Kia Ora – welcome to Radio Southland’s Community News! Updated 2/6/23
The Invercargill community is invited to share aspirations for the city through the ‘Where’s Your Heart’ campaign, which runs until June 19th, and gives people a chance to engage with and shape the councils plans for the year ahead. Engagement pop up sessions will be held in heaps of places. Finishing up these sessions is Wednesday June 7th at Kmart Invercargill between 11:30am-1:30pm. To register your attendance please visit lesttalk.icc.govt.nz.
The William Hodges Fellowship Exhibition is running ‘til June 25th on level one of Invercargill Central. Access to the exhibition space is via the ground floor elevator opposite Amazon or near the entrance to Farmers by the level one carpark area. This year’s exhibition is a partnership between He Waka Tuia, Invercargill Central Ltd, Southland Museum and Art Gallery, SIT and the Southland Art Foundation.
The Rotary Club of Invercargill is having their yearly Book Sale at the Civic Theatre, open until Saturday. The opening times are 8am-7pm on Thursday & Friday, and 9am-5pm Saturday.
Your core is hosting a free video gaming event for kids aged 8-12 years, on this Saturday at the ILT Stadium Southland open from 11:00am-1pm, teens aged between 13-17 can head down and game too between 1:30pm-3:30pm – this is an awesome, free event with all equipment provided! Registrations through yourcorps.co.nz are required.
The Art Attic Gallery has a busy June line up starting with ‘Same Same but different’, a duo exhibition by Nela and Tim Fletcher opening on tomorrow at 5:30pm; then there’s Cacao and Embodied Ecstatic Dance with Sarah Menlove on June 7th starting at 6pm; the next day is Poetry Night on June 8th with a 7pm start; finishing up the month with Qoya – Wise Women with Thrive in light on June 21st starting at 5:45pm. Ticketing and more information can be found on their Facebook page.
Every year at King's Birthday weekend the MLT New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards happen in Gore. On Friday it’s the annual ‘Freeze Ya Bits Off’ busking competition in Irk Street kicking off at lunchtime. The Gold Guitar competition is run over several venues – the Gore Town and Country Club, Gore RSA and the Gore Baptist Church. The auditions start at 8am onwards on Friday, while the Junior and Intermediate Finals will be on-stage at the Gore Town and Country Club from 6.30pm Saturday. The MLT Showcase, and Hands of Fame are back at the Town and Country from 3-5pm on Sunday, while the Senior Finals are at the same venue from 7pm. Full details and links for ticketing information are on their website goldguitars.co.nz
The NZ Highwaymen will be putting on a once in a lifetime show at the St James Theatre, Gore on Monday, June 5th. This is the first, and most likely last time, these legendary New Zealand artists will hit the road together in one spectacular show. Tickets are on sale now at iticket.co.nz.
It's nearly that time of year when ILT Kidzone Festival returns to Southland Girls High School on Monday, July 5th for a week of fun for all ages, jam-packed with hundreds of hands-on activities. Kidzone is always a great boredom buster for the school holidays so check out their website iltkidzone.co.nz for tickets and information.
South Alive and APM are hosting an exciting ‘Build a CV Workshop’ for those rangatahi that are looking to step into employment – if you want to learn how to create a CV and cover letter or just build confidence around that space, join them the Pod, 262 Ness Street, on Thursday June 15th from 4-5:30pm. Light Kai provided.
Mens Health Week Awareness Evening is coming to Southland on Friday, June 16th at 8pm at the Invercargill Workingmen’s Club (North Room) and tickets are $40 per person, or $400 for a table of 12. Raffles and light supper provided with bar purchases available, book now at iticket.co.nz.
The City of Invercargill highland Pipe Band is excited to bring the popular Pipin’ Hot back to the Civic Theatre on Friday, June 16th – tickets can be purchased through ticketek.co.nz.
Great South & Invercargill City Council in partnership with Arts Murihiku are bringing ‘Night of the Arts’ to Invercargill’s CBD; featuring art experiences, live performances and instillations for all ages – on June 30th and open from 3-11pm with free entry!
Invercargill Musical Theatre presents the SBS Bank season of Jersey Boys, taking you behind the scenes & music of Frankie Valli and the four Seasons. Opening night is July 7th and running until the 22nd. Book now at ticketek.co.nz.
“Mums The Word” directed by Anya Bowman is the next production from Invercargill Repertory, on-stage at Rep House from August 23rd to the 26th. Tickets are on sale now at nz.patronbase.com
Age Concern needs more volunteer visitors to visit older isolated people in our community. How about visiting an older person in their home and going for a walk together, perhaps having a cuppa, or just catch-up. If you have just one spare hour a week, this is all that they ask to help someone in need of company. Contact Chris at Age Concern on 2186351
Weekdays in Bluff there are Te Rourou sessions from 8.30 ‘til 5pm where everyone’s welcome to come along and relax with a cuppa and enjoy a safe, secure environment for your little ones. For more information, please call 212 8866.
