Mobile shower service for homeless doubles efforts in pandemic
A free mobile shower and laundry service for homeless people has expanded its efforts in response to rising demand in the pandemic.
Orange Sky launched its second van in Auckland this week.
Operations manager Eddie Uini said the demand for services doubled during the Covid-19 lockdown.
“Before Covid hit our first van was doing nine shifts a week, once we got to level 2 we were doing 17 shifts a week with our first van,” he said.
“That’s pretty much our maximum capacity, and we were still getting emails from places further south, out west and on the North Shore.”
The new van will operate in Manurewa, Papakura, Glen Eden and Auckland CBD.
It will allow Orange Sky to increase its availability from 17 to 25 shifts a week.
Uini said a lot of families have starting using Orange Sky’s services in Manurewa, Papakura and Onehunga.
“If they can save another 20 or 30 dollars at the laundromat, that’s another 20 or 30 dollars for food on the table,” he said.
Orange Sky wants locals to name the new van in honour of a local hero who’s helped make a difference in the community.
Comment below your idea for what the new van should be called.
Poll: Are you still heading to your local for your caffeine fix, or has the $$ changed your habits? ☕
Auckland has a thriving cafe culture, but with costs climbing, that culture is under pressure. We’ve seen the headlines about recent closures across the country, and it’s a tough pill to swallow along with a $6+ coffee.
We all want our favourite spots to stay open, but we also have to balance our own budgets ⚖️
We want to know: How are you handling the "coffee math" in 2026? Are you still heading to your local for a chat and a caffeine fix, or has the cost of living changed your habits?
Keen to read more about "coffee math"? The Post has you covered.
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42.9% I avoid spending money on coffee
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41.1% I still indulge at my local cafe
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16% Irrelevant - coffee is not for me
Poll: Should we ditch daylight saving? 🕰️
First introduced in New Zealand in 1927 with the passing of the Summer Time Act, it's what we know as 'Daylight Saving' and this year it ends on the first Sunday in April.
While we do get to sleep in this time around, some people would like to scrap the clock tinkering for good.
And why? Some evidence suggests the time changes are bad for our health as they mess with sleep patterns leading to short-term fatigue and affecting mood. Meanwhile the hour change is frustrating for farmers and a nightmare for getting the littlies to sleep. But what's your take?
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41.2% Yes - get rid of the clock changes
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57.3% No, I enjoy it
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1.5% Other - I'll share below
Poll: How important is the ability to book a doctor’s appointment online?
Hi Neighbours
Here at The Doctors we would love to hear how you prefer to book your doctor’s appointments. With busy schedules, different people find different methods easier.
For some, online booking is very convenient, you can make an appointment anytime without needing to wait on the phone. Others still prefer calling the clinic and speaking to a real person, especially if they have specific questions about their visit.
Your feedback helps us understand what works best for our patients and how we can improve access to care.
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40.9% I prefer booking online whenever possible
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23.3% Online booking is helpful but not essential
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32.2% I prefer calling the clinic
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3.6% I didn’t know online booking was available
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