Blankets for better: a local mission

Studies suggest one-third of New Zealand homes drop below the minimum healthy indoor temperature in winter. Bundling up in blankets and bedding is a quick solution, and Christchurch Methodist Mission’s Fionna Chapman tells Metropol Deputy Editor Nina Tucker she’s gearing up again for the cooler months with one goal: Every Child Warm This Winter.

When costs come between keeping families warm in winter, the Christchurch Methodist Mission’s Blanket Bank initiative comes to the rescue. “We see families come through the doors with children that are cold – they have no extra money to keep them warm,” Community Development Practice Lead Fionna shares. The Blanket Bank fills a gap and offers easy access to drop off and pick up blankets judgement-free. Warm bedding within reach is essential in maintaining the dignity of those seeking it. “We see more families needing the support that wouldn’t usually access these services.”

Hundreds of blankets and bedding keep Canterbury families and tamariki (children) warm, donated by local benefactors and distributed by Fionna and her team. These blankets act like a warm hug – a symbol of the strength of community – to lend a helping hand to whānau struggling. Relieving this financial stressor means families can allocate that money towards other essential expenses, such as food or power. Hours are spent combing through donations to ensure families are equipped with clean, quality blankets and bedding. “Sometimes, it’s not pleasant,” Fionna laughs. “Everyone’s threshold of clean linen is different.”

Thanks to Fionna, her team, and the Blanket Bank, countless bodies wake up warmer on cool winter mornings. Comforted, cosy, and with a good night’s rest behind them. “It’s never been about us doing that work,” Fionna notes. It’s about empowering the people we connect with, uplifting them and giving them confidence. It may be a bad time at the moment, but we can encourage them to keep going.”

The Blanket Bank acts as a gateway, opening the door for deeper discussion into the struggles people are facing. Life-changing conversations come about as a result, as people from all walks of life seek support through a warm blanket, and then a kind hand. Fionna lists “empathy” and “understanding” as essential during initial interactions. “There is so much courage in asking for blankets. It’s not necessarily the people you might think,” she explains. “It’s an opportunity to discover what their housing is like, what their relationship at home is like.” Then, the team puts their citywide connections to work and meet the needs of that individual or family. Those conversations are never easy, yet they are the seed for change.

GOODWILL GAINING MOMENTUM
Fionna notes a 71% increase in requests for blankets in recent years, which she puts down to the initiative’s growing visibility. In 2024, the team received 450 requests and distributed 1110 blankets, up from a previous 312 and 869 in 2023.

The initiative was originally established by the New Brighton Project to provide warm bedding for families in need. As demand soared, a social services-oriented team was determined essential, so it was gifted to the Mission in September 2022, for Fionna and Community Division manager Andrea Wilson Tukaki to spearhead.

Today, the team, dedicate themselves to searching for new ways to assist vulnerable communities. “We are always forward-thinking for the needs of the community. Our role is to listen.” The Blanket Bank is a conduit to learn more about how they can help.

Fionna shares the overarching goals of the Mission. “Our Vision: a just and inclusive society in which all people flourish. Our Mission: to promote and enhance the dignity of all people through providing compassionate care, support and empowerment of those most vulnerable in our community; building communities, neighbourhoods and wider society that are fair and inclusive; challenging injustice and working for social transformation.”

Fionna says she couldn’t sum it up any better. “It is a huge reason why I love working for the Methodist Mission. They stay true to these words.” She thrives within the Mission’s team, under exceptional female leadership from Jill Hawkey, and the support from her colleagues.

In our conversation, it becomes clear that giving is at the heart of everything Fionna does. Throughout years of volunteering and relationship-building in communities and causes across the city, Fionna lives a life of goodwill. “I’m embedded in that whole space.”