The Eastbourne Herald May 2022

Get involved in local politics

Fresh faces are needed for the Eastbourne Community Board, with at least one member of the current board stepping down this election.

Ginny Horrocks has served as chair of the board for the last three terms and says it’s time for new, younger people to step into local body politics.

“I’ve been incredibly lucky with the boards that I have worked with, but it’s time for me to do something else, and for Eastbourne to have a different person, and younger people,” she says.

There are six ECB meetings each year and Mrs Horrocks says the time commitment varies. Job satisfaction comes from helping solve issues raised by locals, she says.

Currently,, the community board chair is paid $13,734 per annum. Board members are paid $6,867.

The board includes two Harbour Ward councillors, who will also be elected this year. They are each paid between $53,628 and $81,324 depending on whether they also hold chair or deputy chair roles on council committees. The mayor is paid $158,000, and the deputy mayor $101,524.

Wellington Regional Councillors, two of whom represent Hutt City, are paid between $61,517 and $81,570, depending on their other roles on the regional council.

This year, voting day for the local body elections is on Saturday, October 8, but there is also postal voting. Nominations are open from July 15 to August 12. For more information go to https://www.lgnz.co.nz/local-governmentin-nz/local-elections/vote2022/

HEATING SORTED

Honing small havens

The Seaview Project (see last month’s story about the wharf) worked with the Department of Conservation and volunteers from the Eastern Bays Little Penguin programme, Days Bay MENZ Shed and teams of pupils from San Antonio and Muritai schools to build 36 nesting boxes for four “penguin havens” to support Little Blue Penguin nesting and breeding in the area. Sadly, Wellesley boys could not take part on the day because of an educational commitment.

The completed boxes, plus 19 unassembled, were moved to Matiu/Somes to weather for at least a year, to lose their human smell – and they’re still there. Mike Rumble of EBLP says while the kids really enjoyed the opportunity to contribute to something significant, installing the boxes on the shared pathway has been delayed yet again, because the design to support the needs of the penguin havens has not yet been finalised. “We can’t do a thing while Council cogitates.”

Hettie Allen gets to work on a nesting box for a Little Blue Penguin, with the guidance of Menzshed chairman, Barrie Littlefair.

No plans for water pipe renewal

We've all seen leaks in recent years that keep popping up from water pipes underground. It seems that as soon as one is fixed, another one sprouts up.

Wellington Water says the pipes are oldmost local pipes are steel and were installed between 1915 and 1925.

"The pipes that service homes and businesses are generally galvanised steel laid down at about the same time. All these pipes are now coming to an end of their life, which means that failures are more likely.

Another factor to consider, is Eastbourne’s location by the sea. Tidal water can cover some pipes and the presence of seawater with the steel causes external corrosion," Tim Harty, Manager Customer Planning at Wellington Water says.

Steel pipes tend not to fail completely, but rather leak through small pin holes caused by corrosion. This is why there are more leaks in the area, than some other parts of Hutt City, which have pipes of different material.

While it may not be possible to guard against pipe corrosion of these older pipes, pinhole leaks are generally smaller, with easier repair methods, however, repair requires a dig up.

Added to this issue is the galvanised steel supply pipes, Mr Harty says.

When they were installed, they used threaded ends on the connections, which are particularly unstable, resulting in rust and leakage. This also leads to further leaks than in other areas.

"Given that pipes in other areas of the City tend to fail completely, resulting in a total loss of service, Wellington Water’s pipe renewal programme is focused on replacing these as a matter of urgency," he says.

Repair is the most cost effective way to manage leaks in the Eastbourne network, for the foreseeable future.

There is no current planned renewal of the watermains in Eastbourne.

Mr Harty says the Wellington Water Service Planning team are continually updating network fault records from repair data from repair crews Maximo, along with all the other streets in Lower Hutt. This allows updates and review of future work.

While some leaks seem to take an age to be repaired, Mr Harty says "we endeavour to address leaks by 20 business days as agreed with Hutt City Council."

So for now, expect more leaks to spring up around the streets of Eastbourne.

Eastbourne local, Ryan Sheridan, is deep in training for the World Ultimate Frisbee Champs in Cincinnati in July. Ryan plays for New Zealand’s national team The Wildcats, which is made up mainly of Wellingtonians –a result of Ryan’s father Mike Sheridan being heavily involved in coaching the sport both locally and nationally for several years.

The sculpture at the Seaview roundabout has disappeared. But don't worry, it will be back in its position once work is completed to build a tunnel under Randwick Road and north towards Barber Grove, for a new pipe. One of the largest piling rigs in NZ will enter from the roundabout site to bore the tunnel - a method chosen to minimise disruption to neighbours and minimise environmental impacts.

What's Happening Hair!?

May 'round hair!

Customer expectations of their hairdressers is growing just as the quality and sophistication of the industry increases, and what better way for me to keep up than with Urban Alchemy! These products are 'by hairdressers for hairdressers' and are made of all the good stuff and none of the bad stuff!

Urban Alchemy products are professional detox products which remove build up of calcium, copper, iron, chlorine and more! It is best to come in and have the products do their magic ust before a colour service for premium results

Urban Alchemy has gone one step further though, and now not only looks after your in salon experience, but you can take quality hair home with you! The introduction of the take home shampoo and conditioner allows your to maintain good hair care in between visits to me!

Urban Alchemy has a wide product offering, that reaches across many different hair types and colours while bringing the best out of the hair Urban Alchemy reduces the overlapping of toner dye and prepares the hair for brightening in balayage clients and it removes plastic found in low-quality products from hair and prevents unwanted oxidative hair mistakes in DIY fans Urban Alchemy removes green tinges and chlorine in water lovers, and metallic salts which are often present in henna Using this product is amazing for those who are frequent travellers, it removes mineral deposits caused by old water pipes and chlorine residue, a frequent build up that those who travel have!

