Have you spotted the new AED (defibrillator) signs around Tawa yet? Vibrant Tawa, in a project initiated and successfully completed by their president Tony Hassed, is installing 12 AED signs! The project is funded by Tawa Lions, and the signs are made by local sign maker, Imagine That. The signs can be found throughout Tawa to highlight the availability of defibrillators for use in the event of an emergency.
There are currently five externally mounted AED devices available 24/7, and the remaining devices are within the relevant enterprise and available only when that enterprise is open. There are, in total, at least 27 defibrillators in Tawa not including those in Kenepuru and Grenada North.
Vibrant Tawa wishes to express appreciation to Tawa Lions and Imagine That for their part in this project.
You can find all of the AED locations here: https://aedlocations.co.nz
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Mexted Motors Spring into Tawa is happening on Saturday 28 October. This awesome event will feature:
- Over 100 stalls including local groups and schools, amazing crafts and delicious food.
- 20 of Wellington’s favourite food trucks and entertainment across three stages, including talented local singers, bands and dancers.
- The Children’s Entertainment Zone, featuring a wide range of activities and entertainment free of charge including rides, bouncy castle, face painting, bubbles, cookie decorating, balloon twisting, games and more!
In addition this year, thanks to the support of our naming rights sponsor Mexted Motors, we’ll have players from the Central Pulse Netball team at the event available to meet and have photos with and helping them to shoot some netballs into a hoop!
Make sure you come along on Saturday 28 October for a great community day out. We’re focused on reducing the impact of our event on the environment and we need your help to do that. Please bring along your keep cups and refillable water bottles for drinks, your own containers for food you purchase, your reusable bags to carry all your purchases and think about sustainable ways of getting to the event – walk, bus, train, On Demand bus or even e-scooter!
We need you! For the event, we need a big crew of amazing and fun volunteers. We have a range of roles including helping in our Children’s Zone, running the green room, helping with set up and pack down, helping our stallholders with their set up and pack down, helping people put their waste in the right bin so we can reduce the amount of waste going to landfill, and supporting the committee to run the event.
You can volunteer all day or in blocks of time between 6am and 5pm. If you’re interested and can help us put on this cool event, please complete the online form with your details and we will be in touch: https://gforms.app/r/9PZNwAB
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Vibrant Tawa recently hosted a Meet the Candidates for Ōhāriu meeting at the Anglican Church. This was organised and presented by Jackson Lacy. The atmosphere was friendly and the some good questions were asked and answered.
A recent Meet the candidates in Johnsonville has been recorded and can be watched on Youtube here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IkSPyzM6V0
If you missed the meeting, there are a few more coming up:
Meet the candidates Ngaio, 7.30pm Sep 29, Ngaio Town Hall
Meet the candidates 1841, 7pm Oct 3, 1841 Bar and Restaurant
Meet the candidates Ngaio Union Church, 7pm Oct 4
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Meet the Candidates 2023. Picture credits: John Plunkett
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During April to May, members of Tawa Rotary undertook a refurbishment of the reserve track map and information board located at the entrance of Wilf Mexted Reserve at the top of Collins Avenue, in collaboration with Friends for Tawa Bush Reserves Inc and Wellington City Council. A version of the track map will also be shortly installed at the Bing Lucas Drive end of the track by WCC.
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The new Wilf Mexted Information signboard
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In 1993, the Rotary Club of Tawa had a vision to ensure that the Wilf Mexted Scenic Reserve and bush walk can become better known and enjoyed by residents of Tawa and the Wellington region, and set out to refurbish and improve the bush walk. This small parcel of native bush remnant, which was gifted by Wilf Mexted in 1930, provides the essence of the original bush in the Tawa basin. In co-operation with the Kenepuru Rover Scouts, a track route was enhanced and an information board provided at the entrance including a track map and some educational material about the native vegetation in the area.
After 30 years, the information board was looking tired and in need of renovation. Over time the reserve area and associated track network have also been extended and so the map and information contained was also in need of updating to improve its usefulness to the community.
Thanks to The Rotary Foundation for their contribution to funding and to local printer Imagine That who printed the layout onto a weather proof back board, and to Wellington City Council for providing an updated reserve track map.
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The original opening of the Wilf Mexted signboard, 23 May 1994, with representatives from Rover Scouts, Tawa Rotary president Duncan Paton, Mayor of Wellington Fran Wild, and Tawa Borough Councillor Graham Sutton, also a Rotarian and who designed and built the original Lynch-Gate designed notice board.
