25 February Wainuiomata News s

Much needed

By Frank Neill

A proposal to establish a dementia care and high level aged care facility in Wainuiomata has received significant community support. This includes the backing of the Wainuiomata Community Board, which approved a letter supporting the proposal at its 19 February meeting. Continued on page 2.

Belinda and Billy Weepu at the entrance to the Wainuiomata Masonic Village. Photo: Supplied.

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Wainuiomata needs its own aged care facility

Continued from page 1

It has also received letters of support from a series of local organisations, including Wainuiomata Grey Power, Love Wainuiomata and local school Principals.

The proposal for the facility began with Belinda and Billy Weepu, following their experience with Belinda’s mother, Rosaline Findlay, who had dementia.

After looking after her in Wainuiomata for about 10 years, they eventually had to put her into care. However, there was no facility locally, so they had to move her into a dementia facility in the Hutt.

The result of moving her over the hill was a rapid decline, and Belinda’s mum passed away late last year.

“Taking her out of the community she knew so well contributed to her decline,” Belinda says.

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“How long have we been a community and we still don’t have our own aged care facility?

“It’s terrible. We need our own one so locals can care for locals.”

In their initiative aimed at establishing a dementia and high-level aged care facility in the valley, Belinda and Billy did two things. They approached the Wainuiomata Masonic Village Board and met with Masonic Trust CE Warick Dunn and GM Masonic Woburn Anne McLean to present the idea of developing a dementia and high-level aged care facility on vacant land at the Wainuiomata Masonic Village.

They also formed a working group to progress the establishment of the facility.

In addition, they created a scope research document which outlined compelling reasons for a facility to be established in Wainuiomata.

The document highlighted the large number of residents who work in the aged care sector, as well as the significant M ori and Pacific

populations in the community. It also noted the growing number of elderly residents who now, or very soon, will need to look for aged care to live out their remaining days.

The Wainuiomata Masonic Village Board has been “very open to working with us — the community — in developing such a facility,” Belinda says, and they are currently in the early stages of exploring with the working group how the proposal could be structured.

“On behalf of the Wainuiomata Community Board, we formally express our support for Mr Billy Weepu and Mrs Belinda Weepu in their aspiration to establish a dementia care facility in Wainuiomata,” the Community Board’s letter says.

“The Board recognises the growing need for accessible dementia care services within our community.

“This proposal directly addresses that need and aligns with our commitment to initiatives that enhance the wellbeing and care of Wainuiomata residents.

“The Board thanks Mr and Mrs Weepu ... and commends their dedication to this important work.

“The Board expresses strong support for the continuation of this initiative and the realisation of the proposed facility.

“The Board also acknowledges the significant value this facility would bring to individuals, wh nau and the wider community, and believes it is well aligned with the current and future wellbeing needs of Wainuiomata.

“The Board encourages other organisations, agencies and stakeholders to lend their support to this important initiative,” the letter says.

Hutt City Council thanked

Fundraiser

The Hutt Sister City Foundation is running a raffle to fundraise for this year’s exchange students.

The prize is a three-hour catered Wellington harbour cruise aboard the Black Pearl (BYO drinks) for the winner and up to 15 people of their choice.  Talia Atlas, from Wainuiomata, has been selected as one of four students from the Hutt Valley this year.

Her family will host an exchange student for four weeks then she will go to Tempe, Arizona for a month with other students from several different sister city countries.

The funds help go towards funding activities for the students who will be visiting NZ.

The raffle is closing this Friday 27 February and the cost is $25 per ticket.

Fore more information or to buy a ticket message 021 236 4312.

By Frank Neill

Hutt City Council received a “thank you” at the 19 February meeting of the Wainuiomata Community Board for its communications during this month’s storm.

“Thank you so much for the feedback and updates during the recent bad weather,” Helen Thomas of Wainuiomata Grey Power said during the ‘public comment’ section of the meeting.

“It was really good.”

Some people, and particularly older people, do not use social media, so receiving the communications was very beneficial.

Helen also noted that she is aware that Hutt City Council has an aging accessability sub committee.

“I think there are ways we could work together to prepare better for these weather events,” she said.

Many people “here in the valley are not fit and able,” Helen noted.

“So we should start working as a team, especially around emergency management.”

