A learning initiative for over-60s that will soon launch nationwide is getting its first run in Hawke’s Bay.

Ever wondered how you might feed your curious brain (beyond Wordle!) as you age? Fee Webby did.

Love Heart is a brand new social enterprise launching right here in Hawke’s Bay before popping up in other centres across Aotearoa. “We’re ageing differently and we expect more from the many decades we might live post-retirement,” says co-founder Fee, who lives in Hastings.

That thinking sits at the heart of Love Heart, which she’s launched alongside long-time collaborator and friend, Frances Valintine CNZM.

The pair, who previously worked together building The Mind Lab, kick off with courses, activities and excursions across Hawke’s Bay this month, before expanding into Auckland later this year. 

“Older people are healthier, more engaged and more intellectually curious than ever,” says Frances. “They’re not winding down – they’re living longer,  asking more complex questions and looking for connection.”

Love Heart will offer six-week courses, speaker lunches and hands-on “learning adventures” across topics ranging from technology and science to food, music, history and culture. There are also plans for outings to unusual or out-of-the-way venues and experiences designed to get people talking to one another, rather than sitting silently in rows “and being spoken at,” says Fee.

“I’m looking forward to seeing how conversations are sparked and how our first cohorts connect, because while Love Heart is definitely about education and learning, it’s also about sharing ideas and experiences with one another.”

She says while online learning exploded during and after the Covid years, many people are now craving that in-person connection that disappeared from our lives.

“People still want to sit around a table together, challenge each other, have a laugh, agree or agree to disagree.”

The timing may also be right. New Zealand’s population is ageing rapidly, with more people expected to be over 65 than under 20 within the next few years.

But despite the demographic shift, Fee and Auckland-based Frances believe very little has been created specifically for older adults who still feel energetic, social and eager to keep learning.

“We spend decades investing in education for young people and attending courses and workshops during our careers,” says Fee. “But learning doesn’t need to stop just because work stops. This is an option for Kiwis who want that intellectual stimulation.”

Operating as a social enterprise, Love Heart will reinvest profits into helping people participate who may not otherwise afford it.

And while Frances has launched countless education initiatives throughout her career, she says this one feels particularly personal.

“If someone walks out having learned something fascinating and made a new friend at the same time, then we’ve done exactly what we hoped to do.”

www.heart.co.nz