Promoting peace and harmony
Peace and harmony are the goals of a Richmond yoga fundraiser this weekend to support a new space in Nelson. The recently opened mandir in Montgomery Square is run by the not-for-profit SS Charitable Trust. Chairperson Anurag Malik says the trust’s aim is to promote a conscious way of living that encourages peace and harmony. “The goal behind the trust is global peace. But we need small steps at a local level to make that happen. Peace outside in the world can only happen if people are peaceful inside.” Trust director and yoga teacher Jeanette Ida will lead the fundraiser at Richmond Town Hall on 21 June (The International Day of Yoga) from 10am to 12pm. The session includes meditation, yoga and Indian ginger tea, and is suitable for beginners.
Nelson prices lift as market steadies
Nelson’s housing market has edged up over the past year, with Tasman following as national figures point to a more settled picture. The median price in Nelson rose 0.6% year-on-year to $689,000 in May. Tasman recorded a smaller increase, up 0.3% to $792,000. A spokesperson says first home buyers and owner-occupiers are driving local activity while auction activity strengthened with more sales under the hammer. Nationally, the median price rose 1.3% to $775,000, with the market holding steady despite cautious sentiment. Cost-of-living pressures and election uncertainty continue to weigh, while the Official Cash Rate remains at 2.25%.
National Volunteer Week
Tasman District Council has saluted all volunteers in its community as part of National Volunteer Week. The council says volunteers contribute significantly to many community organisations, community-run events, as well as some of council’s events and activities. “The time, energy and skills they donate help make Tasman District the special place it is,” council says. “In Tasman District, 56.1% of the population is involved with volunteering, compared to 50.7% in New Zealand overall. “In the Nelson Tasman region, last year approximately 3,000,000 hours were volunteered – without this support, many of the services and facilities that we all take for granted could not be provided.”
Risks prompt consolidation of battery collection sites
Tasman District council is no longer accepting batteries at its council offices because of the risks posed by some batteries. Batteries are now solely accepted at the council’s resource recovery centres in Richmond, Motueka, Murchison, Tākaka, and Collingwood which had better facilities to receive them. The council was working with Menzshed and Weka Peckers to close the existing collection points at Mariri, Brightwater, Wakefield, and Tapawera.
