你好 – Nǐ hǎo. Hello/Greetings.
April has been a very busy month so far with a range of activities getting underway, including the annual tenancy checks, our tenant satisfaction survey (please reply by 8 May if possible) and some bigger renovation projects involving roofs and paths. We’ve also held a staff workshop on environmental sustainability planning and have been preparing for our strategic planning day with the Haumaru Board in May. As a nation, we’ve enjoyed the long weekend and acknowledged Easter, Ramadan and Passover which all occurred in April, and, on ANZAC Day, we paid tribute to all those servicemen and women who’ve served their country in conflicts and peacekeeping operations around the world.
Following the Auckland Anniversary Weekend floods, we’ve been working with Auckland Emergency Management in developing a Haumaru Natural Disaster Response Plan to mitigate the risks to tenants, should we ever be faced with another natural disaster of the same magnitude. We’ll update you further on this soon. With all the various repairs and maintenance work in progress, we expect that the tenants who were most disrupted as a result of the flooding will be able to move back into their renovated homes in June.
As we’re already halfway through autumn, I’d like to remind everyone about the opportunity to get their annual flu jab before the start of winter as well as the new COVID-19 booster which you can get at the same time. Both are available free-of-charge from your local pharmacy and will help you stay well this winter.
Amidst the busyness of life, I encourage everyone to take time out to ‘smell the roses’ – go for that walk, admire the flowers, stop for a cup of tea and recognise the daily moments that bring us joy.
Enjoy the rest of autumn.
Ngā mihi maioha
Gillian Schweizer,
Chief Executive Officer
Bridge Court hosts inaugural Mini Expo event for seniors
On 22 March, Bridge Court in Māngere Bridge hosted a special mini expo and seniors’ morning tea event which brought together tenants and a wide range of organisations that provide services to older people. In the first initiative of its kind to be held onsite at one of our villages (it was held in the community house), the comprehensive information session was coordinated by Haumaru Community Manager Maria Fruean and Auckland Council’s Connected Communities Department. It included representatives of Auckland Council, the Māngere-Otāhuhu Local Board, the Ministry of Social Development, Age Concern, Auckland Transport, Te Whatu Ora and Community Law. Each agency spoke about the services they offer, with brochures, leaflets and other advice also available from their information tables.
Special thanks go to our Bridge Court and Topping Court tenants for their involvement in the formal proceedings and also to Auckland Council for providing the sumptuous morning tea. Following this successful pilot event, we hope to be able to host similar sessions at our other villages, so more tenants can take advantage of the many useful services that are available to support older people’s wellbeing and overall sense of connection.
Memories of Macedonia
Tenants of Takapuna’s Pupuke Court will be familiar with the music and song of Macedonia, thanks to their neighbours Mr and Mrs Veloski who continue to keep the musical traditions of their home country alive. Mr Veloski learnt to play the recorder at a very young age and often performed in concerts in his homeland. He enjoys playing the classic tunes of Macedonia which his wife loves to sing and dance along to. Celebrating their culture in this way brings back happy memories of life in this beautiful European country.
Top of the morning to you!
Tenants of North Shore’s Birkdale and Lancaster Courts (from left) John McGowan, Kevin Price, Denise Butcher and Carol Shultz are pictured getting into the spirit of things on St Patrick’s Day, before their party in Lancaster’s community house. John says everyone’s always welcome to join him for an Irish sing-along, and he’ll be happy to accompany them on the guitar any time!
Being a good neighbour: the Do’s & Don’ts
- Sharing the Council rubbish bins: if you share a rubbish or recycling bin with other units, please be mindful and put the correct rubbish in the correct bin. Use compost bins if available or, if not, wrap or bag your food scraps before throwing in the communal rubbish bin. If you find that your block of units doesn’t have enough bins, please call the Haumaru Helpdesk and request another one for your shared use. Please don’t dump any excess rubbish elsewhere in the village.
- Preventing blocked sinks: pouring cooking grease down your sink can cause blockages (which you may be charged for). Instead, please pour it into a container (such as a tin can or disposable drinking cup), let it cool and then throw in the trash.
- Car parking: as villages have limited parking, only tenants’ cars can be parked on village property – and only in those areas specifically designated for parking. Please advise all visitors to park on the street (or in the visitor spaces, if there are any in your village).
Tenants encouraged to think safety first
Tenants across three villages in Papakura and Conifer Grove recently enjoyed presentations by their Community Constable on various aspects of crime prevention and safety and what the general public can do to report any issues. Police Officer Kevin covered a wide range of topics relating to personal safety when out and about, how to protect your property and vehicles, and the risk posed by online and phone scams.
The following are some top safety tips:
- Call 111 if it’s an emergency and if an incident is taking place right now; if it’s not urgent, but still a very important issue requiring Police attention, call 105.
- Always keep your doors locked (for example, even if you’re working in the garden) and make sure your windows are also secured at night. If you notice any stranger wandering around the village or any other suspicious behaviour, especially at night, call 111.
- Ideally, don’t open your door to strangers and don’t be afraid to say ‘No’.
- If you do open the door to someone who’s offering a service, ask for photo ID if they say they represent an organisation. Don’t open your door at night, but ask the person to phone you.
- Don’t leave items in your car.
- Only discuss financial personal details with people you know and trust.
Remember: it’s always better to be safe than sorry!
