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In this issue: Meet new staff, discover inspiring community events from grassroots showcases to youth led clean ups, stay up to date with voting and funding changes, explore volunteer opportunities and groups to join, and find practical tools to help prevent food waste.

Thursday 13 August | 9.30am – 2.30pm | All Saints Hall, 338 Church Street, Palmerston North

A space where Grassroots Expo meets Community Hui. This event showcases what Community Projects and small businesses are doing in relation to the Waste Hierarchy.

Connect with others, celebrate local solutions, and exchange practical ideas. Be inspired by innovators, changemakers, and everyday champions transforming waste into opportunity and helping build a more circular and resilient future.

Showcase your initiative or come along to enjoy the day.

If you're of Māori descent and already enrolled to vote, Thursday 6 August is the last day to change between the Māori roll and the general roll before the 2026 General Election. Your roll choice determines which electorate you vote in and the electorate candidates you can choose from. If you're happy with your current roll, you don't need to do anything. Changes must be made by midnight on 6 August.

Are you enrolled to vote? You must be enrolled by midnight 25 October to vote in the 2026 General Election.

NEW ENM MEMBERS

We're pleased to welcome Mauri Oho and Monarchs in Apollo Park as a new ENM member.

Mauri Oho's vision is to reconnect mana whenua to Ngā Pae Ruahine by creating sustainable jobs that enhance the mauri of people and te taiao, supporting flourishing ecological diversity across the range and neighbouring front country.

They work across the Northern Ruahine Range, alongside Southern Ruahine Kiwi in the Southern Ruahine Range. Mauri Oho work focuses on rangatahi development, predator control, environmental monitoring, riparian restoration, farm mahi, and nursery operations alongside Whatumā Management Group.

We're pleased to welcome Monarchs in Apollo Park as official ENM members after supporting their work for many years. This community-led butterfly sanctuary in Milson, Palmerston North, provides a safe environment for monarch butterflies and New Zealand native species to thrive.

Volunteers come together on the first weekend of each month for working bees, helping with a range of tasks including planting and park maintenance. Find out more or check for updates on their Facebook page.

FUNDING

From 1 July 2026, Lottery Grants introduced a new funding structure to simplify the grants system.

Most organisations that were previously eligible can still apply. However, organisations that are not legal entities are no longer eligible to apply directly. These groups may still be able to access funding by applying through a legal entity acting as a fund holder or by partnering with another eligible organisation.

The new structure includes six regional committees, one national committee, and four funding pathways:

• Operational Costs for Community Support Services
• Community Projects
• Community Facilities
• Equipment for People with Disabilities

There are now four funding rounds each year. The current round is open 22 July – 18 August, with funding decisions expected in early November 2026.

last week we went to the Palmy Community Funding Expo. Incase you missed it, here's the PDF booklet of all the funders that were at the event, it could be an opportunity to find more support for your project.

PNCC still has funding available through the Resource Recovery Fund, with grants from $2,500 to $15,000 to support practical, community-led projects.

If you’re looking at doing something that helps reduce, reuse or recycle, whether it’s a small pilot, an event, education programme, or even some research, they'd really like to hear from you.

More information and how to apply can be accessed through this link.

Horowhenua Waste Minimisation Fund Round 1

To aid the start-up costs of a project that minimises waste using the waste hierarchy.

Closing Date: 31 August, 2026

Grant Range: $1,001 - $5,000

Drop In Sessions - Open 1 August 2026

hosting drop-in sessions around Horowhenua, where you can ask any questions about which grant/s to apply for and receive one on one support with your application for Round 1 2026/2027 Horowhenua Grants and Community Funding. All dates here

Horizons provides a range of funding to support biodiversity and the environment. Please use this link to see the full list of current grants and sponsorship opportunities.

