Issuu

28 August 2026, Issue 1325

30 years strong Three decades of connection, purpose and hope are being celebrated next week as Tauranga’s Turning Point Trust/ Te Taiope Huringanui marks its 30th anniversary. Based at the Tauranga Historic Village, Turning Point was established in 1996 and now supports hundreds of people who

have experienced mental illness, addiction and/or disability. For Nicki Hockings, intake co-ordinator and Sage team lead (pictured), the heart of Turning Point is its people. “People support each other based out of their own lived experience,” she said. The non-clinical service offers creative,

horticultural and vocational programmes, along with peer support where people draw on their own lived experience to help others. Members are encouraged to find their own pathway – whether that means employment, study, volunteering, developing skills or simply rebuilding confidence and

connection. The 30th anniversary will be celebrated with five days of member-led events from August 31 to September 4, including a hangi, picnic, movie and disco. The milestone comes as Turning Point prepares to embark on a new adventure. Read more on page 13 . Photo / Kelly O’Hara

Friday 28 August 2026

The Weekend Sun

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A bob each wayy Can a person be of two faiths?

Can you be both “Proddy” and “Tyke”, as my intolerant old Nana labelled Protestants and Roman Catholics in my intolerant “them and us” hometown? Without being hauled out, tortured and burned at the stake as a heretic? Not the way I prefer to go. When my time comes, I simply want the referee to whistle fulltime, pack both my Wahs and Steamers jerseys and shuffle me off to the great aftermatch function in the sky. Because two faiths are vying for my soul – rugby union and rugby league. “Multiple religious belonging,” they call it. I don’t favour one code over the other. Nuh-nuh! Saturday night I turned down a restaurant chicken saagwala because the New Zealand Warriors were on the menu at home – taking on the South Sydney Rabbitohs. A banner at the game proclaimed, “Build a Wah’ll around Bunnies and destroy them”. The Wahs did just that.

Bigger than Tupperware

Then a few ZZZs later, 3am Sunday precisely, I scramble to watch the All Blacks lay waste on the high veldt. It’s a treat watching expectant Springboks fans, the sons of the Boers, weeping tears of disappointment on the infamous and intimidating turf of Ellis Park. More exciting and satisfying than a relaunch of Tupperware. I was christened into rugby union, worshipped at “The Brook”, Carisbrook, a

cold, soulless mud-hole in South Dunedin. That’s where the ABs-Boks rivalryy – hostility – began 105 years ago, almost to the day. We beat them m that day too! Then I had a shift, not even a conscious shift, from rugby to league. The Warriors and the NRL nurtured an appreciation for a gam me that had been pooh-poohed in myy hometown. Rugby was always a bit b sniffy about league – I sensed it was wa a class thing.

war cheest to spread the word. L League, that bloke decided d, was “clutching at straws”.

Liniment and Lion Red d

My epiphany happened at anotheer wet mud-hole called Carlaw Park, 1000km to the north. A real “aha” moment. My first rugby league match, midweek, an international and floodlights strobing in driving rain as hundreds of kilograms of cured beef collided head-on. The smell of liniment blended with spilled Lion Red. Great theatre. You could hear bodies crunching. The sound rattled my bones and shook my allegiances. Gloriously gladiatorial, great theatre. So I uncluttered the heart to make space for a new love, rugby league. There was room for both rugby and league. They don’t rival each other; they each hold their own space. A Christchurch bloke, a defensive, fixviewed rugby fan, recently wrote to a newspaper suggesting league would “never rival rugby”, even though league had just scored a whopping $6.5 billion broadcast

Editor: Merle Cave Editorial: Letitia Atkinson, Rosalie Liddle Crawford, Hunter Wells, Ayla Yeoman. Publications Manager: Kathy Sellars. Advertising: Cade Hughes, Jo Delicata, Sharon Eyres, Ben Simpson. Design Studio: Kym Johnson, Caitlin Burns.

Flick a sooty bird

League was never intended as a rival, rather an alternative. Once upon a time, rugby wouldn’t allow players who were miners and mill workers to be compensated for time off work to play. So they flicked rugby a sooty bird and started their own game. And here we are today. Their game is thriving. The numbers are stacked against league, according to “bloke” – rugby has 8.5 million registered players worldwide, league just 300,000. “Yawn!” my friend the Swami responds. Swami because he’s renounced everything worldly except rugby league. “Same tired old tropes.” Bloke suggested league is only played along coastal Australia, England and only in Auckland is it a major game in Aotearoa. “Umm, look over your shoulder,” the Swami

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saaid. He reckons the figures show league is the fastest-growing field sport in Christchurch – because for kids, it’s easy to understand, easy to play and it’s fast, open and exciting. There’ss the Wahs factor. And, in a few years, Christchurch could be home to the NRL’ss 20th team. And what about the extraoordinary scenes as league fans flooded centrral Christchurch for the pre-match hīkoi aheaad of the historic, sell-out match against the t C Cowboys at One New Zealand stadium? Drums thrashed, as did the echo of “Up the Wahs!” The Swami was there. He said the Warriors created a game-day experience everyone wanted to be part of.

Jonquils and Steamers

“Even non-league people there said the culture, the noise and atmosphere was quite different to anything experienced at a rugby game. Something else completely.” Not bigger or better, just wonderfully different. Perhaps because the Warriors are enjoying something magical right now, atop the NRL and on the cusp of something special? Perhaps. Hopefully. The scaffold seating’s up at the Wharepai Domain. Like the jonquils and daffodils blooming, it’s a sign of spring and the Steamers coming home. I’ll sit in the sun and watch them battle their way out of the middle of the table. Then wander home around a glistening Waikareao estuary to watch the Wahs dick whoever. A double happy. There’s room for both.

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The Weekend Sun

Friday 28 August 2026

Strengthening education ties with Korea Tauranga will put its schools and lifestyle in the international spotlight next month, with a record 29 schools promoting the city in South Korea as an education destination.

The New Zealand Tauranga Study Fair will be held at the COEX Convention and Exhibition Centre in Seoul on September 5-6. The Tauranga delegation will include principals, international education leaders and school representatives, who will meet with Korean families interested in education opportunities in Tauranga. Organiser Hyun Taek Yang said the 29-school delegation was the largest group from Tauranga to participate in the fair. “[It demonstrates] the region’s strong commitment to international education and the value of working together to promote Tauranga overseas,” he said. A pre-departure hui for participating schools was held at Tauranga Boys’ College on August 12, where representatives received final information before travelling to Korea next month. Education Tauranga chair Premila D’Mello said international education continued to make a significant contribution to Tauranga’s economy and community. “International students contribute through tuition fees, homestay accommodation, transport, retail spending and tourism, while visiting parents and relatives often extend their stays to explore the wider Bay of Plenty,” D’Mello said. “Each school is paying for their own international teacher and principal to go

International directors and principals from 29 Tauranga schools who will travel to South Korea in September. Photo / Rosalie Liddle Crawford

to Korea.” From the Education NZ 2025 enrolment data, Priority One general manager Greg Simmonds estimated there was about 500 South Korean students in the Bay of Plenty from the total of 3500 in New Zealand. “A cohort of 500 international students enrolled across Tauranga's primary, intermediate and secondary schools is estimated to contribute more than $20 million annually to the local economy through tuition fees, homestay accommodation, visitor spending, tourism and retail expenditure,” Simmonds said. “Beyond the economic benefits, international students enrich our schools and communities through cultural diversity, global connections and the development of internationally minded young people,” he said. “Their contribution helps strengthen our region’s workforce pipeline, supports

local jobs, and enhances Tauranga’s reputation as a vibrant, internationally connected place to live, learn and invest.” Taek Yang said Korean families were strongly supported throughout the international education process, from enquiries and school selection through to helping students settle into schools and communities. “[We also] maintain relationships with families after students return to Korea. This longterm approach gives

parents confidence while strengthening Tauranga’s reputation through positive experiences, word-ofmouth recommendations and lasting relationships.” D’Mello said international students also contributed to the social and cultural life of the city. “Every student who chooses Tauranga enriches our city by sharing their language, traditions and experiences while becoming part of the fabric of our community.” Rosalie Liddle Crawford

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Friday 28 August 2026

The Weekend Sun

Te Puke teacher to judge wool fashion contest A Te Puke High School teacher is trading the classroom for the catwalk after being selected to judge a wool fashion competition she previously entered. “It kind of feels surreal,” says Lucy Girvan, who will take her seat on the judging panel at this year’s WoolOn competition in Alexandra, in the South Island. The 24-year-old grew up on a sheep and wool farm near another Central Otago town, Ranfurly, and studied design at Otago Polytechnic before launching a wool fashion label, Eweburn Creek. She now balances the label with her work as a textiles teacher at Te Puke High School after gaining her master’s in teaching and education last year.

