The Weekend Sun - 12 April 2024

Your junk, their lifeline

A new earth-saving, people-empowering phenomenon is happening in Katikati. It’s Wednesday afternoon at Katikati Recycling Centre and the new Resource Recovery Centre located on-site has people sorting batteries, e-waste and much more.

Others are xing things. e ‘things’ are reusable items that have been dropped o by the local community. And you name it, it’s being dropped o – think fridges, freezers, TVs, computers, sound systems, sporting equipment, garden and power tools, furniture, and now plants!

e Chrome Collective team – which o ers training, employment and advocacy to people with disabilities to integrate them

into the wider community – are xing and sorting items with the people they help in the hope of on-selling it to raise funds to keep doing their good work.

“Ultimately the reason behind it all is for us to save the planet, but also to create long-term employment opportunities for people with disabilities. It’s a win-win

story for all,” says Chrome Collective’s operations manager Sharaine Steenberg, pictured here with donations.

A whopping eight tonnes of reusable items have been donated in a month – but they need more before August 31 to determine if the centre can open a retail facility on-site.

Read more on page 14. Photo: John Borren.

Eulogy to a lost idea

We missed a trick.

De nitely missed a trick.

And every time I use that dog of a cycleway over the Wairoa River I am cruelly reminded. I cycle beneath the State Highway 2 road bridge – while overhead po-faced ‘Omokoroans’ are creeping bumper-to-bumper at 20km towards purgatory in the city – and I gaze up river at WHAT might have been.

And WHERE it might have been.

‘Design announced for ‘iconic’ Wairoa Bridge’ the headline screamed at the time. Something of ‘distinctive excellence’. And damned right it would have been.

A sweeping $6.5 million cycle/ walkway bridge – curved, single span, no piles and a spectacular arch soaring to about 40 metres at mid-point. A unique creation. A visionary gateway to the city. Breathtaking, amazeballs, visionary, fantasticular, bangers. People would have paid to cross it, stand on it, gaze at it, or from it, walk on it, pee from it, run over it, jump from it. People love bridges. Especially iconic ones. Especially this one.

I can sense Western Bay eyes rolling, along with a chorus of “let it go, drop it, move on why don’t yuh?”

Bridges’. Kokomo would have enshrined our ‘iconic arch’ in song by now.

Even Bridges loves bridges. At the time, Simon Bridges, who the polls are touting to be next Mayor of Super City Auckland, stammered in his own endearing way that the Wairoa arch bridge plans were “... stunning...incredibly exciting.” But not exciting enough to push the project over the line. A $6.5 million icon blew out to a $14-$17 million icon.

But why not spend a few ‘mil’ more for a real doozy bridge, a showstopper.

However No! Nein! Non! Nie! e spreadsheets sang a di erent bridge song

says the mate. at kind of sums it. Still! Approaching from the north you cross the clip-on and continue 100 metres up the highway towards Bethlehem. en a hairpin brings you all the way back to the tra c bridge underpass, then up the SH2 carriageway to a tra c light-controlled crossing.

Mischief

at’s where the mischief kicks in. How many cars grinding their way up and down SH2 can you hold up when you whack the button, triggering the ‘cross now’ sign? I’m told the record is 26 totally pissed city-bound cars and trucks. ey don’t seem to share the joke. ey’ve had enough stop/ start by the time they reach the crossing at Bethlehem.

e fact we didn’t get our bridge doesn’t make it acceptable and right. And after all this time, the compromise still stinks. So why not relitigate a bit?

Landmarks

Bridges are landmarks that identify cities – London Bridge, Brooklyn Bridge, Sydney Harbour Bridge – things of great beauty and standing. And for us pontists, it’s important they be more than functional. ey have to be elegant and welcoming, sources of great civic pride. Because bridges change lives by traversing gaps, creating passage and o ering opportunity and connection. Bridges, as in arches, have inspired music – ‘ e 59th Street Bridge Song’, ‘Under the Bridge’ and Pink Floyd’s ‘Burning

in a key of “can’t a ord” and “can’t be done”. A brilliant concept was snu ed out. And we’ve been landed a dog – a jerry-built, dead-set ugly bit of nonsense infrastructure at the start/end of a glorious bike ride.

A mate sco s

A mate and visitor to Tauranga had been blathering all the way from Ōmokoroa about what a ‘lovely’ ride it was –orchards, rural lifestyles and seascapes. But when we got to the bridge, he sco ed. “ at bit was obviously designed by committee.” e Ōmokoroa trail proper is ‘lovely’ – pizza at one end, a cidery at the other and cycling in between. It’s just getting on or o the trail at the city end that’s a mess, a crazy compromise. “It reminds me of a gripping two-hour movie that zzles out, has a crap ending,”

If we couldn’t have an ‘iconic bridge’ then it seemed logical for the cycleway to continue up the harbour side of SH2 despite all the washy explanations about safety, all the concerns about cyclists versus local cars entering or leaving driveways, side roads and footpaths. Or were there more devious forces at play? Locals have scratched around but no-one knows. Or no-one’s saying.

New argument

e ‘iconic Wairoa bridge’ saga aside, there’s a new argument over a ordability. And we champions of progress and investment have been warned “a lot” of the Civic Precinct might not happen if “the right people” – or wrong people for that matter – are elected to council on July 20. “Make no mistake...” we’ve been told. Fighting talk.

Is another life-injecting project in danger of being derailed? Because, as has rightfully been pointed out, it’s not always about economics. ere’s a greater good. A wiser head than mine says he’s seen the legacy of our indecision, the legacy of not being prepared to invest, to look at cost before the wider bene ts.

So let’s pray for the precinct. And I will try to forget about my lost bridge.

Potential new clubrooms ‘heartwarming’

A Mount Maunganui sports club is closer to having a home after being without clubrooms for 14 years, which has been a “massive hit to their mana”.

Arataki Sports’ clubrooms at Arataki Park were demolished in 2010 and the club has been asking Tauranga City Council for a space ever since. e club represents a range of sports including rugby and netball.

e Commission approved the Arataki Park Concept Plan at a meeting on Monday.

e plans include an area for a sports club, a cycle/ walking track around the park’s perimeter, upgrades to the skatepark, basketball court and playgrounds. A youth hub could also be added by extending the community centre.

Arataki Sports president Billy Russell says the old clubrooms were a “home away from home” for the community. “It was quite a dampener on our mana when they took out our old clubrooms.

“ e last few years it’s just been a massive struggle and a massive hit to our mana.”

“To hear that [council] want to meet with us and engage in that space again is heart-warming.”

e clubs uses the community centre at the park for changing rooms but Russell says it doesn’t cater for their needs and isn’t a home. “When we host other clubs for after-matches it’s so demeaning. “It’s not somewhere you feel proud to take people from other historic clubs because it holds no mana.” Arataki Sports request for a space to build clubrooms was denied many times by previous councils, says Billy. “Now that the Commissioners

Arataki Sports president Billy Russell says the opportunity to have clubrooms puts a re in the belly.

are giving us that opportunity, it’s a little bit of a re in the belly.”

Council spaces and places manager Alison Law says the council couldn’t comment on previous council decisions. “However, recent investment in sports facilities is an acknowledgement from the council of the important role of sports clubs in providing social and community wellbeing.” e previous building was demolished because it reached the end of its life, says Alison.

e clubrooms opened in 1978, seven years after Arataki Sports was formed. Arataki Community Centre was co-designed with the community and its primary purpose was to provide spaces for the community to connect and these were always very busy, says Alison.

“It’s not the ideal space for sports club to operate from, which is why the plan for the park proposes a new sports facility.”

