Houghton Valley Email Newsletter
19 May, 2011
The email group continues to grow. Welcome to those who have recently joined.
Here’s an urgent message from Sophie (who lives in Houghton Bay Rd, near Hungerford Rd): I have found a chicken, and I would like to find its owner. She is a small brown-flecked chook, with a tiny comb.
Here’s a message from Geoff: Kia ora to all on the list (and those to whom a version is passed on to!) I’ve been on the list since the Community Garden near the school was instigated, but been too ‘occupied’ before to post/contribute anything (media work, partner-support and child-care, mainly). I was glad when the email list of everyone’s e-addresses got tucked away from inadvertent spam. I am concerned about identity theft and digital scams, so when Grant and I were talking the other day I said that I thought the Houghton Valley Community was ripe for it’s own web-site. He told me about the Facebook (FB) page, but I’m a little hesitant about its security/privacy issues.
I am proposing that we have a site that allows for additional interaction and sharing between interested people from the valley (discussion lists, photo sharing, links etc.) using some alternative to FB. I’d like to test run a version with a few folk who are happy to spend a little time over the next few weeks, fleshing out a set of pages and maybe some tentative protocols, for the use of such a site. I don’t see it as replacing the e-newsletter. There are many people for whom the simplicity of a text-based sharing of news/views will always be enough. I’d like to explore how the range of other types of communication can be facilitated via a group site.
Please reply to Grant in the first instance to volunteer your email, and check my credentials, and I’ll be in contact ASAP. Geoff.
The Commemorative Seat for Piebe (Peter Koositra of Hungerford Rd): has been installed on the point above Te Raekaihau Point. If you would like to have glass of wine and join Piebe to celebrate his local community work over the past 28 years, a get together is planned at the seat on the 24 May at 3pm (a good excuse for some exercise).
Community Garden working bee: this is planned for Sunday 29 May at 2 pm. Help is needed to clear weeds, rubbish and branches, so more plots can be made. Bring spades, forks, gloves, axes, saws, wheelbarrows and join the gardeners for a cup of tea and biscuits.
(I will send out a reminder about both these events next week).
Planning for Archaeological Dig: has been finally achieved. As we have been granted permission to dig on the site for the next 5 years, we have decided to plan the dig for the middle of next summer, so will keep everyone posted.
Have a great weekend! Regards, Grant