April 2014 Icon of the West - Dorothy Butler P6
t s e w our
brought to you by A Revolution with Invisible Fibres
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Proud of the West's Wonderful Heritage
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Recognising Stand Out West Auckland Businesses
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Anzac Day Commemorations in West Auckland
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For more information on The Trusts, visit our website www.thetrusts.co.nz Feedback on www.ourwest.co.nz or email us at info@thetrusts.co.nz
A revolution with invisible fibres
Nylon fabric is peeled from backing paper.
Iain Hosie explains the world's largest nano-fibre making machine, designed and built in Henderson
Iain Hosie demonstrates nylon so thin its almost weightless
A world leading Henderson company is making fibres so thin they're invisible and yet they're helping to revolutionise many aspects of life, including medicine, skin care, air filtration, carbon fibre, resin based products like fibreglass, sound proofing and some wearable textiles. Revolution Fibres is one of the few companies in the world making nano-fibres, a concept that, says Technical Director and company founder, Iain Hosie, originated in the 1930s with the Russians taking a particular interest. Interest died out quickly because nobody could think of a use for them. Recently, with the relentless drive of miniaturisation in a wide range of activities, they have come into their own. In fact, says Iain, research into new uses is running far ahead of the world's ability to produce fibres to meet proposed new applications. This means that one part of the challenge for his company is in merely keeping up with where the world of nano-fibres is heading next, and trying to design and tailor the products that will meet ever-expanding needs. In simplified terms manufacture involves subjecting a droplet of raw material to very high voltage which spins off an invisible fibre, a chain of molecules or polymer, at 80 metres per second. These fibres are layered onto a backing paper, forming a film in the appropriate material to the required density. This film can be peeled off when it is needed for use. Nano-fibres are so thin they're invisible to the naked eye and can only be seen under an electron microscope. They only become visible when many layers are placed on top of each other. Iain demonstrates with a sheet of nylon that is almost weightless, and so thin and flexible it moulds to his hand like a second skin. "That's made up of hundreds of layers," he says.
real. Although these fibres do not exist to the naked eye, an electron microscope can look inside a fibre and see that it is made of even smaller stuff. Does this go on forever? The modern, increasingly miniaturised world has developed a huge appetite for textiles made from these fibres and paradoxically to meet the demand, the company has built one of the largest nanofibre making machines in the world. The company makes nano-fibres using a range of raw materials in order to produce a finished textile to suit a particular application. For example, it hit the headlines recently by supplying soundproofing nano-fibre textiles to revolutionise the office cubicle. The resulting "return focus pods" allow workers to make noise without disturbing their colleagues. The same outcome using old technology would have required much thicker walls and even then might not be as effective. Because of their lack of bulk, the same nano-fabrics can be applied in very thin patches to, say, cell phones, to prevent other people hearing the conversation. Head-height wings on some office chairs now have nano-fibres to direct the conversation directly at the listener. Nor are nano-fibre textiles a blunt instrument, says Iain. Revolution Fibres can identify which sound wavelengths cause the most irritation and create a fibre that acts to suppress those wavelengths in particular.
In fact, Iain and his fellow young scientists and engineers at the company are on the leading edge that is cutting deeper and deeper into the world of atomic and sub-atomic particles: a world that even the great genius of Albert Einstein was unable to fully understand.
In medicine, nano-fibre textiles can be used for wrapping individually damaged tendons or broken bones to help them heal. Nano-fibre gauze impregnated with drugs, is even being wrapped around cancers to destroy them, raising the potential of cures without radio therapy and other treatments.
Even the thinness of invisible fibres probes into the nature of what is
Skin care products, both medicinal and cosmetic, can be
being spun in Henderson impregnated with collagen nano-fibres and applied to the skin. In air filtration, a standout example is the filters supplied to air circulating systems made by HRV, another company that started in West Auckland. With the HRV filters, manuka oil is added to the raw material and forms part of the molecule chain the fabric is made from. The manuka oil acts as an anti-bacterial agent to sterilise the filtered air and, because it is part of the very structure and not a spray on additive, it lasts the life of the filter. Nano-fabrics are also being used to reinforce composite materials such as carbon-fibre and fibreglass, both of which are strong under tension but brittle when struck. Adding custom made nano-fibres to the mix significantly reduces this brittleness, which in turn increases their durability and also the uses to which they can be put. Being 1,000 times smaller than the micro-fibres currently used in clothing textiles, uses are also developing in the apparel industry. Iain Hosie is a biochemist who got into the business after working for the government in the field of air quality and hazardous substances and saw the possibilities of making better air filters. He not only bears a certain physical resemblance to Britain's rock star physics professor, Brian Cox, known here for this TV series "Wonders of the
Universe", but shares his ability to convey very complex information in everyday language. For the moment, he says, Revolution Fibres are limited by the cost of R&D, the costs of manufacture and the costs of final products, which means that the company is working in niche markets. As part of this approach it has developed strategic partnerships whereby other companies research and define the products that are needed and Revolution Fibres make them. The business is in the classic Rolls Royce situation of making world leading products that are, as yet, unaffordable in everyday application. For example, the sound-proofing properties may not yet be affordable in the average house or budget hotel, but add value in higher priced houses or luxury hotels. In time, however, use will create the economies of scale that bring nano-fibres within the reach of everyone. Iain's rather hoping a property developer in Auckland might consider pioneering the use of sound-proofing nano-fabrics because better sound-proofing will make many homes, and especially terraces and apartment blocks, much more "liveable" and thus help achieve Auckland Council's dream of being the world's most "liveable" city.
