Email to all staff - 6:20pm 23 February

Dear all, It has been a long and difficult day for many of our colleagues and their families. However we can now report that most Lincoln-based staff have been contacted directly and at this stage there are no reports of any injuries. 

The latest update from David Hughes at the Lincoln site, at 4.30pm today, was that water, power and phone services remain available. 

While the site is officially closed for business it is open for staff who wish to make use of water and power or who wish to attend to urgent work. Please note, we cannot guarantee the drinking quality of water. Staff are asked to conserve water and limit wastewater where practical.

As the site is closed, all staff  are now on leave with full pay until the site reopens. After this time, Special Paid Leave will be available until further notice to any staff, at any site, who need time away from work to attend to earthquake-related issues at home or with relatives. It is important that people take the time they need to do this. We know that many of our staff at sites beyond Lincoln are also needing to give support to families and friends located in Christchurch.

Throughout the day today we have been making contact by phone with over 200 Lincoln staff, casual workers, contractors, students and visitors. The great majority of these people have been contacted and there are no reports of any injuries. The wider impact on individuals varies. Some have badly damaged homes, many remain worried about friends and relatives. All have shown a remarkable resilience in the face of this disaster. 

The Plant & Food Research community has come together in many ways, with staff helping each other to get through this. We have had offers from staff to host any colleagues and their families seeking accommodation or respite. If you would like to be a host in or outside Christchurch please email the helpdesk. Similarly if you are in Christchurch and you would like this kind of support, please contact the helpdesk who will help coordinate. helpdesk@plantandfood.co.nz or (09) 925 7111.

Many Lincoln staff have shown a strong desire to return to work as soon as practical. At this stage we are hopeful that the site will reopen on Monday 28^th February. We hope to be able to confirm this by late Friday this week. Any opening will be subject to the advice of Civil Defence at that time and to suitable access and facilities being available.

Further information on the general situation in the Selwyn region (of which Lincoln is part) can be viewed at the following link. http://www.selwyn.govt.nz/home This link is also available on our external website.

We will continue to provide updates as more information comes to hand. 

We offer our very best thoughts to all our staff, in Lincoln and beyond, who are affected by this tragic event.

Roger Bourne
On behalf of the team