The face behind the Millwater Facebook page

Our Millwater subdivision is expanding rapidly, welcoming many new families to the area and is proving to be a very friendly and diverse community. From time to time, theMillwatermag will feature some of the more proactive residents and this month we focus on Emma Coupe. Emma set up the Millwater Facebook page ‘Millwater Families – Silverdale’ last September, after speaking to a family who had recently moved in but hadn’t met many people. There had to be a way to get the community talking and meeting up: social media was the answer! Since its inception, the Millwater Facebook page has informed, entertained and kept connected its ever-growing number of users (now over 360).

Emma, with husband Ian and (then) one daughter, Emily, moved to Millwater in December 2011. They now have a second daughter, Georgina. Emma organised the very successful Millwater “Picnic in the Park” last January, through using the Facebook page and by getting local people to make leaflet drops. Nicole Benjamin walked a LOT of k’s dropping off the flyers. Many local Millwater residents attended and over 200 people – children, parents and grandparents – enjoyed a great picnic. There was much friendly and animated conversation, with new residents meeting even newer residents. One special, long-term Millwater resident came along to the picnic and was made very welcome. She is a local lady, Vera Bartlett, after whom Vera Court and Bartlett Drive are named. Mike Briant staged a superb, free sausage sizzle. EasyPeasy Parties from Stanmore Bay provided a free bouncy castle and DASH Hire at Whangaparoa provided the compressor at no charge. Mr Whippy and Little Fox Eats (owned by Millwater resident Michelle Field) found no shortage of customers.

At Easter, Emma used the Millwater Facebook page very effectively to get the word out about the Easter Egg Hunt for the local children, which again was a great success and attracted local families and friends. This was kindly supported by Salon Silver.

Wider use of the Millwater Facebook page can only serve to better connect all families in this vibrant, friendly and growing community. If you live in or are planning to move to Millwater and want to be better connected to your local community, then sign up to the Millwater Facebook page and say “hello” to Emma and your new friends. The 2015 Millwater Community Day will be held on Sunday 18th January 2015. Watch out for more details.

Millwater is getting its very own parkrun!

parkrun is such a simple concept: turn up every Saturday and run 5km. It doesn’t matter how fast you go. It doesn’t matter what you’re wearing. What matters is taking part.

There are now parkrun events each Saturday in countries all around the world. Each event is based in a unique location: like a park, beach or promenade. All events are organised by a group of our wonderful, dedicated volunteers. In New Zealand, these events are sponsored by NZ Home Loans.

parkrun is all about inclusiveness and wellbeing. We want as many people as possible to feel part of a real local community, brought together by our events. What better way to get to know the new families that are moving into Millwater on a weekly basis!

That is why a parkrun is never more than 5km – it’s a distance that anyone can complete (even if some of us are walking by the end…) once, then turn up and take part whenever you want.

Millwater’s first parkrun will be on Saturday 20th September at 8am. We will start from the sports fields on Millwater Parkway and head out around the estuary for 2.5km and then back, totalling the 5km. Our local coffee lady, Michelle Fields from Little Fox Eats, will be there to supply the coffee when you return. The parkrun will then continue, every Saturday morning: same time; same place; rain, hail or shine!

For more information, please contact Peter Norris from NZ Home Loans on 021 192 4911 or peter.norris@nzhomeloans. co.nz

©Brandmad