The Eastbourne Herald October 2021

Boom time for Lions benefits community

More than $3,700 will go to community groups, thanks to the success of the Eastbourne Lions book sale last weekend.

Keen book lovers came from as far as Kapiti and Upper Hutt, with many commenting it was great to be out at a small event with so many bigger events being disrupted by Covid. Upper Hutt Rotary collected some suitable surplus books at the end of the sale to send off to schools in the Pacific Islands.

The much anticipated annual Lions auction and garage sale will be modified slightly this year to fit with storage logistics and venue availability. The fact that this differs from the recent flyer delivered to letterboxes shows the flexibility required of community groups in these unusual times.

It is now scheduled for Sunday 21 November as a garage sale only at the Scout Hall and adjacent car park. "We see the distinction between garage sale and auction as being fixed-guide price items, normally at the cheaper end of the range, instead of the bidding for higher value items. It will help us clean out our storage locker and it is hoped that the full Auction and Garage Sale can be scheduled for March 2022," said Eastbourne Lions President Allan Hardie.

The downsizing does mean that Lions will be scaling back their requests for additional donations. "As always we rely on the generosity of the Eastbourne community who have always been able to donate a range of items. This time we are being tactful in our request for saleable items that are likely to turn over fast at the garage sale.

The Lions can squeeze a few more items

Eastbourne Lions Gavin Redpath and Lorraine Shorter at the book sale. into their storage facility, but are asking people to hang on to items until after the garage sale or into the new year, so they can be channelled into the auction and garage sale next year, says Gavin Redpath, Lions member. "It sounds a bit counter intuitive and we don't wish to seem ungrateful, but it's the only way we can see it working with the smaller venue available."

The icing on the cake for the year will be the Eastbourne Market in Williams Park on Sunday 5 December (rain date 12 December). Bookings for (physically distant) stall spaces are still available at www.eastbournemarket.co.nz .Coming up: Lions Bin near Bus Barns - 8am11am. Sun 21 Nov - Garage Sale (no Auction) Scout Hall - 8am-12noon Sat 27 Nov - Lions Bin near Bus Barns 8am-11am.

Money made from this and other

fundraisers such as the monthly Lions Bin and annual auction is pooled and applications considered at monthly Lions Board meetings.

Eastbourne Lions donations over the 202/21 financial year went to:

EB Bowling Club, East Harbour Kindergarten, EB Scouts, Nourish Trust, Muritai School, Muritai Yacht Club, EB Historic Society, Muritai Tennis Club, EB MenzShed; Wellington Region - Riding for the Disabled, Missions to Seamen, Life Flight Trust, Te Omanga Hospice, Camp Quality, Wellington Regional Hospital Children's Playground, Wellington Free Ambulance, Mallaghan Institute; National - Spirit of Adventure, Diabetes New Zealand, Child Cancer Foundation; NZ and Pacific - Lloyd Morgan Charitable Trust; International - Lions Club International Foundation.

The Eastbourne Herald end of year deadlines, 2021

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027 254 5434

TIMETABLE

Niki Pennington // new works Freedom exhibition opens 11 November – 12 December

Hours Thurs 10 – 2pm

Fri late 1 – 7pm, Sat 11 – 1pm by appointment 021 378 494

2 Rimu St. Eastbourne Village www.twinislandgallery.com

(S)

(S)

SAT, SUN & PUBLIC HOLIDAYS: 10.40am (S) 12.45pm (S) 3.00pm (S) 4.25pm (S) 5.30pm

(S) = Sailing calls at Somes Island, subject to passengers.

FERRY FARES One way: adult $12, child $6. Family Days Bay $66 (Return). 10 trip: adult $91, student $68, child $46. Monthly pass: adult $273, child $138. 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, call our daily status line on (04) 494 3339.

Next ECB meeting:

7.15pm Tuesday 2 November, 2021, East Harbour Women’s Club, 145 Muritai Rd.

Eastbourne Awards

Mayor Barry will present the annual Eastbourne Awards at the ECB meeting on 2 November. Residents are welcome to attend.

Shared Path Open Day

If you missed the Community Open Day on 2 October, you can see the information at the Eastbourne Library.

Community Engagement Fund

Applications for this round of the Eastbourne Community Engagement Fund closed on 14 October. Successful applicants will be announced at the ECB meeting on 2 November.

Eastbourne Bus Services

The Community Board remains concerned about the reduced bus service to Eastbourne. Contact the ECB if you have feedback or Metlink directly. You are also welcome to share your thoughts at the ECB meeting during the public speaker session.

Williams Park Management Plan

Thank you to everyone who submitted on the draft proposals for this project.

Eastbourne Community Board (ECB)

Residents are welcome to contact board members to sort minor issues or ask for a council officer report for the next ECB meeting. You can also contact us on the Eastbourne Community Board Facebook page.

