Bizlink Hawera Newsletter
March 2021
Bunny Bonanza Scavenger Hunt
Bunnies are coming your way :
- Let us know if you would like a wooden bunny to hide in your business. We need to ensure this competition is manageable for little legs so we may need to limit numbers and the area of participating businesses. However, if you don't make it onto the final list don't worry you can still use the bunny to reinforce a bit of town wide Easter promotion fun.
- Please email your bunny request to theteam@bizlinkhawera.co.nz
- We will work at dropping these bunnies off to you. You can let us know where it will be hidden in your business by 12pm Wednesday 17 March so that we have time to compile, print and deliver the forms to participating businesses before Easter.
AmeriCARna Success in Hawera!
This popular day event continues to impress and Hawera Businessesreally revved up their fun engines. We received many positive comments from visitors who really enjoyed their day here and voted Hawera their favourite town this year.
STDC organise the "Acceleration Display", a sound system and live music for the town square. This year we had 'Campbell Vibe' play and he was well received. It was awesome to see the rock n roll dancers getting out and showing off their moves. Bizlink Hawera contributes to this event by organising multiple events which add to the atmosphere and provide opportunities for participation. Our town square Fashion Parades seem to draw bigger crowds each year.
There was a Mr and Ms AmeriCARna, Best Celebrity Strut and Best Dressed Family this year with participants winning sashes, flower bouquets and prizes.
Bryan Vickery was our fantastic MC and judged both business participation competitions- 'Best AmeriCARna Window Display' and 'Best Dressed Team'. Bryan spent a good part of the day visiting participating businesses and he was incredibly impressed by all the amazing entries. Please know that even if you did not win a prize we really appreciate your contribution, energy and efforts. It made it very difficult for Bryan to make a decision.
The winners for the 'Best AmeriCARna Window Display': 1st Place: SPCA Op Shop, 2nd Place: Pot O Gold, 3rd Place: Mondo Travel Hawera.
The 'Best Dressed Team' winners were: 1st Place: Ballentynes, 2nd: SPCA Op Shop, 3rd: Charmaine's Coffee Lounge.
If you go to our Facebook page "Bizlink Hawera" you will see all photos from the day.
A huge thanks to all participating businesses. Even by hanging the fanned bunting up or by offering promotions/specials on the day it really brings our town alive.
Covid-19, Level Two and Business
We are likely to continue fluctuating in and out of the Covid 19 alert levels so here's a timely reminder about some of the supports available to you.
Financial support is available for people affected by COVID-19 cases:
If you or your employees are required to self-isolate and can’t work from home, there are supports available through Work and Income to ensure affected people can continue getting paid. This includes people who are self-employed. The support is available now and includes the Short-term Absence Payment and the Leave Support Scheme.
- Short-Term Absence Payment
The COVID-19 Short-Term Absence Payment is available for businesses, including self-employed people, to help pay workers who cannot work from home while waiting for a COVID-19 test result. Find out more on the Work and Income website. Leave Support Scheme
The Leave Support Scheme covers eligible workers, including the self-employed, who can’t work from home and meet certain health criteria, e.g. they have COVID-19 or are a ‘close contact’ who has been told to self-isolate for 14 days. Find out more on the Work and Income website.
New Wage Subsidy
Information about a new Wage Subsidy to help businesses whose revenue has reduced because of moving to COVID-19 Alert Level 3 will be available later today on the Work and Income website.
Register here to find out when applications open
Resurgence Support Payment
Inland Revenue’s Resurgence Support Payment helps businesses across the country affected by Alert Level increases. Businesses and organisations have until 23 March 2021 to apply online in myIR. For more information visit the Resurgence Support Payment page
- Work and Income service centres in Auckland are closed to the public at Alert Level 3. Appointments will be held over the phone at a planned time. Service centres are open for people with appointments at Alert Level 2. Regular payments from Work and Income will continue as usual.
People needing support can call Work and Income on their general line, 0800 559 009, or use MyMSD.
Tailored information is available for New Zealand’s diverse communities
Newly-translated information on Living at Alert Level 3 can be found on the Unite Against COVID-19 website in the following languages:
- Te Reo Māori
- Hindi
- Simplified Chinese
- Urdu
Kai Kitchen February Ba5
Thank you to Rocky and the team for hosting the February Business After Five. She was busy preparing to adapt the food, beverages and space for some strict Covid restrictions however the levels were lifted a day prior.
The food platter was amazing and Rocky shared some insight around the Kai Kitchen's versatile direction. In a spirit that aligns with the Kai Kitchen's generosity there were some lovely host giveaways and Mayor Phil Nixon won the NZME advertising voucher. He chose to continue this generosity by gifting the $500 advertising voucher to two young entrepreneurs present on the night.
