Kia ora whānau, I hope you are all fit and well and no one has the dreaded flu bug that is going around. Sadly some of our whānau are very māuiui at the moment and it’s not good, especially when there’s nothing you can do about it. All we wish is that they all get well soon – arohanui to you all.

Murihiku Marae has been steady with bookings which is good. Our normal hui have been good too, lots of hui at the marae, i.e. Child Youth and Family Services, prison interviews and programmes. The Otago/Southland combined hui was good.

It’s August, so let’s hope the weather improves. I had new whānau members – some of my long lost whānau visit me. It was great to see them as well as get pictures of whānau.

Well whānau, this is pānui is short but Waihopai are thinking of you all and wish you all the best to those who are or have had birthdays and babies – a huge congratulations to you all arohanui xx.

Take time out whānau to sit, listen and talk to each other, for what we miss today we may never gain tomorrow. Nā Squirrel on the Hill.

From left, Winsome Skerrett, Ora Barron and Marcia Te Au-Thompson.

From left, Winsome Skerrett, Ora Barron and Marcia Te Au-Thompson.

Some of the whānau who visited Squirrel.

Squirrel’s visitors.

Winsome and Michael Skerrett at the Kākāpō Ball in Queenstown.

Winsome and Michael Skerrett at the Kākāpō Ball in Queenstown.