I’m 73 years old, and not nearly as enthusiastic as I used to be,” he said.
Allan came to Ashburton in 1992 as a field officer for the now defunct Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.
When the Ministry went commercial in the early 90’s, the regions were expected to create their own emergency response groups to help rural communities during earthquakes and extreme weather events.
Having helped during the Temuka floods in the ‘80s, Allan joined forces with a half-dozen others to form the first iteration of the trust in 1992 - and just in the nick of time.
That June, a large amount of snow hit high country farmers, and in August, a snowstorm blanketed the county.
“Crippled the whole district really. There was about 6 inches of snow here in Ashburton.”
Allan recalls the bleak sights of that year; paddocks blanketed in snow, and dead sheep littered in between.
Sue Baird, who was working for FMG at the time, recalls the reactions of farmers during that snow.
”It happened right in the middle of lambing,” she said. “There were huge stock losses, it was unavoidable.”
“And that became very difficult for people to cope with, because they just had dead lambs everywhere.”
“A lot of farmers couldn’t even go outside of the door, because all they would see is their livelihood dead on the ground,” Allan said.
Phones rang off the hooks when the snow hit, Sue said.
“People were ringing up saying, ‘Help, what do I do?’, and then there were people ringing saying ‘Hey, I’ve got a four wheel drive, what can I do to help?’.”
“It became just a matter of coordinating.”
The trust got people on the ground to help shift and dispose of dead animals, as well as clear snow.
And over the next few decades, that’s what Rural Support continued to provide - an outstretched hand during extreme weather.
“You never ever have the same thing twice.” Sue said. “You never know what it’s going to be.”
“And that’s what we’re good at,” Allan added, “We’re extremely good at recognising the problem, seeing what’s needed and organising the resources.”
The two met during that 1992 snowstorm, where Sue joined the trust. She was well-connected and became a valuable resource as volunteer coordinator.
The two were a power couple during their time with the trust, though they’re better at praising each other than themselves.
“Sue’s very good in the welfare area, I’m not, my strengths have always been in the response area,” Allan said.
Following the 1992 snows, the trust managed recovery efforts for more snow in 2006 and 2013, earthquakes in 2010 and 2011, floods in 2020 and 2022, and the ongoing Mycoplasma Bovis epidemic.
Allan was also appointed as New Zealand’s rural recovery Coordinator following the 2010 earthquakes.
Allan said the losing stock or crops overnight takes a mental toll on farmers.
“I remember many years ago, I went to a property with snow over the fences. Arrived there with a team, knocked on the door and said to the farmer ‘how can we help?’.”
“He said ‘can you fix my TV aerial?’. That was all he could think about.”
“Once we’d moved some stock and he saw what was happening, he was able to get out and help.”
Sue said the volunteers they send out in a crisis, like hunters and machinery operators, reap long-term benefits when they help a farmer out.
“They build a relationship with the owner, which allows them to go back later.”
‘And they understand how to look after a rural property; they shut the gates behind themselves and all that stuff.”
Allan emphasised that the trust was only as powerful as the community around it.
“It takes individuals, I suppose. And we always get the right people.”
He said the trust’s achievements are due to its star roster of dedicated and experienced members, which have been recognised on a national scale.
Then Prime Minister Helen Clark visited Ashburton during the 2006 snow and, after witnessing the trust in action, sent its members across the country to set up another 14 trusts.
Now, in 2024, the trust is transitioning to focus on regular welfare support.
Sue said rural mental health issues had become a key focus for the trust in recent years.
“It’s become more talked about. It’s always been there, but typical farming, people just toughed it out.”
“Now, it’s easier for people to admit they need help and ask for help.”
Allan had operated as a trustee for the last 24 years, and has decided it’s time to pass the role on to someone with skills more relevant to the trust’s new mission.
“The trust is, quite rightly, moving into more of a welfare role, and I’m more of a response-oriented person.”
“The trustee role is a governance role,” Sue, who stepped back as trustee in 2023 added, “and we’re probably happier doing the practical stuff.”
Allan is not retired yet; he’s a driving instructor in Ashburton.
But if danger ever calls, he and Sue are back on the case.
“I’ve been the response coordinator for 32 years, and I’m still available in that role if they want me there.”
“If there’s a snowstorm, I’m happy to jump in with both feet again.”
By Anisha Satya
