Tai Tokerau Timebank

Whangārei: Visible Knitwear Repair Workshop Timebank member, Anne Fraser, from Intercept Fabric Rescue Whangārei, ran her 3rd successful and popular visible knitwear repair workshop at H.A.R.E. (He Awhi Rito EnviroHub). Anne always prepares her workshops very thoughtfully, bringing free merino clothing for participants to practice on and take home, as well as a big selection of repair materials including colourful fleece and embroidery threads. She kindly pre-prepared demon

On a miserable rainy night, some intrepid souls headed to Kaeo to participate in an Eco-Solutions workshop making safe cleaners. Anouk and Katharina, both timebankers, brought a collection of non-toxic ingredients, essential oils and a list of DIY Cleaning Products recipes. We decided to collaborate and each made one cleaner to share with the others. I chose the All-Purpose Spray since I don’t use commercial cleaning sprays at home and wanted something I could use safely. T

Ojo de Dios making Hosted by the 3 way collaboration of Tai Tokerau Timebank, Creative Northland and EcoSolutions, Timebank member, Nyree Sherlock, patiently guided everyone through the creative process of weaving a colourful ojo de Dios and personal zines. The evening hummed with a meditative atmosphere as adults and children focused their concentration on being creative. The Ojo de Dios (Eye of God) is a traditional spiritual weaving craft created by the Huichol and Tep

TTT Organisational Member, Mahinga Kai Ngunguru Community Gardens, welcomed years 5 and 6 from Ngunguru School for an hour of fun compost creation. Tossing ingredients in a tarp ready for hot composting; digging into the worm farm, absorbing fascinating facts about worm life; lively chatter, laughter, full on garden fun and real hands-on learning in their local community garden. TTT Members, EcoSolutions’ Javiera, orchestrated this beautiful connection between the school and

Whangārei July Green Drinks WOW! What a star-studded evening at Northland’s Planetarium. All seats were filled, eyes were directed skywards and ears listened enthralled to TTT member Kate Hornblow who presented us with an astronomical and astrological feast. Keeping our night vision intact we headed up to the 2 telescopes housed in a building with a removable roof. The sky miraculously cleared and Trent guided our telescope extravaganza with a magnified Matariki as well as

What a wonderful gathering for the first kai share / seed crop swap held at He Awhi Rito Envirohub in Whangārei People wandered in carrying plants to add the great selection of seeds, produce and plants on display. Lots of great discussions were shared about gardening. It was fantastic to see so much enthusiasm for sharing garden plants, knowledge and tips. Next one Sat Sept 5th @ 9.30am

HARE is Whangārei’s only Envirohub, but not many people know it exists! We are exploring ways to change this and so Lucretia (Hub Manager & TTT member) initiated our 1st Open Day on Sat 18th July. Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust, which includes Experiencing Marine Reserves (EMR) and Whitebait Connection, EcoSolutions and Tai Tokerau Timebank all had displays show casing their activities. Lucretia also set up a table to introduce the Hub’s 1st Kai Share Crop Swap. This w

Talking to the fixers at Tai Tokerau Timebank organisational member Kerikeri Repair Cafe about how they might fix my Bissell upholstery cleaner which had stopped squirting water inspired me to tackle this mop which had also stopped squirting water ... over a year ago. I'd had guys look at it, half-heartedly admittedly, but to no avail. Well, I was going to take it to the Repair Cafe and thought, surely I can do this myself. Turns out I could. I decided to be systematic abo

I’ve always wanted to know how to keep my tools sharp so when Transition Towns had a workshop for just this, I jumped at the opportunity! Held at Mara Tui community gardens in Kerikeri, we drank fresh Kawakawa tea and learned how to care for our tools. Alex, who also volunteers his German engineering skills at the monthly Kerikeri Repair Café, got us in the zone by explaining how different cutting tools work and to “be one with your tools”. This understanding and way of think

Being a big fan of waste reduction, I’d been meaning to go to the Kerikeri Repair Café for a long time. Becoming the new Whangaroa-Kerikeri-BOI Timebank Coordinator gave me the push to actually get there and meet Uta, a timebanker who runs it. Bissell upholstery cleaner now squirts water again I grabbed some blunt and somewhat rusty gardening tools and my upholstery cleaner that no-longer squirted water despite my best efforts to fix it and headed over. So nice to meet pe

