It can be easy to forget that there are many parts of the world which continue to face huge struggles in the face of Covid 19. We shouldn’t forget that.

While it can be very easy to drop back into ‘business as usual’ thinking, we need to prize our Level 1 status. NZ is a country where personal freedom is part of our kaupapa. It seems odd then to talk about having some restrictions as a gift, but we need to really prize that gift. There’s a huge difference between what we are asked to do now under Level 1: wear a face mask on a plane, use the Covid tracer app to keep track of where we have been, and maintain good hygiene practices – and what we all needed to do earlier this year under Level 4 restrictions.

2020 is a year in which we’ve gained much. We learnt this year that the Christchurch Netball Centre in South Hagley Park is set to become a hub for our diverse communities in Christchurch: a place for community recreation, sports, cultural celebrations and coming together. Hagley will have a key role in its development.

We’ve learnt a lot about ourselves too. We all experienced the power of collective action, the power of doing the same thing together and doing that for each other. We’ve seen what can be achieved when we work together, when we’re collectively responsible for each other. Think back to 8 months ago to Level 4 and to us ALL following social distancing rules. We all knew we had to do the right thing. We all knew why we were doing it – and we were doing it for other people: people in our families, for others we didn’t know at all. That response gives us a powerful reminder of how linked up all our lives are, how our actions can impact on others, and how we are ALL capable of working for the common good. That message that we need to look out for one another is important for us at Hagley and for all our community. Let’s take that lesson into 2021.

All the best

Aroha nui