Community Wellbeing

Information on initiatives we are working on to make Meadowbank and St Johns more inclusive communities, better connected, make better use of our under-utilised public spaces and reduce social isolation, among other lofty aims. This would have huge benefits in natural disasters and other emergency situations, as well as improving the mental health of our suburbs residents.

Neighbours Day – Postponed

6 February 2020

Ōrākei Local Board and Meadowbank and St Johns Residents Association would like to invite you to join our 2020 Neighbours Day celebration – date to be advised.

We are organising great activities, including; photo competition, photo exhibition, historic photo treasure hunting, community heritage walks, food and drink, and of course, prizes for the best photos.

Here are few hints to help you with the photo competition:

Wildlife & Green Spaces – subjects could be animals, small creatures, birds or wildflowers and plants among local reserves and parks. Focussing on a subject with green or open space in the background would make the image more interesting.

People & Everyday Life – photos of people that we see and relate to everyday – teachers, shoppers in the mall, delivery people, work colleagues, family and friends – each going on with their daily routine, perhaps someone of special interest to the photographer.

Buildings & Architecture – look for old, new, unusual or especially architecturally designed buildings, perhaps of historical or community value.

Historic Photo Treasure Hunt – look for buildings no longer existing or ones that have been restored or extended – e.g. houses, shop buildings, churches, schools.

Participate in one or all the activities, meet your neighbours and be in to win a prize too.

For more information contact 

Photo Comp Poster

End of Winter Potluck Dinner Party 31 August

6 August 2019

We are having a party! Winter is coming to an end and we are organising our first neighbourhood potluck party to celebrate the beginning of spring. Come and join us at St Chads Church on 31 August from 6-8pm. Bring along your family, friends and neighbours and a dish to share. You can also test your local knowledge of our area with our quiz designed on the theme of the surprisingly rich vein of “local stuff”.

Help improve neighbourliness and well being in our suburbs by forming connections with the people that live around you. If you are keen to join or willing to help us with the event preparation please email us . Click here for more information.

Community pot luck dinner poster

Making Neighbourhoods More Inclusive in Meadowbank and St Johns

6 August 2019

We are embarking on an ambitious plan to make neighbourhoods in Meadowbank and St Johns more inclusive. We want to encourage people to get to know their neighbours, make better use of our under-utilised public spaces and reduce social isolation, among other lofty aims. This would have huge benefits in natural disasters and other emergency situations, as well as improving the mental health of our suburbs residents.

This year we set up a Community Wellbeing Subcommitte to progress our aims for inclusive neighbourhoods. The Subcommitte Chairperson Ensiyeh Ghavampour has put together a presentation to outline the importance of an inclusive community and what steps we can all take towards making this happen. Click the hyperlink to see the Inclusive Neighbourhoods Presentation and get in touch if you have any thoughts on other initiatives or things you think we could do in this space. Even better get in touch if you’d like to get involved!

 

Community Education – Retirement Village Seminar in Meadowbank 18 September

25 July 2019

Are You Thinking Of Living In A Retirement Village?

As part of our broader community wellbeing efforts, we are pleased to host a free community education seminar provided by the Commission for Financial Capability that will discuss, in very frank terms, the personal, legal and financial implications of retirement village living and what people need to consider before becoming a retirement village resident. The seminar will be held at St Chads 38 St Johns Rd Meadowbank on Wednesday 18th September, with tea and coffee on arrival at 7.00pm and the seminar will start at 7.30pm and finish at 9pm. Because seats tend to fill fast once word gets around, pre-registration is essential.

This is not a marketing event.

To register :

  1. Go to the Retirement Commission link here and register for free on-line; or
  2. Phone Paul  Niccolini at the Commission on 021 565 321; or
  3. Phone CFFC on 0800 268 269.

The Retirement Commission is also holding a daytime seminar in St Heliers on Tuesday 17th September and another in Remuera on Thursday 19th September – for further details and registration go to the Commission here.


Many people do not fully understand the financial implications of retirement village contracts when they pay for a ‘license to occupy’ a unit, says the National Manager of Retirement Villages at the Commission for Financial Capability (CFFC), Mr Troy Churton.

For example, the occupation right agreements offered by some village companies have little financial sympathy when an occupancy ends, due to the resident passing away or having to move to more intensive rest home care. The company may not pay out the unit’s capital to the family until the unit is relicensed, which can take months in some areas, and they may demand that weekly fees continue to be paid during that time.

“Another fish-hook may be if a married couple buy into an independent-living unit, then the husband or wife needs to move into a care facility, additional costs may apply,” says Churton.

There are 18 retirement villages in the Orakei Ward, each containing 60-100 units, with another three villages in development. Those numbers are expected to increase further to cater for the growing 75+ population, projected to rise 195% in Auckland from about 81,000 today to more than 240,000 in 2043.

Churton is running the free seminar on behalf of the CFFC, an independent government agency that monitors the retirement village industry.

“The CFFC aims to ensure New Zealanders are fully informed objectively of the implications of moving into a retirement village before they do so, and have time to obtain legal advice and discuss their decision with family,” says Churton.

Seminars will also be held in St Heliers on September 17 and in Remuera on September 19 – click here for more information on these other seminars.

 

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