The Weekend Sun - 17 July 2026

17 July 2026, Issue 1319

Op shop glamour A dress made from Care Bears. A taxidermy duck wearing goggles. A dancefloor filled with second-hand style.

The Thrift Shop Ball returns to Mount Maunganui’s Totara Street on August 8, celebrating sustainable fashion, original music and fearless creativity.

Now in its fifth year, the usual sell-out event has become one of the Bay’s most colourful nights, with hundreds of guests transforming op shop treasures into eyecatching outfits. A live fashion parade, immersive art installations and an allNew Zealand music line-up complete the

experience.

Organiser Rachael Stanway (pictured) said the only rule is to wear something thrifted.

“Dive into your wardrobe, raid the op shops, and create something striking, personal and entirely your own. No rules. No limits. Just creativity stitched

together from thrifted gems and forgotten favourites.”

From vintage finds to wearable works of art, the Thrift Shop Ball proves style doesn’t have to be new to make a lasting impression.

Read more on pages 4 and 5.

Photo / Kelly O’Hara

Friday 17 July 2026

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The Weekend Sun is published every Friday and distributed throughout the Western Bay of Plenty from Waihi Beach, through Katikati, Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Papamoa and Te Puke and available to collect at many stand locations throughout the area. For a full list of stand locations see https://theweekendsun.co.nz/stand-locations.html The Weekend Sun is part of NZME - New Zealand Media & Entertainment. We keep Kiwis in the know. Locally produced at 405 Cameron Rd, Tauranga

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b Tuck the shower curtain in the bathtub With the bunny still AWOL, we offer this instalment from him back on May 12, 2023.

This is about a rogue bra, a hotel baron, a tarnished reputation, ponds of greywater on the floor, mobile phones and common sense.

All the ingredients for an industrialstrength moan. We all enjoy a moan – so come for the ride. My bitching and bellyaching might make you feel better about your lot.

It starts with a bloke called Conrad Nicholson Hilton snr who ran pubs. There are more than 584 Hilton-branded hotels across six of the seven continents, so he was pretty good at it.

Now, apart from being good at stocking a mini fridge, tucking in the corners of bed sheets, and making squillions, Conrad was a profound chap.

Quote: “We have no greater God-given responsibility than that of extending a helping hand to our fellow man”. Noble stuff, but did he back the talk with the walk? Last year, his charity donated NZ$700 million to the impoverished and disadvantaged. That would have paid for a pretty flash stadium for the Tauranga Domain, which has got to happen. And with the change, a museum on Cliff Road, which should have happened. But let’s not stir the pot.

But perhaps Hilton’s deepest utterance, his most meaningful gift to mankind, at least in my mind, was this tidbit.

“Remember to tuck the shower curtain inside the bathtub.” Doesn’t everyone?

Did we need be reminded? It should be the 11th commandment, and violators sentenced to an eternity in Hamilton.

Consequences

But it seems not too have occurred to many fellow gym bunnies that if you leave the shower ng a curtain outside durin shower, there will bee consequences. Any water that strikes the shower curtain will drain onto the floor. I thought any hat. At adult could figure th worst, there will be a flood of Ark proportions, and, at best, there’s still an unholy mess that the next user has to wade thrrough. They never mop up, they just walk out with impunity and leave us to wallow in it. Lovely!!

I asked one offendeer if he would do this at home. He just said: “I’m not at home”.

Very droll! He won that with a good comeback.

Perhaps all the other animals in his farmyard behave the same way. I wonder what the floors are like in their throne room? No, I don’t want to wonder.

And all that before we concern ourselves with athlete’s foot, wart viruses and a nasty bag of HPV viruses that flourish in the wetness of shared showering facilities

at a gym. And something nasty called methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, which is resistant to antibiotics. Very nasty.

The body’s ripped, shame about the viruses.

Anyhoo, I suspect Conrad was thinking big picture when he made the shower mment – when curtain in the bathtub com n a car company a bank collapses, when n an airline goes belly up, when folds, it’s alwayys because someone didn’t attend to the small stuff first.

Soomeone didn’t tucck the shower curttain inside the bathttub.

A white lacy bra

he shower I didn’t tuck th curtain inside thee bathtub when ue Nike gear I grabbed my blu bag from the sheelves after a gym y workout and d headed for gy mp that is the the infested swam d the bag to get shower. I opened the body wash and there it was … a white lacy bra. And it didn’t belong to this bloke.

Right kind of bag, an identical bag, but I had grabbed the wrong bag. I hadn’t paid attention, didn’t attend to the small things ... didn’t tuck the shower curtain.

I get back into my kit and do the walk of shame with some unsuspecting women’s bag to the front desk. I looked guilty, behaved guilty, and was found guilty, because the receptionist didn’t quite buy into my explanation about how I came to

be rifling through a female member’s gear bag. Oh the shame! I went to the gym for a workout and emerged with a very public fetish disorder and Conrad’s wisdom ringing in my head.

For weeks after, I walked sheepishly into the gym, sure they were still gossiping about the dodgy old guy who hankers for lacy white bras. Well, I don’t. I prefer pastel ones.

Now let’s forget the metal heads, the dead lifters, who drop weights from a great height, sending seismic shocks through the gym. No-one’s impressed.

Gym protocols

And if you research gym protocols – something you could do if stuck in traffic on Hewletts Rd – there’s not a fitness establishment in the world that condones idle mobile phone activity in a gym. Okay – here are two schools of thought. Mobiles can be a tool for workouts, but there is no place for Facetiming while on the treadmill.

I remonstrated with one young offender, who after five minutes of tortoise-like walking had called two mates to explain she was having a workout. Workout? The only things working out were her fingers and her yappy gums.

“RUDE!” she fired back at my rolling eyes and deep sighing. Uh uh – only one rude person here, young lady.

Now you can understand the big issues impacting my life this week. I hope it makes you feel better.

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Friday 17 July 2026

3

Casita finds new home in central Tauranga After months of uncertainty, Casita Community Charitable Trust has found a new home in central Tauranga – and an unexpected opportunity to grow.

The organisation, which supports young people with disabilities to develop work and life skills, will relocate to The Cottage at 30 Second Ave on Monday, July 20, where it will reopen its marketplace and take over an existing cafe.

Founder and manager Charrissa Taylor said the move marked an exciting new chapter for Casita after its previous Greerton premises was badly damaged by flooding in severe weather earlier this year.

“It’s unfortunate there was this three-month period where everyone was in limbo, but in the end, I think we’ve found a good place with greater opportunities. I think it’s worked out for the best.”

Since leaving the Greerton premises, Casita continued operating at a reduced capacity from a shared space provided

by Idea Services while searching for a permanent home.

Opportunities, belonging

For the past 10 years, Casita had created opportunities and a sense of belonging for young people with disabilities across Tauranga and the Western Bay. Taylor, a special education teacher, founded the organisation after seeing a number of students leave school with

few meaningful opportunities.

“I started Casita so the students leaving school had something to go to and a place to belong,” she said.

The trust provides a flexible work experience environment where young adults develop social, work and life skills while contributing to the community.

“They can come as they’re able, when they’re able, for as long as they can. We challenge the people we work with, but we also understand where their limits are.”

The new premises on Second Ave will feature Casita’s marketplace, selling arts, crafts, jewellery and other handmade products created by local makers, including many people with disabilities.

25 vendors

About 25 vendors, of whom Casita staff members Joe Rowe and Joy Taylor with a group of Casitians – young people ready to about half live with disabilities, start work at their new premises this month. Photo / Kelly O’Hara were expected to return.

Some of the young people already people have to offer.

