The Eastbourne Herald December 2019

Thank you, Okiwi volunteers!

Complaints, resignations: fire brigade in crisis

by Louise Parry

A serious falling out between brigade members has left the Eastbourne Volunteer Fire Brigade down to just six members and one support – five of whom have never been into a burning building before and most of whom only completed their training course last year.

Following a complaint made by a fellow firefighter against him, Chief Fire Officer Ross Carroll resigned and was soon after joined by every other officer at Eastbourne – Deputy Chief Fire OfficerMike Osborne, Graham Allen and Marty Lenihan resigned soon other

in solidarity with their chief and mate. Their combined loss is 100 years of experience attending call outs to fires, car crashes, floods, wind events, earthquakes, and - increasinglymedical emergencies, for which the brigade is a first responder.

The Eastbourne Herald contacted Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) and was sent a statement from regional commander, Gavin Dunphy:

"Fire and Emergency New Zealand has the capacity to respond to incidents around the Eastbourne coverage area Eastbourne coverage area.

"From time to time volunteers leave brigades for a range of reasons, and we have plans in place to ensure there’s little or no impact on the communities they serve.

"Three firefighters have decided to leave the brigade. Area Management is working with the team at Eastbourne in the short to medium term to ensure it continues to serve its community to a high standard. If there are any capacity issues we will dispatch a nearby brigade as well as Eastbourne to incidents."

Further enquiries to FENZ resulted in another statement being issued:

Continues on Page 3

Okiwi volunteers met recently for a Christmas celebration, as the service marked another year of helping the elderly in our community. Manager Pippa de Court says the commitment of so many people makes the service so successful that at the moment, there are nearly as many volunteers as clients. The service has expanded over the years, and while it's still mainly a driver service, clients can also go on outings to watch movies and videos and get simple handyman tasks done in their homes

Eastbourne’s loss, Auckland’s

Unfortunately, there won’t be a Waterbourne 2020 and to rub further salt into the wound, it appears that the success of the event over the past two years will see it taken from Eastbourne and relocated to Auckland.

Organiser, Laurence Carey, confirmed this week that he will not be running Waterbourne in Eastbourne this summer, but he and local windsurf guru, Bruce Spedding are considering running a smaller event.

“I am still working with Hutt City Council to bring other unique events to the Hutt Valley, so stay tuned,” Laurence said. “HCC is a great body and they have some great projects happening at the moment. I hope to be able to contribute to some of these over the summer months.”

Laurence says that Waterbourne has been a huge success in Eastbourne and has attracted more than 100 athletes from New Zealand and all around the globe to compete in such a beautiful location.

“After this year's event, where we had more then 650 public tickets sold to watch the sports and music,” he says, “it was important we continue to grow. Over the past six months we have been evaluating whether Eastbourne is the right location, if we are to take Waterbourne to the next level.”

TIMETABLE

Depart Days Bay

gain

Faith in the Community

Thanksgiving...

“We have been provided an opportunity to run Waterbourne in Auckland, on an iconic city beach,” Laurence adds, “where the event will be launched in 2021, before the America's Cup. Although it is a shame we will not be running Waterbourne in Eastbourne next year, we are very excited with what is to come in Auckland.”

Church Services In

Eastbourne

St Alban’s Anglican: Sunday Worship 10am at Wellesley College. Thursday Worship 10am - check venue with Parish office, 11 Ngaio St, Eastbourne tel: 562 6269

Children and Families Ministry: see www.stalbanschurch.nz

SAT, SUN & PUBLIC HOLIDAYS:

= Sailing calls at Somes Island, subject to passengers.

FERRY FARES EFFECTIVE FROM 15 JULY One way: adult $12, child $6. Family Days Bay $66 (Return). 10 trip: adult $90, student $68, child $45. Monthly pass: adult $270, student $199, child $135. Matiu Somes Island: adult $25, child $13, family $68 (Return).

Sailings may be cancelled at short notice due to weather. To check today’s sailings, tel. 494 3339

St Ronan’s Presbyterian: Muritai Rd, Eastbourne

tel: Parish Clerk 562 8753 Sunday Morning Worship: 9.30am. Power Hour: 9.30am

San Antonio Roman Catholic: Oroua St, Eastbourne

tel: Fr Marlon Maylon Parish Priest 970 8405

Saturday Vigil Mass: 5.30pm

Sunday (Sacred Heart, Petone): 9.30am & 5.30pm

Every culture has celebrations of some sort or another. For some Kiwis, there’s a desire to express our bi-cultural heritage by shifting from remembering Guy Fawkes to Parihaka. Favourite American celebrations like Valentines’ Day and Halloween have also now become imbedded in our calendar. For us, the opposite season makes a Halloween pumpkin Jack-o-lantern rather pointless, though decorating homes and bare trees with Christmas lights is increasing. While amazingly beautiful in the early darkness of winter, they are just not as effective when evening dark comes at 10pm…! Now, with only a few weeks until Christmas, the decorations in shops and malls heighten the anticipation of family gatherings and the exchanging of gifts.

One American celebration really doesn’t have a counterpart here – Thanksgiving (though some NZ shops are now picking up on Black Friday). Thanksgiving, celebrated since 1864 as a public holiday on the fourth Thursday in November, is a part of the broader winter holiday season in the USA and, like Christmas, is rooted in the Christian faith. It has its origins in the celebration of thanks held by the newly arrived Plymouth pilgrims, along with their native American friends, for a bountiful harvest only made possible by their assistance. Now, largely a family tradition, it features turkey and pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce and corn bread. Many families begin by joining hands round the table, each sharing something for which they are thankful. As the holiday season approaches, it’s timely we reflect with thanksgiving on those things for which we are truly grateful.

Christmas Church Services:

St Alban’s: All services at Wellesley College.

•Christmas Eve, 5pm, Christingle (all families welcome, especially children). • Christmas Eve, 10pm. •Christmas Day, 9.30am. •Pop-inand-Play (at St Ronan’s), Fri 9.00am-12.00pm (stops 13 Dec, restarts 7 Feb)

San Antonio: •Christmas Eve, 8.30pm, Carols. •Christmas Eve, 9.00pm Night Mass of Christmas. •Christmas Day, 9.30am, Family Mass.

