On Tuesday 5 July, the Adopt-a-second-team subcommittee held a public meeting at the Grey Lynn RSC inviting the community to participate in organising festivities to celebrate Samoa in Grey Lynn during Rugby World Cup.  The meeting outlined the various activities planned, including two Samoan Heritage Walks, two Street Parties and a Community Cultural event at St Joseph’s School. The meeting was well attended and much support was forthcoming from the Samoan community.
The Adopt-a-second-team subcommittee are looking for performers, food stall holder, Samoan cultural displays, and assistance with organising the events.  If you would like to be involved, please email membership@glba.co.nz.

Media Release: 8 June 2011

Grey Lynn Adopts Samoa as Second Team for Rugby World Cup
The Auckland suburb of Grey Lynn will be putting on its loudest shirts and shouting for Samoa during the Rugby World Cup, thanks to the Adopt-a-second-team programme. Thirty-four local communities will take part in Auckland’s RWC 2011 Adopt-a second-team programme, led by Business Improvement Districts (BIDs) and Mainstreets. The programme enables local communities to demonstrate support for one of the 19 international teams involved in the Tournament. The Grey Lynn Business Association (GLBA) is the driving force behind Grey Lynn, West Lynn and Westmere’s involvement and is working with other community groups to make supporting the Samoan team a success.

Grey Lynn Business Association RWC Subcommittee Member, Soala Wilson says: “We are very excited to have been given Samoa as a second team because it is such a fitting selection. Grey Lynn has a long association with the Samoan community and this link remains very strong today.”
As well as decorating the main shopping areas in Samoan colours, the GLBA has a number of projects underway to involve local businesses, the local community and visitors in the festivities with the aim of creating an authentic community experience for everyone. This reflects the Auckland RWC’s promise to bring 100% Pure hospitality to visiting Rugby fans.

One of the highlights of the events planned are the historical walks, which will be led by Samoan Grey Lynner Reverend Mua Strickson-Pua.  “We are thrilled to have Reverend Mua Strickson-Pua as the guide for these walks, which will highlight the diverse history of the area. The Reverend grew up in Grey Lynn and is a well-known figure in our community both as a minister and as an artist, poet and social activist.” says Wilson. In the spirit of Samoan community, the GLBA is also working with other community groups to bring more festivities to the area in support of Samoa. Details of these will be released shortly.

Media Release from Grey Lynn 2030 and the Grey Lynn Business Association

Subject: NZ Post closures

9 June 2011

Locals fight to save iconic Grey Lynn Post Office

NZ Post was left in no doubt last night that Grey Lynners feel passionately about their Post Office (a Post Shop) and are willing to fight to save the services it provides and the historic building. At a public meeting hosted by community group Grey Lynn 2030 and the Grey Lynn Business Association over 50 locals called on NZ Post to urgently reconsider its decision.

Located on the corner of Williamson Ave and Great North Road, the NZ Post plans will see the relocation of the post office boxes and postal services from the Post Office building to a Post Centre franchisee. Kiwibank and bill payment services are to be discontinued. Four NZ Post staff also face an uncertain future.

“NZ Post has clearly misjudged the needs of the Grey Lynn community, many of whom are not internet savvy, and the importance of the Post Office in creating a vibrant hub that supports a lively shopping area for a range of businesses” says local hair dresser, Soala Wilson “I feel incredibly angry and saddened that NZ Post is planning on ripping out the heart of Grey Lynn”

Chair, John Elliott reminded the meeting that the new super city structure will only work if local communities are strengthened and sustainable. “The NZ Post plans are a backward step when Grey Lynn has been identified as a growth area by Auckland Council”

Cr Mike Lee, while acknowledging NZ Post’s need to run at a profit, called on the company to consider its obligations to communities as set out in its Statement of Intent and grant a stay of execution until what he called a “community rescue team” led by local business people could come up with a solution which would enable continued postal, banking and bill paying services in Grey Lynn.