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Did you know that there are two Eco Churches in Tawa?
We all live in this world and we make choices as individuals around how we are going to interact with it and care for it. Those individual decisions make a difference, but this difference is magnified when we can act together as a larger group. Churches can be large groups of people, often running gatherings, maintaining buildings and hosting community events. How can we do this in a way that is environmentally sustainable and enriches the life of the community and world around us?
To help churches find and enact solutions to this question they can partner with Christian conservation organisation, ARocha, and sign up to be an Eco Church. The Eco Church project helps churches and organisations keep questioning the choices they make, keeping the importance of environmental care at the forefront, making it part of who we are and a filter we run everything through.
Two Tawa churches – Tawa Anglicans and Tawa Union Church – have begun the Eco Church journey. For Tawa Anglican Church, this has led to actions such as examining what we buy and how we dispose of it, how we travel to meet together, and decisions around our building project.
Tawa Union Church has switched to eco-friendly cleaning products and printer paper, and is exploring ways to add more native plants to our garden areas.
You can read more about these projects and other Eco Churches around Aotearoa on the Eco Church website: http://www.ecochurch.org.nz
You can also watch a video explaining the Eco Church here: https://youtu.be/Jm6BV6Ctmlo?feature=shared
From Rachel Doragh
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Altar panels at Tawa Anglican Church for the 'season of creation'
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Main Road watermain renewals progressing well
Good progress is continuing to be being made on Wellington Water’s project on behalf of Wellington City Council to improve the resilience of Tawa’s drinking water network. Since construction started on the Main Road Watermain Renewal in early July, around 340 metres of new pipe has been laid. This is about three quarters of the total renewal of the ageing section of asbestos cement watermain between number 68 Main Road and Redwood Avenue.
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Wellington Water Chief Advisor - Drinking Water, Laurence Edwards says impacts on the community are continuing to be monitored and managed.
“During the last three months we’ve been able to make great progress thanks to people’s ongoing understanding with the detour along Redwood Avenue for northbound traffic and closure of northbound parking which is working smoothly.”
Over the next month, crews will continue during the school holidays and into October to focus on the northern end near St Francis Xavier School, then move to the roundabout at Redwood Ave later on. “We’ve worked with St Francis Xavier School and Redwood Primary School to provide routes and locations ensuring people can drop off and collect their children safely. These are working well, and we continue to monitor that.”
The project is expected to take another three months to be completed in December this year. “As always, we want to assure you that Wellington Water, Wellington City Council, and the contractor are committed to completing the work as soon as possible and we will continue to provide the community with updates on our work as it progresses.”
For more information, updates and a copy of the detour map, visit:
http://www.wellingtonwater.co.nz/projects/tawa-main-road-watermain-project/
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Politics and politicians
It’s election time again, in case you hadn’t noticed. Politicians of all stripes have been seen, interviewed, photographed and filmed within the Tawa valley in recent times. But such visits are not new, whether in the election season or out of it.
Love him or hate him, you cannot deny that Sir Robert Muldoon was one of the more interesting politicians from last century – children, ask your parents or grandparents. He was a member of Parliament for Tamaki (in east Auckland) from 1960 until 1992. Between 1974 and 1984 he was leader of the National Party. He was Prime Minister and Minister of Finance for most of that 10-year period. His style tended to be hands-on, involving himself in many areas of the economy.
This image shows him in 1979 on a visit to the Humes pipe factory in Linden. He is literally getting his hands on a piece of locally-produced pipework. Humes was part of the Fletcher conglomerate. The site at the top of Collins Avenue has been through a few owners since 1979 and is now home to Bemis Flexible Packaging Australasia.
David Parsons
Chairman Tawa Historical Society
Contact David on tawaparsons@xtra.co.nz
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Sir Robert Muldoon visiting the Humes pipe factory in Linden
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Tawa College Community Education has exciting courses ahead for Term 4. There are a popular variety of cooking classes on offer, either over four week evenings or one weekend day. Choose from Italian cooking, Asian Cooking, Cheese-making, Christmas Baking, Egyptian Kai, Hispanic Cooking and Indian Cooking!
Some of our Fitness classes are already full, but there's still spaces in Bollywood Dance fitness and Yoga. Lots of Art and Craft courses are on offer, with some Christmas themed Sewing classes, Lace Making, Drawing, Flower Arranging, Crochet, Photography, Guitar and Woodwork. Our regular NZ Sign Language and Defensive Driving courses continue. Have a look on our website and see which course is right for you! http://www.tawacomed.co.nz
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An example of what you could make at the Fabulous Festive Flowers course.
