Pukehangi - Mangakakahi, Rotorua

What was that?!

What was that?!

If you hear something strange or see something you're wondering about. Post on Neighbourly!

1086 days ago

Learn new skills, unlock your future.

Te Wānanga o Aotearoa

Want to grow your knowledge and skills to boost your career options?

We can help you develop your skill set with one of our courses in Team Leadership, Adminstration & Technology or Money Management.

Enrolments are now open with classes starting in July 2021. Don’t miss out! … View more
Want to grow your knowledge and skills to boost your career options?

We can help you develop your skill set with one of our courses in Team Leadership, Adminstration & Technology or Money Management.

Enrolments are now open with classes starting in July 2021. Don’t miss out! Sign up today.
Find out more

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1087 days ago

Homophones

NumberWorks'nWords Rotorua

Homophones can be confusing! But learning word meanings can help prevent spelling mistakes. What homophones can you think of?

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1087 days ago

Chasing glory at the Olympics@RYMAN

We may be an official partner of the New Zealand Olympic Team, but within our villages it’s residents who are chasing Olympic glory.
So many Ryman residents have passions and pastimes that they continue to thrive at within our villages. Therefore, creating an event like Olympics@RYMAN is a prime… View more
We may be an official partner of the New Zealand Olympic Team, but within our villages it’s residents who are chasing Olympic glory.
So many Ryman residents have passions and pastimes that they continue to thrive at within our villages. Therefore, creating an event like Olympics@RYMAN is a prime example of how we pioneer the way for our residents.
Events include swimming, bowls, cycling, relay walking and Quiznastics. To up the ante, we’ve incorporated technology solutions to enhance events and to enable residents to connect with all 41 Ryman villages, including those across the Tasman, while they compete!
Learn more

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1087 days ago

How to Make Hemp Rope

Robert Anderson from Curtain Clean Rotorua

Knowing how to make rope was once a critical skill for survival and self-sufficiency on the frontier. Early settlers were able to make rope from a variety of materials, but the main thing they used was hemp.

A rapid growing plant, hemp is perfect for making rope. Hemp grows fast. It produces up … View more
Knowing how to make rope was once a critical skill for survival and self-sufficiency on the frontier. Early settlers were able to make rope from a variety of materials, but the main thing they used was hemp.

A rapid growing plant, hemp is perfect for making rope. Hemp grows fast. It produces up to 75 tons of dry matter per acre per year. It thrives in poor soil, needs no fertilizers or pesticides to succeed, and gobbles up atmospheric CO2, stymieing the greenhouse effect. It produces more fibre per pound than either cotton or flax, and these fibres are easily extracted in order to make hemp rope, twine, or cord.

Hemp rope is easy to make. Some methods involve using a rope machine, but fortunately such an investment isn’t necessary to the process. All you really need is some hemp fibre or hemp twine, and a short piece of wooden dowel. Our hemp rope maker, available in our shop, will really streamline the process for you if you plan on making lots of hemp rope.

Step one: Separate the hemp fibres or unwind the hemp yarn and cut into lengths approximately twice as long as the desired length of the rope. Continue cutting until you have a bundle of fibres approximately half the size of the diameter of rope you’d like to make.

Step two: Grab the bundle of fibres and fold it in half, securing the fold by placing a dowel rod through the resultant loop and into the ground. Smooth the fibres of this bundle down by running your hand along the length of the cord.

Step three: Divide the bundle in two, holding half the fibres in your left hand and half the fibres in your right.

Step four: Twist each bundle clockwise until the cord you are creating begins to kink and loop. Pull as hard as you can while twisting.

Step five: Twist the two cords together, wrapping one over the other in a counter clockwise motion, to form a rope.

Step six: Secure the ends with overhand knots beginning with the end in your hands. Once the first end is tightly tied, slip the rope off the dowel rod and tie it as well.

To make a cable, repeat steps 2 through 6 and twist the two ropes together. This process can be repeated as many times as you like, making thicker, stronger cables as you go.

Enjoy making your own hemp rope! This technique can be used to make hemp twine, hemp cord. and hemp yarn as well. It all depends on the size of the fibres you start with. Need some ideas for what to do with your newly made hemp rope? Try using a piece as a clothesline, for air-drying your clothes. Make a hemp leash for your pet, or keep your hemp twine petite for use in jewellery making.

Making rope is a great way to be self-sufficient and eliminate the supply chain requirement. Everything you can make yourself is one less packaged product– in this case, one less coil of synthetic rope– that needs to be manufactured for you. Have fun!

