Wairarapa’s locally owned community newspaper
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2021
INSIDE: Caring for the living and the dead P4
Road safety stalwart retires P3
ARE YOU A VIP CUSTOMER? Read ‘Garden Yarn’ on Page 9 to find out if you’re one of our winners
2 x $25 GARDENBARN VOUCHERS TO BE WON EACH DAY
Richmond Funeral Home ~Incorporating Clareville Crematorium
‘Personalised farewells based on traditional values’ Phone: (06) 3797616
www.richmondfuneralhome.co.nz Peter & Jenny Giddens Serving Sth Wairarapa for over 40 years Tried, Trusted and Proven
FLAIR FOR ALL YOUR FLOORING NEEDS See our advert in Wairarapa Property 97-101 High St North, Carterton Ph 06 379 4055
Divine inspiration Erin Kavanagh-Hall
erin.kavanagh-hall@age.co.nz
Tackling period poverty, reducing environmental waste, encouraging open conversations about menstruation and sexuality, and empowering the community to make more sustainable choices – one handcrafted sanitary pad at a time. These are just a few of the dreams Lisa Birrell and Joanna Hehir aim to make a reality throughout Wairarapa. The two Carterton women are the visionaries behind The Divine River: a charitable organisation aiming to nurture sustainable personal care choices, by way of educational programmes and hands-on workshops in schools and throughout the wider community. The Divine River, named for the te reo word for the menstrual cycle [“te awa tapu”], started in 2019 with a pilot programme at Kuranui College – supporting young people to learn about and explore environmentally friendly period products. This year, Lisa and Jo have run similar programmes in both primary and secondary schools, not only raising awareness of sustainable products, but empowering students to learn more about their menstrual cycle and make positive choices for their personal health and wellbeing. As well as continuing its work in schools, The Divine River will deliver a
series of community-wide workshops, teaching people to sew their own reusable period pans – using cotton fabrics and old towels for the inner core – and, eventually, incontinence products. So far, Lisa and Jo have received “amazing support”, from funding bodies, councils, community organisations and politicians alike. In fact, on The Divine River’s Facebook page, there is a video of Jo presenting a pack of reusable period products to Wairarapa MP Kieran McAnulty – who has them in his Masterton office for the community to use. Lisa and Jo, both parents of teenage daughters, said they were inspired to start the organisation after noticing local youth had a desire for more choice when it came to period products. “For Gen Z in particular, sustainability is a big part of their value system. They are very aware that consumer choices have an impact on the environment and climate change. “The Government now provides free period products in schools, and we wanted to enhance that. But, most of the products are disposable – which can help take care of period poverty, but not necessarily the planet. “Our role is to help young people, and the entire community, learn the
Lexie (left) and Georgina Birrell, daughters of The Divine River cofounder Lisa Birrell, help out at a workshop at Makoura College. PHOTO/SUPPLIED
Continued on page 3
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