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Severe Weather
Last month I talked about floods and recently we have had a few severe weather warnings, so it seems topical to discuss advice for preparing for severe weather, as well as the difference between a weather warning and a watch.
Types of severe weather can include strong wind, heavy rain, and thunderstorms. Strong wind gusts can damage trees, powerlines, and unsecured items. Heavy rain may cause streams and rivers to rise rapidly, surface flooding and slips are also possible and driving conditions may be hazardous. Thunderstorms can cause strong winds, rain, thunder, lightning, hail, or tornados.
A watch means there is potential for a severe weather event, so keep an eye on updates. A warning means the weather is happening now (or about to), so take action to be prepared. Warnings can be categorised as orange or red, most warnings will be orange warnings, with red warnings reserved for only the most extreme weather events.
Top five tips for before and during severe weather events:
- Follow MetService and WREMO on social media, or sign up to severe weather warning emails at https://lists.metservice.co.nz/multisub.
- Take steps to be prepared by making a household plan and a Grab Bag of essential items for if you have to evacuate at short notice.
- Secure any outdoor items like wheelie bins, trampolines and outdoor furniture that may blow around.
- Clear storm water drains and gutters of dirt, leaves and other blockages to help prevent surface flooding and slips.
- Take extra care when travelling around the region, especially for high-sided vehicles and motorcycles in wind, and in hillier parts where more landslips may occur in wet weather.
From Heather McCaskill
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With tickets to the Whanganui Literary Festival, I recently wandered the store, pondering the guest writers and the art of writing.
Celebrating 50 years since his first novel, Tangi, awe inspiring Witi Ihimaera has edited recent arrival Ngā Kupu Wero, “a powerful new collection of non-fiction by contemporary Māori writers... brings together a bounty of essays, articles, commentary and creative non-fiction on the political, cultural and social issues that challenge us today... over 60 writers explore the power of the word.”
Crime fiction is also a feature with Fiona Sussman, a Finalist in the 2023 Ngaio Marsh & NZ Booklovers Awards for The Doctor's Wife. NZ Booklovers Judges: "…With elements of dark humour, suspense and a few plot twists and turns, this story appeals on many levels."
Thinking about the art of writing and crime fiction, instore is Howdunit a masterclass. "Ninety crime writers from the world’s oldest and most famous crime writing network give tips and insights into successful crime and thriller fiction."
Art takes practice, so give yourself an imaginative writing workout with Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr. Fox, The Twits, Matilda guides and Rudi Haig's Telling Tales, for writers 8 to 120 years.
A fun fact: the oldest person alive is 116 – Guinness World Records 2024.
Journal your practice with our recently arrived Flame Tree Notebooks – “beautiful and luxurious, combining high-quality production with magnificent fine art, the crafted covers are printed on foil, embossed then foil stamped… a pocket at the back for small notes, two bookmarks ribbons and a magnetic side flap."
From Rowena, Paul, Gaylene, Dana & Sharon
https://www.tawabooksandpost.co.nz http://www.tawabooksandpost.co.nz/collections/book-corner
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Following a busy planting season up at our Takapū Valley Community planting site, Tawa schools’ backyard planting projects are in full swing. Students have been involved in and led the planning and planting for these projects, including assessing the sites where the plantings are taking place and requesting plants to suit these sites. Thanks to Wellington City Council for their provision of the plants and to Andrew Liley (FOTBR), Murray Lucas (KETE) and Ranger Frank Williams for their support of the students.
This is the second year our Student Leaders have been involved in the planning and have used their learnings from the Takapū project to make a difference. Several of the schools have had issues with poor drainage or flooding and so appropriate plants have helped immensely. At Tawa Primary School a boggy unusable area in winter in previous years is being transformed into a bush walk.
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Recently, eight KETE Link Teachers and 40 Student Leaders went to Zealandia for a very enjoyable and educational Night Walk over two nights. This followed our focus on NZ’s unique endemic biodiversity and the importance of protecting it. Species they were privileged to see included Kiwipukupuku (Little Spotted Kiwi), Giant Wētā, Takahē, Titiwai (NZ glow worms), Kāruhiruhi (Pied shags) and Tuatara. Students are following up this visit with report writing and presentations.
This experience, plus recent workshops aimed at upskilling student with tracking and trapping mammalian pest species, is inspiring students to care for te taiao and think about actions they can take to make a positive difference.
From Sue Lum
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Thanks to Nic Webb for the photos.
