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A Mongrel Mob chapter in Dannevirke has new members with a new mission. They’re focused on keeping trouble out of their rural town.
The new members’ white patches show their Christ-centred beliefs, they say. They are promoting employment opportunities, following Christian values and are fighting to eliminate methamphetamine.
Edwin Marsh, a former K1 fighter, started the DV8K Barbarians chapter three years ago.
“The reason we started here is because a lot of the gangs had a foothold on this community, on this town, and there was a lot of P getting pushed around, meth,” he says.
“A lot of our youth were getting involved in P, and families were crying out for help.”
The chapter meetings start with karakia and blessing of food. The rules are strict: no family violence, no meth – and people need to work.
“Who needs all the flash things? We’re happy with what we’ve got, we go to work, got a nice car, we work hard for our stuff,” Marsh says.
“All my boys work, 98 percent of my boys work.”
Being meth free is a big component for the chapter. Besides steering clear of the drug the chapter offers support to men wanting to be drug free.
One man the chapter has been helping is Lionel Edwards, who used meth for over three decades.
“To be honest, I’m quite proud of my achievements in that I haven’t used or abused it in a long while now,” Edwards says.
Marsh says without intervention, more people are going to die from meth abuse.
“This is about our future and our youth,” he says.
Last month spokesman Luke Smith represented the chapter at a Tararua District Council meeting.
The chapter wants to “clear up some assumptions, answer any questions you have and start building a bridge between us, the council and the community,” he said.
The chapter Marsh started in 2018 aims to make Dannevirke a safer place and to help people, he explained.
The new chapter is well aware of the Mongrel Mob’s negative image, especially around meth. Smith emphasised the chapter’s no drugs rule.
Many of the chapter members were recovered addicts, he told the council.
Discrimination against members is a problem, Smith said.
“We can’t build this bridge together if we are being discriminated against by false assumptions,” he said.
Source
- TVNZ News
- Hawke’s Bay Today
- Image: Stuff
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