Miranda news is brought to you by the team at Franklin County News
Recent posts
Thank you for using Neighbourly
Counties Energy will insulate 100 local homes for free this year, under a Warmer Kiwi Homes scheme.
In partnership with the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), Counties Energy is looking for low-income homeowners to support with free insulation.
The insulation will be done by … View moreCounties Energy will insulate 100 local homes for free this year, under a Warmer Kiwi Homes scheme.
In partnership with the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA), Counties Energy is looking for low-income homeowners to support with free insulation.
The insulation will be done by South Auckland company GreenSide Energy Solutions and includes ceiling and underfloor insulation, where appropriate.
It's the second time Counties Energy, Greenside Energy and the EECA have linked up. In 2020, they insulated 43 homes across Pukekohe, Waiuku, Tuakau, Port Waikato, Drury and southern Papakura - all for free.
Counties Energy Chief Executive Judy Nicholl said the partnership is about keeping families healthy, and reducing their energy bills.
"As your local lines company, tackling energy hardship in our region is extremely important to us, with this initiative just one of the ways we’re helping our local families stay warm and reduce their energy bills.
"If you know of a low-income owner occupier whose home was built before 2008 and needs insulation, please encourage them to apply for this wonderful initiative."
New Zealand homes are often colder than international indoor temperature standards - the World Health Organisation said houses ought to be 18 to 20 degrees Celsius.
"Cold, damp air affects respiratory health, promotes mould growth and supports the survival of viruses. It is particularly important to have a warm home to protect lung health and to prevent hospital admissions for asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, cardiovascular disease and rheumatic fever," Nicholl said.
To find out more about the programme, click the Read More button below.
Kia ora neighbours,
Do you know this local hero?
A 22-year-old who spent the Covid lockdowns helping to get his community vaccinated has been named Young Elected Member of the Year.
Franklin Local Board member Logan Soole, 22, leapt into action to serve his community when the nation first went … View moreKia ora neighbours,
Do you know this local hero?
A 22-year-old who spent the Covid lockdowns helping to get his community vaccinated has been named Young Elected Member of the Year.
Franklin Local Board member Logan Soole, 22, leapt into action to serve his community when the nation first went into lockdown in March 2020.
But he said there was nothing unique about it.
“There was so much mahi to do and I just saw there were places where I could help.”As well as being on the local board and holding a job at Blueliners Entertainment, Soole is on the board of trustees of Pukekohe High School and volunteers for his local community patrol.
“Community is the best at looking after community,” he said.“Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. They know their community, they know the need, they understand the issues and they’ve done it before."
Kia ora neighbours,
Locals are invited to check out the Pukekohe Masterplan as it opens for public feedback.
Eke Panuku, Auckland Council’s urban regeneration agency, has been working with mana whenua and the Franklin Local Board on the 10 to 15-year plan to improve the town for the future.
… View moreKia ora neighbours,
Locals are invited to check out the Pukekohe Masterplan as it opens for public feedback.
Eke Panuku, Auckland Council’s urban regeneration agency, has been working with mana whenua and the Franklin Local Board on the 10 to 15-year plan to improve the town for the future.
From July 29 until August 31, consultation is open on the entire plan, which includes ideas for safe connections, improved parking, and upgrading character buildings.
Pukekohe Business Association president Rupert Ross said Eke Panuku had shown its willingness to listen to feedback, in particular about maintaining plentiful parking spaces.
“It definitely looks like it will make Pukekohe a great place to live, work and play with opportunities for new business and new restaurants.”
Every Saturday in August from 9am-1pm, Eke Panuku staff will be on site in the Town Centre to talk to the public about the plan.
Eke Panuku will review feedback throughout September and in October the design team will start working on any changes.
The new design will go back to the Franklin Local Board and the community from February 2023.
Kia ora neighbours,
Popping out for coffee. Baking chocolate muffins. Dancing to the Moana soundtrack. The small ways we make memories with our friends stay with us forever.
That’s how Ella Hinton, 24, and Tegan Gilbert, 25, spend their time together. Between their selfies, sing-alongs and … View moreKia ora neighbours,
Popping out for coffee. Baking chocolate muffins. Dancing to the Moana soundtrack. The small ways we make memories with our friends stay with us forever.
That’s how Ella Hinton, 24, and Tegan Gilbert, 25, spend their time together. Between their selfies, sing-alongs and sweet treats, time flies by until the next week when they hang out again.
Hinton and Gilbert, both of Papakura, have been friends for nearly two years.
They met in an unconventional sort of way, matched to hang out by IHC, New Zealand’s main service provider for people with intellectual disabilities.
