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Hello neighbours, our editor Jo McCarroll is hosting another Live Lunch today (with colleague Naomi who edits NZ House & Garden), so jump online between 12.30 and 1pm to join them. You can ask questions in advance, so start firing through your gardening questions and pictures of your garden or … View moreHello neighbours, our editor Jo McCarroll is hosting another Live Lunch today (with colleague Naomi who edits NZ House & Garden), so jump online between 12.30 and 1pm to join them. You can ask questions in advance, so start firing through your gardening questions and pictures of your garden or the projects you've been tackling over lockdown anytime you like!
Freedom campers around the Whangārei district are being rounded up to two central Whangārei spots so police can keep an eye on them and ensure their needs are met. This comes as the number of cases in Northland hits double-digits, with 11 as of Thursday , with latest information available here. … View moreFreedom campers around the Whangārei district are being rounded up to two central Whangārei spots so police can keep an eye on them and ensure their needs are met. This comes as the number of cases in Northland hits double-digits, with 11 as of Thursday , with latest information available here. What do you think of the way freedom campers are treated? What alternative would you suggest?
How's everyone feeling at this stage of lockdown? Head over to the Reach Out page and let everyone know how you're coping and share any words of kindness that will help support each other during this time. Do you need help or can you help a neighbour in need? Perhaps you can offer a … View moreHow's everyone feeling at this stage of lockdown? Head over to the Reach Out page and let everyone know how you're coping and share any words of kindness that will help support each other during this time. Do you need help or can you help a neighbour in need? Perhaps you can offer a friendly phone call, have some great baking tips, ways to work from home or ideas to keep the kids entertained. Post on Reach Out and together we can all support each other and our communities during this time.
Lockdown is a stressful and difficult time for many and showing kindness can go a long way in brightening someone’s day. Be Neighbourly and spread positivity, we all know there’s plenty of that on Neighbourly!
Need help or can you support someone in need? … View moreLockdown is a stressful and difficult time for many and showing kindness can go a long way in brightening someone’s day. Be Neighbourly and spread positivity, we all know there’s plenty of that on Neighbourly!
Need help or can you support someone in need? Reach out to your Neighbours here now.
For starters: I do think that using the concept of staying out of the infection-spreading zone of other people is a really, really good idea. I'm in the high risk group of people; trust me, I do not want to catch the virus.
My wife went to go shopping yesterday. It took her hours to get … View moreFor starters: I do think that using the concept of staying out of the infection-spreading zone of other people is a really, really good idea. I'm in the high risk group of people; trust me, I do not want to catch the virus.
My wife went to go shopping yesterday. It took her hours to get into the supermarket. HOURS. There were lines formed and directed outside by the staff, and she tells me that no way were the lines at a safe distance from each other. Then some supervisor shouted if someone over 70 was there, there was, and the gentleman was led along the line of other people in the queue --- no distance at all, instead of being led around the outside.
Get this: he was led along the queue, exposed to ever single &^%$* other person waiting, with no distance kept at all. My wife jokingly said to him "you're not 2m away from me" and he just about jumped out of his skin and apologized to her. It wasn't his fault.
They are spraying and 'sterilizing' the trolleys outside the shop. When it got to checkout time, she got shouted at because the packer felt she was too close to the cashier. They packed all her goods into the trolley used by the person before her (sic!) instead of using hers, and when she wanted to walk out she had to pass right by the packer who made no moves to distance herself.
The whole thing is, pardon the pun, a sick joke. The basic idea is good, but the implementation is lousy, and inept, in some cases plain dangerous (talking about exposing the 'over 70' bloke to everybody else waiting in line, here). It is implemented by people who don't understand the underlying principles and flounder around trying to comply with 'rules' they don't really comprehend. In this form, the spread of the virus is highly likely to continue, never mind what.
