Red Cross Annual Appeal 2020
Our annual street appeal is happening from 16-22 March 2020. It is our biggest fundraiser of the year. It not only helps us to continue the work we do but also raises awareness of the supportive services we provide.
Street collecting is a wonderful and fun way for you to be a part of something bigger. Meet and greet people in your community and encourage them to donate to a great cause. By donating your time, you’re making a real difference in people’s lives. It’s up to you when you want to volunteer - the time commitment is flexible, depending on your availability.
We are currently looking for volunteers that are available from Thursday 19th to Saturday 21st March in Hastings, Havelock North, Taradale and Napier. We are also looking for businesses and/or groups that may be able to take a site for a block of time.
Sign up today through the New Zealand Red Cross website by clicking on the "Read More" button under this text and your local Red Cross Appeal Coordinator will be in touch.
Thank you for your support.
Six tips for improving security around your home
1) Improve outdoor lighting
Ensure that streets, driveways, and front yards are well-lit. Motion-sensor lights around homes deter trespassers by reducing hiding spots and illuminating their movements.
2) Trim your trees
Overgrown shrubs and trees provide cover for intruders. Keeping them well-trimmed around windows and doors improves visibility and reduces potential hiding spots.
3) Secure Entry Points
Ensure doors, windows, and gates are always closed when you are away from the house. Upgrade to more secure locks, deadbolts, or even smart locks for added protection.
4) Add a security camera
Place security cameras in the main entry points to your home. Doorbell cameras are also relatively cheap and a great way to keep track of who is visiting your home when you aren't there.
5) Start a Neighborhood Watch Program
You could reach out to members on Neighbourly to form a group of neighbors who can regularly keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report it. You could also check with Neighbourhood Support to see what is existing in your area.
6) Introduce yourself to your neighbours
The closer you are to your neighbors, the more likely they’ll notice when something unusual or suspicious is happening around your property
Feel free to share anything that you do around your area to deter crime.
Poll: Is dumping an issue in your neighbourhood?
There's nothing worse than strolling around the streets in your neighbourhood and seeing dumped rubbish.
Have you noticed this in your area? What could we do to combat this around the country?
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43.2% Yes, I've seen some illegal dumping
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56.2% No, our neighbourhood is pretty good
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0.6% Other - I'll share below
New World Havelock North car park
Sitting in my work van, in the new New World carpark and I’ve been getting dirty looks. I get it. My van is halfway into the driving area. Literally. If you look, even from a distance, you’ll see my back end is almost hard against the fence, with my towball around the corner of the fence.
My work van is over 6m long and the car parks are only about 4.5m. The only spaces I can park out of the way are the nearest and the furthest corners from the door. And that still means parking across another carpark. Today, both those parks were taken.
Now, before you point out that I shouldn’t bring such a big vehicle to the supermarket, 1) why not? Everyone needs to shop; and 2) I drive a retirement village resident passenger van. And they have as much right to shop as anyone.
Okay, so park in the mobility parks. Nope. I don’t have a Mobility decal or placard. And, those parks are the same length as all the others.
So, if you want to get me to stop blocking the way, do the supermarket survey on your receipts and ask for one way driving around the carpark (clockwise is the most logical and safest) and oversized parks. Almost every other supermarket has them. Vehicles are getting bigger, parks aren’t.