Dead heat after hard day's soap box racing Teams from West Auckland schools lined up their cars to race in the West Auckland race series on 16 March with Bruce McLaren Intermediate's Tommy McKinnon and Waitakere College's Samantha Skelly dead heating for 1st place in the final "shoot-out" Every driver competed in 2 races and their times were aggregated to find the fastest 12 from the morning's racing. These 12 then contested the shoot-out which was basically a drag race with each driver getting to run down the course one by one, in a bid to set the fastest time. Tommy and Samantha took top honours in 26.25 seconds with Bruce McLaren Intermediate's Barjonah Buxton a split second behind on 26.26. In fact, the racing was so close that one second exactly, separated first and twelfth, and the first 11 finished in under 27 seconds. The top 6 contested the New Zealand Finals at Whangaparaoa on 30 March with the outcome not known at the time of writing. But the contest is by no means all over in West Auckland. West Auckland Rotary Club that runs the series, recently introduced a competition for the best video of the day's racing and entrants have until the end of term to complete their entries. The winners will be announced at a thank you dinner for organisers, sponsors and participants at Starling Park on May 7.
The top 12 for West Auckland were: Tommy McKinnon, Bruce McLaren Intermediate, 26.25; Samantha Skelly, Waitakere College, 26.25; Barjonah Buxton, Bruce McLaren Intermediate, 26.26; Rose Hinton, Waitakere College 26.29; Joe Grevel, Waitakere Primary 26.41; Robbie Craig, Bruce McLaren Intermediate, 26.44; Emma Williscroft, Bruce McLaren Intermediate, 26.47; Ashleigh Weyemayr, Hobsonville Primary, 26.52; Ambrose Young-Hill, Hobsonville Primary, 26.65; Sebastian Zalkanins, Hobsonville Primary, 26.69; Yasmine Livingstone, Hobsonville Primary, 26.86; Jacob Webster, Matipo School, 27.25. Besides the many vehicle sponsors and Auckland Council, TTCF was a key donor to help make the event happen, creating another example of funds raised in The Trusts premises in West Auckland, being returned for the good of the West Auckland community.
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Westgate
entrance
As part of our commitment to provide excellent service to the public, we're delighted to start the development of a new West Liquor store in Westgate. General approval:
As we have said often, the community are our owners and while you expect to see liquor stores kept to a minimum, you do want convenience, choice, good prices and a pleasant shopping environment. The West Liquor brand of store that sets a new standard in New Zealand liquor retailing meets those demands and has achieved massive public approval.
“Just get it done!” and the one we love but can only hope to live up to, “Perfect.” Having such strong support for a West Liquor store, shows we continue to enjoy public approval that last year reached a massive 92 percent of the West Auckland public approving of the West Liquor concepts. It shows beyond doubt that the effort we put into consulting West Aucklanders about the kinds of store and service they would be proud of, was time very well spent.
Conscious of the need to know what West Aucklanders want we consult regularly with the public. In this case, we conducted a public opinion poll about our plans to establish a West Liquor store at Westgate. The proposal received a very pleasing 80 percent approval and, of the remaining 20 people, seven didn’t have a firm opinion either way.
We can assure customers who said that choice, price and customer service are important to them, that they’re important to us, too. We understand that to keep our customers we have to provide a wide range of choice that is seen as value for money.
The approval levels were strong and supportive as shown by the opinions people expressed, such as:
We also know that taken overall, our prices are as good or better than those of any fair trading competitor (we won’t be irresponsible and sell liquor “on the cheap”).
In terms of location people said: “Good to have at Westgate.” “Very handy next to the supermarket.” “Would work well.” “Great convenient location.” “It’s what people want.”
Meanwhile all our staff are already trained to an internationally acknowledged level, in customer service and product knowledge and even more training and personal development is now available, all of which translates into quality customer experiences.
In terms of the presentation of the West Liquor concept: “I like the logo and colours.” “I like the fern and flax.” “Nice design, looks good.” “Brighter, colourful, more ‘West’”
The West Liquor brand will bring all those qualities that have met such overwhelming approval elsewhere to Westgate and we believe will be an asset to this town centre. The appearance of this store is bright, attractive and very distinctively West Auckland (classy without being precious). The brightly lit interiors have a very pleasing layout, and feel safe and welcoming.
In terms of the name: “I like ‘West’ for community store feeling.” “I like the ‘West’ association.” “West Liquor sells the product.” “Go West!”
In terms of products and services:
As with all our stores, in the interests of community comfort and responsibility, we won’t serve minors, people who are intoxicated, party pills or legal highs or RTDs with an alcohol level higher than 7%.
“Range is important.” “Deals are important.” “Service must be good.” “I like personal service.” “Personal service and advice is important.”
The new store is due to open its doors in May.
New Trustees on Portage
and Waitakere Licensing Trusts John Carrodus and Lorraine Wilson QSM, JP, have been elected to the Waitakere Licensing Trust and the Portage Licensing Trust, respectively. They replaced Brian Neeson JP and Duncan Macdonald JP who resigned from those boards shortly after being elected last year. By elections were held for each board in early 2014, resulting in Mr Carrodus and Mrs Wilson being elected. John Carrodus is a recently retired primary school principal who served on the Massey Community Board and chaired the Hobsonville and West Harbour Ratepayers' Association and a variety of other
community organisations, particularly at Hobsonville. Lorraine Wilson QSM, JP, served on the Portage Licensing Trust from the 1990's until last year's elections. She has served on regional and local government bodies, and on the Board of West Auckland Trust Services Ltd, the company which manages the business affairs of the Waitakere and Portage Licensing Trusts.