VOLUNTEERING

National Youth Volunteer Awards open for nominations. If you know a young person or youth-led group whose volunteering deserves to be recognised, nominate them for a National Youth Volunteer Award and help celebrate the future of volunteering in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Spread the word: Help shine a light on rangatahi whose volunteering is strengthening communities, supporting others and caring for the environment. Nominations are open until 30 August 2026.

The City to Sea Rail Trail is looking for volunteers to help progress this exciting community project.

• Social Media (2-3 posts weekly)
• Funding Applications (8–10 applications each year). 
• Community Connector (Community & Stakeholder Engagement)
• Trail Construction Advisor 

Full information here

Plant to Plate Board Members 

Governance or financial experience is welcome but not essential. Board meetings are held online once a month for around 1.5 hours.

Get in touch 

Helpers at our community showcase event 

On the Thursday 13th August, ENM is hosting a showcasing fabulous local initiatives doing what they can to keep waste out of landfill. 

8am set up, reception, helping in the kitchen, tech support in the morning

2.30pm pack down and clean up

Email Di for more info

ENM Lid-sorting co-ordinator

Help create a warm engaging space for volunteers to enjoy sorting lids to be recycled.

Thursday between 11am-12noon

ENM office, 145 Cuba Street, Palmerston North 

Please contact Di

A collection of stories, updates and events broken down into our four pou.

Southern Ruahine Kiwi are excited to have Jess Fancy on board as the Field Coordinator.

Jess is a passionate conservationist and has spent 8 years working for the Taranaki Kiwi Trust & in partnership with Rotokare Scenic Reserve helping to repopulate Taranaki with North Island Brown kiwi. She is an accredited kiwi handler and trainer and loves nothing more than a big day out in the bush. Originally from Palmy, Jess moved all around the North Island before returning to complete her BSc in Zoology and MSc in Conservation Biology at Massey. After spending some time in Hāwera, she is now back in her hometown and is excited to work towards achieving the goal of returning kiwi to the Ruahine Ranges. Jess lives with her husband along with their rescue greyhound and tortoise.

Follow the project on Facebook and Instagram.

Let's create a cleaner and safer environment for our community, our dogs, and our local wildlife.

📅 Date: Sunday 2 August 2026 (Backup date: Sunday 16 August 2026 if required)

🕑 Time: 2:00 pm – 3:30 pm

📍 Location: Ahimate Dog Park, 195 Maxwells Line, Palmerston North

A free BBQ and refreshments will be provided after the clean-up.

Please complete this form so we know how many volunteers to expect and can plan equipment and catering.

When: 2nd and 4th Saturdays of each month

Time: 10.00am – 12.00pm

Where: Roslyn Commons, 43 Hulme Street

Bring your favourite gardening tools, a water bottle, and come along to lend a hand.

The Moths & Butterflies of New Zealand Trust has spent the past 20 years protecting New Zealand's native Lepidoptera. Their new Public Spaces Project, an online resource designed for people working in biodiversity, sustainability, environmental restoration, and parks, whether as volunteers or paid staff. The aim is to help make public spaces more welcoming for moths and butterflies, creating healthier habitats for these important native species.

If you're interested in supporting New Zealand's Lepidoptera, email Lynda to get occasional updates.

Thanks to the Environment Initiative Fund, registration for Green Week 2026 is FREE! Many thanks to ENM for this support. This event is also funded by Horizons regional council and Horowhenua district council.

One week to win. Schools across the region complete challenges to care for the environment and take meaningful steps towards sustainability. Every activity earns points that contribute to each school’s total.

At the end of the competition, the school with the highest score wins the title, along with the grand prize of $1000.

2 to 9 August 2026

Green Week is designed to inspire young people to embrace sustainability, planting the seeds for a future where their actions help shape a healthier planet.

With category prizes, spot prizes, and a grand prize on offer, there are thousands of dollars’ worth of goodies to be won. Will one school take home the $1000?

Repair Cafes are free pop-up events where local people bring in their broken and damaged belongings and local volunteer experts do their best to repair them.