This brand is revolutionary, and I cannot speak highly enough of it! I recommend you come into my salon to see just how great this is for yourself in your next appointment

Anne Mackris-Berdebes

Next ECB meeting:

7.15pm Tuesday 21 June, 2022, East Harbour Women’s Club, 145 Muritai Rd.

Consider standing for the Eastbourne Community Board

In October’s local body elections, Eastbourne residents will be able vote to decide who will represent them on the Eastbourne Community Board (ECB).

There are five board members plus a council representative. At least one member of the current ECB is not standing again this year. If you have an interest in local politics and community, now is a good time to consider standing for the community board. If you would like to know more about what is involved, contact any of the ECB members listed below. You can also read more on lgnz.co.nz (search for 2022 local elections).

New eastbourne.nz website

The ECB has set up a trial website at eastbourne.nz which contains the information we regularly share on social media. Let us know what you think and what you’d like to see there.

Eastbourne Community Board (ECB)

Residents are welcome to contact board members. Members often sort minor issues directly with council staff or may ask for a report from officers to go on the next meeting agenda. You can also contact us on the Eastbourne Community Board Facebook page.

Virginia Horrocks (Chair)

virginia.horrocks@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 021 230 8210

Frank Vickers (Deputy Chair) frank.vickers@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 027 406 1419

Bruce Spedding

bruce.spedding@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 021 029 74741

Murray Gibbons

murray.gibbons@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 04 562 8567

Tui Lewis (Ward Councillor) tui.lewis@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 021 271 6249

Belinda Moss

belinda.moss@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 029 494 1615

Church looks to a positive future

St Alban’s Anglican parish is in a period of transition, following the recent, sudden departure of vicar John Hughes.

Rev Hughes was vicar at St Alban’s for more than four years.

The past four years have seen a drop in congregation numbers, partly due to the impact of the COVID pandemic. But there has also been some division in the parish.

“John was a very strong spiritual leader, but his leadership style was rather autocratic, and for some people this has proved difficult,” People's Warden Joy Baird says.

She is now leading a process to find a new vicar and to build up congregation numbers.

Attracting more worshippers may mean changes such as combining more traditional and modern elements of worship.

“The priority is getting people back together and talking together,” she says.

During lock downs, services were often held online, which some people could not access, or did not like. Now, the Sunday service is back again in person, at Wellesley College. No interim vicars are available to fill in, so currently guest vicars are leading services.

Following this Sunday’s service, a korero will be held to discuss what parishioners would like to see in a new vicar, who will be discerned by a panel of four parish nominators working with the Diocese.

A new vestry, made up of a mix of people

St Alban's stalwarts have been busy revitalising the grounds as the parish enters a new phase. experienced in governance and leadership roles, and those new to it, was elected at the recent AGM, which was well attended, Mrs Baird says.

Changes have already started happening, and as happened in the past, St Alban’s is beginning to work more closely with the two other churches in Eastbourne. There will be a combined service with St Ronan’s Church at Wellesley at the beginning of July.

The currently empty vicarage will be rented out until a new vicar starts, and working bees to tidy the garden have been taking place.

The church hall and church building in Ngaio Street are still not able to be used due to earthquake risk, but at either end of the hall the parish office can be, along with the commercial kitchen, which is rented out.

“We see it as a bit of a community service, where we can help fledgling businesses,” Mrs Baird says.

Plans for the future of the church will wait until the parish is settled.

“We will look at that beautiful church building, but not yet,” Mrs Baird says.

In the meantime, church attendance has begun growing.

“The vibe is positive, the outlook is positive, and people are feeling positive about things in a way they haven’t been.”

Siblings seek law change for drug-assisted therapy

by Louise Parry

It’s been one heck of a journey for siblings Zach and Michaela Cotogni to get to the point of becoming authors and publishers of their first book.

The siblings, raised in Eastbourne, have just released Blue Honey, Personal Experiences using Psilocybin for mental health in Aotearoa. The book is the launching platform for their campaign to legalise therapy-assisted Psilocybin use.

Psilocybin is found in mushrooms, and the pair’s first mission is to change the perception of mushrooms as a drug. Most people know them as “magic mushrooms”, “mushies” or “shrooms”, which are associated with hallucinogenics.

“It needs a rebrand,” says Zach.

Drinking heavily and taking recreational drugs was the norm for Zach a few years ago, who says he did so to mask some “pretty heavy things” he was dealing with. He tried mushrooms recreationally while in Canada.

Fast forward a few years, and Zach was not in a good place. He knew he had to give up drugs and alcohol. “The drugs were hurting me, but the alcohol was hurting everyone around me,” he says.

He managed to give up drugs and alcohol, but was still dealing with underlying mental health issues. He decided to try micro dosing with Psilocybin, and he says he found it helped with his mental illness. “They have given me my life back; my family, I have a job I never thought I’d be capable of doing.”

Zach is quick to point out that they are not endorsing or advocating the use of mushrooms as a drug. Mushrooms containing Psilocybin are an illegal Class A drug in New Zealand under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975.

Used incorrectly the drug is dangerous, but under therapeutic supervision, micro dosing Psilocybin can work for people who have had no change to their conditions through the use of prescription drugs.

“We are not promoting or advocating for its use, but promoting and advocating decriminalisation and legalisation of an alternative option to pharmaceutical drugs for mental health conditions.”

For Michaela, serious mental health issues

have dogged her for many years.

“I have been in the mental health and medical system for over ten years and have been put on just about every medication,” she says.

“I ended up in the psychiatric ward and had come to the realisation that medication made my condition a lot worse. I was addicted to pharmaceuticals.”

The last straw was when doctors wanted to put her back on Lithium, a drug used to treat depression. Zach reached out to his family to suggest Psilocybin may be effective, and following discussions with their mother and father, Michaela gave it a try.