The Trusts - proud of the West's wonderful heritage I have had great pleasure in bringing good news from The Trusts business operations in recent years and also explaining how our philosophy is to be a force for good in the West Auckland community, our owners, through our "Giving Back" programme. As the NZ economy came through very tough times over recent years our focus has been on increasing both our efficiency and our profits and, thus, the money available to give back to our community. Our owners - you, the public - demand we sell liquor responsibly and a key part of this is maintaining a balance between service, choice, price, profit and convenience on the one hand and a restraint in the number and type of stores we operate on the other. The reason for restraint is that liquor stores on every street corner can lead to increased crime and social harm. Studies show that too many stores and supermarkets and longer opening hours means access to liquor increases. Some operators cut prices desperately to get a bigger share of the business and increase their profit without regard for their community. So, the more liquor outlets there are, the cheaper liquor is and the easier it is to access. That's not a problem for responsible drinkers but it does feed the needs of people who abuse liquor. And with abuse comes irresponsibility, crime, and social harm. I sometimes wonder if our critics fully appreciate the issues many other areas of Auckland and New Zealand face with a proliferation of liquor outlets (both stores and supermarkets). I hope many can accept the fact that community-owned liquor businesses, operating with restraint, really do deliver the best result. Arguably thinking how we can "minimise our footprint" in the community interest, is completely alien in the private sector where profit is always the major driving factor. On the other hand, the public does demand a quality service that is convenient. We have addressed quality service through the recent establishment of two exciting new retail liquor stores in West Auckland - West Liquor and Village Wine & Spirits.The range of choice they provide and the new pricing model which is fully competitive with other responsible retailers is meeting the mark. World-leading training programmes mean that our staff know their job and their product; if you come into our stores and ask for advice, you will get it from people who know their stuff and know how to treat a customer properly. They are also well trained in our community expectation to sell liquor responsibly and we have an industry leading track record of not selling to minors in this community. We are constantly planning how to balance a convenient service and keeping a responsible number of stores located in the right places. That is why we are opening a new West Liquor store in Westgate, in May. Having closed two stores last year because they weren't a good fit with their communities, our total number when Westgate is opened will be 23 stores (one less than we had two years ago). That means almost every resident in the urban areas of West Auckland is within 3km of a West Liquor or Village Wine & Spirits store without your neighbourhoods being plastered with shabby liquor outlets. We aim to keep the number at an optimum while providing a convenient and exceptional service to that large sector of population that lives in the Massey North and West. As with all our new stores, we are confident that the West Liquor store will be a credit to Westgate with its bright, open, safe,
colourful, welcoming and proudly West appearance and shoppers and fellow businesses will welcome it. Of course we are also continuing with the refurbishment of our other stores and looking closely at the style of bars and restaurants that we see evolving in other parts of the city to meet local preferences. "Giving Back" is more than just about the money. It's also about making West Auckland a better place and having a socially responsible model for alchohol sales that minimises harm. To some extent as one of the biggest employers and the biggest community owned businesses "out West" giving back is also about helping to promote and preserve the values and special character of the West. A recent study showed that among Auckland residents, those in the Henderson Massey Community Board area were the second least likely to say that alcohol and drug problems caused them to feel unsafe in their CBD (Henderson). The same study also showed that West Auckland has the lowest incidence of alcohol-related traffic crashes in Auckland. West Auckland has the 5th largest urban population in New Zealand, and yet a recent study showed it had the 30th lowest rate of alcohol-related road crashes out of the 71 urban communities throughout the country. It was also gratifying to read that many community submissions to the Alcohol Law Reform Bill (2010) basically recognised that ideally supermarkets and dairies should not be allowed to sell alcohol or had contributed to issues associated with wide availability and have commoditised a sensitive product that needs greater care in how its sold than perhaps more basic day to day essential commodities like bread and milk. When we look at our renowned arts and cultural scene, the trail blazing sustainable urban management, environmental programmes like Project Twin Streams, the millions contributed to the community each year by TTCF, the huge value the community gets from The Trusts Arena and the Te Pai Netball Centre, the sports facilities and all the other good things throughout West Auckland, we have every reason to be proud. Very proud. It's not, Wild West, but West is Best! And many Aucklanders are discovering this for themselves with the very considerable population growth as people flock to live here. We at The Trusts are very proud to be Westies and of our part in helping to maintain and grow the special character of West Auckland.
Simon Wickham CHIEF EXECUTIVE
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Dorothy Butler "If anyone, back to the wall, was trying to defend the function of books in the life of the smallest human being, here is the defence." Such was the generous praise BBC literary critic Edward Blishen paid to the first book by internationally renowned author, children's literature expert and bookseller, Dorothy Butler, OBE.
to "customers" who clustered to her. In 1964 she and Roy established a small bookstore in their home. The nascent Dorothy Butler Children's Bookshop was the first of its kind in Auckland and she knew of one other, in Wellington.
Blishen was referring to the groundbreaking "Cushla and her books" one of 40 books written or edited by Dorothy Butler and in many ways the hinge on which Mrs Butler's remarkable success has swung.
Soon books were being ordered from overseas and the bookshop grew, taking over more and more of the house. "A large playroom/bedroom was partitioned with rails and curtains to make two sleeping nooks and a non-fiction department." Meanwhile, Dorothy occupied the daylight hours driving a books-laden van around schools and libraries that had become her customers.
