Owhata, Rotorua

Ryman’s Walk in Wednesdays

Ryman’s Walk in Wednesdays

Ryman villages across the country are open every Wednesday in November.

1232 days ago

Rainy Day Holiday Activities

Robert Anderson from Curtain Clean Rotorua

Rainy days are the one thing parents do not need during the holidays, but they happen. We have great ideas for free or low cost rainy day activities when the kids must play indoors.

In a perfect world, every school holiday would be filled with blue skies and sunny days, but unfortunately … View more
Rainy days are the one thing parents do not need during the holidays, but they happen. We have great ideas for free or low cost rainy day activities when the kids must play indoors.

In a perfect world, every school holiday would be filled with blue skies and sunny days, but unfortunately that’s not always the case – especially during Winter! It’s a good idea to have some inside activities up your sleeve for those ‘stuck indoors’ times. We’ve put together our favourite rainy day ideas for you to have on hand, just in case.


Let’s Get Physical: Just because you’re stuck inside, doesn’t mean the kids have to blob out and do nothing. In fact if one rainy day rolls into the next, they’ll be itching to move about and use up some energy. Try some of these ideas to get active while you’re stuck indoors:


•Make your own Ten Pin bowling alley by using plastic soft drink bottles and a rubber ball. Put a cup of sand or gravel in the bottom of each bottle to give them a bit of weight, and then arrange the ‘pins’ into a triangle shape at the end of the hallway. Children stand at the other end of the hall and take turns to bowl.Use your Ten Pin alley to fill in half an hour here and there, or arrange a whole tournament to take place amongst your children and their friends.


• Create an obstacle course that traipses through the whole house. I know it sounds like a nightmare to clean up, but it will keep the kids occupied for ages. Not only do they get to create the course, they then get to do it over and over. They can time each other to see who can do it the fastest, or experiment running the course backwards, blindfolded, or with their hands behind their backs. You’ll need to make sure the course is safe, so check it out before they launch into their races.

• Dancing is a great way to burn off some energy, so turn on some music and start moving that body. If you have a house full of kids, you could play musical games like statues or musical chairs.


Create your own Board Games: Board games are a great way to while away a few hours, but if your children are tired of the games you have at home, why not get them to make their own. Give them a large sheet of poster card, some felt pens, old magazines, scissors and glue, and let them go to it.
They’ll need to create their own rules, cards, counters and dice, and trust me – you’ll be amazed by what they come up with. The whole family can take turns playing each other’s games.

Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...

1232 days ago

Do you know a greenfingered hero in your community?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

NZ Gardener is again looking for greenfingered good sorts – individuals or groups who have used gardening skills to help other people. Five finalists will feature in the October magazine and one will go on to become 2021 Gardener of the Year! There are some amazing prizes up for grabs so if you … View moreNZ Gardener is again looking for greenfingered good sorts – individuals or groups who have used gardening skills to help other people. Five finalists will feature in the October magazine and one will go on to become 2021 Gardener of the Year! There are some amazing prizes up for grabs so if you know a homegrown hero who is using their gardening skills for good, nominate them now!

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1233 days ago

Who vs. Whom?

NumberWorks'nWords Rotorua

Who vs. Whom? If you can replace the word with “he”’ or “’she,” use who. If you can replace it with “him” or “her,” use whom.

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1233 days ago

Susuki GS 550

Alison from Ngongotaha

Suzuki GS 550, 1980, Red, low mileage,
NEW: tyres/chain/drive sprockets/battery/seat cover.
REGO ON HOLD, NO WOF

Sold as is where is - sensible offers welcome

Call Steve 021 0604844

Negotiable

1233 days ago

No barriers to learning

Competenz

"Being deaf is no barrier to learning and seeing someone like me achieving qualifications and working in a job that has a lot of responsibility has hopefully encouraged them to give it a go.”

When Erich Krogmann started the Food and Beverage Level 2 qualification, he had to learn how to … View more
"Being deaf is no barrier to learning and seeing someone like me achieving qualifications and working in a job that has a lot of responsibility has hopefully encouraged them to give it a go.”

When Erich Krogmann started the Food and Beverage Level 2 qualification, he had to learn how to balance study with a night job and a young family, but his main challenge came in the form of his hearing disability.

Erich says he thinks he’s inspired other people with a disability to take on training.
Read Erichs full story here

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1237 days ago

Eco-Bricks

Robert Anderson from Curtain Clean Rotorua

What is an Eco-brick?
An eco-brick is a plastic bottle packed with shredded, single-use, non-recyclable plastics, compressed to a required density to create a reusable building block. They are a sustainable way to reusenon-biodegradable plastic waste as they are regarded as a long-lasting and … View more
What is an Eco-brick?
An eco-brick is a plastic bottle packed with shredded, single-use, non-recyclable plastics, compressed to a required density to create a reusable building block. They are a sustainable way to reusenon-biodegradable plastic waste as they are regarded as a long-lasting and durable material.

Eco-bricks = a low energy solution to keeping plastic out of the ecosystem!

What is the purpose of an eco-brick?
Making an eco-brick can be a tedious and time-consuming project (but great to do whilst watching TV!) and the purpose of it is to make you responsible for your own plastic waste and encourage you to reduce your own consumption.