Virginia Horrocks (Chair)

virginia.horrocks@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 021 230 8210

Bruce Spedding (Deputy Chair) bruce.spedding@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 021 029 74741

Murray Gibbons

murray.gibbons@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 04 562 8567

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

Ph 021 271 6249

Frank Vickers frank.vickers@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 027 406 1419

Belinda Moss

belinda.moss@huttcity.govt.nz

Ph 029 494 1615

Big changes coming for housing

Last week's announcement of a bipartisan agreement to increase housing density in New Zealand may see some areas of the Eastern Bays with taller and more housing on sections. Hutt City Council is currently working out the full implications of the mandated changes.

HCC senior planner Parvati Rotherham says the changes will be incorporated into the District Plan, the latest iteration of which is due to be consulted on in August 2022. Ms Rotherham says the plan change will be fast tracked and what would usually take two or three years must be completed in one.

Disqualifications to increased density can be "qualifying matters" such as heritage and natural hazards. Potentially, large areas of coastal and flood zones, will be excluded from the new rules, but elsewhere could see three storey housing up to 6m tall as soon as August 2022.

If proposed housing is in allowed zones, the council will not be able to impose further restrictions.

National MP Chris Bishop says the Bill enhances property rights.

"It will allow property owners more

freedom to develop their own section– whether by increasing the size of their home, adding another dwelling or replacing an existing dwelling with new ones.

"This isn’t a free for all, there will still be restrictions to ensure sensible development.

"All new dwellings will still require a building consent, ensuring all new buildings comply with the Building Act which includes detailed specifications for safety and quality of building design.

"Anything you build will still need to comply with specific standards. They include that no more than 50 percent of a section can be covered by buildings, specified limits on building heights relative to boundaries and requirements for properties to be set-back from boundaries.

The provisions enable more housing in existing suburbs but they do not require it, Mr Bishop says.

"No one will force you or your neighbour to demolish an existing home. We expect plenty of traditional houses with lawns and gardens will remain and others will continue to be built."

Hunter urges council to utilise local knowledge

by Louise Parry

Long-time deer hunter Antony “Horse” Walsh believes deer are not responsible for damage to the trees on Days Bay’s west-facing hills, as by MIRO’s Sally Bain in last month’s Eastbourne Herald.

Mr Walsh started hunting as a boy alongside his father Rae. With forty years experience tramping, trapping and hunting in East Harbour Regional Park, Mr Walsh says deer numbers are not out of control, unlike the 1980s when they grew exponentially.

He and a group of local hunters are unhappy that professional hunters, who do now know the area as well as they do, are employed to control deer, while they find it hard to get a ballot place for three days of hunting per year.

“We know the terrain, we know where the deer are at different times of the year,” Mr Walsh says.

Rae Walsh began hunting in Gollans Valley and Butterfly Creek in the late 1950s, continuing for more than 60 years. Until the early 1960s there was a relatively constant number of deer. 1080, of which Mr Walsh is not a fan, would have impacted on the numbers, he says.

However, in the 1970s into the 1980s their numbers burgeoned.

Mr Walsh was a possum trapper for many years, on both private and reserve land. He saw evidence of deer damage first hand.

In the back of Gollans Valley he has seen an enormous amount of damage caused by stags fighting. Tall trees have literally been knocked over and the area looked like it had been clearfelled by the animals.

“But now it’s all overgrown. There’s a beautiful glade of pongas, tussock and all sorts of things where the light gets through. You can’t tell me it’s not regenerating. I’d get lost in there now because of the growth.”

There was a major problem in Cheviot Road in Lowry Bay in the 1980s, with deer running around tennis courts and decimating gardens.

Mr Walsh was given a permit to shoot them, and says nowadays, locals should be involved in deer control.

“There needs to be an opportunity to have a clean up when it’s needed,” he says.

“Local hunters know to keep away from tracks and would never shoot towards the

tracks. There has never been a hunting accident in there.”

Mr Walsh says it may seem like there are more deer because they come into private land which is being developed further up the slopes of Eastbourne. Deer come down for spring growth on fruit trees and in vegetable gardens.

The original release of red deer in Wainuiomata by the acclimatisation society occurred in 1897. The first herd was imported from Windsor Park in the UK to the Wairarapa in the 1850s. They then infiltrated into the Orongorongos and Eastbourne from 1897-1912.

“Nowadays, pigs probably cause more damage in the park than deer. There are a lot of big pigs in the park.”

Mr Walsh received an award from Hutt City Council for his conservation work, which included trapping more than 40,000 possums in the 1990s-early 2000s.

He’s is a firm believer in only hunting what you will use and to this day still processes possum skins and fur.

“Locals just want the opportunity to knock a deer over, fill the freezer and contribute to deer control,” he says.

Greater Wellington Regional Council is soon to begin looking at deer scat in order to target populated areas of the park (see Parkside, page 11).

