The Eastbourne Herald January 2020

Old habits still disappoint at beach clean up

by Carl McRae

The twice-yearly Burdan’s Gate beach clean-up was held at the end of the year and organiser Sarah Pettus says it was the biggest turn out of volunteers since she initiated the campaign a few years ago.

“Fifty one people turned up,” she said, “ranging from ten to eighty-plus. We had a cloudy, windy ol’ Wellington day, but thankfully the rain mostly held off until the very end.”

Bags and gloves were provided to volunteers, who also took advantage of Dave Woulfe’s generous offer to use bikes from the Bike Shed free of charge for the morning.

Approximately 15 large rubbish bags were filled, plus a few large items, one being a hot water cylinder. Sarah says straws, bottle caps and plastic clothes pegs were as prevalent as always, plus a syringe.

“Although most of the rubbish is unintentional,” she says, “in the sense that it’s blown or washed onto the beaches, I’m disappointed and angry to report that lots of rubbish continues to be intentionally thrown or hidden in the flax and ngaio bushes by the picnic table at the end of the road.”

“Every six months we’re pulling out plastic plates and forks, aluminium cans and glass bottles, nappies, used condoms and wrappers, large chippy bags.

"It’s so unnecessary, there are plenty of rubbish bins in the area.”

Opposite: Sage Pettus, Devon Reddaway and Grace Hotop pulled this hot water cylinder out from the ngaio and flax bushes near Burdan’s Gate.

New board all signed up

by Carl McRae

The new Eastbourne Community Board met formally for the first time on November 19th, their inaugural meeting to go through members' statutory declarations and briefing and to elect a Chair and Deputy Chair.

The meeting was opened by Hutt City Mayor Campbell Barry, who congratulated the members on their election to the board, saying that their friends and family should be very proud of their achievement.

“It’s an exciting time,” Mayor Barry said. “It’s never easy to put oneself forward for public office, but now there is no going back.

“I look forward to working with you all in the coming term,” he added.

“We have the Shared Path, climate change and recycling issues to work through immediately and I’m sure we all look forward to those and other challenges that lie ahead of us.”

Virginia Horrocks was returned as chair of the board and Murray Gibbons voted in as deputy, a role he will have until mid-2020, with a working plan to rotate the role around all other current board members.

“There are exciting times ahead for sure,” Mr Gibbons said.

“Days Bay 2020, that’s the place to be. Electric ferries, charging stations for cars, new car parking spaces, the completed renovation of the wharf and the heritage trail.”

Well it's back to work and back to school so we all need to brighten up our spirits with a bbq or three. We have everything you need and we're local, we know where our meat comes from and we care. Thank you for your continued support - we know you have a choice.

Happy new year

7 Rimu Street, Eastbourne Ph 562 8049

Cottage to stay - for now

There has been much speculation recently regarding the former caretaker's cottage located at Williams Park and concerns that the old wooden house may be up for demolition. The cottage comes under Hutt City Council jurisdiction and Head of Parks and Recreation, Marcus Sherwood, says that no worked is

planned at the moment.

"Over the years," he says, "there have been a number of suggestions on the future of the Caretaker’s Cottage. When we are looking to consider this further, it will start with a conversation with the Community Board and the community."

562 7779 or 027 488 4000

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?

The Eastbourne Community Board (ECB) has five elected Eastbourne residents and a Ward Councillor who represent and advocate for your interests. The board also considers and reports on any matters referred to it by the Hutt City Council. 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) murray.gibbons@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 04 562 8567

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

Ph 04 970 5159

Bruce Spedding bruce.spedding@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 021 029 74741

Frank Vickers frank.vickers@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 027 406 1419

Belinda Moss belinda.moss@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 029 494 1615

No to Bays' speed reduction

Following a number of accidents around the Bays over the past few months, talk has again been of reducing the speed limit as a deterrent to speeding motorists, in an effort to reduce the number of accidents along the 5km stretch of road from the end of Seaview

to Days Bay.

A spokesperson from NZ Police says that there have been seven reported accidents on the stretch of road around the Eastern Bays in the past twelve months and on this evidence they see no need to adjust the current speed limit.

Hutt City Council spokesperson Caryn Ellis, says that at present the status quo will remain.

“We liaise with Wellington Police on these matters,” she says, “and we would consult with the Eastbourne community also, before making any hasty changes. Our view is to look at the evidence and justification before making any further recommendations to adjust the speed limit.”

The New Zealand Transport Agency says the issue is one for local government.

Spokesperson Jasmine Higginson said a survey following a road speed limit change in Waikato showed motorists driving below the designated speed limit,posed more of a threat or danger to road users and were encouraged to pull over and let those travelling at the speed limit safely pass them.”

She was unable to comment on whether or not this was,a possible solution to reducing the number of accidents on Marine Drive.

Wild Food Fest set for March 7th

With many staple community events in jeopardy, or falling by the way-side, organiser of the popular annual Wild Food Festival, Bill Manson, says he’s proud to announce that March 7th is the date for this years spectacular.

“If we get a day half as awesome as last year with the weather, we’ll be humming,” Bill says.

Over the past five years, the event has been majorly upscaled, giving people more to do throughout the day as a whole.

“Food and cooking education will be on the menu again this year,” Bill adds, “with more of the demonstrations and workshops that have proved so popular in recent years.”

“Last year, we were so happy to see local young adults doing so well at the event, having watched them enter the challenge as kids over the last decade.”

As 7/8/9 year olds, when the early LWFC Eastbourne events were held, they have taken the skills learned, the understanding and stoke for their local environment and made it part of their lifestyle, hopefully for many more years to come.”

Bill says that although the WWF has grown significantly (this is the 12th year) and he now host’s similar happenings in the US, Finland, Italy and France, it’s always special coming back to Eastbourne, where it all began in 2008.