“ e development of the Arataki Park Concept Plan was in part a response to the longstanding concerns from Arataki Sports that they did not have adequate facilities on the park.”

e council will work with Arataki Sports and other users to development the sports facility, says Alison. ere is no speci c funding for the plan but it will be implemented as budget became available and existing facilities need renewing over the next 30 years. If funding is needed to build the clubrooms Arataki Sports will fundraise to put their whare back up, says Russell.

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Lack of doctors serious impact

Wait times for an appointment at Katikati Medical Centre can be weeks long and while a new doctor should help the situation, the centre’s clinical director says the underlying problems are industry-wide. Clinical director and GP Vicky Jones says wait times for routine appointments range from a few days to several weeks depending on the doctor. “Wait times across the motu have blown out in many places to as long as six weeks.”

Doctors in primary healthcare services are expressing their concerns about the workforce and funding crisis. Vicky is concerned general practices in NZ are in danger of becoming insolvent, although that’s not an immediate concern for Katikati Medical Centre. She says improving terms and conditions to match those of hospitals is needed to attract more doctors into GP practices.

Ruthe’s record-breaking blitz

Sam Ruthe has continued Tauranga Boys’ College attack on New Zealand’s middle distance running scene. Ruthe took home three golds from Palmerston North at the North Island Secondary Schools Track and Field Championships.

Only 12 months ago that TBC’s George Wyllie set the fastest 3000m in the event’s history for Intermediate boys aged under-16. is year his school mate and training partner Sam Ruthe went on his own record rampage. In the 800m Sam reduced the 23-year-old record from 1:56.06 to 1:55.28.

Newshub job cuts

All Newshub operations will be shut down and 250 people will lose their jobs. e last 6pm news bulletin will air July 5.

External talks are ongoing but no outside deals have been con rmed yet, sta have been told. Warner Bros Discovery say talks are ongoing with third parties to provide a paredback news service – such as a 6pm bulletin for the ree channel.

e announcement came at an all-sta meeting Wednesday morning held at a meeting hall close to Newshub’s Auckland o ce.

Warner Bros Discovery management rst told Newshub sta in February it planned to axe the entire news operation by June’s end.

Magic eyes up Hobbiton Cup

e Waikato Bay of Plenty AVIS Magic netball team starts the 2024 ANZ Premiership season at the Hobbiton Movie Set Cup, this Saturday, April 13. Here the Magic take on the Northern Mystics at GLOBOX Arena in Hamilton, at 4pm. “We’ve put in the hard work during the o -season, and I have full faith in the abilities of our players,” says head coach Mary Jane Araroa. “We’re ready to showcase our skills and compete at the highest level.” For the Magic team, a mix of seasoned veterans and young talent, April 13 begins a 15-round season in the competition.

Maketu photographer wins LegaSea photo comp

Renowned Maketu photographer

Andy Belcher has once again captured the essence of New Zealand’s marine beauty, clinching the top prize in the LegaSea NZ ‘Our FishCare Summer Photo Competition’.

His stunning composition, an underwater scorpion sh contrasted against the dark backdrop of the ocean at night, has taken out top spot among 250 entries from Kiwis nationwide.

Two of his underwater photos, captured while diving at the Poor Knights Islands, have also taken out second and third prizes in the ‘Underwater Photos’ category; and another photo of a South Island west coast beach shot at sunset won rst place in the ‘Landscape Coastal Shots’ category. “It was quite a surprise,” says Andy. e 80-year-old has won 84 international photographic awards.

In 1997 he was invited to London’s Natural History Museum to accept his most prestigious award, when he won the Animal Behaviour section of the British Wildlife Photographer of the Year Competition with a grouper photograph taken in Vanuatu.

For that, 19,000 images were entered from photographers in 65 countries. Andy says it’s quite rare these days to nd a photo competition with no entry fee.

“I’ve been following LegaSea for a while now and really love the way they’re bringing more awareness to the health of our sheries,” says Andy.

“Being an avid diver and underwater photographer, the e ects of unsustainable shing practices are far too visible – and it’s clear that if nothing is done, we might not be able to continue to enjoy our beautiful ocean playground for years to come.”

Every year LegaSea runs their photo competition to highlight NZ’s coastal

environment and get people engaged and interacting with our coast in di erent ways.

Andy says he was keen to support the competition because he loves what LegaSea are doing, and feel like he’s aligned with their mission as a brand.

“It was also a great chance to get behind photography of landscapes and coastlines, which is essentially what our artwork celebrates.”

Andy Belcher’s photo of a scorpion sh contrasted against the dark backdrop of the ocean at night won him the rst overall prize in the 2023/2024 LegaSea competition.

Photo: Andy Belcher.

Andy Belcher.

Rosalie Liddle-Crawford

‘Change will happen’

Increased nes for misuse of mobility carparks are that much closer thanks to one determined Tauranga resident.

In February 2022, Claire Dale presented a petition to Parliament calling for mobility carparking to be enforceable. Namely, the petition called for nes to be substantially increased nationally for misusing mobility carparks, including on private land that is used publicly. “On private property for public use the ne is often no more than $100,” says Claire. “[But] 68 per cent of mobility parking abuse happens on private property – and when I say private property, we’re talking about supermarkets, shopping centres etc.

“When people abuse mobility parking spaces, they generally justify it in their own mind saying: ‘I’m just popping in for my co ee, I’m just popping in to pick up something from the supermarket, I’m not doing any harm...’ but if somebody drives past in that 30 seconds and there’s someone in the space – then they can't park there.”

is means someone a part of the disabled community may have to return home, and miss out on their needed items or services, says Claire,

who has had six spinal surgeries. “ ere’s all sorts of things on a daily basis that makes life really ipping di cult.”

However, last month Claire says she had the most “unexpectedly good news”. On March 21, a special debate in Parliament was held, and a motion to forward the petition was carried unanimously.

“I’m pretty happy with the outcome of the Parliamentary debate for obvious reasons!” is means her years of work, pushing for this issue to be addressed is closer to seeing standardised mobility parking become a matter of law with a heftier ne.

e next steps for making mobility parking enforceable will be going through consultation, ironing out the ne details. “At the end of that, the amount of the ne will be written into law – and I’ve asked for it to be linked to the CPI [Consumer Price Index] so that it keeps pace with in ation.

“It will then have to go through three readings at Parliament before it gets passed.”

Claire says a $500 ne for misuse of mobility carparks will be a reality in the near future.

“My hunch is that National will make these changes in two-and-a-half years, not long before the next election, but change will happen.”

Road conditions set to improve on Links Ave

Tauranga City Council is going to start road condition work on Links Ave to improve safety for all road users.

e works will be done in 250m sections and include rebuilding the road surface with concrete and asphalt; upgrading small sections of footpath; putting in kerb blocks to protect cycle lanes; and landscaping.

June. Most work will happen between 7am and 7pm Monday-Saturday.

Weather permitting, work will begin Monday, April 15, with road surface work expected to be completed by mid-May and remaining work by the end of

All public buses will be diverted around Links Ave from April 13 to May 13, with services accessible on Golf Rd or Concord Ave. For more information, visit: www.baybus.co.nz/latestupdates/service-updates/ full-closure-of-links-avenue14th-april-to-13th-may-2024

School bus services remain unchanged, and buses will enter and exit from Golf Rd.

Georgia Minkhorst

Claire Dale says a lot of people abuse mobility parking with the mindset of just grabbing a quick co ee. Photo: John Borren.

Boobops give back to breast cancer charity!