She says it cured her migraines, headaches, and alleviated her suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety and PTSD. However, she is now struggling again, due to not being able to use Psilocybin legally in New Zealand. Publishing the book has meant the pair know they can’t use illegal drugs.

“In the role we find ourselves in we can’t do this anymore. We have to be in line legally now,” Michaela says.

Micro dosing should have no hallucinogenic effects, Zach says. If people feel a “glow” or “enlightenment”, then they have taken too much, Zach says.

The pair have been reaching out to drug researchers, scientists, the NZ Drug Foundation, criminologists, university professors, psychologists, psychiatrists and doctors,. A large part of their focus is on harm reduction and looking at how that could be incorporated in any deregulation of the drug. They don’t want people trying mushrooms without supervision, as taking the wrong sort of mushroom can lead to serious health conditions, and even death.

Next month Micheala will travel to Seattle to learn more about that State’s process in legalising therapy assisted Psilocybin use.

According to the NZ Drug Foundation, a study by Johns Hopkins “has shown psilocybin

may, when properly used, act as an antidepressant, and the effects can last for up to a year. Given our prescription rate for antidepressants keeps on going up here in New Zealand, this might be an important area of future research. ”

It is an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1975 to use, possess, cultivate or traffic (deal) in illegal drugs.

The Poisons Centre warns: “NEVER try to identify a mushroom yourself. Textbooks and the internet are not a reliable source for identification since poisonous and non-poisonous mushrooms often look alike. Only an experienced mycologist can properly identify a mushroom. Even “non-toxic” wild mushrooms can sometimes cause poisoning due to excessive consumption, difficulty in digestion, spoiled fungi, presence of heavy metals, parasitic growth in fungi or spore allergies.

The Eastbourne Herald does not endorse the use of illegal drugs.

Michaela and Zach Cotogni.

Yummy fundraiser as kindy looks for digital upgrade

by Ann Packer

Covid has made it hard for fundraisers in many ways, the most obvious being the inability for people to get together socially in the usual way.

East Harbour Kindergarten’s head teacher, Gemma Bunning, says while the faithful old Historical Calendar remains a reliable way of raising funds (thanks, Amy Fanning) most other regular fundraising events, such as wheelathons, Pub quizzes and discos have had to be cancelled in the last couple of years.

Grants from the usual community sources have been welcome, she says. The Lions installed a mud kitchen – see photo – with a backdrop painted by teacher Kensie, and the Eastbourne Bays Community Trust came up with funding for the windows in the kindy fence – an important way to keep the safely enclosed playground connected to the outside world. Waving goodbye is much more attractive these days.

Wet weather gear and a water tank disguised within a wooden barrel, providing a safe supply of raw material for the mud kitchen, are other specific grant projects.

The lockdowns were especially difficult when children and teachers were unable to get together, Ms Bunning says. Hence the drive

to raise funds for a technical upgrade, allowing teachers to keep in touch via iPad and laptops. The Kindy Committee decided to branch out with a pie fundraiser – and so successful was it, they’re considering having a second one, in June.

Because the kindy kids couldn’t go on the usual outings, bringing local people in became more important – yoga teacher Jeanne Dear, Whaea Bea for te reo and waiata, and weekly Playball sessions.

The kindy still has its old favourites – the elm tree, almost spanning the yard between house and fence, and out the back, a garden with raised beds, and three hens that arrived here as eggs.

Sixty-eight children are enrolled currently, looked after by five qualified teachers, including

one male. There’s a “massive” waiting list which means children are unlikely to get in until they turn three.

Ms Bunning has been here long enough to enjoy seeing her past charges at the school gate when she collects her own sons, but never tires of the variety in every day, her preschoolers’ constant discoveries – a butterfly, a cicada, the piwakawaka nesting in the elm tree.

Readers can buy pies online at https://tiny. cc/EHKindy

shorturl.at/ivISX

It's all go at East Harbour Kindy's mud kitchen as chefs cook up a storm.

There's a Goose on the Loose

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Tel - 562-7555

or Spencer Logan - 021627773

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Email: admin@spencerlogan.co.nz

www.spencerlogan.co.nz

Cooking classes

Private events

At last, a real book launch for Days Bay author-illustrator Kimberly Andrews, and Eastbourne booklovers, who have seen several such events cancelled due to Covid. Goose the Artist, the fourth in her Puffin the Architect series of picture books, was launched at Muritai Yacht Club on Saturday 7 May with a rowdy bunch of readers jostling for position to hear the author read the story publicly for the first time. Daughters Nova and Fern, and mother, Janet, all have paintings included in the book, which pictures the artist, Goose, painting portraits of her subjects in the style of many recognizable artists of the past, and dressed as others – even quite young readers will recognize Frida Kahlo by her floral headdress. She was ably assisted by nephew Teddy Innes with the microphone.

Goose the Artist, published by Penguin Random House, is available from Schrödingers bookshop in Petone, among others. Photo: Simon Hoyle.

www.tartinesfrenchcafe.com

Open Wednesday-Sunday 7am-4pm

Enquiries: 021 028 85347

Tartineseastbourne@gmail.com

Lower Hutt – your river city

WE ARE IN ANDREWS AVE. OPEN MONDAY WEDNESDAY AND FRIDAY 12-2PM (WEATHER PERMITTING) – POP IN AND FIND OUT MORE ABOUT RIVERLINK. FOR MORE INFORMATION GO TO...

riverlink.co.nz

riverlink@gw.govt.nz

www.RiverLink.co.nz

RiverLink is a partnership between Hutt City Council, Greater Wellington, and Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency, working collaboratively with Taranaki Whānui ki te Upoko o te Ika and Ngāti Toa Rangatira as mana whenua to deliver flood protection, revitalising Lower Hutt’s central city, and Melling transport improvements.