Super undervalued

Girvan said wool was often overlooked in fashion despite its strong connection to New Zealand. “I think that wool’s superundervalued: The whole process stays in New Zealand, none of it goes offshore, it’s 100% traceable.” Her connection to wool runs deep, with her father working worked as a shearer before becoming a stock agent and eventually owning a farm. The wool used in Eweburn Creek garments is sourced directly from her family’s property. “I always wanted to do something with our family’s wool, and I worked at Otago Knitwear in Dunedin, which gave me a good step in the door to help find the right connections.”

Eweburn Creek garments are 100% made from a fine, 23-micron wool from a merino-Border Leicester sheep breed mix. Her collection aims to highlight wool’s durability, softness and breathability while promoting the fibre as a sustainable and environmentally friendly choice for fashion. Girvan said, “in this day and age”, sustainability was a “big thing” when it came to fashion. “You can’t be a fashion designer and not think about sustainability and I think that wool is the one thing that New Zealand can do really well, it’s literally from our backyard.” WoolOn challenges designers to create garments made from at least 75% wool. Sixty-nine designers have entered this year’s sold-out competition, and about 600 people are expected to attend the matinee and gala shows. For Girvan, being asked to judge the competition is a chance to bring together her background in wool, design and teaching. She described balancing her careers as “kind of a wee bit chaotic, but it’s all good”.

Fostering

She said her students knew a “wee bit” about her background in fashion. “I think it’s cool for them to see the different avenues they can go down, and some of them are really interested in taking their designs to the next level. “I do love fostering little designers; it’s fun.” Girvan said she still couldn’t believe she would be sitting on the judging panel for the same competition she entered as a

Lucy Girvan’s entry in WoolOn 2024 ‘Pretty in Pink’ for the Streetwear category. Photo / Lisa Hill

participant in 2024. “I’ll be sitting down with these other judges who I look up to as fashion designers, so it’s kind of crazy that I’ll be in the same room as them.” Girvan said, as a judge, she wanted to see pieces that stood out and showed careful thought. “Outthere thinking, really well-finished garments, and what has gone into the design process behind it all.” Girvan will help judge WoolOn’s growing youth category this weekend. She joins returning judges Liz Mitchell MNZM and wool entrepreneur Christina Perriam on this year’s judging panel, alongside fellow newcomer Jane Sutherland.

Kaitlyn Morrell

Te Puke High School teacher Lucy Girvan will be on the judging panel at this year’s WoolOn competition in Alexandra. Photo / Supplied

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The Weekend Su un

Inaugural gaala a sellout

Waipuna Hospice CEO David Bryantt. Photo / Brydie Thompson

Backing from the Bay of Plenty residents has made the inaugural Waipuna Hospice’s Long Lunch Charity Gala fundraiser a swift sell-out.

More than 700 people are set to attend at Mercury Baypark Arena on October 16. The interest had exceeded organisers’ expectations, attracting support from the business community and wider public. The hospice said the sell-out reflects the community’s commitment to supporting local hospice care, and the patients and families who rely on its services. The gala will be hosted by Tauranga District Court Executive Judge Paul Geoghegan, “known beyond the courtroom for his warmth, quick wit and longstanding involvement in the Bay of Plenty community”. New Zealand athletics great Dick Tayler, MNZM, will appear as a guest speaker. Guests will also enjoy a long lunch, live entertainment and fundraising live and

Friday 28 August 2026

people standing behind hospicce care and helping make sure it is there for local families when they need it moost.” Bryant said Waipuna Hospicce needed to raise over $8 million every year to continue providing care, and that need was growing. “The Long Lunch will make an important contribution towards that, but it is one part of a much biigger community effort that makes our care possible.” Waipuna Hospice provides specialist palliative care to more than 90 00 patients and their families across the Bay of Plenty

each year. Every donation, fundraiser, volunteer and hospice supporter matters, Bryant said. The event has been developed with support from local community members Peter Blackwell, Mike Stott and Tracy Preston-Lett, alongside sponsorship from Bayleys Bay of Plenty, Craigs Investment Partners, Mercury Baypark and Media Masters. “We are incredibly thankful to everyone who has bought a ticket, our sponsors and supporters, and the people who have given their time and energy to bring this event to life,” Bryant said.

silent auctions. Waipuna Hospice chief executive David Bryant said the response to the event was a powerful reminder of the community’s generosity. “To sell out the Long Lunch in its very first year is something we are incredibly grateful for. “More than 700 people have chosen to come together for Waipuna Hospice, and I think that says a lot about the community we are fortunate enough to be part of.” He said behind every ticket and table was support for the patients and families who relied on the hospice. “For us, that’s what makes this so special. “It’s more than a full room; it’s over 700

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Friday 28 August 2026

The Weekend Sun

Adapted sports grows ws at Aims Games More young athletes with disabilities are set to take part in this year’s Zespri Aims Games, with adapted sport registrations nearly three times higher than last year.

opportunity to discover that they could participate, helping build confidence and generate greater interest in the tournament. “It’s sort of helped drum up more interest,” Jackson said.

The games, running from September 5-11, provide dedicated pathways for Year 7-8 students with physical, sensory or intellectual disabilities, with inclusion categories offered in four individual sports: cross-country, table tennis, indoor bowls and swimming. Ninety-two Adapted Sport Athlete (ASA) registrations had been made for this year’s Games, according to Parafed Bay of Plenty play and youth leader Jo Jackson.

Cross-country

A postive sign

That does not necessarily represent 92 individual students because some athletes may compete in more than one sport, but Jackson said the increase was a positive sign. She believes a series of “Have A Go” sessions held earlier this year had helped encourage more young people to give adapted sports a try. Parafed Bay of Plenty worked with the Aims Games team, Table Tennis New Zealand and local schools to introduce students to table tennis and indoor bowls at sessions held at Te Puke Intermediate in April. “There was a perception, if you like, of ‘they won’t be able to play table tennis’,” Jackson said. “And then they were like, ‘Oh, we can’.” The sessions gave students the

The adapted cross-country event at Waipuna Park for the Aims Games would feature a dedicated two-lap, 800metre grass course. Athletes must be able to complete the course, with placings determined by the order competitors cross the finish line. The adapted sports pathways were intended for athletes whose disabilities mean they couldn’t compete equitably against non-disabled peers in open events. However, Jackson said inclusion was not necessarily limited to dedicated adapted categories. Athletes with disabilities could compete in other Aims Games sports where appropriate, with organisers and others working together to make reasonable modifications where needed. Organisers said they knew of adapted athletes competing as open athletes in rock climbing, golf and mountain biking this year. “They can go in other sports, and then people work as a team to modify it so it’s fair for everybody,” Jackson said. For Jackson, that approach was an important part of playing sports being genuinely inclusive. Jackson, who has been working at Parafed Bay of Plenty for almost seven years, said her organisation enjoyed

Te Puke Intermediate hosted a ‘Have A Go’ session earlier this year to encourage students to participate in adapted sports at this year’s Zespri Aims Games. Photo / Jamie Troughton / Dscribe Media

a positive relationship with the Aims Games team and tournament director Kelly Schischka. “What I love is nothing’s too much trouble for Kelly and the team,” Jackson said.

The focus

“They’re so easy to work with and talk to and take on board anything. I really enjoy it.” The focus of the adapted events was

Retired, but not slowing down

Liz retired last November. She hates that word. “It sounds like you’re winding down,” she says. “I’m not winding down. I’m just doing different things.” At 71, her weeks are fuller than they were when she was working. Pickleball three times a week. Bachata dancing. Looking after relatives. Coffee with friends who’ve known her for decades. Her former colleagues joke that she seems busier now than she ever was at work. “I found it frightening at first,” she admits. “Not knowing what I was going to do with my time. But now I’ve got more interests than hours.” The only thing that needed sorting was her sleep. Liz has always been a night owl. Her husband is asleep by ten, but she’s still up at midnight, and sometimes later. It’s just how she’s wired, and she’s made peace with that. But as she got older, the sleep she did get wasn’t giving her what she needed. She’d wake during the night and lie there, mind ticking over. The hours she managed felt thin, like they weren’t quite reaching her. She’d get up in the morning feeling like she hadn’t really rested at all. “I tried other things,” she says. “But I just didn’t like them. You’d feel drowsy the next day and I gave them away.” That groggy feeling was worse than the tiredness. She wanted something that worked with her body, not something that left her sluggish and foggy. Then she saw an ad in the newspaper for Koru Sleep. She wasn’t expecting miracles, but she was curious enough to try.

on participation, personal achievement and enjoyment, while ensuring athletes have the opportunity to experience the competition and camaraderie of the Aims Games alongside their peers. “The growth in ASA registrations is exciting and demonstrates the value of giving young people the chance to try something new,” Jackson said. Rosalie Liddle Crawford

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“It didn’t work straight away,” Liz says. “But of course, it does take time. You’ve got to give these things a chance.” She stuck with it, letting her body adjust. After a few weeks, something shifted. She was falling back asleep more easily when she woke during the night. The hours started to feel like actual rest. “The beauty of it is, having to go to the bathroom during the night, I can fall straight back to sleep without even thinking about it.” That was five years ago. She’s been taking Koru Sleep ever since. “You’ve got to listen to your own body,” she says. “Give it time to work. That’s what I did.” Liz still doesn’t sleep eight hours. She never has. But the four or five hours she gets now actually feel like sleep.