“The Wild Food Challenge is a culinary adventure competition,” he says, “for the people and by the people. We celebrate the resourceful talents of local people, living in communities where wild food is available. We encourage people to get out into their local natural environments and source wild ingredients through hunting, fishing, foraging and gathering.”

Kidztalk

Bill says that seeing young people involved so constructively in their local natural environment and element is a real buzz.

“It confirms for us that all the hard work of holding an annual community festival, focused on resources, local culture, adventure and environment is well worth it,” he adds.

A repeat of the fantastic relaxed local vibe experienced last year would be tremendous,

says Bill, with the biggest competitor turnout in the WWF history was another of the highlights for the organisers, as the competitors are the heart and soul of the event.

“And it’s all back for 2020. The bush kitchen in full flight, Hangi & Umu demonstrations, hunting workshops, sustainable fishing talks, live music with Garage Latino, craft beers, stall holders, food trucks, kids activities and another outdoor movie.”

WELCOME TO DAYS BAY PLAYCENTRE

Summer is here and what's happier than a preschooler up to their ears in sandy, muddy fun? Term one begins 3rd February, and the kids are keen for some good old fashioned messy play outside (we're all thankful for a place to make a proper mess that's not in our own homes).

Sessions in term 1 run Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, from 9:15 to 11:45.

Places still available, phone Andrea 02102797311 for more information.

2019 Wild Food Festival was a great day and a fantastic occasion. Organiser, Bill Manson, is hoping for a repeat.

Holly Jensen, age 3, pumping water into the sandpit for mudpies.

Banded dotterel make regional comeback

Recently released results by Greater Wellington Regional Council show that banded dotterel are thriving in the Wellington area.

While some of our precious native coastal birds are declining, a survey of 460 kilometres of coastline highlights patterns in the distribution and abundance of coastal birds and GWRC Senior Environmental Scientist Roger Uys says things are looking up for the banded dotterel.

“While the species is nationally and regionally vulnerable,” says Roger, “a total of 346 adult banded dotterels were counted during this survey, occupying 58 of the 460 one kilometre sections of coastline surveyed.”

Among the estuaries and river mouths surveyed were the Waitohu and Otaki Estuaries on the west coast, and the Opouawe and Waihingaia River mouths on the east coast. Local concentrations were also found among several stretches of relatively wide shingle or sandy beach, including the Wellington south coast, Fitzroy Bay, Onoke Spit and Riversdale Beach.

“By combining the results of three recent surveys,” Roger says, “we can estimate the Wellington region supports a breeding population of 728 banded dotterels.”

January 2020

Sixty-nine bird species were identified during this survey (mandated by Maritime New Zealand), 51 of which are native or endemic to New Zealand with 25 of those ranked as either nationally threatened or at risk under the New Zealand Threat Classification System.

Parker Jones of MIRO says that positive dotterel results elsewhere are not matched locally.

“I would not say that we are seeing an increase at Pencarrow Lakes or Eastbourne,” The adult numbers are staying around the same each year. We are having success with chicks and fledglings at the lakes this year, but not so much in Eastbourne where the eggs are being eaten by a cat.”

A single rogue cat is being blamed for a second disastrous breeding season at the beleaguered Eastbourne banded dotterel colony, where a solitary fledgling was tagged this season, the only survivor from 14 nests established along the 300-metre long stretch of beach.

Parker says the lone predator had repeatedly been caught on camera terrorising the colony and had all but wiped out the eggs and chicks. It is believed the same cat had been responsible for

similar devastation last season, when not even one bird born at the site had survived.

“The cat even evaded a live catch trap at the beach,” Parker said,

Metal Warratahs (unwired) and appropriate signage asking users and dog walkers who frequent the strip of shingle beach to be respectful that it is nesting season for the banded dotterel, were erected at the colony.

Roger Uys says that the survey did not pick up on penguin numbers so that is now his next focus.

“We are working with local penguin experts and the Department of Conservation to try identify where penguins occur in the region. There are potentially 700 to 1000 penguins around our coastline and we would like to get a better idea of their location and numbers.”

While not on the endangered list, local penguin expert Mike Rumble, says that unlike the cat with dotterels, it’s dogs that pose the most threat to the little blues and he implores local folk to keep dogs on a lead at the beach and help their numbers to thrive.

“The penguins come ashore in the evening to rest so are very vulnerable at this time,” he says. “Even the cutest dog can not resist the smell of a penguin.”

CALLING ALL WOMEN OF EAST HARBOUR - ‘OPEN EVENING’

at East Harbour Women’s Club Inc.

Thursday, 20th February from 6-8pm - $10 145 Muritai Rd, EB Village (left of Medical Centre)

Women of all ages are welcome to join this amazing Club which was established over 70 years ago for the wellbeing of local women post WW2. It is still available today for events and socialising within our community at an annual membership fee of $50 per person per year. Presently, total membership stands at 146 women from Eastbourne and the Bays.

In November, a Market Day was held and on speaking to many local women, it became apparent that they were unaware of what the EHWC is about and what it offers. In today’s world where the role of women is so multi faceted, juggling home, children and work, time to just meet up with like minded locals is very limited. Whether it be for a couple of hours of an evening once a month to chat with other members, exchange books or possibly start a Stitch club sharing ideas and skillsthe Clubrooms are available.

Interesting Speakers are booked for the 3rd Thursday evening of the month and on a weekly basis, Tuesdays and Thursdays cards are played (Bridge and Bolivia) during the day. The handcraft group get together on Tuesday mornings from 10am to noon. There is a huge interest in mahjong so It is planned to start lessons soon.

Both Day and Evening Committees are eager to encourage younger women to make the most of this local facility and input about how we could make it of interest to you would be much appreciated. Please contact Lidia on 562 8125 with ideas or come along to our Open Evening to find out more about this great local Club.

