Helen, Lucy, Kophie, Pip and Selina are The Conscious Club. A kaleidoscopic cohort of creatives who’ve united in a most benevolent way. Their mission? To make Ōtautahi more sustainable, more conscious and more connected. For them, it’s as much to do with our mental health, inclusion and diversity, as it is about protecting mother nature. 

Since their inception in June 2019, they’ve organised over 30 events in and around the city, and fostered a friendly, like-minded community. The Conscious Club’s chat series is held regularly and features a guest speaker or panel sharing their stories and expertise with attendees (topics have included climate change, fast fashion, ocean pollution, lqbtqia+ and racism to name a few). They’ve hosted and co-hosted a whole bunch of markets saving bags of clothing from landfill (think vintage and pre-loved wears) as well as beach clean ups at Sumner where they specifically focus on collecting the nasty micro plastics off the shoreline. It’s a remarkable output given they are volunteers holding down full-time jobs! 

Pip, who studied Economics at university, and is the only one good at numbers according to the others, is a prolific crafter. Pip sits crocheting a bucket hat out of lilac raffia and explains her favourite Conscious Club event was teaching people to crochet, knit and sew clothing for displaced animals following the bushfires in Australia last year. They ended up sending off over 700 items to those animals in need. The best part; a wildlife centre sent a photo of one little joey sitting in a pouch they had crocheted! 

The Conscious Club HQ – on the first floor of the BOXed Quarter – is a bustling hive of activity. There's a sewing machine raring to go, a big old meeting table where ideas can come to fruition, and a small store showcasing their handiwork alongside other local creatives too - you’ll find repurposed vintage clothing, crochet animals, lots of scrunchies, artwork and much more.   

Selina is weaving her next creation, Kophie is busy planning her next fashion collection, these wāhine do not crave the quiet life. There’s no denying The Conscious Club is putting in the mahi when it comes to sustainability. They are educating us on how to be thoughtful and brave about our individual choices to make the city, and its environment, a more sustainable home for everyone.

You can support the vision of The Conscious Club by donating a monthly amount via Patreon or make a one-off donation through Ko-fi.