A dragon boat club full of ladies who’ve rst-hand felt the love and support of Breast Cancer Support Services Tauranga is giving back to the charity by taking part in 2024’s 100k’s in 30 Days. e Boobops’ two dragon boat teams – Moana and Aroha – made up of 53 breast cancer survivors and will take

on the Aotearoa 100k’s in 30 Days challenge on the waters of Tauranga Harbour this May.

Boobops team member Bridget Prendiville says her team has participated in Aotearoa 100k’s in 30 Days – a challenge where people can walk, run, bike, paddle, swim 100km during the month of May to fundraise for the Breast Cancer Support Services Tauranga – since it began in 2022.

“We support the Breast Cancer Support Services Tauranga because a

lot of us have used their valuable services,” says Bridget. “ ey are an amazing organisation – and we want other women diagnosed with breast cancer to be able to get the wonderful support and help they o er!”

Powerful and vital

Bridget says Boobop paddlers know exactly how powerful and vital the work of the BCSST is.

“ is service is very important as they are there to help women and men in our community successfully navigate the journey of having breast cancer by o ering practical and emotional support, hope, encouragement, nancial help, meals, oncology massages and a wealth of information and resources.

“ e BCSST support workers are women who’ve coped with breast cancer themselves and so they understand the fears and feelings that come with a breast cancer diagnosis and the knowledge and tips they share are invaluable.

“So you’re not having to do it all on your own.”

national champions, prepare for the 2024 Club Crew World Championships they have quali ed for, in Ravenna, Italy, on September 3-8. “Winter is traditionally our o -season, when we don’t generally go as hard in training – but we do need to keep the intensity up for the world championships.”

Boobops coach Judith Butler has set her team going to Italy a challenge each month to stay focused and t – for May it’s the Aotearoa 100K’s in 30 Days! “It will be great to have the challenge of pad-dling 100km in our dragon boat in May,” says Bridget, who hopes many other groups, workplaces, schools and individuals will also take part in 100K’s in 30 Days.

Register or donate

Bridget says the 100K’s in 30 Days challenge will also help the Boobops Moana team, who are 2024

All you need to do is register, get sponsored and clock 100km in 30 days – either on foot, on wheels or in the water! “We’d also love BCSST to get a sponsor – so by us breast cancer survivors getting out and doing this challenge, the public will hopefully support this wonderful charity that strives to make a positive impact in our community.” To take part or donate to Aotearoa 100k’s in 30 Days, visit: at: 100ksin30days.nz

you have what it takes to run this city?

e Boobops’ dragon boat teams will take on the Aotearoa 100k’s in 30 Days challenge in May.

As her hunger builds with dusk approaching, her faith is fed and recharged as she celebrates being Muslim for the month of Ramadan.

For the past month, in line with the Islamic Lunar calendar, Saadia Khan has been celebrating Ramadan with her family who live in Tauranga. “Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and marks the month when the Quran was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) by the Angel Jibra'il (Angel Gabriel),” says Saadia.

Lasting 29, or 30 days depending on timing of the next crescent moon, Saadia says Ramadan is a month of “intense spiritual rejuvenation” with immense focus on devotion. “Muslims spend extra time reading the Quran and performing special prayer.” Part of Ramadan involves fasting or ‘sawm’ from dawn to dusk each day. “People are expected to prohibit them self from any food, grain and

Recharging faith with Ramadan

immoral act.” Saadia has been taking part in this for more than 20 years, where fasting begins at around age 12 or once a person has past puberty. Saadia’s accustomed to the sense of hunger that comes with Ramadan. “We fast for the sake of Allah and also show unity with people who su er from hunger around the world. It teaches us how to control hunger and maintain mood swings.”

A big part of the fast is the ‘why?’ says Saadia. “ e reason for fasting is to remind Muslims that all individuals are similar, and needy upon the assistance of God.”

Yet Saadia says Ramadan is so much more than fasting. “It is the month of peace, the month of tranquillity, the month of cure, the month of goodness, the month of forgiveness, the month of mercy, the month of attending paradise, the month of Quran, the month of revelation.”

“Ramadan is a month of celebration of being a Muslim.” e new crescent moon is due this week.

Saadia Khan, in yellow, enjoying ‘Iftar’ – a fast-breaking evening meal with –her family. Photo: supplied.

Roadworks on SH2 along Hewletts Rd

A month’s worth of road rebuilding and resurfacing is being planned for State Highway 2/Hewletts Road in Mount Maunganui.

NZ Transport Agency Waka

Kotahi Waikato and Bay of Plenty maintenance and operations Roger Brady says work gets underway on Sunday, April 14, for four weeks, with crews on-site between 8.30pm and 5.30am, Sunday to ursday nights. “Every day, thousands of people travel through this part of SH2, heading o to hang out in the Mount and Pāpāmoa, deliver freight to the Port

[of Tauranga] and as part of their daily commute to and from work,” says Roger. “A smooth road makes all these trips safer and more enjoyable.”

e works will rebuild a section of SH2, including new asphalt layers and road markings. During work hours there will be lane closures and detours in place.

No work will take place on Friday or Saturday nights, says Roger.

“We acknowledge that this type of work can be disruptive. Closing the road provides the safest working environment for our crews, which allows them to work e ectively and e ciently.” For more information, visit: www.nzta.govt.nz

Ohauiti Public Meeting

Thursday 18 April, 6pm Changepoint Church 131 Poike Road, Hairini, Tauranga

Your local MP, supporting you and our community to discuss Road Safety Issues in our Community

bopmp@parliament.govt.nz

CBD Explorer Trail to keep kids on their toes!

Downtown Tauranga’s Amber McNicol invites whānau and tamariki to enjoy the free Explorer Trail in the CBD this school holidays. Photo: John Borren.

A free Explorer Trail in the CBD will o er families and children the chance to learn about interesting sites, and engage with fantastic experiences, services and products in the city centre this school holidays.

e Explorer Trail will open from April 12-28 and participants – young and old – can take part in their own time using a phone to answer questions and be in to win six “very cool” prizes!

Downtown Tauranga with support from Tauranga City Council, and in collaboration with STEMwana trust, has created the QR code Explorer Trail around some of the CBD’s favourite kid-friendly locations. “ is event provides a fun, educational experience for

participants – particularly families,” says Downtown Tauranga’s event co-ordinator Amber McNicol.

How to participate

Participants just need to visit: downtowntauranga.explorertrail. nz which will show the Explorer Trail locations. “Once they reach each location they can scan a QR code and answer a multi-choice question relevant to the location,” says Amber. “Once they’ve completed all nine questions around the city centre, participants will go in the draw to win prizes from Animates, Baycourt, Music Works, Pottery Studio, Tinkd Makerspace and e Escape Rooms.”

Amber says the activity is unique for a few reasons. “[First,] It’s an activity that combines technology with resources in the city centre and will keep kids on their toes working through

the questions while they get to explore the city! is means families can explore the CBD in a di erent, fun and educational way. [Second] It engages businesses with the community and vice versa – and will allow participants to learn and be inspired by these spaces!”

A lot on o er

Amber says the Explorer Trail is for everybody but she hopes to see children and families taking part.

“ e aim is for participants to notice and appreciate what is on o er here in the city centre – and there is a lot on o er, especially as we see the city centre going through this period of transformation.”

Prizes for the Explorer Trail will be drawn the week of April 29. For more information, see: downtowntauranga.explorertrail.nz

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The many gifts of bees

Nestled among orchards in the depths of Whakamarama, the bees hum, the honey ows in glistening gold, and mead warms the cockles of your heart.

e Weekend Sun was lucky enough to recently join a bee-themed adventure and learn all about the honey harvest at Whakamarama’s Bee First Apiaries. Run by partners Craig Lovell and Maree Paynter – this hardworking, hands-on duo gave us bee enthusiasts the usual safety chats, making sure we weren’t allergically challenged, before getting us kitted up in beekeeping suits.

