Thrift and connection – Diana inspires her neighbours

“It’s a way of using materials like bread bags or old supermarket bags that would otherwise be in landfill and giving them a new lease of life. It brings me joy to know that I’m making things that will have a second chance at life. Necessity is the mother of invention,” says Diana.

The long-time Kāinga Ora customer works hard to create connection and encourage resourcefulness within the North Shore neighbourhood she’s called home since 1968.

And true to her compassionate form, Diana teaches others the skills of her craft. It’s been so successful she’s made waves overseas and now teaches a group in England over Zoom.

“I met one of them through knitting in New Zealand and they got a bunch of people together who wanted to learn.

“I like getting people thinking about different ways to use things.  If one person makes one bag, that saves up to 90 bread bags going to landfill,” says Diana.

Her husband Wallace has also gotten involved, sharing a lifetime of handy skills with others.  His lessons have included, teaching a neighbour how to make a fishing net, showing others how to grow silverbeet in old containers and even tutoring locals on how to cure a ham.

As well as working hard to share their repurposing skills, Diana put her hand up to run a fortnightly social group to help foster connectedness. Every second Wednesday, she opens the local community rooms for neighbours to enjoy morning tea and kōrero.

Community get-togethers are also the perfect time for Diana to showcase her homemade board games to play on special days like St Patrick’s Day or Valentine’s Day. There is even one for the Melbourne Cup!

“I just want people to be able to come along, connect and have fun. People seem to really enjoy it and they often learn something too.”

Whether she’s laying out the kai for her fortnightly social group or teaching people how to knit using old bread bags, Diana is always focussed on her community.

“Back in the 1960s, when I was raising my four children here, everyone on the street knew each other. It was like a village. Everyone was ‘Auntie.’”

“Even though times have changed, I like helping to keep that close-knit community feeling. Everyone benefits from living in a neighbourhood like that, where people know your name.”