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Waikato District Council - Te Kaunihera aa Takiwaa o Waikato

Getting to grips with what’s in your rubbish bin is easier than you think! We work alongside our local communities, schools, waste experts, marae and organisations to provide events and workshops to help you reduce, reuse and recycle right.

SEWtember

Join us this SEWtember where we learn all things sewing repair, reuse and slow fashion.

There are a number events designed to help our community love the clothes they have, repair them, remake them and buy more clothes secondhand!

Learn more

Upcoming events and workshops

  • Turn trash to textile art sewing waterproof bags, using kitchen waste (single use food packaging) and gifting the bags for FREE to the community.

  • Learn to sew on a simple project, a headband from recycled fabric.

    $15 per person – Spots are limited! Book here.

  • Looking to explore fresh op-shops, be a bit lighter on the planet, and keep your wallet happy? This is the event for you!

    Join us for an inspiring sustainable fashion bus tour, brought to you by Waikato District Council.
    We’ll pick you up in Ngaaruaawahia and travel to Cambridge sharing our favourite second hand shops, sustainable fashion tips and pearls of op shopping wisdom along the way. You’ll enjoy a leisurely morning browsing the racks, meeting new locals and hopefully leave with a couple of bargains.

    PICK UP DETAILS:
    Please assemble 8.45am: Waikato District Council Car Park, 15 Galileo Street.
    The bus will return to Ngaaruawaahia at approximately 1.30pm

    HOSTS:
    Nic from Mainstream Green and Lianne from Waikato District Council.

    WHAT TO BRING:
    We’ll make at least one stop so that we can visit some outlying stores, but please note that this tour will involve walking around the town centre, so a comfortable pair of shoes and weather-appropriate clothing is recommended. If you have any particular access needs, please let us know and we will do our very best to accommodate you.
    Your ticket includes a free coffee from a selection of nearby cafes - make sure to remember your reusable cup!

    Get your tickets here

     

  • Learn the art of upcycling and printmaking within fashion with international fashion designer Jeanine Clarkin.

    Bring along your old clothes, blankets or curtains and explore how to give them a new lease on life.

    Cost: $25 per person - spots are limited!

    For enquiries email arts.huntly@gmail.com

     

  • Upcycle and repurpose second-hand clothing, reducing textile waste in landfill.

  • Learn to sew on a simple project, a headband from recycled fabric.

    $10 per person – Email syldevlin@gmail.com if you’d like to have a go.

  • Join us for an evening of sustainable fashion and style inspiration.

    Hosted by professional stylist Caitlin Taylor and renowned sustainability speaker Nicola Turner, get ready to discover real-world tips and practical advice to grow your personal style confidence and curate a simpler, low-impact wardrobe full of clothes you love.

    With a passion for keeping it real, Nic will weave sustainable style insights and tips throughout the evening. In her humourous and engaging style, she will show how simple changes to our fashion approach can reduce our impact, save us time and money, and even bring a newfound ease and balance to our lives.

    With her celebrated upbeat energy, Caitlin is passionate about using style to grow confidence and empower people.
    She will share her '5 steps to style' - a brilliant introduction to style, with a focus on useful tips and tricks for everyday no matter your age, shape, size or budget.

    You'll leave the event with a newfound appreciation of the clothes you already own and armed with easy ways to make smart and sustainable style choices. 
    Whether you're looking to discover your personal style, simplify your wardrobe, or live a bit lighter on the planet, this event is for you.

    Oh and we'll provide some sustainably sourced refreshments and nibbles to add to the vibe. 

    Get your tickets here

     

  • The Whaaingaroa Repair Café is a free pop-up event where community members can bring in their broken and damaged belongings and local volunteer experts do their best to repair them.

    Repairing rather than buying new is a great way to take climate action in your own life – and learn new skills along the way!

    By extending the lifespan of these items, we reduce waste and prevent valuable resources from ending up in landfills. In general, replacement parts will not be provided by the repairers. Any use of materials or parts such batteries, zips etc. will be supplied or paid for by the visitor and brought to event.

  • Join Nicola Turner from Mainstream Green for a fun and interactive sustainable wardrobe tour. You'll get a sneak peek into her fashion choices, some good chat about finding your style, and time to have your own personal wardrobe questions answered.

    You'll leave armed with lots of easy and practical ways to simplify your wardrobe and be a bit lighter on the planet. You might just save some time and money too.

    Once you register you'll receive a Zoom link for the live event at 7.30pm on Monday the 16th of September. If you can't join live, it's all good - we'll share a recording after the event.

    We'd love to see you there.

    Get your tickets here

     

  • Join us to learn simple sewing skills including darning, adding a patch, repairing zips and sashiko – the Japanese art of highlighting rips and tears with contrasting thread.

    This event is free.

  • Come get sewcial and join a room full of crafters, tackling that repairs pile, getting creative with some refashioning, or start a new project from scratch. 

    Sarah Sew Love will be hosting you in this 3 hour evening workshop to wind down the week, hands-on fabrics, connecting with others & learning some new sewing skills. 

