Collection: Blog

There is a lot of discussion recently, in lockdown, around police attending more family harm incidents, and a lot of people don't seem to know what this really is, so I thought I'd give it a crack. Because domestic violence is PART of family harm, as the police see it, but it is not what that term means.Family harm, simply put, is any incident in someone's home where "family" is involved. It's become a convenient catch all/category for the...

This morning, I was sent a message from one of my girls. It was a video of her, in a kakahu, on a marae, and the matua was talking about her, but I wasn't sure what it really was. There followed a beautiful conversation, a short one, and she'd like me to tell you about her, because for the first time in a really long time she's super proud of herself.(Sidebar: I stopped sharing the women's stories because it...

It's racing very quickly to that time of year, again. And this year, we're trying something a wee bit different. A givealittle page specifically designed to cater to those of you who just want to rain down Xmas cheer on some really special and beautiful human beings. Every year, for the last six years, we've done Xmas for an ever growing whanau of people in our Aunties community. This year, as with the last two years, it's the women...

We created a Frequently Asked Questions page in the main menu, with answers to some of the most commonly asked questions and concerns.Please contact me if you can't find the information that you need. Message me at @whaeapower on Twitter, email me at whaeapower@aunties.co.nz OR message us via our Facebook page.

****CW: emotional and psychological violence. Please know that this may be triggering. My husband died 11 weeks ago.His name was Ian and I loved him truly. I also disliked him intensely at times, and over 28 years we had known a lot of misery. And we laughed a lot too. I first saw his abuse for what it was at a refuge in South Auckland. I told the women there my story, because they had asked, and they gasped while...

Every year we refine the Aunties Xmas. How many kids, how many organisations, it just keeps growing. And this year, we have changed things completely. Aunty Jo has taken on most of it, so she'll be your Xmas Fairy. (And hopefully she'll do it every year....) So read this very very carefully so you know exactly how you can be a Xmas Elf.   I will be shoulder tapping my Uber Aunties to do the whanau of my girls, so...

A couple of days ago, I won a thing. It was quite a big thing, a bit of a deal. A fancy dinner it was. I had to wear a dress, and a full face of makeup. I even had an up-do.The name of this thing was Women Of Influence, and it turned out that enough people loved the work The Aunties do that I won the Supreme High Goddess Grand PooBah award. Oh sorry, the Supreme Award.Anyway, the...

I've just come from a morning at the storage unit, with one of the women I walk alongside, and while I'm glad to have spent time with her, I have had the urge to write this post since we got there, and I started going through the clothes with her. You see, about 18 months ago, a school got in touch with me and wanted to know if the Aunties would like all the stuff that was left over...

Recently, Aunty Wendy and I spent most of the day at the storage unit, getting it into shape. (I have unpack donations once a week, but usually leave the big sort until one of the Aunties is able to help me. A few people have now used their community days from work to do this, and it's excellent!).We had donations to unpack, undies to sort, and we went through all the women's and babies clothes and got rid of...

I have been speaking about this for years. And I will continue to talk about it, shout about it, because it's incredibly important. Don't give us your shit. I mean it. Other charities don't say it so rudely, they never say it at all because they're too afraid of losing donors. I don't care, to be honest. If you're giving us rubbish,  losing your donations is no loss at all.What we need, what every charity needs, is for you...

What a year it's been eh? A really big year for The Aunties, and for me personally. Everything has changed, and nothing. I no longer work with women in any refuge, but with my community whānau, and the people who are there to support women through their organisations. But I still have my girls - a group that grows - and I still do what I do. The who has simply changed.I've taken teenagers shopping, and put my arms...

What a night.So. What's Stand Up For The Aunties?Three years ago, give or take, I met Michèle A'Court - famed comedian, author and raconteur, dontcha know - on Twitter, and we just sort of gravitated toward one another. As our friendship blossomed, she said she wanted to do a comedy gig for the Aunties. I wasn't sure when that would happen. Anyone who knows Michèle, and has seen that diary of hers (it's an actual diary book paper thing)...