Latest news with #Habitat
Winnipeg Free Press
2 days ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Home team helps home build
Winnipeg Blue Bombers fans can trade in foam fingers and cowbells for a hammer to help build a home for a family in need this fall. Habitat for Humanity Manitoba and the Winnipeg Blue Bombers will team up Oct. 1 and 2 to host the first Bombers House Build, where volunteers will help build a house for a low-income family alongside players from the football club. 'It's another opportunity for people to help and engage in the community,' said Christa Mariash, spokesperson for Habitat. 'You work on a football team to win the game and you work on a team to build a house. We just thought it was a perfect fit.' SUPPLIED Holly Jefferson (left) and members of the Bombers Women's Club work on a Habitat for Humanity house in Transcona last week. Each day, 50 people can sign up to help build one of 55 homes that will house 275 Manitobans, including 175 children, on the Pandora Avenue West property in Transcona. Sign-ups can be made via the Habitat website until Sept. 12. Mariash said 25 per cent of the spots have been filled. She said anyone is encouraged to join, including fervent Bomber fans, business operators and families. Prices start at $549 for individuals, $2,199 for four-person teams, and $5,499 for a team of 10. The organization's goal is to raise $100,000. Mariash said participants will be trained at the site and receive plenty of perks, including a co-branded limited edition Bombers and Habitat T-shirt, a framed team photo and an invitation to watch the family officially receive their home at the key ceremony. 'You kind of see the process full circle by seeing the fruits of your labour. It's pretty exciting,' Mariash said. Those who register will also receive a VIP invite to Hearts & Hammers, Habitat's donor appreciation night at the Pinnacle Club in Princess Auto Stadium. The Bombers House Build is one of many ways Winnipeg's CFL team continues to support the community. Along with the club's focus on growing amateur football across Manitoba and ensuring children have the opportunity to play both tackle and flag football, the Bombers have also worked with the Dream Factory and Children's Hospital to bring joy and laughter to those facing life-altering sicknesses. The following is a list of volunteer opportunities for Winnipeg and surrounding areas. For more information about these listings, contact the organization directly. Volunteer Manitoba does not place volunteers with organizations but can help people find opportunities. To learn more about its programs and services, go to or call 204-477-5180. The following is a list of volunteer opportunities for Winnipeg and surrounding areas. For more information about these listings, contact the organization directly. Volunteer Manitoba does not place volunteers with organizations but can help people find opportunities. To learn more about its programs and services, go to or call 204-477-5180. Siloam Mission is seeking kitchen volunteers at the Madison, at 210 Evanson St. Volunteers help prepare and serve meals in a smaller, less-crowded kitchen setting. A willingness to learn, the ability to stand for two hours and a friendly attitude are required, but no experience is necessary. Volunteers can gain valuable cooking skills with guidance from experienced staff members. The minimum age is 16, with breakfast, lunch and dinner shifts available. Supervision, training and orientation are provided, along with a letter of reference after 100 volunteer hours. Apply at by July 30. The College of Registered Nurses of Manitoba needs a public representative to fill a vacancy on the finance committee for terms starting in October. The committee is responsible for making recommendations on financial policies, financial conditions and the annual audit to the council. More information is available at Send a resumé and cover letter to appointments@ by Aug. 8. Mount Carmel Clinic needs volunteers for community programming support. Roles include setting up and cleaning programming spaces, organizing the refreshments area, greeting community members and providing event information. Volunteers help staff members with group activities and distribution of materials. Volunteers should be 16 or older and open to working from a place of non-judgment, open-mindedness and respect for people of all backgrounds and identities. The time commitment is two shifts monthly, and there is an orientation of three to 3.5 hours. Shifts