Hello, my dear Frankies!

This week feels kind of like a full circle.

The very first edition of Dear Frankie, 66 issues ago (!!), featured Nadja from Bike Pukekohe and all the cool plans she had for building a bike-loving community right here in Pukekohe.

And now, for our last weekly issue, we’re circling back again to find out what’s happened over those 66 weeks, how Bike Pukekohe has grown, and all the lovely things they have coming up next ♥

And yep, I did just say our last weekly issue. 😥

After this week, we’re hoping to pop into your inbox monthly instead, so this isn’t goodbye goodbye. But it does feel like the end of a pretty special chapter.

These last 66 weeks have been so much fun. I’ve loved getting to be Franklin’s hype-man. I’ve loved discovering cool people doing cool things, finding little gems I didn’t know existed, and having an excuse to tell thousands of you about all of them every Thursday morning.

So please keep doing that part for me.

Keep hyping up your favourite local businesses. Keep telling your friends about the great little places you find. Keep showing up to local events, sharing the things happening in our community and, whenever you can, shopping local.

There are so many wonderful people doing wonderful things around Franklin. Dear Frankie has really just been my excuse to shout about them.

Thank you for reading along for the last 66 weeks. ❤️

And, as always, I’ll see ya out there!

R. and the Frankie Team xx

p.s. Our @todearfrankie Instagram page isn’t going anywhere! We’ll still be hanging out over on Instagram, sharing all the cool things happening around Franklin. If you’re ever wondering what’s on locally, head to the highlights on our profile, where you’ll find events and things to do each month.

66 Weeks Later: Bike Pukekohe Is Just Getting Started 🚲

There’s something super special about coming back to Bike Pukekohe for our final weekly Dear Frankie feature 🫶

Way back in issue number ONE, 66 weeks ago (!!), we chatted with founder Nadja Scherff about her plans for a brand-new little community group called Bike Pukekohe.

Back then, Nadja told us she wanted Bike Pukekohe to be about much more than group rides. She talked about bike trains getting kids safely to school, pop-up “bike kitchens” where people could learn to fix their bikes, and fun family events that gave people a reason to get out and explore our community on two wheels.

Well...look what happened!

Over the past 66 weeks, Bike Pukekohe has gone from a new idea to a volunteer-led community doing exactly that.

They’ve been running family rides and community events, teaching people how to look after and repair their bikes, and helping local kids get riding. Bike trains have started with local schools, getting kids riding to school together, and Bike Pukekohe has also secured support through Auckland Council’s Climate Grant to keep growing its work with pop-up bike kitchens, schools, family rides and youth-led events.

And they’re certainly not slowing down.

This Sunday, October 11, Bike Pukekohe is heading to Paerata Rise for Ride & Roam, a free family day with an orienteering course, obstacle course and spot prizes. You can even make an adventure of getting there, with an off-road route connecting from near the new Paerata train station for confident riders on suitable bikes.

Then on November 1, Kia Mataara Pukekohekohe takes over Bledisloe Park with more orienteering and obstacle courses, bike safety checks and minor repairs.

You’ll also find the Bike Pukekohe crew at the Franklin Burpee Mile on November 8, where you can ride along, leave your bike with their free bike valet and maybe even nab a spot prize.

And remember those “bike kitchens” Nadja dreamed about 66 weeks ago?

They’re happening too.

On November 21, Bike Pukekohe is teaming up with Waiuku Zero Waste for a hands-on Bike Care Workshop, teaching everything from tyre pressure and removing a wheel to fixing a puncture. Their recent workshops have been booking out, which we reckon says quite a lot about how much this little community has grown.

Then they’ll round out November with two more community Bike Kitchens, offering free minor bike repairs at Bledisloe Park on November 28 and the Radio Club/Skatepark on November 29.

The future of bike pukekohe

When we first spoke to Nadja, she told us:

“There is nothing better than having a real impact, making our streets safer, our people healthier and last but not least our kids happier!”