A resolution was unanimously passed at the meeting for a working group to be formed to negotiate with NZ Post to delay the closure and to reconsider the decision.

Government and Community Relations Manager Peter Fa’afiu, who fronted the meeting for NZ Post, said he had heard loud and clear the message from the Grey Lynn community. He acknowledged the passion for the Grey Lynn Post Office and committed to taking the proposal back to Wellington to discuss with CEO Brian Roche.

Notes:

Save our Post office public meeting held at the Grey Lynn Community Centre on Wednesday 8 June.

Attendees included Deborah Harcus of the Eden Tce Business Association who is fighting to save the Symonds Street Post Office from closure, Waitemata Local Board members Shale Chambers, Rob Thomas and Pippa Coom; Waitemata & Gulf Councillor Mike Lee and Denise Roche, Green Party candidate for Auckland Central. Apologies were received from MPs Jacinda Ahern and Nikki Kaye

Chair John Elliott

Hosted by Grey Lynn 2030 and the Grey Lynn Business Association

Contact person for the working group: Soala Wilson

soala.wilson@gmail.com

phone 027 4372698

Local Community Constable Natalie Lyons is wanting to create an email database of Grey Lynn residents so that she can email her Community Constable newsletter to residents rather than the time consuming effort of pounding the pavement.  This quarterly newsletter includes stats on crime in Grey Lynn and general information on crime prevention and interesting criminal profiles. If you’d like to receive this newsletter by email please email Natalie on Natalie.Lyons@police.govt.nz.

The Grey Lynn Community Gardens are nestled in the Saint Columba Church grounds in the heart of Grey Lynn. It is a Living Communities Trust project that began in 2000. The Saint Columba Church and Community have provided a safe place for the Community Gardens to grow.

The intention of this Garden is for it to be community building and connecting with the earth and seasons. Permaculture and organic gardening are the approaches applied in the garden.

We gather each Sunday at 2pm to care for the whole community garden, and also have monthly discussion meetings on the 4th Sunday of each month at 2pm. There are collective resource areas, worm farms, water tanks, compost areas, peripheries, communal plots, individual plots, trees, meeting room, tool shed etc, which we all look after.

We are very open to new members, and invite people to enjoy and learn more about community gardening by
coming along!

·         Gardening every Sunday from 2pm onwards;
·         Meetings on the 4th Sunday of every month at 2pm.

Contact:

Peter Wham:  361-2520

Kathryn Goodman:   021-031-9032  /  kathryn1844@gmail.com

Fionna Hill:  fionnahill@xtra.co.nz

Hello Grey Lynn 2030ers

Nothing to do this weekend?- there is plenty on in our community starting with Art with Love 2009 – Richmond Road School’s annual public art auction

The Gallery will be open during the weekend from 11am -4pm. Coffee supplied by Coffee Supreme
Auction is being held on Tuesday 10 November at 7pm, viewing from 5pm.
check out the website for more details www.artwithlove.org
Richmond Road School 113 Richmond Road Ponsonby, gallery entrance is on Douglas Street.
Queries email ange@artwithlove.org

Grey Lynn 2030 Monthly community meeting Wednesday 11 November
We have another monthly meeting coming up next Wednesday. Keeping it quite low key this month and thinking about what we can get up to in 2010. If you have a good idea for a local project and want to raise it and get some other like minded folk to get involved here is your chance to speak up and present to the group.

Positive Vision, Practical Action evening

Grey Lynn 2030 has a vision of a self –reliant, positive, resilient, vibrant, connected and sustainable community. This month  the focus groups are updating  on making this vision a reality through practical steps. The Grey Lynn Farmers Market is a great example of what amazing results come out of our monthly meetings and community engagement.

Please come a long to get involved and share your ideas with the current focus groups (Waste Away, Traffic calming, Edgars Stream Restoration, Community gardens, Green Screen, Local Government Relations) or to get new focus groups up and running. All welcome at 7.30pm at the Grey Lynn Community Centre

Wilton St Community Garden
We had a fantastic day on Nov 4th with the BNZ CLOSED FOR GOOD crew at the garden.