are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays. Background checks are required, with costs reimbursed. Email volunteer@ by Aug. 31. Osteoporosis Canada needs people with a health or fitness background to serve as presenters/facilitators for its educational programs. Candidates must be 18 or older and should have strong interpersonal skills, empathy and basic computer skills, including familiarity with virtual platforms such as Zoom. The role is ideal for retired health-care professionals, fitness leaders or anyone interested in healthy living. People who are bilingual or proficient in English at a B2 to C1 level are welcome to apply. The time commitment is four to six flexible hours per month. Apply at or tapsit@ by Dec. 31. Villa Cabrini needs someone with creative skills to make posters for various events. The necessary information for the projects will be provided each month. The role does not include printing responsibilities; completed files can be emailed. Volunteers must have computer and design skills and be 16 or older. The role involves flexible hours and can be done remotely. Apply at vcabrini@ by Jan. 1. The YWG Goldwings program welcomes and helps travellers at Winnipeg Richardson International Airport. Volunteers greet guests, offer assistance and provide directions. Representing the Winnipeg Airports Authority with professionalism and pride, volunteers actively engage with passengers and ensure clear communication. Volunteers are expected to commit to at least 100 hours annually and must show strong communication, customer service and teamwork skills. Open to people aged 16 and older. A criminal record check is required, and the ability to speak languages other than English is an asset. Apply at by Aug. 1. The Leftovers Foundation, a food-rescue charity with a mission of reducing food waste and increasing access to food for people facing barriers, is gearing up for Home Harvest. The program facilitates the rescue of homegrown food. Community members can participate by signing up through the website or mobile app to become a donor (grower) or volunteer to complete routes. Growers with excess produce can submit a request any time, and volunteers can harvest and deliver the produce to local service agencies and keep a portion for themselves. Volunteers can sign up in groups or individually. Email alyssa@ or go to for more information. Apply by Aug. 2. MS Canada needs volunteers for the Gimli MS Bike on Aug. 23 and Aug. 24. Help is needed throughout the event to ensure it runs smoothly and that participants have an enjoyable time while biking to raise funds for people affected by MS. Shifts are available one or both days and range from two to eight hours. To view role descriptions and shifts, go to and register by Aug. 20. For more details, email Karyn Heidrick at The Canadian Red Cross Society needs volunteers in Manitoba for programs such as Smart Start and Disaster Risk Reduction. These roles involve leading sessions on climate change and emergency preparedness, and require effective communication skills and cultural sensitivity. Volunteers might also join the emergency responder and personal disaster assistance teams to help during disasters. Training and background checks are mandatory. This opportunity offers experience in public speaking and crisis management. Send a resumé to SmartStart@ by Dec. 31. Wade Miller, president and chief executive officer of the Bombers, said the partnership with Habitat is another opportunity for the athletes to show their leadership off the field. 'Our players give back in our community like no other professional sports organization or players in different leagues and are really committed to giving back,' Miller said. 'That's what makes CFL players and Blue Bomber players special.' Last week, members of the Bombers Women's Club — a free fan group that connects women through exclusive events and community engagement — along with Holly Jefferson, wife of star defensive lineman Willie Jefferson, joined Habitat on the Pandora build site to lend a hand. For several hours, the women rolled up their sleeves, picked up hammers and got to work framing walls and nailing down lumber alongside Habitat's construction crew. Miller said the names of the players who will participate in the October build will be announced closer to the date. 'All of our players would love to be a part of that and set the example that they always have,' he said. Wednesdays Sent weekly from the heart of Turtle Island, an exploration of Indigenous voices, perspectives and experiences.
