Part 1: 3 Steps for Life with St John; Part 2: Rural disaster readiness & wellbeing with Michelle Cole
← Back to the Practical Living Series
📅 Tuesday, 21 July 2026; start: 11 am
At Bainham Hall, Golden Bay
This session is about getting ready — practically and emotionally — for the unexpected. We’ll spend the morning learning hands-on lifesaving skills with St John, then turn to how we prepare ourselves, our families and our community for emergencies more broadly. Stick around afterwards for a chat about where the Practical Living Series goes next.
Part 1: 3 Steps for Life (St John)
11 am – approx. 12:15/12:30 pm
Keith Langford and a colleague from St John will run the 3 Steps for Life programme (1–1.5 hours). It is free, practical and genuinely lifesaving. You’ll learn the three steps that make the difference if someone has a cardiac arrest: calling 111, starting CPR and using an AED (automated external defibrillator). No experience needed, and it’s the kind of thing that’s easy to put off learning until you really need it.
Part 2: Preparing Ourselves and Our Communities: Rural Disaster Readiness and Wellbeing
approx. 12:30 – 1:30 pm
How can we prepare practically and emotionally for the unexpected? This one-hour community session will explore:
- practical disaster preparedness for rural households,
- common emotional responses to emergencies,
- ways to support children and adults during challenging times, and
- simple strategies for reducing stress and building resilience.
The session includes practical preparedness ideas, relaxation and grounding exercises, and discussion about the strengths that help rural communities recover and adapt.
About Michelle: Michelle Cole has worked for many years as a rural mental health specialist supporting families, first in Canterbury and now in Golden Bay, including working with schools through disasters. She lives in Rockville with her family.
Stick around: Shaping 2027
After the two sessions, everyone’s welcome to stay on for an open discussion about the future of the Practical Living Series:
- Should the series continue into 2027, and if so, how?
- What topics would you like to see covered?
- Do you have a skill you’d be happy to share?
We’re also exploring a possible small fund application to support the series itself, the community garden area behind Bainham Hall, and/or the Collingwood Area School garden. Your ideas here will help shape that application.
Koha: gold coin (Rural Women members) / $5 (non-members)
Bring your own lunch.
All welcome, no experience necessary for either part
Want to stay updated? Want to share?
Join our newsletter
Contact us to share your thoughts, share a recipe or get involved
Coming up: Bread making and baking
21 August 2026 at Bainham Hall
Back to main page: View all sessions →