Ranger Jo Greenman says GWRC is giving private landowners who back onto the park and are having problems with deer, to have professional hunters do a cull for the cost of $60 per hour. GWRC will manage the health and safety aspects of this as part of the contract they have with the hunter.

Presently, professional hunters are employed in Autumn and Spring at a cost of $8,500 per year. Ms Greenman says there is also a $1,000 contingency plan to deal with goats and pigs, the latter of which are causing problems in Point Howard.

However, these hunters have to stop

once they hit private land, and the upcoming initiative will mean this can change while the deer are being brought under control.

"The deer population lives around the forward faces of the park, close to urban gardens," Ms Greenman says.

"It would be very unlikely that private hunters would ever be given permission to shoot on the front faces within the park. Shooting on the other side of the ridge? Maybe.

"It's a really challenging and complex issue and hiring private hunters is, in our opinion, not the safest way of going.

"The use of firearms in public land is extremely strictly controlled because of this."

Antony "Horse" Walsh with a deer shot by his father Rae in 1995 near Butterfly Creek.

The Birds Began To Sing – a memoir

by Ann Packer

Taking the name of one of her best-known choral compositions – set to words by Janet Frame – this book is a collaboration between composer and teacher Dorothy Buchanan, who has lived in Eastbourne (York Bay, Sorrento Bay and most recently Rona Bay) for many years, and Lindsay Mitchell, whose now-adult daughter Sam was one of her music students.

A labour of love that grew out of a friendship which developed over many years, Ms Mitchell recorded the recollections of the composer, widely known as Dotty, once a week over a period of eight months in 2019. Using a timeline supplied by SOUNZ, the national centre for New Zealand music, as a baseline, she would transcribe the recording and absorb it, then it would shape what the two women talked about in the next session.

Apart from the foreword, where Ms Mitchell explains how she came to encounter “the extraordinary and creative force that is Dorothy Buchanan”, the book is written in the composer’s own words – including colourful language which publisher Mary McCallum, of Cuba Press, says comes through as “bursts of Dotty as if she is talking to you across the table”.

“I loved doing it,” says Ms Mitchell, who had previously only written technical reports and is better known locally as an artist,

particularly of portraits. “I am fascinated by social history, and how much life has changed since the 1940s.” The Buchanan family tree captivated her, and she undertook the laborious job of researching the large family of Catholic aunts and uncles who helped shape the young Dotty’s childhood, growing up in Greymouth and later Christchurch as one of six singing sisters, and her career as a performer, composer and teacher. Her father was a natural jazz musician who played by ear, while her mother was classically trained. The budding composer was able to do both, carrying themes in her head as well as recording them on paper.

Her work covers the whole range, from choral pieces for young voices – Wellington College’s school song was composed during her time as composer-in-residence – to chamber operas set to words by New Zealanders

including Katherine Mansfield and Witi Ihimaera.

She also collaborated extensively with poet Lauris Edmond and wrote the music for the televised Margaret Mahy Storybook Theatre. Her popular choral work Peace Song – “New Zealand’s most photocopied song” – continues to be sung all over the world.

“Her end-of-year concerts were magic,” Ms Mitchell says. “And she could write for almost any instrument.” Indeed, the idea for the book came up one evening when the biographer, who had taken up saxophone, was chatting over a drink after a session. “You need to get your memoir down,” she recalls saying. “It’s part of the historical record.” And that record is phenomenal, a veritable Who’s Who of New Zealand musical history from the 1940s to this day.

Dorothy Buchanan has largely retired from the public eye but still lives with husband David Carroll in the village, surrounded by the environment that inspired her for so many years.

The Birds Began To Sing – a memoir of a New Zealand composer, published by The Cuba Press, is available from Ponders’ Rona Gallery and all good bookstores.

Armistice day opening for new studio exhibition

by Ann Packer

When your mother is an artist and your father’s a famous designer you’d think you’d get the all-clear to set out on your own artistic career, right?

Not so, says Niki Pennington, who finally opened her first studio and gallery, Twin Island Gallery, in Eastbourne village in June this year, after years of barely lifting a brush.

Growing up surrounded by art, the daughter of the late artist Suzy Pennington – who co-founded what is now Pataka Porirua – and Mark Pennington, designer of the Formway Life chair, Frank Kitts Park’s lighthouse slide and Te Papa’s earthquake house, the painter known locally as Niki Cathie says she always wanted to be an artist.

“But my mother the artist advised against it – because you could not be financially independent in the small market that was New Zealand at the time.”

So she trained in visual communications – first at Wellington Polytechnic then the prestigious Allgemeine Gewerbeschule in Basel, Switzerland.

An International postgraduate programme with students from around the world, including Brazil, America and Japan amongst others, English was the common language spoken in the majority of classes. There she learned “to look at and mix any colour straight off”, work with her hands, train her eye and draw and paint for hours on end. “All in all a phenomenal experience.”

