Our marketing and communications focus for October is sustainability, in anticipation of the WAO Summit at the end of the month. Sustainability – meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs – covers many areas, and at Community Networks and LINK, we’re working to enhance food security and support community resilience across the district.
Currently, around 20% of the waste that goes to the Wānaka Transfer Station is organic. As you will know, we’ve been working on improvements to our current Foodbank system for some time - ensuring the Foodbank is well-stocked with fresh items such as fruit and veg, meat and dairy products and taking on volunteers to help clients choose and pack their parcels within certain time windows. As part of this piece, we’re also looking into ways to reduce food wastage within the community: we’ve established a food security working group including representatives from Wastebusters, Dr. Compost, Grow Wānaka, Food for Love, Kahu Youth, QLDC and DOC to investigate food rescue initiatives; facilitated seed growing workshops for our foodbank clients; and are looking into ways of reducing packaging of dried goods in our Foodbank. If you are interested in joining any of these conversations, please email foodbank@communitynetworks.co.nz.
Over the last two days, the Wānaka Community Workshop have built two fresh produce stands for the community with the help of young people from Kahu Youth. The stands will go to new homes at the Wānaka Community Hub and Wānaka Wastebusters for the community to leave what they can and take what they need, so watch this space.
And, finally, an invitation to the green-fingered of Wānaka to join our crew of gardeners at the Community Hub. Now in its second season, the LINK Community Gardens project provides an opportunity for individuals, families and groups who may not have the space, resources or expertise to plant at home. Last year’s gardeners feasted on a huge range of produce and learned lifelong skills from mentors like Dr. Compost and Grow Wānaka volunteers. For more information or to express interest, email kathy@link.org.nz.
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