Poll: Prospa Local Business Hero - who gets your vote?
Small businesses need our support more than ever right now. While it's uncertain times for all, we are still proud to be celebrating our 11 regional Local Business Heroes for their commitment to their communities.
They now need your help! We are now looking for the New Zealand Prospa Local Business Hero - our overall winner, as voted by Neighbourly members around the country!
This lucky business will walk away with $10,000 worth of prizes!
Please take a couple of minutes to read the nominations below - then vote for the business you'd like to see named 2020 Prospa Local Business Hero.
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NORTHLAND: Lew Ringrose - Ringrose Stockfoods
“A very humble man who has been sponsoring any and every cause that has been requested for well over 40 years. He sponsors so many causes in and outside of the neighborhood, goes out of his way to get the meal to the hungry animals, works through the night to fill orders, even on public holidays he steps in and runs the factory single handed to allow his staff time off. He is well past retirement but dedicated to keeping hungry animals supplied with food. No order is too big or too small for his fantastic team.”
AUCKLAND: Jay & Kusum - Orakei Superette
“Part of our lives for so many years. They offer a great business, post centre, the BEST fresh flowers and fruit & veg. I have NEVER known them to take a holiday. Kind and genuinely caring people who add so much to our community. You could not find a better Local Business Hero!”
WAIKATO: Te Aroha Vet Clinic
Te Aroha Veterinary Clinic provide a fantastic service from a team that are dedicated to I was devastated losing Blue (horse) I bred her 14 yrs ago and loved her dearly and now I had her orphan foal to care for. Without her dedication staying for hours trying to save Blue I honestly don't know how I would have coped. They are a true asset to our community they go above and beyond the call of duty helping to care for our all animals providing around the clock care and service.”
BAY OF PLENTY: Tony & Julie - Pyes Pa SuperValue
“The owners, Tony & Julie, are great at communicating and continually ask their customers if they stock the products they want, and if they don’t, they then get it in. They have a very friendly manner and their Managers and Staff are all attentive. Thanks to Tony & Julie for choosing Pyes Pa, you have fitted in well.”
HAWKE’S BAY - GISBORNE: Kaye & Alan - Cornucopia Organics
“The staff are friendly and helpful.Also the owners will order in whatever is required,if it is not currently on their shelves.”
TARANAKI: Down to Earth
“As well as a range of healthy tasty foodstuffs and quality herbal supplements, they also provide a range of products to help with sustainable living. They have recently introduced a "bring-you-own-container" refill facility for dishwasher, shampoo and other cleaners. However the best thing about this store is the excellent service. I'm always greeted with a smile and friendly word, offers of help, etc. It is always a pleasure to shop here.”
MANAWATU-WANGANUI: Margaret and Vijay - Maxwells Line Four Square
“Margaret and Veejay go out of their way to make sure customers get the freshest fruit and veggies in town and if they don't have what you want will ring around to source it for you. Despite being robbed and stabbed in daylight, they were open for business as usual the next day. They are held in high esteem locally.”
WELLINGTON: Quoc Tran - Tutere Street Four Square
“This man got out of Viet Nam by himself when he was13, sailed on a boat and spent time in camps before coming to NZ. He could not speak english. He purchased a local dairy and over the years has totally transformed and enlarged it providing employment to a number of locals. He is the ultimate friendly shopkeeper.”
NELSON - MARLBOROUGH: Cath - Blenheim Life Pharmacy
“They deliver my prescriptions to me as I’m often unable to get them. They always make sure nothing I'm prescribed interacts with anything and they always explain how to take my meds thoroughly to me, which is important as I've had a brain stem stroke and somedays my brain is scrambled. Cath is wonderful at dropping them off for me. They do a really important and medically serious job with kindness"
CANTERBURY - WEST: Mark & Des - The Vege Shop.
“The Vege Shop on Stourbridge is just the best little local biz in town. Mark and his wife Des always have a smile and time for a yarn. We feel so fortunate to have them just around the corner. They are awesome!”
OTAGO - SOUTHLAND: John Swindlehurst - A&J Services
“John is fantastic!!! He does everything from carpet repairs to chimney sweeping and pest control. I have him listed in my phone as John Everything! He has a brilliant attitude and has even come on public holidays at short notice.”
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11.3% NORTHLAND: Lew Ringrose - Ringrose Stockfoods
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14.8% AUCKLAND: Jay & Kusum - Orakei Superette
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7.5% WAIKATO: Te Aroha Vet Clinic
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4.3% BAY OF PLENTY: Tony & Julie - Pyes Pa SuperValue
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6.2% HAWKE’S BAY - GISBORNE: Kaye & Alan - Cornucopia Organics
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5% TARANAKI: Down to Earth
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14% MANAWATU-WANGANUI: Margaret and Vijay - Maxwells Line Four Square
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18.4% WELLINGTON: Quoc Tran - Tutere Street Four Square
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4.1% NELSON - MARLBOROUGH: Cath - Blenheim Life Pharmacy
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11.9% CANTERBURY - WEST: Mark & Des - The Vege Shop.
