Pair on a mission to help returnees find love

JOHN KIRK-ANDERSON/ The Press

OPPORTUNITY: Christian Fitzgerald and Stephanie Iremonger are planning a singles ball to help New Zealanders returning to Christchurch from overseas find a partner.

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A Christchurch duo want to help New Zealanders returning home because of the worldwide recession, to find love.

Stephanie Iremonger, 29, and Christian Fitzgerald, 27, who have returned from Britain, are planning a singles ball in Christchurch this year in the hope of helping other returning New Zealanders find their perfect match.

Thousands of Kiwis are flocking home as the recession bites in Britain, Statistics New Zealand figures show.

Iremonger and Fitzgerald returned from Britain three months ago and are still looking for work.

"We want to do something for the people unemployed. A lot of people are sitting at home waiting for recruitment agencies to get back to them," Iremonger said.

The pair hoped the ball would attract up to 1000 people. It would be open to returning New Zealanders and single people already in Christchurch.

Iremonger, who described Christchurch's singles scene as "pretty dire", said people returning from England, particularly London, found it hard.

"Coming back to Christchurch is like coming back to a village," she said.

Statistics show 7491 Kiwis returned to New Zealand in the year to March an increase of 708 on the previous year.

Westpac research economist Dominick Stephens said a "distinct pickup" in the number of New Zealanders returning from Britain was expected over the next six months to a year.

"The British economy is in far worse shape than the New Zealand economy," he said.

Statistics New Zealand figures show just over 300 New Zealanders aged 20 to 29 arrived in Christchurch between March 2008 and March 2009. Nationally, the figure was 3111.

Two hundred and thirty-one Kiwis aged 30 to 39 arrived in Christchurch over the same period. Nationally, the figure was 2297.

- © Fairfax NZ News