July 2026 Newsletter
Kia Ora & Welcome,
With the 2026 Jassy Dean Trust Waiheke Garden Festival just three months away, we’re heads down in organisation mode and getting excited for what promises to be a fantastic event as we celebrate the festival's 25th year!
Before we talk gardens... THANK YOU!
We wanted to take a moment to thank everyone who has supported the Trust over the past year.
Whether you donated, purchased plants at our plant sale, volunteered your time, or continued your sponsorship support, your generosity has enabled us to continue our important work.
In the 2025–2026 financial year, we supported more than 100 local families facing the challenges and costs associated with a child experiencing illness, injury, disability, or other health issues, providing nearly $50,000 in support.
Here's a snapshot of how your support helps local families:
Emergency Support: Immediate assistance through emergency cash envelopes.
Essential Equipment: Funding for items such as all-terrain wheelchairs, dehumidifiers, and contributions towards equipment for community health services.
Family Assistance: Direct financial support, including travel costs for hospital visits, essential cash grants, and ferry tickets for hospital appointments thanks to our wonderful sponsors Fullers360 and Sealink.
Health Treatments & Therapies:
General: Essential services including eye tests, occupational therapy, art therapy and specialised paediatric care.
Medical: Support for specific needs such as glucose monitors for diabetic children, cochlear implants and dental surgery.
Muscular-Skeletal: Osteopathy, physiotherapy and chiropractic care, supporting everything from infant feeding issues through to recovery therapies.
Psychological & Counselling Services: Our largest area of support, helping fund eating disorder treatment, weekly child psychology and music therapy sessions in schools, along with a range of other counselling and family therapy services.
So, thank you. We hope this gives you a better picture of where your support goes and the real difference it makes in the lives of Waiheke children and their families.
2026 WAIHEKE GARDEN FESTIVAL
Now, let's talk about the festival!
Held every two years, the Waiheke Garden Festival is our major fundraising event, helping replenish the Jassy Dean Trust coffers so we can continue supporting the ever-growing number of local families seeking assistance.
The festival takes place on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 November 2026 and features ten stunning private gardens, live music, local art, Ngaio's famous plant sale, plus food, refreshments and local gifts available at selected garden locations.
Take a look at this year's gardens, which range from the renowned Sacred Blessings Sanctuary Garden to thriving fruit and vegetable gardens, intimate cottage gardens, and awe-inspiring coastal properties. Whether you're an avid gardener or just looking for a memorable day out, you'll leave inspired.
There are plenty of ways to explore the festival. Take your time by car, join a Fullers360 guided bus tour, or enjoy a special festival package with eRide Waiheke, offering an eco-friendly and fun way to experience the gardens.
Art lovers will also have plenty to discover. A dedicated art stop at Studio 309 will feature sculpture, ceramics and paintings by Belinda Fabris, alongside works from a collective of talented Waiheke artists, with a portion of all sales donated to the Jassy Dean Trust.
Several of this year's gardens are also home to established artists. Wander through Ann Skelly's intimate home studio, visit renowned Waiheke artist Pamela Howard-Smith’s Odesea Gallery, showcasing vibrant paintings, prints, sculpture and ceramics inspired by Māori culture and the island's spectacular landscapes. You'll also discover Jenny Lee's beautiful botanical illustrations and Ian Douglas's handcrafted creations.
And of course, no Waiheke Garden Festival would be complete without Ngaio's famous Plant Sale. For more than 20 years, Ngaio Lewis has lovingly nurtured thousands of plants from her Onetangi property, raising significant funds for the Trust while giving visitors the chance to take home quality plants at affordable prices.
Throughout the weekend you'll also find fresh coffee, homemade baking and light refreshments at selected gardens, along with exclusive dining offers at a selection of Waiheke cafés and restaurants.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
We couldn't do it without the support of the many local businesses that generously get behind this event, and we are especially grateful to this year's major festival sponsors, eRide Waiheke and Fullers360.
Fullers360 supports the work of the Jassy Dean Trust all year round, with invaluable additional support whenever the Garden Festival comes around.
Thanks to eRide Waiheke, festival visitors can enjoy a special package deal: a discounted electric bike hire and garden entry for just $115 (or $125 after 30 September). We'd love to see more people take advantage of this offer—it's a fun, environmentally friendly way to explore our beautiful gardens, get a little exercise, and support local children at the same time.
As a bonus, anyone arriving by bike will receive complimentary morning tea! Even better, eRide Waiheke is donating the proceeds from every festival bike hire to the Jassy Dean Trust.
We're also incredibly grateful to our Silver Sponsors - The Boatshed Waiheke Island, Man O' War Vineyards, PlaceMakers Waiheke and The Produce Company—and our Bronze Sponsor, Sealink. Thank you all for your generosity.
A huge thank you also goes to the many local businesses and organisations that support the festival in practical ways. We couldn't do it without you: Aqua Waiheke, Central Landscape Supplies, Goldie Estate, Greenacres, Gulf News & Waiheke Weekender, Island Coffee, Island Print, Paper Plus, Te Matuku Oysters and Woolworths Waiheke.
VOLUNTEER CALL OUT!
And of course, this event simply wouldn't happen without our amazing team of volunteers.
If you have a few spare hours over the festival weekend and would like to help, we'd love to hear from you! Please register as a volunteer HERE or email us at jassydeantrustvolunteers@gmail.com.
Volunteers work one of two shifts (10am–1pm or 1pm–4pm) at one of our ten gardens. It's a great way to meet people, be part of a wonderful community event, and enjoy a free festival ticket as our way of saying thank you.
TICKETS
Tickets go on sale from 15 August via fullers.co.nz, or you can purchase them in person from the Fullers Matiatia office or Paper Plus in Oneroa.
Earlybird tickets are $50, or pay $60 from 1 October. Tickets are valid for both days, and the gardens are open from 10am–4pm. To view all ticket options, go to https://waihekegardenfestival.org.nz/tickets-2026
We'll be sharing more festival news over the coming months, but in the meantime, mark 15 August in your diary for ticket sales and visit www.waihekegardenfestival.org.nz to find out more.
Until next time
Nga Mihi
from
The Jassy Dean Trust
