News from the Valley

An English conversation group has started up at the Valley Project community rooms The group is an informal gathering where those who are learning to speak English can come along and talk with native English speakers. Group facilitator Carolyn Rogers says it is not a group to provide lessons or tutoring. “It is going to be a relaxed way to practise English and make some new friends.” Carolyn recently returned from teaching in Abudabi, and after trying to learn another language herself she understands how challenging it can be: “I tried to learn Arabic in six years, but it …

The annual great Valley Spring Clean is coming up on Saturday 21 September from 11am-3pm. If you’re in the mood for a clear out but want to ensure you’re being responsible with what you no longer need, then the Spring Clean is for you. This year, with support from Dunedin City Council, we are going bigger and better, especially in avoiding sending items to landfill. We’ll have a team of dedicated volunteers assessing and diverting as much as possible away from the skip. The Te Rōopū Mānaaki class from North East Valley Normal School will be running a clothes …

A $25,000 grant for the Valley Project from the Otago Community Trust will help with many community initiatives such as Kai Share, the HeatSeekers drop-in clinics and CreekFest. Kai Share is a weekly food box programme, which distributes food from KiwiHarvest to local families and people in need. The HeatSeekers: Healthy Homes in the Valley weekly drop-in clinics aim to give people the information and help they need to create a warmer, drier and healthier home. CreekFest is an annual the community festival and educational event that celebrates Lindsay Creek. Valley Project manager Tess Trotter says the funding is …

What has Open VUE (Open Valley Urban Ecosanctuary) uncovered about North East Valley wildlife? There may be many different creatures living in your backyard, from birds to mammals, right down to invertebrates and lizards! Working with our Open VUE educator, Clare Cross, local school pupils from North East Valley, Opoho and Pine Hill took on the challenge to find out exactly what was in their own backyards. They used many different tools and techniques, outlined below, and then combined their findings in what was truly a collaborative citizen science project. Here are the results of what they found out …

Want to get warmer in your home? Did you know that 20–30% of your home’s heat can be lost through your windows? Come along to a free workshop on DIY pelmets and go home with a simple solution to help insulate your windows better. Good curtains that fit well and pelmets will help improve heat retention and reduce energy costs. Fitted pelmets reduce heat loss above windows and can be made of any material as long as it creates an air barrier. Pelmets only need to be against the wall and reach to or past the curtain – they …

A diesel leak into Lindsay Creek suspected to be coming from a community-owned workspace has been distressing for community members and the Valley Project executive board as they work to deal with and rectify the situation. The diesel seeping into the creek is assumed to be coming from recently-discovered underground tanks beneath the Valley Community Workspace at 11 Allen Street. The Valley Project, which owns the community workspace building, was first notified about the leak on 9 July. The chairperson, Ian Telfer, reported the leak to the Otago Regional Council pollution hotline and council staff visited the site later …

It takes a certain kind of delirium to come up with an event in which participants get to run up and down Mt Cargill every two hours over and over again on the shortest day of the year. Add to that a level of cruelty to start the event at 8pm on the night before, and you wouldn’t expect people to bother turning up. However, turn up they did! Last month 26 runners lined up at 8pm to start the Crush the Cargill Longest Shortest Day event at Bethunes Gully. As the very long, cold night dragged on the …

After three years on the beat Mary Waymouth is passing the newsletter bundle to a new generation of Valley Voice deliverers. Mary delivered the Valley Voice to over 450 homes in North East Valley at the start of every month. Mary says she will miss doing the deliveries as she always enjoyed it, but life has been busy for her lately. She passed on a little advice to the new crew and says she met many lovely people and animals on her long walks around the neighbourhood. Taking on her round are Iris Gallagher (12) and Marian McMullan (7) …

Should the Valley Project apply for funding that comes from pokie machines and other gambling? It’s a debate that has polarized the Valley Project executive board with some members saying definitely not while others believe without this source of funding the future of the project could be in jeopardy. Community input invited With the project’s annual general meeting coming up later this month the board invites community input on the issue and will facilitate a discussion at the meeting on 19 June. The Valley Project is a community-led development project which aims to improve life for people and whānau …

MEET VALLEY PROJECT BOARD MEMBER NATASHA MURACHVER, A COMMUNICATION DESIGNER FROM OPOHO What do you love about your local community? We're diverse and welcoming to that diversity. What's the best thing about living here? Everything's in walking distance, and the hills, views and green make for lovely walking. What do you love to do in your spare time? Pretty boring stuff when I'm not at work. Favourite book? The answer is almost always whatever I'm currently reading (False River by Paula Morris). What prompted you to join the Valley Project executive board? I'd been a reader and follower of …

Nominations for the Valley Project’s executive board are now open! Make a difference in your community and become part of the team who set the direction of the Valley Project. There are up to 12 positions on the board which is made up of community members. The board is responsible for the governance of the Valley Project and meets monthly. This year the board is also in need of a new treasurer as well. Board member Ian Telfer says it has been a great experience being on the board for the past two years. “There’s a strong core of …