Faith in the Community

Light in the darkness…

It’s the beginning of a new year but much in the world looks dark and dismal. I think of the world when John wrote his Gospel. The life of the early church under the crushing power of the Roman empire was no cakewalk but John is bold enough to say in his first paragraph “The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”

The most recent Star Wars movie, the Rise of Skywalker, is another epic tale about the battle of light against darkness. As in all great stories, against all odds, good prevails and Rey wins through.

Now we may not have much influence on world affairs, nor even be called as an extra in the Lord of the Rings series, but the most insidious form of darkness is despair, when hope dies.

And that can occur in our neighbourhood, among friends, even in our families. If you want to help counter that encroaching darkness you could do worse than rise to the challenge in the old song “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine”. If your own light begins to falter, remember that the light John was speaking about is still to be found in the life and teaching of Jesus. He’s there to light your way.

St Alban’s: MEN’S GROUP a drink and a bite, 1st Weds, 6pm, RSA. WOMEN’S GROUP 3rd Mons, 10am, The Hive Café.

San Antonio: WOMEN’S GROUP 3rd Fris, 2pm, various hoes, tel Eileen 562 8806.

St Ronan’s: MAINLY MUSIC Thurs 9.1511.15am (term times) TOY LIBRARY Mons 8-9pm & Tues 9.30-10.30am (term times).

Call out for funds for raft's return

The popular Hinau Street raft was briefly back on the water for another summer.

The iconic raft was launched in near perfect conditions and almost instantly employed by local teens, as temperatures soared into the mid 20s by late afternoon.

But following a Northerly storm a week or so later, it was found washed up on the beach, victim on this occasion, to the perils of Mother Nature.

The plan is to return it to the water as soon as possible, but those who provide the means for unbounded teen joy say some money from the public would help with its ongoing costs.

Baz Luke, Greg Halford and Willie Davis have overseen the launch of the raft for several summers now and while it is hugely popular over the summer months, just offshore from what is arguably the true locals' favourite Eastbourne beach, it has not been without

issues of upkeep and vandalism in past years.

In 2018, the chains were crudely hacked off and the raft set adrift, only days after the ladder had been stolen.

Local residents who frequent Robinson Bay are united in their praise of the tireless efforts of the core trio.

“Many thanks to our fantastic people that make this happen each year,” says Wendy Manson. “If you or your family use the Hinau Street raft, please consider making a donation to help with the ongoing costs of its maintenance.

“We’re so lucky to have it there for our kids and to have Baz, Greg, and Willie ensuring that it stays out there while the weather is at its best.”

“Thanks to Matt Fabish and the boys from Underwater Solutions,” Willie adds, “for their work on the mooring and launch.”

Hinau Street raft account for donations: 02-0528-0281226-001

'Borrowed' gear raises concerns about policing

by Carl McRae

Long acknowledged by New Zealand Police, the summer months bring increased risk of theft while people are on holiday.

They admit it is a great time for opportunists, with numbers up in car, house (or bach) breakins and that often Police resources are stretched to the maximum.

David Woulfe, owner of The Boatshed business in Days Bay, was horrified when his daily operation was interrupted by members of a local gang on December 28.

Not wanting to put staff at risk, who had already been verbally threatened, Dave stood by as the visitors proceeded to empty his shed of kayaks and SUPs (Stand Up Paddleboards) and help themselves to a free jaunt around Days Bay. No form of remuneration was offered.

“They’ve taken all the gear and threatened anyone who tried to stop them,” Dave posted on the Eastbourne Community Facebook page, concerned that his business may then be held accountable for the fact that the bay was full of people kayaking and SUPing without life jackets on.

They returned the next day and repeated the procedure.

“Of course, we called the Police,” said David. “Both days they’ve taken several hours to respond though. Not much else we can do without risking staff.”

Members of the public later saw a police car tailing a red Ford Falcon near York Bay, which allegedly ‘didn’t seem interested in stopping’.

Eastbourne Community Board member, Bruce Spedding, says they’ll be raising the issue with Hutt City Council.

“I went down to check with David on this,” he said, “but obviously there’s not much we can do immediately, as it's a police issue.”

A spokesperson for the Police Media Team says; “Police received a report, about 4.10pm on December 28, that a group of people had used rentable items from a Days Bay business without paying.

Police attended and spoke to the person who called in the incident and the items had been returned.”

“Police also received a report, about 2.30pm on December 29, that a group was at the business and had taken rentable items without paying. Police followed up, but as the items had been returned, there will be no further action from Police.”

With hackles raised, local folk made many posts on the same social media thread regarding the lack of visible policing done in the area now, especially since our community Police station was closed down and the local cop deployed elsewhere.

“When I stood in front of everyone and asked the police commander if they were going to sell the Eastbourne police station, he replied ‘absolutely not’," says NZ Outdoors Party leader, Wilf Bearman.

“Twelve months later it was sold. Good luck with trying to get some action out of them. Watch out, the fire station will be next.”

Okiwi Volunteer Driving Service

Provides transport to appointments in the Hutt Valley, and Wellington for all Eastbourne’s older residents.

Our ‘20-Minute Volunteers’ are also available for small jobs around the home. Find out more about us at www.okiwi.org.nz Phone

Murphy General Manager

We have already lost Waterbourne to Auckland (refer December’s Eastbourne Herald ). Now organisers of the Eastbourne Games say that event will not go ahead this year also. Creator of the games, Hugh Walcott, says however, they are scheduled for 2021.

“In setting up a new Eastbourne Games board,” Hugh says, “we had to push it out a year, given the commitments by new board members. As a volunteer run organisation we are limited by the availability of our board members and we apologise to the community, especially those who were looking forward to participating this year. It’s still early stages in the planning and we would love more volunteers, so any help there is appreciated.”

The annual Wharf-to-Wharf open water swim will take place this year on March 1st. The 1.25km swim between the Wharves at Days Bay and Rona Bay has become an Eastbourne institution and has been running for over 100 years. The fun, non-competitive friendly swim event is run by the Muritai Yacht Club and volunteers for the benefit of the Eastbourne community.

