1336 days ago

A home for your excess veges: New scheme aims help elderly with rising living costs

Nicole Mathewson Reporter from Northern Outlook

Seeing the elderly go without fresh fruit and vegetables led one North Canterbury woman to set up what she hopes will become a nationwide scheme that connects gardeners with excess produce to those most in need.

Julie Lamplugh has set up The SEDE Project in Rangiora and is hoping its success may lead to other communities through-out New Zealand doing the same to help pensioners who may be struggling with the cost of living.

After hearing about 93-year-old Christchurch man Keith Simmonds struggle to afford to eat fresh produce, Lamplugh wanted to help.

“We’ve managed to find a gap where the need isn’t being met.”

A community-led initiative, SEDE which stands for Supporting Elderly Diet Enrichment, aims to coordinate contact between home gardeners and pensioners who would welcome free produce.

The service will also offer isolated elderly residents ongoing contact with people in their neighbourhoods.

Read more here.

More messages from your neighbours
6 days ago

Brain Teaser of the Day 🧠✨ Can You Solve It? 🤔💬

The Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

How many balls of string does it take to reach the moon?

(Peter from Carterton kindly provided this head-scratcher ... thanks, Peter!)

Do you think you know the answer? Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm on the day!

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5 hours ago

Poll: Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

In The Post’s opinion piece on the developments set to open across Aotearoa in 2026, John Coop suggests that, as a nation, we’re “allergic to exuberance.”

We want to know: Are we really allergic to showing our excitement?

Is it time to lean into a more optimistic view of the place we call home? As big projects take shape and new opportunities emerge, perhaps it’s worth asking whether a little more confidence (and enthusiasm!) could do us some good.

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Are Kiwis allergic to “exuberance”? 🥝
  • 41.7% Yes
    41.7% Complete
  • 31.6% Maybe?
    31.6% Complete
  • 26.8% No
    26.8% Complete
228 votes
7 days ago

Poll: Are our Kiwi summer holidays helping us recharge, or holding the economy back? ☀️🥝

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

There’s growing debate about whether New Zealand’s extended Christmas break (and the slowdown that comes with it) affects productivity.

Tracy Watkins has weighed in ... now it’s your turn. What’s your take? 🤔

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Are our Kiwi summer holidays helping us recharge, or holding the economy back? ☀️🥝
  • 72.8% We work hard, we deserve a break!
    72.8% Complete
  • 16% Hmm, maybe?
    16% Complete
  • 11.2% Yes!
    11.2% Complete
1290 votes