Celebrating heritage
Funds raised by Lotto New Zealand players fuels growth of Hakaru community hall
From joyous celebrations like weddings and birthdays, to solemn gatherings for farewells; Hakaru Community Hall stands as a testament to the enduring spirit of its community.
The hall has been the heart of Hakaru for nearly a century and recently underwent a refresh to meet the changing needs of the community with funding support from Te Puna Tahua Lottery Grants Board.
“The grant has been huge in helping us make improvements, including the installation of a new entrance and upgrading of some of our older amenities,” says Secretary Dennis Reeve.
Over the years, the Hall has witnessed generations come together in times of happiness and sorrow and symbolises more than just a space, it’s a bond that unites the Hakaru community.
The grant also recently helped the hall committee to expand its offerings from hosting dance, yoga, and pilates classes to providing a space for local musicians to practice.
With every step forward, Hakaru Hall is committed to fostering connection, culture, and community spirit for another century to come with the help of local grants.
This is just one of the incredible causes keeping our heritage alive, with 100% of Lotto New Zealand’s profits going back to support thousands of great causes all over Aotearoa. So, every time you play any Lotto New Zealand game, it’s a win for our communities.
Read more Local Grants recipient stories
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!
Poll: 🤖 What skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
The Reserve Bank has shared some pretty blunt advice: there’s no such thing as a “safe” job anymore 🛟😑
Robots are stepping into repetitive roles in factories, plants and warehouses. AI is taking care of the admin tasks that once filled many mid-level office jobs.
We want to know: As the world evolves, what skills do you think give a CV the ultimate edge in a robot-filled workplace?
Want to read more? The Press has you covered!
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52.6% Human-centred experience and communication
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14.7% Critical thinking
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29.9% Resilience and adaptability
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2.7% Other - I will share below!
Share your favourite main crop potato recipe and win a copy of our mag!
Love potatoes? We will give away free copies of the May 2026 issue to readers whose potato recipes are used in our magazine. To be in the running, make sure you email your family's favourite way to enjoy potatoes: mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, by March 1, 2026.
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