Entry is open to any swimmer who is confident in deep water, but organisers do require that swimmers under the age of 12 years have parental consent and they also recommend that an adult swims with a child who is in this age group. Happy New Year!

Eastbourne Community Board members are conducting their annual walkaround on Sunday, March 8. The Point Howard Assn encourages all residents to raise items in advance of the walkabout directly to HCC using their Report It feature on their website (http://www.huttcity.govt.nz/) so that they can be seen to speedily. If something is bothering you, please do not wait until the annual walkabout to raise it. It is much easier for the Assn to escalate an issue with the council when there are a number of tickets raised rather than a couple of tickets or none at all.

The Point Howard Assn, LBRA and ECB has met with HCC officers and representatives from the Port Road Drags regarding concerns relating to noise and the general safety of road users on Marine Drive / Seaview Road at the Port Road intersection during the event. Look out for the PHA monthly residents’ newsletter in your inboxes for more details on the discussion.

The feral pigs who have taken up residence in The Pines have been reported to Animal Services as well as GWRC. The PHA is following up with both organisations as they seem to be increasing exponentially in numbers!

Update Your Look

For more information about the event, entry forms etc; https://wharf2wharf.wordpress.com

Butterfly Creek Night-time Madness and the Mt. Lowry Challenge are other long term and popular Bays events which have been discontinued, organisers for both citing a lack of people volunteering to help as a significant reason for their demise.

Thank you, Ross and team

In light of recent events at the NZ Fire Service Eastbourne, I would like to thank Ross Carroll and his team for their long service to the Eastbourne community.

My family is forever grateful for their efforts to save our home when fire overtook it. Their humility and bravery in the face of extreme flashover conditions was the one moment that reduced me to tears.

Our best wishes and kindest regards to you all,

News from Point Howard

Suzy, John and the Costello family Muritai

Valerie Carson 1936 – 2020

One of Eastbourne’s most colourful characters died in Whanganui last week, two years after moving there to be close to family. Colleagues from Te Papa, fellow former school dental nurses and a strong Eastbourne contingent were among those who paid their respects as the late Valerie Carson made her entrance in textile style – in a woven willow casket.

Often wearing colourful layered garments that reflected her love of India, the immaculatelycoiffed Valerie was New Zealand’s first textile conservator, forging a path that others have since followed. Retiring from Te Papa in 2007, after 27 years in a career that saw her travelling widely, the lifelong stitcher began taking small group tours on Asia’s Silk Road, staying in palace hotels in Rajasthan and Gujarat, soaking up the architecture, landscape, people and above all, the vibrant textiles.

“The overwhelming thing about India is the colour,” she maintained. “The sheer vibrancy hits you in the eye before you even make contact with the people. And I love the humility, the hospitality and the thoughtfulness of the Indian people. It’s an extraordinary country.”

Born Valerie McDonald in Christchurch in 1936, the younger daughter of artist Myrtle McDonald, and William, a World War I veteran with a passion for biodynamics and the philosophy of Rudolf Steiner, Valerie attended Samuel Marsden Collegiate School after the family moved to Karori. Her lifelong commitment to the Anglican church began there: most recently at St Alban's in Eastbourne, where she moved in 1993, and St Chad’s in Whanganui. She became a school dental nurse, practising in Takaka and Featherston before marrying Bruce Carson and becoming a mother to Jenny, Jane and Hugh.

Valerie’s first overseas trip was in 1973, with her then father-in-law, to London and Paris –where he had meetings and she sat on little white chairs at catwalk shows in fashion houses Dior

TREADWELL

Dr Judith Ann:

Formerly of Days Bay, Wellington. On 17th January 2020 peacefully at Wanaka. Much loved wife of Blair. Loved Mother of Gina, Lucy, Jamie and Cass. Much loved Grandma of Ben, Joe, Holly, Sophia, Temuera, Oscar, Charlotte, Mia, Tess, Tai and Roko. A celebration of Judith’s life will be held in Wanaka during the afternoon of Saturday 29 February beginning with a service at 3 pm at St Columba’s Church with drinks afterwards at Ridgecrest Road.

and Lanvin. London was her introduction to the Victoria and Albert Museum – she’d spend all day, every day among the textile collections and knew she had to go back.

She returned in 1979-80, to study at the Textile Conservation Centre – then based at Hampton Court Palace, now in Glasgow and still “the number one training school in the world”. Back home again, she began her conservation career at Te Papa’s forerunner, the National Museum.

Further overseas trips were for study and

research into museum collections – in 1987, Switzerland, the Netherlands and New York; in 1990, Dresden, for her first conservation conference, just after the Berlin Wall came down. The following year she gave a paper in Madrid and in 1997 travelled to Stockholm to talk about her conservation of Te Papa’s historic Trade Union Banner. Visiting Pakistan in 1998, as companion to her longtime friend Isabel McIlraith, Valerie found herself talking about conservation to a large group of curators, historians, collectors and dealers at Islamabad’s Ethnographic Museum.

Valerie had visited India for the first time in 1994 with Nelson-based Diane and John McKinnon, then again in 1996. In 2001 she made her first trip on “the Golden Road to Samarkand”, joining their Silk Road tour to China, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. She was in the region on September 11 – “not the best time to be that close to Afghanistan!”

Along the way she assembled an extraordinary collection of textiles, from the tiny Uighur cap on her coffin to a deep blue top-to-toe burqa with an embroidered mesh face oval.

