TELLING LIVES

At Telling Lives we develop factual communication and creative content for communities and the public. We believe that compassion and collaboration provide a more hopeful way forward. 

COMMUNITY PROJECTS 

"Lending a helping hand"
By John Sellwood 12 Oct, 2023
When you think of street art what is front of mind? Banksy? Well how about the homeless, people who actually call the streets home because they have nowhere else to live. In Ōtautahi Christchurch, to mark World Homeless Day, the homeless are holding their own street exhibition. Here in New Zealand we call them the Kaewa or wanderers a term of respect for those struggling to find permanent shelter because of hardship, mental health issues or addiction. The project has been organised by Housing First and runs until Sunday the 15th of October https://www.housingfirstchch.co.nz/.../World-Homeless.../ partnering with The White Room Creative Space, Life in Vacant Spaces, Creative Junk and Telling Lives to bring you this event. #homeless #housingfirst #whiteroom #lifeinvacantspaces #tellinglives #christchurchcitycouncil body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.
By John Sellwood 12 Oct, 2023
Share Kai is an opportunity sit down and chat with different people from different cultures, people you may not normally have the opportunity to meet in your own community. We are a diverse society, but unless we find reasons to come together, we're missing out on a culinary and culture smorgasbord.
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"Everyone has a story "

By John Sellwood 21 Dec, 2021
Aotearoa is an immigrant nation – from the first peoples to colonial settlement, we have crossed the oceans to call this place home. Immigrant Journeys reveals the rich diversity that our most recent immigrants bring to Aotearoa New Zealand. With a broad range of different skills, cultural backgrounds, and experiences they strengthen and add immense value this country. Immigrant Journeys is an original idea of the Lady Khadija Charitable Trust whose creation has been made possible by the efforts of Telling Lives and Janneth Gil Photography. The project has been funded by the Ministry of Ethnic Communities and Rāta Foundation.
By John Sellwood 31 Mar, 2020
There’s been talk over recent days about the need for greater access to PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) for midwives working in the community, and rightly so. A midwife's bubble can easily extend into dozens of homes where women are no doubt anxious already about pregnancy and birth during a time of pandemic. As the frontline support for mothers and babies during an extraordinary time of both risk and reward, midwives are guardians of a new generation and deserve every protection we can provide. Often overlooked, these hardworking dedicated women can easily go unnoticed until something goes wrong; like now. Professionals with three or more years of obstetrics and nursing training, midwives are an assurance and protection for a healthy young New Zealand. Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to spend a fews days following different midwives as they went about their daily work here in Canterbury - so forgive me if I wax lyrical. When you hear a first time mum’s uncertainty around her pregnancy and listen to her reach out for reassurance over what is normal and what’s not, you understand why midwives matter. When you see a mum with her newborn discussing changes in her baby’s weight or behaviour, her concerns over sleep or feeding; you know why midwives matter. When a woman grasps her partner's hand during labour while a strong confident voice tells her to push, rallying, supporting, reassuring; then you know why a midwife matters. When you see a newborn placed in their exhausted mother’s arms for the first time and recognise that child’s vulnerability and need; you know why a midwife matters. They talk about the first thousand days defining a child's life and clearly that starts with midwives and mums. The short video above captures a working day for Bex, a midwife in North Canterbury. It was filmed as part of a recent campaign calling for improvements to current employment terms and conditions for midwives as seen below.
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"What you do and why it matters" 
Gap Filler brilliance
By John Sellwood 05 Feb, 2023
What a privilege to be asked to share the story of the Good Spot car park! Ryan Reynolds and Gap Filler are behind the Good Spot model recognised in 2021 with the Sustainable Business Network Social Impactor award. It’s an award presented to an organisation that is deliberately and consistently improving people’s lives through its day to day business practices, where social good is integrated throughout the whole organisation.
By John Sellwood 19 Dec, 2022
Habitus Group are a family owned, Christchurch based boutique residential development company. Director Lee Sampson is passionate about providing unique, affordable and energy efficient housing to the New Zealand property market. These architecturally designed homes are low maintenance, thermally efficient and sustainable, not to mention nice and comfortable to live in! Here is a little look around one of our developments. #Habitusgroup #sustainablelivingchristchurch #comfortablehomes #affordablehousing #qualityhomes #healthyhomes #smarterliving
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"living with gratitude" 
By John Sellwood 07 Mar, 2022
To be able to grow your own fruit and veg on a busy street in the inner city is such a joy, we only have a tiny section but my wife Mel has put considerable energy and time into creating a beautiful wild garden. It's a surprising untamed place, a mix of flowers, vegetables, berries and herbs. It's where we go foraging for food, our wild place amidst the noise and traffic of modern living - literally. The cars rumble past as we weed the garden and tend the tomatoes. Mel is such a wonderfully positive person, the garden she gifted the family has changed our lives for the better. It's living proof that you can build your own kind of paradise even in a central city suburb.
By John Sellwood 10 Jun, 2019
Amhed Farid forgives the alleged gunman who killed his wife and 50 other people in a terror attack at two Christchurch Mosques.
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John Sellwood rants  
By John Sellwood 07 Jun, 2022
I love finding new words, although at my age I'm beginning to wonder if I'm losing them faster than I'm finding them, anyway here's the new offering - Symhedonia, yep never heard of it before and what a word! It means sympathetic joy, gaining vicarious pleasure or happiness by celebrating someone else's success.
By John Sellwood 02 Mar, 2022
OPINION - JOHN SELLWOOD We Kiwis don't particularly like show offs, maybe that's connected to our sense of fair play and fondest for sports. We lionise our sporting heroes avidly following their careers and celebrating their success, but it's approbation with strings attached and etiquette required. Truth is, we expect our champions to respond to public applause with displays of contorted humility.
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