Appeal for Upper South Island Floods
Hi
My charity NZ Gifts of Love and Strength has launched a pick me up appeal for those affected by the devastating floods in the Upper South Island.
We know from our appeals for Mid Canterbury and Westport / Buller floods the importance of receiving something after all the volunteer helpers have left and you are dealing still with the clean up and insurance etc. Stress is very high. We want to ensure they do not feel like they have been forgotten about.
We have got Lions Host Club Nelson and Lions Havelock dispersing to those most greatly affected in approximately 3 - 4 weeks time.
SVA will be collecting the following items ONLY from our collection points:
A card handmade or bought ( do not seal envelope) write a nice message or even write a poem on a piece of paper it does not have to cost a lot of money. It's the thought that counts.
A small packet of lollies , or packet of individual packets of lollies or chocolate
A small flat knitted or sewn handmade heart/worry worm etc that will fit into a card envelope.
Drop off points are :
all New World Supermarkets
Super Value Lyttelton
Paper Plus New Brighton
Rangi-Ruru Boarding House
Silver Boutique Bishopdale
Dominator Doors
TC Transcontinental (airport business hub)
St Albans Community Centre
Hornby Community Centre
PIPS charity Wainoni
We would love schools, retirement homes, craft groups to be involved.
Please email us on giftsofloveandstrength@gmail.com if you would like to be involved.
The pictures are our first donation from a family that came on at Preston's New World and a good example of what we are trying to give those affected by the mud /floods.
Some Choice News!
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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Once again, Resene and NZ Gardener are on the hunt for New Zealand’s best shed! Send in the photos and the stories behind your man caves, she sheds, clever upcycled spaces, potty potting sheds and colourful chicken coops. The Resene Shed of the Year 2026 winner receives $1000 Resene ColorShop voucher, a $908 large Vegepod Starter Pack and a one-year subscription to NZ Gardener. To enter, tell us in writing (no more than 500 words) why your garden shed is New Zealand’s best, and send up to five high-quality photos by email to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz. Entries close February 23, 2026.
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