Valerie’s most memorable trip, however, was not textile-related: a lifelong singer, in 1990 she took part in a performance of Verdi’s Requiem at Verona, Italy, as part of the 3000-strong World Festival Choir. Pavarotti was the soloist. There is even a framed group photo to prove it. - Ann Packer

Designer puts her roots down in the Bays

by Ann Packer

What’s a textile designer who’s spent her working life so far in the theatre and film industry doing selling kids’ clothing at the Eastbourne Christmas market? Dorota Sapinska’s classy range of cashmere knitwear for kids – plus the coolest braces ever – is usually only available online, or at the exclusive Los Angeles store Hankie Babies.

For Dorota – whose business name, Parasolka, offers a clue to another of her projects – the market offered the chance to meet people in the community she and husband Joe Ansolabehere moved to with son Hugo in 2019.

Film people are notoriously mobile, having to go where the work is, and Joe still spends much of his time in LA. But with Hugo now installed at Steiner school, Dorotka is developing design ideas to keep her going between film contracts.

The daughter of one of the 700 Polish refugee children who came to New Zealand 75 years ago, Dorotka – the diminuitive of Dorota – grew up in Lower Hutt and went on to Wellington Polytechnic, graduating with a textile qualification in 1992. She started her working life as a cutter for Wellington fashion designer Alison Blain, and was a finalist in Benson & Hedges and WOW awards. But it was

while working on Wellington Opera productions that she discovered theatre was her real love.

That meant leaving her home town at the age of 26.

“If this was what I really wanted to do, I’d have to go to NIDA,” she says.

Over the next three years she covered every aspect of stagecraft, graduating from Australia’s National Institute of Dramatic Art in 1997.

That launched her into a career in theatre, film and opera, based in Sydney but often involving a commute to Europe.

Dorotka worked for more than eight years on back-to-back productions under costume designers including Michael Wilkinson, Barrie Kosky, Roger Ford, Catherine Martin, Ian Gracie, Ruth Carter and the late Janet Patterson, on films including Bright Star, Australia, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe and its sequels, and most recently Black Panther. A highlight was working in Prague – perhaps her favourite city – in Hitler’s old film studios.

She met her husband, who also works in the film industry, in 2009, on an LA bus tour of

midcentury houses by legendary architect John Lautner, a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright; house renovation is a shared interest for the couple.

After Hugo was born she kept looking for a way to combine making a living with raising a child.

She started her brand Parasolka with the range of kids’ clothing, which she has manufactured by a New York firm.

But Dorotka’s real passion, which she was already working on when she met Joe, is for parasols. She has spent much time researching the beautiful creations, including those of the world’s best maker, Michel Heurtault, who uses 18th century equipment to create bespoke pieces from linen, cotton or silk – no polyester here – in his Paris atelier, Parasolerie Heurtault.

Now happily settled in York Bay and starting to restore Margaret Rankine’s legendary garden, Dorotka’s thoughts are again turning to parasols. So far, she has a collection of black wooden handles, handcarved in Indonesia... Perhaps this will be the year of the parasol.

Dorotka with one of her parasols.

family home amid luscious leafy gardens and backdrop. Light & bright, walk to beach, parks, cafes and ferry. Two beds, bathroom + study downstairs, master ensuite & open plan living upstairs. Spacious garage + workshop + hill studio.

Don

Challenging travels in Japan

by Anne Manchester

Like many travellers, I enjoy posting my best holiday photos and memories on Facebook. But sometimes holidays go wrong – these stories are not so easy to share, but I thought I would try here.

I had one or two hairy moments during my walking holiday in Japan in October – no, I didn’t go there for the World Cup. I was there with a group of nine people, none of whom I knew, to walk the Nakasendo Way, an inland route between Kyoto and Tokyo. Our trip was organised by Walk Japan, an independent company that runs around 30 different walking tours throughout Japan’s five main islands.

The Nakasendo route, the company’s first, was used heavily during the Edo period (16031868) to transport merchants, feudal lords and their attendants from Kyoto to Edo (now called Tokyo) to pay homage to the shogun.

Our fourth night was spent in the posttown of Hosokute. Staying in a traditional Japanese inn, sleeping on futon on tatami mats with the entrance to our rooms through sliding screen doors were some of the main reasons for my wanting to do this 11-day walk.

Our dinner that night was served at a single, long, low table with most of us (three Kiwis, four Australians, two Americans and two guides) struggling to remain kneeling for long. Eventually most of us resorted to sitting on our bottoms and stretching our legs out under the table towards the person opposite.

Most of the bedrooms ran off a verandah upstairs, mine the first on the left. I loved the simplicity of this room, the futon already made up, the yukata and obi neatly folded, ready to slip into once I’d had my turn soaking in the onsen or indoor bath. Eating together, each of us wearing yukata, sometimes of the same pattern, sometimes all different, was a great leveller at the end of each day.

One of the many challenges for me was to remember to leave the toilet slippers behind in the toilet and not to come trailing out still wearing them into one of the public areas. I forgot to do this on several occasions. Very embarrassing! And of course, you must never wear any kind of footwear when walking on the tatami mats.

After dinner, I was glad to head to my room and settle down on my futon. Some hours later, I awoke and decided to go downstairs to the toilet before my next attempt to get to sleep. In my sleepy state, I did not realise that two of the walls of my room were sliding screens. Unfortunately, I went out the wrong set of screens and ended up going down a very unfamiliar stairway. I became quite disorientated, retraced my steps and tried again, not once but twice, but always ending up with the same result. I really had no idea where I was – nothing looked the same as it did when I first

went to bed.

The third time I tried, I became more determined, trying various screen doors (some hurriedly closed when I realised I was opening the door to someone else’s room), and eventually finding my way into the kitchen. Why hadn’t I brought my cell phone torch with me so I could see where I was going? What a relief when I finally located the toilet some rooms beyond the kitchen.

Returning to my room, I quite easily found the staircase I should have come down and the doors I should have opened. Oh, the traps for novice tourists like me!

I had hoped my challenging travel events were over, but sadly, no. On the day I was due to leave Tokyo (the end point of our walking adventure), it rained all day. I thought little of it, however, spending most of the morning at the nearby Kabuki Theatre and doing some last minute shopping in and around Ginza.

