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Cupcake Day is back on Wednesday 29 October, and we need you!
Across New Zealand, animal lovers will be baking and selling cupcakes, raising funds to give vulnerable animals the second chances they deserve. Whether you host a morning tea, run a bake sale, or simply share treats with friends for… View moreCupcake Day is back on Wednesday 29 October, and we need you!
Across New Zealand, animal lovers will be baking and selling cupcakes, raising funds to give vulnerable animals the second chances they deserve. Whether you host a morning tea, run a bake sale, or simply share treats with friends for a donation, you’ll be part of a nationwide community making a real difference. Every cupcake counts so sign up today and help create a brighter future for animals in need.
Looking for inspiration for your home and garden? Subscribe to NZ House & Garden today and receive a luxurious bonus gift.
When you take out a 1- or 2-year subscription, you’ll receive a FREE ManukaRx Firming Day Cream, valued at $52 RRP.
Infused with the power of East Cape mānuka … View moreLooking for inspiration for your home and garden? Subscribe to NZ House & Garden today and receive a luxurious bonus gift.
When you take out a 1- or 2-year subscription, you’ll receive a FREE ManukaRx Firming Day Cream, valued at $52 RRP.
Infused with the power of East Cape mānuka oil, this lightweight daily cream is designed to hydrate, firm, and nourish your skin – the perfect treat to enjoy while you relax with your magazine.
Subscribe now for endless ideas, beautiful homes and gardens from across New Zealand, and a little indulgence just for you.
From the team at Mags4Gifts
T&Cs apply. Offer available to the first 300 people who subscribe to NZ House & Garden for 1 or 2 years before 26 October 2025
Tāwera Malvern is still leading the way!
With 209 more votes recorded today, the Malvern Ward continues to set the pace across Selwyn — now sitting at 37.3% votes record as at 3:49 p, 6 October 2025, well ahead of the district average (27%).
This reflects the strength of rural engagement and … View moreTāwera Malvern is still leading the way!
With 209 more votes recorded today, the Malvern Ward continues to set the pace across Selwyn — now sitting at 37.3% votes record as at 3:49 p, 6 October 2025, well ahead of the district average (27%).
This reflects the strength of rural engagement and the value of community-level representation through the Malvern Community Board and the strong challenger for Mayor. Rural voters consistently show they understand how vital local democracy is for roads, water, and services that directly affect our rural towns.
Voting closes at noon, Saturday 11 October 2025.
The more people who return their papers, the stronger Malvern’s voice will be at the Selwyn District Council decision-making table for the next three years.
✅ Vote John Verry for Tāwera Malvern – Strong Representation | Accountable Council
How to vote, especially if you haven't received a pack in the mail.
www.selwyn.govt.nz...
Authorised by John Verry jverry4@outlook.com
The Long-Term Fiscal Statement just dropped. At first glance, it might seem a bit dry, but the message is pretty clear ... and a bit worrying. The big takeaway? Our financial pressures are only going to keep growing.
There’s no single fix. It’ll take a mix of solutions to deal with the … View moreThe Long-Term Fiscal Statement just dropped. At first glance, it might seem a bit dry, but the message is pretty clear ... and a bit worrying. The big takeaway? Our financial pressures are only going to keep growing.
There’s no single fix. It’ll take a mix of solutions to deal with the challenges ahead.
Want to read more? Andrea Vance shares her opinions here.
For two decades, Aotearoa’s favourite feathery showdown has crowned our top bird ... and the competition has never been fiercer.
Behind the fun is a serious mission. Many of New Zealand’s native species are in serious trouble. Bird of the Year raises awareness of their habitats, the threats … View moreFor two decades, Aotearoa’s favourite feathery showdown has crowned our top bird ... and the competition has never been fiercer.
Behind the fun is a serious mission. Many of New Zealand’s native species are in serious trouble. Bird of the Year raises awareness of their habitats, the threats they face, and how we can protect our feathered taonga. Important work that we love seeing!
Who was last year’s champ? 🏆 The Yellow-eyed penguin, one of the world’s rarest penguins. But this year, Neighbourly is keeping a close eye on another ocean wanderer: the Tītī (Cook’s petrel).
Who is getting your vote this year? 🐦💛
🗳 Voting closes: Sunday 28 September
🏅 Winner announced: Monday 29 September
We hope this brings a smile!
With daily chef prepared meals, housekeeping and more, Ryman serviced apartments free up your time for what really matters - family, catching up with an old friend, or simply your favourite book.
We have serviced apartments available now - find a village near you.
We’ve all seen the headlines lately — New Zealand’s economy shrank more than expected between April and June (down 0.9%).
(If not, you can read a summary of the June quarter's activity on this article published by the Post)
Now that the weekend’s over and things have calmed down … View moreWe’ve all seen the headlines lately — New Zealand’s economy shrank more than expected between April and June (down 0.9%).
(If not, you can read a summary of the June quarter's activity on this article published by the Post)
Now that the weekend’s over and things have calmed down a bit, the Neighbourly Team are keen to hear from you: how are you feeling about it all?
Summer’s coming, and holidays are on the horizon … should we be focusing on the future rather than the past quarter? Or is this dip in the road a real concern?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
Many workplaces now embrace hybrid working — splitting time between home and the office. For years, people have built their routines and lifestyles around this flexibility.
But critics say it weakens team spirit, slows training, and makes collaboration harder.
💬 What do you think? Hybrid… View moreMany workplaces now embrace hybrid working — splitting time between home and the office. For years, people have built their routines and lifestyles around this flexibility.
