Karen Joblin, owner of Smoke 'n Wood, organised the dinners in collaboration with Woodville Community Collective.
Karen Joblin, owner of Smoke 'n Wood, organised the dinners in collaboration with Woodville Community Collective.
Restaurant owner Karen Joblin wanted to see Woodville become a vibrant community again.
So she suggested an initiative to the Woodville Community Collective - a dinner night where anyone could come along, for the price of whatever they could afford, for a good old-fashioned homestyle meal at her restaurant, Smoke‘n Wood.
The restaurant, converted from a service station, has become a popular place every Tuesday night, thanks to Karen’s efforts.
“She’s very community-minded,” says Laura O’Shea, who is part of the collective, which is now an incorporated society.
“We felt it was really important that people have an opportunity to come out and mingle with all sections of the community.”
Laura, who has a background in community development, has experience in members of the community looking out for each other, having moved from Ireland several years ago to Ashhurst.
“I was absolutely blown away by the welcome from the community.”
It was decided that those who came along to the community dinner could pay by koha donation, each person giving what they can privately.
The meals are hearty; one week they had beef stew and boil-up with fry bread, last week’s menu included beef stroganoff.
Laura says the food comes either via donations or koha and they “just check what we have and make dinner like you would at home”.
“The fire’s lit, the lights are on, kids are playing; it’s very much a home community atmosphere.”
Those with mobility issues have the option of texting a message to 027 270 4321 for help with transport.
It was important to Karen not just to grow the vibrancy of the town, but for people to actually come out of their houses.
“We come, we meet, we talk, we share our lives again,” Laura says, adding that this was very much the ethos of the Community Collective, which existed for initiatives such as this, knowing that they were key to the community wellbeing.
The dinners are not just for people on low incomes, but for anyone, whether they live on their own, or work elsewhere and have to commute.
“[It’s] a social event for the community,” Laura says.
She says older people also need the chance to be able to sit down and spend some time with the children in the community.
“The kids are fantastic, they just come and chill out and play together.”
Karen also provides a toy area and a foosball table so the younger ones can play while the adults eat their food and chat, Laura says.
“It’s a beautiful atmosphere.”
The community meal is one of a few initiatives the collective is working on.
With the new Te Ahu a Turanga Manawatu-Tararua highway an estimated two years away from completion, many believe it will make a huge difference to the community.
“Woodville is really up and coming and I think part of the reason that we decided to do this initiative is life is going to change in Woodville, for everybody, when the new road is finished, and it’s really important that we start to build those blocks of community now.”