Sixty-six weeks later, that still sums up Bike Pukekohe pretty perfectly.

What started as one local’s idea for more fun, family-friendly cycling has grown into kids riding to school together, families learning how to fix their own bikes, community events popping up around Franklin and a growing bunch of people making it easier (and much more fun!) to get around on two wheels.

And our favourite part?

They’re now looking for more volunteers to come along for the ride.

So if you love bikes, love our community, or just like the idea of helping make Franklin an even better place to live, this might be your sign.

We said it 66 weeks ago, and we reckon it’s even more true now:

Franklin needs more safe and fun cycling for everyone. 🚲♥

So head over to Bike Pukekohe on Instagram or Facebook, follow along and find all the details for what's on next!

ekbi slatir

Unscramble the letters above to find the Franklin-related phrase! Answer at the bottom of the newsletter!

This Sunday is the first of the Waiuku St John Community Fair, in the St John Hall in Waiuku from 9am-1pm!

There will be lots of different stalls available - I'm hoping to get a tide clock from Kiwi Dream Designs!​

👉 Want a featured note on the notice board? - Simply book your feature here or just send us a quick email and we'll help you out!

Thursday

🎈 Inflatable Day & Swim​
9am–3pm at Franklin Pool & Leisure, 29 Franklin Road, Pukekohe ($55 per child)
Bouncy castles, an obstacle course, slide, maze and swimming for ages 5–14.

🎙️ Make Your Own Podcast​
10am–2pm at Pukekohe Library, 12 Massey Avenue (Max 10 participants)
A hands-on podcast workshop for ages 8–12, bring your own lunch and water.

🟢 Slime Time Lab​
11am–12pm at Warehouse Stationery Pukekohe (Free)
A school-holiday slime-making activity for ages 5–12.

🌿 Kawakawa Balm and Seed Snail Workshop​
11am–2pm at Waiuku Community Hall, Civic Centre, 10 King Street (Free, registration required)
Make your own kawakawa balm and a seed-filled garden snail to take home. More info here​

🥔 Field to Table: The Pukekohe Dehydration Factory​
1–2pm at Pukekohe Library, 12 Massey Avenue (Free, booking required)
A local-history talk on the wartime dehydration factory and Franklin's growers.

🚀 Blast Off Rockets​
2.30–3.30pm at Waiuku Library, 10 King Street
A school-holiday rocket-making activity for the kids.

🎃 Creepers at Spookers​
6–8pm at Spookers (Ages 8+)
Take a self-guided trip through the 3D Disturbia maze then the haunted house, where storybook characters come to life. Check it out!​

🍻 Thursday Quiz Night​
6.30–8.30pm at Pukekohe Golf Club
Grab your team and test your trivia skills over a fun night at the club. All the details here​

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Friday

🎬 Cinema 3 & Swim​
9am–3pm departing from Franklin Pool & Leisure, 29 Franklin Road, Pukekohe ($60 per child)
A cinema outing with popcorn followed by swimming, for ages 5–14.

🌳 Waiuku Genealogy​
10.30–11.30am at Waiuku Library, 10 King Street
Get help researching your family history, bring any known names, dates and places.

👽 Design Your Own Space Creature​
10.30–11.30am at Pukekohe Library, 12 Massey Avenue (Free, booking required, max 20)
A creative workshop where kids dream up their very own space creature.

🌌 Space Discovery Lab​
11am and 12pm sessions at Waiuku Library, 10 King Street (Free, ticket required)
An interactive, sensory space exploration session for kids.

🎧 DJ Les​
7–11pm at Little Ed, 36 Edinburgh Street, Pukekohe
Music from the '80s, '90s and 2000s alongside dinner and drinks.

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Saturday

🛍️ Waiuku Retailers Garage Sale​
9am–2pm throughout Waiuku town centre (Free to browse)
Hunt for bargains with retail clearances across participating Waiuku businesses.

