Locals- Ruth Heath Wanaka

Get to know: Ruth Heath The People’s Bread Co.

I first met Ruth (and her lovely family) when I first started blogging a couple of years ago. The People’s Bread was top of my radar when it came to local people making local products and mighty fine ones at that. You can read about my piece here.

Who are you, what’s your story?
I’m Ruth, wife to Jeremy, mother of Timo, Caoimhe, Lennox, Ezra and co-owner/creator of The People’s Bread Co.

Locals- Ruth Heath Wanaka

Your work. What drives you, what makes it unique to you.
The paid work, our business, The People’s Bread Co. – the prcoess of how we do things and the product in itself, grinding grains and constantly working with wildlife or the micobiology of fermentation that is always changing as life does, is special and fascinating. It’s something that we believe in 100% and the continuous and changeable cycle of make, bake, eat, repeat, is a driving force too, and to think we are feeding hundreds of others each week is amazing!

Tell us more about the Wanaka community you live in, why you’re there, what keeps you there and what you love about it.
Wanaka is this vibrant, wonderful, creative community filled with people from varying backgrounds, and possibly an atypical ratio of superhumans. We came here in the first instance to be close to family and we’re staying here for the community we love that our children are thriving in, and it’s the home of our business.

Locals- Ruth Heath Wanaka

Favourite spot that feels like ‘yours’ and why you go there.
A secluded spot on the banks of the Clutha, great place to go with my bike for some quiet time.

What do you hope the future looks like for you and Wanaka? How are you investing in your community?
It would be great if the future of Wanaka is a place of diversity – that people and families from all kinds of backgrounds, especially creatives and producers, are able to live here, it’s what makes it an interesting place to be. It’d be good to see grass roots organisations like Te Kakano continue to be well supported. Would also like to believe in a future where residents, especially councillors making decisions for Wanaka, have an awareness of the importance of lake and environmental conservation, restoration, and at the same time facilitate suitable developments for the common good of the community. We are investing in our community by supporting and acting on this in various ways.

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Locals- Ruth Heath Wanaka


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