1088 days ago

A perfect match with free recruitment service

Competenz

"We’d been trying to recruit a young person for a couple of years", says Stainless Machinings owner Brian Lawry. “We’d been in touch with local high schools to arrange work experience at our precision component business and liaised with many career advisors and even advertised at … View more"We’d been trying to recruit a young person for a couple of years", says Stainless Machinings owner Brian Lawry. “We’d been in touch with local high schools to arrange work experience at our precision component business and liaised with many career advisors and even advertised at Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT), but with no success.”

After years of searching for a new recruit for their business, Auckland engineering firm Stainless Machinings turned to Competenz’s free job matching service to find them an ideal candidate.
In the space of a few short months, school leaver Stuart Martin joined the company.

Read the full story at the link below.
If you are an employer looking for the right apprentice for your business, get in touch with us to make use of our free job matching service

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1091 days ago

Sign up for our Tokyo Olympics newsletter

Angela Quigan Reporter from Stuff

Hi neighbours,

The Tokyo Olympics are about to kick off, and some of our country's best sports stars are set to represent New Zealand on the world stage.

The opening ceremony takes place on Friday (about 11pm NZ time), and the Games will run through until August 8.

Over the next … View more
Hi neighbours,

The Tokyo Olympics are about to kick off, and some of our country's best sports stars are set to represent New Zealand on the world stage.

The opening ceremony takes place on Friday (about 11pm NZ time), and the Games will run through until August 8.

Over the next two-and-a-half weeks, some of the world’s best athletes competing in a range of sports will battle it out in Tokyo in the hopes of walking away with a medal.

So get your New Zealand flags and popcorn ready and sign up for our Tokyo Olympics newsletter to have all the highlights, talking points, medal tally and analysis delivered to your inbox every day. Click here.

We'll also be live blogging our Kiwi athletes' events every day of the Games. Just bookmark this page to stay up to date.

1089 days ago

Strengthening digital skills for industry

Competenz

Low levels of digital literacy among staff is a challenge facing many manufacturing businesses, and strengthening those skills is not only essential to meet rapid technological changes in the workplace, it’s vital to increasing productivity.

“As technology progresses and we move further into… View more
Low levels of digital literacy among staff is a challenge facing many manufacturing businesses, and strengthening those skills is not only essential to meet rapid technological changes in the workplace, it’s vital to increasing productivity.

“As technology progresses and we move further into Industry 4.0, workers must be upskilled to keep pace with new systems and processes, especially older employees who are not digital natives, but who have invaluable experience in their fields,” says Competenz Sector Manager Jahn Vannisselroy

Competenz has developed a new micro-credential to meet the demands brought about by Industry 4.0.
Read the full article here

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1089 days ago

Supporting KidsCan is easy through the Trade Me Kindness Store

Trade Me

Hi there!

Here at Trade Me we're chuffed to let you know we’ve launched our Kindness Store again for winter, supporting KidsCan and the great work they do making sure our tamariki have a fair start – after all, little Kiwis can’t learn when they’re hungry, wet, and cold.

We’ve… View more
Hi there!

Here at Trade Me we're chuffed to let you know we’ve launched our Kindness Store again for winter, supporting KidsCan and the great work they do making sure our tamariki have a fair start – after all, little Kiwis can’t learn when they’re hungry, wet, and cold.

We’ve stocked the store with all the essentials. Think fleece-lined rain coats and shoes to keep kids warm and dry, and warm, healthy food.

Just pick, click, and give now – we take care of the rest, making sure your purchase gets to KidsCan.
Learn more

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1090 days ago

Secure your bull team now with no upfront cost!

PGG Wrightson

Apply for a Defer-A-Bull purchase agreement today – a simple, cost effective solution when sourcing your dairy service bulls.

Secure your bull team early with no repayments until bulls are sold.
Find out more

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1090 days ago

Curtains & Blinds: Which types are best?

Robert Anderson from Curtain Clean Rotorua

When it’s time to replace your curtains, most of us only worry about cost and style. But did you know this choice can make a massive difference to how warm and comfortable your home will be over winter? We tested which types were most effective at reducing heat loss in your home.


The … View more
When it’s time to replace your curtains, most of us only worry about cost and style. But did you know this choice can make a massive difference to how warm and comfortable your home will be over winter? We tested which types were most effective at reducing heat loss in your home.


The problem: If you have an insulated house, you can lose upwards of 45% of your heat through your windows. This drops to 30% in an uninsulated home, since it’s easier for heat to escape through the walls, ceiling and floors. This shows the importance of choosing wisely when it comes to your curtains or blinds; the right window coverings can save two-thirds of the heat lost through your windows.


Our test: We measured heat loss through an aluminium-framed single-glazed window fitted with different window coverings. The window was fitted to a mini-room inside our Thermal Comfort lab. The lab temperature was reduced to 4°C to simulate a chilly winter night, while an electric heater inside the mini-room beavered away to maintain a temperature of 20°C.