At 3.30pm, I ordered a taxi from my hotel to the Tokyo Railway Station, only a few blocks away. There were a few options for getting to Narita Airport, 70kms away, one of them the airport bus costing 1000 yen (about $NZ14) or the express or slightly slower train. I opted for the bus, but when I got to the station and enquired where the departure point was, I was told, primarily through dramatic hand gestures,

that there were no buses to the airport.

“Well, I shall get the train then,” I said.

“No trains, no trains!”

“Oh, no trains either. How am I meant to get to the airport then?"

“You take taxi. Take taxi!”

Out into the teeming rain I headed once again, dragging my suitcase behind me and managed to flag down a taxi.

“Narita Airport, please.”

“Narita?” The driver sounded a little unsure.

“Yes please.”

My wet trousers clung to my legs and my shoes were soaked. Never mind, I thought, I should get to the airport in time to dry out and perhaps have something to eat before boarding my Qantas flight, due to leave at 8.05pm, bound Continues next page

Tuesday- Friday 7.30am - 4.30pm Saturday & Sunday 8am - 3pm

Our Japanese guide Maya and I near the start of the walk.

From previous page for Melbourne.

I soon realised my driver spoke barely a word of English and I certainly knew no Japanese beyond arigatou gozaimasu, hai and konnichiwa. As the hours in the taxi began ticking by, there was no way I could enquire whether he thought there was any chance at all of making the airport before the plane’s departure.

Fortunately, he did know the word for toilet. During that nightmarish four-and-ahalf-hour journey, we made one stop we were both grateful for at a petrol station. As we continued on, I could see the driver constantly moving his GPS map on the little screen in front of him, presumably searching for a way through the traffic and what I later discovered was flooding, hence the cancellation of all bus and train services.

I had to speak severely to myself – the nightmare would end eventually, I would get back to New Zealand, though whether it would be that day or one or two days later remained to

TRAVEL

be seen. Don’t panic!

I found some chocolate in my handbag and a few nuts. I began sharing them with the driver. He seemed grateful.

We finally reached Narita Airport by 8.15pm. The meter had reached more than 31,000 yen (about $470), but I handed over my credit card without a murmur. At least the journey was over. But was there any chance of getting on the plane? My only hope was if the flight had been delayed.

The travel gods were with me. The flight had been delayed 30-40 minutes, and the fact I had managed to check-in online on my phone during that terrible taxi ride and had downloaded an electronic boarding pass was probably my saving grace. The next hurdle was getting rid of my suitcase.

There was not a single Qantas staff member to be found at the check-in counters, but eventually someone from another airline took pity on me and decided she could check in my bag.

“Send it to Wellington tomorrow!” I pleaded. “Just get me on that flight.”

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

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

“Well, we might be able to get someone to load it by hand,” she said, ever so slowly printing out a luggage label.

A likely story, I thought, but finally the wretched bag disappeared and I was rushed through security. There was a Qantas staffer

waving me on. I could not believe it – I had actually made it.

As I staggered onto the plane and stumbled down the aisle to my seat, my knees were shaking. I was totally shattered and very hungry, but utterly relieved. “Fasten your seatbelts. We’re about to take off,” I heard. “Unfortunately, we are having to leave many of our passengers behind this evening, including a school party. They haven’t been able to make it to the airport in time.”

After take-off, I looked around for some spare seats. Maybe all those who did not make it – around 70, I heard later – will give those who did a bit more room. As I stretched out along an empty middle row, snuggling down under two blankets and my head on two pillows, I did spare a thought for those who should have been sitting there. Did they find a bed for the night somewhere or were they lying in a corner of Narita Airport, hoping to get home on the next available flight? That could so easily have been my scenario.

Fifteen or so hours later, I finally gazed out the plane window at wonderful Wellington. Will I ever dare leave it again?

SPORT

Are you up to 24-hour challenge?

Entries opened this week for the 2020 24 Hour Endurance Yacht Race, scheduled for the weekend of 14th and 15th of March. Race director Theo Muller says this, the fourth event, is growing in stature and looking to be the best yet. Owing to the ongoing revamping of the jetty in Days Bay, this year’s race will start from historical Rona Wharf, the official start cannon to be fired by the self-styled and proclaimed President of the Republic of Eastbourne, whose identity is currently shrouded in secrecy.

As the event, unique to Wellington, gathers steam and attracts interest from other

regional yacht clubs, Theo would like to see the community get behind the race and encourages as many locals as possible to get down to the start and see the yachts off.

“Each boat will be issued with an Apple cellphone,” Theo says, “so we will know moment-to-moment where each boat is. There will be a lot of interaction between race control and yachts. With launches and coastguard on standby throughout, it’s one of the safest organised For crew members seeking a yacht, or skippers after crew, go to https://www.lbyc. org.nz/24-hour-endurance-race

The simplicity of our rooms in the traditional inns really appealed to me.

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 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.

WHAT'S ON

• Toy Library9.30-10.30am. 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 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 10.00 am.

• 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.

Call 04 939 2366

www.jaglegal.co.nz

Garden Stuff with Sandy Lang

January/February: Mid/late summer. Hot, windy, dry…

HCC water rules: One unattended hose (sprinkler, irrigation system etc) every other day, 6-8am and 7-9pm. A hand-held hose anytime. I say to avoid evening watering. Wet plants overnight - disease.

Free tree chip: Mulch under trees to supress weed growth. To hold in soil water. To keep soil cool (day) and warm (night).

Cuttings: If you see a friend’s pot or garden plant you fancy, it’s easy to take a stem cutting. Plant it when you get home. It’ll soon grows roots and you’ll get an identical plant (a clone; same genes). All forestry pines and many gardencentre plants are raised from cuttings. But will your cutting grow roots?