Dorothy Butler was born in 1925, obtained a BA and trained as a teacher subsequently becoming a mother of eight who transformed herself into a world expert in children's development. She was always fascinated by books and as a separate subject, the role of books and reading in child development. She realised that while reading was central, there was a vital process that included the roles of pictures and colour, the quality of the story and the imagination that it stimulated, the sound of parents'/adults' voices reading to children, the fact that time and attention was being devoted to the child and the physical closeness between the reader and listener. "I had come to believe that a child's life is immeasurably enriched in all ways, emotionally, intellectually, spiritually and physically," she says in her autobiography, "All this and a bookshop too!" She added later that reading, like sport, needed to be practised: the child who had to laboriously work at each sentence was hardly likely to believe reading could be a pleasure. It sounds obvious now. In the early 1960's Dorothy the mother discovered the fledgling Play Centre movement with its appealing philosophies. She and husband Roy had built their home (starting in a tent) in Birkenhead and now she joined a committee to establish the Birkenhead Play Centre. Then, in an inspiration that was to lead to a bookshop, she began to source books (of which there was a woefully inadequate supply) for the Play Centre. Soon she was giving talks to parents and teachers, and then buying books and selling them on at a modest profit
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In 1964 also, Dorothy and Roy began a love-affair with Karekare that was to lead in time, to them acquiring and rescuing the "crumbling ruin" of the once gracious historic house called Winchelsea. By now Dorothy was well known to Britain's major publishers and a friend to many of their top executives and in some cases owners such as Andre Deutsche and later, Sir William Collins. In 1969 she became a founder member of the Children's Literature Association that was later to honour her for Distinguished Services to children's literature. Having been formed in the previous two decades, dramatic proof of Dorothy's theories about the importance of the processes of reading, was to arrive in 1971 with granddaughter, Cushla. Cushla had a variety of disabilities and in early childhood, was unable to sit up or use her hands. She also had limited sight. Nevertheless, Cushla's parents soon discovered that pictures in picture books stimulated her like nothing else. Auckland Hospital noted that while there was a clear lag in "gross motor scores, book behaviour trained by adults was very advanced, scanning pictures with her eyes, making appropriate sounds and turning pages, all fine motor co-ordination tasks." A detailed record of which circumstances, books and illustrations promoted Cushla's development led to the pivotal "Cushla and her books", a book that was translated to many
icons west of the
languages and even filmed. Thus was born Dorothy Butler the accidental, but prolific, author. "Cushla and her books" was followed by "Babies need books", another book welcomed avidly around the world and then, with Professor Marie Clay, of the University of Auckland, "Reading Begins at Home." In the ensuing years Dorothy developed a catalogue of 40 titles including five non-fiction books on the subject of child development, four anthologies and 29 fiction titles. In those years, "wearing different hats" Dorothy also discovered or helped to discover many writers who are now household names: Tessa Duder was one such and Lynley Dodd (with Hairy Maclary) another. Around this time, she and Roy discovered Forbes Barnes who was teaching children to read by projecting text onto a large screen and then reading the stories to his pupils, following the words with a cursor on the screen. Children were transfixed. The Butlers promptly set up a remedial reading centre using the system and it was to become so successful they had to turn eager children away. In the mid 1980's, Dorothy Butler launched yet another worldleading innovation, Dorothy Butler Video Books Ltd. Video books involved books selected by Dorothy being read to groups of children by professional narrators and filmed. These were the first films in the world, made specifically to be sold as videos. The first edition was so good that the company obtained for the second edition, the first-ever copyright to film Beatrix Potter books. A bevy of British A-list actors also signed up to be narrators. Unfortunately, the venture didn't succeed commercially and the second edition was never made. The bookshop, in the meantime, had moved to Sunnybrae Road in Glenfield then to Ponsonby (where it still operates
although Dorothy and Roy sold it in 1990). Dorothy had earned a slew of awards, among them the OBE, the Eleanor Farjean Award in Britain, in the US the Mary Hall Arbuthnott Honour Lecture Award and the American Library Citation and in New Zealand, the first Margaret Mahy Award and was made a Distinguished Alumna of the University of Auckland. As the years had passed Dorothy and Roy had become enmeshed in rescuing Winchelsea at Karekare and its secondary house, nicknamed 'The Barracks.' The latter was used as the family holiday home while Winchelsea was being painstakingly brought back from the edge of ruin. The Dorothy Butler story almost certainly would not have been possible without engineer husband Roy. Roy built their first house and extended it to accommodate first family then a bookstore. He helped with establishing the Play Centre premises. He refurbished old cars, vans and trucks for the family and businesses, including converting a hearse into a people mover for a family of 10 and built a travelling library. Finally, he undertook project management of Winchelsea, which when restored, was opened to public use. Dorothy and Roy lived permanently in the adjacent "Barracks". By the 1990s Roy was an increasingly sick man with arthritis and complications to which he succumbed in 2003. Dorothy continues to live at Karekare.
Dorothy Butler, Icon of the West, the West salutes you.
icons west of the
Jack Christie MBE - was a true "Captain of Industry" As we acknowledge in each month's Icons, West Auckland has produced, or influenced, the lives of some extraordinary achievers, including the late Jack Christie MBE who passed away in early March. Described at his funeral by Ray Burgess, Chairman of the Ulrich Aluminium Group, as one of the great "Captains of New Zealand Industry", Jack Christie created TISCO that was literally a household word in New Zealand living rooms for years. He then went on to become chairman of Ulrich Aluminium for 15 years during which time the company grew from having 26 branches to 46 employing 600 people in Australia and New Zealand. Jack Christie was also "the top man" in New Zealand motor racing for many years, a leader in a wide range of industry and amateur sporting organisations and one of the country's leading Freemasons. Born in Wellington in 1924, Jack grew up in New Lynn, attending New Lynn West Primary School and later Mt Albert Grammar where he held the school's record for the mile race until "a fella called Snell came along and broke it." He joined the RNZAF during World War II, serving as a pilot. While training at the Empire Flying School at Edmonton, Canada, he came second in the Canadian mile race. Athletics was to remain an important part of his life ever after. After the war he plunged into the burgeoning world of radio, setting up the Atomic Radio Company on Karangahape Road and it was here his steely and innovative edge in business first became famous. In those days people played records on gramophones, usually a large item of living room furniture that incorporated both a radio and a record player in a cabinet that also had a cupboard to keep records in. It made sense to Jack to import and sell records that people would play on the gramophones. This worked well until a leading record company threatened to sue him for what we would now call "parallel importing". Jack promptly gave his records away as a sweetener on every gramophone sale. Being Jack however, it was a safe bet he wasn't losing money on this. With the advent of television, Jack worked in co-operation with several large companies to create TISCO. TISCO was used by the retailers selling TV sets, to install and tune televisions in the buyer's home. TISCO also sold service contracts, a form of insurance that meant if your set broke down, TISCO would fix it.
