Bobby Kerins, pictured with fiancee Nicole Williams, hit on an idea to help newcomers to CHB get to know others. Photo / Supplied
Bobby Kerins, pictured with fiancee Nicole Williams, hit on an idea to help newcomers to CHB get to know others. Photo / Supplied
Former Napierite Bobby Kerins is one of the recent horde to have flocked to Central Hawke's Bay to take advantage of the district's affordable house prices and enviable outdoors lifestyle.
Mr Kerins and his fiancee moved from Napier to Waipawa a year ago after buying a home. But he foundmeeting people in CHB to be a struggle initially, so turned to social media to help others in the same situation.
"We had been here two months and only really met our neighbours. I run my dog most nights and can sometimes go a whole week without seeing anybody at all. It's such a quiet place."
Looking around at the sheer number of "sold" signs going up on houses in the district, Kerins said he knew a lot of new arrivals in CHB must be in the "same boat".
"If you are working fulltime and not a pub sort of person . . . there's not many other ways to meet people, really, and I would say it's the same in every small town. But these days, social media is a great tool in bringing people together, so I decided to give it a go."
Earlier this month, Kerins created a Facebook page, New to CHB, to help newer residents connect with each other.
"The response has been great. We had over 100 people join in the first two days. Some of the members are already out meeting and going on dog walks together, which is great. That's what it's all about."
Kerins said he was now planning a large-scale "meet and greet" so that all 150 members of the page could get to know each other.
"We have people joining from as young as 18 to people in their 70s, but most are middle-aged people with kids who are travelling north to work each day and just looking for more stuff to do and people to meet.
"It's a great thing and I hope locals join as well and embrace it, as they might probably be a little out of touch with the number of new people in the area."
To join the group, search for "new to chb" on Facebook.