Do you have some time to spare and a great reading voice? The telephone information service for the blind needs people for daily or weekly readings from the newspaper, done from home. Contact the Blind Foundation on 218-3927
Anyone interested in joining the Foveaux Pearls Leisure Marching group please contact Dianne Blair on 216 4962.
And now a run-down of regular events and services in our province:
Activities:
Invercargill Parkrun is a free, weekly, timed 5km event held every Saturday from 9am at Queens Park. Meet at the cricket pavilion carpark and walk, jog, run or volunteer - everyone is welcome. Head to their Facebook page for all of the details!
On Sundays from 9.30-1.30 the Southern Farmers Market is open at the old Railway Station - look for the market sign. Enjoy food, arts, crafts and produce in this popular market setting – it’s great to sit down and have lunch with the family!
Agencies:
The Loss & Grief Centre’s Invercargill drop-in centre is open Mondays to Friday 10am-4pm. You can also call or text 027 443 87 88, email lossandgriefcentre@gmail.com, or send them a message. The Centre also provides services in Winton, Gore, Mataura & Te Anau. Visit their website – www.lossandgriefcentre.com for more information.
Do you binge eat? Purge, starve, or compulsively exercise? Wherever you are, whatever your problem with food, Addictive Eaters Anonymous can help. Visit www.aeainfo.org to find out more about Addictive Eaters Anonymous.
Learning Differences Aotearoa are available to help if you or your child has a learning difference and needs some support – call or text Chris on 027 201 69 51, or email support@learningdifferences.org.nz.
Hearing Southland & their associated clinics in Leet St are open and taking bookings by phone - 214 91 54.
If you are elderly and need social support, access to help with meals or care services, support is available from Age Concern. Meals are available to pick up, and exercise classes are on. You are welcome to make an appointment to talk to someone, please wear a mask when you come in. They can also come to visit you. You can call them on 218 63 51, or visit ageconcern.org.nz.
If you have concerns about a senior’s safety, call the Elder Abuse Helpline for advice on 0800 326 68 65.
Jubilee Budgeting Services are available online or by phone – call 0800 Jubilee, or text 027 Jubilee. Go to their Facebook page for more information on what help they can provide. Appointments are able to be made to get advice over the phone, or to come to the office and meet in person.
The Southland Community Law Centre in the Cue on Don building in Don St are available to help - phone ahead to make an appointment – 0800 55 0800. Their hours are from 9-4 Mon-Thurs and 9-12.30 on Fridays. They also offer outreach services to Gore and Fiordland.
Council services, museums & galleries:
The Invercargill Public Library is open from 9-6 weekdays, and 10-4 on weekends. The Bluff Library is open Monday-Friday from 9am-5pm, and Saturdays from 10-1. The Archives in Invercargill are open – but please call ahead to book in on 03 211 15 73. Please return all books through the slots. MyBookBag is still available for free contactless book delivery – go to www.ilibrary.co.nz/mybookbag
Southland District Council area offices and libraries are open. Travelling library options are also available with the mobile bookbus, and have you checked their digital library options? To find out more go to southlanddc.govt.nz and click on ‘Libraries’ – or call them on 0800 732 542!
Te Hikoi Museum in Riverton is open every day from 10-4 – call them for more information on 03-234 8260 or visit their Facebook page!
The Thornbury Vintage Tractor Club focuses on Southland’s rural heritage and local history. With an extensive collection of vintage farm machinery, this is a great Sunday drive visit. It’s at 61 Foster Rd Thornbury, and its open Sundays from 1.30-4.30pm. Entry is $5. You can also call Fraser on 021 03 85 196 to arrange a time to visit!
The Otautau Gallery is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10-5. They’re at 110 Main St, Otautau, have a stunning collection of arts and crafts and they’re part of the Western Southland Arts Trail. Check out their Facebook page or phone 225-86-38 for more information. Entry is free!
The Southland Fire Museum is open Tuesdays, Thursdays & Sundays from 11-4, and can also open for group bookings – call Les on 027 254 6464. It’s on the corner of Jed and Spey Streets, and entry is a gold coin donation!
He Waka Tuia on the corner of Don & Kelvin Streets is open from 10-5 Monday-Friday and 11-2.30 on weekends. This combined art and museum space is proud to celebrate everything Murihiku. Have a visit and explore their immersive exhibitions with the kids – entry is free!
The Awarua Communications Museum is open on Sundays from 1-4pm. Take a step into a unique part of our history, view their collection of local & national communications memorabilia and enjoy their interactive exhibitions. Entry is cash only – it’s $6 for adults and $3 for children.
The Bluff Maritime Museum is open from Monday-Friday from 10-4.30, and 12.30-4.30 on weekends. They have lots of fascinating history to view, including fishing & sealing memorabilia, tours of an oyster boat, and info about this earliest European settled community, including shipwrecks in the challenging southern waters. Admission for adults is $5, and its $1 for children.
The Eastern Southland Gallery is open from 10-4.30 on weekdays, and 1-4pm on weekends! For more information on the gallery and current exhibitions, visit www.esgallery.co.nz.
If you’re a community organisation or are hosting an event – do get in touch - give us a call on 03 2189891, email admin@radiosouthland.org.nz, or go to the contact us form on our website!