Wahine's proactive immunisation work recognised

by Ann Packer

Getting a marae to hand over its buildings for a whole year may well be Teresea Olsen’s greatest achievement.

The 2022 Wellingtonian of the Year, who lives in Wainuiomata and works at Kōkiri Marae in Seaview, knew local iwi would not be able to hold tangihanga or any other gatherings for all that time – but it would mean that Wainuiomata and the wider Eastern Bays community had a dedicated vaccination and foodbank hub, so they could begin to catch up on what had been a huge lag in Covid protection among Māori.

She also set up a mobile vaccination run, and personally spent a lot of time driving a bus to reach out to those who couldn’t come to the marae. While it sounds fun, she says the reality was a bit different. “Where would we park it?” was often a problem.

The Ngāti Porou woman, who is planning to head back to her mum’s marae in Tokomaru Bay at Queen’s Birthday, is Kōkiri Marae’s Hauora (health and wellbeing) Services Manager, and general manager of the overarching Kereana Olsen Trust, named after her mother.

She thinks the Government got it wrong about how to reach reluctant Māori.

“They were still governed by rules about age,” she says.

“We decided to vaccinate whānau groups –some Māori came in quite early and regardless

of age we vaxed everyone in that whānau.”

And, although the focus was on Māori, they would not turn away non-Māori either.

Their strength of community togetherness was severely tested on Thursday 3 March when protesters evicted from Parliament grounds turned up looking for somewhere to stay, and hassled the vaccinators and waiting public as they tried to storm the marae buildings.

The community responded to guard their land and people – Ms Olsen says as early as 3.30 am there were hot scone deliveries, while others dropped off flowers and chocolate.

Seaview’s Kōkiri Centre, which grew into an urban marae, was the first in a Muldoon government initiative which set up training centres using gangs to reach flax roots populations.

It is based in a former US Army store, then known as Shed 22.

Ms Olsen first arrived some 40 years ago with her parents to learn weaving, and has never really left.

Her brothers had carpentry skills passed down by their dad, Ralph, and her mum Kereana quickly became the cook.

She herself developed “training manuals and policies and accountability stuff so Mum didn’t have to worry about that".

Their first ever contract was with Oranga Tamariki, placing children into care, something they still do – along with offering an extensive range of social services to at-risk Māori and their whānau, plus a kohanga reo.

Ms Olsen, although almost 70, is still passionate about what she does.

She still has staff working from those early days and says she could not have done any of this by herself.

“I couldn’t have done this without the skills and expertise of other people.”

2/206 Muritai Road, Eastbourne

1/250 Muritai Road, Eastbourne

Teresea Olsen with grandson Pourewa, with her Wellingtonian of the Year award.

Wanted: somewhere to rattle a sabre

New Zealand’s number two ranked fencer is desperately seeking somewhere to train intensively indoors locally, in the few weeks remaining before he heads to Seoul for the Asian Championships on 6 June.

Locals might have seen Daniel Ko, 26, training on Bishop Park over summer. A Rona Bay resident since 2017, he has also been selected for the Commonwealth Games in London in August, but because of the expense – each tournament is at full personal cost – has had to turn that opportunity down.

“Without a set training space, the amount of transportation and time to train to a high level is hard to maintain over months,” he says. Lugging a big bag of gear around is another hurdle.

For a fulltime bank employee, representing New Zealand and Oceania as part of a fourperson team, fitting daily training into his schedule is challenging. The region’s few fencing venues are widely spread; Mr Ko currently coaches at Hutt Valley Fencing Club, located at St Bernard’s College in Lower Hutt – “trying to bring up the next generation of fencers” – and trains on his own but will need to put in more hours to switch to an athlete’s mindset for these last few weeks before the Asians.

“If I could find somewhere local to go to in the evenings for fitness and drills training that would enable me to practice for longer that would be fantastic,” he says. “Fencing requires an indoor carpeted or court floor, which is difficult to rent solo by myself. It would help heaps to have access to a training spot in my own neighbourhood!”

A fencer for half his life, Mr Ko took up the sport by chance when he was living in Boston with his parents, ex-pat New Zealand scientists. Needing a “bathroom stop”, they chanced on a fencing club, where he was so intrigued by what was happening he took up the invitation to give it a go.

He opted for a high school that offered fencing, a sport that is “big in the US northeast”, and first trained under a coach from Cuba, one of the many countries where the sport has taken off.

Mr Ko’s chosen weapon is sabre –– the fastest and most aggressive of the three fencing weapons. It slashes with the edge of the blade and bouts are often over very quickly, unlike the longer, more careful epée and foil bouts. The fencer can score on their opponent from the torso up – “anywhere except for the hands and the back of the head is fair game” and the mental aspect is most important. “You have to out-predict your opponent and look confident while doing it!”

Once considered a sport for European elites, fencing has been on the up and up internationally, especially in Asia and the Pacific, with even countries like Kuwait and Uzbekistan joining the competition at high levels. Mr Ko says New Zealand has about a dozen competitors of international standard, although not all currently live here. And

unfortunately, although it has been an Olympic sport since 1896, High Performance Sport New Zealand does not currently fund fencing. But, says Mr Ko: “Anyone, anywhere can start learning. It’s just a game, but a fast, joyful one!”

Needless to say, donations towards travel and competition costs are also very welcome. daniel.j.ko@gmail.com; 022 075 9815.

News from Point Howard

Point Howard Community Garden

PHA & PHTC AGMs 12 June

The PHA and PHTC warmly welcomes all members and residents to their AGMs on Sunday 12 June from 3:30pm - 4:30pm. This will be held at the Point Howard Tennis Club Pavilion, 1A Ngaumatau Road. Nibbles and refreshments will be available from 3pm so that you have an opportunity to catch up with friends and neighbours prior to the AGMs commencing at 3:30pm sharp!