The aim is to help you cut down on what you’re buying and ultimately produce less waste whilst creating something beneficial for yourself or the community!

What goes into the eco-brick?
The most important thing about an eco-brick is that the contents are CLEAN and DRY before they get stuffed. The reason for this is to prevent any bacteria or mould forming inside, which will undo all your hard work as they will not be validated!

You can put inside an eco-brick:
Potato chip, biscuit, cake packets etc.
Stretchy plastic e.g., carrier bags, bread bags, clingfilm etc.
Pasta/rice packets
Packaging – bubble wrap/plastic envelopes
Styrofoam/polystyrene
Hard plastic – meat trays, flowerpots etc (however, hard plastics will need to be cut up into much smaller pieces than soft plastic to allow you to reach the weight requirements)

What can I make with an eco-brick?
The most common personal projects are footstools! They can be as small or as large as you want, you can be creative with the bottle bottom colours to make a cool pattern or cover them in some fabric to make a decorative piece around the house!

There are other smaller projects you can make, like doorstops for example! I am personally taking inspiration from this one found on Pinterest:

Ok, so how do I make one?
It is very simple! The picture below shows you how in 5 simple steps. The key is to just keep stuffing until you can’t any more! With time and patience, your brick will come to life.

1234 days ago

Push further, defy expectations!

No one dreams bigger than an Olympian, and nothing connects us as a nation quite like sport!
As a proud partner of the New Zealand Olympic Team, we’re getting behind our Olympians so they can turn their dreams into a reality.
Learn more

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1235 days ago

Fishing gear

Elwyn from Ngongotaha

Simms G3 Gore-tex sock Waders L-Long. Very good order, little use. $300. Brand new Chota Wading boots Size 11 US $150. Near new Simms Wading Boots, size 11 US $120. phone 07 3575867

Price: $300

1236 days ago

Paint a cute cane basket

The Team from Resene ColorShop Rotorua

Bring some ordinary storage baskets to life using a few Resene testpots of Resene Nero, Resene Glamour Puss and Resene White and some leafy house plants!

Find out how to create your own.

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1238 days ago

Please Donate

The Team from Graeme Dingle Foundation Rotorua

At the Graeme Dingle Foundation we empower tamariki and rangatahi to overcome life's obstacles. Our programmes build resilience and open young eyes to new possibilities.

Please donate today.

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1238 days ago

Holiday time activities.

NumberWorks'nWords Rotorua

What educational activities can you suggest to keep children busy during the holidays?
Head to a bookstore and let your child pick out a book as a treat.
Learn life skills such as cooking or helping a neighbour.
Write a story about their favourite moments such as a celebration day or a fun … View more
What educational activities can you suggest to keep children busy during the holidays?
Head to a bookstore and let your child pick out a book as a treat.
Learn life skills such as cooking or helping a neighbour.
Write a story about their favourite moments such as a celebration day or a fun family holiday.
Don’t forget to have some down time as well!

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1239 days ago

Pursue higher education with a Masters Degree

Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi

Masters Study

Meet Hinerangi Busby who shares her journey with Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.

I am a graduate of the marae-centred programme, Te Pouhono, transforming Māori communities, promoting mātauranga-a-hapū, a-iwi. My participation took me to the Bachelor of Mātauranga Māori,… View more
Masters Study

Meet Hinerangi Busby who shares her journey with Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi.

I am a graduate of the marae-centred programme, Te Pouhono, transforming Māori communities, promoting mātauranga-a-hapū, a-iwi. My participation took me to the Bachelor of Mātauranga Māori, and then postgraduate study.

Awanuiārangi centres you. This is the nurturing space of Māori researchers, with the support of academic and professional staff; this all transpires from an authentic indigenous and traditional Māori environment.

My studies have empowered me to play a more pro-active role in whānau and hapū affairs. Instead of being angry at a past that we cannot change, let’s become part of the solution for positive change.
Find out more

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1240 days ago

Is your business future-ready?

Competenz

We are in a new era of change and an adaptable workforce is the best asset you can have. The right capability can open up massive opportunities for your business.

You may already have ambitious plans. So how do you build capability? By giving staff the opportunity to turn hidden talents into … View more
We are in a new era of change and an adaptable workforce is the best asset you can have. The right capability can open up massive opportunities for your business.

You may already have ambitious plans. So how do you build capability? By giving staff the opportunity to turn hidden talents into new skills!
But it’s hard to know where to start, or even where to turn for advice. That’s where Competenz can help. We’re your industry training partner, turning talent into capability.

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1243 days ago

Meet the team at Bob Owens

Bob Owens Retirement Village

The team at Bob Owens are helping residents feel safe, secure and at home.

Read about the team below.

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1245 days ago

Massive villa relocation "absolute madness"

Colleen Hawkes Reporter from Homed

What a pleasure to meet Hayley Parsons of Clarks Beach, Auckland. She and husband Chris relocated this huge three-storey villa from Palmerston North to Auckland, and project managed the rebuild of Huntly House from London. Wonderful house, wonderful history.

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