St Ronan’s: •Christmas day, 9.30am, Family service. •Mainly Music, Thurs 9.15-11.15am (stops 12 Dec, restarts 13 Feb). •Toy Library, Mons 8-9pm & Tues 9.30-10.30am (stops 17 Dec, restarts 3 Feb).

Steve Owers of Lower Hutt, Kitesurfing at Waterbourne 2019.

Eastbourne Volunteer Fire Brigade in Crisis

From Page 1

"If there is the need for further assistance at Eastbourne it will come from the Seaview Station. Fire and Emergency New Zealand continues to work with the brigade to ensure it has enough personnel to service its community.

"We are fully committed to maintaining a station at Eastbourne. Currently we are providing cover at Eastbourne via our Seaview crew should it be necessary. We have a range of support mechanisms available for our people to access for both personal and professional issues. We have been working closely with the brigade to ensure we can increase the number of personnel at the station."

The Eastbourne Herald attempted to interview remaining brigade members and were referred to FENZ.

However, one member, who The Eastbourne Herald agreed not to name, said the safety of Eastbourne was now in danger.

"There is now a complete lack of command and control."

The firefighter said Gavin Dunphy had visited the station, and received a "sheepish" response from members when he asked what they wanted changed.

"It's as though the people left seem to think it's a democratic club.

“For me the most important thing is the Eastbourne community, and in my opinion,

the Eastbourne community is now at significant risk.”

They were concerned about the lack of experience and knowledge among the remaining firefighters.

Without officers in attendance, brigade members are not allowed to enter a building on fire, and at present none of the remaining firefighters are fully licensed to drive the firetruck.

The firefighter said they were alarmed that FENZ was ignoring recommendations published in a report into bullying by judge Coral Shaw.

“FENZ came out last year with a report about bullying. When [the firefighter concerned] raised her complaint you would have expected them to deal with it straight away. It’s been three months. As soon as Ross resigned [FENZ] dropped it."

The firefighter said they had been a victim of verbal bullying by a brigade member and had been pushed while on duty.

“For that sort of thing to be happening, it’s insane.

“It was literally a family when I joined. Now it feels like no one wants to be there. They’ve completely ruined something that was fantastic.”

Former deputy chief Mike Osborne says there was friction between officers and

firefighters and when he took over from Ross Carroll he sought to resolve issues over the roster by removing the difficult-to-staff daytime roster, and giving all members week-on, weekoff duties. However, this did not help and he ended up resigning after continuing arguments during a meeting he held.

All the ex-officers say they feel let down by FENZ, who could have helped resolve the issues at the station and prevented their resignations.

"FENZ have not spoken to any of us about it. All the service that we've given to this community may as well get thrown in the rubbish," Graham Allen says.

"FENZ talks about loyalty - it's just a joke," Ross adds.

Ross has been with the brigade for 44 years - it would have been 45 this month. Growing up in the brigade, his dad Euan was fire chief for many years and he lived at the fire station with his mum and dad before taking over as chief when his dad passed away.

One ex-member of the brigade who contacted The Eastbourne Herald said while Ross was a tough man, he was the only person you would want to be in charge in an emergency.

Ross is devastated by the situation. Along with the other officers who have resigned, he says it would only be resolved by some of the newer brigade members resigning.

"I'm gutted," he says. "I've wasted three quarters of my life and they've just shown how they felt about it."

Deane heading to the Aussie outback

by Carl McRae

An Associate Principal at Muritai School, Deane McKay, has taken refreshment leave for one year and will travel to the Northern Territory in Australia to teach aboriginal children.

Wadeye (or Port Keats) is a six hour drive from Darwin, and is a community of around 2,500 indigenous Australians, who Deane says have kept both their original language (Murrinhparrah) and culture intact.

The town is remote, situated on the western edge of the Daly River Reserve and is the sixth most populous town and the largest indigenous community in the Northern Territory.

The town is within a few kilometres of the coast, a would-be blessing in the constant heat if it were not for the large crocodile population. Roads to the community are cut by flooding during the wet season when access is only possible by light aircraft or coastal barge.

Deane is part of the leadership team at Muritai and teaches year 4-6 kids as part of the Kereru Syndicate.

He has been at the local primary school since 2012 and is looking forward to re-kindling his passion and love for the aboriginal people.

Twenty years ago, as a missionary for the Church of Latter Day Saints, he spent two years working and living amongst the people and families and became close to them through what he terms 'reciprocated love'.

When he returned to New Zealand he knew that he wanted to become a teacher and it has long been his dream to revisit the remote outback of Australia and employ that practice to help a race of people with whom he feels a great kinship.

The opportunity arose through an exPrincipal, John Young, who Deane worked

under during his first teacher placement at St. Josephs Catholic Primary School in Upper Hutt. John now teaches at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart Thamarrurr Catholic College in Wadeye.

“Just getting kids to school is the first challenge,” Deane says.

“Building some excitement so that they want to come and learn. This is a poverty stricken community, mostly living in overcrowded houses. Thinking outside the square and bringing some life to learning will be unique and exciting challenges for me.”

Learning the language of which he currently cannot speak a word will be challenge enough in itself, he adds, but he is confident that the skills and leadership roles he has obtained in his 15 years of teaching will set him in good stead to handle these hurdles. He’s also a man who likes to set himself goals.

“We always set ourselves goals,” says wife, Janelle, “and we like to achieve them. As a family, we wouldn’t want to get in his way or be non-plussed about it, we’re really happy for him and he goes with all our blessings.”

“Janelle has been absolutely amazing,” says Deane, “her support, understanding and encouragement. In fact, the whole family have. We sat them all down and went over the pros and cons and it is incredible to have all their support.”

He admits that what once would have been hard for all because of the sheer isolation, has been made easier in the 21st Century by modern telecommunications and social media options.

Plus, he will be back (or the family will be going to him) during school holidays.

Deane McKay leaves New Zealand on January 21 and will spend a few days in Darwin, before travelling to Wadeye to begin his placement.

Next ECB meeting: 7.15 pm Tuesday 18 February 2020, East Harbour Women’s Club, 145 Muritai Road.

What does the Eastbourne Community Board do?

Your community board represents and advocates for your interests. It also considers and reports on any matters referred to it by the council.