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Spring started with a run of beautiful sunny days and spirits lifted. Then the wind arrived. As the tulip blooms were battered by gusts, I realized we haven’t experienced strong spring equinox winds since we began opening our garden four years ago. Sure enough, NIWA’s website confirmed this is the first spring for a while where we have been subjected to the El Nino weather pattern, which typically results in such gusty weather. As luck would have it this year is looking to be the strongest El Niño pattern since 1940. After months of planning, planting and waiting it is exciting to see the colour schemes coming to fruition, and then devastating to see them being thrashed. Hopefully the winds won’t be as long lasting or as strong as predicted.
In our courtyard we have a confection of pink and white tulips supported by poppies, pansies and larkspurs in similar shades. I had coconut ice in mind when creating this theme. One tulip, Cabanna, encapsulates the theme beautifully, with crinkly ruffled white petals brushed with pink. It is new to NZ tulips this year, hopefully it will continue to be available for many years to come.
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Double Price peony tulip
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Our other colour palettes include a black and white chess arrangement, a terrace of peach and pink shades, a border in red and orange, a sunset patch, an Asian inspired room of red tulips, and a slope of purples and bright pinks.
The daffodils planted fresh this year have been stunning! The older ones in the ground, however, have been reluctant bloomers with reduced numbers of flowers. This is likely due to last years extreme wet weather. To strengthen the bulbs for next season, it's time to sprinkle around the leaves with special bulb fertilizer. It is of vital importance that the leaves are left to die down naturally. Yes, they can look messy but it is a sacrifice required if you want gorgeous blooms next year. Tying the leaves in a knot should also be avoided as it hinders the leaves feeding the bulbs.
In the vegetable garden the first batch of broccoli has been harvested, cutting the main head from the stem but leaving the plant in the ground to form small secondary heads. The days are becoming warmer so it is safe to plant a variety of seedlings straight into the ground. I have restocked with loads of lettuce, spinach, pak choi, spring onions and rainbow beet. The remaining celery has succumbed to rust which it inevitably does at the end of its life so I will be pulling that out. It is not worth trying to save it when it reaches this stage. You can plant some fresh seedlings now, but in a different part of the garden.
If you followed last months advice and chitted seed potatoes, they should be well sprouted by now. You can plant them in furrows which are 70cm apart. Space the potatoes, sprouted side up, 25cm apart, 15cm deep and cover with a few cms of soil. When the stems and leaves grow taller, mound the soil up against the stems so just the leaves are poking out the top. Keep doing this until the plants begin to flower, at which point they should be ready to harvest.
Alternatively you can place three tubers at the bottom of a very large container, 45cm+ diameter and keep topping up with soil mix as the plants grow until the pot is full.
Seed sowing of most summer flowers and vegetables can now begin in earnest, but protect tender varieties by keeping the trays inside on a sunny windowsill or in a glasshouse.
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Small side shoots form after the main head is harvested from broccoli
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It's spring and if you want a bountiful summer garden, there’s no time for putting your feet up – but if you do have time, we would love to welcome you to visit our garden during our open weekends!
The first one is likely to be Saturday 30 September at 10am, at 34 St Johns Terrace. Entry is by koha and open times/cancellations will be advertised on neighbourly and Facebook at Carolyn Campbell Garden Design and Grooming. We also offer mid week bookings for groups for a private tour and an optional morning tea in the garden (minimum of 10). Contact: ccgardens@orcon.net.nz
We will have a selection of special perennial plants from our garden for sale. Hope to see you here.
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Want to make a difference?
With all of the bad news around the environment it can feel like one person or family can’t make a difference. YES you can!
Over 700 households in Tawa are already making a difference by trapping in their backyard to catch rats and mice. This is having a noticeable difference.
Not keen? Let’s see if we can help change your mind with answers to these common queries:
I don’t have rats or mice on my property.
Sorry, but you probably do. Rats and mice are typically nocturnal, so whilst we’re sleeping, they’re awake and active at night. Tawa has many streams and is surrounded by bush, which is great rat habitat – they love it. We also have a landfill just over the hill.
My cats do a good job of catching rats.
If your cats are catching rats there is a good chance that there are others out there that they aren’t catching. Two rats can lead to around 1,250 rats in just a year (Rentokil, 2018). That’s a problem.
I am squeamish and don’t want to deal with dead rats.
The modern traps don’t require you to touch anything dead. Just open the trap and put the dead rodent in the rubbish, compost or worm farm. It’s easy!
I have pets and young children.