The Spinoff
2 days ago
- General
- The Spinoff
Curtain banks are in hot demand
Around the country, a network of curtain banks make and provide curtains that keep homes warm and electricity bills down. Demand is ever-growing, and they're sewing frantically to keep up. If you walk through Habitat for Humanity's Ōtara superstore, down the external and currently chilly alleyway full of ceramic sinks, toilets and baths, there's another reclaimed industrial building. On its bright blue painted side, there's a white sign reading 'CURTAIN BANK' over a set of glass doors. Inside, two industrial sewing machines are humming, their operators carefully running pieces of fabric and curtain tape through straight as an arrow. The irons are hot. There's three big pattern-cutting tables and along the walls, shelves with bundles of curtains labelled with order numbers or dimensions. This is Habitat's curtain bank, where last year the team sent out more curtains than ever before – 11,215 curtains for 732 families. It's not like a food bank where people are only given what's already there – almost every curtain is customised. This bank is just one of a network of 22 curtain banks scattered from Auckland all the way down to Invercargill. Most of the curtain banks don't stand alone – they're part of the Healthy Homes Initiative, with Health New Zealand saying curtains are the highest identified need – ahead of heaters, bedding, mould cleaning kits, blankets, window squeegees and small repairs. The Healthy Homes Initiative, which aims to help more families live in warm, dry homes, has been successful and cost-effective in reducing child hospitalisations, improving school attendance, reducing energy hardship and a raft of other health and social benefits. And yet, there's not a mention of curtains in the Healthy Homes Standards. That means that landlords are not obliged to provide them, and so many don't, especially at the lower end of the rental market. Many houses seen by Healthy Homes teams don't have any curtains at all, or they might be thin or mouldy. Sometimes people have venetian blinds or roller blinds that don't provide a thermal barrier. Often, people don't realise how much of a difference curtains can make. In Wellington, orders are closed at the city's only curtain bank, run by Sustainability Trust. The team of two full-time staff and 27 volunteers is still working on curtain orders from last year, and it's not just sewing. Here, as well as providing curtains, the team aims to divert as much waste as possible from landfill. All the curtains begin with a donation, usually of a pre-loved curtain and occasionally of fabric. Donations need to be unpacked and checked for mold which is either cut, pulled or unpicked away. The rest is measured, laundered and filed in one of two little rooms that serve as the curtain library. Curtain tracks and their brackets are donated too. In another room they're cleaned and refurbished. There's also gliders, hooks and tape to sort and store. 'I keep on taking up more space,' says Julie Gunn, the curtain bank manager. 'There's just a lot happening. We are getting lots of curtain donations coming in, which is good, but we need to keep up.' Then comes actually filling orders. Measurements of the windows of a household come through home visits by the trust's Heathy Homes team or other referral pathways. Best practice guidelines are followed so that the curtains are as effective as possible. The length must be 'to the floor and a little bit more,' says Gunn, and the width must allow for plenty of folds and for the curtain to extend past the window frame, 'so there's less chance for that warm air to sneak in behind the curtain'. It's also important that the curtains are lined to create an insulating layer of air. Gunn compares it to the puff in a puffer jacket. Ideally, the fabric is a tightly woven natural fibre, heavy and thick. Thermal backed curtains aren't great as the backing deteriorates and can't easily be washed. 'There's so much love and care that goes into each step of the process,' says Gunn. But the curtain bank needs more than that to run. At the end of the year, its major sponsorship is coming to an end. Even that sponsorship doesn't cover costs – the shortfall is made up for by the Sustainability Trust. 'We apply to every funding opportunity that comes along,' says Gunn. 'We have noticed that there is more and more demand on the charitable and philanthropic funding that is available. That's tough, because everyone applying to those funding opportunities is doing really good and really important work.' Up in Auckland, the Habitat curtain bank services households across the city and in Northland. They can keep their wait times down – about two months in summer and six in winter – because compared to other curtain banks they are well-resourced and staffed. They purchase premade curtains and new curtain fabric, lining, tape and tracks. Still, even the premade curtains are almost always customised in some way to properly fit the window they are heading to. 'These are top-end custom curtains,' says Jane, an experienced sewist there. She's pressing a crisp seam on a chocolate brown curtain with flocked flowers. 'For the most part people are really appreciative,' she says. A national network of curtain banks tries to meet yearly. A couple of years ago, Curtain Call, a group that advocates adding curtains to the Healthy Homes Standards, sprung from the network. Curtain Call argues that leaving curtains out leaves a gap in the legislation, and in 2023 publicly campaigned, met with politicians and petitioned the government. With the coalition government, they changed their tack. Leana Hunt, operations manager in Habitat's northern region, says 'it's not their [the government's] priority right now'. Curtain Call is continuing to raise awareness among communities, without directly petitioning politicians. For as long as curtains aren't in the standards, curtain banks will continue to face more demand than they can keep up with, but not without joy. 'It is sad that there is so much need out there,' says Gunn from Wellington, 'but it is a wonderful thing to be involved with.' When families open up their boxes of curtains, 'I want all of that love to spill out onto them, because we love what we do.'