Please let the PHA and PHTC know of any items you would like to add to the agenda by 5pm, Friday 10 June 2022. If you are not already a member, please contact pthowardassn@gmail. com for membership details.

Nikau Road Closure 07 & 08 June

Northpower have a scheduled job due to start on Tuesday 7th June till Wednesday 8th June to install a ABS switch onto one of their network power poles. This will require a road closure with detour in place to assist residents from 9am –4pm.

Feral Pigs Spotted

The feral pigs have been spotted at the cattery. Please contact Jo Greenman (email jo.greenman@gw.govt.nz or text 0274673076) when you see pigs on the hill. They like to roam between the cattery on Seaview Road, up to the water reservoirs at the top of the hill and then into the Northern Forest. Last year Animal Services tracked them all the way to Days Bay. Please beware of the pigs if you walk your dog in the forest as the pigs can be a little punchy.

pthowardassn@gmail.com

Daniel Ko.

EFC sweeps masters games and U12s tourney

On Saturday 21 May, all three Eastbourne Football Club (EFC) masters teams that played won their games which was followed by the club’s Under 12 Lions winning the prestigious Wynton Rufer tournament held at Hutt Park.

Los Toros (the Bulls), EFC's newest masters team, stuck away their North Wellington United opposition 5-3 in a ding-dong battle that had the teams tied at 3-all before Los Toros sealed it with two late goals. The team sits mid-table after six games but has pumped an impressive 23 goals into the back of the net.

The Gs, EFC's over 45 team, decimated their opposition, North Wellington United, 8-1, a deserved blowout, with the team out to make amends after some recent narrow losses. Life member and club stalwart, Dean Burrows, bagged a brace and came agonisingly close to scoring a hat trick, something that’s eluded him since he started playing for the club as a junior. But with plenty of footy still left in him, he’s not letting that milestone slide.

The Thirsty Fives had another rock solid win, this time against Island Bay. The team sits second in the Masters 5 grade, one point behind Wainui Pacifica, their arch-rivals from over the ridge and the team that pipped them by a point to win last season’s Masters 6 grade. The two teams are set to play each other in a top-of-the-

table clash at “Fortress Bishop” Park on Queen’s Birthday weekend and would love to see some support from the sidelines.

The Hammers, EFCs marquee team playing in the top masters grade, sat out a bye but have started the season well, with 2 wins from four games. Saturday’s bye provided the team with an opportunity to farewell long-standing elite player Mike Lim with an Argentine asado (BBQ).

Saturday’s clean sweep by the Masters

teams was followed by the club's Under 12 Lions winning Sunday’s prestigious Wynton Rufer tournament at Hutt Park. The team won all their games playing some attractive football with some clinical finishing on display.

"Very cool that our little Eastbourne club is matching it with bigger clubs, playing some great football and enjoying themselves along the way.”said coach Kurt Renner. “

- Mike Andrews, EFC

Atmosphere electric as 85's and juniors shine

The Eastbourne Rugby Football Club has carried on its 2021 Centenary year success with an eventful start to the season.

The Junior club is proving to be as strong as ever and has had two weeks where every team in the club has won. This was backed up on

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING

The Annual General Meeting of the Eastbourne-Bays Community Trust will be held at 17 Hinau Street, Eastbourne

Thursday 30 June 2022 at 7.30pm

Please refer to the following web site for information on the Trust:

www.eastbourne-bays-community-trust.org.nz

Contact:

Gaby Brown 021 179 5311

Saturday with the senior team winning against Petone and creating a "Flock of Seagulls".

The brainchild of Aaron Theobald and thanks to the Club's generous sponsors,the kids receive free sausages and drinks and the bar tab is picked up by the sponsors from 5 - 6pm.

The atmosphere at HW Shortt park and in the clubrooms has been electric this season and thanks must go to Mel Halford and the staff who do an amazing job of running the clubrooms for the Rugby club and the other members of the ESSC.

The 85kg boys kicked off the season with a 70- point win against Wests followed by narrow losses to OBU and Upper Hutt. They regained momentum to beat Poneke at home 17- 15, cheered on by a big crowd and an extremely vocal junior club whose support is always appreciated.

Saturday's game against Petone was a cracker, a 28 -7 win. The 85kg team are again

Sunday 31 July, 2022

coached by Barry Luke and captained by Cole O'connor.

Some players who have really made their presence felt this year already are Robbie Lowe, Rory Mcjorrow and Sam Logan.

With 4 games to go in the first round and the team sitting mid table, the heat is on to make the top 4 before the grade splits into 3 divisions.

The centenary year fundraising has paid off and we commissioned the club's new ground lighting just in time for the start of the season, a project that has been discussed for nearly 20 Years. Good old fashioned fundraising and a united committee of hardworking volunteers is still how it's done at the ERFC.

In other club news, the committee was excited to appoint Keith Riddick "Ruggid" as the 2022 President. Ruggid is a life Member and has held just about every position over his many years of service to the club.

In the 80's Ruggid used to paint the lines on a Friday after a few beers in preparation for Saturday's matches. We have GPS Robots to do those now but the lines are also a lot straighter. If you see Ruggid behind the bar of the ESSC, pass on your congratulations, He deserves it.

Old Timers Day will be celebrated on June 18th. A full muster of juniors playing at home and a tough game against Stokes Valley for the 85's will be well worth a watch.

We look forward to seeing you there.

- Willie Davis, ERFC

The winning U12 Lions team.

Attracting native birds to your garden

Eastbourne, which is flanked by nearly 2000 hectares of lowland beech and mixed broadleaf forest, has a rich native bird population. Five-minute bird counts conducted by MIRO in spring each year confirm the presence of around 14 native bird species in the Northern Forest. This includes bird species that are regionally rare, such as rifleman, tomtit and whitehead.

Judicious planting of suitable native vegetation in urban gardens will encourage visits of native birds from this surrounding forest, as they look for food and nesting sites. Helping our native species is particularly important at present, as we are facing a biodiversity crisis and many species in both our flora and fauna are under threat.