The premises would also include a “They can work and contribute to our make cookies, fudge and brownies, and cafe, something Taylor said Casita had community and create things that are Taylor hoped these products would long hoped to establish. worth having,” Taylor said soon be available for sale through the “We’ve always wanted a cafe because “For a lot of them, employment isn’t cafe. it’s a whole lot of other work experience really possible for all sorts of reasons, opportunities,” she said.

Vital role whether it’s an intellectual disability, The cafe would allow participants to She said community support would epilepsy or something else. What we do learn barista skills and gain experience play a vital role in making the venture gives them purpose because it’s a safe preparing and selling food. Casita was successful. place where they can contribute.” already working with coffee supplier “My hope is that people will come out Casita hoped to welcome customers to Excelso Coffee, Tauranga City Council and support us in the cafe and the shop its new Second Ave premises about a week and EmployNZ to secure the necessary after it moves in. Rosalie Liddle Crawford food licence and training. and just see how much value our young

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Friday 17 July 2026

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Op shop couture for Thrift Shop Ball A dress made from Care Bears. A taxidermy duck wearing goggles.

Antique chandeliers, original music and hundreds of people dressed head-to-toe in op-shop finds.

That’s the wonderfully quirky world of the Thrift Shop Ball.

What began as one woman’s idea inspired by an op shop ball at Waihī Beach has grown into one of the Bay’s most colourful and creative annual events, celebrating sustainable fashion, original music, performance art and creativity.

Now in its fifth year, the Thrift Shop Ball returns to Totara Street on Saturday, August 8, with one simple dress code: wear something thrifted.

Organiser Rachael Stanway of Rozella Presents said the event has steadily evolved from a grassroots idea into a sellout celebration of circular fashion.

"We sold out last year and we're going to sell out this year," she said. "We're only about 60 tickets away, so I'm really happy.

It's taken five years to get it to this stage."

“I went once to the Waihī Beach event and thought, ‘This would be so cool in the Mount – but I could do it better,’” she laughs.

Since then, the event has become an immersive experience where guests are just as much a part of the entertainment as the performers.

"One of the things I love most is how our audience becomes part of the performance through fearless fashion, bold looks and unapologetic selfexpression," Stanway said.

Unlike traditional costume parties, there is no set theme beyond wearing second-hand clothing.

"Thrift shop is the theme," she said. "That leaves it open.

People don't necessarily have money to buy costumes, and even op shop clothing is getting expensive. Most people have something in their wardrobe or something they can borrow."

The philosophy reflects the growing popularity of circular fashion, encouraging people to reuse, share and extend the life of clothing rather than buying new.

Creativity is central to the night, with guests arriving in outfits made from vintage finds, pre-loved clothing and recycled materials. Some spend months creating elaborate wearable artworks.

Last year's winning outfit was a dress made entirely from Care Bears.

A live fashion parade is one of the evening's highlights, with hostess and MC Pia La Joie selecting around 10 standout outfits from the crowd to walk the stage.

"It's not about expensive fashion," Stanway said. "It's about creativity."

She said guests can also pre-register to take part, with prizes awarded by a judging panel that includes Emma La Rocca, founder of Emroce Swimwear.

The experience begins as guests step

Participants in the fashion show at the 2025 Thrift Shop Ball. Photos / David Dunham

into Preloved Project's NOT Vogue Photography Activation by multimedia artist Serena Stevenson. Part mini studio, part performance, guests are transformed into the stars of their own Vogue-style editorial, celebrating creativity, selfexpression and sustainable fashion.

From there, they enter a venue transformed with antique lighting, unexpected props and immersive visuals

by Paige Visuals.

"I've been collecting eclectic styling pieces for around 15 years," Stanway said.

"I love creating spaces where people walk

in and immediately start exploring."

Over the years, conversation pieces have included vintage lamps, reclining mannequins, quirky curiosities and even a taxidermy duck wearing goggles.

"It's eclectic, immersive, and one of my favourite parts of bringing the event to life."

Music is another major part of the event, with a focus on original New Zealand artists rather than cover bands.

Holding the evening together is MC Al Sorley, guiding guests through the night's performances, fashion parade and

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Friday 17 July 2026

5

Benthamism.

Fashion show winners at the 2025 Thrift Shop Ball.

entertainment.

This year's lineup includes Geo Seato, Waihī Beach nine-piece band Disco Bush and electronic artist Sanoi, who will headline the dance floor later in the night.

"I wanted to bring music people haven't necessarily seen before," Stanway said.

"It's all original."

The programme also features performance art, including two original dance works created especially for the event by Auckland artist Dani VR. Stanway encourages performers to

Above: Participants in the fashion show at the 2025 Thrift Shop Ball.

follow their own creative vision.

"You're an artist. I don't want to micromanage what you do."

Beyond entertaining audiences, the event is also helping nurture emerging talent behind the scenes.

For the past four years, Stanway has partnered with Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology tutor Nick Ririnui to give final-year music students hands-on experience in live event production.

Students work alongside industry professionals on staging, lighting, sound

and backstage operations.

“When I was learning, nobody taught me,” Stanway said. “It was all self-taught.

I wish I’d had an opportunity like this.”

While the event has grown significantly, its purpose remains the same: celebrating creativity, sustainability and the possibilities of second-hand fashion.

"What's been really interesting is seeing how much it's grown alongside the rise of sustainable fashion and circular creativity in New Zealand," Stanway said.

"Dive into your wardrobe, raid the op

shops, and create something striking, personal, and entirely your own. No rules. No limits. Just creativity stitched together from thrifted gems and forgotten favourites."

Five years on, the Thrift Shop Ball continues to prove style doesn't have to be new to make an impact.

Tickets to the August 8 event are available at www.rozellapresents.co.nz Rosalie Liddle Crawford

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Friday 17 July 2026

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Te Puke’s new Community Ideas Forum needs members Western Bay of Plenty District Council is looking for community members passionate about Te Puke and its future to join the town’s new Community Ideas Forum.

Applications are open for Te Puke Community Ideas Forum – a group of people who will work alongside tangata whenua and elected members to provide input into the Te Puke Spatial Plan.

The spatial plan will guide how Te Puke grows and develops during the next 30 to 50 years, helping shape decisions around housing, transport, community facilities, business areas, open spaces and the natural environment.

In a statement, the council said it is

seeking a diverse range of people with strong connections to Te Puke, whether that’s living, working, or visiting – and applicants don’t need to live there to be considered.

Council general manager strategy and community Annika Lane said community ideas forums were already playing an important role in helping to shape future planning work across the Western Bay. “The forums we’ve established in Katikati, Te Puna and Waihī Beach have brought together people with different experiences, know their communities well can offer.” perspectives and ideas, and the quality of Lane said being part of the forum gave discussion has been incredibly valuable,” people a unique opportunity to contribute Lane said. to long-term planning for their town.

“Participants have helped identify local “This isn’t about making decisions on priorities, challenge assumptions and behalf of the community.

It’s about helping provide insights that only people who us test ideas, understand local perspectives and make sure we’re considering the issues that matter most to Te Puke,” she said.

“If you care about the future of Te Puke and want to be part of some important conversations, we’d love to hear from you.”

What’sYourPropertyWorth?

Applications are open until 5pm on July 29. Applicants would need to attend two Te Puke Community Ideas Forum sessions from 6pm-8pm on October 7 and 14.

With spaces limited, applications will be independently assessed to ensure the forum reflected a broad cross-section of the community, including varying ages, backgrounds, interests and experiences.

For more information or to apply, visit: yourplace.westernbay.govt.nz/te-pukespatial-plan

Artists invited to Climate Canvas Bay of Plenty artists are being encouraged to turn their creativity into climate conversations as entries open for Envirohub BOP’s 2026 Climate Canvas art competition.

the theme in their own unique way and can enter original 2D or 3D works mounted on canvas or board, up to 55cm x 71cm in size.