The different window coverings were tested for at least three hours and we measured the total power usage from the heater, along with the difference between indoor and outdoor temperature. These readings were then used to calculate how effective each window covering was at stopping heat escaping.

Reverse chimneys: Cool air is denser (heavier) than warm air. When it’s cold outside, the inside air close to a window pane is cooled and tends to sink. As this cooled air sinks, it gets replaced by warmer air from other of the room. This creates a circulating air current that cools the room parts.


Curtains that aren’t sealed at the top or bottom to stop these air currents can make the situation worse by forming a channel between the window and curtain. This allows cooled air to flow continuously and chill the room faster.


We tested two types of curtains, thermal and heavy lined, cut to both sill and floor length. The thermal curtains were in a single drop and had a plastic coating bonded to the fabric. You might have expected the thermal curtains would perform better, but the extra layer of fabric in the pricier heavy lined curtains made them better insulators. If you’re getting curtains fitted, opt for floor-length as they keep in heat better than ones that sit at the sill.


Which blinds are best?
We tested five types of blinds: honeycomb, roman, roller, and aluminium and wooden venetians.
Our blinds were installed within the window frame (with the exception of the romans), so there was no gap (like the one between the back of the curtain and the window frame) to allow a reverse chimney to form. Honeycomb blinds easily topped our testing for all window coverings. Air is a good insulator, as long as it’s not moving, and the honeycomb structure creates a large, still air gap between the cold window pane and the warm inside air.
Also, the honeycomb blinds fitted closer to the sides of the window frame than our other tested blinds, which also helped reduce heat loss.


While their public baths may have gone out of fashion, roman blinds are still going strong. Roman blinds were the best window covering after the honeycomb blinds and secondary double-glazing options. A roman blind’s good performance comes down to the close fit it has over the window frame. This good seal, along with a close fit to the wall at the top, helps retain heat.


Keep reading: www.curtainclean.co.nz...

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1091 days ago

Do you have a great spinach recipe?

Mei Leng Wong Reporter from NZ Gardener & Get Growing

Dear neighbours,

Every month, NZ Gardener runs a series of tested reader recipes using a seasonal crop. We are now on the hunt for spinach recipes, so send your best ones to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz before July 26, 2021.

Every published recipe wins a copy of our special edition Homegrown Recipes.

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1091 days ago

Rose Hughes’ latest project gives an old wooden crate a charming second life.

The Team from Resene ColorShop Rotorua

Give an old wooden crate a charming second life with Resene.

Find out how to create your own.

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1092 days ago

Kiwi Can - Payroll Giving

The Team from Graeme Dingle Foundation Rotorua

Make every payday, a giving pay day.

Do you know about our Payroll Giving option? For just $20 per month, you can support one student to attend Kiwi Can for a term.

Payroll Giving allows you to make donations directly from your pay and receive immediate tax credits via PAYE. Head to our website … View more
Make every payday, a giving pay day.

Do you know about our Payroll Giving option? For just $20 per month, you can support one student to attend Kiwi Can for a term.

Payroll Giving allows you to make donations directly from your pay and receive immediate tax credits via PAYE. Head to our website to find out more and sign up today.

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1092 days ago

Peter William’s Natural Joint Secret

Koru Nutrition

Peter Williams reports a natural cream that supports his joints and helps to keep him active.

“When I get up in the morning, I want to know that my joints are healthy, flexible and ready for the day.”

“I recommend Koru FX cream by Koru Nutrition. It’s New Zealand made, natural, fast … View more
Peter Williams reports a natural cream that supports his joints and helps to keep him active.

“When I get up in the morning, I want to know that my joints are healthy, flexible and ready for the day.”

“I recommend Koru FX cream by Koru Nutrition. It’s New Zealand made, natural, fast acting and long lasting. It has become NZ’s #1 fastest growing topical joint and muscle support cream and I can see why.”

“Ask for Koru Nutrition’s Koru FX cream next time you’re in the pharmacy and try it for yourself.”
Find out more

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1094 days ago

International Chess Day

NumberWorks'nWords Rotorua

All most everyone in the world has heard of the game of chess, but what not everyone knows is that there is an entire day dedicated to the celebration of this wonderful pastime!

A game of strategy and wits, chess has long been considered to be the thinking game. From its early days in India to … View more
All most everyone in the world has heard of the game of chess, but what not everyone knows is that there is an entire day dedicated to the celebration of this wonderful pastime!

A game of strategy and wits, chess has long been considered to be the thinking game. From its early days in India to everywhere in the world today, chess is a wonderful game to play anytime, anywhere and with almost anyone.

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