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At one time, every single TV set in New Zealand was installed by the company and with the company's label somewhere on the set giving the local TISCO branch telephone number. TISCO was literally a household name. After retiring, Jack Christie was recruited to be chairman of Ulrich Aluminium which he led to Australasian success. Jack also imported Vespa motor-scooters and set up the Vespa Riders Club; he was president of the New Zealand Manufacturers' Federation (among other industry positions). He was vice president of the Mt Roskill Swimming Club and a founder of the Cameron Pool. A midget car racer at Western Springs, he also held increasingly important positions in the New Zealand Grand Prix. During the era when the best Formula 1 drivers came here for the Tasman Series, he was Clerk of the Course, the man in charge for the Tasman series races in New Zealand including the New Zealand Grand Prix itself. He went on to be first president and later a life member, of the New Zealand Grand Prix and his MBE was given partly in recognition of his services to motor sport. Although he had long since lived away from West Auckland, Jack Christie gave 68 years of service to the Titirangi Lodge after being initiated into Freemasonry there in 1946. As a Freemason he was as tireless and effective as he was in business, being a member of many lodges and helping to found several, including Lodge Te Atatu. He rose to the rank of Provincial Grand Master in 1972 and ultimately to be a Past Deputy Grand Master for New Zealand. He also achieved one of the rarest Freemasonic distinctions, the rank of 33rd degree. This is granted by a "side order" called the Rose Croix. It almost goes without saying that Jack Christie reached the top of this order too, achieving the rank of Sovereign Grand Commander General. He died on 4 March, 16 weeks short of his 90th birthday. As someone said at his funeral, "where did he get the time to do all that?" Another replied; "and be a bloody decent guy as well."
Jack Christie MBE, Icon of the West
Recognising stand out Auckland Businesses Construction company Canam Group Ltd is just one of many West Auckland businesses which has been recognised, rewarded, supported and applauded for its achievements through the prestigious Westpac Auckland Business Awards. Canam Group is a former West Supreme Excellence Award winner, and found the Awards experience highly rewarding. That experience, and Canam Group Ltd's belief in the Awards concept resulted in the company subsequently choosing to sponsor the West Excellence in Innovation category. Entries are now open for the Westpac Auckland Business Awards - West 2014, and Iain Hobson, Business Development Manager at Canam Construction encourages businesses in the west to seize the opportunity to be a potential winner, and gain the other benefits which come from entering. Iain Hobson says compiling the company's entry was not easy, but there is no question it was worth it: "As the process unfolded, we discovered it to be a hugely rewarding exercise and I continue to be pleasantly surprised by the amount of positive feedback we have received as a result of winning the Awards." As Canam Group found, the Awards offer businesses of all sizes in Auckland an opportunity to step back and review business plans and goals to see how far the business has come, to benchmark systems and processes with successful companies across the entire region, and to gain brand exposure to key Auckland business decision-makers and potential customers.
This year, the Awards will be presented in central, north, south and west Auckland under a common brand, and with the backing and expertise of two powerful business networks – the Auckland Chamber of Commerce, and Auckland Tourism, Events and Economic Development (ATEED). Chief executives Michael Barnett of Auckland Chamber of Commerce and Brett O'Riley of ATEED believe consistency across the Awards process will bring additional prestige to the winners and will allow firms to benchmark across the wider region. Brett O'Riley says: "Together, we are committed to Awards based on judging criteria which reward and foster innovation and excellence, and will help to grow the high-tech and exportready economy which Auckland needs." Michael Barnett says it is important for companies to realise the Awards are about "celebrating business excellence - which is a business' ability to ride out tough times and capitalise on the opportunities". "These Awards will recognise resilience, innovation, and the essential principles of business success," he said.
For more information about entering the Awards please email Rebecca on rseymour-east@ chamber.co.nz, or visit www.aucklandchamber.co.nz.
Don Oliver Scholarship applications open Young West Auckland athletes who have the ability and attitude to achieve national and international success, are being invited to apply for a Don Oliver Youth Sport Foundation Scholarship.
in the last 16 years that hasn't included at least one past or present scholar, and nine have a realistic chance of being at the Glasgow Commonwealths this year.
Applicants are eligible from the day of their 14th birthday until the end of the day of their 21st birthday, if they have their home address in West Auckland, if they are pre-elite and in the opinion of the independent selection panel they have what it takes to reach the top in their sport and have a genuine need for support. Applications should include support from the applicant's coach, club/school. Endorsement from their regional and/or national sports organisation is also welcome.
Application forms can be downloaded from the Foundation website at http://www.donoliver.org. nz/#!application-form/cs4a.
Applications close on 30 June this year. Many past or present Don Oliver scholars have been highly successful, Lauren Boyle received several scholarships, and there hasn't been a New Zealand Olympic or Commonwealth Games team
Alternatively please ring Michael at Sport Waitakere on 09 966 3120. 9
Cannon fire, poppies and bagpipes add to candle-lit ANZAC Dawn Ceremony at Waikumete Cannon fire, the dramatic presence of old military vehicles and a garden of "poppies" will this year add to the Dawn ANZAC Ceremony at Waikumete Cemetery, which will also be honoured by the presence of Lt General (Rtd) Don McIver CMG, OBE. A Trustee of the Royal New Zealand RSA, and former Chief of General Staff of the NZ Army. Last year, a rifle party was added to the Dawn Ceremony, to provide a gun salute. This year two vintage cannon will also be fired and two old military vehicles, a Jeep and a half-track will be on site at the Cenotaph. A half-track is a fighting truck that has wheels at the front and caterpillar tracks instead of wheels at the back. The RNZAF is considering a request for a flypast.