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2.5% OTAGO - SOUTHLAND: John Swindlehurst - A&J Services
Poll: Is it ok to regift something that you have been given?
🎁 Holiday Gift Chat!
Do you ever regift?
What’s your take on asking for a receipt if a gift doesn’t fit?
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79.7% Yes! It's better to regift what I don't need
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20.3% No. It's the thought and effort that matters
Meri Kirihimete:----- Here's wishing all Christians a very MERRY CHRISTMAS
Wishing you a Christmas filled with light, laughter, and the kind of friendly conversation that makes our neighborhood feel welcoming, connected, and full of goodwill all season long.
May your festive season be peaceful, joyful, and rich with shared smiles, thoughtful gestures, and moments that remind us why community and connection matter so much.
Sending heartfelt greetings that celebrate the warmth of our neighborhood, encouraging shared laughter, cooperative spirit, and the joy of being part of a caring community.
Wishing you a Christmas where every door opened brings laughter, every conversation inspires friendship, and every small act of kindness reflects the true meaning of the season.
May this holiday season fill our neighborhood with light, love, and harmony, creating memories that bring everyone closer and strengthen bonds that last well beyond the festive period.
Sending greetings that reflect gratitude for your presence, friendship, and the support you offer, making our corner of New Zealand feel like home during Christmas.
Wishing you a festive season full of community celebrations, cheerful greetings, and shared moments that strengthen the connection we enjoy as neighbors.
May our streets be brighter with laughter, our gardens warmer with friendship, and our gatherings filled with memorable festive moments that bring joy to every household.
Sending heartfelt wishes that even in the busiest moments, we pause to appreciate one another, fostering goodwill, understanding, and a sense of shared joy during the holidays.
Wishing you Christmas mornings full of cheerful greetings, afternoons filled with kind interactions, and evenings that reflect the harmony and warmth of our neighborhood
May the spirit of Christmas inspire generosity, smiles, and memorable connections that remind us of the true value of community and companionship.
Sending you long, thoughtful messages of gratitude and goodwill, wishing every festive activity brings happiness and shared enjoyment.
Wishing for moments of neighborly cooperation, laughter, and support that enhance our holiday celebrations and create lasting festive memories.
May this season bring a sense of belonging, connection, and appreciation for every individual who contributes to the vibrancy and warmth of our neighborhood.
Sending wishes for shared joy, memorable interactions, and meaningful moments that make our community stronger and more cheerful this Christmas.
Wishing you celebrations where everyone feels valued, appreciated, and included, reflecting the essence of kindness and togetherness this festive season.
May our neighborhood be a space of warmth, smiles, and shared experiences that elevate the Christmas spirit for everyone living here.
Sending greetings that celebrate friendship, community spirit, and thoughtful gestures, leaving lasting impressions on every neighbor we encounter.
Wishing you holidays where communication, kindness, and shared laughter make our community stronger and more connected than ever.
May every Christmas greeting, conversation, and shared moment enrich our neighborhood, fostering joy, trust, and long-lasting relationships.
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Christmas Eve busiest shopping day of the year with more than 500,000 sales
Busiest shopping day of the year
Peak time 12 noon-1 pm - 563,303 transactions
Per second peak - 167 transactions
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Number of sales beats Black Friday, but lowest Christmas Eve in six years
Christmas Eve has been the busiest shopping day of the year with 9,745 sales a minute at its peak.
Payments company Worldline says noon to 1pm saw 563,303 sales recorded on its network, down by about 7 percent on a year ago.
The company's network covers about three-quarters of the electronic terminals in operation.
Worldline did not have a dollar value for spending, but the peak number of transactions was the lowest for the past six years and well shy of the record 679,436 in 2019, before the pandemic.
Earlier this month it noted rising sales in the first three weeks of the month, but they remained 1.3 percent lower than 2024, with most parts of the country trailing the previous year's spending.
Official data from Stats NZ to the end of November showed a small rise in spending on the previous month, to 1.6 percent higher for the year.
Retail spending has been subdued as households have remained cautious because of high prices and a slow benefit from lower interest rates, and as well as concerns about the soft labour market.
However, recent surveys have shown improving consumer sentiment with ANZ bank's monthly report showing confidence at its highest level in four years.
Boxing Day is traditionally the country's favourite shopping day, but with Black Friday spending also softer this year the amount going through retailers' terminals may also be down on a year ago.
Adding a dampener to consumer spending may be the recent rises in longer term fixed mortgage rates because of higher wholesale rates.
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