🛒 Karaka Market​
9am–12.30pm at Karaka Learning Centre Hall, 113 Harbourside Drive, Karaka
Browse more than 75 stalls with food, coffee, pony rides, face painting and live music. Check it out!​

📚 Author Talk: Robyn Pearce​
11am–12pm at Pukekohe Library, 12 Massey Avenue (Free)
Pearce discusses her historical novel Freedom, blending pre-Civil War America with a Kiwi time-travel story.

👗✨ The Runway Gala​
5–9pm at Pukekohe Netball Centre, 114 Queen Street
A fundraiser celebrating young people with ADHD and neurodiversity, with Petra Bagust, live music, a runway show, auctions, food and drinks.

🌿 Rustic Roots: The Art of Growing & Healing​
Day workshop ($150 per person)
Step away from the noise for a day of grounding, creativity and plant medicine, exploring self-discovery through nature. All the details here​

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Sunday

🥕 Pukekohe Park Country Market​
9am–1pm at Pukekohe Park, Buckland Road entrance
A general country market with food and a variety of stalls to browse.

🥬 Foodbasket of Franklin​
11am–3.30pm at Pukekohe Pioneer Cottage, 9 Stadium Drive (Free)
Explore heritage displays on Franklin's growers, produce and agricultural history.

🤠 Hoedown at the Ranch​
4–7pm at Waiuku Cosmopolitan Club, Victoria Avenue, Waiuku
Country music and line dancing with Going Bananas.

🧘🧠 Stretch & Stress Workshop​
From 9am at RX Fitness 235, Waiuku ($20)
Stretch with The Stretch Collective, then stay for a practical workshop on working with your brain, body and nervous system rather than against them. More info here​

🚴 Ride and Roam with Bike Pukekohe​
10am–2pm, meet at Paerata Rise
Hop on your bike and hunt down hidden spots around Paerata Rise, with spot prizes up for grabs. Check it out!​

🛍️ St John Community Fair: Bringing Us Together​
9am–1pm at St John Hall, 3 Constable Road, Waiuku
Browse vendors of fresh produce, health and wellness, healing practitioners, plants and flowers, baked goods and handcrafts.

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monday

🍳 Good Food, Bright Minds​
7–9am at Cafe Queen, Waiuku
A collaboration between Cafe Queen and Sanctuary Retreat offering a nourishing breakfast for school kids every Monday during term time.

🍻 Monday Quiz Night​
7pm at Good Home Pukekohe, 65 Edinburgh Street
Gather your team for a fun weekly quiz night, booking recommended.

🍹 Margherita Monday​
Appetite
Kick off the week with a $15 margarita, because Mondays deserve a little extra sparkle.

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Tuesday

🐀 Predator Free Franklin Education and Supplies Day​
9am–1pm at Farrell's Nurseries, Pollock Road, Pukekohe (Free, drop in)
Get advice plus pest-control bait and supplies, no registration needed.

🎨 Painting Club​
6–8pm at Franklin Arts Centre
Bring along whatever you're working on for two hours of dedicated painting time and connect with other local artists (term time only).

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Wednesday

🥦🍖 Pukekohe Young Grower Pre-Event BBQ​
5–8pm at PIA Event Centre, 55 Ward Street, Pukekohe (RSVP requested)
Meet the competitors, sponsors and horticulture community ahead of the Young Grower competition.

🎃🧩 Pubble Halloween Special​
7–8.30pm at Little Ed, 36 Edinburgh Street, Pukekohe
An escape-room and pub-quiz mash-up, booking recommended.

🌻 Garden Evening at Mitre 10 MEGA Pukekohe​
4–7pm
Enjoy gardening inspiration, hands-on workshops, supplier demonstrations, BBQ treats and activities for the kids.

👋 Anti-Social Social Club for Teens​
3.30pm at Pukekohe Library, 12 Massey Avenue
A brand-new after-school hangout for teens of all kinds, social, not-so-social, or anywhere in between, everyone's welcome. Check it out!​

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Word Scramble answer: Bike Trails

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