Craig says he’s always had an a nity for bees and loves being around them, among Bee First’s 800 hives.

“It’s a chill zone when you’re in with the bees,” says Craig. “It’s pretty quiet, pretty relaxing.

“It’s just them and us, or us and them – depending which side of the hive you’re standing.”

Funky pheromones

Getting a rst-hand look at the hives – Maree and Craig taught us all sorts. From wasps eating baby bees or ‘brood’, drone bees being kicked out of the hive once they’ve served their reproductive purposes

with the queen, to bees’ next level communication skills where they use pheromones to know where the queen is at all times. “If she [the queen] stops emitting pheromones, the colony will be in a distressed state and you’ll hear the whole hive – it’s called ‘roaring’.”

Luckily, all the hives’ queens were in residence the day e Sun visited!

But one bee did manage to weasel its way into Craig’s bonnet, which he nonchalantly grabbed and tossed back out. Bees are calmer than people often think, says Craig. “People believe we have like actual killer bees in the country – hornets – that will hunt you down and sting you. We don’t.

“Bees are generally pretty docile unless you’re in their territory – in their hives.”

Taste testing

Hauling out some honey-packed frames, we shifted into the couple’s tasting room which smelt of refreshing peppermint – this helps to mask the honey’s fragrance from the bees. en we got to business, uncapping the honey using a special fork, and watching in awe as golden honey drizzled into the tray below. en the frames went into a metal barrel honey extractor, which spins the frames and icks the honey out.

e Weekend Sun reporter Georgia Minkhorst getting amongst the happy hives. Photo: Maree Paynter.

ere were lots of “mmm’s” of approval as we tried our ll of this raw, un ltered honey. Yet it’s not this sweet nectar that keeps the money owing in for Craig and Maree. e pair mainly make their living through hiring out their hives to pollinate orchards in the Bay of Plenty. “ e backbone of our business is pollination work, so we do a lot of kiwifruit and avocado pollination. “ at’s what keeps us going.”

From October to December Craig and Maree are as busy as their bees, shifting their hives in the early morning and late at night when the bees aren’t ying. “We’re loading them onto trucks in the dark and moving them into orchards in the dark. “We’re feeding them every morning and then when they’re done in the orchard, we’re picking them up in the dark, taking them somewhere else and dropping them o .”

Traditional Mead

ey’ve also delved into a delectable honey drink, and have been making their own mead. An ancient alcoholic beverage – the

origins of mead trace back around 9000 years ago to Northern China, but the drink is popularly associated with Vikings. “We were dabbling in it for quite a while with a lot of failures and some reasonable successes. “It was just a pie in the sky thing ve or

and says –

six years ago and now it’s a real life little business,” says Craig. I was lucky enough to try a glass or two and enjoyed its fruity, smooth and delicate avour. In winter Craig and Maree enjoy their mead like mulled wine, warming it and adding spices like cinnamon. Yum!

Craig says their meadery – e Brewed Nest – is ‘Marie’s baby’. “Any successes, any positive results we get from it is all credit to Marie.

very long time, with not even anyone very harvest

“She’s the one that stuck to it because it’s been hard work for no return for a very long time, with not even anyone interested in this very old, foreign drink that not many people know about.” at’s sure set to change! e honey harvest experience with Bee First Apiaries is run in conjunction with Kitchen Takeover as part of the Flavours of Plenty Festival. ere’s still sessions available this weekend.

Visit: www. avoursofplentyfestival. com/events/honey-harvest-with-bee- rstapiaries-4/ for event times and details.

e traditional mead went down a treat.

Maree Paynter, uncapping the honey from the frame.

Raw honey drizzling from the honey extractor. Hundreds of bees tend to the hive. Photos: Georgia Minkhorst

One man’s trash is another’s treasure!

e rst month of a resource recovery trial in Katikati has seen more than eight tonnes of reusable items dropped o by the local community.

Despite this, organisers say they want to keep up the momentum –feeling many Western Bay of Plenty residents still don’t know they exist, and what for.

Chrome Collective is running the Resource Recovery Centre trial onsite at Katikati Recycle Centre from 9am-4pm ursdays and

Saturdays until August 31. e trial is a collaboration between Western Bay of Plenty District Council and Chrome Collective Charitable Trust, which o ers training, employment and advocacy to people with disabilities, to integrate them into the wider community.

WBOP residents can drop o unwanted goods for free at the Resource Recovery Centre to be repurposed, dismantled or re-used instead of sending them to land ll.

Chrome Collective operations manager Sharaine Steenberg says the trial has been incredibly well

received. “ ere’s so much positivity and the eight tonnes [in four weeks] is way more than we expected.”

Stereos to lawn mowers

Most common donated are fridges, freezers and e-waste like printers, TVs and computers.

“We might have all of Katikati’s sound systems in our shed at the moment,” jokes Sharaine, who says they’re also receiving sporting equipment, garden and power tools, and furniture. A ride-on lawn mower and a retro lounge suite came in during the rst week – now 250 cars go through the gate on drop-o days.

“We’re looking for reusable items – we’re not a transfer station or a dump – but we can take reusable stu and upcycle or x it. If people are unsure what they can bring, they can contact us on Facebook, send us photos of items and we’ll be able to say if it’s something we can take or not.”

sell them back. “We’re adding services as we go.” Chrome Collective has also been able to start introducing its crew into the services. “ ey – people with disabilities – are helping us do a lot of sorting and xing things.”

e idea is that funds from

employment, and advocacy service to people with disabilities, to integrate them into the wider community.

Save planet, make jobs

“Ultimately the reason behind it all is for us to save the planet, but also to create long-term employment opportunities for people with disabilities.

upcycling and on-selling donated items will go back to Chrome Collective – to keep providing its training, retail facility.

“It’s a win-win story for all!”

Chrome has partnered with the Seagull Centre, which collects most of the items and retails them in ames, as Katikati Resource Recovery Centre doesn’t currently have a

Feasibility

In the last week the centre even started to rescue plants.

“Instead of having to pay to drop o greenwaste, I can take, water, replant them – now we’re able to

station or a dump – but and them – now we’re able to

the momentum and tell

e trial will test the project’s feasibility and determine if the centre can open a retail facility on-site. “Our numbers are very stable [so far]... but people need to keep on with the momentum and tell everyone about it!”

e trial is made possible with a waste minimisation levy WBOPDC receives from the Ministry for the Environment.

To nd out what you can

To nd out what you can donate, email: sharaine@cultivateculture.co.nz

Ayla Yeoman

Ruby Arthur from Chrome Collective, with plants to on-sell. Photo: supplied.

City centre one-way streets in place

Tauranga City Council team leader of transport development

Wider footpaths, greener spaces and one-way streets have come to Tauranga’s city centre. e one-way tra c system has been introduced to parts of Harington, Hamilton, Spring, Wharf and Willow streets and will remain in place for at least two years during the city centre transformation.

pedestrians, and cyclists. “It will also make the city centre more attractive and accessible.”

Tom McEntyre says the pilot project will help moderate vehicle speed, reduce di culties at intersections, and improve visibility for drivers,

Tom says contractors worked mostly at night for four weeks to complete the bulk of the project in March. “ e project was carefully timed to avoid events such as children’s day and the jazz festival, while ensuring the changes are in place before nearby building projects get underway.

will reduce the number of road closures needed for those building projects, because it will be easier to provide space for construction activities.”

e pilot will be monitored and reviewed to see if the changes should be retained, altered, or extended through other parts of the city centre, says Tom.

becoming one-way this month to allow for the development of the new civic precinct, Te Manawataki o Te Papa. Eventually, this section will be closed permanently to form part of a pedestrian area.