Volunteer Co-ordinator Brigit Bowron said there are around five or six other people IHC works with in Counties Manukau with whom she would love to match a volunteer.
“By becoming a volunteer you would be making a positive change in someone’s life and making a new friend in the process,” she said.
If you’re interested in becoming a volunteer, contact Volunteer Coordinator Brigit Bowron on brigit.bowron@ihc.org.nz.
It’s that time again neighbours - we need your help! Look at all this creativity hiding behind front doors. We now need YOU to vote for your favourite Upcycling Award finalist. The four designs with the most votes will each receive a $200 Resene voucher and a $300 Prezzy® card!
… View moreIt’s that time again neighbours - we need your help! Look at all this creativity hiding behind front doors. We now need YOU to vote for your favourite Upcycling Award finalist. The four designs with the most votes will each receive a $200 Resene voucher and a $300 Prezzy® card!
Find out a little more about each entry here. Voting closes 5pm Thursday 4 August.
Thanks for voting; your clever neighbours thank you!
SUNDAY CONCERT, 7th AUGUST 2PM at St Georges Church THAMES. (Face Masks are required to be worn)
Adults $20 or TMG Members $15 (cash only at the door)
SOUNDS OF THE SHORE is a vibrant, exciting women’s barbershop chorus from Auckland's North Shore.
We sing an eclectic range of … View moreSUNDAY CONCERT, 7th AUGUST 2PM at St Georges Church THAMES. (Face Masks are required to be worn)
Adults $20 or TMG Members $15 (cash only at the door)
SOUNDS OF THE SHORE is a vibrant, exciting women’s barbershop chorus from Auckland's North Shore.
We sing an eclectic range of songs in barbershop style; from golden oldies to modern pop favourites.
Come and watch us perform – fun, friendship and laughter guaranteed!
Our members are beautifully unique, of different backgrounds, ages and occupations – all connected through friendship, and a love of singing and performing. We are a prospective chapter of Sweet Adelines International (one of the largest singing organisations in the world) Our award-winning director, Richard Harker, is very entertaining and professional – you will love watching us perform.
Presented by Thames Music Group
Are you overdue a getaway? You could win a 13-day Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer South Island Rail & Coach tour by participating in Neighbourly’s 8th birthday celebration.
To enter the competition, just tell us what you love about your neighbourhood. It could be your favourite spot, a … View moreAre you overdue a getaway? You could win a 13-day Sir Edmund Hillary Explorer South Island Rail & Coach tour by participating in Neighbourly’s 8th birthday celebration.
To enter the competition, just tell us what you love about your neighbourhood. It could be your favourite spot, a beautiful view, or something that makes you smile. You could be in for a once-in-a-lifetime getaway!
Kia ora neighbours:
This weekend, the catalysts for Auckland’s rail revival will be feted in two days of events as they run for the last time between Papakura and Pukekohe, beyond the southern limit of the city’s electrified network.
Rail services will resume in about two years, once … View moreKia ora neighbours:
This weekend, the catalysts for Auckland’s rail revival will be feted in two days of events as they run for the last time between Papakura and Pukekohe, beyond the southern limit of the city’s electrified network.
Rail services will resume in about two years, once electrification has been built, with bus services providing the link during construction.
Auckland Transport said the farewell for the diesel units triggered a mix of emotions.
“We should be sad. It's a milestone – 30 years of these trains and a lot of Aucklanders grew up with them. That's how they commuted or went to school,” said John Nottage, communications led.
“But it also marks the entry of a new era and making sure that the people of Pukekohe and Papakura have new accessible, faster, quieter trains.”
What are your memories of these trains?
Read more from Todd Niall: www.stuff.co.nz...
Hey Neighbours!
Australian Open and Stuff newspaper are giving you and a friend the chance to kick off grand slam season in Melbourne next year with an epic prize valued at over $8,000! Simply follow the link below and enter your details to be in to win.
Competition closes on Friday 12 … View moreHey Neighbours!
Australian Open and Stuff newspaper are giving you and a friend the chance to kick off grand slam season in Melbourne next year with an epic prize valued at over $8,000! Simply follow the link below and enter your details to be in to win.
Competition closes on Friday 12 August 2022. Terms and conditions apply.
Enjoy an Antipodes skincare duo (RRP$50) when you purchase a three-month subscription to the Sunday Star-Times for just $52.
Subscribe at mags4gifts.co.nz antipodes Terms and conditions apply.
Spark have recently announced a price increase of $3 - $5 a month for new and existing broadband customers and other providers seem likely to follow suit.