Five years in London in advertising, branding and design – during which she painted only occasionally, to commission –were followed by three in New York, where she photographed street scenes daily as an artistic discipline, culminating in an exhibition.

Always intending to return to New York, Ms Pennington “came home, bumped into Andrew Cathie, fell in love and married in 2007”. It was a whirlwind year – she later went on to become the Mercedes-Benz Artist in Residence at Samuel Marsden Collegiate in Karori, followed by opening The Penningtons, a design partnership with her brother Michael. She was involved in that business for several years, then went solo when pregnant with her third child, using a studio in the garden on

Village Pup Cuts

Marine Parade as her workspace. At their next home, she used the spare bedroom to work on design jobs and the occasional painting.

“I hadn’t had a dedicated place to paint in over a decade,” she says.

Her children – Amelia, Sam and Lily –“had a newfound respect for me when the gallery opened”, she muses, “and my Dad was so proud.” It’s really important to her that the gallery space is approachable.

“I want everyone to feel welcome and for children to feel inspired and not intimidated.”

Twin Islands’ original space, in the corner behind Tartines café, proved too much of a

fishbowl until a dividing wall was installed. Now offering the perfect combination of chaos and calm, it conceals the artist’s studio while allowing extra hanging space for work in progress. “Now I can hang work, look at it, judge it and keep working.”

And, of course, exhibit. Following her opening exhibition, Journey to the Unknown, the next, Freedom, is an explosion of colour resulting after lockdown, that came as a total surprise. “I think emotion just burst forth onto the canvas.” Opening on November 11, Armistice Day seems an appropriate time to claim that theme.

Niki Pennington in her gallery.

Saving our literary heritage

Rudi Mack’s secondhand books business, Tinakori Books – known locally as Rona Bay Books – began when his own collecting habit got out of hand. While the Rona Bay bibliophile still has a personal collection of rare books – mostly about early New Zealand, Polynesia, Antarctica, anthropology and old voyages – these days he also sells to others at festivals such as Featherston Booktown and Eastbourne Lions’ Christmas market, online or by appointment at home.

Antiquarian books play an important role in preserving our cultural heritage, says the German-born Kiwi, who moved to Eastbourne with his wife and children in 1988. “I like all aspects of the book trade. Recycling books is environmentally friendly – a really cool thing to do.”

Formerly a secondary teacher at Correspondence School, Mr Mack also contributes historical articles to academic journals but when something had to give, he decided antiquarian books won out over teaching.

He buys mostly from auctions – Dunbar Sloane, and Art and Objects’ Rare Books sales – and frequently from other antiquarian booksellers overseas. “It’s a bit like dealing in art. You have to keep an eye out everywhere.” There is little chance these days of discovering gems at community book sales – “in the 1990s there were a lot of treasures to be found at book fairs, but it doesn’t happen anymore.”

Some books take 25 years to sell, others are gone within half an hour if someone is waiting for a particular title. Prices range from a few dollars to the very expensive – a rare three-volume French collection of old voyages published in 1663.

Not all books arrive in good condition – a five-volume first edition set of James Burney’s

History of Discoveries in the South Seas is currently with Wellington bookbinder Susan Peacock. Bought at auction in poor condition, the restoration will set him back a considerable amount. “That’s the price of preserving literary heritage.”

The trade is “a two-sided thing” – it’s harder to find books, but sales doubled during Covid lockdown. He’s particularly interested in Pacific language books of the 19th century –many very remote islands had very small populations, and only a small number of any titles were printed. Antarctica is also on his must-have list.

It’s an international trade –on the dispatch table are cartons waiting to go to Washington DC and the Art Gallery of South Australia in Adelaide.

Mr Mack’s own collection is heavy on anything to do with early New Zealand – especially Abel Tasman, the subject of his as-yet-unpublished manuscript, completed during lockdown. He has a copy of the first Māori grammar, published in 1820, Vancouver’s record of the first voyage to the Chathams, and some stunninglybound 17th to 19th century editions of rare books.

He also has a rare copy of Eastbourne’s rarest book, A G Bagnall’s Notes on Mahina Bay history. Only 25 were printed by Mahina Press, in 1968.

Mr Mack says the breaking up of important

collections that have gone from generation to generation is always sad but while one collection is being disposed of, another is being built up. “It’s an organic thing.”

Rudi Mack can be contacted for viewing by appointment any time except when he is out sailing at the Muritai Yacht Club. +64 27 3164066

Fence to be removed, but what about the sand?

The fence separating the beach from the road along Marine Drive around the Markaro Street area is being removed by Hutt City Council in a trial to see if it still fulfils its purpose of keeping sand on the beach..

The joint Hutt City Council-Eastbourne Community Board plan is to remove the fence that was originally put up to keep sand back from houses and the road. If it’s found the removal has an adverse effect, the section of

fence will be replaced.

HCC says many parts of the fence are in a poor state of repair, and that the formation of sand dunes is likely to stop accumulation of sand on the road.

