Blockhouse Bay, Auckland

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Does your organisation need new flooring?

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7 days ago

Message from PM Luxon

Brian from Mount Roskill

Yesterday marks one year since the National-led Government took office and immediately got to work on reducing the cost of living, restoring law and order and delivering better health and education.

The achievements we’ve made in just one year are thanks to the resilience and determination of… View more
Yesterday marks one year since the National-led Government took office and immediately got to work on reducing the cost of living, restoring law and order and delivering better health and education.

The achievements we’ve made in just one year are thanks to the resilience and determination of everyday New Zealanders.

There’s a lot more work to do, and I know many Kiwis are still doing it tough. But we have made real progress to ensure that Kiwis keep more of their hard-earned money, feel safer in their communities, can access life-changing medicines and treatments, grow their businesses, can benefit from critical infrastructure, and to help our kids achieve at school. Here are just some of the highlights from our first year in Government:

• Inflation has dropped to 2.2%, bringing relief from mortgages

• 83% of New Zealanders have received tax relief, putting more money in their back pockets

• Wages are growing faster than inflation, putting more money into Kiwis’ budgets

• 40,000 families have received FamilyBoost childcare payments to help reduce their childcare costs

• Delivered a 30% increase in Police foot patrols and a 60% decrease in ram raids

• Invested $604m in Pharmac to deliver up to 26 new cancer treatments

• Slashed the regulations holding back farmers

• Progressed the Fast Track Approvals regime to get stuff built, fast

• Led eight trade missions, delivered three trade agreements and resolved 16 barriers to trade because more Kiwi products on shelves overseas means higher incomes

• Cracked down on gangs and banned gang patches in public

• Progressed our plan for tougher sentences for serious criminals

• Banned cell phones in classrooms

• Required an hour of reading, writing and maths a day for our students

• Put in place structured literacy and maths from Term 1 next year so kids can grow the skills they need to succeed

• Invested $16.7b into health and set ambitious targets for shorter waits in the emergency department and for surgery.

My Government was elected on a promise to improve the lives of New Zealanders in the areas that matter most to them. We’re making good progress and I’m committed to keeping our promise with bold action that delivers positive results for all New Zealanders.

Thank you,

Christopher
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7 days ago

Tips on Choosing the Right Mattress Size for Quality Sleep Every Night

Beds4U Avondale

When it comes to getting a good night's sleep, the right mattress size plays a crucial role.


You might have heard myths about beds and frames and which size suits you.



Today, we're here to demystify these myths and provide a size-by-size comparison to help you find the … View more
When it comes to getting a good night's sleep, the right mattress size plays a crucial role.


You might have heard myths about beds and frames and which size suits you.



Today, we're here to demystify these myths and provide a size-by-size comparison to help you find the perfect fit for your needs.


Finding the Perfect Fit

Selecting the right mattress size is akin to finding the perfect fit in a world of options.


Much like trying on clothes or shoes, your mattress size should cater to your individual needs and preferences.


Let's explore some key factors to consider when finding the perfect fit for your mattress:


1. Personal Preferences.

Consider your sleeping habits and personal space preferences.


Do you like to sprawl out or curl up?

Are you a solo sleeper, or do you share the bed with a partner, kids, or pets?


Understanding your personal preferences is essential in determining the ideal mattress size.


2. Bedroom Size.

Take the dimensions of your bedroom into account when choosing a mattress size.


A spacious bedroom can accommodate larger mattress sizes, whereas smaller bedrooms may require more compact options to ensure ample space for movement and furniture placement.


3. Sleeping Partners.

If you share the bed with a partner, consider their sleeping habits and space requirements.


A larger mattress size, such as a queen or king, provides ample space for both individuals to move comfortably without disturbing each other's sleep.


What Size Should You Get?

Let's break it down size by size:


Single Mattress (91cm x 188cm). Ideal for kids' rooms, guest rooms, or small bedrooms. A single mattress is also a good option for individuals who prefer sleeping alone and value space conservation.

Double Mattress (137cm x 188cm). Also known as a full-size mattress, this option offers more room to stretch out than a single mattress. It's suitable for couples who like to snuggle or for individuals who appreciate extra space.

Queen Mattress (153cm x 203cm). The queen mattress is one of the most popular choices for couples. It provides ample space for two people to sleep comfortably without feeling cramped. It's also a great option for individuals who enjoy sprawling out.