The Eastbourne Community Board (ECB) is one of three Hutt City Council (HCC) Community Boards. It is made up of five elected Eastbourne residents and a Ward Councillor.

Residents are welcome to contact board members at any time. Members often sort minor issues directly with council staff or may ask for a report from officers to go on the next agenda.

Order papers are available on the HCC website two working days before each meeting.

Have your say

Meetings are approximately every six weeks and are open to the public. At the start of each meeting, there is time for public comment. During this time, anyone can speak for three minutes on anything related to the community.

Board members

Virginia Horrocks (Chair)

virginia.horrocks@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 021 230 8210

Murray Gibbons (Deputy Chair)

Ph 04 562 8567

Tui Lewis (Ward Councillor)

Ph 04 970 5159

Bruce Spedding

Ph 021 029 74741

Frank Vickers

Ph 027 406 1419

Belinda Moss

Ph 029 494 1615

Submissions close for Shared Path

More than 170 Eastern Bays residents - and frequent visitors to the region - had registered their support for the Shared Pathway project, by the time submissions closed for it, in early December.

Eastbourne Community Board Chair, Virginia Horrocks, says some locals had problems making their submissions on the Greater Wellington Regional Council website, but these were overcome by the ECB itself, assisted by staff at the Eastbourne Library and some enthusiastic walkers, drivers and cyclists, who ensured that everyone who wanted to submit could do so.

“The library printed and collected forms,” Ms Horrocks said, “the board circulated printable forms through their email network and passed them out in the street.

"The Hive cafe had forms for clients and I personally delivered completed submissions to Greater Wellington’s office.”

On the last day she took in around 70 submissions, many with photos depicting some of the difficulties that can be endured getting round the bays, as it stands today. Over 100 people also managed to submit and send photos using the GWRC website.

“An overwhelming majority of responses supported the project,” Ms Horrocks said,

“with some making suggestions they would like incorporated into the design.

"I am delighted with the number and quality of the submissions, which will now become part of the resource consent process.”

A recent spate of accidents around the Bays had caused some to make the decision to submit, highlighting the need to put in place the proposed safety aspects of the Shared Path project itself.

In late November, a cyclist was knocked off her bike just north of Sunshine Service Station.

Station manager, Gordon Hussman, said it looked as though there was a bus and a car involved and the cyclist simply ran out of space.

“It’s not a great corner,” Mr Hussman said, “not really a bike friendly area.

"It represents to me, the need to see the Shared Pathway come to fruition.”

Police were contacted, but unable to make further comment regarding the incident, until full investigations into it had been completed.

The resource consent process involves several components and due to construction work being undertaken within both the coastal marine area and the road corridor, many involve both GWRC and Hutt City Council.

Senior Project Engineer Simon Cager, says HCC are applying for a number of consents, to include a 10-year lapse period that allows council the maximum flexibility to programme the works.

“We acknowledge the recent announcements about NZTA’s funding position for the 20182021 period is not ideal,” he says, “but we’re progressing the project in order to be in the best position for future construction funding.”

“It could be another six to 12 months before we have a resource consent and it’s likely Windy Point would be built first.”

Geotech surveys in Lowry Bay almost completed

by Carl McRae

Exploratory drilling to find an alternative route to run a drinking water pipe and keep the capital functioning through a natural disaster will be finished before Christmas.

Wellington Water community engagement manager, Alex van Paassen,says,the company's barge is steadfast on the seabed in Lowry Bay. It comes complete with signage meant to alleviate some confusion as to its purpose. The sign reads; 'we're working on a potential new drinking water pipeline'.

A key objective is to provide an additional and more resilient pipe route than the existing pipeline located along the Wellington Faultline, which runs along State Highway 2 between Petone and Wellington City.

It is in its initial stages of investigation. We are currently assessing a range of route options to work towards selecting the preferred pipe route alignment.”

A series of geotechnical investigations in Lowry Bay during November have been part of determining the best route for the proposed Cross-Harbour Pipeline.

Alex says the major project is designed to improve water supply resilience for the metropolitan region, by providing an additional water supply pipeline that will cross Wellington Harbour, from the Waterloo Treatment Plant via Petone to Wellington City.

At a cost of $116 million, the next stage of design for the resilient water source is expected to begin in the new year.

The pipeline was one of two options considered. The second, sourcing water using bores from the Waiwhetu Aquifer, near Matiu/ Somes Island, was abandoned due to the poor quantity and quality of water found below the sea's surface.

Equipment on the barge drills into the seabed, to collect core samples which are in turn studied by geologists for the suitability of the project. Wellington Water was granted granted resource consent by Greater Wellington Regional Council to carry out the investigations.

The Wellington Water barge, complete with explanatory sign.

Awards for local theatre troupe

York Bay actor and director Lian Butcher scooped two major awards at the Wellington District Theatre Federation awards night earlier this month.

She received an Excellence in Acting award (one of six who received this award from 19 nominations) for her role as Rosalinda in the Butterfly Creek Theatre Troupe’s Bard in the Yard production of  As You Like It in March and a special mention for Best New Director for Agatha Christie’s And Then There Were None in August.

As You Like It director Anne Manchester, said she was delighted Lian was awarded for her acting.

“Lian really got under the skin of Rosalinda,” says Anne.

“Her character was the very heart of the play and Lian played the role with utter conviction, heaps of charm and loads of energy. She was a director’s dream performer.”

“Sometimes you play a character that you have an absolute affinity to,” Lian says, “and Rosalinda was one of those characters for me. I really liked her, if she was real, I’d want us to be friends.

"She was a strong woman for her time, loyal and loving, with a wicked and quirky sense of humour. I’m very honoured to win the award and I hope Shakespeare would think I did his strong, funny Rosalind some justice.”

Lian said it was terrific that efforts of BCTT members had been acknowledged and that if she gets the chance, she’d love to direct again.

“It would have to be the right play though, if you love the play and have the right cast the magic just happens.

“As a first time director though, I really wanted to make the play a success and was incredibly lucky to get a talented cast and supportive crew. I am passionate about Agatha Christie and And Then There Were None is my

favourite Christie play.”

Two other Eastbourne actors were also nominated for Excellence in Acting awards for their roles in  As You Like It; Ann Garry who played the country wench Audrey and Mike McJorrow who played the hapless shepherd Silvius.

