Getting rid of those tiresome chores ...

Press, 14 January 1986, Page 5

Getting rid of those tiresome chores ...

By

LEE MATTHEWS

If you happen to be the street’s best shirt ironer but loathe lawn mowing, a Christchurch man may have a solution for you.

Mr Adrianne Brandon has started a free scheme he calls “Swap-a-Care.” He matches up people who like differing domestic tasks, so they can help with each other’s chores. He first advertised about two weeks ago, and he has been inundated with inquiries. “I’ve had between 20 and 30 phone calls each day since the ad went in,” he said.

Most inquirers had been people who lived alone. Some, such as the elderly, could not do jobs such as painting window sills. Others were people who had

recently separated or were otherwise alone, and who were not confident about jobs such as sewing or fixing leaky taps. Mr Brandon said he thought of the scheme because many people had helped him when he was alone.

“At present I’m trying to build up a file of people who want jobs done so I can match them up,” he said. Things were “rather chaotic” with lots of bits of paper everywhere, but he had been offered the use of a computer to make it easier to match jobs to people. “The only problem is, I’ll have to find a computer person who needs a job done that I can do, so they could perhaps teach me to use this computer.”

Chore-swapping did not have to be limited to two people. People who had been helped could pass on the assistance they received to others.

“For instance, last week a lady who wanted her front garden rotary-hoed rang up. Then a guy agreed to do it, but couldn’t go until his car was fixed. So another chap fixed his car so the hoeing could be done,” he said. The most common jobs people wanted to swap were ironing and lawn mowing. “I’ve got about 70 lawns needing mowing and about 300 shirts waiting to be ironed,” Mr Brandon said. So, if you have to be press-ganged into ironing but love clipping the clover, Mr Brandon could use your services. His telephone number is 810-072.