Our traps are pet and child friendly. The trap itself is kept inside and at the back of a wooden tunnel. So little hands and paws can’t reach it.
I don’t want to trap other types of animals by mistake.
Using a tunnel to place the trap in greatly reduces the chances of catching other animals.
I am in a rental.
Please ask your landlord if they are OK with you having a trap on their property.
I can’t afford it.
Pest Free Tawa provides a trap, tunnel and peanut butter all for a small koha (donation).
I see a lot of traps around in the Tawa Bush. Aren’t there already enough?
Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves (FoTBR) do a fantastic job of trapping in the local bush reserves but their hard work gets a turbo boost when there are traps on residential property. FoTBR focuses on trapping in the bush and along streams, and Pest Free Tawa focuses on supporting backyard trapping.
From Karen Taylor
Keen to make a difference, contact: Pest Free Tawa, pftawa@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/pestfreetawa
Friends of Tawa Bush Reserves, secretary@tawabush.org.nz
https://www.facebook.com/FriendsofTawaBush
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Picture credits: Elizabeth Werner
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The community garden is out of winter hibernation and is having a free working bee this Sunday from 1.30-3pm where you can learn about weeding and making compost.
Please come for a meeting at 1:30pm on Sunday to discuss several more matters in regards to the garden.
If the rain comes back on Sunday afternoon, they will meet at the New World cafe.
Keep an eye on their facebook page for more working bees and updates here https://www.facebook.com/tawacommunitygarden
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Well, we are already into late September and looking forward to Spring into Tawa on the 28th of October. This was our big first event last year as your City Councillors and it now seems such a long time ago. I hope the weather holds up this year!
We have enjoyed interacting with all the groups in Tawa and our latest engagement was to speak to Rotary, Lions and the Inner Wheel Club on Economic Development in Wellington. We provided a combined presentation on how the Council contributes to development and what we are looking to do. Our presentation was warmly received and these groups play an important role in advocating and getting things done in Tawa.
Our Council meeting agenda is set a year in advance and all our meetings for 2024 are about to drop into our diaries. All details are provided on the Council website and mostly livestreamed. Public participation is welcomed too. https://wellington.govt.nz/your-council/meetings
Upcoming consultations and engagements recently approved include:
The Rating Policy review which is phase three of the 2024-34 Long-term Plan engagement process and feedback is open here until 15 October .
The Commemorative Policy Consultation which is open until 13 October.
The Dog Policy, Domestic Animal Policy, and Animal Bylaw Consultation which is open until 18 October.
As always Ben, Tony and myself can be contacted by email or phone. Our details are on the Council website.
Regards, |
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There are usually a lot of projects and proposals that you can give feedback on! Go have a look, find them all here: https://www.letstalk.wellington.govt.nz
Currently, there are proposals on the review of the policies and bylaw relating to animals, traffic and parking restrictions and freedom camping as well as on the rating policies review: https://www.letstalk.wellington.govt.nz/rating-policies-review
There are also plans to move the Willowbank playground to the dog park area by the toilets and change the playground into a dog park. Have your say on this here: https://www.letstalk.wellington.govt.nz/hub-page/animal-review
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You can find the Tawa Business Group on Facebook here https://www.facebook.com/tawabusiness and on Instagram here https://www.instagram.com/tawabid/
Have you joined theTawa Business Owners private Facebook group? (1) Tawa Business Owners | Facebook
The job board is updated every week with new vacancies within various businesses and organisations throughout Tawa. If you’re looking for a change or a new challenge, check it out: https://www.tawabusiness.co.nz/jobs.
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Our community centre will be open for voting for the general election from Monday 2 October right up until and including Election Day on 14 October. We will post the list of detailed times and days on our Facebook page and in our window. If you haven't yet enrolled to vote or need to update your details, it's not too late, and election staff will be able to help you with this. For more information about everything to do with voting, visit the Electoral Commission website.
Te Wiki Kaumātua, Seniors Week, is next week! Here at the community centre, all of our older people are invited to a morning tea and groups/activities expo on Monday 2 October, 10am-12pm. Come along and have a kai with your neighbours and find out more about some of the groups and activities here in the community, including Tawa U3A and SeniorNet Wellington. We will also show a movie here at the centre; come along, put your feet up, and enjoy some snacks and a movie! Wednesday 4 October, 1-3pm. Throughout the week there are events happening all across Wellington. We have copies of the information booklets here at the centre, or you can download the booklet here.
