Upcoming Events in Tapawera
Knead to Belong - Pizza Plus Workshop
Join us for Knead to Belong, a relaxed lunchtime event for Mental Health Awareness Week 2026.
This year’s theme is BELONGING matters, and we’re celebrating the role that kai, creativity and connection can play in supporting our wellbeing.
Come along to Pizza Plus, where you’ll knead and shape your own dough, add your favourite toppings, then sit down together and enjoy your pizza for lunch.
It’s a simple opportunity to slow down, have a bit of fun and connect with others in the community.
Free to attend
Limited to 20 people
Registrations are essential
To register, contact Janine Leeden
janine@tapaweraconnect.org
Registration form
Wellby Talking Cafe
Wellby Talking Cafés welcome everyone for a relaxed cuppa and can start your journey to connect with others who enjoy the same things. You can pop in for a quick chat or stay for a longer conversation with friendly people.
There is no need to register, just turn up on the day. The Talking Café hosts will warmly welcome you when you arrive.
Digi Drop-In
Need help with your phone, tablet, laptop or online services? Come along to our Digi Drop-In sessions for a friendly, one-to-one support. Whether you are learning the basics, setting up a device, or need help navigating apps and websites, we’re here to help in a relaxed and welcoming environment. Please contact Kelly if you have any questions.
Tapawera Market Day
It’s great to have Tapawera’s Craft and Market Day back on again after taking a break over the winter months. Come down and support our locals and see what’s new.
Tea & Talk
Tea and Talk is open to anyone in the area who would like to come and connect with other locals in a friendly setting. Enjoy a hot drink and some lovely morning tea while enjoying the speaker of the month. This month we have Heather Lackner from Alzheimers Nelson Tasman giving us an easy-to-understand overview of dementia. The common signs and symptoms as well as positive steps we can take to maintain brain health and reduce risk factors.
Don’t hesitate to contact Janine if you have any questions or would like some more information.
First Aid Course
First Aid skills are so valuable to have and gives you confidence to help out during an emergency. We are offering the opportunity for locals to do a first aid course with Triple One Care here in Tapawera. It will be $85 per person to do this full-day course. Please contact Jan to register for this course as spaces are limited.
Tea & Talk
Tea and Talk is open to anyone in the area who would like to come and connect with other locals in a friendly setting. Enjoy a hot drink and some morning tea while listening to the speaker of the month.
School & Community Gardens Working Bee
Spring is here and the working bee for the community gardens need your help! They will be getting ready for the Spring Show as well as keeping weeds at bay and general maintenance. Feel free to come in at any time between 9am - 1pm, even if it’s just for an hour or so. Contact Mark if you have any questions or would like to join in.
International Day of Older Persons
International Day of the Older Person is a time to celebrate the value of older people and a chance to acknowledge their contributions to our communities; in the work place, as volunteers, as caregivers and as whole people, with dreams, aspirations, wisdom and experience. Every year there is a significant event to celebrate this very important day, which was established by the United Nations.
This year Age Concern is celebrating their 50th Jubilee at Founders Heritage Park. Visitors can enjoy a relaxed day of community connection, live entertainment, guest speakers, and a complementary hot drink with a light snack. The connecting bus will leave Wakefield at 8:57am or please contact Janine if you would like to carpool.
Tea & Talk
At Tea & Talk this month, Nicole will be visiting us again to talk about Grief and Life Transitions. She will be discussing Loss of partner, friends, pets, health etc, and emotional support skills. Anyone who is interested is welcome to join in with the discussion, as well as connecting with other locals over a yummy morning tea.
Bread Making Workshop
There’s nothing like homemade bread! Let’s look at different ways to make bread so you can enjoy making bread at home.
If you have any questions or would like to reserve your place, contact Jan.
Te wiki o te reo Māori
Join us as we celebrate Te Wiki o te Reo Māori – Māori Language Week in Aotearoa.
Stay tuned for a story sharing simple ways to bring more te reo Māori into everyday life, starting with the reo already all around us.
We’ll take a closer look at some of our local place names, including Tapawera, Motupiko, Kohatu, Wangapeka, Wai-iti and Motueka. We'll explore their meanings, how to pronounce them, and some of the stories connected with the whenua (land), awa (rivers) and places we call home.
It’s also a great opportunity to learn some everyday kupu (words), reflect on your own connection to place, and perhaps start learning more about your mihi or pepeha.
You don’t need to be fluent, and you don’t need to know where to start. Pick up one new kupu, practise saying a local place name, listen to some waiata, or simply give te reo Māori a go.
Kia kaha te reo Māori – let’s help te reo Māori thrive in our community.
Here’s an example of a pepeha
If you are Māori, your pepeha may include your own ancestral maunga, awa, iwi, hapū and marae. If you don’t have Māori whakapapa (ancestry), a mihi can be a great way to introduce yourself and share where you come from, where you live and the people important to you.
Ko Tūao Wharepapa te maunga
Tūao Wharepapa is the mountain I acknowledge/connect with.
Ko Motueka te awa
Motueka is the river.
Nō Ōtautahi ahau
I am from Christchurch.
Kei Tapawera tōku kāinga
My home is in Tapawera.
Ko Doe tōku whānau
Doe is my family.
Ko John Doe ahau
I am John Doe.
Tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā tātou katoa.
Tūao Wharepapa / the Wharepapa–Arthur Range and the Motueka River are both significant local landmarks, and iwi sources pair them in local pepeha.