King Mattress (167cm x 203cm). The king mattress offers the most space out of all the standard sizes. It's perfect for couples who want plenty of room to move around or for families who like to co-sleep with young children or pets.

Choosing the Perfect Mattress Size for Your Sleep Needs

Mattress sizes can vary around the world, which can sometimes lead to confusion. In New Zealand, we follow standard sizes such as single, double, queen, and king.


However, it's essential to consider your personal preferences and the dimensions of your bedroom and furniture when choosing a mattress size.


Selecting the right mattress size is crucial for a good night's sleep.


By understanding the differences between single, double, queen, and king mattresses, you can make an informed decision that meets your needs and preferences.


At Beds4U, we're committed to helping you find the perfect mattress size.

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7 days ago

Auckland Saxophone Ensemble Christmas concert!

Pablo from Waterview

Kia ora koutou,

I'd like to invite everyone to the Auckland Saxophone Ensemble's Christmas concert this Saturday at 7.30pm, where I've been invited to join the group on soprano and alto saxophones.


Join us for a festive evening of enchanting music as the Auckland Saxophone … View more
Kia ora koutou,

I'd like to invite everyone to the Auckland Saxophone Ensemble's Christmas concert this Saturday at 7.30pm, where I've been invited to join the group on soprano and alto saxophones.


Join us for a festive evening of enchanting music as the Auckland Saxophone Ensemble celebrates the holiday season with a special Christmas concert!

We'll be playing music by Sergei Prokofiev, Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, Tomaso Albinoni and more.

Calling all saxophonists! We invite all saxophone players in Auckland, from beginners to experienced musicians, to join our "Saxophone Orchestra" during the second half of the concert. To join, select the "Join the Saxophone Orchestra" ticket and let us know your level and which saxophone you'll be bringing. We'll send you the sheet music a few weeks before the concert - no rehearsal necessary!

See link below for more information!

events.humanitix.com...

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7 days ago

Georgina's Rhubarb Crumble

Murray Halberg Retirement Village

Craving a dessert that makes the most of spring's fresh produce? Look no further than Georgina's signature Rhubarb Crumble.

This delicious treat has become a favourite at Ryman’s Bert Sutcliffe Village, where the sweet and tangy aroma often wafts through the air, tempting neighbours … View more
Craving a dessert that makes the most of spring's fresh produce? Look no further than Georgina's signature Rhubarb Crumble.

This delicious treat has become a favourite at Ryman’s Bert Sutcliffe Village, where the sweet and tangy aroma often wafts through the air, tempting neighbours in for a taste. It’s also a hit with Georgina's 13-year-old granddaughter, Brooklyn, who loves serving it warm with gooey custard or a scoop of melting vanilla ice cream.

Click read more for the recipe.

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8 days ago

Here comes the hot weather: Parts of New Zealand due to push past 30C this week

Brian from Mount Roskill

Kiwis are in for an early dose of scorching summer heat later this week - with temperatures pushing past 30C in parts of the country.
MetService is forecasting highs of 28C, 31C and 29C for Napier, Hastings and Gisborne respectively on Thursday.
“That’s well above average for this time of … View more
Kiwis are in for an early dose of scorching summer heat later this week - with temperatures pushing past 30C in parts of the country.
MetService is forecasting highs of 28C, 31C and 29C for Napier, Hastings and Gisborne respectively on Thursday.
“That’s well above average for this time of year – but we’re of course knocking on the door of summer,” MetService meteorologist Mmathapelo Makgabutlane said.
That warmth will be felt in most regions: Auckland, Hamilton, Tauranga and Whangārei are likely to experience highs in the early to mid-20s over the remainder of the week.
Further south tomorrow, the mercury is likely to rise as high as 27C in Christchurch – well past its November average of 19C – while Timaru is in for a toasty maximum of 26C.
“Those day-time temperatures are certainly on the warm side, but some of the overnight temperatures also don’t dip too low,” Makgabutlane said.
Aucklanders were in for balmy lows of 16C and 17C over the next few nights, with high humidity likely to hamper sleep across the city.
“But even parts of Southland have minimum temperatures in the mid-teens, which is fairly warm.”
Makgabutlane said the heat was coming with a ridge of high pressure meeting a northwesterly air flow – drawing warm, moist air over New Zealand.
On Thursday, a frontal system was also forecast to begin bringing rain and wind to the South Island, with the wettest weather expected in the west.
But little of that was likely to reach parched northeastern areas like Hawke’s Bay.
“If we’re lucky, there may be a little bit of rain from that, but there’s nothing substantial on the cards.”
The dry and hot conditions are already fuelling concern about fire danger in the region, months away from the peak of summer.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand Hawke’s Bay district manager Glen Varcoe confirmed fire-risk indices were late last week elevated to high across the Ahuriri and Heretaunga districts, including Napier and Hastings and coastal regions north to Wairoa.
Last Thursday, police said both fire safety officers and police had been investigating five bush and scrub fires in Northern Hawke’s Bay, in some cases suspected deliberately lit.
Niwa reports temperatures are likely to be warmer than average through to January, with frequent northwesterly winds leading to more days above 25C.
Also raising the odds for hot summer weather was the potential for marine heatwave conditions – already occurring in seas to the east of New Zealand – to expand and intensify.
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8 days ago

