Age on the Go 2026 is a free expo bringing together local services, health providers, support organisations and community groups all under one roof, giving older people the chance to connect, discover local support, and learn what’s available across Horowhenua. This year’s event is on track for a record number of stallholders, covering everything from health and wellbeing to independence, recreation and community connection.

The expo is supported by the Older Persons’ Network, a group of representatives from organisations across the district dedicated to supporting older people to live well and age well.

With dozens of stalls, attendees will be able to see what clubs and hobbies are available locally, talk to health providers, get their blood pressure checked, understand all that the library team has on offer, connect with community services and meet new friends over a cup of tea and a game. Raewyn’s Cafe will also be setting up on-site for the day, so there’s plenty of reasons to stay a while. Best of all, entry is free and everyone is welcome, so bring your friends and whānau along.

Mayor Bernie Wanden, Chair of the Older Persons Network, says the expo is one of his favourite events on the calendar.

“I’ll admit I’m well into the demographic Age on the Go is aimed at these days, so I have a bit of a personal interest in making sure it’s a good one. It’s a fantastic chance to see the sheer range of support and services we have right here in Horowhenua, and a reminder of just how connected our community is.

“Whether you’re coming along for yourself or on behalf of a parent or grandparent, I’d encourage everyone to come and see what’s on offer.”

Age on the Go is part of Horowhenua District Council’s commitment to He Hapori Pakari – Strong Communities, our Community Wellbeing Strategy, where a Connected Community is one of our key priorities.

Event details

• Date: Friday 16 October 2026
• Time: 10am to 2pm
• Where: Horowhenua Events Centre, 33 Victoria Street, Levin
• Entry: Free

For more information, visit https://www.horowhenua.govt.nz/CommunityPlaces/Community-Services/Older-People/Age-on-the-Go-Expo

Held at the Horowhenua Events Centre in Levin, the awards that have been taking place over three decades, brought together businesses, supporters and community leaders from across Kāpiti and Horowhenua for an evening celebrating business excellence, innovation and community spirit.

Udderly Organic was a standout, taking home five awards: Electra Business of the Year; Manufacturing, Production and Processing; Customer Experience – Horowhenua; New/Emerging; and Environmental Sustainability. Its success highlighted the quality and ambition of businesses operating in Horowhenua and was a proud moment for the district’s food and beverage sector.

Shannon Four Square received the special Judges’ Award – Heart of the Community, recognising its contribution to the community it serves. Created at the judges’ discretion, this award is only presented when they believe a business is worthy of special acknowledgement, making it a particularly meaningful recognition for the team.

Other local successes included Nation Beauty, which won the Consumer Services Award, and Premium Garage Doors, which took home the Construction and Trades Award and the Innovation Award.

Doug Rowan was also announced as the 2026 Horowhenua Business Hall of Fame Laureate, recognising an outstanding career devoted to leadership and service. The honour celebrates his lasting contribution to business and the meaningful difference he has made in the wider community.

Horowhenua Mayor Bernie Wanden says the evening highlighted the people, hard work and community connections behind local business success.

“Our businesses contribute so much to Horowhenua. They create jobs, support local causes and help make our towns places where people feel connected. Udderly Organic’s outstanding success and Shannon Four Square’s Heart of the Community Award reflect the different ways our businesses make a difference.

“It was a pleasure to celebrate on home turf and welcome our Kāpiti neighbours to Levin. Our districts share strong connections, and these awards are a wonderful opportunity to come together, recognise achievement and celebrate the people behind our business community.”

The shared Kāpiti–Horowhenua awards provide an opportunity for businesses across both districts to connect, learn from one another and gain recognition for their work. Hosting this year’s celebration in Levin brought that wider business community together in Horowhenua.

Across the evening, the achievements of winners and finalists showcased the diversity of local enterprise, from food producers and trades to retailers and service businesses. The awards also recognised the commitment involved in building a business, developing a team and consistently delivering for customers.

“I also want to acknowledge Business Kāpiti Horowhenua, the volunteer-run community not-for-profit organisation behind these special awards. Their work ensures our community’s voice remains at the heart of the awards programme.”

Horowhenua District Council as a sponsor congratulates all winners, finalists and entrants, and acknowledges the organisers, judges and other sponsors who made the evening possible.