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Lifestyle
- Scottish Sun
Five cash-saving ideas for upcycling your glass jars, pots and bottles
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) IF you have a glut of glass jars, pots and bottles, here are some smashing ideas. They can be used to organise your bits and bobs or create eye-catching items for your home. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 7 Try our top tips for glass jars, pots and bottles you have at home Credit: Getty Jars could also be the starting point for summer crafts, and a way of creating low-cost presents others will love. PUT A LID ON IT: If you have a stack of glass dessert pots, turn them into see-through, stackable storage. Did you know the lids from Pringles are the perfect size to fit the tops of Gu desserts? You can also buy sealed bamboo lids, from £4.99, pudding to transform the glass dessert pots into smart storage. CREATIVE WITH COLOUR: You can get a pack of eight glass paints from The Range, £2.99, and use them to transform glass jars and pots. It is the perfect activity to keep the kids busy during the summer holidays. They can create pretty vases and colourful pen pots from jam jars or tea light holders from glass pots. These could even be gifts for friends and family. BRIGHT IDEA: You can even use them to create your own candles, with soy candle making kits from Amazon for less than £10. Find other brilliant ideas at where there is a whole page dedicated to the 'ramekin reuse revolution'. BOTTLE THE MAGIC: You may have seen mini lights that turn an empty bottle into an indoor lamp. Hobbycraft have bottle lights from £3.50, so you can turn an empty bottle into twinkly indoor or outdoor lantern. You can use any bottle, but the pretty blue glass of the Baron Amarillo Rias Baixas Albarino wine, £8.99 from Aldi, will look amazing. And you get to enjoy a tipple too! Home whizz praised for the genius way she upcycles her old coffee jars, and it's SO easy MATCH OF THE DAY: Group matching pots together for the smartest storage. Pretty jars are perfect in the bathroom to store cotton wool balls and hair bands. Use ones with matching lids to store seeds and spices in the kitchen for perfectly organised pantry-style storage. All prices on page correct at time of going to press. Deals and offers subject to availability Deal of the day 7 Save £11.05 on this Scion Mr Fox rug from Habitat Credit: Habitat COOL for a kid's room, the Scion Mr Fox rug from Habitat is down from £43.55 to £32.50. SAVE: £11.05 Cheap treat 7 The Garnett Girls by Georgina Moore is down to £3 Credit: Waterstones GET stuck into a summer read with bestseller The Garnett Girls by Georgina Moore, down from £14.99 to £3, at The hardback also makes a great gift. SAVE: £11.99 What's new? THE HUGO spritz – a blend of Prosecco, sparkling water and elderflower – is one of the hottest drinks of the summer. Lidl's version is £4.49. Add lemon and mint to make it zing. Top swap 7 Try this classic swingball set for £20 from Argos Credit: Argos 7 Or grab this set from The Range for £9.99 Credit: The Range A CLASSIC swingball set, £20 from Argos, will be a summer hit. Or you can play with the set from The Range for £9.99. SAVE: £10.01 Little helper RAILCARD holders can get a free three-month Tastecard trial, saving on meals out. Go to then follow the offers page for the link. It will renew into a £29.99 annual membership unless you cancel. Shop & save 7 Save £10 on this cardboard RHS shed from Hobbycraft Credit: Hobbycraft GIVE busy fingers a summer project with the half price colour-in cardboard RHS shed from Hobbycraft, down from £20 to £10. SAVE: £10 Hot right now SAVE 25 per cent or more on Dulux paint at B&M, where a 2.5l pot of Walls & Ceilings matt paint is down from £22 to £16. PLAY NOW TO WIN £200 7 Join thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle JOIN thousands of readers taking part in The Sun Raffle. Every month we're giving away £100 to 250 lucky readers - whether you're saving up or just in need of some extra cash, The Sun could have you covered. Every Sun Savers code entered equals one Raffle ticket. The more codes you enter, the more tickets you'll earn and the more chance you will have of winning!