Ten finalists will be selected to exhibit their work at Tauranga’s Cargo Shed from September 17-20, where members of Open to artists of all ages from Tauranga, the public will be invited to vote for the the Western Bay of Plenty and Rotorua, People’s Choice Award. this year’s competition is centred on the Winners will be announced at an theme Precious Resources. awards evening on September 20, “This year’s theme invites artists to think before the finalist exhibition travels to about what we so easilyy take for ggranted Carlton Gallery – the water we in Katikati for a drink, the soil we second showing grow in, the air in October and we breathe, even November. the fabric we Prize money wear and throw includes $800 for away,” Envirohub first place, $400 BOP project for second, $200 coordinator Te for third, and a Ara Dirkse said. $300 People’s “It’s also Choice Award. a chance to Climate Canvas is celebrate the part of Envirohub resources that Selwyn Jones’s artwork won first place BOP’s Climate don’t always in 2025. Photo /Supplied Action Festival, get noticed – which runs from community, September 14-20 time, biodiversity, and the knowledge across the Bay of Plenty. passed down through generations, Entries opened on July 15 and close on including mātauranga Māori and August 31. Finalists will be announced on kaitiakitanga.”

September 3.

Dirkse said the competition was about For the full artist brief and online entry transforming feelings about climate form, visit envirohub.org.nz/programmes/ change into something that could inspire climate-action-festival. others. Artists are encouraged to interpret Rosalie Liddle Crawford

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The Weekend Sun

Friday 17 July 2026

7

Road and stormwater upgrades on way for Bowentown

A six-month council project will upgrade stormwater and roading on Seaford Rd from frr the Plom Rd/Pio Rd roundabout to Seaforth Rd South Recreation Reserve. Photo / George Novak

A community information session will be held on July 25 for Bowentown residents to be affected by a six-month council project to upgrade stormwater and roading on Seaford Rd. Western Bay of Plenty District Council said it would undertake road renewal work and stormwater and drainage systems upgrades from September.

The work would be done from the Plom Rd/Pio Rd roundabout through to the Seaforth Rd South Recreation Reserve to strengthen the critical arterial route and reduce the need for future repairs, council said in a statement.

It predicted the work would begin this September and finish June 2027, with construction to pause during the peak holiday period from Christmas to Waitangi weekend.

Council said the work was part of its wider road renewal programme for urbanrural routes across the district.

Minimise disruption

“We know stormwater management

chipseal, and applying road markings.

“We’ve also taken care to ensure the row of trees between the slip lanes and main road will not be removed...The slip roads will remain in the same arrangement as they are currently, and the centreline will remain in the same location,” Minchington said.

During the project people could expect single-lane stop/go traffic management, delays, construction vehicles and work crews operating throughout the day, and periods of noise and vibration, particularly during excavation.

Temporary driveway closures would be required at times when driveways were rebuilt, and J Swap would be in contact with impacted residents before work that directly affected access began.

“We’re advising the community to please plan ahead and allow extra travel time while the works are ongoing,” Minchington said.

Information session

A community information session will be held on July 25 from 2.30pm-4pm, at the Waihī Beach Bowentown Boating and Fishing Club on Pio Rd, where council’s road and stormwater engineers and J Swap’s construction team would be present to explain the work, discuss traffic impacts, and answer questions.

in the Bowentown/Pio Shores area is a concern for many in the community,” council’s director water service Coral-Lee Plan ahead Vehicle access for Seaforth Rd residents Ertel said. would be maintained where possible “Doing both sets of work simultaneously in daytime using temporary ramps. means we can strengthen the road and minimise future disruption by putting in place the stormwater and drainage infrastructure now,” she said.

“The new systems will be able to support future planned network upgrades aimed at improving how water is managed during heavy rain – it means we won’t need to dig 20-25 up the new road when further network JULY upgrades are rolled out,” Ertel said.

The contractor for the project was J Swap Contractors – and work would follow a staged construction timeline, she Special Offers • Promotions • Produce Specials • Bulk Specials said.

Council senior project engineer for transportation works, Jamie Minchington, * said the project would involve shaping of $100 worth of the western road berm to form a shallow loyalty points swale, new stormwater collection points to spend in and piping, new kerb and channel and *Terms and conditions apply store! outlets, excavating and rebuilding the road structure in layers, rebuilding accessways 771 Cameron Road, Tauranga • Ph 07 571 5555 and underlying culverts, laying new

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Stage star credits musical to help healing When the curtain rises on 9 to 5 The Musical at Baycourt later this month, audiences will see lead performer Mel Nicholson doing what she loves most - despite overcoming one of the biggest challenges of her life.

The Tauranga teacher and awardwinning musical theatre performer has spent rehearsals recovering from Ramsay Hunt syndrome, which caused facial paralysis, vertigo and hearing and vision problems on her left side. Rehearsals have become part of her rehabilitation, helping rebuild her speech and facial movement after the illness.

“When I’ve been feeling the lowest, being able to go to rehearsals and literally pretend to be someone else has been integral to my emotional recovery,” Nicholson said.

Nicholson stars as Violet, the character famously played by Lily Tomlin in the hit 1980 film that inspired the musical.

Director Toni Henderson said the cast has rallied around Nicholson throughout her recovery.

“Knowing how committed Mel is to any project she works on, we have done our best to support her through her recovery,” Henderson said.

Nicholson said two women had been instrumental in her recovery - Urgent Care doctor Dr Zoë Cruse, who diagnosed the condition, and remedial therapist Elly Hunt of Powered by Prevention.

“It is because of Zoë and Elly that I have received the best medical and physical

care to get my smile back.”

Henderson also thanked Tracey Braddock, who stepped into rehearsals and is covering the role if needed during the season.

“But knowing Mel, she will do everything possible to deliver each performance.”

Effortless chemistry

Nicholson previously starred in Legally Blonde, We Will Rock You, Disenchanted and Mary Poppins, and has won two Zony Awards for playing Carlotta in Phantom of the Opera.

Nicholson said performing with close friends Tracey Bruce and Abbie Buskirk made the on-stage chemistry effortless.

“The thing I know I’m going to look forward to every night is walking out there, hand in hand with my two best friends and taking our bow together.”

Nicholson said she was drawn to Violet because “there are so few musicals with women as such strong female leads.”

Presented by Tauranga’s Stage Right Theatre Trust, 9 to 5 The Musical runs at Baycourt Theatre from July 25 to August 1.

Featuring music and lyrics by Dolly Parton, the story follows three office workers who decide they’ve had enough of their sexist, overbearing boss and hatch a plan to turn the tables on him. While set in 1979, Henderson believes the show’s themes remain highly relevant.

“It has a strong female empowerment and teamwork theme, but I really think everyone will relate to someone in the office,” she said.

Tracey Bruce and Mel Nicholson with cast in background. Photo / Maxwell Hutton

Supporting S ti th the community it

The production is also supporting Dress for Success Bay of Plenty, with theatregoers encouraged to donate women’s business clothing during the season or contribute when purchasing tickets.The partnership was a natural fit, Henderson said.

Beyond staging productions, Stage Right also develops local talent through practical NZQA-aligned training opportunities.

This year’s production includes a Tauranga Girls’ College student completing a formal placement in set painting before moving into a technical assistant role during the season, while an assistant choreographer is gaining practical experience alongside teacher training.

Henderson said Stage Right also prides itself on building its own sets, costumes and props rather than relying on hired

Discovering the beach at last

Graham moved to the coast for the beach lifestyle. At 68, the retired builder had traded his suburban home for the beach, dreaming of daily walks along the sand, hearing the waves at night.

“I’d moved here for this,” Graham says, gesturing at the sweeping coastline. “But I was barely managing one short walk a week.”

