Titiro whakamuri, Kōkiri whakamua.
Look back and reflect, so you can move forward
A collection of mahi from 2025
2025 has been a year defined by connection, creativity, and courageous community leadership across Te Awa Kairangi. Healthy Families Hutt Valley have continued to uplift the voices of whānau, strengthen systems that shape wellbeing, and champion environments where our people can thrive. This year has reminded us that ‘True, sustainable health doesn’t come from isolated programmes - it grows from strong relationships, collective action, and from solutions shaped by lived experience and local wisdom’.
We have seen powerful changes emerge in the way our communities access kai, experience sport and physical activity, navigate alcohol and smokefree environments, and connect to whānau-led initiatives that restore dignity and wellbeing. These shifts, big and small, reflect a changing narrative across our rohe.
Tia Whānau (formerly Cull to Plate) has become a movement grounded in food sovereignty, environmental restoration, and community resilience. Working alongside hunters, kaitiaki, and local partners, we are exploring new pathways to bringing nutritional kai to our communities. The kōrero sparked by this mahi is broadening the understanding of what a resilient kai system can look like.
At the same time, All Star of the Week continues to shine as an example of systems change in action. What began as a simple shift of moving rewards for tamariki away from fast-food to healthier wai focussed rewards has now become a new normal for many sporting codes across Te Wanganui a Tara. Parents, coaches, and tamariki have embraced this healthy reward system with pride, showing how small changes can shift mindsets that have a ripple impact through entire communities.
Our Pātaka Kai initiative has also flourished, guided by the leadership of passionate kaitiaki and the community who have continued to open their hearts and have given time to support community access to kai. This year we deepened our understanding of the many barriers whānau currently face and supported access to 8 additional Pataka Kai that are managed by local champions The Pātaka movement remains a powerful demonstration of manaakitanga, and an example of what happens when decision-making sits with the people closest to the kaupapa.
We also saw strong momentum in our alcohol harm reduction work. HFHV involvement in national and local hui, sharing insights from wānanga, and raising the awareness and benefits of denormalising alcohol in sports and public spaces, has helped amplify a collective voice calling for change. Communities are increasingly recognising the impact alcohol has on young people and our families. This is slow but steady journey of systems change has been grounded in evidence, lived experience, and a wellbeing focus for future generations.
Alongside this, HFHV commitment to smokefree and vapefree environments has remained steadfast. This year we were privileged to support the capturing of powerful Tupeka Kore stories - the voices of those who stood at the very beginning of the kaupapa and helped lead the movement that paved the way for Aotearoa’s Smokefree 2025 laws. Their wisdom, courage, and lived experience continue to shape how we understand tobacco harm and strengthen our collective resolve to create healthier futures for our whānau.
From a community and Health Families lens-None of this mahi stands alone. The real story of 2025 has been the strengthening of relationships across the system - between our community, iwi, local government, central government, agencies advocating for change and the wider Healthy Families NZ whānau. Together we have seen power move closer to community. with
As we look toward 2026, we carry with us the momentum of a year filled with insights, courage, and collective hope and as we close out 2025, we proudly acknowledge and celebrate every relationship, every story, and every moment of learning that has contributed to a healthier Te Awa Kairangi.
Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou — our community leaders, partners, whānau, and champions — for your trust, your courage, and your unwavering support. Our commitment remains unchanged: To stand alongside our people, champion collective solutions that honour mana enhancing health outcomes for our people, and be bold in our approach to influencing systems-change.