    Adults Sewing Class (Age 15+)

    BYO machine, but let us know if you don't have one and need to borrow a machine. 

    Supplied: 

    • Fabric scraps for mending, interfacing, embroidery floss, threads, needles, chalk, pins, irons.  
    • Hot tea & treats provided, BYO bevvy of choice!

    Get your tickets here

     

  • How many garments can we repair? It’s a Sew-a-thon!!   Plus join our mini how-to workshops - sewing machine maintenance, darning, basic stitches are more!

    Repairing rather than buying new is a great way to take climate action in your own life – and learn new skills along the way!

    By extending the lifespan of these items, we reduce waste and prevent valuable resources from ending up in landfills. In general, replacement parts will not be provided by the repairers. Any use of materials or parts such batteries, zips etc. will be supplied or paid for by the visitor and brought to event.

    Get your tickets here

  • Come join a room full of repair inspiration and happy crafters tackling that pile of un-wearables. Learn helpful stitches to repair, and more creative ones through visible mending techniques. A bonus part of repairing is also refashioning, there will be loads of inspiration and examples to look over.

    Sarah Sew Love will be hosting you in this 3 hour morning workshop to cruise into your Sunday, soothed by the whirring of sewing machines, slow hand stitching mindfulness, and more of our own clothes returned to the wardrobe to be worn again!

    Adults Sewing Class (Age 15+)

    BYO machine, but let us know if you don't have one and need to borrow a machine. 

    Supplied: 

    • Fabric scraps for mending, interfacing, embroidery floss, threads, needles, chalk, pins, irons.  
    • Hot tea & treats provided, BYO bevvy of choice!

    Get your tickets here

     

  • Keen to get a sewing kit at home for running repairs?  Pop along and make your own sewing kit.

    Free of charge!

  • Join us for the VERY FIRST repair café in Ngaaruawaahia!

    Repairing rather than buying new is a great way to take climate action in your own life – and learn new skills along the way!

    By extending the lifespan of these items, we reduce waste and prevent valuable resources from ending up in landfills. In general, replacement parts will not be provided by the repairers. Any use of materials or parts such batteries, zips etc. will be supplied or paid for by the visitor and brought to event.

  • The Whaaingaroa Repair Café is a free pop-up event where community members can bring in their broken and damaged belongings and local volunteer experts do their best to repair them.

    Repairing rather than buying new is a great way to take climate action in your own life – and learn new skills along the way!

    By extending the lifespan of these items, we reduce waste and prevent valuable resources from ending up in landfills. In general, replacement parts will not be provided by the repairers. Any use of materials or parts such batteries, zips etc. will be supplied or paid for by the visitor and brought to event.

  • Do you have something sitting around the house that needs to be fixed? Pop along this Saturday to the Raahui Pookeka repair cafe!

    Organised by Friendship House Huntly Community Charitable Trust, bring your items along for repair advice and practical helps.

    Check out their Facebook event for more information.

  • The Whaaingaroa Repair Café is a free pop-up event where community members can bring in their broken and damaged belongings and local volunteer experts do their best to repair them.

    Repairing rather than buying new is a great way to take climate action in your own life – and learn new skills along the way!

    By extending the lifespan of these items, we reduce waste and prevent valuable resources from ending up in landfills. In general, replacement parts will not be provided by the repairers. Any use of materials or parts such batteries, zips etc. will be supplied or paid for by the visitor and brought to event.

  • Are you tired of throwing un eaten food away? Then it's time to level up with our Food Lovers Masterclass! You'll learn how to store food like a boss, decode those pesky best before dates, and save enough to buy a yacht (okay, maybe just a canoe).

    Tickets: $10, and you get a gift pack worth $40

    Book your ticket.

    We'll see you on Wednesday 13 November, 6pm-8pm at the Elsies Bar & Restaurant, Function Room , 3 George Street, Tuakau

  • Are you tired of throwing un eaten food away? Then it's time to level up with our Food Lovers Masterclass! You'll learn how to store food like a boss, decode those pesky best before dates, and save enough to buy a yacht (okay, maybe just a canoe).

    Tickets: $10, and you get a gift pack worth $40

    Book your ticket.

    We'll see you on Wednesday 20 November, 6pm-8pm at the Raglan Bowling Club, 19 James Street, Raglan.

Past events
  • Do you have something sitting around the house that needs to be fixed? Pop along this Saturday to the Raahui Pookeka repair cafe!

    Organised by Friendship House Huntly Community Charitable Trust, bring your items along for repair advice and practical helps.

    Check out their Facebook event for more information.

  • The Whaaingaroa Repair Café is a free pop-up event where community members can bring in their broken and damaged belongings and local volunteer experts do their best to repair them.

    Repairing rather than buying new is a great way to take climate action in your own life – and learn new skills along the way!

    By extending the lifespan of these items, we reduce waste and prevent valuable resources from ending up in landfills. In general, replacement parts will not be provided by the repairers. Any use of materials or parts such batteries, zips etc. will be supplied or paid for by the visitor and brought to event.