This year’s winners include:
Electra Business of the Year: Sponsored by Electra
● Udderly Organic Ltd

Construction and Trades: Sponsored by Mills Albert Ltd
● Premium Garage Doors

Consumer Services: Sponsored by Zebunisso Alimova – Mike Pero Mortgages
● Nation Beauty

Hospitality, Entertainment and Tourism: Sponsored by Kapinua
● The Custard Pie

Manufacturing, Production and Processing: Sponsored by MTF Kāpiti
● Udderly Organic Ltd

Not for Profit, Community and Public Services: Sponsored by LT McGuinness
● Ōtaki Women’s Community Club (OWCC)

Professional and Business Services, or Technology: Sponsored by Graphic Press & Packaging
● Pou Architecture

Retail: Sponsored by New World Levin
● We Love Local

Customer Experience – Horowhenua: Sponsored by The Horowhenua Company
● Udderly Organic Ltd

Customer Experience – Kāpiti: Sponsored by Spark Business Hub Kāpiti
● We Love Local

New/Emerging: Sponsored by Kāpiti Business Chamber
● Udderly Organic Ltd

Small Business: Sponsored by NZME
● Pou Architecture

Environmental Sustainability: Sponsored by ANZ Bank New Zealand
● Udderly Organic Ltd

Innovation: Sponsored by Elite Diagnostics
● Premium Garage Doors

Judges’ Award – Heart of the Community
● Four Square Shannon

Hall of Fame Horowhenua – Sponsored by Horowhenua District Council
● Doug Rowan

Hall of Fame Kāpiti – Sponsored by Kāpiti Coast District Council
● Mark Brosnahan

“Putting your business forward for an award takes courage,” said Heather Hutchings, Lead Judge of EBIA. “It means opening the doors, sharing your story, and allowing others to look closely at what you’ve built, and that in itself deserves recognition.”

About the Awards
The Awards recognise businesses based in the Kāpiti Coast and Horowhenua districts. Running continuously since 1993, the awards celebrate innovation, sustainability and best business practice across all industries and sectors in our regions. Business Kāpiti Horowhenua (BKH), a volunteer-run, not-for-profit body, organises the Electra Business & Innovation Awards.

“The damning report details the inconsistent and incorrect answers, Board-level governance failures, and a lack of transparency around crucial procurement decisions coupled with no records from the time. This has led to aging and broken trucks, and years of delay for replacements,” Costley says.

Costley points to two key examples from the inquiry, relating to different types of fire trucks.

“Thirty new trucks were purchased in 2019, and none of them are in use seven years later. Aerial (ladder) appliances have also suffered significant delays. Despite a ‘final inspection’ in July 2025, they are still sitting with original manufacturers, not yet delivered to FENZ and far from being put into operational use.

“Both contracts are stuck in commercial disputes, with trucks withheld from FENZ while issues are resolved.

“Blaming today’s problems on the state of FENZ at its 2017 inception does not cut it. Many of today’s leaders held leadership roles in the Fire Service prior to 2017, and the state of the many fire appliances today is worse than it was nine years ago. FENZ have been going backwards, not forwards.

Costley says new taxes will not fix FENZ. “Funding has not been the issue, spending and delivery has been. FENZ needs to focus on consistently delivering new trucks into the fleet so every brigade has appliances within the expected age.

“It should not have taken an inquiry like this to bring these issues to light. We have seen misleading response rates, obfuscation over new appliances, and leaders telling the committee that there were processes and equipment were in place that simply were not. I have found the truth not through the answers given to the committee, but through endless hours spent trawling through submissions and speaking with firefighters from north of Auckland to the deep south.

“Despite the challenges the inquiry found, I continue to be impressed by the quality of the men and women who serve in fire stations, both full-time and volunteer,” says Costley.

In May of this year Internal Affairs Minister Brooke van Velden announced a new Chair had been appointed to the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Board.

“I am pleased to announce that I have appointed Mr Raveen Jaduram as Chair of the Fire and Emergency New Zealand Board,” said Minister van Velden.

Mr Jaduram succeeds Rebecca Keoghan MNZM, who has served as Chair since July 2021, following her earlier role as Deputy Chair from June 2019.

“I would like to thank Ms Keoghan for her service during a critical period for Fire and Emergency New Zealand. She has supported the organisation through its post-amalgamation phase, strengthening its structure, and advancing important work on workplace culture and organisational integrity,” said van Velden.

ACT Party MP Brooke van Velden is retiring from Parliament in November.

With spring being a busy time for farmers, Police have seen a number of burglaries where fuel, firewood, hot water cylinders, and tools have been targeted.

Senior Sergeant Andrew Russ, South Taranaki Area Response Manager, says Police urge the community to get in touch with Police if they see any suspicious or unlawful activity occurring in the area.

“We believe there have been a number of burglaries that have not been reported and we ask the community to report any unlawful activity, even if it seems low level.

