Hayley Buchan our Healthy Families Hutt Valley Manager has been part of the Healthy Families NZ movement and the pillar of Healthy Families Hutt Valley since the beginning of the initiative in 2015.

Food 4 Thought is a family-oriented community-led group that is uniquely Upper Hutt.

Play in the Hutt is a movement kick-starting action to get our community PLAYING again. A partnership between Hutt City Council, Sport NZ and Healthy Families Hutt Valley with the aim to create strong foundations ensuring tamariki are able to be physically active throughout their life-stages, starting with play at a young age.

He Hikinga Pūngao is a video series to promote whānau-oriented, community-led physical activity kaupapa in Te Awa Kairangi.

Active travel enables people to be more active more often and we know that for those people who are more active in their daily lives, their wellbeing is enhanced and they are happier and healthier.

Transport equity is a key focus for Healthy Families Hutt Valley. Increasing access and the use of low carbon, low cost transport options, like bikes, is great for our whānau and our environment.

The journey towards a smokefree Hutt Valley is continuing to build momentum thanks to strong partnerships with Hutt Valley District Health Board and members of the local Tobacco Control Group.

Connection for Māori to all living things is central to our identity, health, and wellbeing. Living in te ao tūroa (natural world) we connect to everything living and non-living through whakapapa (layers of connection).

We have a focus on reducing the harm caused by alcohol. Where people have safer patterns of drinking behaviour, environments support low-risk drinking, harmful drinking is not visible to our children and young people and community wellbeing and safety is enhanced.

At Healthy Families Hutt Valley, we know the importance of having spaces and places that support our health and wellbeing. We’ve been working to shift the system alongside our partners and community to create a smokefree and vapefree Hutt Valley.

Since 2016, Healthy Families Hutt Valley has worked with our partners to make it easier to make water the drink of choice across Te Awa Kairangi.

Wellington Rugby League is a leader amongst our Regional Sporting Organisations for the way they are driving their health and wellbeing strategy for the rugby league community in Wellington.

Walking and cycling are big topics at the moment, with active transport recognised as playing a significant role in transitioning to a sustainable transport system and meeting our climate goals.

Healthy Families Hutt Valley is working on creating better partnerships with our hapori Māori. To build strong partnerships, it is important to continue developing our understanding of Māori culture and values.