Retire in comfort and security

Greenview Park Village

Premium care just meters away form our village. Join our caring community, where passion thrives. Trust Terrace Kennedy House for exceptional care and meaningful connections. Find out more

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8 days ago

3x Fine Italian Glassware by Selecta

Markus from Green Bay

From a House Clearance. • Fruit / Salad Bowl 22 cm • Plate Oval 32 cm • Plate Tri-Partite Hors d'Oeuvre 19 cm.
$20 each, or $39 for all Three.
Pickup in Green Bay (we live opposite Green Bay High School)

Price: $15

8 days ago

RE: Hosting a FREE inspirational talk by Harita Davies in your school/class

Durba from Avondale

Kia Ora
I would like to introduce you to Harita Davies, our national record holder in 3100-Mile race.

Harita is the only New Zealand woman to ever attempt and complete the world's longest certified running race, the 3100-Mile race (94km for 52 days and 28 pairs of running shoes!) The … View more
Kia Ora
I would like to introduce you to Harita Davies, our national record holder in 3100-Mile race.

Harita is the only New Zealand woman to ever attempt and complete the world's longest certified running race, the 3100-Mile race (94km for 52 days and 28 pairs of running shoes!) The Self-Transcendence 3,100-Mile Race, described as “The Mount Everest of Ultramarathons” by the New York Times, requires competitors to maintain an average of 60 miles a day, amounting to over two marathons every day for 52 days!

Each year, contestants are drawn to the 3100-mile ultra for often inner reasons. Testing their physical and mental limits, with a curiosity about human potential itself. The race promises personal growth and self-discovery. Participants come from around the world to shatter their perceived limitations and discover a deeper sense of self. Only six women have ever completed the 3100-mile distance since its inception in 1997.

Please listen to Harita's many interviews with RNZ - www.rnz.co.nz......
Watch a trailer about the award-winning documentary covering the 3100 Mile Race -
www.youtube.com......

Accompanying her will be Preetidutta Thorpe, ultra marathon runner and a former Olympic-level contender in sailing who has just completed the Everest Marathon last year.

For Harita, meditation is the ultimate game changer in her running. This holistic approach cultivates peak performance and nurtures a deeper sense of well-being, She believes that caring for our own sense of peace is one of the most powerful contributions we can make to creating a better and more peaceful world.

Kindly get in touch if you would like to have Harita talk to your school/class about her experience and share a few simple practical meditation techniques to cope with stress, improve focus and cultivate resilience. The duration and depth of the subject matter can be tailored to suit.

Harita, now living in the US, and will be back in Auckland on Wednesday 12 February.

I look forward to the opportunity to discuss any possibilities for inspiring your school community to take the first step.

Warmest regards,
Durba Lee Preetidutta Thorpe
Mobile: 0220 653 719 Mobile: 0220 814 727

Sri Chinmoy Centre

8 days ago

Move for Good! Peer fundraising to save rescued baby wild birds

Kim Frakes from BirdCare Aotearoa

BirdCare Aotearoa, NZ's largest wild bird hospital and rehabilitation centre, is a special charity based in Waitākere, Auckland providing life-saving care to around 6,000 wild birds rescued by community members each year. Many of these patients are endangered native and endemic species. … View moreBirdCare Aotearoa, NZ's largest wild bird hospital and rehabilitation centre, is a special charity based in Waitākere, Auckland providing life-saving care to around 6,000 wild birds rescued by community members each year. Many of these patients are endangered native and endemic species. It’s currently baby bird season, and we urgently need to raise enough funds to cover the significant cost of the specialised care required for raising the thousands of orphaned and injured baby birds we receive in our dedicated nurseries during summertime.

