Waimea Weekly Locally Owned and Operated
Wednesday 18 November 2020
Toy run is on
Page 29
Local swimmers thrive
Page 7
Tasman population bigger than Nelson Jenny Nicholson Reporter
jenny@waimeaweekly.co.nz
With over 56,000 people, the Tasman region’s population is now higher than Nelson’s 53,000. Statistics New-Zealand’s latest estimate put the population for the Tasman region at 56,400 in June.
Almost half that growth was in the 65-plus age group with the next biggest growth being in the 15-39 age group. Real estate sales and prices are up across the board with demand exceeding availability. “We are seeing mostly families. Not so many first home buyers are moving to the area,” says
Volunteer carers needed Jo Kent Due to the increased number of people wanting to keep their loved ones home for longer after they have been diagnosed with dementia or health conditions which prevent them from being left alone, Age Concern Nelson Tasman is struggling to meet the demand for its essential Carer Relief Service. The charity is looking for volunteers to help provide its in-home respite care service, which offers some much-needed time out to full-time carers, whether they be partners, parents or other family members. They can meet a friend for coffee, go to a group they love or simply run errands they couldn’t otherwise do. This allows them to stay connected rather than become isolated. There is also the added bonus of the person needing care having
Bayleys sales consultant, Grant Chaney. Properties for sale are attracting multiple bids. Even properties over a million dollars are seeing multiple offers. “I had a call from a lady who had just missed out on a milliondollar property last week and she was crying because she had
missed out again,” says Grant. He said $1,000,000 in Richmond would buy a good-sized home on a good-sized section in a good location. A sale last week in the million-dollar price range was for an 8-year-old, 230 square metre house with four bedrooms, a small office, good indoor-outdoor flow on a 800 square metre
section. It had double-glazing and was in a nice area. After Auckland, Tasman is the least affordable region in the country, with Nelson the third. He said the cheaper end of the market are two bedroom attached dwellings. A basic attached unit in the middle of a block would sell for around $400,000.
Sandi Spink hopes that more volunteers come forward. Photo: Jo Kent.
good company during this time. Susan Arrowsmith, registered social worker with Age Concern Nelson Tasman, says, “Looking after loved ones is hard and can leave carers tired and lonely. We match them with a person who’ll be there for a morning each week. “This can be a lifesaver for the carer as it gives them time out to recharge their batteries.” Volunteers are often people who have a bit of time on their hands and would like to give back to the community, while giving them something worthwhile to do. Sandi Spink, who has volunteered for two years, says, “Giving time to someone who never gets a moment to themselves is priceless, and the carer gets peace of mind knowing their nearest and dearest is safe with us, so it’s a huge relief for them.” To help out, call Susan at Age Concern on 03 544 7624 ext 3.
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