Repair Cafe Levin

Aug 8, 2026, 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM

The Senior Citizens Hall on the corner of Cambridge and Montgomery Streets

Feilding Repair Cafe

Aug 15, 2026, 10:00 AM – 11:45 AM

14 Bowen St, Feilding, 4702

Palmerston North Repair Cafe

Aug 29, 2026, 9:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Palmerston North Community Leisure Centre, 569 Ferguson Street, Terrace End

Visiting the Palmerston North Repair Café on 29 August? Stop by Textile Rescue in the Apricot Room, right next door, to recycle your unwanted textiles and help keep them out of landfill.

$6 per kilo to drop off. Check what you can recycle here

There will also be an opportunity to help with decommissioning op shop waste and talk to us about textile recycling for anyone interested.

You can now drop off eligible soft plastics for free at four convenient locations across the city. Every drop-off helps keep soft plastics out of landfill and gives them a new life as products like fence posts, courier bags, boards and panels.

You can find soft plastic collection points at:

• Ferguson Street Recycling Centre
• The Warehouse
• New World Broadway
• Woolworths at The Plaza

Last week, we joined Palmerston North City Council to celebrate the launch of its 2026 Environmental Sustainability Report. We were honoured to be invited to speak, and Madz did a fantastic job highlighting the impact we've been able to make over the past year with our community and partners.

We're incredibly grateful for PNCC's ongoing support. Their funding helps make initiatives like our Environmental Initiatives Fund, Sustainable Living Programme, and the Palmerston North Repair Café possible, along with many other projects that support our community and environment.

Their vision is to be a 'great trail' within Manawatu's interconnecting off-trail network. They are repurposing the old Foxton Railway line into a Rail trail. This will run between Longburn and Himatangi Beach and down to Foxton village.

Looking to live more sustainably while connecting with others in your community?

Join us for eight practical, interactive workshops where you'll gain hands-on skills, explore everyday sustainability, and discover ways to build a more resilient, connected community.

Time: Wednesdays 10am -12pm

Dates: 9 & 16 September, 7, 14, 21 & 28 October, 11 & 18 November

Topics covered over the series (Please note these are not in order):

• Growing your own food
• Composting
• Rethinking our relationship with Kai
• Protecting our wai/water
• Warm dry energy efficient homes
• Waste minimization & Circular management
• Household emergency planning & natural disasters

Image credit: Reb at (IG @veggiedoodlesoup) that summarises the conversations on the day.

Last week, we hosted our first Kai o Ngā Tau Ki Mua | Food Futures conference, and what an incredible day it was. More than 100 people came together to hear from 14 inspiring speakers, all exploring how we can create a healthier, more resilient food future for our communities.

The day was framed by the Rethinking our relationship with kai research collaboration between Massey University and ENM. We explored the challenges facing our food system, including the pressures on producers and the barriers many people face accessing good food, and showcased the inspiring solutions already making a difference. The conference highlighted the passion, innovation, and collaboration helping shape a more resilient and sustainable food future.

A big thank you to our sponsors Massey University, Hore Hiakai, and Horizons for helping make this day possible.

Our team will be publishing a summary shortly, so keep your eyes peeled for that. In the meantime, you can catch up on all the presentations thanks to Manawatū People's Radio, who have made recordings from the day available on their website in bite-sized chunks.

Looking for ways to reduce food waste? Before heading to the supermarket, try Supercook.com. Add the ingredients you already have at home and discover recipes that help you make the most of what's in your fridge and pantry.

Thursday 13 August – Grassroots Circular Economy: A Community showcase

Thursday 15 September – Food Sovereignty meets Circular Economy: All about Composting

Thursday 22 October – ENM Membership Gathering & Annual General Meeting

Tuesday 3 November – Biodiversity Hui: Rewilding from Back Garden to Back Block

Thursday 1 December – Community Food Sovereignty Summer Hui: Celebrating Impacts of Volunteer-Led Environmental Action

BE PART OF THE SOLUTION FOR

ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

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