His wife faced similar challenges. They’d both head out together, but neither could enjoy the beach properly. Their dream retirement was looking very different from what they’d imagined. All thanks to aging knees that didn’t cooperate.

“We never talked about it,” he recalls. “Just accepted that this was becoming our life.

Watching other people walk by with ease and enjoy what we couldn’t.”

The turning point came when Graham stumbled across an article about Koru FX, a New Zealand-made natural cream that’s become popular in local pharmacies.

“I was skeptical that a cream could take the edge off a knee. I know they absorb but I wasn’t a real believer in that sort of stuff,” Graham admits. “I kept thinking about all the life I was missing while I debated trying it.”

What convinced him was learning it was made locally with natural ingredients. The cream’s blend of 16 natural compounds is the only joint cream with this triple-action formula.

Warming oils like black pepper and nutmeg help the ingredients penetrate, while peppermint and eucalyptus then provide cooling relief. Mānuka, calendula and other botanicals offer long-lasting support

productions productions. “Everything Everything is designed and built specifically for us, which enables us to deliver the production the way we want to. Expect to laugh, maybe even shed a tear, and when those first chords of the iconic 9 to 5 start to play, expect to be tapping your toes, clapping your hands and singing along,” Nicholson said.

Double pass giveaway!

The Weekend Sun has a double pass for opening night on July 25 to give away to one lucky reader who can tell where 9 to 5 The Musical is being performed.

To enter, visit www.sunlive.co.nz and click on the ‘competitions’ tab. Entries must be in by Tuesday, July 21.

Rosalie Liddle Crawford

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throughout the day.

Three days after ordering, Graham started his new routine.

“The first thing I noticed was how different it felt from your traditional gels,” he says.

“It absorbed quickly with this pleasant peppermint scent. Within minutes, there was this deep warming followed by cooling that lasted ages. I noticed it working really quickly.”

Within a few weeks, Graham’s beach walks had become reality. His wife joined him on the same routine, and now they’re exploring stretches of coastline they’d only admired from afar.

“It was just enough to take the edge off. And once that happened, you start moving again.

It’s the movement that makes the difference, but this helps you do it.

Word travels fast. Graham’s increased pace

hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“Tomorrow I’m driving with bottles for a friend,” Graham laughs. “She called yesterday complaining about her joints. I know exactly how she feels.”

He’s become something of a local advocate, sharing his Koru FX with neighbours and friends. “The irony isn’t lost on me - the guy who wouldn’t touch ‘natural products’ is now telling everyone about it.”

Graham’s morning routine is simple now - a quick application with breakfast before heading out for his daily adventure.

“All those months of being cynical while the answer was right there,” he reflects. “I kick myself for waiting so long. This retirement looks nothing like those first months here, and I’m grateful for that.”

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The Weekend Sun

10 0

All aboard the Gus bus He’s more than triple what qualifies as “a long stayer”, and with each day that rolls by, Gus the gentle giant hangs in there – patiently awaiting a home.

Ending up in the SPCA in February with his brother Ace as puppies, Gus is now Tauranga SPCA’s current longest-staying dog and is raring to find his forever family or companion.

Now 7 months old, the Tauranga SPCA team are disheartened to see mixed breed and “SPCA special” Gus still in their care.

With 42 days in the shelter defining what makes a long stayer, Gus is sitting at more than 135 days with the SPCA … and

counting.

“It is really hard for us because we know it’s not the best [having animals long term], especially for big dogs,” said Tauranga Centre Manager, Andrea Crompton.

“They need room to move and grow and experience the world and get used to different sights and sounds.”

‘Full of life’

Crompton said Gus is a “gentle giant” and likely a collie cross with a mix of short white hair and brindle, giving him a unique coat.

“He’s quite tall and lanky, and quite energetic. We’re looking for someone who is energetic themselves who can take Gus

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Gus is a 7-month-old mixed breed with a lot of energy and love to give, says Tauranga Centre Manager, Andrea Crompton. Photo: Kelly O’Hara.

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for lots of nice walks and runs.”

Both Gus and his brother Ace were surrendered as pups by someone who couldn’t take care of them, Crompton said.

“I guess they were nervous right from the start, and they haven’t been able to gain that confidence here.”

Crompton said long-stay animals could get “institutionalised”, and it was detrimental to them.

“They stick with what they know and what is comfortable for them so when they do meet and greets, they’re really quite nervous.”

Fortunately, Ace has recently been adopted.

“We just celebrated Ace going home and that’s the best. That’s a really good day when we go: ‘This is what we do it for.’”

Now the team is hoping they can celebrate Gus finding a home soon too.

“When Gus is with us and he’s running around in our play pen, he’s full of life and full of love … He does have a lot of love to give.”

Cost and reward

It’s not just the heartstrings that it pulls on seeing long stayers in the shelter; however, it’s also the purse strings.

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As a charity organisation, desexing, vaccinating, microchipping and feeding animals all cost a pretty penny.

“For a puppy, it’s probably $900 just to house them, get them old enough and get them out of here.”

Keeping bigger dogs fed is also a big cost,, Crompton said.

She estimates that Gus’ food costs probably run to around $40-$60 a week.

“The adoption fee doesn’t cover the cost in that situation in any way, shape or form.”

These precious pooches are worth it, however, Crompton said.

“Taking on a rescue and giving it happiness and love is rewarding in itself for a lot of people. I mean I took on a rescue and he’s the love of my life. He’s just well worth everything.

“Long stayers, particularly a dog like Gus who is shy, it’s just about investing a bit of time up front, but the rewards are fantastic.”

The SPCA is currently running a special promotion until August 2, where all longstay animals like Gus will be available for adoption by donation for the right home.

Visit the Tauranga SPCA website for more information at: https://www.spca.nz/ centre/tauranga-centre Georgia Minkhorst

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Friday 17 July 2026

Try chicken pho this winter!

It’s that time of year when soup just soothes the soul – and have we got a recipe for you!

Recently, we asked readers to share their favourite family soup recipes – Stephanie Thomas set in a saliva-starter!

“Here is my AM MAZING Chicken Pho recipe,” said Thomas. “It is on a biweeklly rotation year-round [in my house]. The soothing chicken broth and ginger help fight off winter illness. You will want to keep this in your rotation all winter long!”

Thomas said she had been perfecting this recipe in the crock pot and the instant pot for the last eight years. “It is better than any Vietnamese chicken pho I have found in Aotearoa. I know it is a big claim but try it and see for yourself!f!” !

Thomas’ pro tip for making the soup is: “To be more efficient with time, putting the aromatics in some cheesecloth or a singleuse tea bag saves time trying to fish out the aromatics from the broth before serving”.

Share a recipe and win!

The Weekend Sun thanks all readers who sent in their own soup recipes last time – and we want them to keep coming! Do you have a family soup recipe you’d like to share?

Send it, with a photo of the cooked meal, to: merle.cave@nzme.co.nz with ‘Soup Share’ in the subject line. The Weekend Sun will choose one recipe to feature in next week’s paper – and the provider will win a $50 Pak’nSave supermarket voucher.

Stephanie Thomas as’ s bok choy, spinach, carrots, zucchini, bean sprouts, Chicken Pho broccoli, snow peas, spring Ingredients

1 whole chicken (or 1-1.2kg chicken pieces) 1 onion, halved 1 large piece ginger, sliced 2-3 star anise 3 cardamom pods 4 whole cloves 1 tsp fennel seeds 1 tsp coriander seeds 1 cinnamon stick 1 tbsp fish sauce 1-2 tsp sugar (optional) 6-7 cups water Salt to taste Rii noodles Rice Fresh herbs (coriander, Thai basil, mint) Lime wedges Spring onions Chilli slices (optional) Hoisin or sriracha sauce (optional) Optional: Mushrooms,

over noodles with herbs and lime.