Recycling Week is coming up, 16-22 October. Keep an eye on our Facebook page/drop into the centre to find out more about the fun competitions (and prizes!) we will have here at the centre.
Have you ever seen a yellow ribbon on a dog’s collar? A yellow ribbon on a dog’s collar or lead signals to others that they need a little extra space. Any yellow ribbon will do the trick. We have a few at the centre to give away; check out the WCC website for more information.
Our weekly soup days are going well here every Tuesday, 11.30am-1pm. All community members are welcome to come and join us for a delicious warming soup. We are looking for volunteers – if you are interested please give us a call on 04 232 1682 or email us at tawacc@wcc.govt.nz.
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The new furniture at the Tawa Community Centre looks great!
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Daffodil Day: a blooming success!
Linden Community Centre joined hands with the Cancer Society NZ to serve as a collecting point for generous individuals who wished to contribute to the noble cause of Daffodil Day. Thanks to each and every individual who played a role in making Daffodil Day at Linden Community Centre a blooming success.
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Join our recycling project: let's create and give back!
We're now collecting unwanted, old, and broken jewellery for a very special community endeavour. We're planning a jewellery-making workshop that brings our community together. The jewellery crafted during this workshop will have a meaningful purpose – it will be lovingly donated to the Children's Ward at Kenepuru Hospital and Linden School. Please get in touch with the Linden Community Centre to arrange a suitable dropping point for your jewellery donations.
Health Alert Week recap: prioritising community well-being
This event was designed to empower our community with essential health knowledge and provide valuable health services. Throughout the day, our dedicated experts were on-site, offering complimentary blood pressure checks and heart checks. This initiative aimed to help individuals gain insights into their health and encourage regular health check-ups.
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Kai Kitchen: nurturing community connections
Kai Kitchen stands as a beacon of community unity. Every week, this cherished event brings together around 60-100 community members to share more than just a meal. People from various walks of life gather to enjoy a delicious lunch while engaging in meaningful conversations. Laughter, stories, and knowledge flow freely, creating an environment that nurtures bonds. It's a space where everyone is welcomed and valued, contributing to the sense of belonging that makes Linden Community Centre special.
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Linden Community Crop Swap: cultivating connections and sharing abundance
The Crop Swap is every last Saturday of the month from 8.30am – 9.30am. The community will bring their homegrown crops to the table and exchange them with fellow community members. It's a perfect opportunity to meet fellow gardening enthusiasts, share stories, and learn from each other. It is not only about produce; it's also a platform to share gardening tips.
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Turning dreams into reality: our new outdoor pantry
Thanks to the incredible support of Collective First National Property Management, our community dream has become a reality and we now have an outdoor pantry! Whether it's non-perishable food items or other essentials, this pantry will be accessible 24/7 to meet the needs of our community.
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Repair Café @ Linden
We are in search of experts who can volunteer their skills to assist us with our exciting new project at Linden Community Centre. If you're familiar with Repair Café Aotearoa, we are in the process of setting up a similar group of volunteers for our Repair Café at Linden, with a planned launch in early November. We are specifically looking for individuals who can help sharpen knives, members of a sewing group, a registered electrician, a carpenter, or experts in various fields. If you fit any of these descriptions, please don't hesitate to contact me, Fieza, at Linden Community Centre. We are also on the lookout for someone willing to sponsor their time to assist us in setting up and baking on the day of the event.
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Tawa MenzShed have a free open day on Sunday 1 October, 1-4pm ($2 for coffee or tea).
Location: Tawa MenzShed, access via the Tawa Pool car park, drive south past the skateboard park.
Accessibility: Wheelchair access. Plenty of parking.
Access to the Tawa Pool car park is currently via Luckie Street and then into Davies Street due to Davies Street being temporarily closed at the north end. From the Tawa Pool, drive south past the skateboard park and the Rural Fire Service building.
Visit the Tawa MenzShed website for more information.
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This week is Chinese Language Week and to celebrate the occasion, a staff member proudly displayed two rare Chinese Language books that have pages that open as one continuous ream. The photos show the oil painting and calligraphy that are on display which were completed by an artist in Wellington.
There is a large Chinese Language book collection at the Johnsonville Library and you can search for all items in our catalogue – Wellington City Libraries - CARL•Connect Discovery (wcl.govt.nz). On the left hand side of the page click ‘language’ to choose the language you are looking for, e.g. all in Chinese, Chinese and English, Chinese and Italian, etc.