Rudiger (Rudi) Mack with two precious antiquarian examples – a Dutch book from 1705 with the first printed illustration of the first encounter between Māori and Tasman’s sailors, and A G Bagnall’s rare Notes on Mahina Bay history.

Meat Brook the butcher

How do you get to own your own butchery at the tender age of 28? If you believe the new owner of Eastbourne Quality Meats, Brook Lyall, it’s all a matter of being in the right place at the right time.

“To own your own business you’ve got to know the game and be ready to win,” says the career butcher, who with his wife Tiffany – his high school sweetheart, who does the books and also works in the shop – took over the business late last month from Barry Spooner.

Mr Lyall’s been in the butchery game his whole working life – 13 years – so he knows what’s involved, beginning with the 13-hour days, which he has no problem with.

He “fell into the job” straight out of Taita College – he needed money and nearby Park Avenue Quality Meats in Avalon needed staff. He jokes he’d rather be a millionaire playboy, “but those jobs aren’t available”.

Since then he’s had a variety of jobs, including butchery manager at New World and Pak’nSave supermarkets, to working for butcher and delicatessen Cameron Harrison.

Mr Lyall credits much of his success to Cameron Harrison co-owner Rob Cameron, a former tutor at Weltec. “He’s my idol,” he says. “That’s who I got all my ideas from. All my attitude, everything came from Rob.”

Very aware of his loyal customer base in Eastbourne, Mr Lyall is not planning on changing anything, simply adding to it –starting with his own recipe pork sausages and bratwurst, made in the smokehouse out the back by the man he calls Master Liam, his “batman”, who also makes great black pudding. He’d like to add chicken delicacies to the offerings too – “maybe bacon and mushroom rolled chicken. We’ll get the foundation right and go from there.”

Under Covid rules, Mr Lyall believes independent butchers have the advantage. “Supermarket quality is dropping,” he claims.

Library upgrade

Eastbourne’s library is one of five set to get repairs and refurbishment as part of Hutt City Council’s capital delivery plan, which is spending $4 million over the next three years to maintain core community infrastructure. Most were built in the 1950s and 60s and due for renewal work.

Alannah Laban, HCC’s head of Assets and Facilities, says the Eastbourne building requires exterior concrete repair and paint, and an upgrade of its switchboard. The exterior concrete repair has already been completed and exterior painting is being booked in for summer. HCC says the old EB Borough Council offices above the library, which are now rented out, will remain unchanged.

Faith in the Community

You are the light of the world… Mat 5:13-16

We’ve just moved into a new home. Made me think back to our first home, almost 50 years ago, on the other side of the world. We’d gone there so my husband could study. Our daughter was six-weeks old. A brand-new mother, away from all support systems, from everything familiar. How alone I felt. I remember sitting on the steps to our apartment block each afternoon while my daughter slept upstairs. Just sitting. I remember too, a young mother from the opposite apartment block, coming over to me. “Hi” she said, “I’m Claire. I’ve been watching you from my window this week, and today decided that you needed a friend.” Light shining from her eyes, a radiant smile…

Claire means light. From that day to this, light has been special to me. I look for nature’s return of the light each year, finger by finger, each tiny sliver of the lengthening day with its welcome of warmth, with its promise of summer. Hope filled. I thought of Claire again this morning, as I was welcomed into a very established coffee group. These women meet every Wednesday in a local café. Most widowed. Most with families far away. Most coping with cataracts and the cloudiness of light in an ordinary day. But all of them with Claire’s radiant smile, full of welcome, warmth, hope. Being light to one another. That’s what we’re all called to be…

St Ronan’s: Services: Sundays 9.30am. Ask if you’d like our weekly emailed e-Service or monthly printed magazine the Record E:office@ stronans.org.nz W:www.stronans.org.nz

Community Fridge: The vulnerable come daily and sometimes find it bare. Spare a thought, drop something in…Take something out…

St Alban’s: Two services Wellesley School Sun: 8:30am (traditional) and 10am (contemporary), with Kids Club (primary) and Hot Chocolate Club (intermediate). Communion Thur 10am, various venues. E:office@stalbanschurch.nz W:www. stalbanschurch.nz

San Antonio: Services: Vigil Mass, Sat 5.30pm, San Antonio. Mass, Sun 9.30am and 5.30pm, Sacred Heart, Petone. E:holyspiritparish41@ gmail.com W:www.holyspirit.nz

• This column of church news and views is sponsored by St Alban’s Anglican, St Ronan’s Presbyterian and San Antonio Catholic Churches.

Butchers Liam and Brook.

News from Point Howard

HCC - Removal of Eucalyptus Tree on Nikau Road

HCC have assessed the large Eucalyptus tree to the west of The Pines on Nikau Road.