Instant pot method: Add onions. chicken, aromatics, fish sauce, sugar, and water.

Method Pressure cook 25 minutes, Char the onion, ginger natural release 10 minutes. and all the aromatics (star Remove chicken, shred and anise, cloves, fennel seeds, return to broth. Add veges on coriander seeds, cinnamon) sauté mode for 2-5 minutes. in a dry pan or under the grill Serve over noodles with herbs until lightly blackened and and lime. fragrant.

Slow-coooker method: Add chickeen, charred aromatics, fish sauce, sugar and water.

Cook on loow for 6-8 hou urs or high forr 3-4 hours.

Remove chicken, sh hred and return n to broth. Add d optional veeges in the last 5-10 minutes. Serve

The Weekend Sun

12

Young filmmakers face off Esmee Myers, 12, practising in front of the camera at BOPAS. Photo / Supplied

An interstudio screen festival and competition is being planned between two acting studios, one in Tauranga and the other in Wellington.

Young actors from both regions will create, perform in and help produce original short films, with the completed projects to be screened and judged by an industry professional.

"Our studio is collaborating with Wellington's Rātā Studios, one of New Zealand's leading screen acting studios, to create what we believe is a first-of-its-kind interstudio screen festival," Bay of Plenty Actors Studio founder Tanya Horo said.

Horo, who also founded talent agency T.M. Horo Management, runs film and television acting classes in Tauranga.

Past students have gone on to roles in Shortland Street, East of Eden, The Gone, as well as television commercials and feature films.

"What excites us most is that the project introduces a spirit of friendly competition

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into an industry that is already highly competitive," Horo said.

"It gives young creatives the opportunity to collaborate, create original work and gain a deeper understanding of the dedication, resilience and teamwork required to succeed in the screen industry."

Horo said the festival is designed to celebrate emerging talent while giving Bay of Plenty actors the opportunity to connect with fellow young creatives and experience the filmmaking process from concept to screen.

"I am super excited for our short film competition," Rātā Studios Wellington director Joanne Rogers said.

"Short films provide a critical place to practise, practise, practise your craft - the ultimate creative playground.

"It's going to be a fast-paced, collaborative environment where participants can experiment with genre, hone their technical skills and discover their cinematic voice," Rogers said.

Interested in being part of the festival?

Visit www.bopas.co.nz or email info@ bopas.co.nz Rosalie Liddle Crawford

The Weekend Sun

Friday 17 July 2026

13

Inside Tauranga’s priivate art collections A collection of handcrafted woollen manu may be small, but they tell a much bigger story about friendship, creativity and the personal connections that make art meaningful.

The unique figures are among the works featured in Private View, showing at Tauranga Art Gallery until October 25.

The exhibition brings together artworks usually found in private homes across Tauranga Moana, revealing not just the artworks themselves, but a glimpse into the locals who collect and live with them.

For Tauranga’s Keri Welham, the display marks the first time all eight handcrafted manu have been reunited since they were created.

“It’s actually a really cool moment to walk into the gallery and see the group represented,” Welham said. “It’s been such a positive period of our lives and then to see that going out into the world through our little dolls has been quite a buzz.”

The figures belong to members of the Toi Ataata Collective, a group of seven women who began collecting contemporary New Zealand art during the Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020.

Rather than building individual collections, the friends pooled their resources to support artists while learning more about contemporary art.

“We thought we’d be able to support a much larger number of artists and learn a lot more about art,” Welham said.

“Personally, it helped us figure out what we loved.”

‘Surprisingly confronting’

Today the collective jointly owns about 22 artworks, which rotate between members’ homes every six months.

Annual trips to galleries and art fairs have become a tradition, with members debating and voting on potential purchases before adding new works to their shared collection.

Not every artwork is everyone’s favourite.

“We had lots of conversations at the beginning about how we wouldn’t only be buying things that each individual really loved,” Welham said. “There’s one work I really didn’t like at first, but once it lived in my house it became a bit like a friend.

That became part of the learning too.”

The handcrafted manu featured in Private View are different. Unlike the collective’s shared artworks, each figure is individually owned and was specially commissioned from artist Te Maari, who now lives in the United Kingdom.

Instead of sending photographs, each member wrote a personal letter introducing themselves. They also chose a bird - or, in one case, a moth - that best represented them.

“It was surprisingly confronting,” Welham said. “You had to sum yourself up in just a few paragraphs.”

Using those letters, Te Maari created distinctive felt and Shetland wool figures filled with deeply personal details.

“I mentioned in passing that I very occasionally wear bright red lipstick, and my figure has these tiny little touches of red through the hairline. It’s extraordinary how someone can read three paragraphs and create something that feels like you.”

Keri Welham with the eight Te Maari manu figures on display in the ‘Private View’ exhibition at Tauranga Art Gallery. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

Perfect choice

While the collective owns paintings by leading contemporary artists including Yuki Kihara, Ayesha Green and others, Welham believes the manu were the perfect choice for Private View.

“They have a story that goes beyond the artwork itself,” she said. “Art is about stories, and we’ve become quite addicted to learning about artists, their process and their vision.

“And seeing our collection of manu by Te Maari, together for the first time in this exhibition, feels a little like the story of our friendship has been brought to life in wool and felt.”

That sense of connection is exactly what Private View celebrates.

Alongside works by artists including Gretchen Albrecht, Ralph Hotere, Reuben Paterson, Robin White and Toss Woollaston, the exhibition explores the relationship between art, interiors and everyday life, with furniture and furnishings curated by interior designer Kathrine McDonald.

For Welham, joining the collective transformed her relationship with art.

“I was an absolute newbie in 2020,” Welham said. “Now I’ve got my own collection and I’m also a founding trustee of Tauranga’s Font public art trust. It’s been an amazing journey.”

Private View is on display at Tauranga Art Gallery until October 25.

Rosalie Liddle Crawford

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The Weekend Sun

15

Friday 17 July 2026

Hospital avoids staff shortage over long weekend

Tauranga Hospital serves the Western Bay of Plenty. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

It was a tense day at Tauranga Hospital as medical registrars faced the prospect of more than a quarter of their staff being away over the Matariki long weekend.

A doctor issued a plea on social media calling for anyone familiar with the hospital to come in and help as a registrar over Saturday and Sunday.

To sweeten the deal, hours and money were up for negotiation.

“A call for help from the Tauranga Hospital,” the doctor wrote. “We are extremely short-staffed on the medical registrar front this weekend.

“If anybody has worked with us before,

is now out working elsewhere and wants to make some extra cash on the weekend, please reach out.

“We can discuss money and number of hours, it’s all negotiable.”

The Resident Doctors’ Association told RNZ that cover had been found, but the social media post raised questions about how the hospital got to that point in the first place.

National secretary Dr Deborah Powell said Tauranga Hospital was down more than a quarter of their medical registrars over the long weekend. “Why have we got to Thursday of a long weekend, and you don’t have cover for the weekend?

It’s very much last minute,” she said.

“I am aware they introduced a new

Balance and business: Does it really exist?

As a business owner and a mum to an 11-year-old daughter, I’m often asked how I balance it all.

The honest answer? I don’t think I always do.

Taking over Tranquillo and stepping into the world of business ownership has been one of the most exciting, challenging and rewarding experiences of my life. I’ve learned quickly that running a business rarely looks as polished behind the scenes as it might appear from the outside.

Some weeks, the business needs more of me. Other weeks, my daughter does.

Sometimes I feel like I’m doing everything well, and other times I’m simply trying to keep all the balls in the air.

Being a mum while building a business has also made me think about what I’m showing my daughter. I hope she sees that women can be ambitious, take risks and create something they’re proud of but also that success doesn’t mean doing everything perfectly.