“Even though I only get four to five hours, I still feel as if I’ve been asleep,” she says. “I wake up fresh and I’m good.” Fresh enough for pickleball. Fresh enough for dancing. Fresh enough for the full, busy life she’s built since stepping away from work. Five years on, Koru Sleep is part of her routine. She takes it on holiday. She notices when she doesn’t have it. “This has been the best one, really,” she says. “Brilliant.” Some people expect retirement to mean slowing down. Liz expected more from herself. She just needed her sleep to keep up. “Sleep is my best friend,” she says. And after five years, she means it.

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The Weekend Sun

Friday 28 August 2026

Jane’s golfing journey has come a fair way When Jane Howard first got roped into running golf at the Zespri AIMS Games in 2008, the tournament was a relative walk in the park.

Then a teacher at Mount Maunganui Intermediate, Howard was put in charge of the 41 golfers entered, with 12 sporting codes amassing 2669 athletes. Skip forward 18 years and Jane is lining up to help, once again – except this year, there’s a capacity field of 180 golfers, amid an extraordinary 14,506 entries for the week-long tournament. And those numbers aren’t the only thing that’s changed.

Kend dalll said d. “I was welll backk going into the final round and had a crazy day, with a ridiculous amount of points, and managed to take it out by a couple. It was certainly one of my golfing highlights and very unexpected.” Another highlight came last year,

wh hen he beat cousin and d former New Zealand representative Brad Kendall in the final of the Mount Maunganui club champs, over 36 holes. But he realised early that his passion was on the administration side, rather than the professional ranks. He started the Aims role when he

What’s changed

“I remember when we first started, there was a lot of negativity about young ones on the golf course, and some of the older brigade felt they should’ve still been at school!” she laughs. “But then it turned around and they’ve been really supportive – I know the Mount Veterans put up a trophy and were keen to be involved as starters and marshals.” To put Howard’s involvement into perspective, current golf coordinator Sam Kendall – now 27 - actually played at Aims Games in 2011 and won the stableford competition – which made up for missing the 2010 tournament. “The year before, I came off my skateboard a few days before Aims and broke my arm so had to withdraw,”

joined Bay of Plenty Golf in late-2021, taking over from Mike Campbell. In that time, golf has boomed in New Zealand – with Covid-19 a major and peculiar influence –reflected in the record numbers for Aims.

Two divisions

Aims golf is now played in two divisions – 18-hole and 9-hole – at six local courses. They are Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Te Puke, Ōtūmoetai, Ōmokoroa and Summerhill. Through it all, Howard just kept turning up to help, regardless of the job she’s needed for. “I tried to move away but I got a call asking for help and I didn’t mind a bit because I love it,” she said.

Inspirational

Zespri AIMS Games code coordinator Sam Kendall with long-time Zespri AIMS Games golf volunteer Jane Howard. Photo / Jamie Troughton / Dscribe Media

“It’s a great atmosphere and it’s just really nice to see the kids and what they do. They’re really inspirational, and it would be lovely to see more people come out and watch, especially in those last rounds.” Howard learned the game from her dad, then passed on her love of the game to son David Edwards, who was a provincial representative. Edwards lives in the United Kingdom, and his 10-year-old son Louis has caught the bug. “I played golf with my father and my son, and I played recently with my son and my grandson over in the UK. It might not happen because he’s so far away, but I’d absolutely love to see my grandson playing in Aims,” she said. Jamie Troughton

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Friday 28 August 2026

The Weekend Sun

Community centres to camp paiign for fund ding, awareness Community centres across Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty will run a month-long awareness and fundraising campaign in September to futureproof their existence.

The campaign will shine a light on centres at Merivale, Welcome Bay, Gate Pā, Katikati and Te Puke, and encourage people to support their local facility to keep up its good work. “We want to celebrate the role community centres play in our neighbourhoods and invite our wider community to invest in keeping these spaces strong for the future,” Merivale Community Centre operations manager Jen Murray said. She will front the campaign on behalf of the centres

The five

Katikati Community Centre has been a vital part of its community for 33 years. Gate Pā Community Centre is looking to the future, with a new community centre being built at 13-15 Anzac Rd. Merivale Community Centre opened its new facility last October and has become a busy community hub. Welcome Bay Community Centre has hundreds of people through the doors each week looking for connection, practical support and opportunities to improve their wellbeing. The Hub Te Puke has served its community since 2016 and is undergoing a revamp. Murray said these facilities were the heartbeat of their neighbourhoods. “These community centres provide kai (food) support, social work support, counselling spaces, youth programmes, community meals, and practical help that

meets people where they are and gives them opportunities to thrive. “While each centre is different, the need is remarkably similar. People come through our doors looking for practical help, connection, someone to talk to, somewhere to belong, or simply a safe and welcoming place to be.”

Demand and costs

The problem was demand kept growing and costs kept rising as centres worked tirelessly to keep services accessible, welcoming and responsive for whānau across the region. Murray said centres relied on funding, grants, volunteers, partnerships and donations to keep their doors open and programmes running. “Like many community organisations across Aotearoa, we’re also facing an increasingly challenging funding environment.” Murray said traditional funding sources were stretched. “Funding is drying up. Many have lost Government contracts. “As community centres, we’re also caught in a quandary of accepting funds from gaming trusts – but they do exist. We do take money from them because we do need it to be funded somehow. “With the cost of living crisis it’s a good thing that fewer people are gambling but it does mean this funding is stretched too – and the level of demand is up.” Murray said the five centres supported thousands of people across the region. “The centres provide something that is increasingly important: a place where people can turn up, be welcomed and find support close to home.” But keeping services available takes more

Merivale Community Centre volunteers Sonia Badar and Mark Elson bundling food parcels to give to local residents. Photo / Rosalie Liddle Crawford

than goodwill, Murray said. “The September campaign is particularly focused on encouraging people to consider supporting their local community centre, rather than asking those who rely on these services to contribute,” Murray said. “We know that many people in our communities are doing it tough,” she said. “This campaign isn’t about asking them for more. It’s about asking those who are fortunate enough to be able to give to help ensure these services remain available to the people who need them.”

The first place

Murray said community centres were often the first place people turned when they didn’t know where to go. “Whether it’s putting kai on the table, helping someone navigate a tough time, creating opportunities for tamariki and

rangatahi, reducing isolation, or simply offering a place where everyone feels welcome, community centres help build stronger, more connected communities. “They are places of connection, practical support, learning, belonging and manaakitanga. A donation might seem small, but collectively those donations make a real difference.”

Learn more, donate

A website was set up for people to learn more about the five centres, their work and how they can support them financially. “The website provides information about each centre and links directly to their individual donation pages,” Murray said. Visit: www.BOPComCentres.nz.

*The Weekend Sun will profile the five community centres during the September campaign. Stay tuned.

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Friday 28 August 2026

The Weekend Sun

Four generationss sing as festival Four generations of one Tauranga family will share the Baycourt stage this week as the Tauranga Primary Schools Music Festival celebrates seven decades of bringing young voices together.

Four generations of a musical family will singg together at the Tauranga a Primary Schools’ Musicc Festival on September 4. Back row: Rachael McKoy and d Andrea Pooley. Front row: Katie McKoy and d Pat Liddle.

Photo / Kelly O’Haraa

The five-night festival from August 31 to September 4, has grown from its beginnings in the Tauranga Town Hall into one of the Bay of Plenty’s longest-running community arts events. This year, 39 schools registered to take part, up from 32 last year. After several schools were unable to proceed, 34 will perform during festival week.

For music co-director and conductor Rachael McKoy, the 70th anniversary is particularly meaningful. She first became involved as an intermediate student singing in the choir, later helped with opening items and is now the festival’s music co-director with fellow music director Jeremy Hantler. “Becoming music director and having the

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reaches 70 years opportunity to conduct these choirs has been incredibly special,” she said. The anniversary theme, Dream Big, features throughout the programme, including a song chosen to connect generations. Doris Day’s Whatever Will Be, Will Be (Que Sera, Sera) was released 70 years ago and featured in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1956 film The Man Who Knew Too Much.

