TimeBank Raglan recently welcomed Sarah Lancaster as the new coordinator taking over from Anna Cunningham and Juliana Albertoni de Miranda.
Sarah is a familiar face to many in her other roles around town – Sew Love’s creative genius and as Xtreme Zero Waste educator Lady X.
Sarah set up Sew Love as a social enterprise providing pop-up fun spaces and resources for people to be creative, learn new skills and get to know their neighbours.
“We focus on reducing landfill and strengthening communities in a fun positive way,” she says.
This philosophy is a perfect match for Sarah’s new role with TimeBank.
Passionate about community resilience, she is keen to help people understand the gifts they have to offer to the wider community.
“I love the idea of helping build resilient communities and sustainable living in different ways,” she says.
With the demands of summer slowly slipping away, Sarah believes people will have more time on their hands and hopes they will look at ways they can lend a helping hand in the community.
From ironing, sewing and baking to massage, flax weaving and gardening, the beauty of TimeBank is your time is valued no matter what skill you have to offer. Everyone’s time is considered equal and every hour earns a credit that can be used at any time to buy services from other members.
“Everybody has their super power. Just think about what you love doing and that’s something you can share. So many people don’t yet know their natural talents are worth sharing.”
Sarah says connecting community is also a gift TimeBank has to offer and providing workshops is a great example of how people can come together, learn a new skill alongside people they wouldn’t ordinarily meet.
“I know I would love to learn to cook different recipes. It’s a great way to learn from different ages and cultures.”
Sarah grew up in Thames on the Coromandel Peninsula and started up Sew Love six years ago, taking her solar sewing camper Cecil on the road around the country, including Raglan.
“The Raglan community was really receptive to my sewing truck. The most receptive of any of the places I visited.”
She decided to set up base in Raglan two years ago and has continued Sew Love selling her wares at the Raglan Creative Market and educating about zero waste in schools.
Sarah has ancestral roots in Raglan, her grandfather was a Sweetman and was born in Raglan and her great grandfather farmed on Te Hutewai Rd.
Janine Jackson
TimeBank is based at the Whāingaroa Environment Centre office at the Raglan Town Hall and drop-in hours are Fridays 12-2pm or email timebank@whaingaroa.org.nz.
