Community

Southland’s favourite festive celebration is back, and this year it’s bigger, brighter, and tastier than ever. Xmas in the Park is a free, family-friendly event bringing together more than 2,000 locals and visitors for an unforgettable afternoon of music, markets, games, and Christmas cheer. This year’s

The Learning Differences Aotearoa Trust is winding up after seven years, but is gifting some of its resources to the Southland community. A limited number of printed ‘Growing Stars’ books are available for collection at Young Reflections - but there are also e-books and videos that parents, educators and adult

ILT once again brought festive cheer to Invercargill’s older residents, hosting the first of two Christmas dinners for people aged over 70 at the Ascot Park Hotel last night. Now a much-loved annual tradition, the event saw 700 guests treated to a three-course meal served by ILT board members

Special Olympics Southland is gearing up to send its team to the 2025 Special Olympics National Summer Games in Christchurch, with athletes departing from Invercargill Airport on Wednesday, 10 December at 8:35am. The team will return home on Monday, 15 December at 10:15am, and media are warmly invited

An unexpected donation recently received from Southern Institute of Technology (SIT) to the Rotary Club of Invercargill South Inc helped them to raise funds for two local beneficiaries. In a one-off donation, SIT gave one student-built dog kennel and a playhouse to the local Rotary club. Thanking SIT for the

Rugby Southland has officially wrapped up its three-year charity partnership with the Hawthorndale Care Village (HCV) by donating $16,014, closing a chapter that has seen years of collaborative fundraising and community involvement. The latest donation was generated through the 2025 SBS Bank Southland Stags Charity Jersey, worn during Round

Invercargill’s Salvation Army has been overwhelmed with hundreds of new toys thanks to Southern Grilles and Gasoline annual Santa Cruz sponsored by Burgerfuel. Now in its 6th year, the car enthusiast group had 67 classics involved in the Christmas initiative, with drivers cruising the city last Friday to collect

This week marks 100 years since the Southland Cenotaph in Invercargill was officially unveiled to honour local men and women who served and died in World War I. Unveiled on 6 December 1925, the cenotaph was revealed to the public in a significant ceremony led by then-Governor General of New