Waiohau, Whakatane

Voted for NZ's Merriest Home yet?

Voted for NZ's Merriest Home yet?

Check out the finalists and take your pick!

1251 days ago

Paint it red with Resene for Red Nose Day!

Resene ColorShop

Buy any red testpot from your local Resene owned ColorShop between 13-31 July 2021 and Resene will donate $1 to CureKids Red Nose Day!

The more red testpots you buy, the more will be donated! Offer applies to all retail purchases of Resene red testpots (excludes metallics and wood stains).

View more
Buy any red testpot from your local Resene owned ColorShop between 13-31 July 2021 and Resene will donate $1 to CureKids Red Nose Day!

The more red testpots you buy, the more will be donated! Offer applies to all retail purchases of Resene red testpots (excludes metallics and wood stains).

Help us make a difference to the health of kiwi children.
Find your local Resene ColorShop
Find out more

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1253 days ago

Magazine rack

Resene ColorShop Gisborne

Breathe new life into an old magazine rack by adding a pop of colour with Resene testpots. Find out how to create your own.

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1261 days ago

Stacy and Adam's Block heritage apartment up for sale

Colleen Hawkes Reporter from Homed

We think this was the best apartment on The Block NZ: Firehouse in Kingsland. Stacy and Adam did a stellar job, and now it is going to auction for a second time, on July 28. 2021. Great character apartment, great location.

1253 days ago

Supporting KidsCan is easy through the Trade Me Kindness Store

Trade Me

Hi there!

Here at Trade Me we're chuffed to let you know we’ve launched our Kindness Store again for winter, supporting KidsCan and the great work they do making sure our tamariki have a fair start – after all, little Kiwis can’t learn when they’re hungry, wet, and cold.

We’ve… View more
Hi there!

Here at Trade Me we're chuffed to let you know we’ve launched our Kindness Store again for winter, supporting KidsCan and the great work they do making sure our tamariki have a fair start – after all, little Kiwis can’t learn when they’re hungry, wet, and cold.

We’ve stocked the store with all the essentials. Think fleece-lined rain coats and shoes to keep kids warm and dry, and warm, healthy food.

Just pick, click, and give now – we take care of the rest, making sure your purchase gets to KidsCan.
Learn more

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1254 days ago

Updates to the RTA 🏠

Office for Seniors

Are you renting? Recent changes to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) make it easier for tenants to make minor changes to the rental property and improves the security of tenure. 🖼️🏠🔑

See the full list of changes, including a template for requesting to make a change to the property, on… View more
Are you renting? Recent changes to the Residential Tenancies Act (RTA) make it easier for tenants to make minor changes to the rental property and improves the security of tenure. 🖼️🏠🔑

See the full list of changes, including a template for requesting to make a change to the property, on the Tenancy Services website 👉bit.ly...

You can also read our story about the recent changes - and more - in our latest edition of the SuperSeniors newsletter 👉 bit.ly...

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1254 days ago

Staying Warm for Less

Robert Anderson from

Brace yourself. Severe weather is on its way for parts of the country and experts predict at least two days of icy temperatures, howling gales and torrential rain. Get the temperature up while keeping your power use down.

Our energy-saving tips will help reduce your overall electricity … View more
Brace yourself. Severe weather is on its way for parts of the country and experts predict at least two days of icy temperatures, howling gales and torrential rain. Get the temperature up while keeping your power use down.

Our energy-saving tips will help reduce your overall electricity consumption, meaning you won’t feel guilty for having a toasty home.


1. Don’t fear the electric blanket: they cost little to run (just over $10 per winter if used every night), especially compared to electric heaters. But only sleep with it on if it has a delay timer that can switch it off after a few hours. And it’s important not to neglect heating your bedroom – the World Health Organization recommends keeping bedrooms at 16°C.


2. Break out the crock pot: running a slow cooker all day uses a third of the electricity compared with cooking a roast in an electric oven for two hours.


