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News | 18 March 2021
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Friday Five: Time to celebrate our neighbours!

The kaupapa of Neighbours Day Aotearoa is to encourage us to get to know our neighbours better. This year the national campaign runs between 20-30 March.

For us here at Wellington City Council, it’s about connecting Wellingtonians to create strong neighbourhoods. Fostering a sense of whanaungatanga and manākitanga for ourselves and our neighbours makes our communities stronger.

Neighbours Day celebrations will be happening across Wellington, with many exciting events at our community centres. Here's a list of five awesome activities!

A recent Neighbours Day event in Mount Victoria was a success.

1. Newtown Open Studios
Saturday 20-Sunday 21 March, 2-7pm | Monday 22 March, 5-7pm
Various Newtown studios

Newtown Festival is around the corner and there will be artists participating in the seed swap in recognition of Neighbours Day. Bring your neighbours along and walk around Newtown visiting 17 local artists in their studios, with the opportunity to purchase original artwork directly from them. For details on which artists are participating, you can find the map on Facebook or pick up one in Newtown.  

2. Films, tai chi and more 
Tuesday 23-Friday 26 March
Kilbirnie Lyall Bay Community Centre

The Kilbirnie Lyall Bay Community Centre is hosting four different ‘get to know your neighbours’ events over four days, and at each of these, we will be giving out free packets of garden seeds.

There will be a sausage sizzle, and two free 1-hour Tai Chi classes with Ferne aka Fierce Tiger! We’ll look back at what Wellington looked like in yesteryear with films from Time Cinema in Lyall Bay for a gold coin donation. And there will be tips for keeping a healthy brain with Jenny from Dementia Wellington.

Find details of these events here.

3. Enjoy a pot-luck meal and seed swap
Sunday 28 March, 5-8pm
Island Bay Community Centre

Join your neighbours for a friendly meal and garden trade! Bring a plate of kai to share and seeds or fresh produce to swap. Everyone is welcome to this whānau-friendly event. Find out more here.

There are many other seed swap activities happening in other community centres such as Vogelmorn Precinct, Mt Vic Hub, Thistle Hall, Strathmore Park, Raukawa, and Churton Park. For more information, visit our full event list.

4. Teddy bear’s picnic for the tamariki
Saturday 27 March, 10am-2pm
Hataitai Community Centre

Bring the kids down to enjoy the bouncy castle and a teddy bears picnic to commemorate a year since we first went into lockdown. Swap plants, seeds, and produce with your neighbours. Find out more about this event here.

5. Hāngi, kapa haka, and a kōrero 
Sunday 21 March, 1-3pm
Newlands Paparangi Progressive Association

The Newlands Paparangi Progressive Association invite you to join them for their Neighbours Day activities at the Marae. They will have groups sharing information on how to be resilient, activities for the kids, hāngi to purchase and light refreshments. They will also have a kapa haka performance and demonstrations from the Newlands Fire Service, NZ Police and Wellington Free Ambulance.

For the full list of Neighbours Day events happening at our community centres, visit here. Want to organise your own Neighbours Day event with your community? You can find all of our resources here.