As the tree is on the edge of an unstable bank, leaning toward the road, it poses a reasonable risk of failure in the future. Due to its height and size, HCC will remove the tree to take away the risk. Work is expected to take place before Christmas and local residents will be notified.

Seaview Noise Update

Port Road Drags: Sunday 28th November 2021 from 7:00 am to 6:00pm.

Noise complaints, reports of dangerous driving or any other illegal activities outside our road closure hours and cordon (during the event) should be reported to the HCC Noise control or/and the Police.

Kevin Brennan can list at least five extremely lucky events in his long life.

The first was being born at a time when penicillin was being pioneered.

“When I was 11 and living in West London, I contracted osteomyelitis and had an abscess on one of my leg bones. The usual treatment was to expose and scrape the bone, and often the leg had to be amputated. Just before I was due to have this procedure, my parents were told about a new drug, penicillin. If they agreed to it being used, I would need to be injected every three hours for two months. Early penicillin was raw and caused muscle cramps. My mantra was, ‘One day this will be over, and I will be ok’. This philosophy has stood me in good stead my whole life.”

Kevin started school when war broke out. He remembers playing outside with his friends and stopping to listen to the doodlebugs or V-1 flying bombs overhead. “If the bomb was flying in another direction, we would carry on playing. We were taught not to panic -- we just got on with our lives.”

Kevin’s second lucky break was coming to New Zealand when he was 15. “Fortunately, I had a father who seemed quite happy to see the back of me. I worked my passage on a cargo ship and intended joining my eldest brother on a farm. Instead, I became an apprentice printer. Seven years later, I went back to England as I wasn’t sure where I wanted to live. Within days, I decided New Zealand was the much better choice.” Four of his six siblings also moved to New Zealand.

Back in New Zealand and continuing his printing career, Kevin joined Opera Technique where he studied singing. As well as singing with the New Zealand Opera Company chorus, he sang with the St Mary’s of the Angels’ choir, the Wellington Choral Society and the Orpheus Choir, all without reading a note of music.

“I had a very good ear and was able to memorise the score fairly easily.”

A highlight was being part of the opera chorus for Wagner’s Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, performed during the 1990 International Arts Festival in Wellington.

Kevin also worked as a mechanist for the New Zealand Opera Company and toured with the New Zealand Players as a technician.

In 1961, Kevin married and moved to Eastbourne where he and his wife had four children. Helping land one of the lifeboats onto the beach outside his home in Hinau Street during the Wahine storm is an abiding memory. “Eastbourne people saved so many lives that day and received little recognition for their efforts,” he said.

Kevin’s marriage ended around 1979. He moved back to Wellington where he completed a degree focusing on education and psychology. His career took new directions when he became a rehabilitation officer at Wellington Hospital, then a director for the Samaritans and later trained as a marriage guidance counsellor. He retired from Relationship Services in 2008, aged 75, and finally returned to Eastbourne to live.

Although one of his sons lives nearby, Kevin is well used to living on his own, despite his worsening eyesight. This is caused by a combination of macular degeneration and glaucoma. “Audio books from Blind Low Vision New Zealand are my life savers. They link to my computer via Alexa Skill, a technology that can read aloud my emails and access the internet.”

Kevin occasionally catches the bus to the village, but he has to be extra careful on the uneven pavements and when crossing roads. Every four months, an Okiwi Trust volunteer drives him to Wellington for his eye appointments.

Despite his increasingly poor sight, Kevin says he has much to be grateful for, with the phone and skype helping him stay in touch with extended family around the world.

- by Anne Manchester/Photo: Pippa de Court

‘I will be ok’ – an Okiwi life story

Mondays

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

m-5.30pm. Contact Judy Bishop 562 8985

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

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

• DB Playcentre Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, from 9:15 to 11:45, phone Jeanne 021979177.

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

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

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

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

• 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.

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

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

Tuesdays

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

• 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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

• 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. Lucy 021 335 391.

• Scottish Country Dance. Merryn 562 0236.

• Bridge Club 7-10pm. Shona 562 7073.

• DB Playcentre Mon, Wed, Fri 9-12. Siobhan siobhan_whelan@yahoo.ie

• “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!

• Intermediate/teen hip hop and contemporary. 5pm onwards St Ronans Hall. 0274373508 info@pumpdance.com

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

Thursdays

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

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

• SPACE at Days Bay Playcentre. Michelle 971 8598.

• East Harbour Women’s Club

- Bolivia 12.45pm, Contact Glendyr ph: 562 7181. Guest Speaker (3rd week of month)7pm, drinks and nibbles provide, Contact Diane ph: 562 7555 •Lions meet 2nd Thursday of the month at

the Eastbourne Sports and Services Club, Tuatoru St 6.30 pm. New members and visitors are welcome. Graham 562 8819.

• 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.

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

• Scouts: Thursday 6.00pm - 8.00pm, Damon 022 620 7116

Fridays

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

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

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

• DB Playcentre Mon, Wed, Fri 9-12. Siobhan siobhan_whelan@yahoo.ie

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

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

Saturdays

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

• Lions’ rubbish bin last Saturday of each month.