We managed to clear all the rest of the jasmine and load all the pile of garden waste off the site, filling the 10 cm bin (almost all jasmine root) and paint the fence. Lesson learnt here for home gardeners, jasmine is very invasive.

The day was fine, BNZ team were lovely, we had no accidents and we even finished early. Everything ran like clockwork thanks to our incredibly fantastic team of Wilton Street gardeners who worked so hard to make the day a success – especially Jacqui for juggling childcare and taking care of the fantastic catering, Margo who took the day off work, Sarah for getting the paint donated from Ponsonby Resenes and overseeing the painting.

Thanks also to all those who contributed lovely baking and the people who dropped by during the day to see how it was all going and have a cuppa. Thanks to GL2030 for the bin.

If you are up at the Farmers Market this Sunday, do come over and see us. We are just behind the Gypsy Tea Room and we will be there on Sunday morning.

Mandy

Waste Away Group
Auckland Freecycle

Do you know about Freecycle? In Auckland there are now 1120 members and we are wishing to grow further.

Can you get involved to keep good things out of landfills and helping out our community in keeping New Zealand clean and green. So when you have something that is too much hassle to sell, you don’t want to see destroyed by the scrap metalers in the inorganic and you have nobody to give it to. Freecyle is the thing.

Once you join, please tell your friends, boss, co-workers, family, neighbours about this way of parting with usable items so that somebody else can use them.
If you got only one person to join it would make a huge difference in expanding our purpose and making our community a cleaner place to live.

http://groups.freecycle.org/aucklandfreecycle

Grey Lynn Farmers Market

Nothing much to eat in the house? Never fear, the Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market is here to entertain you this Sunday morning, plus provide you with all the fresh produce you will need for a delic\ous Sunday lunch and see you through the week to come.

Every Sunday but the last of the month the Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market stallholders are serving you with a smile and story of their local produce. From meat and fish, to nuts and honey, to the freshest vegetables of all varieties, it’s all there. And to mark the beginning of summer, fresh strawberries will be available at the market this weekend.

If you have a surplus of fresh produce or seedling, remember you can bring it along to sell or barter at the Ooooby stall. It’s a real help if you can bag it up in saleable units before you arrive and pop your name and a price on the bags.

Save the date: the Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market is hosting a Twilight Market on the last Saturday before Christmas, 19th December from 6pm to 9pm, Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Road, Grey Lynn.

We look forward to seeing you all at the market tomorrow.

From the Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market Committee

Grey Lynn Festival
Do you love living in Grey Lynn?… Grey Lynn Park Festival needs local volunteers for the information tent and other areas of the festival
The festival is on Saturday 28 November at Grey Lynn Park..The festival has changed over recent years. It got very big and now the aim is to bring it back to our community. If you have been scared off by the crowds in the past it is quite different now. Note the lack of big name bands and big publicity. For those of you who have been in the neighbourhood a while it is a great chance to catch up with old friends.
There are the usual smorgasboard of stalls and activities going on through the day, there will be a surprise around every corner! Grey Lynn 2030 will be there in the community space with the community gardens, the Farmers Market and other local groups.

Visit the KidZone on the top field
If your child would like to have a children’s stall, we will have a free marketplace area especially set up from 10 -12 for traders under 13 please register beforehand!
And also we have a scarecrow competition, create a scarecrow, bring it to the Childrens Area Coordinator, Monique who will be in the ASB tent and then they will be judged and announced on the Whanau stage at 1pm

Just like the Farmers Market, it is good if you can bring cash and leave your car at home.