Physiology: Growing shoots send hormonal signals down ‘we need roots’ and growing roots send hormonal signals up ‘we need leaves’. These two hormone flows ensure a balance between roots and shoots. A rootless shoot is desperate to grow roots…! Rooting success depends on: •species, •time of year, •stem age and •method.

Species: 100% success with hydrangeas. 80% success with grapes. Other species are less easy, so take several cuttings.

Time: Early spring is best - but anytime will do… Stem age: Take a bit of stem about 8-12 months old (older and dormant buds don’t grow, younger and the stem hasn’t enough reserves).

Method: You want a ‘3-node-cutting’. With sharp secateurs cut a length of stem with three nodes. top node><internode><middle node><internode><bottom node. Cut away half the leaf blade(s) at the top node, cut away the leaf blades at the middle and bottom nodesleave the leaf stalks. There will be a dormant bud in the axil of each leaf stalk - don’t damage these buds.

Plant your 3-node-cutting (the right way up!) in a pot of moist potting mix. The top node in the air, the middle node just below the soil surface and the bottom node under the soil. After a few weeks, the dormant buds will break at the top and/or middle nodes and roots will grow from the middle and/or bottom nodes.

Your cutting will be very vulnerable to drying out until it grows roots. Put a plastic bag over the pot, sealed to the pot with a rubber band. Keep the soil moist but not standing in water. Place in bright light by a south window, but not in direct sun.

More? Google NCSU propagation - Sandy Lang

Did you know the long, extendable jaw of the monster in the film Alien is based on the dragonfly? Did you know that an adult male dragonfly will fight to the death to protect his territory? Did you know that they are in decline due to loss of habitat with only 5 percent of wetlands left in New Zealand? Dragonflies are an ancient order, with fossils from over 325 million years ago. They pre-date many other species including dinosaurs and birds.

We are fortunate that Kari de Koenigswarter and her husband Ruary Mackenzie Dodds come to New Zealand annually from Scotland to visit their family in Wellington. They co-wrote the book The Dragonfly-Friendly Gardener, a simple guide as to how to attract dragonflies and damselflies to your garden. Ruary also authored The Dragonfly Diaries, the story of what happened to Ruary after a dragonfly landed on his shirt and how it changed his life. They both helped create the Ashton Water Dragonfly Sanctuary and Dragonfly Centre in Wicken Fen, Cambridgeshire.

While in New Zealand, Kari and Ruary have continued to show their love of dragonflies by obtaining a high impact permit to monitor the dragonfly population at the Pencarrow Lakes. They are now in their third year of monitoring. Kari specialises in their larval stage, and Ruary the adults.

Of the 6000 species of dragonflies and damselflies in the world, 14 species can be seen in New Zealand. This is an unusually low number for an area the size of New Zealand, but it is interesting as eight of them are endemic and can only be seen here. Currently, Ruary and Kari have identified five endemic species at the Parangarahu Lakes.

Ruary explains that the first thing they did at the lakes was to see what species were present. They have identified four species of dragonfly and two species of damselfly. It is easy to spot the difference between a dragonfly and a damselfly. When landed, the dragonfly’s wings jut straight out from their sides like an aircraft, while the damselfly’s wings are folded back together along the abdomen.

A typical dragonfly will spend two to three years under water before emerging and flying as an adult for only about eight weeks, whereas a typical damselfly will be under water for about a year and then will fly for about four weeks. During the adult stage they mate and lay eggs.

Kari and Ruary have identified the Bush Giant dragonfly, New Zealand’s largest dragonfly, at the lakes. Its Maori name, kapokapowai, means “water snatcher”.

The Bush Giant is also one of only a few species of dragonfly that burrows into the ground in its larval stage. These burrows are close to sloping muddy seepages, and can go down as deep as 50cm. During the night the larva sits at the top of its burrow and shoots out its extendable jaw to catch prey that wanders in front of it. As adults they eat small insects including cicadas which they catch on the fly.

They are preyed on by kingfishers, rats and even wasps.

They are an incredibly ancient species, about 127 million years old.

After the initial stocktake of what is at the lakes, Kari and Ruary now visit regularly to see if any new species have arrived, to observe how dragonflies and damselflies behave, and to document any patterns in their lifecycle.

Winds are strong at Pencarrow and Ruary and Kari have noticed, for example, how some adult dragonflies select relatively wind-free areas to patrol.

Kari also wades in shallow water looking for exuviae (an exuvia is the final case that larvae leave behind after emergence). Finding an exuvia of a species is important, as it proves that the species is actually breeding on site rather than just visiting.

Kari and Ruary are keen to discover what Bush Giant larvae actually do at night, something that hasn’t been studied before. They have set up night-filming cameras in the bush and have so far watched more than 1025 hours of film.

This has been edited into a six-minute film that has been shown publicly in the UK. But they are continuing their night-time film work as they want to see if they can capture a Bush Giant actually transforming from larva into adult - a magical natural history moment.

A healthy population of dragonflies and damselflies signifies a healthy wetland, and with so few wetlands left, it is important that this work continues.

Kari and Ruary would be pleased to have others help with their monitoring. People can help by learning to identify dragonflies and damselflies generally (Ruary and Kari can help with this) and going out to the lakes to help with observations. If you are interested, email info@miro.org.nz and we will put you in touch.

Kari and Ruary are giving a talk about Dragonflies at Zealandia , 6.30pm, Tuesday, February 18th.

- Parker Jones (MIRO) and Ruary

Mackenzie Dodds

The Lancer Dragonfly. Photo: Ruary Mackenzie Dodds.

Cricket club heads towards its centenary

As the ECC reaches its centenary in March this year, we are printing some of the club's history. Below is the first installment.

