Charlie Hutt was heavily involved in the immediate response to the Christchurch earthquakes, working inside the red zone cordon.
His move to Amberley to ‘have a complete lifestyle change’ took an unexpected turn when the November 2016 earthquake came along.
Since that quake that shook Hurunui and Kaikoura, Charlie says he’s discovered a lot about himself.
“I like people more than I thought I did. I used to be a bouncer and I saw the worst in people. Now I’ve seen the nicer side I people – I have a lot more faith.”
He says one thing that’s really helped him since the quakes has been Hurunui’s strong community network.
“Between volunteering for the local fire brigade and working at the NorWester, I’ve become really well connected with my community. I know I can lean on them, and that they can lean on me too.”
While Charlie acknowledges that everyone’s in a different place, his message to others in Hurunui is that ‘we are all the same! At the end we are all one!’
To look after himself, Charlie likes to get away and enjoy some peace and solitude, doing things like watching the sunset at Motunau Beach or just chilling out to a good Playlist.
He loves living in Hurunui, and really appreciates the uniqueness of the each part of the district.
“Amberley is where my heart is. It’s where I spend my time serving and doing stuff for the community.”