Northland news in brief: Financial lessons for young students, bone broth recall

Students at Whangarei Intermediate selling the Kawakawa balm they developed as part of the Deep Pockets, Hōhonu te Pūkoro financial literacy module.

Financial lessons

Primary and intermediate students are learning all about money with a new financial literacy unit developed by Rabobank and Garden to Table. The resource, Deep Pockets, Hōhonu te Pūkoro, gives students hands-on experience with financial decisions and making products, such as a kawakawa balm made by Whangārei Intermediate students. Teacher Holly Weber said students (pictured) made about $100 with the sold-out balm and now plan to donate profits to local charity Open Arms.

Volunteers needed

Volunteers are needed for an upcoming Focus Paihia working bee on September 7 from 9am to 1pm. The working bee aims to tidy up the tourist town before the busy summer season and includes planting and weeding, staining wooden seats and benches, painting fences and general maintenance. Email Tricia at tricia@tscott.kiwi if you can help and for more information.

Library modernised

From today the Mangawhai Library will be an official Kaipara District Council branch library, with expanded hours and services. The library was started by volunteers 130 years ago, and the council has since provided operational funding and professional support. But as Mangawhai has grown, demand on the library has increased too. The library will now offer digital resources, more magazines, te ao Māori integration, programmes and events. It will open 32 hours a week, from Tuesday to Saturday.

Bone broth recall

New Zealand Food Safety (NZFS) is supporting The Little Bone Broth Company in its recall of all batches and dates of its bone broths due to incomplete information on its food process controls. The product range includes; Premium Free Range Chicken Broth 500ml, Premium Grass Fed Beef Broth 500ml and the Premium Free Range Chicken Green Thai Curry Broth 500ml. These products should not be eaten and should be returned to the place of purchase. Visit New Zealand Food Safety’s recall page for more information and photographs of the affected product. If you have consumed any of these products and are concerned for your health, contact your health professional, or call Healthline on 0800 611 116 for free advice.

Whitebaiting season

DoC is urging whitebaiters to have fun down at the river, follow the rules, and keep themselves and freshwater habitats safe as the whitebaiting season kicks off. The whitebaiting season takes place from September 1 to October 30. Whitebaiting rules are available at www.doc.govt.nz/whitebaiting.