Rangatahi Explorers
This week, the Rangatahi Explorers are off to Action Centre in Richmond for a fun night of trying new things, spending time together and having a few laughs along the way. They’ll also be heading to the American diner for dinner - the perfect way to top off the experience.
Rangatahi Explorers is for our local youth from Year 7 and up. Contact Josie if you have any questions about what the youth get up to or their activities.
Digi Drop-In
Need help with your phone, tablet, laptop or online services? Come along to our Digi Drop-In sessions for a friendly, one-to-one support. Whether you are learning the basics, setting up a device, or need help navigating apps and websites, we’re here to help in a relaxed and welcoming environment. Please contact Kelly if you have any questions.
Wellby Talking Cafe
Wellby Talking Cafés welcome everyone for a relaxed cuppa and can start your journey to connect with others who enjoy the same things. You can pop in for a quick chat or stay for a longer conversation with friendly people.
There is no need to register, just turn up on the day. The Talking Café hosts will warmly welcome you when you arrive.
Planting for Reducing Flood Impacts
After the 2025 floods people are still looking at ways to increase flood resilience in the future. This is a good opportunity to learn more about willow trees and how they might be able to help protect your property against possible floods in the future.
This is a free event, but please register for catering purposes.
Tea & Talk
Tea and Talk is open to anyone in the area who would like to come and connect with other locals in a friendly setting. Enjoy a hot drink and some morning tea while listening to the speaker of the month.
This month we are delighted to welcome Helen Butler from Nelson/Tasman Hospice. Helen is a Consultant Clinical Psychologist at Hospice and in her role she works with patients as well as their whanau and friends. She is coming to answer any questions you might have about Hospice and its services.
Valley Visits with the Emergency Welfare Team
Here is a great opportunity to get together with other in your area and the Emergency Welfare Team to discuss plans for the next emergency event.
Today the Emergency Welfare Team will visit the residents of Stanley Brook from 11am - 12pm at the Stanley Brook Hall.
And then they will visit residents of the Tapawera Township at Tapawera Church from 2pm - 3pm.
If you have any questions or would like to RSVP, please text or email Kirsty.
Rangatahi Explorers
On Friday the Rangatahi Explorers get to go on a fun evening out to the Richmond Aquatic Centre for the Wave Rave. They will be leaving school at 4:15, getting pizza at Dominoes, and then head to the pools.
Rangatahi Explorers is all about getting our local youth out and doing activities out of school to help get them out of their comfort zone and making connections along the way. This is available for youth Year 7 and up. Please contact Josie if have any questions.
Digi Drop-In
Need help with your phone, tablet, laptop or online services? Come along to our Digi Drop-In sessions for a friendly, one-to-one support. Whether you are learning the basics, setting up a device, or need help navigating apps and websites, we’re here to help in a relaxed and welcoming environment. Please contact Kelly if you have any questions.
Wellby Talking Cafe
Wellby Talking Cafés welcome everyone for a relaxed cuppa and can start your journey to connect with others who enjoy the same things. You can pop in for a quick chat or stay for a longer conversation with friendly people.
There is no need to register, just turn up on the day. The Talking Café hosts will warmly welcome you when you arrive.
An Afternoon with Sam the Trap Man Gibson and the Shedwood Bush Betterers
We are excited to have Sam ‘the Trap Man’ come and visit us here in Tapawera. Sam is a renowned New Zealand bushman, trapper, and conservationist. He is dedicated to protecting New Zealand’s ecosystems from invasive predators, such as possums, stoats and rats.
We will also hear from our local Shedwood Bush Betterers team and the Jacob Lucas about the work they have done around our area.
The event is free, just be sure to register!
Valley Visits with the Emergency Welfare Team
Here is a great opportunity to get together with others in your area and the Emergency Welfare Team to discuss plans for the next emergency event.
Today the Emergency Welfare Team will be meeting with residents in the Tadmor area from 11am - 12pm at the Tadmor Church.
And then meeting residents in the Glenrae, Wangapeka and Baton area at Glenrae Hops from 2pm - 3pm.
Please email or text Kirsty if you have any questions or would like to RSVP.
Tapawera Through the Lens Prizegiving
There has been some fantastic entries for the ‘Tapawera Through the Lens’ competition and the exhibition at Pizza Plus has been enjoyed by many locals. Prizegiving is on at 4:30pm Friday 7th August. Come down and see who will be the winners. Everyone who has entered will be given a free ice cream brownie dessert too!
Drop in with Della
Do you need help? Can we support you in some way? Come and have a chat with Della and Jan on Wednesdays and see if we can help you. Or if you would like to get in touch with us privately, email della@tapaweraconnect.org or phone/text 027 479 4420.
Valley Visits with the Emergency Welfare Team
Here is a great opportunity to get together with others in your area and the Emergency Welfare to discuss plans for the next emergency event.
Today the Emergency Welfare Team will be meeting with residents from Kiwi, Tui, and the Dry Weather Road from 11am -12pm at Kirstie and Ian Hoggs place in Ricketts Road.
And then meeting with residents in Matariki and the Sherry River area at the Old School from 2pm - 3pm.
Please email or text Kirsty if you have any questions.
Rangatahi Explorers
What a great opportunity for our youth to go to the Tasman Makos first home game. They will also get a Mako rugby shirt included in the evening, as well as dinner and a great night out.
Rangatahi Explorers is a great way for our local youth (Year 7 and up) to go out and enjoy different opportunities and connect with others outside of school. If you have any questions about youth group, please contact Josie.