Editorial: Thanks for the support efforts | Wairarapa Opinion | Local Voices from Wairarapa, New Zealand

They are the unsung heroes when tragedy strikes.

The people who offer a service of immeasurable value but seldom grab the headlines for doing so.

They were there to comfort grieving families after the Pike River Mine explosion.

As they were in huge numbers when earthquakes ravaged the Christchurch region.

And, closer to home, they were a welcome shoulder to lean on for those whose lives were suddenly turned upside down by the horrific Carterton air balloon crash.

Victim Support describes itself as a community organisation that helps people hurt by crime and other trauma. The huge percentage of their membership are volunteers who use their life experience, training and skills to support people dealing with some of life's greatest challenges, the aftermath of crime or other trauma such as suicide or fatal accidents.

Their support comes in many ways. Often it could be categorised as emotional and practical but they can also offer financial assistance or be an advocate for victim's rights. And if other support services need to be brought in, they will act as a referral agency.

Their aim is to help those in desperate need to find strength, hope and safety in the face of what might seem virtually insurmountable odds.

That's why Victim Support volunteers are trained to listen, give information and feedback. Their whole purpose is to help people make sense of what they have been through, tell them about their choices and help them feel that despite all the challenges they will be able to get their lives under control again.

It is a quirk of human nature that often we find it difficult to express to family and close friends the extent of our grief when confronted by tragedy. It is then we long for the ear of an "outsider" to offload the thoughts racing through our minds and who better to turn to than an organisation whose volunteers are expert in handling situations of that kind.

Kudos will never be sought by those who work under the Victim Support banner. But that shouldn't stop the rest of us from taking time out to say a very big "thank you" for the excellence of the service they provide. None deserve it more.