The Sun
4 days ago
- Business
- The Sun
Make your garden chic this summer with Dunelm's ‘elegant' rattan buy that's over £100 cheaper than Argos' version
GIVE your garden a stylish upgrade this summer with Dunelm's 'elegant' rattan bench - over £100 cheaper than a similar version at Argos. Shoppers are loving the budget -friendly buy, calling it the perfect way to bring a touch of class to their outdoor space without breaking the bank. Dunelm is slashing prices in its huge outdoor furniture clearance sale – and shoppers are rushing to snap up a 'stylish and elegant' rattan bench that's now even more of a steal. The popular Rattan Bench has been reduced to just £34.30, down from £49, thanks to a 30% discount. Perfect for both indoor and outdoor use, the bench features a sturdy powder-coated steel frame and a woven rattan design that customers say is as comfy as it is chic. With no assembly required, it is also lightweight and easy to move, making it a breeze to reposition around the garden or bring indoors whenever needed. Dunelm's Bistro Bench is proving to be a budget-savvy alternative to similar high street buys. The Habitat Ross Rattan Effect Garden Bench at Argos will set you back £150. The Argos bench is slightly larger in size, however, it also requires some assembly, which may be a drawback for those after a fuss-free setup. The Argos version does come with a cushion for added comfort. But at £115.70 cheaper, savvy shoppers say the Dunelm bench is a steal for the price. Customer reviews Shoppers have been raving about the budget-friendly bench, praising its sleek design, comfort and great value for money. Many have taken to the reviews section, with one saying: "Incredible value, I bought 3 to sit around my fire pit. "Very comfy, doesn't need cushions. Easy to keep clean and stacks away for the winter, I've had so many people ask me where they came from." Dunelm shoppers are scrambling to their local store and their 'massive sale' kicks off with posh glasses for 89p and £8 gadgets to keep the Spring chill out Another wrote: "This rattan bench looks very stylish and is extremely comfortable - no cushions needed. Nice neutral colour." A third said: "Neat and smart on garden qualities is beautiful and it's so elegant and value for money." A fourth added: "I simply love it! Very stylish, light, comfortable & v good price." A fifth penned: "Very comfortable and steady bench. Perfect for relaxed seating in any garden setting. Comes fully assembled." 2 A well-kept garden can add anywhere between 5-20% to the value of a property. carried out a study and consulted 36 estate agents, garden designers and property professionals from across the UK. And the experts revealed the garden feature which adds the most value to a property is a shed. Shed - 82% Patio or paving - 76% Secure fencing, walls or gates - 72% Outdoor lighting - 66% Sturdy decking - 62% Water features eg. fountain or pond - 58% Modern garden furniture - 54% Artificial lawn/grass - 40%
Irish Independent
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Restaurant review: ‘It's more fun — and less arrogant — than it used to be, and I consider our €404 lunch bill to be good value right now'
Our food critic savours the evolved food and service at the Dublin fine-dining institution I was first brought to Restaurant Patrick Guilbaud as a student, when it was located on James Place East. I didn't know much about French food beyond what I'd learned eating my way around the cheapest restaurants in Paris on the meal vouchers that came with my summer job at Habitat in the Forum des Halles (yes, I have a fairly niche French vocabulary), but I recognised RPG as something special. The restaurant moved to its current site beside The Merrion Hotel 25 years ago, and I have eaten there on occasion over the years. In the past, I struggled with the formality of the service. I felt it got in the way of the food; it put me off. But I've noticed a gradual change, and the sometimes strangulated French-ness of the past is now gone. The staff are younger, and their accents are from all over the place, not just France; RPG is more fun — and, whisper it, less arrogant — than it used to be.
