Content Archived on the Web

This content has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please check our menus for latest news items.

Last modified: 29 Sep 2020 8:00am

A 10-day extravaganza of events, workshops and programmes will be on offer next month to help older Selwyn residents live well.

This year’s SWELL has expanded from a one-day expo to a series of 79 workshops, talks and activities, spread across the district from 12–22 October.

Around 500 people attended the first SWELL expo at Lincoln Event Centre last year. The aim this year is to make the events easier to access and provide smaller workshops for people.

Swell focuses on building social connections and helping people connect with services or activities they did not know about, Community Services and Facilities Group Manager Denise Kidd says.

“Selwyn is a great place to live and we have a huge number of supports and opportunities available to help people age well, but they’re not always known about. Covid has reinforced how important social connections are and we see this as a chance to help people build those connections, to keep learning and growing together with their friends, meet new ones and find out about the fantastic people, groups and resources we have to help us have a great life here.”

Activities will include everything from sit and be fit, Tai Chi and aqua aerobics classes, to digital support workshops to learn about using devices, sessions with Presbyterian Support and talks from The Happy Gardener Rochel Vogan.

Over 25 clubs from around the district will also be hosting Have a Go Days taking in a huge range of interests such as embroidery, walking netball, Menz Sheds, bowls and history walking tours.

Programme booklets will be available in all Selwyn Libraries by the end of this week, or you can visit selwyn.govt.nz/swell2020 for more information.