Healthy Families Invercargill

23/10/2026

Our team got out and about for Play Week, adding a splash of colour and fun around Murihiku. The rain may have claimed some of our chalk masterpieces, but thankfully not before people had the chance to enjoy them.

Active Southland Southland Poukōkiri mō ngā Rangatahi Greg led tākaro at a Y Squads Rangatahi session alongside Systems Innovator Liv and Green Prescription Physical Activity and Nutrition Advisor and Tōku Oranga Health Coach Jonette Henwood. The session focused on the importance of hauora and physical activity.

This week Laura also met with Brendan, Divisional Manager at Fulton Hogan
alongside Adina and Claire from South Alive Invercargill, at Pāteke Walk on Centre Street in South Invercargill.
Fulton Hogan Southland is supporting local beautification efforts by preparing the fence surface that will soon be transformed into a vibrant community mural. Preparations are now underway for two murals to be created by local artist Meg from with the painting set to begin in early December.

We're looking forward to seeing these colourful additions bring more life to the walkway.

A huge thank you to Fulton Hogan Southland, Skoodles Illustration and South Alive for helping make this project possible. Watch this space. 💚

Last week, Active Transport Innovator Laura supported the reboot of the Bright Sparks Road Safety and Early Bike Skills Programme with two pilot sessions at Longbush Rural Kindergarten and Clarendon Kindergarten. With the sun shining and tamariki smiling, the programme got off to a fantastic start!

This initiative has been a true collaborative effort, made possible through the support of our friends at Kindergartens South, Whānau Āwhina Plunket, Road Safety Southland, and Southern District Police School Community Officer Rosie Marchant.

Check out the flash fleet of runner bikes, from Wensley Cycles, and the helmets were kindly provided by Plunket.

We're excited to continue our journey around Kindergartens South sites across the region and share the Bright Sparks experience with even more tamariki.

23/10/2026

One year on from the severe weather event that caused widespread wind damage across Southland, here's a shout out to the communities, whānau and organisations affected, and the many people who stepped up to help.

In the aftermath, Active Southland worked alongside others to support the play, active recreation and sport sector - and the wider community. This included helping connect affected sport and active recreation organisations with relief funding from Sport New Zealand and contributing to the coordination of emergency food support.

The event also reinforced an important lesson: access to kai is a critical part of community resilience. When severe weather disrupts transport, power and essential services, communities already facing barriers can be affected most.

Since then, we have continued advocating for kai resilience to receive greater consideration in local emergency planning. Our role is not to lead every part of the response, but to listen, connect, support and bring what we learn from communities into the places where future decisions are made.

We remember the impact of the event and acknowledge everyone who supported the response and recovery. We remain committed to working alongside our communities and partners to help Murihiku become stronger and better prepared.

21/10/2026

Looking for some Play Week inspiration?

This mini volcano recipe is just one of the many activities in our Play At Home collection. Packed with ideas that use everyday items, natural resources, and a bit of curiosity, it’s a great way to spark creativity and exploration at home.

Download it here: https://www.sporty.co.nz/asset/downloadasset?id=957c657a-6c51-4829-b7b5-1661267dcd82

21/10/2026

Chalk trails hit different on a sunny day, especially when they get you moving and having fun!

20/10/2026

It's Play Week, and what better excuse to get out and explore Southland?

Our Just For Fun Southland Play Map is packed with places, spaces and hidden gems to help you discover something new in our region 🗺

Want even more ideas?

Follow the link to check out the full resource:

http://www.sporty.co.nz/asset/downloadasset?id=af880d7f-2532-4689-bb37-8f56d6dba649

18/10/2026

Nau mai ki Play Week! 🎉🙌

We asked our team to show us how they like to have fun, whether it is with their whānau, friends, colleagues or furry companions 🐾
A great reminder that play matters at every age! 💛

16/10/2026

Weekly Wrap

As part of Mental Health Awareness Week, our teams have been finding moments throughout the week to prioritise wellbeing alongside our day-to-day mahi 💛

From pickleball with our friends at South Alive, to sweet treats and thoughtful messages, starting the day with taonga tākaro, and fairy door hunts around the office, and lastly finishing the week off with a big walk to Queens Park and coffee at the Cheeky Ilama. There have been plenty of opportunities to connect, get moving and share a few laughs along the way.

It's a good reminder that looking after our wellbeing doesn't have to be complicated. Sometimes it's the simple things, moving our bodies, playing a quick game or sharing a kōrero, that can make all the difference.

And the fun isn't stopping there. Our new play resource has arrived just in time for Play Week next week, and we're looking forward to seeing it bring even more opportunities for creativity and play across our communities!🎉💛

07/10/2026

We can’t treat our way to healthier communities. We also need to create the conditions that help people stay well in the first place.
"We can’t treat our way to a sustainable health system" highlights how our health is shaped well beyond hospitals and clinics, by things like housing, income, food, transport, our environment and the strength of our local relationships.
It argues that prevention needs to happen in the places where those conditions are created.
That’s why Healthy Families Invercargill has a focus on systems change.
Rather than only looking at individual behaviour or responding once poor health has occurred, systems change means looking upstream at the environments, relationships, practices and decisions that influence the health and wellbeing of our communities.
There is no single programme or organisation that can create that change. It takes communities and organisations working together to create healthier conditions that can support wellbeing over the long term.

👉 Read the article:

Comment from Victoria University: Political promises on waiting lists ignore the root causes of illness. Dr Anna Matheson says NZ must fund prevention to fix healthcare.

07/10/2026

Friendly reminder: Don't forget to have your say!

We have reviewed our Smokefree Policy and have some proposed changes. Let us know if we have got it right.