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

Sundays

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

A device that could have been mistaken for an alien spacecraft landed on the Parangarahu lakes beach after a storm on 14 October. Dislodged from its usual position off Baring Head, this NIWA wave rider buoy sends live measurements of waves off Wellington’s south coast to the harbour master at Beacon hill. It has now, thankfully, been safely retrieved.

Deer scat

To understand how many deer are living in the park, a DNA scat (droppings) survey will take place between 25 October and 3 December. 120km of survey lines will be walked to find fresh deer scats.

To enable full and systematic coverage of the entire park, survey lines are set approximately 175m apart in the interior and 100m apart around the edge to ensure deer roaming the private land fringe are monitored. Samples will be sent to Massey University to identify the number of individuals, hotspot areas and to map deer home ranges.

During the survey, field staff will cull any deer they encounter. DNA samples will be taken from culled deer for cross reference with scat DNA analysis.

There is an opportunity for professional deer culling by Trap and Trigger on private land during the survey contract period. Greater Wellington Regional Council will cover the cost of contracts and obligations ($60 per hour of hunting time for a minimum of 3 hours). There is no guarantee of shooting an animal. Written permission is required for hunters to operate on private land. Please contact Jo on 0274673076, or jo.greenman@gw.govt.nz – to discuss culling on private land.

Kidztalk

Weed of the Month

As you walk about the Northern Forest you may notice or smell a beautiful white flowered climbing vine. At this time of year, it’s likely to be Puawhananga (Clematis paniculata) which flowers between August and November. Puawhananga is one of seven species of clematis native to New Zealand, most of which have three leaflets (except the Leafless C. afoliata). Soon the very weedy and invasive Old man’s beard, Clemitis vitalba, will start to flower (December to May). The easiest way to tell them apart is that each leaf on Old man’s beard has five leaflets. Both vines grow high into the canopy. Old man’s beard has six prominent ribs or furrows and its bark easily rubs off whereas the woody stems of the native clematis are unfurrowed.

The hardy Old man’s beard produces many seeds and grows rapidly, forming dense, heavy, masses that dominate, smother and kill all plants. The noxious weed also prevents the growth of native seedlings and moves readily into established forest over the canopy.

News from our local playcentres

Point Howard Playcentre is back in session for Term 4! We are enjoying the wonderful new climbing box, with thanks to the Eastbourne Bays Community Trust for the generous grant. We have an epic Playground and our tamariki are making the most of it as the sun begins to shine more and more.

Summer is on it's way and we can't wait to take our more of our activities (and morning tea) outside!

If you're a parent, grandparent or private caregiver who wants to spend time engaging your children with exciting opportunities to play and learn, all while enjoying an excellent cup of coffee, please join us on Mondays, Wednesday and/or Fridays 9:15-11:45 at 1A Ngaumatau Rd, Point Howard. Call Lucy on 021335391 if you have any more questions.

BY

PROUDLY SPONSORED

NEWS FROM POINT HOWARD PLAYCENTRE

-EHRP ranger Jo Greenman

This NIWA wave rider buoy was washed ashore at Baring Head.

Native Clematis paniculata.

Swim club starts Dec 2

Running race night under Covid-19 level 2 conditions meant things looked a little different at last season's Eastbourne Swim Club race night, though still loads of fun for those involved.

Organisers say the night finished off another great season in style, and they are looking forward to the return of the local institution in December.

New and existing swimmers are welcome to join the volunteer-run swim club at Eastbourne's pool. Swimmers aged four and a half to 12 years can join.

"For those new to Swim Club it’s a bit of an Eastbourne icon and is a community (non-competitive) club run by a small group of volunteers with lessons on Thursdays nights between 5pm and 6.30pm," organisers say.

With another shortened season the opening dates have influenced swim club.

Club nights this year will run from December 2, 2021 to Dec 23, and from January 27, 2022 to March 3, inclusive.

The club is always on the lookout for coaches and asks anyone interested to get in touch.

For more information check out the Eastbourne Swim Club Facebook page or email eastbourneswimclub@gmail.com

Registrations open 11 November. A registration link will be emailed to previously registered families, and any new families who request a registration link.

Garden Stuff with Sandy Lang FACILITATION

November: Late spring, longer days, warmer. Getting late to plant shrubs, time to plant tomatoes, zucchini, capsicum, sweetcorn.