Keeping people waiting outside the shop for hours (around 4 hours it took!) is NOT sanitary. With my arthritic knees and still recovering from a heart attack, I'd not even consider it, I'd sooner dig up grass roots and carrot weed in the paddock and eat those. And, to wit, the delivery system is completely overloaded.
The other food stores should be OPEN. That would reduce queues. The regulators who came up with this plan have handed a de facto monopoly to foodstuffs and woolworth, which is being exploited (are there any specials at all just now?) and the quarantine measures, as I said above, are poorly understood and implemented.
By and large I am pretty disgusted by the situation.
Incidentally, I notice that the traffic on SH1 through Kauri has picked up by a lot today. Yesterday it was quiet, the day before it was very quiet; today? Quite busy all day ...
Here's a nice thought: Who in your life deserves special recognition for their service to the Whangārei community?
Every year up to four citizens are honoured for outstanding voluntary service at a special Civic Honours Awards Ceremony at Semenoff Stadium.
Civic Honours Awards are our … View moreHere's a nice thought: Who in your life deserves special recognition for their service to the Whangārei community?
Every year up to four citizens are honoured for outstanding voluntary service at a special Civic Honours Awards Ceremony at Semenoff Stadium.
Civic Honours Awards are our chance to acknowledge the people that make a difference. Do you have someone coming to mind?
Nominations have been EXTENDED until the 1st of June this year. Start here:
www.wdc.govt.nz...
● Wash your hands.
● Use cough and sneeze etiquette.
● Respect self-isolation.
These are only some of the ways that you can keep yourself and your Neighbours safe!
We are looking for seniors 65+ to take part in a short questionnaire to help us improve our website. The questions will take no longer than 3 minutes to complete and no personal information is required. The winner of a $50 Prezzy Card will be drawn at random on 27 April and contacted directly.
… View moreWe are looking for seniors 65+ to take part in a short questionnaire to help us improve our website. The questions will take no longer than 3 minutes to complete and no personal information is required. The winner of a $50 Prezzy Card will be drawn at random on 27 April and contacted directly.
Visit www.readerstours.co.nz and spend a few minutes browsing our website. Think about the pages you would visit and the information you would like to see in order to book your next adventure! When you are ready, click here to complete our questionnaire.
Thank you, your feedback is greatly appreciated.
Ts&Cs apply.
Our Kerbside rubbish and recycling collections continue as usual. Pictured here are our new official blue rubbish bags, though the old grey ones will be collected just the same!
Please put your rubbish out early, i.e. before 7am, as we are managing start times to reduce risk and help the crews get… View moreOur Kerbside rubbish and recycling collections continue as usual. Pictured here are our new official blue rubbish bags, though the old grey ones will be collected just the same!
Please put your rubbish out early, i.e. before 7am, as we are managing start times to reduce risk and help the crews get collection runs finished before dark.
Please also double-bag potentially hazardous rubbish like tissues to protect collectors from spreading germs.
We are so happy to be welcoming an incredible new partner to Neighbourly - joining our long-term friends AMI, Resene and Ryman Healthcare.
Pet Direct are the new kids on the pet block and know the industry inside-out; they have over 350 dog years of animal experience within their team. Most … View moreWe are so happy to be welcoming an incredible new partner to Neighbourly - joining our long-term friends AMI, Resene and Ryman Healthcare.
Pet Direct are the new kids on the pet block and know the industry inside-out; they have over 350 dog years of animal experience within their team. Most importantly right now, they're still delivering all your essential items during the Covid-19 lockdown.
The Pet Direct team do things differently; firstly they ALL have pets of their own. They also personally hand-pick every product they stock; they have over 5,000 items that have been tried and tested (but mostly eaten). They ship daily, from their Auckland-based warehouse, straight to your doorstep (with free delivery over $29), and offer a best price guarantee.
Neighbours - our pets remain a constant source of love and comfort during unsettling times. So show them (and the team at Pet Direct) how special they are. To say thanks for the support (and for being a good neighbour during this tough time), they're offering you 10% off their already awesome prices. Just use the code NEIGHBOURLY10 at checkout.