“When a report is made, it builds a picture of where we need to be, and we need the public’s help in making our community safer.”

Police also encourage members of the community to take a few quick steps to help prevent themselves from being targeted.

“The biggest deterrent to crime is prevention, and most rural burglaries and thefts occur at properties with no to little security in place,” Senior Sergeant Russ says.

“Storing equipment securely away from public view and locking gates and sheds are effective.

“If possible, installing preventative tools like sensor lights, CCTV cameras, signage, pin-code gates, and driveway or building alarms can also deter this activity.”

If you see any suspicious or unlawful behaviour happening, please contact Police immediately on 111, with as much information as you can safely gather.

Non-emergencies or information reported after-the-fact can be provided online at 105.police.govt.nz, or by calling 105. Information can also be provided anonymously through Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

The fund comes from endowment land at Foxton Beach and is managed by Horowhenua District Council on behalf of the community. Grants are paid from the income the fund earns each year, never from the fund itself. This helps ensure the fund continues to support future generations.

Until now, there was no public application process. That changed with a policy adopted in September 2025, developed with Te Awahou Foxton Community Board, descendants of the original landowners of Papangaio J Block, and the wider Foxton Beach community.

Te Awahou Foxton Community Board Chairperson Ross Brannigan, said the change puts community ideas front and center. 

“For years, we’ve had people come to us with ideas about what Foxton Beach needs. Now there’s a clear way for them to put those forward.

“Foxton Beach is a small community and local people here know exactly what would make a real difference. I’d encourage anyone with a good idea to apply.”

Funding is available across four areas: heritage and culture, recreation and conservation, economic development, and wellbeing and community. Projects could include community facilities or shared assets, environmental and coastal projects, cultural and heritage initiatives, or projects that simply bring people together.

Applications must be for public services or amenities that benefit the people of Foxton Beach, and the project needs to sit within the Kere Kere Ward.

Applications will be assessed by Council officers, then reviewed by a working group of Board members and representatives of the descendants of Papangaio J Blocks original landowners. The Board will then make recommendations to Council, which will make the final decision.

Applications close on Wednesday 30 September. For help with your application, phone 06 366 0999 or email Democracy.Services@horowhenua.govt.nz

Full criteria, FAQs and details on how to apply are on our Apply for Foxton Beach Endowment Fund page.

The first of these significant decisions saw Horowhenua District Council adopt the Levin Town Centre Retail Transformation Strategy and approve $200,000 in funding to begin delivering improvements and implementation of the Strategy.

The Retail Transformation Strategy provides a roadmap for strengthening our town centre over the next 10 to 15 years, with the goal of making it the place people from across Horowhenua choose to meet, eat, shop and spend time.

Councillor Clint Grimstone, Levin Ward Councillor and Council representative on the project’s Steering Group, says the decisions signal a shift from planning to action.

“We know the Taitoko, Levin town centre has huge potential, and these decisions give us a clear direction and some real momentum,” Councillor Grimstone says.

“Council’s aim is to create a town centre our community can feel proud of. By investing now, we can make improvements people will see and experience, while supporting local businesses and creating a town centre that works for everyone.

“A strategy sitting on a shelf won’t transform our town centre. By making $200,000 available from our existing Town Centre Activation budget, we can get moving now and deliver improvements our community can see and experience.”

The funding will support early initiatives such as improved street cleaning and gardens, better signage, enhanced public spaces, and work to improve access, safety and vibrancy.

Council will also establish a contestable fund to support town centre retailers and property owners to improve their shopfronts. Potential projects could include repainting, upgraded signage and lighting, façade improvements. The details and timing of the contestable fund will be finalised and communicated in the coming weeks.

The Strategy responds to feedback from residents, retailers and property owners, who highlighted the need for greater retail variety, a stronger hospitality offering, more activity and a refreshed town centre environment.

At the same meeting, Council made a second key decision confirming the pathway for the redevelopment opportunity associated with the six strategically located Council-owned properties on Oxford Street. Council chose to apply the intent of its First Right of Refusal to Iwi Policy by providing iwi and hapū with an exclusive opportunity to put forward redevelopment proposals through an Expression of Interest process before any opportunity is offered to the wider market.

“This is an opportunity to work in partnership with iwi and hapū and invite forward ideas that can deliver the outcomes we want for these important sites,” Councillor Grimstone says.

The opening of the Ōtaki to north of Levin expressway, currently expected in late 2029, will significantly change how traffic moves through Horowhenua. Councillor Grimstone says Council is determined to prepare early and make the most of the opportunities ahead.