The Wainuiomata Marae and the Wainuiomata Volunteer Fire Brigade also received a

“thank you” at the Community Board meeting.

“I want to acknowledge our local marae and our local volunteer fire brigade ... for their response” during the storm, Wellington Regional Councillor Gabriel Tupou said in his presentation to the Community Board.

Lower Hutt Mayor Fauono Ken Laban also

thanked the Wainuiomata community for its response during the storm in his presentation to the Community Board.

“We are ... seeing more frequent and more severe weather events,” the Mayor said.

“The recent storm showed how quickly damage can occur, and the cost to Council and the community is significant, both in recovery and in preparing for the next event.

“But I have never been prouder of our community.

“The kindness, the support and the way people stepped up to help one another was truly heartening.

“We are a strong community that cares for each other and it is a real privilege to serve as your Mayor,” he said.

Green waste fee waiver extended

Hutt City Council has extended the waiver of green waste fees at Silverstream Landfill until 5pm on Sunday 1 March.

The Council has made this move, it says, “recognising the tremendous community response to storm clean-up efforts across Lower Hutt”.

The Council introduced the waiver in the wake of this month’s major storm.

In the first three days of the fee waiver, Silverstream Landfill received significantly above normal levels of green waste.

This reflected the scale of the community clean-up effort, the Council says. Mayor Ken Laban says the community's response has been

outstanding since severe weather hit the city.

"The response from our community has been absolutely incredible.

“We've seen neighbours helping each other, neighbourhoods working together, and people getting stuck in to get the city back on its feet,"

Mayor Ken says.

"By extending this fee waiver, we're backing our community as they work through what is a significant recovery effort. The enthusiasm and community spirit has been fantastic to see."

The fee waiver applies to clean green waste only, including branches, leaves and vegetation, delivered by non-commercial vehicles such as

cars, vans and utes with trailers.

Normal charges remain in place for mixed loads containing non-green materials, and commercial vehicles are not eligible.

Due to high demand following the community's clean-up efforts, residents should expect delays. The green waste drop-off area can accommodate around four vehicles at a time, and volumes are significantly above normal levels.

LOCAL TRADES

TRUST A LOCAL

Free Smokefree ‘WOW’ness Day

A free Smokefree ‘WOW’ness Day will be held at High Sinclair Park from 10am to 1pm on Saturday 7 March. The ‘WOW’ness day will feature free health checks and well-being support and will provide people with an opportunity to learn practical ways to strengthen well-being.

It will also give those attending the opportunity to ask questions in a safe and welcoming environment and to connect directly with trusted local services.

Free kai will be available and there will be free electric ride-ons for tamariki, games, prizes and giveaways.

‘WOW’ness Day is a collaboration of local services, health providers, community organisations and businesses all coming together for one purpose: The wellness of the Wainuiomata community.

The event is brought to the valley by Love Wainuiomata, Hapai Te Hauora – M ori Public Health and Kokiri Marae Health and Social Services.

Improvements for cycleways needed

By Frank Neill

Some of the road surfaces in Wainuiomata’s cycleway structure are “quite poor,” Hayes Stockhouse told the 19 February meeting of the Wainuiomata Community Board.

Speaking in the “public comment” section of the meeting, Hayes said that the poor road surface was especially the case in the cycleways that go towards the Wainuiomata hill road.

“It can be a little bit annoying, especially at peak time, when you want to cycle up the hill.”

That was particularly true when there were high traffic volumes.

Also the cycleway markings “could be a lot better,” Hayes said, noting that some cycleways did not have the cycleway image painted on them.

“The lanes could be painted like they are in Wellington.”

Another improvement that could be made is on the structures separating the cycle lanes from the car lanes.

That “makes riding at night quite difficult,” he said.

He also noted that cars were being parked on the cycleway.

“Near the bottom of the hill, at Parkway, there is a bunch of cars parked on the cycleway heading towards the roundabout,” Hayes said.

“What would be good to see is more covered cycleways,” he added.

Women Cricketers win again

By Frank Neill

The Wainuiomata Design and Build women’s Cricket team continued their winning ways with a victory over Naenae Old Boys on 21 February.

This sees Design and Build sit at the top of Cricket Wellington’s division three table as the only undefeated team in the competition. They have amassed 38 points and lead Petone Riverside by seven points.