Four generations

Families will perform the song across the festival week, with three generations represented from Monday to Thursday. On Friday, McKoy will sing, with her grandmother, Pat Liddle, her mother, Andrea Pooley, and her 9-year-old daughter, Katie. The four generations span the festival’s history. Pooley is a former music director who has accompanied the festival for many years, while Liddle had been part of the family’s musical journey across generations. “It’s a lot of fun to be involved and gives me great joy,” Liddle said. Friday would mark Katie’s first festival. “I feel really excited about singing on-stage and having a solo like that,” she said. “It makes me happy that I get to show my talent and sing with my family.” There is a little nervousness too. “I also feel a little bit scared because I have never been on a stage with so many people looking at me.” The festival itself required months of preparation. Planning began as soon as a festival finished, with McKoy and Hantler selecting repertoire and creating arrangements for developing Year 4-8 voices. They consider vocal range, harmony,

melody and opportunities for students with different strengths to contribute. This year’s programme included a choral arrangement of Dream Big, which McKoy said had challenged students with its overlapping vocal lines. Another highlight is This Is Me from The Greatest Showman, featuring a rap section and hip-hop dance. Massed rehearsals began in Term 2, with another round in Term 3 that brought together the schools performing on each night. For many children, the rehearsals are when they experience the impact of singing alongside hundreds of other young people. “Every additional school means more young people experiencing the joy of singing as part of something larger than themselves,” McKoy said. Behind the scenes, more than 1000 children must be moved safely through Baycourt, with green rooms, arrivals, departures and whānau logistics carefully coordinated

Time given

Friday 28 August 2026

McKoy said the festival continued because of the people who gave their time, including choir trainers, volunteers, accompanists, committee members, parents and sponsors. That community effort had helped the festival evolve through the decades. A 1960 programme shows the Tauranga Schools Music Festival was held at the Town Hall, with schools from Katikati to Omanu taking part and Tauranga Girls’ College Orchestra among the performers. By the mid-1970s it had moved to the Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre before relocating to Baycourt in 1984.

Children set to participate in the 1974 Primary Schools’ Music Festival rehearsing at Ōtūmoetai Intermediate School, accompanied by pupils from Tauranga South Primary School playing guitar. Veronica Burgess of Pillans Point School plays piano. Also pictured are E. Drupsteen of Tauranga South Primary, and Sister Teresa of St Joseph’s Convent. Published October 1, 1974, in the Bay of Plenty Times. Photo / Tauranga City Libraries

For McKoy, performing at Baycourt remained an important part of the experience. “Standing on a real stage under professional lighting and sound makes them feel that their efforts matter,” she said. “It feels huge because it is huge.”

Affordable

Keeping the festival affordable was also a priority. Support from the Tauranga Western Bay Community Event Fund, Kim Watt Real Estate (Ray White Tauranga), William Buck, StrongLite Staging and Tauranga City Council helped hold ticket prices. “Without their support, the only way to cover expenses would be through increasing ticket prices,” McKoy said. Ultimately, she hoped the children

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performing would carry their love of music into the future, and perhaps return one day as choir trainers, accompanists, committee members or music directors. The festival reaching 100 years would be an extraordinary milestone, she said. For now, the focus was on celebrating 70 years, and the generations of young voices, families and volunteers who’d made the event possible. “These young voices are a taonga, a treasure,” McKoy said, “and through this festival they carry the future of the arts into our schools, our community, and the generations still to come”.

Rosalie Liddle Crawford

*Rosalie Liddle Crawford is a multimedia journalist with a background in music. She is the sister of Andrea Pooley and daughter of Pat Liddle, who are mentioned in this story.

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Friday 28 August 2026

Celebrating 30 years of Turning Point Jewellery maker Connie Lendrum and multi media artist Karen Calcott inside the trust’s shop Pōhewa – Imaginings. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

Tauranga’s Turning Point Trust /Te Taiope Huringanui will next week celebrate three decades of helping people find connection, purpose and a pathway forward. Based at the Historic Village, the trust was established in 1996 and had grown into a wide-ranging community-based service supporting people facing challenges from mental illness, addiction or a disability. The 30th anniversary would be marked with five days of activities shaped by the people who use the trust’s services, from August 31 to September 4.

A community

Turning Point Trust general manager Tim Jackson said his organisation’s strength lay in its grassroots approach and its focus on what people themselves want and need. “We really aim to be a community.” That community supports 300 to 400 people across the trust’s programmes, via about 30 staff. Jackson said a main day programme offered a social and creative environment where people could participate in suvisual arts, mosaics, textiles, horticulture activities and kaupapa Māori programmes. Vocational services helped people explore what their next step might be – whether employment, volunteering, study or simply developing skills and confidence. “It’s not just trying to put people in jobs as the be-all and end-all,” Jackson said. “For some, particularly if they are rebuilding after a downturn in their mental wellbeing or addiction issues, finding something that really has meaning and purpose for them might not be a job to

start with.” Other services included Te Whare Ti Rākau horticulture and Te Whare Pūeru clothing and textiles team, which upcycle discarded clothing and make it available to the community. Arts and crafts made by members were sold via their village shop, Pōhewa Imaginings, alongside local artists’ works. The organisation had Junction, its community peer-support service, where staff draw on their own lived experience of mental health, addiction or disability to support others.

Lived experience

Intake co-ordinator and Sage team lead Nicki Hockings said lived experience had become increasingly important to the way Turning Point worked. “It just enables them to support them more authentically.” Jackson said the trust was non-clinical and worked alongside clinical mental health, addiction and disability services. Records dating back to 2015 show 912 people had used Turning Point’s services. The median length of time people spent with Turning Point was eight months, while the average was 17 months, reflecting the fact that some members remained part of the community for many years.

Flexibility

Jackson said the organisation’s flexibility was important. “Some people find their community here really different, and they just stay for years,” he said. “Then they might go off and be doing other things and then they might come and re-enrol. That’s the great thing – we can welcome people back.” That flexibility meant the trust could respond to members’ ideas too. When

members wanted to go on a camp, for example, staff worked to make it happen. “For people who don’t get to go on holiday, who don’t have the disposable income to go away anywhere, it felt really special.” This philosophy had shaped the 30th celebrations. Members were surveyed about what they’d like to do, and the organising committee decided one event was not enough. Celebrations begin with an opening ceremony on August 31, followed by morning tea. Tuesday offers a community hangi; Wednesday a Picnic in the Park; on Thursday thre’s a screening of Hunt for the Wilderpeople at Village Cinema. The week finishes with an anniversary disco Friday night.

On October 1 Turning Point will merge with Auckland-based Ember Korowai Takitini. Jackson said Turning Point would continue operating from Historic Village, under the same name and with the same people, while gaining the larger organisation’s financial backing and national reach. For Jackson and Hockings, the organisation’s future was rooted in the same principle that had guided it for 30 years: listening to the people who use its services and helping them find their own pathway. “We’re so guided by them,” Hockings said. “We really aim to be a community, and we wouldn’t be able to do that without their genuine support.”

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Friday 28 August 2026

The Weekend Sun

A commitment to learning from tragedy Last week, the Tauranga City Council publicly released the findings of the external review into the tragic landslide at the Mount Maunganui Beachside Holiday Park on January 22, 2026.

Before anything else, I want to acknowledge the six people who lost their lives, and the families and loved ones who continue to live with that loss every day. While much has been said about the external review’s findings and recommendations, and the failings of council’s systems, processes and culture, it is paramount that we never lose sight of the people at the centre of this tragedy. My commitment is genuine and resolute. The day after the landslide occurred, I announced – with the support of my councillors – that there would be an independent review into what happened. We needed clarity, facts and answers. We owed that to those who died, their families, and our wider community. Former High Court judge Paul Davison, KSO, KC, was appointed to lead that review. In accordance with the review’s terms of reference, Davison spent six months examining the facts, timeline and decision-making processes leading up to the landslide, the adequacy of risk assessments and monitoring systems,

and rigour. and the lessons that could be learned to At a council meeting on Tuesday, strengthen future safety. While his report does not attribute blame September 1, the chief executive will present a report outlining the organisation’s to any individual, Davison concludes response. We expect that report to that over many years, the Tauranga City Council missed opportunities that may have helped prevent this tragedy. The report highlights weaknesses in the way risks were identified, managed and responded to, as well as shortcomings in the organisation’s systems, processes and culture with regard to risk. These conclusions are clear and deeply concerning. While it is a tough read, it is good to deliver the facts, clarity and answers to the families, our community, and our organisation, so quickly. The Tauranga City Council has accepted Davison’s findings and recommendations. Our responsibility now is to ensure meaningful change follows. I and my councillors have directed the chief executive and executive team to provide a detailed plan showing how risk management processes will be strengthened and how systems, practices The six people killed in the Mauao landslide were (clockwise from and organisational culture top left) Pakuranga College student couple Sharon Maccanico will improve as a result and Max Furse-Kee, both 15; Rotorua property manager Susan Doreen Knowles, 71; Morrinsville educator Lisa Anne Maclennan, of Davison’s review. We 50; Swedish tourist Mans Loke Bernhardsson, 20; and Rotorua expect this work to be interior design store co-founder Jacqualine Wheeler, 71. undertaken with urgency

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detail the actions already underway, identify measurable indicators of improvement, and provide Six assurance people lost that significant changes to systems, their lives in practices and organisational culture are the January 22 landslide on Mauao. Photo / Jason Dorday

being implemented. I know trust in our organisation has been damaged and rebuilding it will take time. That trust will not be restored through words alone. It will be rebuilt through actions, accountability and an unrelenting commitment to doing things better. Our community rightly expects us to learn from this tragedy and to demonstrate that those lessons are being acted on. While we cannot change what happened on January 22, we can ensure that we face the findings honestly, act on the recommendations decisively, and do everything possible to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. That is the commitment our council has made.

