Healthy Families Te Ngira

25/08/2026

25/08/2026

The August e-Pānui is out.

This edition brings together that place-based mahi from across the country, where local knowledge leads and Healthy Families NZ teams shape the conditions to unlock it.

Read more in the comments below. 👇

24/08/2026

LOCAL ALCOHOL POLICY: Community Voices. Collective Effort. Meaningful Change.

We acknowledge a significant milestone and an important step forward in the ongoing efforts to reduce alcohol-related harm in Kirikiriroa.

Following strong community advocacy and public submissions, Hamilton City Council has agreed to move to the next stage of developing a draft Local Alcohol Policy focused on off-licence alcohol outlets. This outcome reflects the voices of community organisations, health advocates, iwi partners, and local residents who have consistently raised concerns about the impact of alcohol availability on whānau and neighbourhood wellbeing.

The kaupapa has always been about ensuring communities have a meaningful voice in decisions that affect them. A Local Alcohol Policy provides an opportunity to address concerns around the concentration of bottle stores while supporting healthier and safer environments for whānau.

This achievement demonstrates what can be accomplished when organisations and communities work together with a shared vision and a commitment to creating positive change.

This milestone also highlights the importance of meaningful community engagement. Te Kōhao Health & Healthy Families Te Ngira supported the consultation process by helping to circulate the Local Alcohol Policy survey directly to whānau through our Whānau Day events and wider community networks. We also worked alongside organisations within our Te Ngira Collective, where wānanga were held with kaumātua to help them understand what the LAP is, why it matters, and how it can contribute to healthier and safer communities.

By taking the conversation directly to our communities, more whānau were able to participate in the process, ask questions, share their experiences, and make informed submissions. This collective effort helped ensure that the perspectives of those most affected by alcohol-related harm were heard and considered as part of the decision-making process.

SOURCE: Hamilton City Council - Extraordinary Council Meeting - (19 August 2026).
Full meeting recording available on Hamilton City Council's YouTube channel.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUoNQNYY8zw

21/08/2026

21/08/2026

85th Anniversary of Te Puna o Te Ora.

Rauawaawa Kaumatua Charitable Trust

29/07/2026

PART 3 of 3: Matariki ki Te Kauaeranga: A Systems Shift Towards Collective Wellbeing.

These photos capture the many moments, connections and memories that made Matariki ki Te Kauaeranga such a special celebration for our community.

Across the day, tamariki, rangatahi, kaumātua, whānau, kaiako and community members came together to share in the spirit of Matariki through learning, creativity, movement, storytelling, kai and whakawhanaungatanga. From traditional games and cultural activities to moments of laughter, connection and shared celebration, each image reflects the people and relationships that brought this kaupapa to life.

Behind every photo is a story—a child discovering something new, a rangatahi stepping forward in leadership, generations sharing knowledge, whānau reconnecting, and a community creating memories together. These moments highlight the importance of coming together, celebrating who we are, and strengthening the connections that support our people.

A heartfelt thank you to Te Kura o Te Kauaeranga (Thames South School), Thames High School, Te Kōhanga Reo o Mātai Whetū, Kaumātua Rōpū o Hauraki, whānau, community organisations and the wider hapori for the collective effort, care and commitment that made Matariki ki Te Kauaeranga possible.

We invite you to enjoy these snapshots of the day, celebrate the memories captured, and share the moments that hold meaning for you, your whānau and our wider community.

28/07/2026

PART 2 of 3: Matariki ki Te Kauaeranga: A Systems Shift Towards Collective Wellbeing.

These photos capture the many moments, connections and memories that made Matariki ki Te Kauaeranga such a special celebration for our community.

Across the day, tamariki, rangatahi, kaumātua, whānau, kaiako and community members came together to share in the spirit of Matariki through learning, creativity, movement, storytelling, kai and whakawhanaungatanga. From traditional games and cultural activities to moments of laughter, connection and shared celebration, each image reflects the people and relationships that brought this kaupapa to life.

Behind every photo is a story—a child discovering something new, a rangatahi stepping forward in leadership, generations sharing knowledge, whānau reconnecting, and a community creating memories together. These moments highlight the importance of coming together, celebrating who we are, and strengthening the connections that support our people.

A heartfelt thank you to Te Kura o Te Kauaeranga (Thames South School), Thames High School, Te Kōhanga Reo o Mātai Whetū, Kaumātua Rōpū o Hauraki, whānau, community organisations and the wider hapori for the collective effort, care and commitment that made Matariki ki Te Kauaeranga possible.

We invite you to enjoy these snapshots of the day, celebrate the memories captured, and share the moments that hold meaning for you, your whānau and our wider community.

27/07/2026

PART 1 of 3: Matariki ki Te Kauaeranga: A Systems Shift Towards Collective Wellbeing.

These photos capture the many moments, connections and memories that made Matariki ki Te Kauaeranga such a special celebration for our community.

Across the day, tamariki, rangatahi, kaumātua, whānau, kaiako and community members came together to share in the spirit of Matariki through learning, creativity, movement, storytelling, kai and whakawhanaungatanga. From traditional games and cultural activities to moments of laughter, connection and shared celebration, each image reflects the people and relationships that brought this kaupapa to life.

Behind every photo is a story—a child discovering something new, a rangatahi stepping forward in leadership, generations sharing knowledge, whānau reconnecting, and a community creating memories together. These moments highlight the importance of coming together, celebrating who we are, and strengthening the connections that support our people.

A heartfelt thank you to Te Kura o Te Kauaeranga (Thames South School), Thames High School, Te Kōhanga Reo o Mātai Whetū, Kaumātua Rōpū o Hauraki, whānau, community organisations and the wider hapori for the collective effort, care and commitment that made Matariki ki Te Kauaeranga possible.

We invite you to enjoy these snapshots of the day, celebrate the memories captured, and share the moments that hold meaning for you, your whānau and our wider community.

26/07/2026

Te Waka Kai Ora – Food security vs Food Sovereignty

💐He Mihi ki Te Waka Kai Ora💐

Congratulations to Te Waka Kai Ora on winning the Waikato Region PHI Week Presentation.

Your presentation was a powerful reminder that addressing food insecurity is about more than providing access to kai. It challenges us to think about the systems that shape inequity and highlights the importance of shifting from food security towards food sovereignty, where whānau and communities have greater control over how kai is grown, shared and sustained in ways that are culturally grounded and future focused.

Your success reflects what is possible when people come together around a shared purpose. Through collaboration, strong relationships and a commitment to creating lasting change, Te Waka Kai Ora demonstrates the collective impact that can be achieved for the wellbeing of our communities.

Ngā mihi for the opportunity to contribute a Healthy Families perspective throughout PHI Week. It was a privilege to tautoko this kaupapa and witness the passion, innovation and systems thinking that made this presentation so deserving of its recognition.

“Mehemea ka moemoeā ahau, ko ahau anake. Mehemea ka moemoeā tātou, ka taea e tātou.” – Te Pūea Hērangi

Koia ēnei ko ngā kupu i meatia e Te Puea hei kipakipanga i tōna iwi Māori, kia kaha, kia ū, he oranga kei tua o te awe māpara. He pāhekotanga whakaaraara tēnei ki ngā kupu a Te Arikinui Kuiini Ngā wai hono i te pō e mea ana:

“Tino Rangatiratangatia te reo, Mana motuhaketia te taiao, Tino rangatiratangatia tō Hauora, Mana motuhaketia tō pā harakeke.” – Te Arikinui Kuiini Ngā wai hono i te pō.