Florence McFarlane was nominated for an Excellence in Acting award for her role as Emily Brent in And Then There Were None. The murder mystery was also nominated in the categories of best set design and best costumed production, and received a Magic Moment award for the “visual effect of the window panes and blood splatter”.

Colton Stuart, who played the wounded British soldier Cliff in BCTT’s most recent production of  A Farmhouse Called Shelter, received a Magic Moment award for his screams of pain.

President of the Wellington District Theatre Federation David Cox said he was delighted with the success of the awards night and the standard of entries from around the greater Wellington region.

“Community theatre in Wellington is in great shape,” he said

The last issue reported the Council seeking views on the shared path.  This has been an issue ever since I moved here, nearly 30 years ago, and seems to me now to be irrelevant.  Waves already break over the road in several bays during southerly storms, and climate change will do nothing to abate that.  Indeed, such events will become more and more common, as the sea level rises, to the point where the Council will need to raise, or otherwise protect, the road to maintain the viability of access to Eastbourne.  Better to save the money allocated for the shared path, and put it towards rebuilding the road.

Peter Wyllie  York Bay

Lian Butcher as Rosalinda in BCTT’s production of As You Like It

Local novelist has work published in Greek

by Carl McRae

Days Bay novelist, poet, short story writer, essayist and book reviewer, Maggie RaineySmith, says she is extremely proud to have had her third novel, Daughters of Messene, translated into Greek and published by Kedros, one of Greece’s largest book publishers.

First published by Mākaro Press in 2015, the Greek version came out in June of this year and became a best seller for the Athens-based publishing company.

In her book concerning immigration and the Greek Civil War, the story is told of Artemis, a young woman who runs away from her husband and the Greek community in New Zealand and back to the Peloponnese, to visit family she has never met.

Set in 2007, Artemis carries her mother’s ashes and an iPod, complete with recordings, which bit by bit reveal the shocking plight of her grandmother during the War more than half a century earlier.

“It is the story of a family of women,” says Maggie, “those who stayed in a broken, but beautiful country, one who went to the ends of the earth to escape what she’d seen and another who returned, not knowing what it was she was looking for.”

While researching  Daughters of Messene, Maggie travelled to Greece, and ended up at the Mani home of travel writer, Sir Patrick Leigh Fermor, celebrating his Name Day with the locals.

“I had just returned from visiting family in Seoul recently,” she says, “when Mary McCallum [who published the New Zealand version under the Mākaro imprint] delivered a Greek copy to me.”

Mary says Daughters of Messene is Mākaro’s first book to be translated into another language and that it feels like a huge achievement for a small press publisher that started up in Eastbourne only six years ago.

“We are thrilled Maggie’s novel has been translated into Greek and is doing so well,” she says.

“It’s a tribute to Maggie’s talent and hard work, that a Kiwi-written novel set in Greece has found a home with a Greek publisher and resonates so much with the readers there.”

Mākaro Press now has two other books coming out in translation this coming year –one in Turkish (The Book of Hat, by Harriet Rowland) and Sue Wootton’s novel Strip, which is being translated into Bulgarian.

Maggie’s first novel,  About Turns, was a bestseller and the first New Zealand novel to be chosen by Whitcoulls as a ‘Guaranteed Great Read’. She has had short stories, poetry and essays published in journals and anthologies, including  Landfall, Sport, NZ Listener, 4th Floor Journal  and  Essential New Zealand

Poems. In 2014, she was joint runner up in the annual Landfall essay prize.

Maggie has also completed an Advanced Diploma in Creative Writing at Whitireia and a BA (English Literature) at Victoria University. She shared her passion for writing as a volunteer by, once a week over a period of eight years, working with inmates at a local women’s prison. Currently, she teaches Workplace English to migrants and refugees.

Copies of  Daughters of Messene  can be purchased in Eastbourne from Rona Gallery, or ordered online through Makaro Press; https:// makaropress.co.nz

Maggie and her Greek version of Daughters of Messene, photographed on Days Bay beach by Mary McCullum.

...a stronger integrated legal team!

JAG033

WHAT'S ON

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.

• East Harbour Women’s Club – Contract Bridge 2pm-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 Mon, Wed, Fri 9-12. Andrea Jensen 02102797311.

• Pt Howard Playcentre. Mon 9.15 -11.45am. Caroline 021 072 1070.

• 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 Ross Carroll Chief Fire Officer 562 7001 for more info.

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

• Eastbourne Karate Dojo junior and senior classes (children 8 year & older, plus parents) on Monday and senior classes on Thursday. Contact lindsaysensei@live.com, cell 021 844 873.

East Harbour Women’s Club

• Duplicate Bridge: 2-5pm. Contact Judy Bishop 562 8985

Tuesdays

• Eastbourne Bowling Club. Gentleman’s Casual and Social bowling held every Tuesday from 2.30 to 4.30pm. Experience not required. Bowls and instruction provided. Casual dress code Contact Bruce 562 8401 or Warren 562 8606

• Pt Howard Playcentre Tues 9.15 -11.45am. Caroline 021 072 1070.

• Days Bay Playcentre Puddle Jumpers Tues 10:30 to 12 noon: Messy and Sensory play for children 2 years and under. Casual sessions, $3 donation.

• 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.

• Eastbourne Embroidery Group, St Ronan’s Church lounge 10am-12noon.

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

• Menzshed 9 till 12 , Williams Park, Mike 562 8688.

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

• Toy Library9.30-10.30am. St Ronans Hall.

Facebook: Eastbourne Toy Library Elizabeth 021 08224664www.eastbournemibase.com.

• 9.30am Nia Dance Fitness Class (low impact - teens to 70+) Music Movement MagicMuritai Yacht Club - call Amanda 021 316692 www.niainwellington.com

• Pump Dance preschool and junior hip hop. 4pm onwards St Ronans Hall. 0274373508 info@pumpdance.com

Wednesdays

• Retired Persons’ Assn meet 2nd Wed at Tartines for morning tea and socialising 11am. Occasional outings arranged. Ph 5627365 or 562 8387.

• Library preschool story time 2–2.25pm.

• Pt Howard Playcentre Wed 9.15 -11.45am. Caroline 021 072 1070.