Whangārei: June Green Drinks This was kindly hosted by Timebank member, Casey, at her home in Onerahi. We gathered in her beautiful cob creation – The Hobbit Cobbin! This unique cob cottage features recycled windows and rafters, and is decorated with earthen sculptures on the walls. The roof is a living garden where you can wander along a path between drought hardy plants. The Hobbit Cobbin is wonderful example of what is possible using imagination, our hands, recycled, loca

Handmaking felt slippers – cosy, comfy, soft & warm - made with elbow grease to snuggly our own feet! This Timebank workshop in Whangārei reverberated with laughter, chatter and creativity, lubricated by foaming soapy water as we rubbed, rubbed, rubbed, moulding brightly coloured fleece into personal handmade slippers - green Shrek feet, speckled grey and white park, fairy pink, dandelion-dyed and au natural. Conversations flowed in abundance and variety, as fleece graduall

Timebank was represented at the official opening of Kāinga Ora’s Whangārei new homes on the Avenues by Timebank members Jeannette and Harvey, Clare, Nicholas and Janey. Timebank was invited by Zephyr, the Community Development & Engagement Manager, to introduce He Awhi Rito Envirohub (H.A.R.E.) and its community gardens. There are 95 homes in the development which is the largest of its kind in Northland. Outdoor space is limited so the possibility of residents using H.A.R.E

Whangārei Green Drinks – May This was a hands-on event with everyone learning how surplus textiles can be up-cycled into mattresses, weed mats and home insulation! It was popular with local Timebankers who decommissioned zips, buttons, poppers etc, sorting clothing into 3 different bags depending on their composition - 100% cotton, mixed fibres or 100% polyester. The mattresses are available to buy and come in the usual bed sizes. This photo of a blue chopping board is ma

It’s pruning time of year, but my garden pruning gear was blunt, loose and a bit rusty. What to do as I don’t have the expertise or tools to bring them back into action? Well ..... of course ... I visited our local Repair Cafe. Now the secateurs, shears and loppers are sharp, tight, clean and ready for action! Whangārei is incredibly fortunate to have this cafe. Founded by FORCE, (Home - For Our Real Clean Environment) it’s run entirely by skilled volunteers. The atmosphe

Knitwear Visible Repair Workshop! What a fabulous way to spend a Saturday afternoon in May Whangārei He Awhi Rito Envirohub was the perfect setting for this wonderful workshop. Tutors Anne Fraser and Jenny Hill, who run Whangārei Intercept Fabric Rescue, (an Organisational member of Tai Tokerau Timebank), skilfully guided us through various sewing techniques and felting methods. At Intercept Fabric Rescue they transform knitwear with holes and stains on them into wearable c

A fantastic evening at Botanica Fernery! This was one of the most social Green Drinks I’ve experienced, with everyone enjoying the warm, colourful atmosphere surrounded by exotic palms, orchids, bizarre cacti, succulents and fragrant subtropical plants. The evening afforded “Green Drinkers” a wonderful opportunity to see behind scenes in the long tunnel houses, not open to the public, and guided by Florence who was happy to answer everyone’s questions. The main conservato

Whangārei March Green Drinks was incredibly fortunate to be hosted by Whakaora Kai Food Rescue Northland. Whangārei is the distribution hub for Food Rescue in Tai Tokerau, donating kai to more than 80 charitable and social service groups who pass it on to those in need. With only three paid employees they process 20 tons of food every month, so volunteers are one of the essential ingredients to make this possible. All their funding comes from grants and donations – which re

Seven timebankers showed up on a sunny Sunday afternoon on 22nd February for a working bee and proved that many hands do indeed make light work. Ron has been an active timebanker for the last nine years and has helped out with numerous handyman and gardening type projects for members. Needing some help with a backlog of projects having injured himself it was definitely his turn to receive help. Four intrepid souls braved the mozzies and dug out the pond where the puna feeds t

Healthy Mattresses from 'Waste' Textiles Most textiles are not recycled in Aotearoa, a 2022 FNDC audit indicates textiles are 11% of municipal waste @ 48 tonnes a week = 2,500 tonnes a year. WDC in 2022 estimated 7% @ 4,800 tonnes a year. Kaipara has no data available but based on population figures is estimated to generate 2,400 tonnes a year. There is now a solution diverting textile ‘waste’ from landfill into comfy, affordable, healthy mattresses! Under the guidance of