Celebrating our Volunteers – National Volunteer Week 16-22 June
 
National Volunteer Week is a special time of year for South Alive, as we celebrate the incredible volunteers who are the heart of our organisation and achieve so much for the South Invercargill community. Each year our volunteers give thousands of hours of their time to our various projects and initiatives, and keeping the doors open in our community hubs The Pod and The Pantry.
 
To everyone who has contributed to South Alive over the last 12 years, we want to say a massive THANKS!

In a bustling world where time is a precious commodity, there exists a group of extraordinary individuals who selflessly dedicate their time and energy to make a difference. 

The Pantry couldn’t run without our fantastic team of volunteers and students. We are grateful to be part of their journey either being a stepping stone, a work experience, or a place to socialise and connect with people. 

Each volunteer brings a unique set of skills, experiences, and perspectives to the table, enriching our environment and fostering a sense of belonging for all who enter our doors. Whether it’s assisting customers with a smile, or lending a compassionate ear to those in need, our volunteers consistently embody the values of kindness, compassion, and generosity. 

We are also involved with Front-line and Aurora college Gateway programme where we can provide a workplace for students to experience a hospitality and retail environment.  

As we celebrate Volunteer Appreciation week, let us take this opportunity to extend our heartfelt thanks to each and every volunteer who has dedicated their time, talents, and energy to our cause. 

Follow us on Facebook and stay in touch with our upcoming events and promotions. 

The Pantry also offers catering for your organisation and events. Talk to us instore or at admin@thepantry.co.nz for your catering needs. 

The annual quiz night at the Newfield Tavern is coming up on Thursday 15 August. This is one of our biggest fundraising events of the year, and is also a fantastic night out. Pulling every table and chair the Newfield have into the bar area we pack the place with 40+ teams all taking on the challenge of winning the South Alive Quiz night. Or if general trivia isn’t your thing you can always just come along for the raffles. We are always so fortunate to receive donations of incredible prizes, so come along for a night of fun, laughter and prizes, and of course support our organisation at the same time.

Possible Involvement in our 9812 South Alive Community
 
There are so many ways that people can contribute to the wellbeing of South Invercargill.
This may be in small or larger contributions to show our commitment and the importance of citizenship and being part of our community. You may be interested in helping South Alive in its work where ’empowered by our strengths as a community, we will build a place to live and work that engenders pride and inspires us’.
 
This could be assisting in 

• one of our many action groups 
• The Pantry as a volunteer or as a South Alive host 
• working bees in our community gardens or clean-up days 
• involvement as a trustee
• donations for Pay It Forward support
• sponsorships for key community events
• providing skills or expertise through workshops

And there are many more opportunities to enable and further develop ‘our vibrant and diverse community that takes the lead in its own future’.

If you wish to express interest and support please contact us or come in and see us.

South Alive
262 Ness Street
03 2186882
info@southalive.org.nz

🌟 Good Tech – for their continued sponsorship & support for our community printing needs.

🌟 Sponsors of prizes for maimai high tea – Windsor Health, Glowing Skies, Complete Wellness, Health Down South, Mitre 10 Invercargill, Safety 1^st, plus many generous individuals who made donations.

🌟 Awarua Synergy for supporting and presenting at our Winter Heating and Healthy Homes Expo

🌟 School holiday providers – Active Southland, and our wonderful volunteers.

🌟 Deep South Ice Cream – for the Hokey Pokey ice cream we shared at events throughout Heritage Month in March.

🌟 Collaborators on Youth Focused Events – Te Rourou, Number 10, Youthline, Invercargill City Council, Invercargill Youth Council and The Y – Southland, Aurora College and Invercargill City Council – partnering with us to host the Teenage Brain talk with Kathryn Berkett.

And the many more organisations and individuals who contribute extensively to our initiatives.

Our Sustainable Living Team recently partnered with Awarua Synergy to run a Warmer Homes evening. We learnt so much from the event, so the team have a few of the top tips here to share with you…

Reduce moisture inside your home.
1. Open windows for 10-15 minutes every morning to let the damp air out
2. Dry washing outside if possible – each load of washing contains about 5 litres of moisture. If you have to dry inside, open a window/door to the outside and close the internal door to stop moist air affecting the rest of your home.
3. Put lids on saucepans when cooking
4. Use an extractor fan in the kitchen and/or bathroom if you have one
 
Heating your home
1. Open your curtains as this will allow the sun to heat it for free. Be sure to close them before sunset to keep the heat in.
2. Stop draughts – make sure windows and doors close properly, use ‘draught sausages’ at the bottom of doors and above curtain rails if you don’t have a pelmet.
3. Put a rug on the floor under beds, or put a blanket under the mattress to stop cold air seeping into the mattress.
4. Use dry wood in wood burners
5. Read the instructions on your heat pump to make sure they are set correctly
 
Cutting back on costs
1. Conserve hot water – take showers not baths and try to keep them to 5 minutes. Hot water heating makes up about one third of your energy bill.
2. Go online and compare electricity providers to make sure you are getting the best deal.
3. Wash clothes in cold water
4. Try using less washing powder and see if it still achieves effective results
5. Use dryer balls to cut down on drying time

Interested in learning more? Keep an eye out for their next Sustainable Living event!