It is held at the cenotaph near the corner of Great North and Glen View Roads. The cenotaph is the focal point of this part of Waikumete that forms the largest War Graves cemetery in New Zealand. Over the years steadily increasing crowds have been swollen by the attendance of many children and young people who gather in the pre-dawn darkness listening to the eerie keening of bagpipes nearby as they wait for Waitakere City Brass Band to strike up and lead the parade out of the darkness. As the marchers arrive at the entrance to the Court of Honour they are greeted by a haka, before parading before the official party that includes the Deputy Mayor Penny Hulse, Lt Gen McIver, councillors, former Waitakere Mayor Sir Bob Harvey, local MPs, dignitaries from the Military and the Police and this year, a representative from the Australian High Commission. While the parade of veterans diminishes year by year, the parade itself gets larger with the addition of contingents from such as the Police, schools and other organisations.
A garden of imitation poppies will also be created for the day. This is an "art installation" by artist Cristina Beth and volunteers including school children and members of the RSA Women's Division who have spend the last few months making the "poppies" from felt, buttons and garden stakes. The public will be invited to take a poppy in exchange for a gold coin donation. Another "garden" will be created at New Lynn and a third in the Titirangi Roundabout. These additions, plus a significant "make-over" of the cenotaph area, are part of the build-up by the Glen Eden RSA and Auckland Council, towards this year's centenary of the outbreak of World War I and next year, the 100 years since the ANZAC tradition was born on the beaches and battlefields of Gallipoli. The poignant, candle-lit, Waikumete Dawn Parade is already the second largest in Auckland and this year will mark the 15th since the Glen Eden RSA first partnered with Waitakere City Council to develop an outstanding memorial service appropriate to the sacrifice made by the men and women of West Auckland.
Please, No Dogs!
The half hour ceremony begins exactly at 6am and reaches its high point of drama as the flags of New Zealand, Australia, Great Britain and the USA are lowered to the sound of the Last Post, the ANZAC dedication is given and the roll of veterans who have passed away in the last year, is called and then honoured with the rifle salute. The flags then rise again into the now lightening sky to the sound of Reveille. A second parade is held at 11am following a similar format, but at this parade upwards of 30 wreaths are laid from a wide variety of organisations. The public are invited to help with the wreath laying.
People attending either of the Waikumete ANZAC ceremonies, or planning to walk their dogs in the cemetery on ANZAC morning are asked not to bring dogs at all, because of the firing of rifles and cannon. At the time 10writing the Auckland Council was considering a temporary by-law to prohibit dogs just for that morning. of
ANZAC Day commemorations in West Auckland Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. We will remember them...
There is a total of eleven different Anzac Day commemorations at various times, throughout West Auckland on April 25. The biggest, with several thousand people attending, is the Dawn Parade at the cenotaph at Waikumete Cemetery, the largest war graves cemetery in New Zealand. This simple, dignified and moving ceremony is growing in popularity every year, proving that indeed, "we will remember them". The full list of commemorations is given below.
WAIKUMETE CEMETERY
AVONDALE RSA
HOBSONVILLE RSA
Dawn service. 6am start. Parade and Civic Commemoration service at the Cenotaph, corner of Great North Road and Glenview Road, assemble 5.30am onwards for 6am start.
0am service. 9.30am parade departs 1 from outside clubrooms, 7 Layard Street, Avondale and marches to St Ninian's, cnr Great North Road and St George's Road for 10am service.
11am service. 10.30am parade departs Hobsonville School, 104 Hobsonville Road, and marches to Hobsonville RSA, 114 Hobsonville Road, for 11am service.
11am service at Cenotaph. Parade, service and community wreath laying ceremony. Opportunity to participate in honour of those who gave their lives.
TE ATATU PENINSULA RSA
WANSON RSA S 9am service. 8.45am parade departs Swanson Primary School, 703 Swanson Road, and marches to Swanson RSA at 663 Swanson Road, for 9am service.
10am service. 9.45am parade departs from Hereford Street and marches to Te Atatu Peninsula RSA at 1 Harbour View Road, Te Atatu Peninsula.
TITIRANGI WAR MEMORIAL HALL 10.30am service.
WAITAKERE RSA 11am service. Service at Waitakere RSA, Township Road.
HENDERSON RSA 11.30am service. 11.15am parade departs from the fire station, Railside Avenue, and marches to Henderson RSA, at 66 Railside Avenue, for 11.30am service.
LAINGHOLM COMMUNITY PARADE
PIHA RSA
10.30am service at Laingholm Hall, Victory Road, Laingholm.
2pm Service. 1.45pm parade departs Piha RSA, 3 Beach Road and marches to Lion Rock for 2pm service.
This month in history:
A German "roadmap" to World War I As the world begins its countdown to the centenary of the outbreak of World War I, it was interesting, to discover that according to newspaper reports at the time, a roadmap to the coming war had been written in the Berlin Post three months before war was declared. The Berlin Post was said to be the mouthpiece of the German Government and what it said was what the German Government was thinking. By 1914 Europe was "sitting on a powder keg" that could explode at any moment. In the event, the fuse was lit with the assassination of Austro Hungarian Emperor Franz Ferdinand by a Serb, Gavrilo Prinzip. Prinzip was protesting about the treatment of Serbs by Croats, both members of the Austro Hungarian Empire. Austria, with support from its German ally, threatened Serbia with war. Russia, with support from France and Britain, warned both Germany and Austria to "back off." Undeterred, Austria declared war on Serbia and several days later (on August 1 and August 3 respectively) Germany declared war on Russia and France. Germany invaded France through Belgium and Britain declared war on Germany. Thus, World War sprang into existence. Probably there was no real reason for war but all sides were spoiling for a fight, and if the anonymous article in the Berlin Post is to be believed, any excuse would do. It is reported to have said: "Immediate war is the only means of extracting Germany from an already intolerable situation.