Information collated by our research team has found that tens of thousands of Kiwis are still missing out on hundreds of dollars of savings … View moreSpark have recently announced a price increase of $3 - $5 a month for new and existing broadband customers and other providers seem likely to follow suit.
Information collated by our research team has found that tens of thousands of Kiwis are still missing out on hundreds of dollars of savings each year on their broadband bill, because they are failing to shop around for cheaper broadband plans.
We estimate that over 500,000 households would be able to pay less for their broadband each month but many consumers are unaware of the fact that they could be making these savings and people often don’t know where to start when looking for a change in broadband plan or provider.
This is where NZ Compare can help. Our websites are simple to use and if you need more help, our friendly, Auckland based, customer support centre can advise on the most suitable broadband plan for your needs and help talk you through the switch. With unlimited fibre broadband plans available for less than $60 a month why would you pay more?
Find out more at NZ Compare or call the team on 0508 226672
CORRECTION: This post has been amended to clarify that the price of fibre and copper broadband internet services will increase, and that the increase is between $3 and $5 a month, not only $5 a month on fibre broadband plans as previously posted. (Amended at 10.31am, June 23, 2022)
Kia ora neighbours,
A group of activists rallying for change at a “death trap” of a junction in rural south Auckland has won a temporary set of traffic lights to manage hectic traffic flows on and off the motorway.
At the increasingly busy service station and retail zone on Mill Road, Bombay,… View moreKia ora neighbours,
A group of activists rallying for change at a “death trap” of a junction in rural south Auckland has won a temporary set of traffic lights to manage hectic traffic flows on and off the motorway.
At the increasingly busy service station and retail zone on Mill Road, Bombay, drivers struggle to get in and out of Mill Road between the service station and the State Highway 1 on and off-ramps.
Fed-up locals established the Bombay Collision Cross Roads Action Group to demand change from Waka Kotahi and Auckland Transport.
That has resulted in a short-term design, which would include a traffic light at the SH1 southbound off-ramp at Bombay, the northbound off-ramp and on-ramp and the exit from the Bombay service centre, which would all be linked to each other, Waka Kotahi said.
Between 2014 and 2021, there were two fatal crashes and five serious crashes on Mill Road, according to road safety data from Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency and Auckland Transport.
In a statement, a Waka Kotahi spokesperson said staff undertook traffic modelling before recommending that traffic lights were the most appropriate solution.
What do you think of the traffic light solution?
Step into a NASA engineer’s shoes to design and create a robot, inspired from insects’ unique characteristics, with the capability of surviving on Mars. The competition is for rangatahi aged 10 to 16 years across Aotearoa.
The finalists will get the chance to go to Tauranga STEM Festival … View moreStep into a NASA engineer’s shoes to design and create a robot, inspired from insects’ unique characteristics, with the capability of surviving on Mars. The competition is for rangatahi aged 10 to 16 years across Aotearoa.
The finalists will get the chance to go to Tauranga STEM Festival and present their InsectBot to a panel of judges. The competition winner will receive amazing “money can’t buy experiences” including a visit to Rocket Lab facilities as a VIP and other prizes will include a series of space and engineering themed experiences thanks to our generous partners.
TE AROHA SINGERS - This Friday 22nd July at 12.15pm, Thames Music Group will host th Te Aroha Community Choir performing in St Georges Church Thames.
Te Aroha Singers Community Choir comprises singers through a range of ages currently from 15 to 90yrs, and with a range of singing experience from … View moreTE AROHA SINGERS - This Friday 22nd July at 12.15pm, Thames Music Group will host th Te Aroha Community Choir performing in St Georges Church Thames.
Te Aroha Singers Community Choir comprises singers through a range of ages currently from 15 to 90yrs, and with a range of singing experience from highly experienced choral singers to newcomers enjoying the experience of singing in a friendly and encouraging environment
JOIN US on friday for a lively performance. Hot soup and a bun afterwards for $5
FACE MASKS ARE REQUIRED to be worn.
For delicious grass-raised beef New Zealand is the perfect combo.
An ideal climate, lush pastures and innovative farming produces enough beef for Macca’s in New Zealand and around the world. Our patties are 100% quality beef, and all that’s added is a dash of salt and pepper when cooked.
… View moreFor delicious grass-raised beef New Zealand is the perfect combo.
An ideal climate, lush pastures and innovative farming produces enough beef for Macca’s in New Zealand and around the world. Our patties are 100% quality beef, and all that’s added is a dash of salt and pepper when cooked.
We partner with many Kiwi farmers who produce our beef, including those at the world-class Whangara Farms.
© Neighbourly 2025
Loading…