“ e new one-way streets

An additional small section of Willow St – between Hamilton and Wharf streets – is also

e council is thanking people for their patience while they introduce these changes, which aim to make the city centre a great place to live, work, learn and play.

e one-way tra c system will remain in place for at least two years during the city centre transformation. Photo: supplied.

07 577 0923 tauranga mp@parliament

A new celebration!

ere’s anticipation ahead of the inaugural Vaisakhi parade to be hosted by the Sikh temple at Pyes Pa. e temple, named Gurudwara Kalgidhar Sahib Tauranga, on Cheyne Rd was established in 2000 – and this is the rst time its application to council to hold festivities to mark the occasion has been successful.

Community social worker Sangeeta Sharma says there’s growing excitement. She expects the celebration to be attended by Sikhs from throughout the country in traditional out ts, taking part in singing, music,

prayers and religious plays.

“We’ve extended an open invitation to people from all cultures to come celebrate with us,” says Sangeeta. “We have about 700 people expected to join us on the day.”

e new Khalsa order of the Sikh religion was created in 1699. It was founded by the tenth guru, Gobind Singh.

Sangeeta says the anniversary is being commemorated on Saturday, April 13, with a parade winding along the streets of Pyes Pa.

“Vaisakhi is traditionally a spring harvest celebration primarily in the Punjab state in northern India. It’s still an

important day in the religion throughout the country and easily one of the most colourful celebrations on the Sikh calendar,” says Sangeeta. Rolling road closures for three hours from 11am-2pm on Saturday, April 13, will a ect tra c on the parade route from Cheyne Rd, Annandale Drive, Galloway Crescent, Fairfax Crescent then on return to the temple along Cheyne Rd. Sangeeta says anyone who has di culty walking is welcome to follow in a car. Refreshments will be served both during the street parade as well as during lunch in the temple afterwards.

Te Puke, are you prepared?

To help the community prepare for emergency events, Western Bay of Plenty Council’s community resilience advisor Kurt Waugh will be at the Te Puke Library and Service Centre on ursday, April 18, to share information and give advice, including how to make a plan and set up a grab bag.

“When a natural disaster strikes, you may need to look after yourself and those around

you for up to three days, before help can arrive.

“Having emergency supplies on hand and knowing how to access the latest information are really important in ensuring your safety and wellbeing.”

Stop by Te Puke Library and Service Centre between 10am and 1pm on April 18 to learn some essential tips and strategies.

FULL RECLADS

Debbie Griffiths

Members of the Gurudwara Kalgidhar Sahib Tauranga invite all to the Sikh parade in Pyes Pa.

Photo: John Borren.

Your new kerbside collections calendars

Like to stay on top of your collections with a calendar? You can check the address label on your bins to see if you’re Week 1 or 2 and cut out your updated calendar here.

Or, prefer to keep track of your collections on your phone instead? Download the Tauranga kerbside collections app, free from the App Store, Google Play or visit www.tauranga.govt.nz/binsapp

Rubbish, recycling, glass recycling and food scraps collections

Garden waste collections

Want garden waste collections?

Choose between 4-weekly ($80*) or fortnightly ($110*) collections, billed annually with rates.

Find out more at www.tauranga.govt.nz/gardenwaste

Tauranga garden waste collection calendar 2024/2025 (Week 1)

Kids’ market returns to Whakamarama

Students of Western Bay of Plenty and Tauranga primary schools through to colleges will be selling more than just toys and cupcakes when they set up stalls at this month’s Whakamarama Kids Market.

Once again the Whakamarama Community Centre is hosting a market dedicated to young sellers and entrepreneurs, with organiser Debbie Allan saying it will offer high quality wares on Saturday, April 13.

Buzzing

“The response to the market has been amazing,” says Debbie. “We have so many talented young people in our community and this market is a way Whakamarama Community Centre can support with these young entrepreneurs by providing them with a safe marketplace to show their community what they can offer. “And, they will be able to make some money in time for the school holidays. The community is buzzing with excitement and anticipation of what these young sellers have on offer.”

The young sellers will tempt market-goers with everything

from quality second items and baking to handcrafted gifts for the home and garden.

Debbie’s son David Allan, a Year 8 Whakamarama School student, has taken advantage

of the plentiful feijoa season by making jams and chutneys to sell at the market.

Entertainment will be courtesy of Whakamarama School Year 7 student Meera Sahil.

“Those who came to our market last September will remember the delightful music from this talented piano player,” says Debbie.

Entrepreneurial sisters

Sisters Maddy and Isla Mills have been busy handcrafting gifts to sell too. “Maddy, from Pahoia School, creates small felted animals in matchboxes while her older sister Isla, of Bethlehem College, makes hair scrunchies.”

The market will also host a group of Greenpark School Year 5-6 students who are fundraising to head to South Korea for a culture exchange. “They will be sell local honey and run a sausage sizzle at the market.”

Whakamarama Kids Market is 3pm-5pm Saturday, April 13, at Whakamarama Community Centre, 469 Whakamarama Rd. For more details, see the ‘Whakamarama Kids Market’ event page on Facebook.

Elevated Care in Your Later Years.

Te Manaaki Care Centre allows Pacific Coast Village to offer a full continuum of care – from independent living, serviced apartments to residential aged care. Te Manaaki is a continuation of this considered design, crafted to provide residents with luxury living as well as elevated care and with it an added sense of security in their later years. The Care Centre offers rest home, hospital level and dementia care.

David Allan, 12, with preserves he’ll sell at the Whakamarama Kids Market, organised by his mother Debbie Allan. Photo: supplied.

Experience the good life at The Bayview.

Modern and contemporary apartments available now.

In an enviable position overlooking the beautiful harbour and The Mount, The Bayview is set on more than 15 acres of park-like grounds. With views of nature and just minutes from the city, you’ll truly have it all.

Discover both independence and community as you join friends for drinks during happy hour or to play a round of bowls on the green, and then enjoy some solo relaxation time by cosying up with a good book at the library.

At Oceania, we always work with our residents to ensure they can fill their days with things they love. That’s why we offer options like yoga to soothe and stretch, a toolshed to tinker away in, and a village vege garden to watch over.

Our spacious two bedroom apartments offer open plan living, stylish fittings and enclosable balconies, making them the perfect place to entertain or to make your own private oasis.

Secure your new home at The Bayview today.

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159 Waihi Road, Judea, Tauranga oceaniahealthcare.co.nz

Inspired by folk in a Waikato town, praying for the industry that provides much of their livelihood, has seen prayers for the kiwifruit season rise from the Western Bay of Plenty.

Te Puke is known as New Zealand’s kiwifruit capital – now people there can also gather to pray for the wholesome fruit industry which gives so much to the community.

e Weekend Sun caught wind of a gathering on March 14 of about 40 people at e Orchard Church in Te Puke, praying for this year’s kiwifruit harvest.

Heavily signi cant

Organiser of the 2024 Te Puke kiwifruit prayer, James Muir, says a few years back Tauranga Church leaders heard of churches in Te Awamutu praying to God for their dairy industry and the milk delivery trucks and drivers. “ is led to Te Puke churches hosting prayer gatherings at the start of the kiwifruit harvest – as 41 per cent of NZ’s kiwifruit orchards are in Te Puke, and the BOP has 79 per cent. “Last year we gathered at Te Puke Baptist Church; the year before we met at the Harvest Church in Te Puke.”

