Oliver Henwood helps out hospital
Nine-year-old Oliver Henwood has been in and out of Wellington Hospital for the past six years, so
he knows first-hand how boring it is to be stuck in a hospital bed.
Born with a bend in his shin bone caused by a growth anomaly, Oliver had major surgery at Wellington Hospital to correct the problem when he was four and has been back many times for ongoing treatment.
When he was tasked at his school to come up with a passion project that would benefit others in the community, he decided to help children staying in Wellington and Hutt Hospitals.
Oliver found watching DVDs a welcome distraction when he was in hospital yet found many were old or scratched so were unusable. He then took it upon himself to ask his local community in Cambridge for help by distributing flyers encouraging people to donate their DVDs. Once he collected more than 150 DVDs, he tested them all to make sure they weren't scratched before donating them.
What's your favourite recipe for courgettes?
Kia ora neighbours. If you've got a family recipe for courgettes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our January 2025 issue.
Poll: Do you think NZ should ban social media for youth?
The Australian Prime Minister has expressed plans to ban social media use for children.
This would make it illegal for under 16-year-olds to have accounts on platforms including TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and X.
Social media platforms would be tasked with ensuring children have no access (under-age children and their parents wouldn’t be penalised for breaching the age limit)
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Do you think NZ should follow suit? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts below.
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85.2% Yes
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13.8% No
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1.1% Other - I'll share below
Railing planters
To gain extra growing space, make and hang these easy-to-build planters on almost any wooden fence or deck railing. Use Resene FX Blackboard Paint so you can easily identify what plants are in each. Find out how to create your own with these easy step by step instructions.