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2069 days ago

Back to school help.

Sarah from Waltham

From the Phillipstown Community trust.
Back to school costs

The wonderful Deborah Lemon from Rehua Marae has compiled this comprehensive list of where families can access a bit of help with getting the kids back to school. Thanks, Deborah, for this great work. You can also check out Deborah's website, Navigate Your Way, for a great resource that helps navigate through government and social services.

The Salvation Army can support families with uniform grants, vouchers for stationery and assistance with devices. Contact your local centre to discuss your needs.

The City Mission's back to school programme can help with purchasing uniforms, shoes, stationery and other costs.

The JR McKenzie Youth Fund can provide help where death, sickness, family break up or economic hardship make it difficult for families to meet educational costs. The fund is administered by local Rotary Clubs.

Make It Happen helps Christchurch families with school-related costs including uniform, clothing, fees, school trips, sport, music and cultural activities.

Variety can organise a sponsor for children between 5 and 15. The charity connects donors with individual children. If you'd like to sponsor a child, you can follow the link to learn more. Kidscan also assist children during the year and always need sponsors.

Work and Income New Zealand can offer loans to qualifying applications to cover school costs. You don't have to be on a benefit, but income thresholds apply. If you are on a benefit, you can apply for an advance to help with school costs.

If you're caring for someone else's child and receiving unsupported child benefit or orphan's benefit, you can apply for the school start up payment.

If you live in Papanui, Papanui Rotary's Children In Need Trust can help with small grants, but remember it's only for Papanui residents.

Remember to talk to your school. They should be flexible about families taking a bit longer to purchase some uniform items. Some may offer hardship grants and donations from parents are voluntary by law. If you do pay the donation, you can claim a tax rebate for up to one third of the cost.

Different iwi have funding available for schooling - talk to the individual tribe for details including how to apply.

Contact my staff if you would like to discuss school costs. I am also happy to hear from parents if schools are penalising families for non payment - this should not happen.

From Duncan Webb

More messages from your neighbours
1 day ago

Happy Tuesday, neighbours, can you figure out today's riddle rush 🏃‍♂️

Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

A bus driver goes the wrong way down a one-way street. He passes the cops, but they don’t stop him. Why?

Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.

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1 day ago

Poll: How do you feel about dogs being allowed indoors in cafes?

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

For most of us, seeing a friendly doggo while out and about instantly brings a smile to our faces. But how do you feel about cafes welcoming pups inside?

Cast a vote and share your thoughts below.

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How do you feel about dogs being allowed indoors in cafes?
  • 27.7% I love it!
    27.7% Complete
  • 32% Only in designated areas
    32% Complete
  • 40.3% No, it should be outdoors only.
    40.3% Complete
1570 votes
5 hours ago

Kalle

The Team from Humans of Christchurch Ōtautahi

"Sports and travelling run in the family, and that's kind of what's led me to come to New Zealand."

"I grew up in a small town in Finland. My dad was involved with sports all his life, he was a shot putter, discus thrower, powerlifter, we traveled quite a bit when I was a kid. He never mentioned much of the rugby days. He just said he broke both of his shin bones playing rugby, so he said, ‘never play the sport, It's crazy.’

I started playing when I was 18. I played my first cap for the Finnish national team in 2014, we won the Finnish championship with my club. Rugby is not a big thing in Finland.

I moved here to play rugby in 2017. The club that wanted me to come over was Methven Rugby Club. They got me here and they were like, ‘what do you do for work? I’d just finished chef school in Finland. ‘We'll get you a job at Mount Hutt as a chef, you can do that while you play rugby with us.’ I said, ‘Perfect. Yeah, I'm in’.

I've always loved food. My mum was an amazing cook, and still is. When I was studying tourism I worked in some hotels in Finland, and I saw how the chef's worked. I just loved the kitchen vibe and I was like, Yeah, that’d be something I'd love to do.

I've had more of a culinary journey In New Zealand than in Finland. I started at Mount Hutt, after that I worked at The Dubliner in Methven. I worked as a senior pizza chef at Sal’s for maybe six months then worked as chef de partie at Cellar Door. At Eliza's Manor, I worked myself up to a junior sous chef. Then the opportunity came to work my first head chef job at Moon Under Water.

We're privileged to have a busy atmosphere, we can try new things and get a bit creative. There are no TV’s, just come here with your family or with your mates, play board games, to socialise.

I really want to drive the local food and ingredients through the menu. We don't mind spending more for quality ingredients as long as it's supporting New Zealand businesses. We just love to use local. And it's pub food, but I feel like it's elevated.

I play club rugby here for the Christchurch Football Club, the oldest club in New Zealand and I still play regularly for the Finnish national team, whenever they can fly me over to play."

- Kalle

View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......

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