News from the Valley

Thank you to everyone who has participated in our survey. Please watch this space for the results and for more information on what is happening next for the Kaitiakitaka in our urban ecosanctuary program. Open Valley Urban Ecosanctuary (Open VUE) relies on volunteers to provide support by offering their time, skills, and expertise. There are many wonderful ideas coming from the residents to promote and increase biodiversity within the Valley. However, as with most volunteer-based organisations, Open VUE has quite a few challenges associated with getting these ideas to fruition due to low volunteer turnout. Funded by …

Due to the adverse weather predicted for Thursday 3 October we have moved this year’s event to The Valley Project, 262 North Road, Dunedin. On Thursday, 3rd October join the Valley Project, community and conservation  groups, local schools and your neighbours for an afternoon of family-friendly fun put on by The Valley Project and its partners! 1pm – 4PM The Valley Project, 262 North Road, North East Valley COMMUNITY STALLS + ENTERTAINMENT + FOOD TUCKS FREE but Koha is always appreciated. To celebrate Lindsay Creek, learn and engage with environmental topics and practices that benefit the awa and …

Join us for our annual Keep NZ Beautiful Clean-Up! We will be meeting at the Valley Project office, 262 North Road, at 10am on Friday the 27th of September. Please wear appropriate footwear and sun safe clothing. Gloves and bags will be provided. If you have any questions please email openvue@northeastvalley.org or call 473 8614.

North East Valley Community Dinner Food provided Saturday 7th September 2024 5:00 - 7:00pm Dinner served at 5.30pm Valley Community Baptist Centre, 270 North Road, North East Valley Join Us for a Night of Connection and Fun! Connect with others in your community and enjoy a delicious meal together. You’re welcome to bring something to share if you wish! Bring your friends, family, or just yourself and make new connections in a warm, welcoming atmosphere and enjoy a night of great food and good company. Koha welcome We appreciate your support for future community initiatives or help for …

On July 20th 2024 the Valley Baptist Community Centre buzzed with the Winter Warmer free market, an event attracting dozens of Dunedinites thrilled to share in the bounty on offer.  The local neighbourhood, anxious to ensure everybody feels warm and nurtured through the colder months, donated generously so everybody arriving was greeted by tables laden with donations: cosy coats and versatile jackets, onesies and hand-knitted jumpers, every kind of sweatshirt and pants, all kinds of boots, shoes and good as new slippers - a bonanza of giveaway clothing inviting a thorough rumage. Eager volunteers were on hand to help with the thoughtful …

The results are in, and we can count ourselves lucky here in North East Valley! Thanks to students from Otago Polytechnic and the Nature Club at North East Valley Normal School, we were able to contribute data for the 2024 NZ Bird Count from four different locations in North East Valley. Observations were made between 29 June – 7 July, and sites included Chingford Park, Bethune’s Gully, Wilkinson Street Park in Pine Hill, and the North East Valley Community Garden behind the Normal School. Manu pango (blackbirds), korimako (bellbirds) and pīwakawaka (fantail) were observed at all four sites. Students …

Open VUE is holding a native plant sale to celebrate World Environment Day on Wednesday, 5 June from 9am-2pm at the Valley Project office in North East Valley. The sale will include tree fuchsia/kōtukutuku, coprosma robusta/karamū, veronica salicifolia/koromiko, cabbage trees/tī kōuka, kunzea ericoides/kānuka, kōwhai, and dodonaea viscosa/akeake, among others. The prices will range from $3-$4, depending on the size of the plant. Cash and eftpos are accepted. These plants were germinated and grown as part of our native propagation nursery. All proceeds from the sale will fund future projects associated with the propagation nursery's efforts to tackle climate change …

  Chris Aubin - Exec Member We have lived in the Valley for 28 years with our children attending both NEV and DNI schools. Following studying at University of Otago I have owned and operated several businesses, residential housing portfolios, CEO of a regional sports body and am currently General Manager of architectural design and steel frame housing manufacturing companies. I have long experience with the management of Not For Profit Organisations from both operational and governance positions. I have a love and passion for The Valley and admire the efforts made by the many volunteers over the years …

Cooking on a budget Welcome back, today we have some tips on how to reduce waste while cooking on a budget. Get comfortable and confident making some basic meals - from there you can start to add or replace ingredients to change things up and keep your meals cheap but interesting. Sauces, spices and herbs are going to be your best friends - they can take meals you're starting to get sick of and make them different. It is really great to get used to using canned and shelf stable ingredients in your cooking - the less perishable things …

YOUR NEW BESTIE, REBECCA! Community advocate and waste minimalist, Rebecca Harris, is set to bring you a number of helpful videos around waste reduction and budget cooking, much like her freezer tips recording featured last month. Keep a look out for Rebecca on our Facebook and on our YouTube channel as well as on the blog here this month. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience to impart in the name of food resiliency! Find her first video on Zero Waste in the kitchen and fridge below! Zero waste in the kitchen and fridge A waste reduction video …

Preserving - reducing waste Rebecca is back with another video on reducing waste - this time she'll be talking about how to tie this into another thing we've been talking about a lot - preserving! It's harvest season so here are some reduced waste ideas for preserves. People think of preserves as jams and chutneys but you can preserve things by drying, freezing and lots of other ways. For example, hanging herbs to dry and then turning them into tea. A great way to find the raw ingredients for preserving without spending money is to join your local community …

KRYSHA BRZUZA, NEW VALLEY PROJECT EDITOR & COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR Howdy! Krysha (KRIH-SHAH) here. I'm the one responsible for the recent changes you may have noticed in the Valley Voice formatting and the newsletter's advertising programme. Having a Media Arts background, I simply couldn't help myself! From the first day I clocked in at the Valley Project it was evident my experience with the organisation was going to be a life-changer. It was also immediately noted that my role as editor and communications coordinator was heavily dependent on networking. Indeed, establishing connections within this community is a primary goal. How …