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Friday 28 August 2026

Acorn Foundation Fund provides fitting memorial

Incredible Esther Esther is an adorable female Staffy-cross with a chunky build, an even bigger personality, and a heart full of love. Her owner could no longer keep her, so she’s searching for a forever family to call her own. Aged 1 year and 7 months, this happy, playful girl lives for fun – especially if there’s a squeaky toy involved. Esther forms strong bonds quickly and loves being close to those she trusts. She’d thrive in a home

where someone is arou und for most of the day, as she loves companionship and beeing part of the family. Esther would w be happiest as the only peet, where she can soak up all the love and attention without having to share. If you’re looking for a loyal best friend who’s alwayys ready for a game, a cuddle, or o to make you smile with her h goofy antics, Esther might bee it. Phone Tauranga SPCA A on 07 5780245. Ref no: 672721. 67

Theresa Tingey at the Acorn Foundation Memorial Grove. Photo / Supplied

Theresa Tingey talks about her son, Josh, as someone who lived life fully. He enjoyed a wide range of sports and activities, including hockey, motorcross, fishing, skiing, and more. Josh was engaged to his partner, Bex, and had become a registered surveyor when he tragically died in a paragliding accident in 2018 at age 28. After Josh’s death, a donation from his university surveying cohort created the Joshua Tingey Memorial Fund with Acorn. Acorn Foundation chief executive Lori Luke said the fund had started small, but people dear to Josh had continued to add to the fund, and additional fundraising came through the annual Joshua Tingey Memorial Fishing Competition. “This initiative has helped the fund grow, enabling Acorn to distribute more than $30,000 to youth initiatives in the

Western Bay over the past seven years.” Currently, distributions from Josh’s fund help Paengeroa-based organisation, Youth Encounter, as it was a charity that Josh supported personally. Youth Encounter offers activity-based pathways of mentoring, counselling, therapy, camps, and leadership development. Luke said that all donations made to Josh’s fund were invested, with a percentage of the returns distributed each year. The rest of the returns were re-invested into the fund, allowing it to grow over time, she said. “Acorn’s unique Smarter Giving Model invests donations in permanent endowment funds, protecting the capital so there is an annual distribution to causes that matter to donors,” Luke said. “This fund is a perfect way to honour Josh’s memory.” To learn more, visit www.acornfoundation.org.nz

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Churches Active In Our Community

Have you cast that vote for Him? Do you know New Zealand’s true history? New Zealand has a fantastic Christian Heritage. For Māori and non-Māori. Many know about Plymouth in Southern England, where the Mayflower set out with the pilgrims to colonise America. But this same port was where Captain James Cook set out on his epic voyage to New Zealand and ultimately Australia. Our early pioneers, missionaries and businessmen brought their pioneering expertise and the

Gospel, but also the Westminster form of Democratic Government, based on the 10 Commandments. The Gospel actually came to New Zealand at the invitation of the Māori people. Captain Pedro Fernadez de Quiros, Abel Tasman, Captain James Cook (God’s history maker), the Williams Brothers, Reverend J Waterhouse, Samuel Marsden (known as apostle to New Zealand, who was also instrumental in establishing the wool trade) were all Christian, Godly men, who knew they were serving God on their missions. It’s not hard to see how successive governments have

passed laws that are taking us further and further away from our Godly heritage. The land mirrors the spiritual condition of its people. This election we’re defending our Christian heritage. We’re defending democracy, freedom of religion, freedom of speech, and capitalism (the engine of wealth and social welfare: it’s far better than socialism, communism or a dictatorship). Fulfilling our voting right is important, but a higher authority is waiting for our personal vote. Have you cast that vote for Him?

Stephen Whitwell, C3 City Church, Tauranga.

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Saturday, November 7, will be here all too soon. Yes, that’s election day for 2026 in New Zealand.

Friday 28 August 2026

The Weekend Sun

Hei Awhi Disability Expo

September 4, 2026

Disability expo for all att Tauranga Racecourse! A free expo sharing information on services and support available to the Bay of Plenty disability community encourages whānau, educators and sector workers to get along.

Tauranga Special School will host the 2026 Hei Awhi Disability Expo on September 4 at Tauranga Racecourse’s Sir Tristram Lounge from 10am-4pm. Entry is free. Tauranga Special School executive assistant Naomi McDonald, who helps organises the two-yearly expo, said it began in 2017 and brings together local service providers, educators, health professionals and advocacy groups under one roof to answer questions and offer guidance. “Our original inspiration for the expo was providing the whānau of our school a first step of knowing where to go, and what’s actually out there.” Tauranga Special School assistant principal Alice Webb said there was definitely a gap in bringing all disability providers together in one space before the expo. “The expo has streamlined bringing services together for one day in one room to make them accessible to families.

Community-focused

The event is community-focused and designed to provide support, resources and connections for individuals living with disabilities, health conditions, or specialised learning needs, as well as their whānau and carers.”

Webb said the event had grown and now attracted about 300 people. This year, close to 40 disability sector providers and professionals would have stalls, she said. This would include support groups, transition services, therapists, respite care, advocacy organisations, charities, education providers, government agencies, enrichment services, funding providers, and new equipment and technology offering daily living solutions. People would be able to access practical advice on funding, legal rights, transition planning for young adults and holistic wellbeing approaches. Interactive stalls would welcome visitors to test products, engage in activities and connect with others in the community. Webb said she’d found the expo provided multiple benefits to all involved. For whānau (families) new to the disability world, the expo offered a place to discover a wide range of disability services and support available. Those further in their disability journey could access updated information on topics such as government services and funding, and new services. “The disability sector is very much an everchanging landscape,” McDonald said. “We have many organisations with stalls this year that weren’t around two years ago. So, there’s new agencies and new connections to make.” The expo would showcase recreational activities suitable for those with disabilities. “A roller-skating lady who runs accessible classes will be present, Sailability will be

Tauranga Special School executive assistant Naomi McDonald and assistant principal Alice Webb invite everyone to the 2026 Hei Awhi Disability Expo on September 4. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

there, Movement 44, which offers an accessible dance classes, will be there. “It’s showing what support is out there to live a good life,” Webb said.

Knowledge is power!

“It’s giving people the opportunity to make connections because knowledge is power. You don’t know what you don’t know.” Webb said the expo gave disability providers a chance to network and share information with their wider communities. “They find that they can refer clients to another provider they’ve met [at the expo] if they can’t meet their needs. This benefits

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everyone too.” Educators – including primary and secondary schools, special educational needs coordinators, learning support staff – were invited too. “This is so they, in turn, have the knowledge to share with their networks and whānau.” Webb encouraged anyone interested to get along to the Hei Awhi Disability Expo on September 4 at Tauranga Racecourse’s Sir Tristram Lounge from 10am-4pm. “It’s going to be a one-stop-shop of information in a free, casual setting.” She said this year’s location also offered accessible parking and building access, plus food and beverages for sale on-site.

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NZRDA’s therapeutic horse riding changes young lives

hen children like Jack and Nyah attend New Zealand Riding for the Disabled (NZRDA) sessions, they’re not just enjoying a simple pony ride in a paddock. What they receive is therapeutic horse riding, run by a specialised team, that literally opens up their worlds. NZRDA’s therapeutic horse riding sessions help Jack build balance, coordination, motor planning and the ability to adapt his movements. By developing these functional skills its helped him to learn to dress himself, carry school equipment, participate in sport and complete everyday tasks more independently. Enhancing these abilities enables Jack to participate more confidently in childhood activities, reducing the physical effort required to complete routine tasks while increasing his independence at home, at school and within his community. NZRDA says therapeutic horse riding does not just happen. It requires far more than a highly trained and responsive horse. A qualified team is essential to support the horse and rider, ensuring the horse is utilised appropriately to maximise therapeutic outcomes while maintaining the safety and wellbeing of all involved. NZRDA’s work involves a comprehensive assessment of each rider plus ongoing monitoring and review of adaptive equipment, rider positioning and programme goals. This ensures riders receive the greatest possible benefit from their programme while minimising the risk of harm. NZRDA’s commitment to safe therapeutic horse riding is underpinned by a nationally governed framework of quality assurance, training and continuous improvement. NZRDA coaches hold recognised qualifications and must maintain competency through compulsory ongoing professional development. Many of Jack’s activities involve following multi-step instructions that require him to plan, sequence, organise and execute movements in the correct order.