EASTBOURNE CRICKET 1945 - 1975

The decades through the 1950s, 1960s and early 70s were in terms of membership and competitiveness among the most memorable in the Club’s history. The authors, who were active members throughout this period, have written an account of the hardships and successes that came to make the Club a truly respected sporting body in that period from which the following synopsis has been extracted

In 1946 the Hutt Valley Cricket Association was established and Eastbourne became part of the competition programme of the newly formed Association. By the early fifties Eastbourne had established themselves in the second grade wherein they steadily gained strength and results culminating in the winning of the 2A grade in the seasons of 1953-54 and 1954-55. Naturally there was a clamour for a position in the Hutt Valley Senior competition which at that time consisted of just six teams – Upper Hutt, Taita, Eastern, Hutt, Petone and Petone United. The addition of another

team was fiercely resisted as was the notion of relegation and promotion. Eventually some understanding and wisdom prevailed and in the 1955-56 season the competition was increased to 8 teams with the addition of Naenae and Eastbourne.

The path to Senior status had been complex. First of all there was a relegation match played against Petone United but, the Association in their wisdom, but more probably their deviousness, scheduled the game over one day with no restrictions on overs or time. Petone United batted for most of the afternoon and the result was a draw. The Club was livid and protested vociferously and were joined by NaeNae. Finally the Association conceded and promoted both Clubs to a competition of 8 teams.

The success of the 2A side, under the captaincy Bill Swift, was built around players like Ted Carter (scoring 800 runs in one season), Maurie Ballinger, Barney Campbell, Neville Colvin, Bryce Francis and Malcolm Bishop.

Neville Colvin and Maurie Ballinger were mature players with admirable skills and records before coming to live in Eastbourne.

Neville Colvin was past his best as a fast bowler but still a fine cricketer and immensely entertaining. It was a sad day when he left New Zealand some years later to take up the post of chief political cartoonist for the Manchester Guardian.

Throughout his time in Eastbourne he alternated week about with Neville Lodge in providing the cartoon for the front page of the Sports Post and when he left he donated all the originals to the Cricket Club. There were hundreds of them and would be an archival treasure today, but sadly they seem have been lost or destroyed save one which graces the wall in the Eastbourne Sports and Services Club.

Maurie Ballinger came to Eastbourne from Patea as Town Clerk, a position he held with distinction for almost 25 years. Both as a player and as Chairman of the Club’s Management Committee he contributed hugely to the success of Eastbourne cricket. Throughout his years in the Senior team he batted in the middle of the innings where he was rock solid and scoring consistently every season. He was also a very accomplished leg spin bowler and regularly

Rufer re-signs donated boot

Eastbourne Football Club’s former Junior Development Coach, James Prosser, coorganised Wellington’s first ever WYNRS Holiday Camp in December, which culminated with Wynton Rufer re-signing a boot which he dedicated to the EFC in June of 1996.

The former All White, Oceania Player of the Century and German Bundesliga Legend gifted his Puma King boots that he wore in one of his final games at Werder Bremen, shortly after he had retired from the sport.

The boots were split between the junior and intermediary grades at the EFC and have been presented to the highest goal-scorer in each of those divisions ever since. Some outstanding young female and male players have been recipients of ‘the boot’ over the past 25 years and have gone on to successful senior careers in their own right.

Three players from EFC attended the camp, held at Maidstone turf; Noah Turner (10) and the Allcock boys, Benji (12) and James (10) and when it comes to goal scoring, the trio know their business.

Noah knocked in 40, James 48 (the recipient of boot #1) and Benji a staggering 65 goals for the Eastbourne club in 2019.

“Wynton told all the kids at the camp that he could juggle 500 times before his 10th birthday,” says James, who at the camp’s completion, asked him to re-sign one of the boots that he had kindly donated.

In 1994, while Wynton was at Werder Bremen (the renowned club where he spent several seasons and is still regarded as a legend at the renowned club), James Prosser trialled for the A-Juegens, top u19 youth side and the two became personal friends.

Upon retirement, the All White star of the 1982 World Cup Finals in Spain, founded the Auckland based Wynton Rufer Soccer School of Excellence, which has, for 20 years, offered aspiring kiwi kids a pathway to professional football.

“The academy programme offers world class coaching designed for young aspiring, passionate soccer players between the ages of 6 and 12 looking to take their game to the next level,” says Wynton. “We offer a structured all year-round programme, that aims at developing skills and maximising each individual’s development.”

The latest success story to come from the WYNRS system is former Wellington Phoenix

star, Sarpreet Singh, currently a member of the most famous of all German Bundesliga clubs, Bayern Munich.

Wynton Rufer grew up in Miramar and attended Rongotai College. He and James Prosser have future plans to continue their work in Wellington.

SERVICE EXPERTS

Eastbourne FC 10th Grader, James Allcock, seen having Oceania Player of the Century, Wynton Rufer, sign his old Puma boot.

Stunning and superbly presented, this truly exceptional property captures the essence of luxury living, and is an entertainers paradise offering very generous multiple indoor and outdoor living spaces. Front row views of Lowry Bay and the harbour and city in the distance are enjoyed from all aspects of the property, from the huge deck over the new garage, the covered BBQ area adjacent to the double height dining space, and beyond to the private heated pool and terraced gardens behind. You feel connected but also sheltered and private and sunny, this house offers it all.

Extending to over 400sqm, the house flows superbly and offers 5 Bedrooms plus office, 3 bathrooms and garaging for 4 vehicles plus plenty of parking as well.

A very well equipped kitchen encourages friends and family to be welcomed and included, with direct access to family room, dining and living, with views out over the pool so you can also keep an eye on whats going on. Perfect for summer.

CURRENT LISTINGS

HEART OF EASTBOURNE CHARACTER HOME

Located on a generous and sunny 713sqm site on popular Oroua St in Eastbourne, this very special home, dating from the 1920's, is full of character of the era and definitely one that many will have admired from the street - now is your chance to take a look inside.

Sinead Diederich 021 025 81960

From $2,495,000

REF: THV02457