• Scottish Country Dance. Merryn 562 0236.

• Bridge Club 7-10pm. Shona 562 7073.

• DB Playcentre Mon, Wed, Fri 9-12. Andrea Jensen 02102797311.

• “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!

• Baby Boogie - dance for babies and preschoolers at St Ronan's Hall. 9:30am10am. Intermediate/teen hip hop and contemporary. 5pm onwards St Ronans Hall. 0274373508 info@pumpdance.com

Thursdays

• Menzshed 9 till 12 , Williams Park, Mike 562 8688. 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.

• Eastbourne Karate Dojo junior and senior classes (children 8 year & older, plus parents) on Monday and senior classes on Thursday. Contact lindsaysensei@live.com, cell 021 844 873.

• Pump Dance boys hip hop. 5pm-6pm St Ronans Hall. 0274373508 info@pumpdance. com

Fridays

• 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

• 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. Caroline 021 072 1070.

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

• DB Playcentre Mon, Wed, Fri 9-12. Andrea Jensen 02102797311.

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

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.

• Eastbourne Dune Restoration Group Meets dunes area in front of the Eastbourne Recreation Ground, on the first Saturday of the month at 9am. Contact Keena for more details on 562 0992.

Sundays

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

Conservationist saves shag colony

by Carl McRae

The expeditious work of local environmentalist, Sally Bain, helped save a colony of shags at the Days Bay duck pond on December 3.

As she drove past Williams Park, she was dumbfounded to see Hutt City Council contractors in the act of removing trees, which she was aware housed nests with unhatched chicks. Through recent use of a night vision camera in the park, she knew that one tree alone had 70 nesting birds in it.

Asset manager for HCC, Aaron Marsh, said he was thankful that Sally had promptly notified council of this and, acting in good faith, work was stopped immediately. He informed her that the work was being carried out following complaints from the Days Bay Residents' Association regarding the smell the birds had created through their droppings.

Sally Bain has called into question council policy over the issue. She’d like to know why a problem based on smell has warranted the complete removal of native trees, being used for nesting by native birds.

" They’ve taken down an entire Pohutukawa tree,” she says, “they’ve just gone ‘hammer

RONA BAY BOOKS

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Kidztalk

and tongs’ at it. Yes, the birds do smell, but it’s seasonal…and they are birds.”

Mr Marsh says that council were aware there were birds nesting in some of the trees in Williams Park.

“We believed the nests in the trees identified for removal were no longer in use,” he said. “The practice is for contractors to suspend work and seek direction from the client when a nest is discovered. This is what happened in this case.”

Mr Marsh said that HCC do not view lightly decisions around tree removal. Indeed, a part of the role of the Parks team is to preserve trees and vegetation.

“The work completed at Williams Park was considered operational,” he said. “The scope of works proposed for the Park was agreed with and communicated to Eastbourne Community Board members along with the Days Bay Residents Association.”

Eastbourne Community Board chair Virginia Horrocks said she was aware that there was a significant problem with the smell and bird droppings and that ECB had been consulted over the issue.

“We knew there was an agreement to trim overhanging branches,” she said. “The cutting of trees that had nesting birds and fledglings still in them was most unfortunate. All work should have been carried out after the birds had gone.”

New board member Frank Vickers, agrees that the disturbing of native birds nesting in these trees was poor form, but he also found it slightly alarming that so few Days Bay residents seemed to have knowledge of the DBRA request for the work to be done in the first instance.

“Residents' associations voice the concerns and ambitions of the members of that group,”

News from our local playcentres

he says. “The more members they have, the more accurately they can reflect the views of that community. The only antidote is for the whole community to engage.”

Mr Vickers said that as far as he was aware, no member of the ECB had been given warning by HCC, or the contractor, that the work was about to start.

“Work has now stopped,” he says, “and a review is hopefully underway.”

Mr Marsh has confirmed that council has suspended work until a review of the circumstances has been completed. This will involve input from Department of Conservation.

Ginny Horrocks says the Community Board will be discussing their concern about the tree work with Council officers. They will be seeking assurance that any future tree removals will follow the usual consultation process with the Board over the removal of trees. They  will also discuss any plans for the pond and its surroundings.

“We’ve been assured by Council that the work on the trees around the pond has been suspended until they are comfortable that the ‘hatching’ season has passed,” she said, “and that they are working with DOC to make sure nothing like this happens again.”

It has been council policy in the past to drain the duck pond, in order to alleviate offensive odours at this time of year and this was an opinion expressed by residents on social media immediately following the tree cutting.

“Yes. The removal of the trees is one part of a suite of works proposed for the pond and park generally,” Mr. Marsh added. “The pond draining and removal of detritus from the pond basin is indeed, one of the upcoming works proposed.”

We’re coming to the end of another busy and fun filled year at playcentre. We’ve welcomed several new families and had lots of fantastic experiences. We’ve also seen our tamariki master many new skills from learning to pedal a bike, to growing their kai preparation skills, to seeing our older tamariki confidently leading our karakia kai.

With thoughts turning to Kirihimete, we’ve continued our focus on manaakitanga, with our tamariki gifting items to go to other whānau who need a little support this festive season.

Our year will finish with our annual trip to Staglands and a special visit from Santa on the last day of term. We’ll also be farewelling a couple of our whānau as their tamariki head off to school in the new year.

Thank you to everyone who has supported us this year, particularly the lovely team at the Eastbourne library who have joined us for amazing storytimes, the sponsors who provided spot prizes for our fundraisers, and PAK’nSAVE for their continued sponsorship of this column. And thanks to everyone who has supported our fundraising by coming to our events and purchasing our beautiful Kirihimete ornaments.

If you’re thinking of joining us in 2020, why not pop along for a visit now. You can visit us at 1 Ngaumatau Road any time from 9.15 to 11.45 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Friday – and ask us for an information pack to learn more about what we offer. You can also find out more about us by visiting our Facebook page or by contacting Caroline on 021 072 1070.