Please come on down and celebrate the 25th gathering of our Festival

For any queries please either email Angela at greylynnparkfestival@gmail.com or call me on 027 202 9609

Auckland Energy Consumer Trust election campaign

Unfortunately Pippa didn’t make it to be on the AECT. The Citizens and Ratepayers group were the winners. Well done to Pippa for giving it a go.
What a lot we have learned! Thanks to those who voted and helped. Here is Pippa’s update.
www.pippacoom.co.nz

Other Local Events and Groups

New Zealand Youth Delegation

The New Zealand Youth Delegation are 12 passionate young Kiwis, working to ensure our climate policies look after the planet and people for generations to come. We’re heading to the United Nations Climate Change Conference this December, in Copenhagen, Denmark. . .

Join NZYD for an evening of fun!
Charity auction.. Fun and celebrations.. Drinks & nibbles.. Live entertainment!..
All funds raised.. Helping us get to Copenhagen.
Thursday 19 November. 6pm.
Freemans Bay Community Hall, Auckland.

Please R.S.V.P. to nzyd2009@gmail.com

NZYD is a charities registered organisation, under the umbrella of 350 Aotearoa.
Suggested koha is $5 – $10 per person. For auction items we will gladly accept cash, cheque, and direct credit.

www.youthdelegation.org.nz

Fly My Pretties Competition
I work for  Ecostore and couldn’t resist sharing this with you as unless you are on the ecostore mailing list you wouldn’t know about the Fly My Pretties tickets competition. (If you say Who? this is not for you) Ecostore are sponsoring the Wellington based Fly My Pretties musicians in their upcoming “Encore” shows in Auckland (Dec 4th) and Wellington (Dec 5th). The Encore Show features work from their beautiful new album ‘A Story’. There are 2 tickets for each show to give away. If you want to enter the competition, please click to enter.

City Vision Special General Meeting
When: Wednesday, 11 November, 7.30pm
Where: Auckland Horticultural Society Hall, 990 Gt North Rd, Western Springs (opp Motion Rd)

City Vision (the Green Party, Labour, Alliance and like-minded community independents) is the campaigning organisation for the broad left in the local body elections in the (existing) Auckland City. For information on our principles and policy see cityvision.org.nz.
You are warmly invited to this Special General Meeting. There will be reports on current issues, including the all-important regional re-organisation, and our progress in developing an organisation to fight the supercity elections in October 2010.
To facilitate the development of a campaigning organisation for the new Auckland Council in 2010, the City Vision Steering Committee recommends we establish a Campaign Committee to structure ways of working with other like-minded political and community groups across the region. We hereby call for nominations for the City Vision Campaign Committee for 2010. If you are interested or for more information, please contact Gwen Shaw, Deputy Chair, on gwenshaw@xnet.co.nz, 378 2188.

Grey Lynn Community Centre
The GLCC are looking for a new board member. Our Grey Lynn community Centre is a beautiful local asset. We have a small management committee who meet once a month. If you are interested in this please contact me suzanne.kendrick@gmail.com We would particularly like a younger person. Young to us means somebody in their twenties! We would like to see the centre used more on Friday and Saturday nights so if somebody has a good idea for a regular event please get involved.
Will need to get in touch this week so you will be ready for AGM on Thursday 19th November. All welcome to the AGM.

Pt Chev School Fundraiser – 6th November
Pt Chev Primary would love to see you and your friends at this fun night out in support of our school.
This is the major fundraiser for the year and is to raise funds for a new junior playground.

You need to get a ticket which includes:
A free Indulge embossed wine glass and carrier.
Access to the food market for free sampling and drinking.
Entry to the auditorium to watch four professional culinary and wine demonstrations.
The opportunity to buy some of the best food and wine NZ has to offer at reasonable prices.
Live music.
A fun night out with others from our community.
The chance to win a series of food spot prizes

Please go to www.indulgefoodfestival.co.nz or email indulgeptchev@xtra.co.nz

Pt Chev Transition Town Meeting
Next meeting is Tuesday, November 9 – Resource Room, Pt Chevalier Primary School, Te Ra Rd.

Don’t forget to bring something along to swap or give for market place if you can – not to worry if you can’t!