Forests: You might guess plants in a dense forest are engaged in a life/death struggle for a limited energy resource - sunlight. A struggle between plants of the same species and also between different species. But your guess is wrong…

Roots: Almost half of every green plant is below ground. In this mysterious nether world, you might guess the roots are engaged in a life/death struggle to be first to discover and exploit the soil’s scant resources of water and minerals. But this guess is wrong too…

Patchy: Soil is very patchy, with big differences in the availability of soil water and soil minerals from place to place. The patchiness is both horizontal and vertical, with water-rich and mineral-rich patches well spaced-out among a lot of rocks. You might guess it’s a matter of luck a seed should fall in a good spot and so survive. But this guess is wrong too…

SPENCER LOGAN Valuations Limited

Facilitative: Instead, analysis of natural plant communities shows interactions between plants are more often ‘facilitative’ (they help one another) than ‘competitive’ (they hinder one another). How is this…?

Mycorrhiza: The roots of around 90% of all plants are symbiotically associated with soil fungi – mycorrhizae. These mycorrhizal fungi, source their energy molecules (sugars) from their host plants. Meanwhile, mycorrhizal fungi are much better than plants at accessing tightly locked-up soil minerals and tiny packets of water held between fine soil particles. The mycorrhizae discover and absorb these, and then share them with their host trees. Google mycorrhiza wiki

Interconnected: Each tree may be associated with up to 15 different mycorrhizal species. Also, most mycorrhizal species associate with multiple plant species. Hence, the mycorrhizae and plants of a forest are better thought of as one vast interconnected living organism, which shares its sugars, minerals and water among all participants.

Hydraulic lift: Most roots are quite shallow (540 cm) - even of large trees. But a few go down much deeper (2+ m). These pull up water from deep down and share it all around. Google hydraulic redistribution wiki.

Community: A highly connected community of cooperating plants and fungi does much better than a whole lot of plants engaged in deadly competition.

Some of last year's race winners.

Football club caps off season with growing numbers

The Eastbourne Football Club had another highly successful season although the recent Covid-19 outbreak and level-4 lockdown resulted in the season finishing early for junior teams.

"That said, our junior numbers remain strong, a direct result of the time and effort the coaches and parents put into developing and encourage their kids to play and enjoy their football every weekend, EFC captain Mike Andrews says.

With the junior season coming to an abrupt end, the club is hoping to stage a small interclub festival of football over the summer so that the junior teams can play each other, have some team photos taken and prizes presented.

The club fielded three Masters teams for the third season running and the playing numbers keep improving, prompting some thought that there could be a fourth team entered in one of the Capital Football masters grades (35+) next season.

After being promoted twice over the last two years, the “Hammers” (the Club’s marquee team) competed in the top Capital Football masters grade this year and did incredibly well to finish in the top-4. I

"t’s testament to the Club that we were able

to field a team in Wellington’s top masters grade, and a testament to the Hammers themselves that they were able to compete against the very best masters players in Wellington and the Hutt Valley in their first season in that grade," Mr Andrews says.

The “Thirsty Fives” were placed in the Masters 6 grade this season (a legacy of last season’s Covid-shortened season) but it was soon apparent they were playing well above their pay grade.

They led the competition for most of the season but were pipped by a last minute goal from the Wainui Pacifica team in the last game of the regular season.

The “Thirsties” ended up runner-up in their grade and won promotion to their “spiritual” Masters 5 grade next season and have already begun pre-season training at the fount bar of the Eastbourne Sports Club.

The Club’s perennial battlers, “the Geriatrics”, played in the Over-45 grade again this season with Bishop Park becoming their fortress.

The “Gs” remained unbeaten at home well into the season and powered home to finish mid-table in what’s becoming a stronger and stronger grade every season.

The club recently held its end-of-season prize giving function for its three masters teams.

"It was great to see so many players, managers, supporters, wives, girlfriends and boyfriends of the players pitch up and join in the celebrations," Mr Andrews says.

"We’re all looking forward to another successful season next year. A big shout out to all involved."

Beach clean up

The next Burdan’s Gate beach clean will be on Sunday, November 14 from 9am12pm. Bags and gloves will be provided, and it will go ahead regardless of the weather. "If you’re headed out the week before the scheduled date, you can leave your bags securely tied anywhere along the road between Burdan’s Gate and the lower lighthouse. HCC will drive out there on the Monday to collect them," Organiser Sarah Pettus says Email or text Sarah with any questions. 021 024 04667.

Indicative image: Te Awa Kairangi/Hutt River looking north

SONNY'S YOGA - EASTBOURNE CLASSES - Enjoy a relaxing yoga class near the ocean. Every Wednesday 6.45pm at Muritai Yacht Club. Beginners welcome. First Wednesday of each month will be a gentle YIN yoga class. For more info visit www.sonnysyoga.nz

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

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

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

Lawn mowing and gardening services. Contact Supreme mowing. Phone Grant 0212481771.

EASTBOURNE HERALD ADVERTISERS UNDERSTAND NOT EVERYONE IS ON FACEBOOK. THE EASTBOURNE HERALD GOES TO EACH AND EVERY LETTERBOX IN THE EASTERN BAYS. ADVERTISE HERE AND HAVE THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS - HARD COPY AND ONLINE READING!