Established to care for Boer War and World War 1 veterans, Rannerdale Village provided a safe haven for generations of armed forces personnel, until the facility became a casualty of a grim financial climate. Chris Barclay reports.
Or, in the lounge at Rannerdale Village in Upper Riccarton, it’s rest and gentle recreation for soldiers who served in Vietnam, Korea, Malaya and Borneo.
The World War 2 ranks have departed; the last resident from the Great War passed in 1996.
Founded in 1921, soon-to-be-closed Rannerdale was originally a care facility on Papanui Rd, built by the New Zealand Patriotic Fund and Canteen Fund Board for disabled or retired war veterans from the Boer War and then World War 1.
It moved to Hansons Lane in 1956 after a post-war fundraising effort facilitated the purchase of Stevenholme homestead, a red-brick building later known as Kauri Villa.
Appropriately, the address was reputedly once home to Nurse Maude when Emily Sybilla Maude was a young girl.
But, as the Russian invasion continued in Ukraine, a bombshell: Word spread that 40 residents of Rannerdale, about half military veterans, would also be on manoeuvres because their post-conflict sanctuary has to be evacuated by Friday, March 25.
Families and dependents were also catered for.
Rannerdale, said Jackman, was no longer able to offer aged residential care because, as a solo operator, the economies of scale were no longer sustainable.
A nationwide shortage of qualified nursing staff had also made it difficult to keep staffing levels up.
“We are very upset after our long history of veterans’ care and the pride we all take in providing such good care of our residents, but at least by being able to offer alternative care at Aldwins House [in Linwood] there will be some continuity,” Jackman said.
Aldwins House, which reopened in 2020 after a two-year post-earthquake strengthening project was completed, agreed to accommodate residents who wish to relocate.
Rannerdale will also transfer all veterans’ memorabilia, its flag, library and photos to Aldwins House so, said Jackman, “They will still be surrounded by familiar things”.
Some, if not most, of the 40 staff are also expected to join the transition, so residents would still be cared for by those they knew.
“Our staff are still considering their options so we don’t yet know how many will be employed at Aldwins House,” Jackman said.
“It came as a complete shock. Over the years we’ve put huge amounts of resources into Rannerdale, financially and physically,” he said.
“We set out to furnish a couple of rooms, Templeton (branch) bought them a new van.”
Hansen also referenced the Jacinda Baker Wing, named after the Lance Corporal from North Canterbury who died, alongside two other members of the New Zealand Defence Force, when the humvee they were travelling in struck an improvised explosive device in Afghanistan in 2012.
The 10-bed section was opened in 2016, with the RNZRSA at the forefront of a $55,000 fundraising drive.
One wall features a poignant painting by official NZ Army artist Matthew Gouldie of Baker, in uniform, holding a child aloft in her arms, by official NZ Army Artist Matthew Gouldie.
“We’re very disappointed and we’re feeling for the residents and the clients that are there,” Hansen said.
“A lot of them are impacted by their service so they need special consideration. They’re affected by PTSD [post traumatic stress disorder].”
“There’s younger people – well, they’re in their 50s and 60s from Cambodia and Bosnia as well,” Hansen said.
“Our Bosnian vets saw some real bad stuff as peacekeepers. They saw the genocide.
“People I know in there for retirement certainly have underlying issues they get treated for at the same time.
“They do have their freedoms to come and go, but they are affected dramatically by their service.
“It’s a good place for them to be, surrounded by people that understand.”
“That’s important because they’re the only ones who know how to support each other, it’s like a brotherhood. If you break the brotherhood up, it doesn’t assist them in their issues,” Hansen said.
“It’s good if they all stay together, especially those who are very badly impacted and very ill.
“It happened so fast but they’re all just rolling up their sleeves and getting on with it.”
Veterans’ Affairs head Bernadette McKenzie was saddened by the development.
“Rannerdale evolved from its original role as a home for servicemen from the First World War, to providing a variety of valuable services, including long and short term care, day care, respite care, and home care for veterans, and for the non-veteran elderly, and other vulnerable people,” she said.
“Rannerdale has made a huge difference to the lives of its veteran clients. It will be missed by the veteran community in Christchurch.”
The loss of Rannerdale leaves the Ranfurly Veterans’ Trust in Auckland, the Levin Home for War Veterans, and the Montecillo Veterans’ Home and Hospital (Dunedin) as facilities with a history of association with veterans.
Once the transfer and other arrangements are in place, Rannerdale Trust will focus on its veterans’ home care business currently also operating out of its Hansons Lane site.
The building and site that housed residents will remain an asset of the Rannerdale Trust.
