Whiringa-ā-nuku / October 1, 2024
The Wellington South Coast Cleanup went ahead last Saturday, and they had a beautiful sunny morning for it. A variety of local groups headed to their respective beaches. Houghton Bay has been looked after by Houghton Valley School for many years now and there was a great turn out this year of children and their parents. The teacher organisers said that the amount of rubbish collected each year has reduced significantly, which is a great sign. Maybe others help collect rubbish during the year, or maybe there is generally less of it (well one can always hope …)
Koha Coffee
Saturday, October 5, 10.30 am – 12.30 pm
Houghton Valley Community Hall, 80 Houghton Bay Road
We didn’t have Koha Coffee last month as it would have been the day after the Ceilidh, which BTW was so much fun everyone asked for another! (In case you missed out we are planning the next one for April.) Next month we will be having a community lunch instead of Koha Coffee (see below), so make the most of this October one!
Andrew is hosting, so come along and add your opinion to whether jam on cream or cream on jam is the better way to eat a scone. You can bring something nice to eat as well, or a koha.
There have been several special awareness weeks recently, which we can acknowledge while we chat together. For Te Wiki o Te Reo Māori we can learn / practice some morning tea kupu and korero; for Mental Health Awareness Week we have printed off some quiz questions; and for Seniors’ Week … well there are always a few seniors there as well as younger folk!
Seeds-to-Feeds Wild Spring Lunch
Sunday, 3 November, 12 pm – 2.30 pm
Houghton Valley Community Hall, 80 Houghton Bay Road
We are kicking off this year’s Seeds-to-Feeds local food festival with a lunch that celebrates the fresh kai that is springing up wild in our gardens and on the hillsides. Come and enjoy a delicious vegetarian meal (vegan and gluten free available too). The menu includes:
- Local bread;
- Pickles, relishes and hummus;
- Vegetable savouries;
- Root vegetable pies;
- Our signature foraged salad;
- Cakes, tarts and biscuits;
- Tea and coffee.
The event is koha, but we recommend $15. The first $5 will go towards the wonderful work that the Seeds-to-Feeds team continues to do for us. The $10 plus any more you wish to donate on top of that will go towards Haewai Houghton Valley community projects. Book your tickets here!
There will be some vegetable seedlings available for a cash Koha, that you can take away to plant in your garden or a community garden.
Houghton Valley School Fair
Saturday, November 16, 10 am – 2 pm
Save the date for our School Fair, it is coming up soon!
It’s a fabulous day out for the whole family with something for everyone: bouncy castle, cute bunnies and lambs, candy floss, pre-loved clothes, toys, books, raffles and silent auction, plants and exquisite handmade crafts. Enjoy plenty of games, activities, face painting and live music for all – not to mention delicious food stalls, tea rooms and fresh coffee.
They are aiming for Zero Waste, so please support this by bringing your own bags, keep cups, plates.
Have a bit of a sort at home to see if you have anything to donate to the Fair (see stall categories above). Donations will open on 21 October, and instructions for bringing them will be posted on the Fair’s Facebook Page. If you have any plants that you would like to donate, you can bring them along just before the Fair starts. Make sure they are weeded and watered. Please no weed-tendency plants like karo or purple tradescantia (wandering willy)!
Buckley Road Reserve Tracks
The tracks in the Buckley Road reserve have been getting a bit of an upgrade, with a digger smoothing them out, and creating channels to allow water to drain off the track rather than along the middle of them. The track up from the playground has been done, work is still progressing along the upper track.
Locals have been putting in a few plants and plan to do more next winter. As you can see from the track descriptions, it is time they got some names so that we know which one is which. Have a think of ideas for names when you are next walking that way and we will organise a way to gather them together and decide on names.
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