New Zealand Red Cross international delegate and security expert John Dyer has just returned from a five-week deployment to Ukraine. He was based in Western Ukraine where he saw a different view of the country to what many of us understand.

New Zealand Red Cross disaster response teams were there for the people of Westport as they faced their homes flooding for the second time in seven months. Two team members reflect on their experience and on a weary but strong community standing up to help itself.

Our Disaster Welfare and Support Teams (DWST) respond to emergencies throughout Aotearoa New Zealand. Comprising 19 teams of highly committed, multi-skilled volunteers, DWST provides welfare support and psychological first aid to people impacted by disaster – which can be anything from earthquakes, floods and fires, to terrorist attacks.

New Zealand Red Cross’ disaster response team members have been supporting people affected by the tornado which hit South Auckland on Saturday 19 June, while volunteers across the North Island are on stand ready to assist people affected by the wild weather.

It was supposed to be a one-off volunteer offer to help people in his local community. Little did Ewan Coldicott know that it was the start of his humanitarian journey which would bring him to different parts of the world.