But critics say it weakens team spirit, slows training, and makes collaboration harder.
💬 What do you think? Hybrid forever, or back to the office full-time?
Aotearoa New Zealand is aiming to be predator-free in 2050 to ensure our islands' unique species of birds, frogs, lizards and plants can thrive.
New Zealand has among the highest proportions of threatened or at-risk species in the world, and around 25 million native birds are killed by … View moreAotearoa New Zealand is aiming to be predator-free in 2050 to ensure our islands' unique species of birds, frogs, lizards and plants can thrive.
New Zealand has among the highest proportions of threatened or at-risk species in the world, and around 25 million native birds are killed by introduced predators every year. But it's not all bad news - when predators are removed or controlled, nature bounces back fast. We’ve already seen it happening in many parts of the country!
People all over Aotearoa are doing their bit - setting traps in their backyards, planting natives, volunteering, or donating. You can too! Backyard trapping is one example of effective individual action.
What do you think? Can we reach our Predator Free target in 2050?
Share your thoughts in the comments!
Get painting and help Kiwi kids. Buy any Resene 60 mL testpot colour starting with the letter P, O or T and Resene will donate $1 to Plunket NZ.
Visit your local Resene ColorShop to find all the colour you need to bring out the best in your home.
Hear directly from John Verry standing for Tawera Malvern ward – Vote by noon 11 October 2025.
I bring strong education, governance, and community experience to the table. My commitment is clear – I will:
# Be your voice at the Council table
# Make sure community views are heard before … View moreHear directly from John Verry standing for Tawera Malvern ward – Vote by noon 11 October 2025.
I bring strong education, governance, and community experience to the table. My commitment is clear – I will:
# Be your voice at the Council table
# Make sure community views are heard before decisions are made
# Ensure ratepayers’ money is spent wisely
Your vote matters – let’s shape the future of Tāwera Malvern together.
Vote John Verry for Tāwera Malvern Ward – strong representation and accountable decision-making.
Authorised by John Verry, jverry4@outlook.com
www.youtube.com...
Neighbourly is celebrating 50 years of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week)
Do you use te reo at home? Greet your neighbours with kia ora? Sing waiata with your tamariki?
Share how you celebrate te reo in your daily life in the comments below, and you could win a $50 Prezzy Card!
… View moreNeighbourly is celebrating 50 years of Te Wiki o te Reo Māori (Māori Language Week)
Do you use te reo at home? Greet your neighbours with kia ora? Sing waiata with your tamariki?
Share how you celebrate te reo in your daily life in the comments below, and you could win a $50 Prezzy Card!
For some amazing te reo resources, head to ReoMāori.co.nz
Me mahi tahi tātou, Neighbours 🌿
Summerset’s Nationwide Open Day is on Sunday 5 October. All 38 of our villages are open from 10am to 2pm.
“It’s only since I've been in my 30's that I've had proper conversations about being Māori. I started to question all of that stuff when I moved away.
I left New Zealand just before I turned 19. I went to Australia for a few years, to the UK for a couple of years, then back … View more“It’s only since I've been in my 30's that I've had proper conversations about being Māori. I started to question all of that stuff when I moved away.
I left New Zealand just before I turned 19. I went to Australia for a few years, to the UK for a couple of years, then back to Australia. People would ask me, ‘are you a native New Zealander?’ Or ‘Are you a Māori?’. I always thought that was really weird, because being Māori wasn't a positive thing growing up.
I came back to go to university in Wellington. I didn't do well at school so it was quite scary to be suddenly going to university. I decided I wouldn't work for my first year, but that also meant that I was going to be really hard up for cash.
I found out about this accommodation called Whānau House. It's subsidized by the marae at uni, the catch is that you have to help out at the marae. I didn't really know what I was signing up for. There were 14 people living there, a range of ages. All of them were North Island Māori and spoke te reo to some extent. Suddenly being Māori was everywhere in my life, and it shocked me into seeing everything that I'd been missing out on. I spent a lot of time at the marae, and started to learn about te ao Māori.
I moved to Germany and for the first time ever, I got homesick. I couldn't figure out why, I'd never felt homesick for New Zealand before. And then I got pregnant, and I just said, I've gotta go home. I can't do this over here. I don't want my son growing up without his culture the way that I did. I didn't live in Christchurch for a really long time when I finally did come back, I had a baby. I was a pretty different person.
I started learning te reo when Thomas was four months old. and then the pandemic hit. We were in lockdown and I was doing all my classes online.
There were words that Dad used that I didn't realize were Māori until I started learning, which I think is quite funny. The first one I realized was a Māori word was pōtae - hat. And I was like, I know that word. Dad used that word my whole life!
We finished our first year, and we made lots of friends and kept in touch over the summer, so we didn’t lose what we've learnt over the year. We started trying to meet up at a cafe or for games nights so that we could practice using our te reo outside of the class.
That’s how Kōrero ki Ōtautahi became what it is. Initially it was just a group of friends. It's about supporting speakers and learners so that they can take what they've learned and put it into practice. We need more support for the intermediate people to push them into being fluent, and being confident, to be able to use it in everyday situations.
The ideal for me would be to see Christchurch as a bilingual city; you can just walk into any space and choose either English or te reo Māori. There's plenty of places around the world that are bilingual, and people switch between the two just casually.
In order for te reo to not just survive, but to thrive, we need everybody on board, whether you be Māori, Pākehā, tauiwi.”
Celebrating Te Wiki o te reo Māori - 15–19 September 2025
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