"What are we to do? Are we really to quietly wait until Austria is shaken to pieces, til Italy has to bow before the overwhelming influence of the sea powers and we in isolation are confronted by the arrogance of France, Russia and England? Is the German nation of 70,000,000 really to renounce the role of leader in Europe which is its due? "In the lives of nations there are complications and dangers which can only be disposed of by the sword. Our situation today belongs in that category. "At the moment, the conditions are favourable. France is not ready. England is involved in internal and Colonial difficulties. Russia shrinks from war because it fears a revolution. Shall we wait until our opponents are ready, or shall we use the favourable moment to force the decision? "Where a conflict of interest shows itself we should not give way but let it come to war and commence it with a determined offensive. Whether it be for a new Morocco, for the politics of General Von Liman, or the Asia Minor question is a matter of indifference for the point is not that but our whole future which is at stake." In other words it was saying, "let's take the first excuse to go to war." As a roadmap to the war soon to come, it is remarkably accurate. Was it perhaps, the German government "thinking aloud" so as to prepare the people for what was to come?
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A call-out to West Auckland Schools We are more than just an awesome athletics track! Our flexible venues can host school balls, prize giving ceremonies or events from 80 to 1,000, in a truly unique, secure and safe environment. We are experts at hosting big celebrations, concerts and awards nights. We can create amazing themes with special effects such as laser light shows, along with fantastic DJ’s and performers if required. Our dedicated team of Event Managers at Arena Functions will work with you to ensure everything you want is delivered. We are experts at listening, making sure we understand your requirements, before we start planning with you to create that awesome event.
Is your business fit and focused for 2014? Why not book a business meeting or planning session in April 2014 at Arena Functions and choose an extra FREE activity to make the day even more memorable. • Warm up body and mind with a 45 minute yoga stretch class hosted by Arena Fitness • Target some new goals in the main Arena with 45 minutes of basketball or a hoop shooting competition amongst your team • Smash through barriers with a Real Ryde workout at Arena Fitness, showers and changing facilities provided! Our day delegate rates start from $49.50+GST and includes venue hire, morning and afternoon tea, café lunch, pads and pens, free onsite parking and event coordination. Minimum of 10 people. And remember, anything is possible at Arena Functions, give me a call and just ask! Contact Simon Daly on 970 5207 or email simon.daly@thetrustsarena.co.nz
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Visit your local Trusts liquor store and look out for Made to Match stands. You can pick up the featured beers and Al Brown’s latest recipes.
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Big changes at Arena Fitness Just in case you are thinking about getting back to the gym, I thought I would share some of the exciting improvements at Arena Fitness. As suggested by our members we now have longer opening hours and open Monday to Thursday 5:30am to 10pm, Friday 5:30am to 9pm, Saturday and Sunday 7am to 6pm. The new Arena Cafe is very popular and as a bonus all Arena Fitness members receive $1 OFF coffees and $2 OFF smoothies. It's now open from 7am Monday to Friday for members who need a caffeine hit after their training session! We have also launched a range of flexible term membership packages from $10 to $23 per week. As always, our dedicated team will deliver a FREE Fitness Consultation and Personalised Exercise Program to help you achieve your goals. Our Xpress Classes are ideal if you have busy day. They are just 30 minutes long and classes include Cardio, Muscle, Tone and Kettlebell Xpress. The Team H.I.I.T. training programs are being run more frequently due to demand. The next series starts in April, as always it involves high intensity interval training, perfect if you are wanting to step training up and see greater improvements in fitness, strength, weight loss and muscle tone. And the big news, we will shortly be announcing the opening of Arena Boxing. This is a major undertaking and will involve the best minds in boxing in New Zealand. Without a doubt it will be Auckland's premier boxing facility. So come on in, meet our new trainers and catch-up. Look forward to seeing you soon! Contact Aysha Christensen, Sales Manager Arena Fitness on 970 5212 or email Aysha.christensen@thetrustsarena.co.nz
Join The Trusts Arena VIP Club There are still VIP Club memberships available for 2014. Take advantage of the big benefits including: • A 25% discount off the price of any ticket for qualifying events at The Trusts Arena, including Northern Mystics, Supercity Rangers, Waitakere United, Netball Tests, Boxing Matches, Super 8 events, Concerts, Waitakere Fireworks and lots more. • An Off Peak Membership at Arena Fitness for one person, valued at $520 incl GST per year. • A catered VIP Club lounge for use prior to and after events so you don’t have to get caught up in the crowd. • Reserved VIP Club parking spaces will be available. • Your own VIP Club Lanyards, car passes and access to special promotions over the year. • The membership is transferable amongst friends and family (excluding the Arena Fitness membership) so you can make extensive use of the VIP Club. The membership fee for 2014 is only $149.00. Numbers are limited so act fast – either call in at reception or click to http://www.thetrustsstadium.co.nz/vip
UPCOMING EVENTS PING ZERØ 44 Friday 18 April to 22 April. An epic 200 person, 48 hour, BYOC gaming marathon, starting midday Friday and finishing midday Sunday. Sleeping area and showers available!
