Joanne Holden. March 26, 2020. Timaru Herald
Annabelle, 16 months, left, and Medinella, 5, enjoy their home hut.Supplied / The-Timaru-Herald
A voluntary organisation which promotes free activities around Timaru is shifting its focus indoors as New Zealand goes into lockdown.
WuHoo Timaru co-founder Roselyn Fauth said they were now focussed on coming up with ideas and challenges to keep the community entertained now the Government's Covid-19 threat level is at four.
"Now that we've moved from level three to level four, our focus will be on inspiring people to celebrate our culture, environment, and heritage at home," Fauth said.
"We have lots of ideas on how people could find a WuHoo at home."
The first of those is a hut building challenge, which was launched on social media on Wednesday calling for people to build a hut in their lounge or backyard and post photos online if they wish to share their efforts.
Huts can be made of anything and be as simple as slinging a blanket over a clothes line, she said.
The idea is that others will see the images and be keen to get involved too, challenges could be run privately between groups of family and friends or shared publicly, she said.
Fauth hoped to release challenges frequently but would be mindful of "letting everybody settle down and get ready for this next phase" initially.
"It's important that we work together as a community and look after each other, and try and keep our spirits up by having fun at home."
The idea for the challenge came to Fauth while she and her daughters, 5-year-old Medinella and 16-month-old Annabelle, were busy building their own hut.
"I felt pretty stressed out today [Wednesday] so it was nice to take some time outside in the backyard with our kids, and relax and do something simple," she said.
"We were building the hut and thought it would be quite cool to see what our friends and family could do."
Medinella and Annabelle loved taking part and it conjured up memories for Fauth of building huts with her siblings.
Those keen to join the challenge and build their own hut can submit photographs to the WuHoo Timaru Facebook page.
Supplied / The-Timaru-Herald
Fauth said their hut on Wednesday was made of wooden planks and sticks.
"We'd already been collecting bits and pieces to use in the backyard since the girls were born."
WuHoo Timaru is also behind Timaru Rocks and a challenge to play on all 43 of the district's playgrounds, among others - but Fauth urged people to set those aside during the lockdown and adhere to the "strict Government rules and community needs".
"Some of our activities suggested on our website and social media will not be appropriate while we all work together to slow the spread of Covid-19," said said.
"We have a series of colourful fact sheets that would be ideal for people to print off and colour in to pass the time."
Home hut photographs can be submitted to the group Facebook page and people are encouraged to nominate family and friends to join the challenge.
- Stuff