Go Local: Support Hastings' businesses through level 3 and beyond

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst: "Let's buy as much as possible from our local businesses." Photo / File

Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst offers her views on the importance of making a conscious choice to Go Local

Hastings is in a strong position to recover from the Covid-19 crisis.

Our economy is built on the food we harvest from our land, which supports our manufacturing, construction and retail businesses, which in turn feeds our district's economy.

I know some of our businesses are feeling the pressure of Covid-19, and our farming community remains under huge strain from both the virus and the ongoing drought.

Therefore, now more than ever, we need to support our local businesses whenever and wherever we can.

It is fantastic to see many Hastings businesses reopen this week which brings a sense of optimism that our lives will soon return to normal.

Our construction companies and forestry sector are back employing hundreds of local people; our restaurants and cafes are preparing and delivering takeaway meals; and our food production industry has been working at full capacity throughout the crisis.

Our council is resuming the delivery of our $16 million work programme including central city enhancement, water and roading projects, and general construction. We are into it - supporting businesses that employ our people to work on and complete our local projects.

To keep people in jobs and support our business community, with our partners, we are setting up a Hastings Employment Hub, which will open at level 2.

This hub will connect our businesses, redeploy people from one sector to another, and find opportunities to keep people in jobs so they can support their families and our local businesses.

This crisis has brought us closer together; we have become stronger because of it. We need that togetherness and strength in the coming weeks and months to get back to where we were.

So today and over the coming months, when we can, let's buy as much as possible from our local businesses.

GOLOCAL