Some things to consider when planting native trees and shrubs to attract native birds:

• Grow natives that provide a range of food—nectar, fruit/seeds and insects

• Grow a range of trees to provide food all year round

• Grow plants that vary in height

• Mix species to provide diverse habitats

• Allow leaf litter to accumulate to attract insects for birds to feed on

• Common bird species you are likely to encounter, and their preferred food:

Even small gardens can accommodate a wide range of native trees and shrubs to attract birds if selected carefully. For example:

• Small trees: kōwhai, wineberry, fuchsia, cabbage tree, whārangi, kāwakāwa, marble leaf

• Shrubs, etc.: kākābeak, hēbe , flax, rēngarēnga lily

• Climbers: rātā vine, native clematis

Larger gardens and gardens bordering reserve land can be used to enrich the adjacent native forest with the addition of larger canopy species much loved by birds for fruit, seeds and nectar. For example: kāhikatea, tītoki, northern rātā, nīkau palm, and mahoe.

Ideally plants should be eco-sourced (from the local area) but this is not always

possible. Discuss with your local nurseries— they may be able to advise the source of their stock.

• Make your garden safe for native birds to visit by controlling predators:

• Keep cats indoors at night and have them wear bells on their collar

• Trap rats and mice or use bait stations

• If you have a bird feeding station or bird bath, place it out of reach of cats

Finally, keep your garden or bush free from exotic plants that are attractive to native birds, but are weedy and invasive of our native forest. This will prevent birds, both native and exotic, spreading seeds from these plants into surrounding native forest. Exotic cotoneaster species, ivy and asparagus scandens are just a few examples of problem weeds in East Harbour Regional Park and surrounding areas that are spread widely by birds.

Chinese Proverb: The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.

- Gail Abel, MIRO

Garden Stuff with Sandy Lang Scientific Proof

May/June: Late autumn/early winter. Tidy, prune, fix fences, gates, paths. Mulch under trees, shrubs.

“It works for me…” Leaving aside wilful misinformation, there’s much confusion over the nature of scientific proof - homeopathy, fluoridation, ginseng, vaccination. Science is a heavy user of experiment and of statistics. Here’s a short ‘stats for science’ course… Question: You have a headache, you take an aspirin, the headache goes away. Did the aspirin cure the headache or did the headache just go away? Science tries to answer this sort of question by experiment and then statistics to give a probabilistic answer. These are the steps…

Hypothesis: First, a hypothesis - ‘Aspirin cures headaches’.

Experiment: Then an experiment to see if your hypothesis survives scrutiny. (1) Repetitions – get a group of people with headaches (the more, the better). (2) Randomly split these sad people into two about-equal groupsG1 and G2. Give the G1 people an aspirin (‘treatment’), don’t do anything for the G2 people (‘control’). (3) After two hours check who still has a headache. Write down the results.

Statistics: A statistical analysis will give you the probability (P) your results, arose by mere chance – i.e., that aspirin did nothing - some people just got better, some just didn’t.

Probability: The smaller the P value, the less likely the results were mere chance and the more likely your hypothesis is right. If P=0.05 (5%) you can be 95% sure aspirin had a real effect, but there remains that 5% of doubt. It’s better if P=0.01, then you’re 99% sure aspirin cures headaches, but there’s still a 1% chance you’re wrong. Most scientists, for most purposes, accept it’s just OK to be wrong 5% of the time (P=0.05) but it’s not OK to be wrong 10% of the time (P=0.1). So, by tradition, P=0.05 is a magic number.

Bombs N’ Washing: But the critical P value really depends on how bad it is if you’re wrong. So, if the probability of rain is P=0.20, you still hang out the washing because it doesn’t much matter if it gets wet. You’ll cope with the 20% chance it gets wet but an 80% chance it gets dry. But if you found an old grenade in the bush, and you knew the chances it was live were only P=0.001, I doubt you’d take it home to show your kids…

Have your say on the Eastern Bays speed review

Proposed:

Raised pedestrian crossing.

Current Speed Limit 50km/h. Remaining 50km/h.

Current Speed Limit 70km/h. Reducing to 50km/h.

Hutt City Council is reviewing speed limits on Marine Drive as part of our ongoing commitment to improving road safety and in line with Government requirements to conduct speed reviews in priority areas.

Findings of technical studies and community feedback have indicated that speed limits are too high on some sections of the road. Hutt City Council is proposing a speed limit reduction between Whiorau Lowry Bay and Sunshine Bay and new pedestrian crossings near bus shelters along Marine Drive.

We need feedback from our community on the proposed speed reduction and planned locations for the new pedestrian crossings.

Go to hutt.city/ebspeedreview to find out more and provide feedback before 20 June 2022.

Matau Point Howard

Ngau

Sorrento Bay

Whiorau

Lowry Bay

York Bay

Sunshine Bay

Mahina Bay

Oruamotoro Days Bay

Mondays

• Retired Persons’ Assn meet 4th Mon, 10am St Ronan's Church hall for morning tea followed by a speaker - $2 entry.Transport can be arranged for these meetings on request, ph 562 7365 or 562 8387.

m-5.30pm. Contact Judy Bishop 562 8985

• “Baby Bounce & Rhyme” at the library 10.00am.

• Singalong 1st Mon, 2pm at St Ronan’s.

• DB Playcentre Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, from 9:15 to 12 noon, Drop in anytime to visit a session or call James on 022 043 7841 to arrange a visit.

• Pt Howard Playcentre. Mon 9.15 -11.45am. Lucy 021 335 391.

• The Historical Society’s Eastbourne History Room above the library is open 2-4 pm every Monday.

• Eastbourne Volunteer Fire Brigade training every Monday 7-9pm. Ph 562 7001 for more info.