Library staff have also prepared a blog post to celebrate the week:
Celebrate Chinese Language Week – 17-23 September – Library Blog (wcl.govt.nz)
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Picture credits: Wendy Jacobs
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Tawa Rotary wrap
The highlight of meetings for September was a combined meeting of Tawa service clubs with Tawa Lions and Tawa Inner Wheel, at which our three WCC Northern Ward councillors were the main speakers on the controversial subject of Economic Development of Wellington.
Upcoming events for Tawa Rotary during October include:
On 17 October we have our annual Pride in Work Awards Presentation and Dinner. Applications for these prestigious awards close very soon. So if you know of a local employee or volunteer who you would like to see given some recognition, please email Pat Waite at pat.waite@outlook.com.
On 24 October we are hosting the Hon Peter Dunne to give us his assessment of the outcome of the Election Results and it what it means for Tawa and the nation.
And on 31 October our speaker will be Dr Swee Tann, founder of Gillies McIndoe research centre, who will provide us with an update on his latest research into cancer curers.
24 October is also World Polio Day. Today there are just two countries remaining as polio-endemic – Afghanistan and Pakistan –with just seven cases reported thus far in 2023. But until the wild poliovirus is completely eliminated, it is potentially only a flight away from returning to becoming a global epidemic once again. So World Polio Day is an opportunity to celebrate the work done on polio eradication to date and raise some funds to help finish the eradication. On Thursday 26 October, 6am to 11am, at Wellington Railway Station a number of local Rotary clubs are combining to run a Bacon Buttie event for morning commuters to raise awareness of polio and seek further funding for this international campaign.
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See you at Spring into Tawa on Saturday 28 October. We are in the Community Section, next to Rotary.
Come and find out about this wonderful international women’s organisation and what we do in the local community. Buy one of our fabulous bags that our members are making. Or buy a ticket in our mighty Spring Raffle with fabulous prizes such as a Weber Baby Q, Hamper of Goodies & vouchers from Tawa Businesses, Gift Shack, and Inner Wheel Members.
Tickets on sale from 7 October at New World Tawa and local Tawa shops and on the day of Mexted Spring into Tawa. $2.00 per ticket or 3 for $5.00
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Camp Elsdon is looking for board members
We are looking for savvy, creative, and energetic people to join the Camp Elsdon Board! If you are interested in youth, the environment and small business we would be keen to have you on the team.
Camp Elsdon is a charitable incorporated society which began as the Elsdon Methodist Youth Camp in 1954. The Board administers a simple, convenient, low cost camp with a keen “youth” camp tag and offer an "indoor tenting" experience for our indoor accommodation. We are a popular destination for Wellington visitors.
The camp is open all year long and provides group, team, youth and casual accommodation and is used by schools, church, sports, dance and community groups, and by individual families and overseas tourists.
Camp Elsdon occupies 5.5 hectares of DOC land located on the foothills of western Porirua and is surrounded by the native bush of the Porirua and Colonial Knob Scenic Reserves.
Experience we're after:
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Working for and with young people
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Non-profit sector legislation and legislative change
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Small business development and marketing
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Technology
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Health & Safety
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Education, Recreation, and the Outdoors
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Sponsorship and Grants
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Iwi relationship building
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Administration
You don’t have to be everything on this list, you might have some and be keen to learn. Being able to identify with our purpose at Camp Elsdon and be keen to develop the Camp into the future is vital.
Meetings are monthly on a Thursday 5.30pm and normally face to face in Porirua/Tawa area.
Please get in touch with: Board Chair John Kyne on 0294620289 or email john.kyne1960@gmail.com or Anna Scott 0211317522 or email anna@asaccounting.co.nz to discuss.
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Happenings at Tawa Squash
Contrary to the fencing and road works, Tawa Squash is open for business!
Tawa Squash recently held their Harcourts Tawa Club Championships culminating in two new club champions being crowned – Sam Atkins and Abby Wotten (pictured), both winning their finals comfortably in three sets.
While 2023 has been a busy and successful year for the club, the current roadworks don't exactly make the club look as though it is open for squash but there has been plenty of action despite this. This includes the extremely popular Racketlon holiday programme where kids get a taste of squash, badminton and tennis all on the same day.
Senior club nights have been well attended this year and run from 7pm-9pm on Mondays. All are welcome at no charge – members and non members. The structure is to have lots of short casual hits with a variety of different people or, if preferred, bring a partner and have time on court just with them. Rackets and balls are provided. Everyone is welcome to turn up and try out in a comfortable, relaxed environment.
