1660 days ago

Poll: Prospa Local Business Hero - who gets your vote?

Prospa

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.”

Prospa Local Business Hero - who gets your vote?
  • 11.3% NORTHLAND: Lew Ringrose - Ringrose Stockfoods
    11.3% Complete
  • 14.8% AUCKLAND: Jay & Kusum - Orakei Superette
    14.8% Complete
  • 7.5% WAIKATO: Te Aroha Vet Clinic
    7.5% Complete
  • 4.3% BAY OF PLENTY: Tony & Julie - Pyes Pa SuperValue
    4.3% Complete
  • 6.2% HAWKE’S BAY - GISBORNE: Kaye & Alan - Cornucopia Organics
    6.2% Complete
  • 5% TARANAKI: Down to Earth
    5% Complete
  • 14% MANAWATU-WANGANUI: Margaret and Vijay - Maxwells Line Four Square
    14% Complete
  • 18.4% WELLINGTON: Quoc Tran - Tutere Street Four Square
    18.4% Complete
  • 4.1% NELSON - MARLBOROUGH: Cath - Blenheim Life Pharmacy
    4.1% Complete
  • 11.9% CANTERBURY - WEST: Mark & Des - The Vege Shop.
    11.9% Complete
  • 2.5% OTAGO - SOUTHLAND: John Swindlehurst - A&J Services
    2.5% Complete
3110 votes
More messages from your neighbours
1 hour ago

Can you crack Today’s neighbourhood conundrum?

Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

Without a bridle or a saddle, across a thing, I ride a-straddle. And those I ride, by help of me, though almost blind, are made to see. What am I?

Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.

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12 days ago

Kalle

The Team from Humans of Christchurch Ōtautahi

"Sports and travelling run in the family, and that's kind of what's led me to come to New Zealand."

"I grew up in a small town in Finland. My dad was involved with sports all his life, he was a shot putter, discus thrower, powerlifter, we traveled quite a bit when I was a kid. He never mentioned much of the rugby days. He just said he broke both of his shin bones playing rugby, so he said, ‘never play the sport, It's crazy.’

I started playing when I was 18. I played my first cap for the Finnish national team in 2014, we won the Finnish championship with my club. Rugby is not a big thing in Finland.

I moved here to play rugby in 2017. The club that wanted me to come over was Methven Rugby Club. They got me here and they were like, ‘what do you do for work? I’d just finished chef school in Finland. ‘We'll get you a job at Mount Hutt as a chef, you can do that while you play rugby with us.’ I said, ‘Perfect. Yeah, I'm in’.

I've always loved food. My mum was an amazing cook, and still is. When I was studying tourism I worked in some hotels in Finland, and I saw how the chef's worked. I just loved the kitchen vibe and I was like, Yeah, that’d be something I'd love to do.

I've had more of a culinary journey In New Zealand than in Finland. I started at Mount Hutt, after that I worked at The Dubliner in Methven. I worked as a senior pizza chef at Sal’s for maybe six months then worked as chef de partie at Cellar Door. At Eliza's Manor, I worked myself up to a junior sous chef. Then the opportunity came to work my first head chef job at Moon Under Water.

We're privileged to have a busy atmosphere, we can try new things and get a bit creative. There are no TV’s, just come here with your family or with your mates, play board games, to socialise.

I really want to drive the local food and ingredients through the menu. We don't mind spending more for quality ingredients as long as it's supporting New Zealand businesses. We just love to use local. And it's pub food, but I feel like it's elevated.

I play club rugby here for the Christchurch Football Club, the oldest club in New Zealand and I still play regularly for the Finnish national team, whenever they can fly me over to play."

- Kalle

View more stories, or nominate someone: @humansofchch
www.humansofchch.org......

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14 days ago

This one was sent in by your fellow neighbour, can you figure it out?

Riddler from The Neighbourly Riddler

What is first white then red and the plumper it gets the more the old lady likes it?

Do you think you know the answer to our daily riddle? Don't spoil it for your neighbours! Simply 'Like' this post and we'll post the answer in the comments below at 2pm.

Want to stop seeing riddles in your newsfeed?
Head here and hover on the Following button on the top right of the page (and it will show Unfollow) and then click it. If it is giving you the option to Follow, then you've successfully unfollowed the Riddles page.

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