PROUDLY SPONSORED BY

NEWS FROM POINT HOWARD PLAYCENTRE

PARKSIDE

This summer as part of the Greater Wellington summer events program we are planning two “Open Days” in East Harbour Regional Park. These will celebrate our community, the park and the massive volunteer effort quietly undertaken behind the scenes. At both events we will have locals, friends and experts telling stories and sharing their passion. Sunday 9th February in the Northern Forest, will include bringing back to life the tea stall that once existed at the Butterfly Creek picnic area and on Saturday March 14th at Baring Head the lighthouse complex and NIWA’s clean air monitoring station will be open. Whether you are a regular park user or first time visitor put these dates in your diary and come and celebrate this wonderful park. Contact jo.greenman@gw.govt if you want to be involved.

The sun and rain combination of spring brings many wonderful changes. It’s a delicate balance to manage this plant growth efficiently. During the busy summer period we need to keep the tracks usable, but also minimise damage to some of our special seasonal plants. Orchids in particular like to take advantage of the increased light levels on the track edges that track trimming creates. Look carefully to find these little gems. Visitor numbers peak over Christmas, when track maintenance staff numbers drop. Let us know if particular parts of tracks are getting overgrown with tall grass so we can try to prioritise this work

and in places there were dense stands. NIWA will be writing a short report, but it is unclear at this stage what management options are available. Lake levels are high with low salinity which is a result of a long period since the sea broke through.

Finally you will have noticed some recent social media interest in the Park. This message comes from Hutt city Council. "As owner of land within the East Harbour Regional Park, Hutt City Council is responsible for matters relating to the legal status of that land. "

In that regard Council is working on two specific matters. The first is to put into effect the Council decision to confirm the reserve status of land within Williams Park. The second is to rectify an issue from 2000 when a Council decision to confer reserve status on land near Northcote Street, Wainuiomata, was not properly gazetted and so was not recorded on the title. The Department of Conservation and our legal advisors are assisting us to rectify this situation. The work we are currently finalising through legal channels will ensure land nominated for reserves is protected for the future.If members of the community have any queries on this they can get in touch with Bruce Hodgins direct on bruce.hodgins@ huttcity.govt.nz”

Have a great Christmas and enjoy the park.

- EHRP Ranger, Jo Greenman

News from Point Howard

Thank you to everyone who came to the 2019 Christmas Long Lunch at the

Greenhood Orchid

NIWA has just completed a survey of the Parangarahu lakes and preliminary results show they recorded a good range of native aquatic plants, freshwater sponges, fish, kakahi (fresh water mussels), nesting shags and lots of dotterel and pipit activity. Lake Kohangapirirpiri is very healthy ecologically, with approximately 70% of the plant life being a diverse range of natives. The introduced plants, are benign, non-invasive species probably brought in by birds. NIWA did unfortunately confirm the presence of Egeria in the northern section of Lake Kohungatera

100 years of village cricket to be celebrated

By Carl McRae

The Eastbourne Cricket Club will celebrate its centenary on March 22, 2020 and club stalwart, Stephen ‘Snifter’ Phillips, says excitement is building as preparations get underway. He’d like to help ensure that as many old boys as possible return to join in the festivities.

On the day, a 25 over (per side) match will take place at HW Shortt Park, an invitational game to be played between current and former Eastbourne representatives (led by the clubs first Firebird, Josh Brodie) and a team of sports personalities (including former Black Caps, All Blacks, a current member of the Wellington Blaze and a Black stick).

The match will be sponsored by House of Travel and umpired by former Black Cap and Wellington city councillor, John ‘Mystery’ Morrison and his daughter Sally, Wellington’s first lady of cricket and recently retired Cricket Wellington board chair.

Further details will follow in the January Eastbourne Herald, needless to say that the centenary’s major commemorative event will take place that evening, following the festive match.

Although his uncle Brian was the first Phillips to play for Eastbourne, pre-second world war, Stephen started playing junior cricket for the club himself while at Muritai School. His elder brother, Michael (a left arm spin bowler) played for the Eastbourne senior side, as well as gaining representative honours for the Hutt Valley. Unfortunately, Brian was killed at El Alamein in 1942.

“My maternal grandfather, Harry Rather, was a great supporter of ECC,” Stephen says, “and often showed up the clubrooms at the southern end of the Rec, before he died in 1960.”

At secondary school, Stephen alternated between Eastbourne and Wellington College,

recording a hat-trick for the former at HW Shortt during the 1952/53 season.

While overseas during the 1960s, where he played cricket in London and Cape Town, Stephen returned and extended his playing days for Eastbourne until the early 1980’s.

“The 1960s were halcyon days in the history of the ECC,” he says. “On a Sunday morning, there would be several nets operating at the southern end of the Rec. Not far away were the clubrooms, with a four and a half gallon keg inside.

“I was on the ECC committee in 1967/68,” he adds, “and organised a Sunday match between my accounting firm, (Watkins, Hull, Wheeler and Johnston) and Eastbourne in early 1968. Fast bowler John Anderson, later knighted, led our firm’s bowling attack.”

Including his own, Stephen says one could not write of the Eastbourne Cricket Club without mentioning nicknames. Sobriquet have played a major role in the club's success throughout the years, some carrying such infamous handles as Holy Soul, Appleyard, Rash Ralph, Dinty, Jack the Sack, Shadow and Gupti Singh, to name but a few.

“What visitors to the Rec made of some of these names I do not know,” says ‘Snifter’

Phillips.

Bob ‘Griff’ Griffiths and Peter ‘Satchmo’ Smuts-Kennedy agree that the 1960s was the period where the club enjoyed great patronage, produced competitive teams and was an integral part of the wider community.

“We had an annual ball and festival match,” says Bob, “and an exchange system with Taranaki clubs, whereby we’d go and play Inglewood or Stratford, Kaponga, even Patea on one occasion. Those tours were notorious and some of the antic’s unprintable."

“Members of the MCC [England] touring team turned up here during the 1962/63 season,” says Peter, “while the second test was being played at the Basin Reserve.”

In 1971, the club moved into the new clubrooms, the present site of the ESSC. The same season Eastbourne won the Senior Reserve title and again in 1972/73 and 1974/75.

These days the junior club is particularly strong and for the season ahead, 2019/20, the club will field one senior team.

The elder statesmen are occasionally still seen gracing HW Shortt Park on a summer Sunday afternoon, in the guise of the ‘Eastbourne Village Green Cricket XI’.

