News 2009
Spiritual Well-being for Older New Zealanders.
The interviewing of 40 older New Zealanders from many part of New Zealand was a privilege and result in the attached report. Feedback would be welcome. This was an amazing report and had quite unexpected results.
Download the PDF book Spiritual Well-being as part of cultural well-being by Penny Eames, commissioned by the Bishop's Action Foundation, New Plymouth, Taranaki, New Zealand download here
Strategic Planning/ Trends analysis
This year has continued to include Strategic and Cultural Planning with organisations and groups. While the names of these groups will remain anonymous it is worth noting for this report that this structure has been including some Trends Analysis. These Trends in Recreation and Leisure Planning have enabled the client groups to place their organisations within these trends and enables focussed marketing and development goals.
The following is a short PDF that includes some of those trends planning guidelines. Download PDF Trends for recreation organisation planning summary here
Beijing 798 Arts Precinct
A major highlight of the last few months was a return visit to Beijing, China and half a day at the Beijing contemporary arts zone. This area was once the site of many factories and is now full of art galleries, restaurants, performance spaces and cafe/ bars. Any web search for the above will show you the extent of this amazing place. Old factories celebrated for the architecture, old pipes and walls enhanced as sculptures and then within some of the most exciting contemporary art exhibitions. I only managed a fraction of the space - concentrating on block D, and also wandering around the new areas that are under development.
Whether you have been studying the Custard Factory in Birmingham, www.custardfactory.co.uk or the Powerhouse www.brisbanepowerhouse.org or have wandered around the waterfront in Wellington or Cape town enjoying art and food you will be unprepared for the extent and excitement of this area. Certainly a must for a visit for anyone interested in the design of arts precincts anywhere in the world. Here the balance is just right. Only criticism it that it is just on the outskirts of Beijing so a taxi is the best transport to get there, but the taxi service is good, metered and cheap so don't miss this experience.
Cultural and Social Plan adopted in subdivision design agreement
One of the events that caused much excitement this year has been at unanimous approval by the Kapiti District Council of the new Ngarara Residential Eco Housing development early this month. Under the headline "Ngarara gets an enthusiastic nod" Kapiti Observer newspaper of July 13,2009 started its article reporting the decision "The superlatives were flowing as council passed Plan Change 80 on Thursday, a crucial move towards allowing the subdivision of 280 hectares of land north of Waikanae." In the report to the Council by the commissioners also had praise for the Cultural and Social Plan developed by PSE Consultancy.
The Cultural and Social Plan is in a PDF format and available for you to download either here or under the heading of Current Projects. Download here
Below from the commissioners at Kapiti District Council is as follows:
Culturally appropriate programmes for Black, minority ethnic (BME) offenders in prisons in England and Wales - Research report
The report from the project conducted by Penny Eames with the Anne Peaker Centre in England between January and March 2008 us now available for publication.