James says it’s obvious the kiwifruit industry is heavily signi cant to the livelihoods of all Bay of Plenty residents. “In the BOP we’re very aware over the years of the severe negative impact on our NZ kiwifruit growers of Psa and other diseases, extreme bad weather, poor pollination and international economic crises, as in October 1987 for example.” e points of 2024’s prayer were agreed to and con rmed by long-term local growers in Te Puke and a key representative from the New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Association Incorporated.

“NZKGI made all 2800 kiwifruit growers in NZ aware throughout Aotearoa that Christian churches

were praying and encouraged many to pray with us.”

WBOP Deputy Mayor John Scrimgeour and councillor, the late Richard Crawford, attended the March prayer meeting “with Richard thanking all and reminding us how important the kiwifruit industry was to Te Puke and WBOP’s economy”.

James says many others began praying with them in the region and nationwide – now his group will carry on their prayers until the end of harvest. “Regular ongoing prayer to God is needed until June/July, until the full harvest is in, packaged and despatched to the di erent world export markets.”

James says people pray for the safety and welfare of the 2800 growers, their families and for the 20,000plus workers – including the RSE workers in NZ working in the kiwifruit industry from the Paci c.

“We also pray for the care and quality of the fruit harvest, from the orchards to the packhouses and coolstores. For cooperation/interaction between industry players to ensure a smooth ow of product through the supply chain. For care and quality from NZ to the international markets.

“For Zespri and the Government for wisdom in monitoring national and international economic and currency matters.”

Next year

ey also pray for the best possible weather conditions through the harvest. “And we pray for a possible increase to a forecast of some 190 million trays in 2024,” says James.

He intends to host the prayer event in Te Puke in February next year – so more growers and contractors can be free to attend before harvest-time gets too busy.

“It’s also possible a celebration event might be arranged in Te Puke at the end of the present harvest season, come June or July.” To know more, contact James on: 021 400 874.

Zoe the snow princess

Meet Zoe! is cat is about two years old.

Zoe is friendly, a ectionate and has a heart of pure gold. She loves to get pats and cuddles.

Zoe will make biscuits with her paws whenever she’s happy, which is often!

She loves to snuggle down in her hidey house for a snooze or smooch up to you for some attention. is

stunning girl is looking for a home where she can get some extra suncare to protect her delicate features, with pet sunscreen and preferably a mostly indoor lifestyle.

mostly indoor lifestyle.

Zoe is a social cat and likes to spend time with people. Could you give Zoe the loving home she deserves? Come and meet our snow princess today! Phone the SPCA on 07 578 0245.

Ref: 601449.

James Muir, Andy Wichens, Judy Abrahams and Scott Nicholson have all been praying for a fruitful kiwifruit season. Photo: John Borren.

Poppy day is

e Royal New Zealand Returned and Services’ Association’s main fundraiser is on its way – so don’t forget to give generously!

e RSA was established in 1916 with the aim of taking care of New Zealand’s veterans and their families as soldiers returned from Gallipoli.

Poppy Day is on next Friday, April 19, with poppies on sale for a gold coin donation across Aotearoa. You can donate via street collection, online at: www.rsa.org.nz/ support-us/donate Or text ‘Poppy’ to 8595 to instantly donate $3. Donations collected on Poppy Day help the RNZRSA to improve the health and wellbeing outcomes for New Zealand’s veterans of all ages.

While today’s soldiers face di erent challenges, the RNZRSA’s support to them and their whanau continues.

In 2024 we celebrate 102 years of the Poppy Appeal – with the Poppy campaign running throughout the month of April and Poppy Day, the street collection, occurring on April 19.

According to New Zealand History online – Nga korero o ipurangi o Aotearoa – the rst poppy appeal on April 24 in 1922 sold a total of 245,059 small poppies

Remembering the Battle of Pukehinahina Gate Pā

deal with banks on your behalf making the lending process easy and stress-free, and there generally no cost for our services. We can also provide financial advice on your existing loan structure to help with interest rate savings.

Call 07 577 1209 | rapson.co.nz

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, We remember them.

Phone Gianni

next Friday!

and 15,157 larger versions, earning £13,166 – the equivalent to $1.34 million in 2020.

NZH online states: “Unlike the practice in other countries, the NZRSA did not hold its inaugural Poppy Appeal in association with Armistice Day, November 11.

“ e shipment arrived too late for Poppy Day to be properly promoted prior to Armistice Day, so the

NZRSA decided to hold it on the day before Anzac Day 1922”. Back in 1922 poppies were sold for one shilling each. According to the RNZRSA, today’s poppies are sold for a gold coin donation and our nation averages selling close to one million poppies each year. And the annual Poppy Day Appeal is now usually held on the Friday before Anzac Day, April 25.

Mobile: 021 026 53536 (Sarndra)

Phone: 07 576 8874

Email: woodlands@kinect.co.nz

Digging into the blues scene

Last week I started on the local blues scene – let’s continue...

ere are a number of acts to watch for, from traditional blues players – Mike Garner and Trevor Braunias’ TJS Blues Band – to blues adjacent practitioners including Rehaab, Kokomo, Kaos, Lounge Dogs, Grant Haua, Joanne Melbourne, Gary Harvey and more.

Where to hear

e best places to hear the blues, aside from the blues jams every second Wednesday of the month at the Sports Fishing Club? e Barrel Room on Wharf St features Mike Garner and Robbie Laven one Saturday a month. ey can also be found some Saturday afternoons at Jack Dusty’s Ale House in Bureta.

ose places also have other music: jazz features frequently at the Barrel Room; the Self-Righteous Brothers – a duo o shoot of Kokomo – play blues at Jack Dusty’s, where you can also see Trevor Braunias jazzing with singer Jill Leighton.

Jill features on a new release by Mike Garner, just back from shows in the South Island. Prior to that he was home-recording with three blues-singing women and, remotely, with his blues guitarist son Paul in London. Paul is sensational.

e result is ‘Q Blues’, on streaming platforms now, ve old-timey blues tunes, one from Jill and three from Joanne Melbourne, whose authentic unadorned voice makes great work of Memphis Minnie’s ‘In My Girlish Days’ while harmonising with herself on ‘Careless Love’. Sydney’s Queen of the Boogie, Jan Preston, chimes in with another Minnie tune, ‘Me And My

Chau eur’. It’s acoustic, clean and poised.

Two things: Jan herself has a new album, ‘Pianoland’, available for download from her website and eventually on CD and vinyl; and Mike has released two more songs, the old standard ‘One Meatball’ and an acoustic take on Dylan’s ‘Highway 61 Revisited’.

New album

Meanwhile Auckland’s Flaming Mudcats have released their fth album, ‘Til e Money's All Gone’, recorded live at Mount Maunganui’s 11b Studio across two days. It sounds tight and dynamic, a mix of electric blues styles from Texas to New Orleans and more. Craig Bracken, whose ancestor wrote our national anthem, is a commanding singer and fascinating harmonica player, utilising a broad range of harps and sounds. He also writes a ne song.

Meanwhile Doug Bygrave’s unique electric guitar style shines. As well as Texas chops, he

shows in uences including Magic Sam and Westside Chicago players, often making for surprising soloing. Drummer Ian ompson, once of e Underdogs, also has a distinctive style, di erent from today’s rock-in uenced drummers.

Guest keyboard player Liam Ryan mixed the album at his Waihi studio and provides a warm approachable sound. e songs are good – 11 original prime cuts – the vibe is cool. I like it a lot.

One more to watch, who, like Karen Clarke, is a blues woman from Taranaki: singer/guitarist/keyboardist Courtnay Low has two bands, e Mons Whaler and e Unholy Reverie. She is a tough and impressive blues player. e former has an album out, ‘Hold My Gun’, the latter a single. Watch out for her!