Supercity Rangers versus Nelson Be there for the 3pm tip-off Sunday 20 April
Northern Mystics versus Southern Steel Get behind our team at 7.40pm Sunday 4 May
Super 8 - 7 fights, 1 champion, $500,000 purse An awesome new event Wednesday 4 June, 8 fighters start the night but only one will win $500,000
Awesome School Holiday Activities Tues 22 April Auckland Zoo $35 Wed 23 April Point Erin Pools $35 Thurs 24 April Anzac Fun $25 Mon 28 April Big Ups - includes Zorb Ball rides and jousting like a Gladiator Tues 29 April Movie Mania $35 Wed 30 April Pamper Party + Boys Day In $25 Thurs 1 May Extreme Edge Rock Climbing $35 Fri 2 May True Colours Sports Day $25 Please checkout chilloutkids.co.nz for more information
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Station and Chapel serving community in their second century As Waikumete Cemetery heads towards its 150th anniversary, its European history is developing significance, especially in respect of the cluster of buildings on the western side - the station, the Chapel of Faith in the Oaks and the sexton's houses, all of which date from the 1880's. The station no longer stands on its original site immediately adjacent to the western gate to Waikumete Cemetery. It was built there in the 1880's as the terminus of the funeral trains bringing the deceased and mourners from Auckland to the new Waikomiti Cemetery. It was a "Vogel Class 5" design used by the railways in the 1880s and legend says that it was unique in having two verandas but only a single track railway. Stations with a veranda on each side were only built for double-tracked railways, with the station being an "island" standing between the two tracks. The legend has it that Glen Eden was given a second veranda to give a place for the funeral trains to stop. Alas, colourful as that myth is, in fact the second veranda wasn't added until 1940 when officials anticipated a second track going west. However, instead of expanding the rail system officials of the period decided that Auckland would be a car based society with motorways and freeways having priority over public transport. As a result the double track wasn't achieved until 60 years later. When the railways decided to move the platforms south of Glen View Road in the late 1990's the historic station stood unwanted and a target for vandals, graffiti and arsonists until it was eventually shifted to its present location on one of the new station platforms. There it was refurbished by the Glen Eden Railway Station Trust. Today, it does duty as a station platform and veranda and cafĂŠ, and possibly home to a resident ghost. The Chapel of Faith in The Oaks, meanwhile, was built as a mortuary chapel for the cemetery. It was accorded considerable respect for, despite being located "on the edge of the known world" of Auckland, it was no utilitarian box. It is an elegant and beautiful piece of architecture built in the shape of a Greek Cross with cavity wall brick construction, a slate roof, a timbered interior and beautiful stained glass windows. Perhaps inevitably, having a ready-made church in what was in those days such a far-flung community, local residents of various denominations lobbied the Auckland Council for permission to use the chapel for their church services, provided of course, it wasn't required for funerals. The lovely old building gave locals a place for their Sunday devotions for the next 40 years until it was closed in 1926, Later in what could have been a sad footnote, it was used as a warehouse for 1,800 urns of ashes when the old crematorium was demolished in 1969. The building fell into increasing disrepair over the next decade until the Waikumete Restoration Trust was formed in June 1978, with the support of the Auckland and Waitakere Councils, to restore and manage the chapel. They were given a 30 year lease in 1980 and the chapel acquired its name of Chapel of Faith in the Oaks when it was re-opened in 1986. It went through a second strengthening and refurbishing in the 2000's decade, with hi-tech carbon fibre materials to strengthen the structure and in a New Zealand first, a system used successfully in Europe to protect buildings from rising damp, was installed. The chapel restored to its original glory was re-dedicated in a ceremony on 5 October 2010 and is available for weddings.
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D R A Y K C A B R U O Y E D A UPGR BEAM BARREL. WITH ABJeaImMproduct, swipe your pluslsp!oints Buy any Jim win 1 of 10 Jim Beam Barre card to be into
You must be 18 or over to enter. Prize drawn on 16th May 2014. Prize is for unfilled barrel only. Ask in store for details.
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The Good Times Guide Rock Lobster
What’s on at Bricklane?
presents
KEEP CALM IT’S ONLY
www.themarina.co.nz
Early Bird Menu from 4:30pm – 5:30pm
Monday
$10 Roast for Gold Card Members 11am - 3pm Kids eat for FREE from 5:30pm*
RETRO
Wednesday – Friday $15 gold card special lunches Wednesday – Friday $15 early bird special from 5-6:30pm
Tuesday
$10 Fish’N’Chips for Gold Card Members 11am - 3pm
Wednesday
$10 Fish’N’Chips for Gold Card Members 11am - 3pm $15 Pasta Night - choose from our selection of pastas
Sweet Tooth Thursdays
Fridays $10 cocktails Quiz nights start in April And our new hours are as follows: Monday Closed Tuesday Closed Wednesday 11:30 – Thursday 11:30 – Friday 11:30 – Saturday 11:00 – Sunday 10:00 –
$9 Desserts
DJ STUHEFNER & M.C.8EE’S
Friday After Work Drinks Platter of 4 (you choose) now $12 3pm – 6pm
Saturday
$15 lunch menu now available on Saturday
Late Late Late Late Late
Monday
Lunch - All Mains $15
Tuesday
2 Pizzas 2 Drinks $30
Wednesday
Double Loyalty Points Pitcher Club
Thursday
Sweet Tooth Thursday – Desserts Half Price With Each Main
Saturday
$15 Fish & Chips
every week at
Sunday
Half Price Bar Snacks
Sunday Roast $22.50
with a glass of house wine or a beer Kids only $15 **All free kids meals must be accompanied with a A La Carte meal **Kids = ages 0-12
104 Central Park Drive, Henderson. Waitakere City.
p: 09 835 1056 . f: 09 835 0623 . thehangar@thetrusts.co.nz . www.thehangar.co.nz .
Hangar Bar
We’ve taken just the right amount of our early harvest grapes to craft this perfectly formed range of wines. So if you’re big on flavour, and big on life, these really are a superb option.
Little Harvest. Live a Little
For more info please see: www.littleharvest.co.nz
Drink responsibly this Easter.
IT’S MORE THAN A CELLAR IT’S A HALL OF FAME
Church Road Classic Range Complex wines that marry the ripe, distinctive fruit characteristics of Hawke’s Bay grapes with the subtle nuances obtained from traditional winemaking techniques.
Church Road McDonald Series Complex, textural and full of character. These wines are a celebration of the life and legacy of founder Tom McDonald, who dramatically elevated the quality of winemaking in Hawke’s Bay.
Church Road McDonald Series Merlot 2011
New Zealand Winemaker of the Year 2013, Chris Scott, Winemaker
Church Road McDonald Series Merlot 2011
Church Road Chardonnay 2012
Church Road McDonald Series Syrah 2010
Enjoy Church Road Wines Responsibly
Our story began in Marlborough, New Zealand, with a bold idea to plant the first Sauvignon Blanc vines in a place where no one thought it possible, creating a world famous wine region.
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