Nelson Weekly Locally Owned and Operated
New home for twelve families
SARA HOLLYMAN A domestic violence survivor who worries every day for her son’s future and a couple sharing a bedroom with their three children have been given an opportunity that will change their lives. Twelve families, with a combined 22 children, were last week told which of the new Habitat for Humanity townhouses in the Main Rd Stoke development will become the first property they have ever owned. Habitat for Humanity were able to purchase the land, behind Elim Christian Centre and build six two-bedroom and six three-bedroom homes with an interest free loan from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. Of the hundreds of people that attended initial information meetings for Habitat’s progressive homeownership system - one of the required conditions to making an application to be considered for one of the homes - 88 families followed through with a full application. Of the 88 families, 33 had
savings of more than $1000 and just nine had more than $20k saved, but none had enough to put forward a deposit to purchase a property on their own. Habitat staff say the overwhelming reason given for applying was the poor condition of their existing residence, including cold, overcrowding and not fit-forpurpose. From the list, 27 families were shortlisted and interviewed by the selection team, which Habitat Nelson manager Nick Clarke says was a huge and complex undertaking. “To go to the house and hear the stories of 27 families … there’s the phrase ‘sometimes you become holders of terrible knowledge’, the selection team held all of that and then had to sort all of that,” he says. “On the one hand it creates more of an impetus to be doing more in housing because we need to, but the other part of it is it’s a fabulous moment for us because this is why we do what we do.” Solo mum Jayden Kelly walked to the Victory
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Wednesday 13 July 2022
Nayland College dance students took to the stage last week as part of the annual Dance Showcase. Almost 90 students took part, many of whom have been practicing their routines since the beginning of the school year. The audience were treated to a range of dance styles including disco, Bollywood, hip-hop, fosse and line dancing; some choreographed and taught by the teacher, while others were choreographed collaboratively with the classes or by individual students themselves.Nayland College head of dance Jana Polglase says the students have shown incredible resilience and commitment this year, spending hours outside of class-time preparing for the showcase. “In a year of COVID like no other, where schools around the region have been hammered with absences, it was a long road to get the students ready for the stage,” Jana says. Extra-curricular group Dance Company, led by Year 13 student Lydia Fitzgerald, also took to the stage. “The awesome thing about Dance Company is that there are members from Year 9 to Year 13 involved, so it is a great opportunity for different year levels to bond and collaborate through dance,” Jana says. “I feel incredibly proud of how Dance has grown as a subject at Nayland College over the years and can’t wait to showcase more of our talented students.” Photos: Keegan Lewis and Kayla Hoult.
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