‘Snifter’, ‘Griff’ and ‘Satchmo’ are hoping to catch up with many old members from their own playing days and anyone interested in being in on the weekend of festivities can contact Stephen directly;  stephenandjill@ actrix.gen.nz

The Eastbourne Cricket Club has set up a Facebook page  https://www.facebook.com/ events/3066866443354530/

ECC senior A team of 1964

PB at NZ indoor rowing champs

by Steve McMorran

Dean Goble has had a lifetime in sports as a softballer and representative rugby player. In his fifties he has found a new avenue to pursue both fitness and competition after taking part in the National Indoor Rowing Championships in Cambridge. Like many denizens of gyms around New Zealand, Goble was a regular user of indoor rowing machines, finding them exceptional for their comprehensive and low-impact fitness qualities. Rowing machines work out all muscle groups without the cumulative harm which often comes from pounding roads and lifting weights. After a few years as a devoted indoor rower, Goble decided to test himself this year against others in his age group at the national championships. The results were above his expectations as he placed third in the 500 metre, 1000 metre and 2000 metre events for competitors aged 50 to 55. In each case, he posted personal bests. In the national championships, rowers don’t compete against others only, but against classes. As they row the screens in front of them show their progress and placings in races against older, younger and elite competitors.

That drove Goble on to his best performances so far in indoor rowing. An enthusiastic crowd, able to watch all races on larger screens in a public area, also added to the incentive and motivation.

Eric Murray (pictured), the world and Olympic champion whose partnership with Hamish Bond was the longest and most successful in rowing history, was closely involved in

organising and running the championships and his encouragement added an extra edge to competition.

Goble said he undertook a 10-week training programme overseen by Murray to get himself up to speed for the championships, making the  results he achieved possible. “Indoor rowing has recently been taken over by Rowing New Zealand and an organisation called Concept 2 which includes Murray and they were behind the championships,” Goble said. “It was a great experience and a fantastic atmosphere. It’s such a great full-body and low impact exercise and adding the element of competition has been great.”

Goble said he would certainly return next year.

Garden Stuff with Sandy Lang

December/January: Early/midsummer. Hot, windy, dry. You go off on holiday. Your pot plants die and your garden withers…

Pot-plant watering: In summer, the water in a plant pot is enough for only one or two days. More, if the plant is out of the sun and the potting mix is fresh. Less in sunlight and if the potting mix is old. Indoor watering systems are tricky. Neighbours are unreliable. What to do…?

Aim to greatly reduce plant water use, so the pot water lasts much longer. Three factors increase plant water use: (1) low humidity, (2) high light and (3) draughts. So, crowd your pot plants in a small, south-facing room and close the door and windows. Crowding raises the humidity. A south window gives some light (needed) but not direct sunlight. Closed door/windows minimise draughts. Place open bowls of water round about to raise humidity. If you’re using the bathroom, don’t part-fill the bath. Plugs leak and taps drip. If the plug leaks, the bath will empty in a day. A drippy tap and a non-leaky plug will flood the floor in a few days.

Four tips (1) Roots die if left under water. (2) High humidity encourages aphids, so zap any lurking aphids by spraying with 2% dishwashing liquid in water. (3) To water pot plants very well, sit them in the bath with the water to the soil surface for an hour. Then pull the plug and let them drain. (4) If you have only a few pot plants, put a plastic bag over each and seal the bag round the pot with a rubber band. Hey presto. High humidity, no draught, diffuse light. Your pot plant will last for weeks…!

Garden irrigation: Install automatic irrigation. Pretty cheap and easy these days. How often? On our sandy soils, water little and often. Try one hour every two days. A heavy watering goes below the roots where plants can’t get it (wasteful).

Time of day? Best to water about dawn. Evening watering means wet leaves overnight (encourages disease). Daytime watering wastes water (evaporation).

Tree chip mulch: There’s a lot of free tree chip mulch just now - just south of the bus barns www.mulchpile.org Spread it under trees to depress weed growth, to hold in the soil water and to keep the soil surface cool in day, warm at night. Sandy Lang slang@xtra.co.nz

Henry Gautrey wins world 49er race

by Steve McMorran

Muritai sailor Henry Gautrey and crewmate Sam Bacon showed off their considerable potential when they won on a day when famous compatriots Peter Burling and Blair Tuke couldn't be at the World 49er World Championships off Auckland last week.

Most of the local focus at the championships has been on the Team  New Zealand stars Burling and Tuke as they return to the class in which  they are the current Olympic champions and four-time world champions.

They made an outstanding start to the championships, winning the  open race, then had a capsize and finished 11th in the next race. Their  comeback was partially stalled when they had to settle for third in the  third race of the championship.

Gautrey and Bacon came home

in first place in their fleet, achieving  their first win together at a world championships, a major milestone in  their joint careers.

Conditions on the day were extremely difficult and confounded even  the best sailors in the world. Burling and Tuke admitted they had a  tough time reading and coping with variable winds.

The breeze built up to 15 knots at times but just as rapidly dropped  away to nothing or even backed up.

“It was definitely a really tricky day out there,” Burling told  reporters. “We had a fair share of either going backwards or forwards in  races at times but we are pretty happy to walk away with the scorecard  we did.”

Gautrey and Bacon handled the conditions superbly to produce the

most significant result of their partnership to date and to show they   can compete, and beat, the best in the world.

Gautrey and Bacon’s next-best placing was their fifth in the eighth  of nine qualifying races. After those qualifying races they were placed  53rd in the 88-boat fleet heading into the weekend when they will  compete in the silver fleet.

In July this year Gautrey and Bacon showed their international  potential when they had three topfive finishes and attained 15th place  overall at the World Junior 49er Championships in Norway.

Henry’s brother George has been much in the spotlight lately for his  feats in the laser class, including his bronze medal performance at this  year’s world championships in Japan.

Farewell to our star sports reporter

by Steve McMorran

After 20 years writing the sports columns of the Eastbourne Herald I  finish after this edition with regret but warm memories.

My over-arching recollection is not just of the many exceptional  sports people that have been produced by one relatively small Lower Hutt  suburb but, far more, of the many people who, through tireless work  behind the scenes, makes sport happen in Eastbourne every day.

In Eastbourne’s clubs and in its schools, willing volunteers work in  all sports and all seasons to ensure young people not only have the  chance to realise their talents, to pursue their ambitions but to  develop friendships and a love of physical activity which will last the  rest of their lives.