As part of our current fundraising campaign, we have launched 'Move for Good', a peer fundraiser encouraging people of all ages to get out into nature and participate in an event (e.g. a walk, run, cycle or swim) or a hike, bushwalk, orienteering, or other fun outdoor activity (e.g. Birdie Bingo shown on our website) and invite friends and family to join or sponsor their challenge, to raise funds to help our hospital continue saving rescued baby birds.

Move for Good is proudly supported by Allbirds and Tree Adventures, and everyone who registers will go in the draw to win a pair of eco-friendly Allbirds sneakers or a Tree Adventures double pass.
We’ll give away a Give a Hoot tote bag from our Digitees store to the first five participants to complete a challenge before 22nd December.

Further details available in these links:
Givealittle page, for creating a Move for Good fundraising page or donating directly to our baby bird campaign - givealittle.co.nz...

Move for Good page on our website - birdcareaotearoa.org.nz... (contains a registration form for your challenge)

It will be absolutely wonderful if our neighbourhood communities would like to participate in our Move for Good campaign to save rescued baby birds!

16 days ago

Poll: When should the tree go up? 🎄

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

From what we've heard, some Christmas trees are already being assembled and decorated.

What are your thoughts on the best time to get your Christmas tree up?

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When should the tree go up? 🎄
  • 4.6% Second half of November
    4.6% Complete
  • 43.6% 1st December
    43.6% Complete
  • 17.6% A week before Christmas
    17.6% Complete
  • 32.9% Whenever you wish
    32.9% Complete
  • 1.2% Other - I'll share below
    1.2% Complete
2950 votes
15 days ago

What's your favourite tomato recipe?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to … View moreKia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.

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15 days ago

Ridiculous Fuel Pricing!

Mubashir Neighbourly Lead from Mount Roskill

I opted to drive down 5kms to Waitomo Epsom, where fuel prices are lower compared to anywhere in Mount Roskill. On a full fuel tank of about 40 liters, you'll save around $8.5 overall, and this is without any discounts at Waitomo. Mobile Epsom is still cheaper, and the savings would have been … View moreI opted to drive down 5kms to Waitomo Epsom, where fuel prices are lower compared to anywhere in Mount Roskill. On a full fuel tank of about 40 liters, you'll save around $8.5 overall, and this is without any discounts at Waitomo. Mobile Epsom is still cheaper, and the savings would have been $12 or more.
This math of pump pricing is beyond me as the source/starting point of the tankers is more or less the same and the suburbs aren't that far away 🤔.

12 days ago

Don’t wait, take action!

Financial Adviser from SK Financial Group - Mortgage & Insurance

Are you an active home buyer?

Looking to secure your own by Christmas or upgrade to bigger living space?

With the surge in the lending application received by banks, it could be challenging to obtain pre-approval, with some banks only offering pre-approval for their own customers.

Especially,… View more
Are you an active home buyer?

Looking to secure your own by Christmas or upgrade to bigger living space?

With the surge in the lending application received by banks, it could be challenging to obtain pre-approval, with some banks only offering pre-approval for their own customers.

Especially, when you are considering to secure home with less than 20% deposit, the process can be daunting.

At SK Financial Group, we have been able to make home ownership journey possible, with getting the turnaround within the realistic timeframe. You don’t need a pre-approval, yes, you have heard it right!

Our recent client experience has been seamless, ability to give guidance, options, recommendation and financial advice to build confidence.

We offer complimentary 10 minute consultation to help you embark you on this journey.

📧info@skfg.co.nz
📞0210749825

12 days ago

New Zealand Longevity Foundation • Curcumin Formula • 180 capsules • RRP $149.50

Markus from Green Bay

Selling for a friend who has Fibromyalgia and had to go to the UK. As she had to leave a lot behind (no money to pay for a moving company or even the ridiculous postage charges in NZ) and could really use the money I'm going to list more of her stuff over the next few days. Here is an unopened… View moreSelling for a friend who has Fibromyalgia and had to go to the UK. As she had to leave a lot behind (no money to pay for a moving company or even the ridiculous postage charges in NZ) and could really use the money I'm going to list more of her stuff over the next few days. Here is an unopened bottle of "New Zealand Longevity Foundation Curcumin 180 capsules", RRP $149.50, recommended dose 1-2 per day, use by July 2025, selling for $79. Pickup in Green Bay (we live opposite Green Bay High School), can post if buyer pays p&p

Price: $79

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