These therapeutic interventions are carefully graded to challenge his motor planning, problem-solving and ability to adapt his movements as task demands change. Each activity is continually adapted in response to Jack’s progress, ensuring the level of challenge remains achievable while promoting ongoing skill development. As his coordination, adaptability and conﬁdence improve, he’s able to complete increasingly complex activities with less physical effort and greater independence. NZRDA sessions also allow Jack to experience success in a safe and supportive environment. As he masters new challenges, he develops conﬁdence in his own abilities and begins to see himself not through his disability, but through what he can achieve. For Nyah, NZRDA’s therapeutic horse riding helps her keep up with classmates. Nyah is like many 10-year-olds. But behind her smile is a carefully planned therapeutic programme to help her overcome everyday challenges associated with Down syndrome. Nyah experiences low muscle tone (hypotonia), which affects her balance, posture, coordination and endurance. Tasks many take for granted – sitting upright, climbing playgrounds, carrying a school bag or keeping up in games – can require more physical effort. Each NZRDA activity Nyah completes has a clear therapeutic purpose. While she sees games and obstacle courses, her coach sees opportunities to strengthen her physical, cognitive and communication skills to support greater independence at home, school and in the community. A key part of Nyah’s programme is movement of the horse. As the horse walks, its rhythmic, three-dimensional movement closely mirrors that of a human pelvis walking. Each stride requires Nyah to make postural adjustments, engage her core muscles and adapt her balance to the changing movement beneath her.

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Riding helps Nyah with balance and stability. This improves muscle activation, postural control and coordination. On a moving horse, Nyah reaches for objects, shoots basketballs and places items in locations. This strengthens hand-eye and bilateral coordination and motor planning while building upper body strength, shoulder stability and movement patterns. Communication is another focus. Each lesson, Nyah’s ride team ask questions, offer choices and celebrate every success. Learning to conﬁdently ask her horse to “walk on” or “whoa” using verbal and signed commands gives positive reinforcement as the horse immediately responds to her instructions. One of therapeutic horse riding’s most powerful aspects is it places the rider in control. Nyah isn’t simply following instructions – she’s making choices and solving problems.

Whether selecting equipment, remembering the next task, waiting patiently for a turn or independently putting on a riding helmet, every part of the session supports Nyah’s development of life skills. As Nyah’s conﬁdence continues to grow, so does her willingness to try new things, communicate with others and take on challenges that once seemed beyond her reach. NZRDA’s goal has never been to just teach children to ride horses. It’s to help children like Nyah discover just how capable they truly are. To learn more about the difference NZRDA is making in communities across Aotearoa, visit www.rda.org.nz. Here, people can volunteer, refer someone who’d beneﬁt from the programme or donate to NZRDA’s work.

Friday 28 August 2026

The Weekend Sun T

Discover

Rotarians changing lives at home and abroad A small but dedicated group of Rotary Club of Ōmokoroa members are making a significant difference in people’s lives both locally and overseas.

With 16 members, the club has supported projects ranging from foodbank drives to youth mental health, men’s and women’s health initiatives, environmental projects and donations of refurbished laptops to children in New

Zealand and developing countries. The club held its first meeting in March 2023 when three founding members came together with a shared goal of serving their community. It became a satellite club of the Rotary Club of Katikati in November that year with eight members before receiving its charter from Rotary International on April 23 this year. Club president Murray Marshall, who took over from Bronwyn Carter on July 1,

OMOKOROA

BARBERSHOP

said the organisation was built from a “fantastic group of people” committed to making a difference. “Our membership comes from a broad spectrum of our community, and most have had busy business careers or have been on the tools. We are very active, passionate, and community-focused people.” Marshall joined the club in April 2025 after moving to Ōmokoroa and quickly immersed himself in community organisations.

Unbelievable place

An Ōmokoroa Community Board member, he described Rotary as an “unbelievable place” where members focus on improving their community through service and making things happen. “We have done lots of unbelievable stuff,” he said. “One example is when one of our members heard the Ōmokoroa Foodbank was running low. We organised a food drive in early June and filled the shelves back up.” Since its formation, the club has supported schools, men’s and women’s health programmes, youth mental health initiatives and community resilience projects. It helped raise funds for public rescue equipment and tools for Ōmokoroa volunteer firefighters and first responders. Working alongside Katikati Rotary, members have sent refurbished laptops to Hawke’s Bay, a Solomon Islands school and an

Rotary Club of Ōmokoroa president Murray Marshall with the club’s Health Shuttle van, which was launched in December last year. Photo / Supplied orphanage in Cambodia. Marshall said they also were involved in beach and reserve cleanups, native planting and the annual Ōmokoroa Godwit Festival. One recent initiative was the club’s Health Shuttle service, launched last December to transport residents to medical and specialist appointments in Tauranga. He said demand was growing, with six to eight passengers using the service a week. “Instead of having to take a bus, taxi or other forms of transport, the shuttle takes you to appointments, and we also collect patients being discharged from Tauranga hospitals.” This service was made possible with support from Katikati RSA, the Ōmokoroa Centre Trust, the Your

Real Estate firm and contributions from members. Marshall said the club’s board recently gifted funds to help a establish a local youth group.

To serve

“Our focus is to serve our community, to do good in the hood, and improve the place we live in, and help to make the world a better place through our local and international initiatives.” Members were now preparing for their annual Rock N Roll Bash fundraiser on September 4, with some proceeds helping sustain the Health Shuttle service. To join Ōmokoroa Rotary, email: omokoroarotary@gmail.com Sandra Conchie

The Weekend Sun

Friday ay y 28 August 2026

Discover

New clubhouse offers more to Ōmokoroa A new clubhouse at Ōmokoroa Golf Club has opened the doors to more than just golfers, with the modern new facility aimed at becoming a hub for the wider community.

The new clubhouse at 67 Links View Drive is now operating, with the golf shop and offices relocated and café, hospitality and function spaces available. Club manager Allan Botha said the new building had already attracted people who’d never visited before. “Funny enough, on Friday, I was stopped in the carpark by a husband and wife who’d just signed up for social membership,” he said. “They said they’ve been in Ōmokoroa for 35 years. It’s the first time they’ve come down to the golf club.” The couple are among locals taking up the club’s $40-a-year social membership. Botha said the new clubhouse was more welcoming and open than the former building and provided a modern home for the club’s growing golf membership.

Golf and functions

The facility was designed so golf activities and private functions could operate independently, with an openable wall separating the members’ area from the function space. The club can host corporate functions, conferences, birthday celebrations and other private events, with a maximum capacity of 287 people.

Its kitchen and catering facilities allows businesses to combine corporate golf days or tournaments with functions at the clubhouse. The café is open to the public, but only members can buy alcohol. For those interested in taking up golf, Botha said the club was keen to make newcomers feel welcome. “We’ve had a lot of ladies join the game recently through our She Loves Golf programmes,” he said.

Introduce yourself!

His advice to anyone who thinks joining a golf club might be intimidating is: come down and introduce yourself. “Most of the time – all the time, actually – golfers are really happy to have new golfers join.” Project manager Fintan Downes, a club member for 20 years, was involved in the project from its early stages. The idea stemmed from discussions about renovating the previous building. The board asked Downes to investigate the possibility of building a new facility instead. The project took about two years from initial design and planning to

The new clubhouse is modern facility that aims to be a hub for the wider Ōmokoroa communityy. Photos / Kellyy O’Hara completion, a warm reception. “They’ve got places with to display trophies, they’ve got areas construction that they gravitate towards to do their taking about prizegivings,” Botha said. Club manager Allan nine months. “Organically, it feels like they’ve always Botha in front frr of the At about been there.” new building. 750-odd square Open seven days metres, the The new clubhouse is open seven days a new clubhouse week from about 8am, with later hours for is considerably larger than the previous building, allowing space for golf activities events and summer twilight golf. The club has about 900 members, Downes said. and functions. “The new clubhouse is a great facility for The overall project, including the the community,” he said. building, carpark and associated works, For more information about golf, social cost about $4.4 million, with $300,000 memberships, functions or corporate contributed by TECT and further support coming through club fundraising. events, visit: www.omokoroagolf.co.nz. Rosalie Liddle Crawford Members have given the new facility

Come and enjoy our new Clubhouse

Open to the public with world-class food & beverage available from The Links Cafe & Bistro. Bespoke event space available for private functions. Memberships available including social memberships starting at $40.00 per person.

Ōmokoroa Golf Club | 67 Links View Drive, Ōmokoroa 3114 | Phone: 07 548 0384

Friday 28 August 2026

The Weekend Sun

Why cordless blinds are the smart choice for Kiwi homes As safety continues to be a key consideration for New Zealand families, the humble window blind is getting a rethink.

Cord-fr free r Soluna Roller Blinds by Santa Fe are a safer choice for your home.

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Goodbye cords. Hello precise control.

