Stillwaters Community Wellington NZ

19/06/2026

So, how do you keep things safe inside?

People are invited to help cook dinner and do dishes if they want to.

Well, that’s nice, but how does it help keep people safe?

It gives people ownership. They helped to create something. They don’t want other people destroying that. Not everyone helps in the kitchen though. There’s also table tennis downstairs and of course cups of tea and coffee. Like the music outside, it helps to create a relaxed vibe.

Is that all?

Before we eat, we pause again for notices, a song and a prayer. It’s another chance to remind people what is expected. Sometimes we say it explicitly but not always.

What exactly are the rules?

We wouldn’t usually describe it as rules, but we ask people not to drink alcohol or use drugs onsite, to talk respectfully to each other, to respect the whare, to make space for children, elders or people with disabilities in the queue, to only take the food they need, to help out if they can as no one is paid to be here – things like that.

18/06/2026

Philippa here. Occasionally I write things and even more occasionally, I feel like they are worth sharing. A couple of years ago I shared a dialogue about "Who is in charge". This time, it's "How do you keep things safe". I will share it with some photos over the next couple of days.

How do you keep things safe?

What do you mean?

How do you keep things safe at Stillwaters? You know, what if someone is drunk or angry? What if there’s a fight? Isn’t it risky?

Well, the first thing we do is say a prayer together on the doorstep before people come inside.

Huh? How does that keep people safe?

Even if you don’t believe in divine intervention, it marks the time and space as different and reminds people what kind of behaviour is expected here.

Ok…then what?

Some people stay outside, often playing the guitar or just chatting.

How does that keep people safe?

Mostly it just helps create a relaxed vibe, something that’s easy for people to join in. But it also means that if someone does arrive drunk or angry, we know about it quickly.

Then what do you do?

Talk to them. Get them a cup of tea and some food. That usually helps calm things down. It’s also really important that we learn each other’s names and some of people’s stories if they are willing to share it.

How does that help?

People are much more likely to respond to someone they know and we can understand what triggers them.

21/04/2026

Kia ora, hopefully everyone is ok in this ongoing bad weather. Unfortunately the Castle basement was flooded out in the early hours of Monday morning. Fortunately the community room and flatmates living areas are ok. There has been an epic clean-up job happening (so it no longer looks as bad as this). Dinner will still go ahead on Friday but there will be no access to the basement, so no table tennis sorry.

31/03/2026

Kia ora tātou, sorry to say there will be no dinner on Friday this week due to Good Friday but there will still be church on Easter Sunday - see you there or back on 10 April for Friday dinner

Send a message to learn more

10/03/2026

Tautoko!

02/12/2025

Kia ora whānau. We will be bringing Arvo back to Stillwaters (327 Willis Street, the big yellow house, known by some as the Castle) this Sunday afternoon (7 December) and will have time for people to come and be with Arvo on late Sunday afternoon from 4pm and into the evening until about 9pm, with karakia and a poroporoaki where we can share stories and memories together.
On Monday morning at 10:30am we will have a service of sorts with some sharing, waiata, karakia and a final blessing to send Arvo on his way. He will then be going from Stillwaters to be cremated.
Following this, some of Arvo's close friends together with the Aro Valley Community Centre are hosting a remembrance gathering from 1:30pm-4:30pm on Monday at the Community Centre to continue to celebrate and farewell Arvo together.

27/11/2025

Kia ora whānau. We are saddened to share the news of the sudden passing of our dear friend Arvo Kapp on Tuesday 25 November.

Arvo has been part of Stillwaters Community for many years and is a familiar face to many around the city and Aro Valley in particular. We are shocked and saddened by Arvo’s death. He was a gentle and creative soul and we will miss him dearly.

We are still waiting for plans to be worked out about a celebration of Arvo’s life and farewell for him, but will update here as soon as we know anything.

We will be taking time at Stillwaters this evening and on Sunday to remember Arvo and share in our memories and sadness together.

Nā koutou i tangi, nā tatau katoa.
When you cry, your tears are shed by us all.