Be kind. It’s a refrain we have heard over and over again since the very first lockdown two years ago.
As we enter this next phase of Covid I think we need to be more than kind – I think we need to actively support and look out for one another. We acknowledge it is tough times for everyone – we are all facing our own challenges but a quick check in with a peer or a neighbour can go a long way to helping someone through their day.
Everyday we are hearing stories from around New Zealand that businesses of all types are closing. They have made it through the past two years, but these final restrictions, after two bad years, have been the last straw. The Raglan Business Chamber does not want this to happen to any of our local businesses. We know we need every business in this town to last the distance, so that post-pandemic times we are still the robust, vibrant town that we love to live in.
I think it’s safe to say most retail and hospitality businesses in Raglan seem to be luckier than our colleagues around the country this summer. Until Red, Phase Two we had loads of visitors in town who were keen to have a summer break away from Covid.
While this has been great for many local businesses, behind the scenes we have still been dealing with mandates and restrictions limiting our operations. Sometimes we have more customers waiting to come in than we are allowed on site. Sometimes we don’t have enough staff to service the customers. Sometimes we don’t have any customers. Some of us cannot open at all due to the restrictions.
If anyone has friends or whānau in the retail, service, hospitality or events industry I’m sure you’ve heard the stories how the restrictions have impacted our working lives. This is tough for our local teams and business operators – at the end of the day we are all just trying to earn a living, trying to provide the same great service and product under what can at times seem to be very restrictive regulations.
We know that it is not just customer facing business operators and teams feeling the pressure – we all face a moving landscape to keep our teams and our customers safe, and still deliver on promises made.
This is where we can all help each other – this is more than shop local. The chamber recognises that we can each do things to help each other get through this. Get to know your neighbours’ contact details for emergencies; start a phone tree with other useful contacts that can offer each other support; share a helpful resource: make a quick call to check on one another; send an open ended offer of support – it all helps people not feel so alone.
The RBC has pockets of support and groups up and running. If you are in business and want to reach out and be connected please email:
Lisa@orcaraglan.nz
Be more than kind – really look out for one another.