“When it comes to creating a safer home, choosing cordless window coverings is one simple change that can make a meaningful difference,” Santa Fe Shutters & Blinds managing director Marc Siljebrandt said. Santa Fe’s PrecisionLift cordless roller blinds offer a smarter way to control light and privacy without compromising on style, Siljebrandt said. “Remarkably easy to operate, simply push to lift, pull down to close and stop at any position in between. With no dangling cords, PrecisionLift is designed with families, children and pets in mind.” But safer doesn’t mean sacrificing style. Siljebrandt said Soluna Roller Blinds with PrecisionLift gives homeowners more than 300 fabrics and colours to choose from, with a range of finishing options to

create a look that works beautifully in your home. “And because New Zealand homes need products that can stand up to local conditions, Santa Fe window furnishings are made to last and tested for longevity in Kiwi homes.” The company has options to suit a wide range of budgets, styles and spaces, making it easier to find the right solution for your home. “With more than 22 years of bringing window treatments to New Zealand homes, Santa Fe Shutters & Blinds is a local brand homeowners can depend on for quality, expertise and ongoing support.” To find out more or to book a complimentary in-home consultation, call 0508 274 888 or visit: santafeshutters.co.nz.

DESIGNED WITH SAFETY IN MIND

Introducing Soluna Roller Blinds with PrecisionLift, the smarter, safer way to control light and privacy in your home. PrecisionLift makes raising and lowering your blinds easy. Simply push to lift, pull down to close, and stop at any position in between. With no dangling cords, it’s a streamlined solution that’s also a safer choice for homes with children and pets. Make your blinds your own with over 300 fabrics and colours to choose from, plus a range of ﬁnishing options to complete the look. Best of all, PrecisionLift is included with Soluna Roller Blinds at no extra cost to you.

Ready to get started? Book a free in-home consultation today. Call 0508 274 888 or visit www.santafeshutters.co.nz SFWS280826

The Weekend Sun

Friday 28 August 2026

Shade solution company supports Daff ffodil f Day

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The Archishade is ready to raise funds to support Daffodil Day. Photo / Supplied

This Daffodil Day, the Archishade team is proud to stand behind the incredible work of the Cancer Society of New Zealand’s Bay of Plenty branch and support local families impacted by cancer. “Cancer touches so many of us – our families, friends, customers and wider community – which is why this August and September, we wanted to do something meaningful to give back,” Archishade director Shannon Burns. “For every Archiglaze confirmed during August and September, we’ll donate $100 directly to the Bay of Plenty Cancer Society. “Every new outdoor space created will help contribute to the vital support, care and services the Cancer Society provides to people in our region,” Burns said. You’ll also find the Archishade team

out in the community today, Daffodil Day, fundraising at New World Mount Maunganui from 8am-10am. “If you’re passing by, come and say hello, make a donation and help us turn the Mount yellow for a cause that means so much to so many. “As a locally owned and operated Mount Maunganui engineering business, supporting the community that supports us is incredibly important,” Burns said. “We’re grateful to have the opportunity to use what we do every day to make a difference beyond the outdoor spaces we create.” Burns said together, even the smallest contributions can add up to something meaningful. “We at Archishade are proudly supporting the Bay of Plenty Cancer Society this Daffodil Day.”

Friday 28 August 2026

The Weekend Sun

Cars, cherries, community, too blossom as festival returns The pedal is to the metal in Greerton as organisers drive the Cherry Blossom Festival back into the city suburb on September 19.

“Events like the Cherry Blossom Festival Street Machines & Customs will have a car display on Chadwick are about much more than providing Rd. Photo / Rosalie Liddle Crawford entertainment for one day. “They bring people into Greerton, create opportunities for our local businesses and, most importantly, strengthen the The community event will run from 10am connection between the village and our wider to 2pm, with vehicle displays, entertainment, community,” Carullo said. activities and food aplenty throughout “For us, it is about creating reasons for people Greerton Village. to come to Greerton, spend time here, discover The Greerton Primary School Gala will take our businesses and experience the sense of place alongside the festival, adding to what community that makes the village special.” organisers expect to be a big community day. A big change this year is the festival will Greerton Business Association mainstreet extend into Cameron Rd. manager Melisa Carullo said her organisation The parking area in front of the Cameron and incorporate into the festival footprint. was excited to bring the festival back. Rd shops will close to the public for the day The area will become a pedestrian-focused space featuring live music and entertainment, food trucks, stalls and vehicle displays. SSPRING PRIN INTO ACTION WITH BAYRIDE Carullo said extending the festival into Cameron Rd would help draw visitors MORE THAN A MOTORCYCLE STORE MO towards the village’s businesses. “This allows us to bring festival activity right around to the Cameron Rd businesses and encourage visitors to explore more of Greerton Village.” Additional public parking at Greerton Racecourse would cater for expected crowds. The traditional hot rod and vehicle displays will return to Chadwick Rd, with Street Machines & Customs confirmed, bayride.co.nz Carullo said. 07 571 3040 Organisers were looking for another car club to display vehicles in the new enclosed 11 MATAKOKIRI DRIVE TAURIKO

11 MATAKOKIRI DRIVE TA TAURIKO AURIKO

Cameron Rd festival area. Carullo said the festival’s return reflected strong community support. “The GBA Board has been very clear about wanting to bring these community events back, and the response we have had from people wanting to see the Cherry Blossom Festival return has been incredibly positive,” she said. Volunteers were needed for the day, with roles including providing information and directions, helping visitors move around the festival and supporting the event team at key locations. Anyone interested in volunteering, having a car club involved in the event, or otherwise being part of the festival should email: office@greertonvillage.org.nz Rosalie Liddle Crawford

Roundabout open, but an interim step Ōmokoroa’s $43 million gateway to State Highway 2 has officially opened. The August 21 ribbon-cutting marked completion of the SH2/Ōmokoroa Rd roundabout, and Stage 1 of the Ōmokoroa Rd urbanisation project, which included four-laning into Ōmokoroa, and upgrades between SH2 and Prole Rd. The roundabout was operational by April but a 60km/h speed limit remained until a final skid-resistant surface was completed. The wider project was funded by $38m from the Crown’s Infrastructure Acceleration Fund and $5m from NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, plus $1.49m worth of NZTA land. Expected to improve safety and traffic flow, the roundabout was described as an interim solution to address immediate needs until a future interchange is built as part of Takitimu North Link Stage 2. TNL Stage 1 is due to finish in 2028. Construction funding for Stage 2 hasn’t been confirmed, but it received fast-track approval in March, with design and land designation underway. Western Bay Mayor James Denyer said the community had called for investment after the previous SH2 intersection had become a safety and congestion concern.

The Ōmokoroa State Highway 2 roundabout. Photo / Western Bay of Plenty District Council “The junction with SH2 was a real safety risk and witnessed multiple crashes over the years, some fatal.” Western Bay of Plenty District Council said Ōmokoroa was expected to be home to about 13,000 residents by 2050. Stats NZ put the population at 5800 last year. Coromandel MP Scott Simpson said Ōmokoroa was growing quickly and needed major infrastructure investment. “This is but part of a jigsaw puzzle that is ongoing growth investment in the Bay of Plenty and the Western Bay of Plenty.”

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Friday 28 August 2026

The Weekend Sun

Upcoming festival treats Last week it was festivals. Let us continue. Why not?

Across 1. Rummaged (8) 6. Colour (4) 8. Halt (4) 9. Racecourse (SI) (8) 10. Caper (5) 11. Irritable (6) 13. Lake (SI) (6) 15. Inhabit (6) 17. Burning (6) 19. Swift (5) 22. Bird (4,4) 23. Eager (4) 24. Misplacement (4) 25. River (NI) (8) Down 2. Devoured (5) 3. Copy (7) 4. Animal (4)

No. 1999

5. Gratuity (8) 6. Ogle (5) 7. Reverence (7) 12. Rational (8) 14. Ban (7) 16. Fruit (7) 18. Chasm (5) 20. Dodge (5) 21. Criticism (4)

L O A N E B T M I I A E H I F R O G E R A L D I N E B E E R E D L N M E T C S R E N C T A P U I A C H E A F A R D U G K X E M I T A E C U N B E A R A B L E Y R L I OWG T O L A A O J O H NWR I G H T K D M A C T A I A G A T O V A L M I L D E T U R F I A L E Z O P A E T I N I S L OW F U N N E L W E B E U V I F S T K E E E T O M E S S

Solution 1998

In one of those strange lulls that sometimes settle over the Bay, it’s actually a pretty quiet September musically. Apologies immediately to all bands playing then whom I have just offended. By way of example, at Totara Street, September brings a couple of tribute nights and a couple of college shows, while in October we can enjoy Mountain Boy, Reb Fountain, Mike Love and Tiki Taane, Sean Kirk, Louis Baker – part of the Tauranga Arts Festival – Flamingo Pier, and on October 30, the legendary Mudhoney. Meanwhile, at the Historic Village they’re gearing up for the Tauranga Fringe Fest on October 24. There is a general callout for anyone wanting to be involved, be it musicians, poets, puppeteers, dancers, circus acts, comedians, fashion designers, magicians, DJs, buskers, beatboxers, street artists, or whatever pops your performative cork.

Creative juices run wild

I love the fringe festival. It’s basically an unpaid event for performers, but it offers them the opportunity to let their creative juices run wild; to do whatever they want, however weird or wacky or challenging. The organising team at the Incubator are experts at encouraging that to happen. They really are the friendliest and most inspiring group of people, so if you have a great idea, do talk to them – they will help you make the most of it. Back to the Tauranga Arts Festival,

Li’l Chuck The One Man Skiffle Machine. Photo / Heather McNeur

which runs from October 22 to November 1. Being an old-time blues buff, my eyes went straight to Li’l Chuck The One Man Skiffle Machine.