Naenae batted first in the match and scored 128 for the loss of two wickets in their 20 overs.

Wainuiomata took 17 overs and four balls to pass that total, and finished the day on 129 for the loss of seven wickets.

Marina McCarthy scored exactly a half century, and was Wainuiomata’s top scorer.

Matie Whitman scored 19 after

she had taken one of the Naenae wickets to fall at a cost of 13 runs and Amalia Lipidis scored 18 for the home team.

Tauvale Whitman was Wainuiomata’s other wicket taker and she finished with one wicket for 14 runs.

Wainuiomata Design and Build’s next match is against Upper Hutt United at Heretaunga Park on 28 February, starting at 2pm.

Wainuiomata Life Direct, who are also playing in the women’s third division, were scheduled to play City Suburbs on 21 February, but the match was abandoned.

Their next match is against Naenae Old Boys at Richard Prouse Park on 28 February, starting at 2pm.

The Wainuiomata Life Direct premier men’s team ended day one of their two-day match against Naenae Old Boys with the teams fairly evenly matched.

Batting first on Bryan Heath Park,

Naenae was all out for 224. Wainuiomata had reached 84 for the loss of three wickets at stumps in the division two encounter.

The home team will be looking to Loyis Edwin, who is on 40 not out, and Callum Mackaness, who is on 10 not out, to continue their promising partnership on 28 February.

Tanuj Ahuja bowled outstandingly for Wainuiomata, taking four wickets and conceding only 15 runs from his 11 overs.

Ryan Jackson also bowled very well, taking three wickets for 53 runs.

Callum Mackanness, who took one wicket for 35 runs, and Logan Stoupe, who took one wicket for 46 runs were the other two Wainuiomata wicket takers and there was one run out.

The Wainuiomata men’s second XI remain at the top of the premier reserve 2 table following a draw

with Petone Riverside on 21 February.

Batting first on the Petone Recreation Ground, Petone Riverside scored 244 for the loss of six wickets. At stumps Wainuiomata had reached 125 for six.

Wainuiomata leads the table on 62 points, five points ahead of Stokes Valley.

The team’s next match is against the Sri Lankan Sports Club at Bryan Heath Park on 28 February, starting at 11am.

Wainuiomata cricketer Craig Foster top scored for the New Zealand over 50s in their 50 over match against Australia on 22 February.

Craig notched up a half century and went on to score 55 runs, helping New Zealand reach 198.

Australia then tied the scores on the final ball of the match to win the series 1-0.

Mayor’s priority is hearing from people

By Frank Neill

Lower Hutt’s Mayor Fauono Ken Laban wants Hutt City Council “to come to where people are, to hear directly from you.

“That’s a priority for me,” he said in his address to the Wainuiomata Community Board on 19 February.

“I’ve made it clear I want hear all voices.

“During my campaign I visited several residential care homes and received some very wise advice.

“One of the outcomes was the establishment of a new Aged and Accessibility Committee, and I’m pleased that Glenda Barratt will lead as Chair and Chris Perkin as Deputy,” Mayor Laban said.

“Last year I held a series of road shows with Council staff, where we talked about how we operate in the face of growing challenges.

“I shared a quote that sums up our situation: ‘The pessiminst complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The realist adjusts the sails.’

“That’s where we are as a Council.

“Our residents are doing it tough with the cost of living, and there is a clear expectation that councils must do better with the money we already have.

“At the same time, we are responsible for a very large asset base – pools, libraries, community facili-

ties, roads and water infrastructure, much of it ageing and becoming more expensive to maintain each year.

“We are also facing potential Government-led changes, including possible council amalgamation and rates capping.

“Both could significantly affect our financial sustainability and may, at some point, mean difficult decisions about services.

“Because of this, we released a report called ‘Adjusting Our Sails’, which asks us to

range of services we provide;

continue to own all the facilities and assets we currently do; and

Hutt may be comparatively overprovided, such as pools, libraries or hub facilities.

“I want to be honest. These will not be easy conversations.

“But avoiding them would be worse.

“I am committed to having them

openly and respectfully.

“We are about to begin work on our Annual Plan and Long-Term Plan.

“These documents set out our priorities as a community, and your input matters.

“Formal consultation will begin around the end of March.