  • We’ve teamed up with Waste-Ed with Kate to offer a Food Lovers Masterclass.

    Come along and learn about why we waste food and how to stop it.

    Tickets: $10, each attendee will receive a goodie bag worth $40. 

    Book your ticket.

    We'll see you on Thursday 25 July, 6pm-8pm at the Ngaruawahia Community House.

  • The Whaaingaroa Repair Café is a free pop-up event where community members can bring in their broken and damaged belongings and local volunteer experts do their best to repair them.

    Repairing rather than buying new is a great way to take climate action in your own life – and learn new skills along the way!

    By extending the lifespan of these items, we reduce waste and prevent valuable resources from ending up in landfills. In general, replacement parts will not be provided by the repairers. Any use of materials or parts such batteries, zips etc. will be supplied or paid for by the visitor and brought to event.

  • Do you have any unwanted tyres hanging around at your place?

    We have partnered with Waikato-based tyre-recycling company, Treadlite New Zealand, to hold this event while promoting environmental sustainability by encouraging responsible disposal and recycling of used tyres. 

    • A maximum of 10 tyres per customer can be accepted.
    • Tyres need to be clean and their rims must be removed.
    • Commercial and tractor tyres cannot be accepted. 
    • A gold coin koha to Te Kowhai School

    The tyre collection event will be held at Te Kowhai School, 605 Horotiu Road, 9am to 2pm on Saturday, 6 July. 

    Spots are limited. Register your interest here.

  • Do you have something sitting around the house that needs to be fixed? Pop along this Saturday to the Raahui Pookeka repair cafe!

    Organised by Friendship House Huntly Community Charitable Trust, bring your items along for repair advice and practical helps.

    Check out their Facebook event for more information.

  • Thank you to everyone who registered for this. Due to the huge demand, we are now at capacity. We hope to hold another similar event soon.

    Waikato District Council has commissioned EnviroNZ to hold a free household hazardous Waste drop-off on Saturday 4 May from 9.30am to 1.30pm in Ngaaruawaahia.

    Items that will be accepted are:

    • Paint waste
    • Solvents
    • Oils and automotive waste
    • Household chemicals
    • Herbicides, fungicides and insecticides
    • Aerosols

    To enable all material to be safely contained, registration is essential, drive ups will not be allowed.

    Only those registered will be communicated the location of the event.

  • Nau mai, haere mai

    Para Kore invite you to the launch of the Raahui Pookeka Community Compost Hub, hosted by Te Matawhaanui Trust in collaboration with The CarbonCycle Company, and funded by the Waikato District Council's Waste Minimisation Fund.

    Where: Kaahui Tuuwaa Maara Kai, Raahui Pookeka | Huntly (look for the driveway with the Para Kore flag between 26 and 24 Fairfeild Avenue).

    When: Tuesday 30 April 2024

    • 9.20am: Karakia tiimatanga
    • 9.30am: Installation of the compost system. Come take part and learn about it as we go.
    • 10.30am: Paramanawa | Morning Tea
    • 11.00am: Continue installation
    • 12.30pm Kai o te raa nui (please bring a plate)
    • 1.15pm: Waananga: How this compost works and how to maintain it.
    • 2.30pm: Karakia whakamutunga

    Please RSVP to paul@parakore.maori.nz or ngakau@parakore.maori.nz

  • As a community, we are committed to overcoming the environmental challenges that we face today, from the growing issue of waste to limited awareness or recycling practices.

    Join us for a guided tour of Green Gorilla's Huntly Recycling Centre and learn how we can create a cleaner, healthier, and more sustainable future for generations to come.

    PS: Attend the tour and you could be in to win a grocery hamper or a 20inch, 6-speed Minecraft bike!

    When: Saturday 23 March 2024
    Time: Starting at 9am - There will be 10x 20 minutes sessions
    Where: 137A Rotowaro Road, Huntly

    What to expect

    • An introduction - An overview on the importance of recycling and its impact on the environment.
    • Guided tour - See the different stages of the recycling process, including collection, sorting, processing, and distribution.
    • Interactive demonstrations - Hands-on activities, such as sorting recyclables and observing machinery in operation.
    • Fun activities - Face painting!
    • Q&A session - An opportunity for an open discussion.
    • Educational materials - Participants will be provided with resources to support continued learning and encourage positive sustainable behaviour.

    Registration form

    Registrations are now closed.

    Thank you everyone for showing your interest, we hope hope to host further tours in the future.

  • Are you keen to learn some 'life hacks' to saving money and making your food go further?

    Join the Foodlovers Master class with Waste-Ed With Kate!

    Sponsored by us and facilitated by the Friendship House Huntly Community Charitable Trust, you'll learn the ‘what, why, and how’ we waste our valuable food, and leave with the knowledge and strategies to make a real difference and save money!

    We'll see you on Tuesday 21 November, 6pm-8pm at the Huntly War Memorial Hall - Tickets $5

    Learn more.

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