I’m learning that balance isn’t about giving everything equal time. It’s about recognising what needs you most in that moment and letting go of the guilt when

Jess Allerby, left, Dani Sheridan and Moenah O’Shea from Tranquillo. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

something else has to wait.

Self-care doesn’t always mean a spa day.

Sometimes it’s a walk, asking for help, saying no, or simply taking an hour for yourself without feeling guilty.

Perhaps balance isn’t something we achieve. Maybe it’s something we continually adjust as life changes.

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roster system and it’s not working well, but the guys tell me that this is known about and they just haven’t acted promptly enough to get it sorted.”

Tauranga Mayor Mahé Drysdale said a staff shortage going into the long weekend was a concern. “It’s important to realise that just because it’s a long weekend, that doesn’t stop the sickness and injuries happening, it happens irrespective of whether it’s a holiday or not,” Drysdale said.

RNZ asked Health NZ for an interview on the issue.

It sent a statement from its Bay of

Plenty group director of operations, Sarah Fenwick.

“Tauranga Hospital has experienced some roster pressures for the coming weekend but these have been addressed,” Fenwick said.

“This is a challenging time of year for medical registrar recruitment, with some staff leaving to commence training opportunities overseas and winter illness also placing pressure on staffing levels.”

Fenwick said they had recruited for their current vacancies, with new registrars due to start in August, September and October.

Finn Blackwell / RNZ

Friday 17 July 2026

Creatine – maximising physical performance Creatine has long been acknowledged as one of the most effective supplements for athletes and fitness enthusiasts seeking muscle development and improved physical performance.

Beyond this, one of its key benefits is helping maintain muscle mass as we age, especially for those who include strength training in their exercise routines.

Creatine helps replenish the body’s supply of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), the energy our muscles need. Activities such as weightlifting and running increase ATP use by about 100 times that at rest. By increasing available ATP, creatine allows muscles to work harder and longer, leading to greater gains in strength and endurance.

Creatine works througgh ATP regeneration, and cellular ATP production is pH-sensitive. Accidic cells produce ATP less efficiently.

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For those comm mitted to resistance train ning, creatine allows fasster recovery between sets,,

enabling more repetitions and heavier lifts. This accelerates muscle growth and the improvement of overall fitness.

Additionally, creatine’s ability to reduce muscle fatigue means athletes can push through plateaus and reach new personal bests.

Creatine is safe, affordable and wellresearched, making it a staple of training programmes. Whether you’re aiming to sculpt your physique or simply stay active and strong, creatine remains one of the most scientifically supported supplements for muscle development, promising tangible results for those willing to put in the work.

When choosing a creatine supplement, look for highly solu uble creatine monohydrate. High solubility means rap pid absorption and redu uces the chances of digestive upset, such as bloatting.

John Artss (Adv.Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutrition nal medicine practitioner.

To read moore by John and the Abundant Health products, visit: www.healtthhouse.co.nz, call 0800 140 141, or email: john@ @heallthhouse.co.nz.

Creatine A simple daily addition for people wanting to stay strong, sharp and active.

Creatine has long been known in the sports world, and research is now showing it may offer important benefits well beyond the gym. It is a natural part of the body’s energy system and plays a key role in both muscle function and brain energy.

The Weekend Sun

16

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Menoopause and d Me – free community talk Hi, I'm Dr Trish, h and d I'd d llove to invite you to my free community talk, Menopause and Me. Four years ago, I presented my first menopause education session after recognising, through conversations with patients, that my own understanding of menopause required updating. Although knowledge and awareness of menopause have advanced considerably in recent years, significant gaps in understanding still exist among both women and healthcare professionals.

The menopause experience is highly individual. Approximately one-third of women experience minimal symptoms, one-third experience symptoms that can be challenging to manage, and a further third find that symptoms have a substantial impact on their quality of life.

Menopausal symptoms can vary significantly and may include hot flushes, anxiety, sleep disturbance, palpitations, brain fog, joint pain, and hair loss.

One aspect of perimenopause that is often overlooked is that women may continue to have regular menstrual cycles while experiencing significant hormonal symptoms. In retrospect, I recognise how many women may have been reassured that nothing was wrong when hormonal changes were already affecting their wellbeing and daily functioning.

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Perimenopause is a naturall transitionall phase that commonly begins in a woman’s 40’s, although it can start earlier. Menopause is formally diagnosed after 12 consecutive months without a menstrual period.

I am delighted to be joined by Lisa and Paige from Bay Functional Health, who will provide practical insights into the roles of nutrition and gut health in supporting hormonal wellbeing and overall health during this stage of life.

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Venue: C3 City Church Date: 27th of July 2026 Time: 6.30pm - 8:30 pm Register: citychurch.nz/events

The Weekend Sun

Friday 17 July 2026

17

24/7 urgent care delayed until December The opening of a new 24-hour urgent healthcare service in Tauranga has been delayed until December.

The Government announced in May last year that Tauranga would have the service by mid-2026.

Bay of Plenty MP Tom Rutherford told the Bay of Plenty Times it was now expected by December.

A woman who campaigned eight years ago for an after-hours A&E medical centre in Pāpāmoa called the delay “really disappointing”.

Rutherford said the Government remained committed to delivering the service.

“We set an ambitious target to get it open by the middle of this year.”

It was important to “get the overnight staffing model right”.

“We’ve been working through accreditation and sustainability issues with the [Royal New Zealand College of Urgent Care] and ACC [Accident Compensation Corporation], and the result will be a more reliable service that can actually be maintained long-term.”

Rutherford said Health New Zealand was working with the provider to introduce extended opening hours in the coming months “with a full 24/7 service expected by December of this year”.

He would not confirm the provider but said he would “in the

near future”.

The new service would give Tauranga residents better access to urgent care close to home and help ease pressure on the hospital’s emergency department, he said.

‘Disappointing’ delay

In July 2018, former Pāpāmoa East resident Judy Killalea launched a petition calling for an after-hours A&E medical centre in Pāpāmoa.

It came after her husband Michael, 75, died in 2016. His arm started swelling, but he decided the 25-minute drive from Pāpāmoa to Tauranga Hospital was too far, and he would wait until the morning.

Killalea, who now lives in Auckland, told the Bay of Plenty Times the delay was “really disappointing”.

“There’s a desperate need for it, especially now that Tauranga has grown and Pāpāmoa has grown so much.”

A 24-hour medical clinic, Consult365 Pāpāmoa, opened in January 2024 but abruptly closed in November that year because it was not financially sustainable.

Killalea’s comments were put to Health NZ for a response.

Health NZ was also asked which provider it was working with, the reason behind the delays, and for more information on the provider extending its opening hours.

In a July 14 statement, provided

after this story was initially published, Health NZ Midland Te Manawa Taki regional planning, funding and outcomes director Nicola Ehau said the agency remained committed to implementing a 24/7 urgent care service in Tauranga.

“We are working closely with the current urgent care provider in Tauranga to ensure after-hours services are sustainable, reliable, and able to meet the long-term needs of the community.”

Ehau said specific operating hours and when these would take effect were still being finalised.

The objective was to be open 24/7

by December.

Ehau said the timing of the service expansion depended on workforce availability and “operational readiness” to ensure it could be delivered safely, effectively, and sustainably.

She said the new urgent and after-hours framework provided for an additional evening and weekend service in Tauranga. Health NZ would begin planning for its implementation from mid-2027.

In the meantime, Accident and HealthCare Tauranga provided walk-in urgent care services seven days a week from 8am to 8pm for urgent but non-life-threatening conditions, Ehau said.

Tauranga Hospital’s Emergency Department remained available

Saving your skin shoulldn’t have to cost you an arm and a leg...

The Government announced in May last year that Tauranga would have a round-the-clock urgent healthcare service by mid-2026. Photo / 123rf

24 hours a day for serious or lifethreatening emergencies.