“You’ve told us clearly that affordability matters.

“Keeping rates under control while still delivering essential services is the hardest challenge I face as Mayor, and the most important.

“My commitment to you is this: I will be upfront about the choices and trade-offs, I will listen, and I will keep the focus on what matters most – a city that is fair, financially responsible and well positioned for the future,” Mayor Laban said.

“Almagamation is often raised in discussions about the future of local government.

“While it is sometimes presented as a way to streamline services and reduce costs, it also raises important questions about local voice,

representation and accountability.

“At this stage there are no decisions on the table for Lower Hutt.

“What matters to me is that any discussion is focussed on outcomes for residents and is approached carefully, transparently and with full community involvement.

“We are also establishing a new regional water entity, ‘Tiaki Wai’.

“This is a significant change and a major challenge, but we know from events such as Moa Point how critical it is that we get water infrastructure right for the long term.

“There are several important infrastructure programmes under way, but the most significant is the RiverLink project, now known as ‘Te Wai Takamori o Te Awa Kairangi’.

“This project is about preparing our city for the future by strengthening flood protection, improving transport connections and revitalising our city centre,” Mayor Laban said.

(6) 35. Large grey goose (7)

Cross between a grapefruit & a tangerine (4)

Deed (3)

Petrol(inf) (3)

College official (4)

Diplomatic (7)

Young people (6)

48. Advancement (9)

49. Crouching down (9) 51. Take in & feed(livestock) for payment (5) 52. Mythical creature (7) 53. Bony plated marine fish(Europe) (5) 54. Skilled workman (7) 55. Hell (6,5)

1. Stupid (5) 2. Deceitful (11) 3. Tip of graduates hood (8) 4. Desert plant (6)

Yellow-green colour (5)

Drink of red wine & fruit juice (7)

Cattle breed (8)

Cure (6)

Vast (7)

Loop (5)

Changed (7)

Spirit Award now every second year

By Frank Neill

Awards will move to being presented every at its meeting on 19 February.

2027, the board decided. The move to presenting the award every second year was recommended in the report

This would, the report said, “ensure the awards remain special and meaningful”. It would also “achieve costs savings and allow sufficient time for promotion, collaboration and engagement with nominators and nominees.”

Last year four people who have made significant community contributions – Janice Toko,

They were selected from the 18 nominations received by the board.

the year before, 2024, as no nominations were put forward.

This means the the awards have effectively been biennial since 2023.

At its 19 February meeting the board also approved funding for Anzac Day 2026.

It approved funding of up to $200 for a wreath and up to $300 for catering for the Wainuiomata Anzac Day event, to be held on 25 April 2026.

Inland Revenue’s Marae Clinic

Inland Revenue will be holding face-toface appointments at Wainuiomata Marae from 9:30am to 12:30pm on Thursday 26th February.

The session will be held in Te Whare o Bubby Turner Building, 153–201 Parkway. Inland Revenue can help with:

It is essential that people book an appointment and they can do this by emailing their ird.govt.nz.

Local setting up new political party

By Frank Neill

ing on setting up a new political party, with the aim of contesting this year’s general election.

based on the premise that “our two greatest assets are our environment and the people who

not against it can solve problems that central government is unable to without local knowledge and in a fraction of the cost,” David says.

“Things that I will push for that I would he says, are:

with diplomacy and hope alive and well in the hearts and minds of as many people as

winsituations.

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Things that he will not vote for, David says, are: -

“There will naturally be other things that will come up that I will or will not support based on the premise above,” David says. support legislation from other parties that fits in with the above above premise and ideas from any group or individual that are based on the above premise as much as possible.” At the moment David is looking at speaking opportunities to gain publicity and he will go fromthere.

“I truly believe I am offering a real alternative for voters – a party that hasa soul and wants to deal with the issues in a way that brings more people into believing that we can do better as a country and they can be part of that change.

“I feel the timing is right,” David says.

Check your Plunket / Well Child books, or call your GP.

If you’re not sure, no worries. Contact your doctor to check. It’s safe to get the vaccine again if you have no record of receiving it.

0800 611 116 for advice.

Kokiri are able to check to see whether you have had the MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccination as well – this saves you a call to your GP. If there is no documentation as having received the MMR vaccine, then it is safe to have.