Community key to collective success

Our community matters to me. Not just our region, but the community we experience within that region. Last week I experienced this right across our region.

On Thursday I spent the day with Ngā ti Rā kau (a hapū of Ngā ti Raukawa based around Foxton). They shared their whare or home with teachers from around Horowhenua and I was privileged to join aboutd 100 people for the entire day.

It was also great to hear the alignment between all of us on restoring the Foxton River Loop.

On Friday I joined the Muaū pokotanga Day in Levin in the morning, where they had 400 teachers and support staff. An amazing turnout that shows how these days have grown over the past few years.

I always appreciate the opportunity to sit and listen and learn, to understand the perspectives of those who live in our beautiful part of New Zealand.

Over the weekend, despite a wet Saturday, was the Waikanae Lions Club Garden Trail. This annual “mustattend” had a great response, especially on Sunday when I took part. I’m so grateful to the Lions for the work they do in our community, and to those who opened up their homes for a good cause. This year the profits go to Ronald McDonald House and the Shed Project Kā piti.

The Shed Project offers a range of programmes and opportunities, vocational, social, educational and employment, for local disabled and disadvantaged people. They held their Ineffable art exhibition at Mahara Gallery on Friday night, and if you’re looking for a poppy or sunflower ornament for the garden, I highly recommend theirs. I’ve spent a little time with them and they are a real treasure in our region (and have a great music set-up!).

What’s the point of all this? It’s not about my diary, it’s about community.

We will never reach our highest potential through individualism; we will always be better together. I love that across Kā piti and Horowhenua we see this so often: iwi hosting local teachers; school staff and support organisations giving up a day to join together, to share and learn; people opening their homes and gardens for charity; by joining the Lions or our other service clubs to give back; or people like Denis and the team at the The Shed who are genuinely changing lives.

It is through community that we do great things.

This weekend (and into next week) I’ll be at Waitangi.

Despite some negative media reporting around NZ, my experience with iwi has been really positive.

I’m going to Waitangi because I would much rather have the conversation, even if at times it’s a bit messy, than not have it at all.