Communities right across the motu are preparing to come together to celebrate Neighbours Day Aotearoa this month, running from March 20-30. The events calendar continues to grow, with almost 400 registered events already confirmed from Whangarei to Invercargill, and more being added every day.

An annual initiative, now in its 12th year. Neighbours Day Aotearoa is a fun way to celebrate and connect with your neighbours, as knowing your neighbours helps combat loneliness and isolation in our communities. This year, the organisers have created a theme - The Great Plant Swap - to offer neighbours a tangible symbol of togetherness and belonging, in a way that allows for either active or non-contact participation, whether Aotearoa is in Alert Level 1 or 4. Many participants have embraced the theme of plants and gardening in their events for 2021.
From a simple shared cup of tea to a full street party, below is a selection of some of the events this year, all of whom are happy to host media as part of their community gathering:

• Te Maire, Pouto Peninsula, Northland: Friday 19 March, 5pm
  Te Maire's Old School are hosting a community picnic to allow rural people to connect. The event will also launch a new Facebook page to organise future events and working bees at the old school grounds.
• Waimamaku, Hokianga, Northland: Sunday 21 March, 10am
  Poetry in the Park! Combining Neighbours Day Aotearoa and World Poetry Day the local village green plays host to a poetry day, including a guest speaker, music, zine making workshop and exchange, poetry readings and an open mic.
• Warkworth, Rodney: Sunday 21 March, 10am
  Rodney Neighbourhood Support treasurer Susan Robertson is hosting a Great Plant Swap and sausage sizzle at her home
• Castor Bay, Auckland: Sunday 21 March, 12pm
  The annual Castor Bay Beach Reserve gathers the community together, featuring local musicians and businesses showcasing their wares
• Mt Albert, Auckland: Saturday 20 March, 11am
  The residents of Atawhai Lane will host a meet and greet for neighbours on the green, with a free community picnic and playing bowls together
• Mt Albert, Auckland: Saturday 27 March, 1pm
  Rocky Nook Bowls Club host their first Neighbours Day Aotearoa event with a free sausage sizzle and lawn bowls for the community
• New Lynn, Auckland: Saturday 27 March
  Neighbours will come together to weed and tidy up the Margan Avenue Wetlands, with a free sausage sizzle and plant giveaway as rewards for neighbours keen to help out
• Glen Eden, Auckland: Friday 26 March, 4pm
  Glen Eden Community House will host a Neighbourhood Family Night Out in Prospect Park, celebrating the new pump track in the park. Free popcorn and activities will be provided, with all invited to bring along a picnic dinner or use the new park barbecue
• Epsom, Auckland: Saturday 27 March, 10am
  Epsom Community Centre host an International Neighbors Day with music, dance and food that represents the culture and heritage of neighbours from the local area
• Tauranga, Bay of Plenty: Saturday 6 March, 4pm
  All are welcome to come along to the Kings Avenue Reserve and bring a plate for the shared neighbours barbeque picnic, hosted by the Levers Farm Neighbourhood Group
• Hastings, Hawke’s Bay: Saturday 20 March, 2.30pm
  The Willow Park Neighbours will come together for a picnic in Akina Park, with all encouraged to bring along some home baking to watch the massive kites flying in the park during their Great Plant Swap
• Hastings, Hawke’s Bay: Monday 22 March, 7.30pm
  Activators in Hastings have teamed up with Bay Espresso to run the #nominateyourneighbourhood competition which will earn the winning street an hour of free hot drinks from the Bay Espresso Coffee cart parked up, serving free Bay Espresso coffees (or any favourite hot drink) for one hour. The day will also include a workshop with Cissy Rock at the Hastings Library where Notes for Neighbours is being promoted.
• Stratford, Taranaki: Wednesday 24 to Wednesday 31 March
  The Central Taranaki Safe Community Trust have their fourth annual street party, expanding to a full week and adding tea parties to the multiple street barbecues this year to bring in more of the neighbourhood across the centre of town. Hosts will be supplied with a free BBQ pack or Cuppa Tea Party pack to each registered street
• Lower Hutt, Wellington: Wednesday 31 March, 5pm
  The annual Neighbours Day event at Kelson Community Centre will feature a free barbecue, complete with a bouncy castle, face painting, and games for all ages
• Waimakariri, North Canterbury: Thursday 11 and Thursday 18 March
  The Waimakariri District Council continue their series of community barbecues at parks and reserves across the region. The Great Plant Swap ‘Sow and Go’ stations are running at libraries, alongside their storytime sessions for pre-schoolers.
• Oamaru, Otago: Thursday 25 March, 6pm
  A harvest festival themed community pot-luck meal will be held at Duntroon Hall, sharing seeds, produce and recipes for homegrown goodies alongside the meal
• Oamaru, Otago: Sunday 28 March, 1pm
  An afternoon tea for the community at Western House offers a great opportunity to see the heritage home and waterwheel - a great slice of North Otago history
• Invercargill, Southland: Saturday 27 March, 3pm
  Neighbourhood Support leader Veronica Williams invites the neighbours over for an afternoon tea at her home, encouraging all to swap their home grown produce

Another way that the organisers are encouraging people to participate in Neighbours Day Aotearoa this year is with ‘Notes to Neighbours’. A celebration of small acts of neighbourliness that don’t go unnoticed, all are encouraged to write messages for their neighbours in 30 words or less. The notes will be published online, with the top 5 selected to be designed as posters and shared in 11 towns across the country from March 20th. Submissions are still open on the Neighbours Day Aotearoa website.

Neighbours Day Aotearoa is a collaborative campaign organised and supported by Lifewise, Inspiring Communities, Auckland Council, Age Concern Christchurch Methodist Mission, New Zealand Red Cross, Neighbourhood Support New Zealand and Kāinga Ora.

© Scoop Media