Canterbury business and community groups are joining forces in an effort to tackle cold, damp homes that are making their owners sick.
What is called the Warm Families Scheme will see new insulation and heating put into the homes of more than 2000 vulnerable people every year.
On a fine warm day in Christchurch, winter is a distant memory for most but Graham and Katie Le Roux clearly remember what their damp and musty house did to them and their asthmatic children.
"It was having all three sick at the same time, made it really hard, long days, longer nights," says Ms Le Roux.
As part of Warm Babies, which preceded Warm Families, their house was fully insulated and a heat pump installed.
"We're more comfortable, without being sick we're more relaxed," says Ms Le Roux. "I'd like to say I'm a better mum for not having all the sickness that wears you out and makes you tired."
Now Warm Families, launched today, aims to refit 2000 homes a year, spending $5 million per year by 2010.
Hospital admissions are nine percent higher in Christchurch compared to Auckland, and Dr Mike Epton says climate is the culprit.
"We know that people with diseases, the elderly and very young, the people who are vulnerable are more likely to come into hospital on a very cold day and when there's time of high air pollution," he says.
The benefits of a warm home are obvious to both community and business.
"Less hospital admissions, less time off work, less time off school and just a general improvement in people's well-being," says Bede Martin of the Community Energy Action Trust.
Rosemary Code suffers from asthma and arthritis and with her husband Graham, spent much of last winter huddling under the duvet in hats and gloves. They could not afford to pay for power.
"Makes it a lot easier and I won't have the stress of trying to buy food and pay huge bills," says Mr Code.
But now with Community Energy Action and other groups insulating them and others against the cold and damp, the outlook for winter is not so bleak.
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