“We’re not waiting for the expressway to open before thinking about what comes next,” he says. “This is our opportunity to make Taitoko, Levin town centre a destination in its own right, somewhere people choose to stop, spend time and return to, rather than simply pass through. With the direction set, funding behind it and key sites moving forward, now it’s time to get on with it. The redevelopment of these Oxford Street properties presents an opportunity to be a catalyst and transformative development in the heart of the Town Centre.”

The Lower North Island Boys Tier 4 secondary school hockey tournament runs from Monday, August 31 until Friday, September 4.

Hockey New Zealand lists Horowhenua Hockey Association as the host of the tournament, with matches being played at the hockey facilities at 41 Adkin Ave, in Levin.

The competition is part of Hockey New Zealand’s national secondary schools tournament programme and brings Lower North Island boys’ teams together for five days of competition.

Levin is also hosting the North Island Secondary Schools Hurricanes Under-15 Girls Rugby 15s tournament.

School Sport New Zealand lists the rugby tournament as running in Levin on August 31 and September 1, with New Zealand Rugby organising the event.

The two competitions mean Levin will be a centre for secondary school sport throughout the opening days of September, with players, coaches and supporters travelling to the town for hockey and rugby.

The hockey tournament continues through to Friday, while the Hurricanes Under-15 girls competition concludes on Tuesday.

Police were alerted at about 10.20am on Tuesday, August 25, after a science technician found a flask containing a substance identified as potentially unstable.

The substance was reported to be Tollens’ reagent, a solution containing silver ions and ammonia.

Emergency services, including Police, Fire and Emergency and ambulance crews, attended the Levin school.

A New Zealand Defence Force Explosive Ordnance Disposal team was also called to assess and remove the material.

The chemical was safely disposed of in the school’s back field at about 3pm under the supervision of specialists.

The evacuation was carried out as a precaution.

The Horowhenua College incident was followed by similar discoveries at schools in Auckland and Porirua.

The Ministry of Education said the incidents were a reminder for schools to review the chemicals stored on their sites and ensure they were being appropriately managed and disposed of.

Schools concerned about potentially hazardous chemicals were advised to seek specialist help and contact emergency services if there was an immediate safety risk.

The Ministry also advised schools not to move or handle a substance where there were safety concerns.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand records show crews were called to a structure fire in Levin at 9.14pm on Thursday, August 27.

Firefighters from Levin, Horowhenua, Waitārere Beach and Shannon attended the blaze.

The building, at Muaūpoko Parkbeside Lake Horowhenua, was formerly used by the Sea Cadets but had been derelict. Firefighters spent at least four hours dealing with the fire and the blaze is being treated as suspicious.The fire destroyed the old building.

Fire and Emergency’s public incident report records the call as a structure fire but does not provide a cause. Further information on the cause of the fire and any investigation has not yet been released publicly by Police.

Parents and caregivers are encouraged to attend a community evening at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō to help whānau better understand and manage the challenges children face online.

Filmmaker, author and speaker Rob Cope, producer of the documentary Our Kids Online, will present Parenting in an Online World 101, a practical session on helping young people stay safer online.

The session will cover key online risks including cyberbullying, social media pressure, gaming, online predators, pornography, artificial intelligence and the sharing of intimate images.

It will also share practical tools for parents and caregivers, including filters and parental controls, safer smartphone settings, healthy boundaries around device use, and ways to have important conversations with tamariki/children and rangatahi/youth.

Cope says keeping children safe online requires a collective effort from families, schools and communities.

“We need to tackle this as a community so that all of our kids are safe. When I protected my kids online, I also protected yours, so please, please protect your kids online so that you are also protecting mine,” he says.

Councillor Jo Mason, Chair of the Community Wellbeing Committee, says the event supports Council’s focus on safer, stronger communities.

“Supporting parents and caregivers to navigate the online world is an important part of creating safer communities. Community safety is a priority within Horowhenua District Council’s Community Wellbeing Strategy, He Hapori Pakari, and a continuing area of focus for the Community Wellbeing Committee. By equipping whānau with practical knowledge and tools, the event aims to strengthen the wellbeing and safety of tamariki and rangatahi both online and offline.”

Parenting in an Online World 101 is open to parents, caregivers and whānau who want to better support their children online.

Event details: Thursday 6 August 2026 at Te Takeretanga o Kura-hau-pō, 10 Bath Street, Levin. Doors open at 6pm and the event starts at 6.30pm. This is an R18 event.

Tickets are $10 and available through Eventfinda.