"Aroha Gardens is now an organisational member of Timebanking and we are connecting with more and more people in our community. This will only grow and grow!”
Michelle, Whangārei City & Coast, July 2024
"I am grateful for the role of Timebank in organising and promoting this event, and also holding it at the venue Cherry Park House, what a great facility to have available for workshops like this! I really enjoyed this workshop. Julie did a great demo and explained the process very well"
Robert, Whangaroa & Kerikeri, May 2024
"Connections are a doorway to giving and receiving support"
Sandra, Te Hiku, May 2024, about the importance of Timebank social events
"We are super grateful for vegetable plants and 3 cubic metres of garden mix organised by Viv Christensen at Tai Tokerau Timebank with funds from the Catholic Caring Foundation Flood Relief Funding"
Aropohue Retreat, Kaipara & Whangārei West, February 2024
These are some of lovely things our members have said having benefited from the work of our Local Coordinators. As highlighted in June, our parent Trust Tiaki Taiao, has been affected by the Government Funding cuts via the Community Environment Fund, which means that we have three Local Coordinator roles on hold until we have sufficient funding. These are Whangaroa-Kerikeri, Te Pēwhairangi/Bay of Islands, and Kaikohe-Kerikeri.
Our Local Coordinators are a treasure trove of knowledge when it comes to helping put together those with a skill in need of use, and those who can take them up on it! They also find ways to bring timebankers together to get to know each other through shared interests, building up skills and social interactions, all of which create a stronger community. There's a really noticeable lack in terms of membership engagement in the rohe without a Local Coordinator to stimulate activity. Even with just a few hours a week it makes an enormous difference.
When we had to change web platforms just over a year ago we decided to reduce our annual subs from $15 to $6 in recognition that our fixed costs had been reduced and that for many times are financially hard. The practice of being able to 'pay it forward' was introduced where you could add on a donation to cover fees for those organisational members without funding, and individuals who were over stretched. It was wonderful that we raised over $250 this way, which has enabled us to comfortably cover those who needed it, and it has helped pay for some extra costs for providing an online service for members that we hadn't initially anticipated.
So this year, whilst asking you for your usual $6 annual fee in August, we're not only asking if folk who can afford to chip in a little extra to help cover the membership fees for those members and organisations who are short of funds, but also towards the general Timebank kitty. All donations of $5 or over will get a tax receipt.
We know for many times are even more financially tough than they were, and indeed it is when funds are low that Timebanking can really make a huge difference to someone's quality of life, which is why we're really hoping to fill our Local Coordinator vacancies, as soon as there is sufficient funding.
How you can contribute:
In true timebanking style you can not only help by donating money, but by offering your time to pick up some of the tasks needing done, no matter where you are in te Tai Tokerau.
Paying in cash
If you wish to pay by cash you can do so at the EcoCentre Kaitāia, Bank Street, or give the money to your Local Coordinator who will pay it into our account.
Paying with online banking/at a bank
Account name: Tai Tokerau Timebank
Account number: 12-3096-0282025-02
Reference: Your name (as close to your Timebank account name as you can squeeze in, so that we can match it to your account!)
Donation: we will assume any funds over $6 are a donation, if the total amount is a donation make that clear, as well as including your name!
Paying with Time
Can you help make our funds go further by helping out? Unlike dollars we have an endless supply of timecredits!
You could
organise a working bee either at someone's home, or a community location - even a small turnout can achieve a lot!
write up a timebanker tale about your timebanking experience, whether an exchange or event - our funders love to hear these!
let us know if you can think of other things that you like to do that could help us out.
If you would like your fees to waived for this year please let Paula know by replying to her email, or using our contact form so that she doesn't chase you up for not paying! We don't want anyone to feel prevented from being part of Tai Tokerau Timebank for financial reasons.
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