Hear Winston’s latest Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/41gJyVowOdcQ SRe9l26IFP?si=cf160d2045ba4e3a

Be mesmerised by ‘Macbeth’ on stage in the city

e 16th Ave eatre stage will come alive from Monday, April 15, with a haunting tale of power, prophecy, and the perils of unchecked ambition. William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’ is set to mesmerise audiences with an unforgettable evening of drama and dark betrayal. Directed by Harry Oram, ‘Macbeth’ will be performed by a talented cast led by Joseph RehuHahunga, playing the titular role, supported by Loreto Rohas. ‘Macbeth’, presented by CRAFT

Management, is part of Tauranga Shakespeare Festival, which includes ‘Shakespeare in e Village’ – a daylong celebration at the Historic Village on April 21. Tickets to ‘Macbeth’ at 16th Ave eatre from April 15-April 23, are at: iticket.co.nz e Sun has one double pass to give away to see ‘Macbeth’ for one lucky reader who can tell us who the director is? Enter online at: www.sunlive.co.nz under the ‘Competitions’ section. Entries close Tuesday, April 16.

Mike Garner and Robbie Laven.

Photo: Sally Garner

Become a microgreen maestro this autumn and enhance your meals with delicious avours and vibrant colours!

Palmers Welcome Bay’s Ryan Choy is excited to be bringing free microgreen workshops to the community, starting next Saturday, April 20.

Healthy

“Microgreens are great because you can have a fresh batch of very healthy seeds that have sprouted into microgreens to chuck in salads,” says Ryan. “ ey add a bit of colour, texture, and make salads interesting.”

ready in one to two weeks.

“A lot of parents are getting into microgreens because their kids are making demands for them to start eating healthier.

e microgreens workshops will help people get growing with these nutritious sprouts and attendees will be given a free starter kit too. “It’s a great access way for young people, even kids, to start growing at home because the turnaround is so quick.”

Ryan says microgreens can be

Sales

“We’ve got hot and spicy microgreens, which are some of the Asian brassicas that you can get to sprout. You can sprout peas, beans, almost anything and there’s a lot of nutrition in the seeds themselves.”

With autumn upon us,

Ōmokoroa’s greenwaste centre hours extended

e opening hours at Ōmokoroa Greenwaste Centre have been extended by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council due to the noticed increasing demand by the peninsula’s greenthumbs.

e centre is now open three hours a day on Wednesdays and Saturdays – with the change made possible by volunteers from the Lions Club of Ōmokoroa and Districts, who have made themselves available to cover the extra hours. e new hours of 1pm-4pm came into e ect on April 3.

“ e Ōmokoroa Greenwaste Centre is a place where locals can drop o their garden waste

knowing it will be turned into valuable compost,” says WBOPDC resource recovery and waste team leader Ilze Kruis.

“It is part of our commitment to continuing to improve the way our waste is managed and to achieve the vision of minimising waste that goes to land ll,” says Ilze.

“It’s great to see people making good use of the centre and we’re pleased to be able to extend the hours to assist gardeners on the days that it is open. We are also grateful to all the Lions volunteers who donate their time to make this possible.”

Palmer’s Welcome Bay is also o ering a bunch of great sales. “If you want to get your landscaping done or put in trees, now is the best time to do it in preparation for winter, spring and then summer. Plants just have a much more established root system.”

Palmers Welcome Bay’s free fortnightly microgreen workshops kick o Saturday, April 20, from 2pm-3pm.

Email: welcomebay@palmers.net.nz to book your spot!

Palmers Welcome Bay’s Ryan Choy and Wendy Hodgson with some of the vibrant and nutritious microgreens at the store. Photo: John Borren.

Pāpāmoa’s landscape is blooming with hope and community spirit following the unveiling of the newly created Koiri Garden.

Home &

e collaborative endeavour by Kai Aroha and St Paul’s Co-Operating Church is located on the church premises on Dickson Rd, Pāpāmoa.

Kai Aroha leader Tania LewisRickard says the heart of the

Empathy and love flourishing in new community garden

community garden is empathy and love.“We go the extra mile. Our kaupapa is to ourish our community.”

Every Monday night at the church, Kai Aroha provides a free community dinner meal for those experiencing food hardship.

e progression from serving up great kai to putting in a garden to grow food was a natural one, and something Tania had been wanting to see started for some time. “I wanted to have a garden but I’m useless in a garden, so I got other people who are experts and who have a heart for the community.”

She’s delighted her own team has ‘horticultural genius’ Emma Cole, who is a horticulture tutor at Skills Update Training and Education Group, and Reverend Philipp Potgieter from St Paul’s. And they both share the same vision. “Emma has been part of the Kai Aroha team forever and also Philipp for the past three years,” says Tania. “ is project is to grow kai for the free meals and to teach horticulture students from Skills Update and the local community. It’s the right time, the right place, and they are the right people.”

Values and principles

Tania says the four Māori tikanga values and Christian principles that Kai Aroha has as its values are Manaakitanga – hospitality, Atawhaitanga – compassion and kindness, Whanaungatanga – kinship and close connections, and Ngākau Aroha – empathy and love.

“ e o cial blessing of our ‘Koiri Garden’ community education garden highlights the partnership between two amazing organisations... To have our whanau, sponsors and supporters and the Kai Aroha team there to tautoko this prestigious occasion was more than a beautiful occasion. It marked the beginning of something special in bringing community together to help community move forward into a place of prosperity.”

A blessing and thanks

Tania quotes 2 Corinthians 9:6 which is about expecting a blessing: “Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously” about the way the community has come together to create the garden. “We could not have done this without so many because it takes more than a vision to bring something to fruition. It was a mission to get the right people who had the right ngākau and who believed in the kaupapa and who’d get the job done.” ose involved included Skills Update Training and Education Group, Scott Cole from Beca Engineers, and Brad, Jake and the rest of the Aquaholics Limited team who helped with human resources, a water tank, garden shed, and trucks to move trees.

Acknowledging her mother’s steadfast support, her husband Tawhai Rickard – “I couldn’t do this without Tawhai’s support” – and their daughter Shalom Rickard who painted the garden sign, the garden was blessed and declared open. Following this, everyone slipped through gently falling rain to join in with a community meal. “ ank you for the land St Paul’s Church,” says Tania. “You know I’ve been eyeing it up since we started serving kai at St Paul’s Church. I will be forever grateful.”

Rosalie Liddle Crawford

e team of volunteers at the blessing for the Koiri Garden at St Paul’s in Pāpāmoa. Photo: Rosalie Liddle Crawford.

Home &

If you have room for just one small tree...

While out for a walk on a lovely Easter Sunday, I noticed much activity in local gardens. It’s a great time of the year for a tidy up and some fresh planting to bring joy during the coming winter.

I don’t usually write about planting trees because most of us these days are having to downsize our gardens but if you have room for just one small tree consider Cornus Florida –known as the North American Dogwood. e variety that will suit small gardens is Cornus Florida – or ‘Cherokee Sunset’. Only about 3m x 2.5m, it starts in spring with pink shoots turning into green leaves broadly margined in lemon yellow. In autumn the foliage

turns shades of pink, red and purple; and during summer it has impressive large purpleish

ower bracts. A tree with interest through all the seasons. I notice winter hardy annuals are now available – and pansies and violas must top the list along with calendulas, dianthus, poppies, primulas and lobelia. Settle the seedlings in as soon as possible to enable good growth while the soil still holds some warmth. Always puddle in with a weak liquid fertiliser and add sheep pellets for good measure. A little TLC when planting will pay big dividends later. If you’re looking for a small, compact evergreen shrub you can’t go past many of the Hebe family. Two from the Regal Series Hebe ‘Catherine’ and Hebe ‘Charlotte’, which have been hybridised in the Waikato, will grace small gardens with sprays of pink owers for months.

