So I was in the paper yesterday – well a skinnier, pre-lockdown version of me was anyway! I spoke with Guardian reporter Susan Sandys last week about what the Timebank is up to… and she must have found this photo in their archives from a few years ago! Some readers will recognise the bright green shelves.
The article is probably too small to read but at least you can see the title- which is our slogan at Mid Canterbury TimeBank. Even though the usual 1-1 exchanging timebankers do to help each other out can’t really happen during Lockdown, we’ve found other ways for people to Connect and also to Keep Learning (2 of the 5 Ways to Wellbeing recommended by the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand).
Mari – the other TimeBank coordinator – runs Crafternoons on Fridays from 2-3pm. Basically people are on a zoom call while crafting away… they might be knitting, sewing, drawing or whatever. They can share with each other what they are working on or talk about the weather, lockdown, whatever they want, while busy crafting. Someone at last week’s event explained how it helped her ‘sit, chat, slow down and meet new people.’ One attendee was knitting – she makes blankets for the maternity ward at the hospital. Two others were making Anzac related crafts… here’s Mari’s felt poppies, cut during the session.
On Sunday we start our Garden Q & A sessions. We are lucky to have some great gardeners in the TimeBank – one of them is a professional gardener and it was her birthday yesterday: Happy Birthday Nora! A few gardeners will be on each call to answer peoples garden questions or just talk about what’s happening in their gardens at the moment, what they are busy doing, preparing etc.
On Tuesdays we have Teaching Tuesdays with different topics each week. This week we had Adam Stewart, a financial adviser, deliver a presentation on Kiwisaver and then answer questions. Next week we have a few people sharing about their experiences with Meditation. The following week I am doing an intro to Māori pronunciation. Then it’s May and we have the fabulous Hannah and Liam from The Rubbish Trip zooming in from Waiheke Island to answer questions about all things Zero Waste. I will do a Travel Talk & presentation about our experiences traveling in Palestine/ Israel as well.
As it explains in the article these events are all FREE and open to ANYONE… so if you’re interested in getting more info or invites to any of these events, no matter where you live, just click here.
I am running one or two social zoom calls a week for timebankers to connect as well and this week they are a bit special. I’m really looking forward to the Quiz Night on Saturday (which I mentioned in a previous post) – register here if you’re keen to give it a go. And next Wednesday I’m hosting a Zoom for timebankers from all 6 TimeBanks across Canterbury. Should be fun for our members to meet some other timebankers and hear about each others TimeBank experiences.
This morning I had an invite to an international TimeBank coordinators conference call at 7am (afternoon in the US) but decided to give it a miss. Next week I have a Zoom hui with TimeBank coordinators from around New Zealand as we talk software and how to improve what we’re currently using in the short and long term.
I’m getting rather familiar with Zoom as you can imagine. 🙂
So if you’re wondering what work I’ve been doing with the TimeBank – that’s it; organising, promoting and facilitating this stuff. I also write weekly newsletters called ‘The Buzz’ that go out every Thursday, schedule Facebook posts on the MC TimeBank page to keep people informed and feeling connected and we’ve set up a system for members to be calling each other and checking in. What I should also be doing is a Council funding report which I really need to get in… and soon some more funding applications. That’s the not-so-fun part of my job.
Thursday’s been a good day… I checked out Māori TV but it seemed they just had normal programmes – Ōpaki was great and programmes I have seen online before like Tōku Reo and Ako were scheduled later on. I later realised the educational TV for Māori speaking students is running on the Te Reo Channel – not the Māori TV channel. Will have to check it out another day!
It was yet again a stunning sunny day here… I started it with a HIIT workout with Robert from our gym – great video he’d made in his backyard and then did some stretching/ body balance moves. I enjoyed this today rather than the Les Mills on TV as I could get started earlier, HIIT was short and hard… and I am not such a fan of body attack which is what they are showing on the TV on Thursdays.
I was on the computer catching up on emails and some phone calls during the day. I also popped into the garden to enjoy the good weather and some fresh air – finished off the pruning I was working on the other day. Next garden job will be to prune and tidy up the natives by our letterbox/ driveway.
Antony took this photo for me today showing this word, which is one word in a message our school staff are putting together. What do you think it’s going to say? Hint – this bit is part of a well-known Māori saying.
I’m publishing this post early today…. about to have a video chat with some friends in Dunedin and then after dinner we are set to play Ticket to Ride with Mum and Dad over zoom. Dad is on a 5 game losing streak playing against Mum… not sure his fortunes will be reversed playing us! Should be fun anyway 🙂