Paraparaumu named New Zealand’s most neighbourly town

Paraparaumu has topped more than 100 towns and cities across the country to win the first ever Neighbours Day Aotearoa Town of the Year title.

The title recognises the efforts Paraparaumu residents made to help turn their streets into communities during Neighbours Day, a national campaign encouraging people to take a day in March each year to get to know their neighbours.

Hundreds of Paraparaumu neighbours met at a range of street get-togethers for Neighbours Day 2016, supported through the Kāpiti Coast District Council’s ‘Over the Fence Cuppa’ initiative and Neighbours Day Aotearoa.

Per capita, Paraparaumu had the highest number of people in the country sign up for Neighbours Day, with 38 streets from Raumati to Otaihanga taking part, and local groups joining in to hold events for the wider public.

“Getting to know our neighbours is a simple, but it’s been shown to have some really powerful effects,” says Ashlee Gross, Neighbours Day Aotearoa national project manager. “Mental health, social isolation, safety and community resilience are improved by creating more connected neighbourhoods.”

The title will be officially awarded by Neighbours Day Aotearoa at a community event on Saturday, 16 July, 4pm-6pm at the Paraparaumu Community Centre, and the public are invited to attend. Good neighbourliness will be celebrated with live music, crafts, delicious winter soup, and prizes donated by local businesses.

Attendees will also get a taste of Kiwi ingenuity with fun, sustainability- focused activities, as the event also launches the Council’s No 8 Wire Week workshops.No 8 Wire Week runs 16 th - 24 th July, visit www.kapiticoast.govt.nz/no8wireweek for more information.

For more information on Neighbours Day Aotearoa, and to get inspired for Neighbours Day 2017, visit www.neighboursday.org.nz

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