• Toy Library 8-9pm. St Ronans Hall www. eastbournemibase.com.au Elizabeth 021 08224664.

• Keas: Monday 5.15pm – 6.15pm. Kea Leader: Ed 021 738 699

• Venturers: 7.00pm - 9.00pm, Susan 0275 35 4962

Tuesdays

• Pt Howard Playcentre Tues 9.15 -11.45am. Lucy 021 335 391.

• DB Playcentre Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, from 9:15 to 12 noon, Drop in anytime to visit a session or call James on 022 043 7841 to arrange a visit.

• Muritai Tennis Club 9.30–noon. Merryn 562 0236.

• Eastbourne Homebirth Group 1st Tuesday of the month. Phone Kate 562-7096.

• East Harbour Women’s Club Morning Tea & Chat Group 10am. Contact Glendyr 562 7181.

• Indoor Bowls Club 1.30pm, at the croquet club, Oroua Street. Rosemary 562 7365

• Menzshed 9 till 12 , Williams Park, Barrie barrielittlefair@gmail.com 0204 1234511. Women welcome.

• Poetry group, every second Tuesday meet to read and enjoy poems old and new. Phone 562 8387.

• Toy Library 9.30-10.30am. St Ronans Hall. Facebook: Eastbourne Toy Library Elizabeth 021 08224664www.eastbournemibase.com.

au

• 9.30am Nia Dance Fitness Class (low impact - teens to 70+) Music Movement Magic -

WHAT'S ON

Muritai Yacht Club - call Amanda 021 316692 www.niainwellington.com

• Pump Dance junior & intermediate hip hop. 4pm onwards. St Ronan's Hall. 0274373508. info@pumpdance.com

Wednesdays

Cubs: 5.30pm - 7.00pm, Erica 021 190 3900

• Library preschool story time 10.00 am.

• Pt Howard Playcentre Wed 9.15 -11.45am. Lucy 021 335 391.

• Scottish Country Dance. Merryn 562 0236.

• Bridge Club 7-10pm. Shona 562 7073.

• DB Playcentre Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, from 9:15 to 12 noon, Drop in anytime to visit a session or call James on 022 043 7841 to arrange a visit.

• “Steady as You Go” Age Concern sponsored Falls Prevention and Exercise Programme. Held 12 noon each Wednesday at Eastbourne Community Hall. Classes are held for 1 hour and costs only $2. Improve your strength and balance to reduce falls and injuries. Falls are preventable. Please join us!

• EHock - Fun Stick and Ball game Girls and Boys 7- 13.Eastbourne Community Hall. Wednesdays 6.00 p.m. - 7.30 p.m. Derek Wilshere 0274303596

Thursdays

• Menzshed 9 till 12 , Williams Park, Barrie barrielittlefair@gmail.com 0204 1234511. Women welcome.

• St Ronan’s Mainly Music, 9.30am-10.30am, contact Cathy 027 213 9342.

• SPACE at Days Bay Playcentre. Michelle 971 8598.

• East Harbour Women’s Club

- Bolivia 12.45pm, Contact Glendyr ph: 562 7181. Guest Speaker (3rd week of month)7pm, drinks and nibbles provide, Contact Diane ph: 562 7555 •Lions meet 2nd Thursday of the month at the Eastbourne Sports and Services Club, Tuatoru St 6.30 pm. New members and visitors are welcome. Graham 562 8819.

• Intermediate Contemporary Dance

Thursdays 6:30pm - 7:30pm St Ronan's Hall info@pumpdance.com,0274373508

• Scouts: Thursday 6.00pm - 8.00pm, Vanessa 021 669 727.

Fridays

• Pop in and Play playgroup at St Ronan's Church Hall, 9am-11.30am during school terms. All preschoolers (0-4 years) welcome. Cath 027 213 9342.

• Pt Howard Playcentre Fri 9.15 -11.45am. Lucy 021 335 391.

• AA Plunket Rooms 7.30pm. Mark 566 6444/ Pauline 562 7833

• DB Playcentre 9.15-12 noon Puddle Jumpers casual ‘drop-in’ session.$5 per child per session. call James on 022 043 7841

• Discovery Time for 4years+ at San Antonio School, 78 Oroua Street, 9.30-10.30am. Office 562 7398.

• Eastbourne Bowling Club. Newly formed Ladies casual bowling group meets Fridays at 2.00pm. Experience is not required. Bowls & instruction available. Casual dress code. Contact Cheri - 021 0699 274.

Saturdays

• Justice of the Peace at the Eastbourne Community Library, first Saturday of each month 12pm-1pm.

• Lions’ rubbish bin last Saturday of each month.

• Croquet from 10am Muritai Croquet Club. Lyn 562 8722 or Val 562 8181.

• Pump Dance preschool & junior hip hop. 9am onwards. St Ronan's Hall. 0274373508. info@pumpdance.com

Sundays

• AA Plunket Rooms 10am. Karen 021 440 705.

CLASSIFIEDS

SONNY'S YOGA CLASSES - Enjoy a relaxing yoga class near the ocean every Wednesday 6.45pm at Muritai Yacht Club. Beginners welcome. For more info visit www.sonnysyoga.nz or to book email sonnysyoga@me.com

ECOGARDENER-restoration,restyling,maintenance. All sizes. All styles. txt 027 6939 323

Dan Reed lawn mowing, lawn and garden care. Contact 027 337 1360.

WATERBLASTING Services – For all exterior cleaning and maintenance – call Mike on 027 587 5871.

Lawn mowing and gardening services. Contact Supreme mowing. Phone Grant 0212481771. STUDIO TORU JEWELLERY, ART, CERAMICS

3 Oroua Street Eastbourne. WINTER HOURS Open Thur, Fri, Sat 10 - 4, Sun 10 - 2 , or by appointment call Philothea 021 433 082.