I hear often that young people have become increasingly sedentary,  locked indoors and fixated on mobile phone and other devices. That’s not  my experience.

I’ve had the privilege to interview and write about many young  people from Eastbourne who participate in and often excel at not one but  many sports, who have few if any moments of idleness or inactivity.

For that reason, too, I have to express my admiration for the  parents of Eastbourne who find time routinely in their extremely busy  lives to take their children to trainings, to games, to trials, to  tournaments and not just in one but in several sports. The logistics  involved in co-ordinating weekly the movements of children to many  extra-curricular activities would test the skills of a Napoleon.

I hesitate to name any names for fear accidental omisions will  cause offence. So many people over the past two decades have contributed  to the sporting life of Eastbourne, not just its succcesses but to the  growth of the community.

I will take a risk and name only a few in the hope they will be  taken as representative of the many who give so selflessly of their time.

Ray Gough in swimming comes immediately to mind. I hope one day he  receives the national recognition he so richly deserves.

Families play such a part in Eastbourne sport that it might be safer  to salute the Sarginsons and Connellys in tennis, the Staggs, Gibbons,  Gautreys, Coltmans, Trudgens, Curries, Dellabarcas, Wagstaffs, Webbs and  so many more in yachting.

The Pllus in football and McKinlays in football, rugby and bowls,  the Gibbons _ again _ in rugby. Dean Burrows, in football, is by himself  a local legend, a player continuously involved with the Eastbourne club  since its inception.

Mark Potter and Willie Davis in rugby. Phil Sissons, Phil Chisholm,  Steve Girvan in cricket. Kinny Curran, Scott Roddick, Dennis Davidson,  Don Griffin and many others in bowls. That’s only a tiny and far from indicative sample.

By the way, how many suburbs can claim among its citizens not one  but two former chief executives of New Zealand Rugby (Chris Moller and  Dave Rutherford), a summer Olympian and head of Sport NZ (Peter  Miskimmin), several other summer Olympians or Commonwealth Games  representatives, a double world champion and a winter Olympian (Annelise  Coberger)?

And there have been so many great stories, not just of the successes  in Eastbourne, but also of the attempts and the efforts and the fun.

Among the few sensations, Eastbourne made national headlines when  the bowling club voted against accepting female members. Newspapers  hurried to characterise the club as a bastion of crusty old men, manning  the ramparts against the encroaching

female hordes. Of course, the truth was far more nuanced. The club has moved on  happily and successfully, with a growing female membership. Tanya  Wheeler and Fiona McKinlay among other have been integral figures in  that transformation.

It’s too easy to say that Eastbourne punches above its weight. Yes,  it probably has achieved successes disproportionate to its population.  But what it has done to its eternal credit is create a wonderful  community where people live, work and play

I’ve been fortunate in more than 40 years as a sports reporter to  interview some of the most famous sportspeople in the world. But I can  say that almost nothing has given me more pleasure than writing for the  Herald, writing about sport at its simplest level. Clubs, communities,  kids...it’s what really matters.

We are so grateful to have had the very experienced and professional Steve McMorran writing for TEH for 20 years. Steve writes for international news agencies and has travelled around the world covering every sport you can think of. But on top of all of that, he formed great relationships with our local sports clubs and personalities. We will miss him immensely, and wish him all the best for the future.

- Louise Parry

Tuis' last outing

How quickly they grow up. It’s the lament and reflection of parents  around the world who see their children pass into their teenage years  and beyond seemingly in the blink of an eye.

As if to illustrate the point a cricket match, a reunion of sorts  took place on a recent Sunday of the Eastbourne Tuis, a team  formed at  least a decade ago among boys then aged nine or 10 whose founder members  are now grown to adulthood.

Before those boys, those men, disperse to all points of the compass  as young people do, it was decided to bring the Tuis together again for  one final game.

In the intervening years since the Tuis first were formed the boys  have attended different schools, played different sports but have  remained steadfastly in contact, bound together by the bonds first  created through sport.

The first record of the team was of its particpation in Milo  Have-A-Go Cricket in 2007 and 2008 when its members were listed as  William Durkin, Josh Mallet, James Murdoch-Gibbs, Fraser Wilson, William  Langley, Harrison Summers, George Mirfin-Newman, Daniel Sherriff and Robbie Michael.

The first extant photo of the team depicts a similar but larger  group: Harrison Summers, Louis Rutherford, Josh Mallett, Fraser Wilson, William Langley, James Murdoch-Gibbs, Daniel Sherriff,  Wills Griffiths, William Durkin, George Mirfin-Newman and Liam Ferrier.

The Eastbourne Tuis first came together to play on Friday nights in  the Have-AGo Cricket programme then run by Eastbourne Cricket with the  overwhelming support of the parents of team members.

It was then the Year 5 Tuis and its members were boys aged nine and  10. The team was coached, excellently, by Stephen Summers and Larry  Sherriff. As the years, the summers, went by the boys played every Saturday  morning at 8.30am as parents and coaches watched, fortified by strong  coffee. It is inevitable that as the years sped by  the parents became friends, as closely bonded as the children.

And so, in the blink of an eye, the original Tuis became young men.

And on a recent Sunday, they joined together to play  once more as a team.

The valedictory match was a great success. From the original Tuis  team eight boys now aged 17 and 18 played a Masters Selection made up of  parents and friends. For the record the Tuis team lost the game but it  was a fitting end to a generation of Eastbourne boys who will now head  off to new pastures.

Cash

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SONNY'S YOGA - EASTBOURNE CLASSES

- Enjoy a relaxing yoga class near the ocean. Every Thursday 7pm at Muritai Yacht Club. Beginners welcome. For more info call Sonny on 021 800 512.

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MERRY CHRISTMAS, EASTBOURNE!

Thank you for another great year for The Eastbourne Herald. We love our readers - your support of your local paper confirms we are providing you with a much needed news source. A huge shout out to our amazing advertisers who, year after year, ensure that The Eastbourne Herald continues its legacy of providing hyper-local news for local people.

May you experience the true joy and peace of the Christmas season. Wishing you all the most wonderful year ahead.

We’ll be back at work on Jan 20. Deadline Jan 22/Delivery Jan 31.