Pt Chevalier resident Victoria Dawson-Wheeler enjoyed reading the community email when she lived there, so when she moved to Arch Hill she decided to create something similar.
Ms Dawson-Wheeler, husband Jesse and daughter Hazel wanted to get to know others in the suburb and for Hazel to "grow up ina place where people are connected".
She sent out a newsletter with profiles of people and businesses, covering living, food and interesting things happening in the area and residents were invited to email their contact details. Before long a distribution list of 200 households was established. The Arch Hill e-newsletter is sent out once a fortnight and has so far included stories about the Four Eyes blog - written by four local lads who take photos of people and comment on what they're wearing, local woman Jordan Rondal, aka the Caker (she bakes organic cakes) and world champion boxer Torpedo Billy, who was born in James St in 1862.
Staying with her community-minded mission, Ms Dawson-Wheeler is planning something for Neighbours' Day. "People suggested a street party or cups of tea, but I thought we needed something a bit different - so came up with an idea along the lines of secret Santa and called it Love Thy Neighbour."
She invited residents to contact her if they wanted to be involved, then paired them with another household. The idea is they'll make a positive gesture to their paired up neighbour. "It could be anything from tying a balloon around their letterbox to baking a cake. It's the first step in getting to know someone without being intense and awkward."
Ms Dawson-Wheeler asked local businesses to support a prize draw for the event and was overwhelmed with the response, including fruit and veges from the Greengrocer Art of Produce, a voucher from Kokako Cafe, and $100 worth of meat from Grey Lynn Butcher.