Coming up at Tawa is the popular Summer Fun competition over seven weeks starting mid October. Teams of four players are picked – one each of high grade, medium grade, lower grade and beginner level to play someone of a similar level each week. This runs from 7pm-9pm Tuesdays (mainly men) or Wednesdays (mainly women) and is a great way to meet people (both at the same level and at other levels). One of the great benefits is that entrants get to play several people of a similar level which often leads to regular casual hits and sometimes long term friendships. The evening concludes with a quiz.
The Summer Fun competition is free for club members and only $35 for casuals (which works out at only $5 a week.) To register email info@tawasquash.co.nz or call Club Manager Peter Bowers on 027 6 SQUASH (027 677 8274).
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Next week is Te Wiki Kaumātua – Seniors' Week, held in spring every year. It sees a series of community-led events for older people across the city. Find all events here: https://wellington.govt.nz/news-and-events/events-and-festivals/seniors-week/seniors-week-2023-events
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We have had some windy weather lately! This was spotted by Nikki Burnet around Wakefield Terrace.
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All the rain also made for some awesome rainbows which we always have plenty of in Tawa/Linden. This picture was taken by Jason Fagerlund.
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The Vulnerable Support Trust is looking for volunteers for the Take 10 Arvo's. Times are Tuesday & Thursday afternoons, 2.30pm – 5pm.
Find out more about the trust here https://vsctrust.org.nz
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Fantastic sky picture from Mandy Russell.
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This awesome picture was taken under the Bucket Tree by Bruce Mortimer, he posted this recently on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=10160969903644731&set=gm.865898138211477&idorvanity=341185067349456
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The good thing about our neighbourhood is we always get to see a lot of cool train pictures! This one is from Dede Ardh.
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This is not the usual local letter box! The picture is from WCC. Wellington Library recently started a pen pal project with Delaware. Read all about it here: https://wellington.govt.nz/news-and-events/news-and-information/our-wellington/2023/09/dear-delaware
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Did you know that you can check if a website or link is legitimate? In July, online watchdog NetSafe unveiled a new scam detection weapon to stop digital ram raids and protect Kiwis from foreign-based organised crime syndicates. You can find the CheckNetsafe AntiScam here: https://checknetsafe.nz/home. On the website you can also report harmful online content such as bullying and harassment, misinformation, hate speech and more.
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5 minutes with Amy Barrett
Can you tell us something about your life growing up?
I was born in the UK, lived and schooled there until the age of 11 when me, mum and and brother emigrated over.
Can you tell us something about your life after finishing school?
After I finished school I did a coffee course to up skill myself before trying to get a job.
I started working in various large and busy cafes and worked my way up to managing a team as large as 14, at the age of 21.
What can you tell us about your current daily life?
Currently I own and operate my hole in the wall coffee and milkshake business Tuesday to Saturday. In my spare time I help my partner Henri, owner of Embrace Design, create new products to sell in store as well as my own artworks.
My hobbies are drawing painting and crochet. And I have a dog called Pip which my business logo is based around.
What do you like about Tawa?
I started living in Tawa during the first lockdown of Covid and loved it so much so I never left!
What would you like to see improved in Tawa?
I would like if the main road had a speed limit of 30km as some people zoom past so fast and I worry for the children and elderly.
What is your favourite holiday destination in New Zealand?
I haven’t been able to travel too much around New Zealand but if I had to pick my favourite place I would have to say lake Taupo.
What accomplishments in your life are you the most proud of?
I’m most proud of my skills in coffee making I have after almost a decade, I’m proud as I started my business during 2020 at the age of 23 and I’m still alive and kicking!
What are two or three interesting things about you that local people may not know?
Hmmm well I guess one would be I used to preform in lgbtq+ drag shows on and off when I was younger, I own nothing pink at all… my wardrobe is mainly black and any chance I get I like to donate to charity or participate in fundraising like walking stars or spca.
What are three things you would like to do in the next 10 years?
In the next 10 year well I would love to expand my business, employ some staff and hopefully start my own family!
Anything else you would like to add?
I love Tawa and I love serving coffee to the people of Tawa!
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The Tawa Residents’ Association monthly meetings are open to the public. The next meeting will be on Monday 13 November. Feel free to come along! We are always open to new people joining the committee, helping out, or sharing ideas.
We meet upstairs at the Tawa Squash Club on the second Monday of the month, 7.30pm.
You can find the agenda on our website here: https://tawa.org.nz/tra-meetings/
We look forward to meeting you!
Elizabeth, Jackson, Monique, Miriam, Peter, Richard, Susan and Tony
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