2140 days ago

Saying thank you to essential services with art

Dr Parmjeet Parmar MP

Art is always a great medium for children to express emotions, especially during this difficult time and at the same time to say thanks to those doing the hard yards to keep us safe and well.

I am inviting children to say thank you to those providing essential services by producing art championing the work of our doctors, nurses, garbage collectors, supermarket and pharmacy workers and the many others in a way that is consistent and safe with the “stay home save lives” message.

The art is to be of anybody doing essential work, whether it be on the frontline in our hospitals, our caregivers at home, our emergency services or the cleaners, lab technicians, supermarket workers, truck drivers, port workers and farmers who are keeping us safe and well.

Please photograph your art and email to me at parmjeet.parmar@parliament.govt.nz.

Shortlisted art (ages 1 to 12) each week will be published on my website.

The competition is for the lockdown period.
Find out more

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More messages from your neighbours
12 days ago

Some Choice News!

Kia pai from Sharing the Good Stuff

DOC is rolling out a new tool to help figure out what to tackle first when it comes to protecting our threatened species and the things putting them at risk.

Why does this matter? As Nikki Macdonald from The Post points out, we’re a country with around 4,400 threatened species. With limited time and funding, conservation has always meant making tough calls about what gets attention first.

For the first time, DOC has put real numbers around what it would take to do everything needed to properly safeguard our unique natural environment. The new BioInvest tool shows the scale of the challenge: 310,177 actions across 28,007 sites.

Now that we can see the full picture, it brings the big question into focus: how much do we, as Kiwis, truly value protecting nature — and what are we prepared to invest to make it happen?

We hope this brings a smile!

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11 days ago

Denim, but make it one-of-a-kind 💙

The Team from SPCA Auckland - Centres & Op Shops

Not every pair of jeans makes it to the rack... but that doesn’t mean their story ends there. Our talented volunteer Annie has been transforming damaged denim into handcrafted bags, hats and aprons in our Onehunga SPCA Op Shop ✂️🧵

This latest batch even features her own hand-sewn designs, and customers have been loving them, they sell almost as soon as they hit the shelf!

It’s creativity, sustainability and community all stitched together, helping animals in need 🐾

📍 217 Onehunga Mall, Onehunga
🕘 9am–5pm, 7 days

1 day ago

March madness has arrived at our East Tamaki SPCA Op Shop Clearance Outlet!

The Team from SPCA Auckland - Centres & Op Shops

Pop in to our East Tamaki shop to grab:
💥 All women’s fashion nothing over $5 — available in in back of shop only (excludes front of shop) from 1-31 March 2026
🛍 Fill a bag for $5 — your choice from our clearance bins!

Visit us at 30 Springs Road (On the corner Springs Rd & Kerwyn Ave).
We're open Monday to Saturday from 10am–4pm.

🛑 East Tamaki ONLY! Not available at any other SPCA Op Shop

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