Royal New Zealand College of Urgent Care chief executive Adrian Metcalfe said it set the requirements that accredited urgent care clinics must meet to support safe, high-quality patient care.

The standards were designed to ensure appropriate clinical staffing across all hours of operation.

Individual providers were responsible for implementing and maintaining these standards, Metcalfe said.

ACC acting deputy chief executive of system commissioning and performance Eldon Paea said ACC continued to fund injuryrelated urgent care services in

Tauranga via its urgent care clinic contract, which had been extended until June 30, 2027.

This ensured continuity of services and certainty for providers while ACC continued working with Health NZ on a more sustainable commissioning model for urgent and after-hours care.

A May 2025 Health NZ document said the current urgent care system was “fragmented” with “inconsistent service availability and funding models across the country”.

The agency was working towards delivering a “more nationally consistent” service, where 98% of New Zealanders could access care within a one-hour drive of Megan Wilson their homes.

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Friday 17 July 2026

The Weekend Sun

18 news and views for the over 55s

Three acces for Tauranga golfer Most golfers dream of scoring a hole in one just once in their lifetime.

For Ōtūmoetai Golf Club member Lynette Whitehead, that dream has come true not once, but three times - with two of those remarkable shots coming in the past 12 months.

Her latest hole in one came on July 1, just weeks after another ace on May 27. Her first was back in 2013, making the recent double feat all the more extraordinary.

“There isn't really a secret,” Whitehead laughs. “You just look at the hole, hit the ball and hope it

Golfer Lynette Whitehead Wh h has scored three holes in one at Ōtūmoetai Golf Club. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

doeesn't go in the drain. Then it's quitte exciting when you see it disaappear into the hole.” he has been playing golf since Sh she was 13. Growing up in Mount Maunganui after her family movved from Hamilton in the latee 1950s, Whitehead attended Mount Maunganui Primary and Colllege and would often head to the golf course during a free periiod at school.

We used to sneak out, play a “W uple of holes, then go back to cou schoool,” she said.

Allthough she played for decades, hitehead didn't officially Wh obtaain a handicap until joining ūmoetai Golf Club in 2010. Ōtū “I started on a handicap of about 26, got down to nine after a few yearrs, and now I'm playing off 17,” she said. he plays every Tuesday with Sh the club’s women’s competition and d joins mixed veterans’ golf on

Wednesdays, when players are drawn into different groups each week.

For Whitehead, however, golf is about far more than chasing the perfect shot.

“I just love the camaraderie,” she said. “It's a team sport as well as an individual sport. I love the competition, but I also love going away with the team. It's really good for the soul.” Ōtūmoetai Golf Club may be one of the smaller clubs in the region, but Whitehead said it regularly punches above its weight, with members enjoying success in Bay of Plenty pennant competitions against clubs including Ōmokoroa, Ōmanu, Fairview, Te Puke, Waihī and Tauranga.

“We do very well for our little club because we don't have very many people to choose from,” she said.

Whitehead is one of six siblings

and comes from a golfing family, with both her parents playing at Mount Maunganui Golf Club.

Today she has five grandchildren, all aged eight and under.

Whether any of them will follow in their grandmother's golfing footsteps remains to be seen.

“They've got so many choices these days," she said. “But they often come down and watch me play.”

While there is already an honour board at Ōtūmoetai Golf Club recognising members who have scored a hole in one, Lynette's achievement of recording two aces within just a few weeks has created plenty of excitement around the clubhouse. Ōtūmoetai Golf Club now has about 400 members and welcomes new golfers of all abilities.

“Everybody's welcome,” Whitehead said.

Rosalie Liddle Crawford

More than a war storyy Tauranga author John Carstensen is shining a light on one of New Zealand’s most complex chapters of history in his newly released historical novel, Journeys.

Published in May, the novel follows fictional Irish soldier Finbar Kelly, who travels to New Zealand in 1863 after enlisting in the British Imperial Army, hoping to earn a land grant and build a new life. Instead, he finds himself caught up in the New Zealand Wars, where his understanding of the conflict is challenged as he witnesses the realities of colonisation, broken promises and the human cost of war.

The novel follows his life, as a saga into the next generation, up to 1918. “I became increasingly interested in New Zealand history,” said Carstensen, who began researching the subject in 2018 after reading historian Vincent O’Malley’s The Great War for New Zealand.

“I read more and more around New Zealand history and came up with the idea of using historical fiction to place invented characters into that historical background.”

Carstensen chose an Irish protagonist after recognising parallels between Ireland’s history of colonisation and events in New Zealand during the 19th century.

Alongside its historical setting, Journeys explores themes of conscience, redemption and Christian faith.

Carstensen said the novel took several years to complete.

He began writing in 2019, then left the manuscript untouched for a time before returning to it with fresh ideas and feedback from fellow writers.

Originally from Denmark, Carstensen spent his childhood in Canada before immigrating to New Zealand at 13. An English teacher by profession, he taught English

0800 520 046

literature and English to international students, including at the Universityy of Waikato’s Pathways Colllege, and also spentt two and a half years teaching in China.

John Carstensen with his book “I learned Journeys. Photo / Kelly O’Hara more about New Zealand history while studying te reo Māori at the Wananga o Aotearoa,” he said. Carstensen’s wife, Miep, a history teacher who also has a special interest in the history of NZ, played an important role in the novel’s development, acting as editor and historical fact-checker throughout the writing process. Already, readers have responded positively to Journeys. “They didn’t know some of the darker side of New Zealand history during the colonial era. Others have said it’s very readable - one or two even said they couldn’t put it down.” He said some have also commented that it would be a good resource for senior secondary students of history and English.

Journeys is available online through retailers including Fishpond and Amazon and has also been ordered by Tauranga City Libraries and other public libraries around New Zealand.

To purchase a copy, email j.carstensen49@gmail.com

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Friday 17 July 2026

The Weekend Sun

20

Return of the losers It’s always interesting to find out what others think of us here in Tauranga.

This is How We Die. Photo / Ryan Greenwood

I chat to musically-minded people all over the country and I can confirm that the answer is: not a lot.

Actually, that comes across as a little harsh. I don’t mean they don’t think much of us; rather that they don’t think of us much. Tauranga is not a bright shining light on New Zealand’s music scene with a tradition like Dunedin or even, dare I say it, Hamilton.

Music festivals

No. 1993 Across 5. Conservatory (8) 1. Dam (SI) (8) 6. Friends (5) 6. Rodents (4) 7. Beach (NI) (7) 8. Reject (4) 12. Stale (8) 9. Gyration (8) 14. Joy (7) 10. Pass (SI) (5) 11. Marine mollusc (6) 16. Experience (7) 18. Edition (5) 13. Praise (6) 20. Conclude (5) 15. Crush (6) 21. Article (4) 17. Season (6) B OW L E M T K I O A E H 19. Let in (5) R F R O T A N A U M A G A 22. Trick (8) O B O E E N L K M I T O S W E N C T U N A I T A M E 23. Division (4) N A G S D K G P X E M A T 24. Shrivelled (4) A S C O T A G O S K I N K 25. N.Z. cricket capt- Y P L F O W G T O E A I O ain (1927) (4,5) KA RA RT AA NI GE GA RE UT AS KI CA MK Down D A U B E N A B S I D L A 2. Dramatic work (5) Z G P L E I I A I J E E P T U T U R U A T U E A V U 3. Perused (7) F S T E E S E E O F L A T 4. Uncommon (4) Solution 1992

However, there are two festivals in Tauranga that everyone is jealous of and which draw praise and admiration all across the land. They are Easter’s National Jazz Festival and August’s alternative music festival Loserpalooza. I can’t decide which I like most.