PT. CHEV TREASURE HUNT
A fun, free event for the whole family and neighbourhood
Sunday, November 8th , 1 – 4 pm, All over Pt. Chevalier
1 pm start at Pt. Chevalier Library – Finish at Coyle Park

Bring your family, friends and lively spirits and travel around Pt. Chevalier collecting clues that piece together an understanding of the suburbs amazing history and natural beauty.
You can choose a leisurely walk to find clues and surprises, go hard out on your bicycle or scooter to cover the distance, or just sit back amongst the hustle and bustle. There will be something for everyone to participate in and enjoy!

Bicycles (singles and tandems) can be rented on the day from Adventure Cycles in Pt. Chevalier. For more info contact them directly or adventurecycles@woosh.co.nz

New Farmers Market – Royal Oak Market – opens 22 November(14 Erson Avenue, Royal Oak).  As a Transition Town group we support local initiatives. We are very pleased to see a new market has sprung up. We hope the locals will get behind this market and be able to walk or cycle there.. The market is being hosted by CCS Disability Action, a not for profit organisation that supports people with disabilities.  Over 40 stall holders will be selling a variety of artisan foods and products – french pastries, olive oil, cheese, honey, fresh fish, fruit and veges, artwork, jewellery, ceramics, kids clothing and gifts.

Do we have any Food Co-ops in Grey Lynn?
If anybody knows of any Grey Lynn food co-ops could they contact Joel Hildebrandtjoel@earthsong.org.nz at Earthsong, so we can share information and cooperate between cooperatives.

Calendar of Upcoming Local Events

November
6 – 10th Richmond Rd School – Art with Love Public Art Auction
Sun 8th Grey Lynn Farmers Market
Sun 8th- Pt Chevalier Treasure Hun
Tue 10th – Pt Chev Transition Town Meeting
Wed 11th Grey Lynn 2030 Monthly Meeting
Sat 28th – Grey Lynn Festival 10 – 6

December

Not at all local but would looks good…

16th December Climate Camp – http://www.climatecamp.org.nz/
19th Grey Lynn Farmers Market Twilight Market

Have a great weekend. Also am trying out some new email software www.mailchimp.com
Can you let me know if the formatting is OK at your end?Thanks

Suzanne Kendrick
Grey Lynn 2030 Steering Committee
www.greylynn2030.co.nz
www.Twitter.com/greylynn2030
www.facebook.com/GreyLynn2030

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has. – Margaret Mead

Come along to our Annual General Meeting and Special General Meeting

Date: 28th of October

Where: Grey Lynn Community Centre, 510 Richmond Rd. Same venue as the market
Time: 07:30 – 09:00pm

It’s a great chance to get to know other members and join in on a night of music, organic wine and kokako catering. Gardening personality Linda Hallinan is speaking, and there’s a couple of short films from The Outlook for Someday sustainability film challenge.

Not to mention lots of spot prizes from stallholders and local businesses, including wine giveaways, Yoga Ground and il buco vouchers and Weatherfield organic seedlings.

It’s also a chance to be involved in electing the Market’s official management committee (see below). To date the market has been run by an interim management team. We’re in need of keen beans to help keep the momentum of the Market going, particularly people with marketing and organizational experience.

We are now calling for Management Committee nominations

What is the Management Committee?

A small group of up to nine un-paid individuals who are passionate about the Grey Lynn Community and prepared to give up to three hours per week for the cause in addition to attending meetings as required.

How do I get involved?

Write a half page brief about yourself addressing the following:

1. What you can offer as a member of the GLFM  Management Committee.
2. Why you want to be involved.
3. What your vision is for the market.
4. How much time per week can you commit?

You can format your own submission or simply complete the attached template. Please submit all nominations to greylynnfarmersmarket@gmail.com by the 21st of October. These nominations, along with the AGM agenda, will then be circulated to all members for consideration before the AGM.

Thank you for your continued support – See you at the Market on Sunday.

The Interim Management Committee

Grey Lynn Farmers’ Market