B-Side Stories

Julie and Heidi from Volunteer Wellington came into the studio to talk about their role as community connectors - matching volunteers to programmes, supporting and developing people who manage volunteers, and their employee volunteering programme.

Joel and Freya talk to Perrine and David about creating audience-led theatre... and what happens when people get really into it.

Fiona Prestidge, Manager of Strathmore Community Centre discusses her mahi.

David spoke with Arihia Latham – writer, educator and rongoā Māori practitioner based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

Find our more – https://linktr.ee/Arihia

Ruth talks to Perrine about her life as a musician and teacher in the lead-up to the Wellington jazz festival

[poor quality audio is only for first minute]

"There's a deep sense of satisfaction...manipulating things in the universe into useful harmony...and then the working together, the social aspect and feeling part of a loving community. You come away feeling replenished".

Debbie McGill, Simon Cosgrove, and Derek McDonald tell Sadie Coe about the flourishing community at Granville Flats, where The Fixery empowers tenants to fix broken items and to create new things, from artworks to face masks to jam and relish.

Seamus Johnson from Wellington band Sea Mouse chats to Perrine and performs some wicked songs live in the studio - including a possible new B Sides theme song!

Perrine talks to Nicky Boughtwood from Kaibosh about their mammoth efforts to redistribute food for social justice. We catch up on how COVID has changed their work, hear about the cool places that the kai goes to, and chat about their important role Kaibosh have in keeping Wellington tick!

Ash Holwell talks to Perrine about community-building in central downtown Wellington, based around new collaborative space two/fiftyseven

"New Zealand has given me a massive opportunity to be something completely different". Mount Vic Hub coordinator Patricia Given came to Wellington with decades of experience in the fashion industry, and swiftly became a hugely respected community leader.

Trish is passionate about making things happen in the community and last year was awarded an Absolutely Positively Wellingtonian Award for her contribution to a long list of organisations including Cycle Wellington, Wellington Irish, the Innermost Gardens, Predator Free Wellington, and many more. She's often seen around town on her bike Olive, towing the hublet: a mobile community centre.

Here she chats in the studio with B-Sides host Sadie Coe and City Councillor Laurie Foon.