MASSAGES BY MICHAEL: Relaxation, Deep Tissue, Reflexology. 021 268 3892. Personalised, Qualified, Experienced, Professional.

RONA BAY BOOKS

Rare books, quality used books bought & sold. See our stock at: www.tinakoribooks.com

Make an appointment to visit. 26 Totara Street

562 7376 027 316 4066

tinakoribooks@xtra.co.nz

Faith in the Community

Negativity...

I was chatting recently with a longtime friend. She mentioned a mutual acquaintance whom she had decided not to hate anymore. ”It just takes up too much of my time and energy,” she said.

We are still within the Easter season - in the period after Jesus’ resurrection but before His ascension. During this period, the bible records Jesus asking Peter, three times, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” At each positive response, Jesus commands Peter: “Feed my lambs.” “Tend my sheep.” “Feed my sheep.” (John 21:1518)

Perhaps this would be a good time to divert any energy we are wasting on disliking, hating and distrusting and putting it into kindness, caring and loving. Not only will we have more energy, but we may also feel better about ourselves and the world. We will also be following Jesus’ new and greatest commandment “…that you love one another…” (John 13:34).

St Ronan’s: Services: Sun 9.30am - informal 1st and 3rd, traditional 2nd and 4th. Ask if you’d like our monthly printed magazine the Record E:office@stronans.org.nz W:www.stronans.org. nz

Community Fridge: The vulnerable come daily and sometimes find it bare. Spare a thought, drop something in…Take something out. FYI the fridge is quite busy these days with people coming and going several times a day.

St Alban’s: Wellesley College Sun 10am, with guest vicar. Kids Club (primary) and Hot Chocolate Club (intermediate) term times. Communion 1st Thurs only 10am, at St Ronan’s, with guest vicar. E:office@stalbanschurch.nz W:www.stalbanschurch.nz

San Antonio: Vigil Mass, Sat 5.30pm. Sacred Heart, Petone: Mass, Sun 9.30am and 5.30pm.

E:holyspiritparish41@gmail.com W: www. holyspirit.nz

HEATH, Brian Ormerod 1 February 1932 – 3 May 2022

Eastbourne civil defence volunteer, Red Cross, Lions and RSA member, and intrepid traveller Brian Heath died in early May at Hutt Hospital.

He and his wife Pam moved to Eastbourne in 1979, after living on a lifestyle block in Moores Valley, Wainuiomata since 1961. He was 90.

Born in Auckland to Moira and Cedric Ormerod Heath, Brian came to live in Hataitai when he was four. He went to Thorndon School followed by two years as a boarder at St Andrews, Christchurch. His father, seconded to the American army because of his knowledge of metals, had moved permanently to the USA.

A “very shy” lad, Brian had been working in electronics for some years when he met Pam Hall, who grew up in Homebush Rd, Khandallah. She was 17 and he was 25; they had both joined a group that entertained in retirement homes and even put on a show in the St James Theatre – she was in the chorus and he on the sound desk. Years later, he told her he’d plucked up courage to ask if he could take her home one night after hearing a group of men talking about offering her a ride – he was most concerned about their intentions.

Both “almost only” children, the couple married at St Peter’s in Willis St and took off to live in Waipukurau early in their marriage, to get away from the stifling influence of their mothers, returning to the capital when his mother was diagnosed with terminal cancer. One of their four sons was born in the Hawkes Bay town.

In the early days of Brian’s career he worked on TV, radios and small electrical equipment – at Newbolds (television), the Post Office (phones), Harding signals (traffic lights), Watson and Victor (medical and scientific equipment) and Vigilant Alarms (fire and security).

He was “thrilled” to be involved with more challenging electronic systems, such as the cobalt towers at Palmerston North hospital’s cancer treatment facility, and twice worked as a volunteer with the Conservation Department in the Chathams on the Taiko project, tagging birds and setting up towers to track the

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endangered species, rediscovered in 1978.

“I didn’t understand what he was doing,” says Pam. “He would try and explain it but it was beyond my understanding.”

Meanwhile

Pam was working in market research

when the children were young, then office administration. She chose Eastbourne to live in after the isolation of Moores Valley because she knew the community intimately, having interviewed people there. “Even the dogs were friendly.”

In Eastbourne, Brian organised the civil defence room above the library, during some 20 years of service. “I always think he was disappointed that in his lifetime there wasn’t an emergency!” Pam laughs. But it’s the years spent travelling the world from top to bottom and east to west with his wife that the couple will best be remembered for. A visit to Japan for Expo 85 started them off, and after Pam recovered from breast cancer in 1987, they decided life was truly for living – and that meant travelling. A T-shirt their daughter-in-law had printed lists a sample of their trips, from Africa (mountain gorillas in Rwanda) to Canada and the USA, South America, Samoa, Europe, the Middle East – including Syria before it became a war zone – China, Mongolia, Russia and Ukraine via the Trans-Siberian railway. They went dog sledding and ice fishing in the Canadian Arctic winter, and visited Scott’s and Shackleton’s Huts in Antarctica during 26 days with a Russian icebreaker – their only expensive adventure. The rest were definitely in the “budget adventure” category; meeting real people through using local transport was their thing.

Nothing fazed them. Inspired by the film The English Patient, and in spite of being told (yet again) they were “too old” for such a trip, they headed off to the Western Desert of Egypt, sleeping in Bedouin tents.

For their 60th wedding anniversary, they sailed on a four-masted ship around the Greek islands.

For their 60th wedding anniversary, they sailed on a four-masted ship around the Greek islands – and although they were at home for their recent 65th wedding anniversary, , they were planning a last trip to Australia.

As Brian became increasingly affected by diabetes, he lost more toes to the disease but although surgeons wanted to amputate his leg, he kept it with their help, Pam says.

Sadly, as his funeral notice stated, Brian has taken his last great adventure alone.

- Ann Packer

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