Heavy lifting and shifting no problem for Pete!

Have you bought something that needs shifting or lifting into place in Tauranga?

If you’ve got something heavy or di cult you need brought into the Tauranga district – and lifted into place, up high or down in the ground – call Pete Marshall of SkyHooksNZ Tauranga 4X4 Minicranes.

Pete, an owner-operator, can do lifting and shifting jobs on residential, commercial and industrial sites with his minicrane and tandem trailer. “From Tauranga Harbour Bridge right back to the Kaimai Range, to Paengaroa and Kauri Point north of Katikati – if your item’s nal destination is within this zone, I can move it! “We can deal with anything that’s coming from any part of NZ, but the nal destination has to be within our Tauranga district zone.”

Husband-and-wife team Pete and Lynda say their service is ideal for transporting items too hard for manpower and too small for larger cranes. “ is makes us cost-e ective for businesses and the public’s lifting, placement, pick-up and delivery jobs.”

Pete is safety-accredited, has an engineering background and 20-plus years’ experience working on sites large and small, meaning his ‘moving’ skills extend to all types of places.

Margaret Wilson

e Cornus Florida – or ‘Cherokee Sunset’ is perfect for home gardens.

Pete’s two-tonne crane has a 6.8m reach, can handle 500kg at full stretch, and 2000kg at the side – the tandem trailer carries 2600kg – and Pete’s shifted it all!

Pete o ers a free site visit and estimate – and promptly replies to enquiries – call him now on 021 848 919.

Pete Marshall is ready to shift and lift your items –big or small. Photo: Merle Cave.

Zebras and rainbows...

It does not matter if you are pro or anti the rainbow movement, but my question is why use roading to make your argument?

Councils should not be allowed to break the law to promote their agendas of inclusivity any more than individuals should not be allowed to paint over such things like rainbows on roads.

Around the world there are recognised symbols for road users and the zebra crossing is one of them. How confusing for tourists, New Zealand drivers and learner drivers to have crossings that do not meet the legally recognised standards for use

by pedestrians and motorists. Do we not have enough confusion on our roads and is it not sensible to avoid potential accidents by using the correct markings for pedestrian users. is situation has revealed a blatant misuse of taxpayer money in certain areas of New Zealand by individual councils. Leave roading out of your need to make personal statements about your beliefs – whether they are pro or anti inclusivity and let the New Zealand Transport Agency Waka Kotahi create a safe environment for drivers and pedestrians alike!

Rhonda Bennet, Ohauiti.

Thank you for the dramatic theatre!

I recently had the good fortune to win two tickets to the 16th Avenue eatre show, ‘Blue Eyes’. What a lovely group of hugelytalented people, actors, singers and musicians, I observed, as my wife and I enjoyed a rst class, top quality innovative show. I can happily say we thoroughly enjoyed the whole evening and want to thank Sun Media along with the 16th Avenue eatre for re-introducing my wife and I to the joys of dramatic theatre. If you want an enjoyable night’s entertainment, grab a ticket and get along to their next show!

Laurie Sanders, Tauranga City.

Shut down Gloriavale please!

I recently watched the new documentary on Gloriavale called ‘Escaping Utopia’. My question is why are we still letting this community carry on?

I think it should be shut down immediately. NZ prides itself on taking in overseas refugees from across the globe, who have

come here for a better life free of oppression. Yet we still let people be born into and live in this cult. What are we teaching our young daughters and young women by letting this ‘community’ carry on? Prime Minister Luxon needs to do something now.

K Morland, Katikati.

Shall we bring in a few sheep?

e city’s lawn mowing programme continues to amuse, but mostly bemuse. ere’s a large triangular grass tra c island bounded by Vale and Chapel streets, and a grove of trees and large grass area running adjacent. An army of contractors and mowers, and the ubiquitous ‘men at work’ safety truck move in and mow the island but leave the rest. It looks like, and is, a job half done.

contractors mow beneath the trees and leave the island. e place never looks, and never is, tidy and nished. And if we’re paying them to do the job, perhaps they could do it properly.

In my view the mowing is once over lightly, patchy, ugly and the edges are never done. ere’s no pride. Remember guys, we have to look at it every day. Perhaps we could call in the secretive farmer who turned the ugly unmown Te Puna tra c island into hay bales? Or why don’t we fence the island and bring in a few sheep?

en perhaps two or three weeks later the the island and bring in a few

I Goldsmith, Bureta.

e residents of Arvida Bethlehem Views community have been working on a unique project to commemorate Anzac Day, by making pottery poppies.

ere’s been lots of sculpting, painting, glazing, and ring in the kiln with each batch of poppies taking about a week to complete.

e poppy pattern is made of a cloth concave in a disposable co ee cup with a rubber band so the residents can place the shape and mold it easily.

e idea came about when wellness leader Sue Ball saw something similar in a local garden display.

“With Anzac Day fast approaching, I

thought it would be meaningful to make poppies using the skills we have developed through our pottery programme.

“Once the poppies have dried and had the underglaze painted on, then it’s o for their rst ring in the kiln which takes about ten hours,” says Sue. e poppies are then dipped in a clear glaze and red again in the kiln to completion. e Bethlehem Living Well Community have had their own pottery studio and kiln for a few years now and it’s continued to gain popularity. Sue says the residents love the resident-led pottery sessions. “ e residents enjoy the feel of sculpting clay and they think the poppies are really pretty.

We have to speak up for democracy

We in Tauranga should now demand a referendum on current issues that we now face thanks to political interference.

I and many others have no time for politics of any kind – and would rather just get the job done. Democracy was won by people who died to protect it, some in society have self-interests and try to bypass the system by making lots of noise like children, in the hope that some bene ts will be produced. e fact is that the ratepayers of any city can demand a vote on an important issue and councillors should make sure that this transpires – not decided amongst themselves alone. As a mediator people often say “I have a problem but don’t mention my name...” but sometimes we have to speak up for democracy. e cost of any referendum is a small price to pay when you consider the millions being spent on some projects. A recent local problem was solved by a man who said all one needed was common sense. What more can one say? We make a life by what we give.

Ron Chamberlain, Otūmoetai.

Pottery poppies to mark Anzac Day

“We plan to

can be used as an ornament

“It’s an original way to remind everyone about the importance of Anzac Day.”

attach metal plant stands so they

in the garden.

Georgia Minkhorst

A completed pair of pottery poppies to mark Anzac Day. Photo: supplied.

Resident Lou Mackenzie painting her clay poppies. Photo: supplied.

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I pray this column inspires an increase in baptisms in the Bay of Plenty. Why? Just contemplate what the Bible says about the importance of baptism for anyone interested in eternity with Christ.

Peter said: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission [forgiveness] of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38)”. “ ere is also an antitype which now saves us – baptism (not the removal of the lth of the esh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God) (1 Peter 3:21)”.

“He who believes and is baptised will be saved (Mark 16:16)”.

“And now why are you waiting? Arise and

be baptised, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord (Acts 22:16)”. “ en those who gladly received his word were baptised (Acts 2:41) NKJV”. Notice how baptism follows belief and repentance in response to hearing God’s word. If you were ‘baptised’ before having faith or repentance perhaps you’ll desire a more biblical baptism. e word baptism originates from the Greek word ‘baptizo’. Scholars agree the best English equivalent for ‘baptizo’ is immersion. at’s why, in the Bible, we see people at baptism being immersed in water, not sprinkled. Baptism beautifully symbolises the start of Christian life. Our sinful self is buried with Christ into His death and raised from the water into