One thing that a great festival needs is a mission. Both festivals have that. And both festivals have an inclusiveness to them. I remember, years back when the jazz festival moved downtown, a local reporter wrote about experiencing “an outbreak of community”. And that, in its own way is what unites them.

In Loserpalooza’s long and most entertaining mission statement for this year, after noting “the world continues to grow into an uglier, scarier place”, promoter Austin Cunningham talks about community in these terms: “Luckily here, in our own little Tauranga music microcosm, we now largely escape this due to a word largely lost elsewhere:

COMMUNITY. We, as we can affectionately call ourselves, are the Losers... Those who have been battling dark thoughts for a lifetime, but who have found solace in music and now with each other.

“Look around, you will struggle to find an alternative music scene as united and bonded as the one we have. From the ridiculously old like Stuntclown, to the enviable youth of Pipeline Punks, we all find unity in the one this thing we love – music, Music, MUSIC. And with this we all try to bring each other up to a high consciousness. No Loser left behind.”

The deets

If you don’t know about Loserpalooza, now in its eighth iteration, here are the deets: Saturday August 15; 12 Loser hours; 25 Loser bands; 2 Loser stages; 1 Loser venue – Totara Street. All proceeds go to Lifeline to help with their efforts in suicide awareness and prevention.

I will obviously be returning to this in the near future since I haven’t even mentioned the 25 bands or the new Juniorpalooza event at Grey Street’s Ōkahukura on August 14.

But the build-up has already begun.

Hardcore Katikati outfit, This Is How We Die – John Sutherland, Jacob Ormsby and Ben Cowman – has just released a new single, the exotically-titled Seo Mar A Gheibh Sinn Bàs, recorded at The oZone in Waihi. The title means “this is how we die” in Scottish Gaelic and there’s an energetic video on YouTube.

Seems to me the band are adding melodicism while losing none of its aggression. Good work.

You can find it on this week’s playlist with a host of other Loser bands.

Hear Winston’s Latest Playlist Scan the QR code, or visit:

www.tinyurl.com/mujtf47m

What does Mauao mean to you?

Bay of Plenty residents are invited to share what Mauao means to them in a survey set up by the Tauranga City Council.

In a partnership between the council, Mauao Trust and Ngā Poutiriao o Mauao, restoration work on the mountain is underway. According to the council, repair work after the fatal landslide on Mauao on January

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22 progresses with remediation works on the Motukauri (summit 4WD) track nearing completion and repair beginning on Te Ara Tūtanga (base) track. “Work is underway to gain access to landslides for remediation, which includes clean-up of the track and beach areas so work can start...Mowing of the Beachside Holiday Park area has been completed.”

The council and Mauao Trust is asking the community to share their connection with Mauao and what matters most to them so everyone can play a part in the restoration.

The online survey is at: tinyurl.com/3mxjjz6e

The Weekend Sun

Friday 17 July 2026

21

Unwrap Beethoven in an unforgettable listening experience

Opus Orchestra’s guest conductor Michael Joel. Photo / Richard Lummus

Opus Orchestra will this month take music-lovers on a journey of discovery into one of the real gems of Beethoven’s works.

The orchestra’s Beethoven Unwrapped! concert will be performed in Tauranga’s St Peters in the City on July 26 from 3pm

– and is not to be missed!

“With guest conductor Michael Joel as your musical guide, we invite audiences to experience Beethoven’s Symphony No. 4 in a way they’ve never heard before,” Opus Orchestra general manager Rebecka Beetz said.

A concept developed by Opus Orchestra last year, the musicians

will “unwrap” the music in the concert’s first half – bringing out key themes, rhythms and harmonies, and sharing insights into Beethoven’s ideas and emotions through music.

“This is not a lecture, but an invitation: an open, playful and informal way to get closer to Beethoven’s genius,” Beetz said.

After a break where people can chat with the musicians, the orchestra will perform the entire symphony. “With new understanding and familiarity, the concert’s second half will be an unforgettable listening experience.”

Known for his energy and ability to connect with audiences, Hamilton-based Joel, who is music director for Bay of Plenty Symphonia, has conducted Opus Orchestra twice before and has led the orchestra’s community outreach work in libraries for two years. “Michael is passionate about making orchestral music accessible, exciting and fun for all,” Beetz said.

“So, whether you’re stepping

into an orchestral concert for the very first time – or you’re a lifelong Beethoven fan – Beethoven Unwrapped! is designed to welcome everyone!”

Beethoven Unwrapped! concerts will be held in Hamilton on July 24, Rotorua on July 25 and Tauranga on July 26.

Tickets cost child/ student $10, senior $35, adult $40, and a family pass (2 adults and up to 4 children)

BEETHOVEN

Get ready for a cheeky romantic romp

UNWRAPPED

Young Will Shakespeare is in a desperate state... His quill has dried up.

And a deadline looms.

Sun 26 July, 3pm

Along comes Viola de Lesseps: a daughter of nobility, who dreams of performing on a stage.

Disguised as a man, Viola storms into Will’s life.

What begins as a dangerous flirtation quickly becomes a scandalous affair filled with stolen kisses, secret identities, forbidden desires, backstage betrayals, and enough theatrical chaos to bring London to its knees. With egos clashing, rivals scheming, and swords at the ready, Will and Viola’s passion becomes the very inspiration he needs to write his greatest masterpiece Romeo and Juliet!

Based on the Academy Award-winning film, Shakespeare in Love which opens on August 7, is a cheeky, romantic romp through Elizabethan London, where ambition, lust, laughter, and art collide.

Packed with wit, music, passion, and backstage mayhem, this is a celebration of theatre at its most outrageous, where the drama doesn’t stop when the curtain rises.

Thanks to 16th Ave Theatre, The Weekend Sun has four double passes to opening night

Callout for book donations in Katikati With Katikati Catholic community’s Monster Book Sale coming up in September, the call has gone out for people to donate clean, saleable books, jigsaws, indoor games and CDs and DVDs. The sale does not accept encyclopedias, magazines or video tapes.

People can drop donations at Katikati Catholic Church’s front entrance, at 89 Beach Rd, at any time. For more information, phone Paulien van Rijen on 021 0289 4793.

The Monster Book Sale is a fundraiser for church activities and will go ahead on September 19-20 at Katikati War Memorial Hall.

$90 from: opusorchestra.co.nz or eventfinda.co.nz Thanks to Opus Orchestra, The Weekend Sun has one double pass to Beethoven Unwrapped! to give away to one reader who can tell us who is the guest conductor?

To enter, visit: www.sunlive.co.nz and click on the ‘competitions’ tab.

Entries must be in by Tuesday, July 21.

St Peters in the City 130 Spring Street Tauranga

Tickets: Eventfinda & at the door

Shakespeare In Love, based on the screenplay

by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard, is being performed at 16th Ave Theatre. Photo / Supplied on August 7 to Shakespeare in Love to give away to one reader who can tell us who is Shakespeare in love with?

To enter, visit: www.sunlive.co.nz and click on the ‘competitions’ tab. Entries must be in by Tuesday, July 21.

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Friday 17 July 2026

The Weekend Sun

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Public Notices

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NOTICE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING Notice is hereby given that an Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) of the Mt Maunganui RSA will be held on: Date: Sunday 16th August 2026 Time: 1:00PM Venue: Club Mount Maunganui PURPOSE OF THE MEETING: The purpose of this meeting is to cover: 1. Sale update and vote, if applicable; 2. Club Mount Maunganui merger update; 3. Allocation of sales proceeds; 4. New merged club structure; 5. AGM, nominations and voting; 6. Member motions.

All members are encouraged to attend, and information packs will be emailed to all members one week before the meeting. If you do not have an email address, you can collect a printed copy from the office. Your input and votes are vital to the future direction of the club. To vote, you must be a current financial member.

David Corin, Mount Maunganui RSA President

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