People seem to have more time and chill energy to stop and chat. Less hustle and bustle.
What are some of your favourite spots in town so far?
Article for coffee. Porridge Watson for a bevvy. The Musicians Club for a kanikani and the many art studios and creative spaces where friends gather to make and create.
Space Studio and Gallery, Bedford Ave, Ministry of Works, and the garages and spare rooms tucked all over town – this place is so vibrant and creative.
The elevator has to be the quirkiest and quaintest tourist attraction there is, run by the best peeps – I will never get over the novelty of it.
And while it’s not in town, a short 15-min drive to The Learning Environment and Pīwaiwaka Farm is absolutely worth the visit – an inspiring vision and lush setting.
How do you like to spend your weekends?
Spending time with people I love. Making something – usually a mean kai and a project or craft. Road Trip somewhere. Petting animals. Going to a gig. Sometimes officiating a wedding (I’m a part-time marriage celebrant).
What is your favourite beach or Summer spot in New Zealand and why?
My fav beach is fast becoming Castlecliff, it’s rugged and wild.
What are some of your favourite Summer activities?
I love going to festivals, often volunteering at them. I’m attracted to the community, the music, the art. I usually do some kind of performance at these things – mc’ing, performance art, in joke theatre, improv, comedy. Taking the opportunity to be silly and play. Also, camping.
Who is your favourite movie or book character, and why?
I mostly read non-fiction and watch documentaries these days. I do enjoy a good villain, they always bring the chaos, have a tragic backstory, and the intensity.
Scar from The Lion King had the best songs by far and Heath Ledger’s Joker almost got me into superhero movies as a genre.
What first got you interested in non-profit and food rescue work?
I’ve always been drawn to work that’s meaningful and supports people where systems are failing them.
If I gotta spend my time and energy working, I want it to contribute to something rather than making profit for a company.
I’m driven by my values and I want to put time and energy into living them.
Food waste has always bothered me. I am my mother’s daughter.
There is such abundance, but also such growing need. We shouldn’t have hungry people.
I first started rescuing food when I was a teenager and I did a bit with some “Food not Bombs” chapters – punks that cooked up kai and fed folks.
So it’s a nice full circle moment coming back to it in a different (more professional) way.
What excites you about working at the Kai Hub, what do you enjoy most?
What excites me is the potential for growth, that we can rescue more food.
There are opportunities with producers and growers and we know there is more good food, unfortunately, being thrown out.
I enjoy that every day is a bit different and that my role requires a diverse skill set.
I really enjoy the people, our team, board and vollies, the wider food rescue network and all the recipient partners that I’ve met so far who are doing such important mahi.
If you could do one thing on your bucket list tomorrow, what would it be?
Visit Japan. Visit Athens. Buy a small farm and fill it with pet goats and pet pigs. Build a very, very cool and elaborate treehouse.
If you could choose two pets of any two types of animals, what would they be?
As much as I want pet goats and pigs, if I can imagine any type of pet – I’m going to have to say a pet otter and a pet capybara. Though as they like to live in groups, I’d have to have about 10 of each.
Erin Smith is a multimedia journalist based in Whanganui.