One guy, many acts

Li’l Chuck is one of the many noms-de-plume of ex-UK Christchurch musician David Thorpe. Many? He’s also Davey Backyard, The Skeatles, The Harmonica Guy, The Old Fashioned Singalong, Ale House Rock and more ... he describes himself as “one guy, with a ton of different music and creative projects and a brain like a firework display”. Under the Li’l Chuck moniker alone, he’s released five albums, songs inspired by sounds from the 19301950s: blues, early jazz, western swing, ragtime and more, presented in a one-man band format, with acoustic guitar, harmonica and his two feet pounding a kick and hi-hat. Even that pales in comparison to

my all-time favourite one-man band, the amazing Jesse ‘Lone Cat’ Fuller. His most famous song was The San Francisco Bay Blues and he went one step further than Li’l Chuck: Fuller simultaneously sang and played a 12-string guitar, harmonica, kazoo, hi-hat and fotdella. Fotdella? It’s a foot-operated bass, consisting of a box shaped like a double bass, with a short neck and six piano bass strings. It looks as amazing as it sounds. He’s not to be confused with Jessie ‘Blind Boy’ Fuller, one of the many blind guitar virtuosos from the 1930s. See also Rev Gary Davis, Blind Lemon Jefferson and Blind Blake. Tangentially, when Blind Boy Fuller died, the record company tried to make a few bucks by passing off another player as Blind Boy Fuller 2. That was Brownie McGhee.

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

www.tinyurl.com/2h7stvpm

Enjoy some rising vibes for free! Four times a year, at the end of each term, the Wright Family Foundation and the Mauao Performing Arts Centre present Rising Vibes. Taking place at Totara St, a live music and entertainment venue, the community-based project aims to support and nurture upcoming talent from around the Bay of Plenty

HARD

SUDOKU

No.2353

1 3 3 2 7 4 5 9 7 3 9 7 4 9 5 6 8 3 7 1 4 8 2 7 1 5 3 4 How to solve Sudoku! Fill the grid so that every row and every 3x3 square contains the digits 1 to 9

Solution No.2352

4 9 5 1 8 7 2 6 3 3 4 6 7 1 2 8 5 9 6 2 1 9 7 8 5 3 4

7 8 6 1 2 3 2 3 9 5 4 6 5 1 4 9 7 8 8 5 7 2 1 9 9 4 3 6 8 5 1 6 2 7 3 4 4 9 8 3 5 7 3 2 5 4 6 1 6 7 1 8 9 2

region by giving youth a platform to create, perform and enhance their own music. Next month, Rising Vibes will see college bands and artists from six schools perform. The September 13 gig, which runs from 4pm to 7pm, will involve students from Mount Maunganui, Pāpāmoa, Bethlehem College, Ōtūmoetai and Tauranga Girls’ and Boys’ colleges. The event is open to all ages and entry is free. Doors open 4pm. Find out more at: www.whatsontauranga.co.nz

The Weekend Sun

Friday 28 August 2026

Every one of us matters this Daffodil Day A familiar splash of yellow returns to towns across the region, as Daffodil Day collectors take to the streets to support people and whānau impacted by cancer.

“Today, August 28, and tomorrow, August 29, volunteers will be out across the nation with their yellow collection buckets, giving locals plenty of opportunities to stop, say ‘hello’ and make a donation,” said Cancer Society Waikato/Bay of Plenty chief executive Helen Carter. And behind every daffodil is a reason to give, she said. “With one in three New Zealanders expected to experience cancer in their lifetime, chances are most of us know someone who has been affected – a parent, partner, friend, colleague, neighbour, or perhaps ourselves. “That’s “Th ’ why h this hi year’s’ Daffodil D ff dil Day D message feels particularly fitting: when

one in three of us is impacted, every one of us matters.” Carter said every donation made this Daffodil Day helps the Cancer Society continue to be there when someone hears the words no one wants to hear; “You have cancer”. “For some, that support might mean a volunteer driver helping them get safely to treatment. For others, it could be a cancer navigator helping make sense of what comes next, information and support from a cancer information nurse, or a free place to stay when cancer treatment takes them away from home.” For people who need to travel to Hamilton for treatment, the Cancer Society Lions Lodge provides a welcoming home away from home at no cost to guests, while a regular shuttle helps take guests to and from their appointments at Waikato Hospital. Funds raised on Daffodil Day also support cancer research h and d prevention. i “The Cancer Society is New Zealand’s

largest private funder of cancer research,” Carter said. She encouraged people to pop

a donation in the bucket on August 28-29 or donate online at: daffodilday.org.nz

A Tauranga based Women’s Barbershop chorus

Open night Thursday Sept 3 at 7pm METHODIST CENTRE 100, 13TH AVE TAURANGA

Keynotes sing four part unaccompanied harmony - its fun! Come on down and have a go. Friendly group will make you welcome, no experience needed. Find out more about Barbershop Singing by contacting us. Ph: 027 540 0036 | Email keynotesbarbershop@gmail.com

Cancer Society volunteers will be out collecting donations on August 28-29. Photo / Supplied

Free refresher courses for senior drivers For many older New Zealanders, driving is about more than getting from A to B, Age Concern Tauranga manager Tanya Smith says.

“It provides independence, keeps people connected with family and friends, and makes it easier to attend appointments, shop and stay involved in the community.” Smith said that is why her organisation’s free Staying Safe: A Refresher Course was a valuable opportunity for older motorists. “The course is not about deciding when someone should stop driving. It is about refreshing knowledge, updating skills and considering how changes in roads, traffic and vehicles can affect the way we drive.” No matter how long someone has been driving, th here is vallue in a refresher, Smith said.

“Road rules change, vehicles have new technology, and our roads and traffic environments are different from those we learned to drive on. Revisiting safe-driving practices can help drivers stay informed and confident.” The course also provided an opportunity to talk about everyday driving challenges, including driving at night, managing heavy traffic, navigating unfamiliar roads and getting the most from modern vehicle features. “Safe driving is something worth continuing to think about at every stage of life,” Smith said. “For older motorists, a refresher course is simply another way to check skills, update knowledge and continue driving safely and confidently. “Family, friends and whānau can support this by encouraging participation and recognising th hat staying saffe on th he road d is a shared responsibility.”

To register for the upcoming course, phone Age Concern Tauranga on 07 578 2631.

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Friday 28 August 2026

The Weekend Sun

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Friday 28 August 2026

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public notices

STORAGE UNIT TO RENT

Available Now 35.5m2Unit B6, 8 Cherokee Pl, Mt Maunganui $200 +gst weekly Short or long term Industrial Zone TCC Contact Chris on

OPERATIVE TAURANGA CITY PLAN - PROPOSED PRIVATE PLAN CHANGE 40

027 498 6441

wanted

(Mount Maunganui Golf Club Incorporated Rezoning) summary of submissions and call for further submissions. • Headboards • Custom Indoor & Outdoor Squabs • Upholstery, Restoration & Repairs

Submissions have now closed for Proposed Private Plan Change 40 to the Operative Tauranga City Plan.

995 Cameron Road, Gate Pa, Tauranga 07 578 4110 • info@theupholsteryshoppe.co.nz

A submission summary has been prepared and the period for further submissions is open from Monday, 31 August 2026.

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cars wanted

• •

Mount Maunganui Library Tauranga City Council website

Further submissions can be made either via the online submission form on Council’s website (open from Monday, 31 August 2026), via email to planchange40@tauranga.govt.nz or via post addressed to: Head of City Planning and Growth Tauranga City Council Freepost Authority Number 370 Private Bag 12022 Tauranga 3143 Further Submissions should be in the format of Form 6 of the Resource Management (Forms, Fees and Procedure) Regulations 2003. Further Submission forms are available from the Council’s website. Further Submissions – Statutory Limitations and Requirements: b

TO BUY

The submission summary and copies of the full submissions may be inspected during ofﬁce hours at the following locations:

The further submission period will close at 5.00pm on Friday, 11 September.

WANTED

A further submission must be limited to a matter in support of or in opposition to the original submission. Further submissions may only be made by the following persons: any person representing a relevant aspect of the public interest; and/or any person who has an interest in the proposed Plan Change that is greater than the interest of the general public;

Your submission should identify which of these categories you consider you fall within and the reasons why. If you make a further submission, you must send a copy of it to the person who made the original submission not later than 5 working days after the day you have sent your further submission to the Council. At the close of further submissions, the Council will then arrange the hearing of all submissions and further submissions received and will publicly notify the dates, times and places of the hearing. Tauranga City Council, 21 Devonport Road Private Bag 12022, Tauranga, Telephone 07 577 7000

www.tauranga.govt.nz

Ring us for an appraisal:

07 578 4954