3. Check your heat pump filter: it needs vacuuming every three months. The good news is it’s easy – just slide the cover off the front of your heat pump, lift out the filter and hoover away. If you haven’t cleaned it all year, you’ll immediately notice the difference. You don’t need to pay for a pricey heat pump service to get this sussed.


4. Clean your clothes dryer’s lint filter: don’t put your vacuum cleaner away just yet. Remove your clothes dryer’s lint filter, then give it a lux as well. This can significantly improve your dryer’s energy efficiency, thereby reducing its running costs.


5. Draught-proof your home: are your door hinges loose or your window latches rattly? Grab a screwdriver and tighten them up. This reduces the chance of nasty draughts blowing through your home. If that doesn’t work, buy some vinyl strips that adhere to the insides of the window frames to achieve a better seal between the window and the frame.


6. Cheapo double-glazing: you don’t have to be made of money to improve the heat retention of your windows - DIY window film, which fits across your frame and sits a little off the pane, can cost less than $10 per pane. You simply fit it to the frame to create an insulating layer of air between your room and the cold glass. Alternatively, taping bubble wrap to the window frames will achieve the same effect.


7. Light smarter: switch from your old incandescent, halogen or compact fluorescent (CFL) bulbs to LEDs. They use far less energy and last much longer.


8. Check your power deal: visit Powerswitch.org.nz to see if you could be getting a better deal for power elsewhere. If you’re on a spot-based tariff, consider switching for the winter to avoid the high spot prices currently experienced on cold winter evenings.


9. Shower smarter: grab a 10L bucket, chuck it under your shower and start timing. If it fills in less than a minute, your showerhead is a water-waster. You can snag a low-flow, energy-efficient showerhead for less than $100.

10. Revisit your childhood with a wheat bag or hot water bottle: it costs next to nothing to fill a hot water bottle or heat a wheat bag, and they’re a great way to keep the bed warm in a pinch.

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1264 days ago

Age Concern freephone line 0800 65 2 105

The Team from Age Concern New Zealand

If you have safety concerns for yourself, or an older friend or family member you can call us for free and confidential advice and support.


There are many reasons why elder abuse occurs. It often stems from attitudes that are ageist, and disrespectful of older people.

The majority of cases … View more
If you have safety concerns for yourself, or an older friend or family member you can call us for free and confidential advice and support.


There are many reasons why elder abuse occurs. It often stems from attitudes that are ageist, and disrespectful of older people.

The majority of cases that Age Concerns work with involves older people living in their own homes. In most instances it is family members like adult children who perpetrate elder abuse or neglect.


Call 0800 65 2 105 to contact your nearest Age Concern

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1255 days ago

Our Amazing Service Technicians

AGrowQuip NZ

Our AGrowQuip service technicians took out a couple of awards at the Fieldays Tractor Pull.

Paul Mellow (left) took out the Sportsmanship Award.

Shawn Luxton (right) achieved First Place in the Weight Adjusted Tractor Pull in his 1998 John Deere 7810. 23 years old with 15,000 hours on the … View more
Our AGrowQuip service technicians took out a couple of awards at the Fieldays Tractor Pull.

Paul Mellow (left) took out the Sportsmanship Award.

Shawn Luxton (right) achieved First Place in the Weight Adjusted Tractor Pull in his 1998 John Deere 7810. 23 years old with 15,000 hours on the clock and still going strong!

Congratulations guys. Awesome work!

Our AGrowQuip Service technicians are ready and waiting to help you at:
- Cambridge – 169 State Highway 1B (Victoria Road)
- Hamilton – 8 Kells Place
- Pukekohe – Corner of Paerata Road & Comrie Place
- Silverdale – 2 Emirali Road

Or call us on 0800 TRACTOR (872 286)

Ps: We are also have loads of new stock at the moment: Ride-ons, compact tractors, larger tractors, excavators and construction machinery.
Find out more

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1256 days ago

Rainy Day Holiday Activities

Robert Anderson from

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...

1256 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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1257 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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1258 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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1260 days ago

Paint a cute cane basket

Resene ColorShop Gisborne

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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1261 days ago

Eco-Bricks

Robert Anderson from

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.

1263 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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