Dear neighbours and NZ Gardener family,
Our April issue should be with our subscribers now and available in supermarkets and service stations (having been distributed prior to the lockdown restrictions). Whether or not it's on the stands yet is a bit patchy ... but then the incredibly brave… View moreDear neighbours and NZ Gardener family,
Our April issue should be with our subscribers now and available in supermarkets and service stations (having been distributed prior to the lockdown restrictions). Whether or not it's on the stands yet is a bit patchy ... but then the incredibly brave and hard-working supermarket staff have quite a bit on their plate right now so I understand if there is a delay! Please, please, please everyone ... don't go out to buy it! Normally of course we love you buying NZ Gardener but right now it's far more important that you stay home and stay safe. (You can buy a copy with your online shopping though! That's safe and I think we are all in the market for something uplifting to read right now).
In this issue we offered to send out sweet pea seeds to any reader who sent us a SSAE. Just to reassure you, we will still send out sweet pea seeds to any reader who is keen to participate. We are just not quite sure when! Ignore the dates in the magazine of when you needed to send the envelope in by - that has been indefinitely extended. But we cannot wait to send you the seed and for those flowers to bloom as by then we will be well through this or even have it behind us. And keep letting us know what you are sowing and growing, send in pictures of your harvest, your flowers or what you are sharing.
We always love hearing from NZ Gardener readers but now when we are all staying apart that connection means more than you can imagine. Stay home, stay safe and stay in touch everyone. For the most updated gardening advice, subscribe to our digital e-zine Get Growing, which will be delivered to your inbox completely free.
The effect of misinformation, myths and gossip can be stopped in its tracks if we all use official news sources. Myths can often be difficult to spot, so we encourage you to only use official news sources at this time https://covid19.govt.nz/.
Don't forget daylight saving ends tonight!!
Glenda Hubbard
Playing games online isn’t just for the grandkids, we have a whole list of free game websites to keep you entertained; crosswords, jigsaw puzzles and sudoku to name a few.
Dear concerned citizen,
It’s important that we all try and shop safely as we unite against COVID-19.
Here’s a few things we should all now do, that will help slow the spread of the virus:
• send one person from your household to do the whole shop
• be aware that stores will limit … View moreDear concerned citizen,
It’s important that we all try and shop safely as we unite against COVID-19.
Here’s a few things we should all now do, that will help slow the spread of the virus:
• send one person from your household to do the whole shop
• be aware that stores will limit numbers to help you keep 2 metres away from others
• be kind to essential workers, and others you’re sharing the shop with
• come with a list so you can get in and out as quickly as possible
• only touch what you want to buy
• if you like, take a soapy towel in a small container to wipe down trolley or basket handles etc
• keep 2 metres away from others, including staff. They need to keep safe too!
• use payWave if you can, not cash
• bag groceries away from others if you can
• take out produce when you get home, and wash first in soapy water to protect against the virus, then rinse to remove any soap residue wipe down packaged goods with a soapy clean towel, then dry
• wash your hands before and after you shop.
Can I bring people in my household with me to buy essential supplies?
You should dedicate one person per household to be the shopper. This is the safest way to get essential supplies, as it reduces the number of people who are out, and helps stop the virus from spreading.
Leaving online shopping to those who need it most
• If you are healthy, or aged under 70, you should go to the supermarket to do your shopping. This leaves online delivery slots free for those that need them most.
• If you’re a parent on your own with children or over 70, move to online shopping if available. This is important for the safety of your children and others – especially essential service providers.
• If that’s not possible, reach out to nearby friends, family or neighbours who can assist you with the shopping and get it to your doorstep. Your local community may also be able to assist, or you can contact your local store – some are putting special systems in place to help.
Thank you
If we all do our bit we’ll get through this. Thank you for working together and staying home. We can, and must stick with it.
© Neighbourly 2024
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