Issuu

9 October 2026, Issue 1331

Once upon a time... Once upon a time, in the heart of Tauranga, a new chapter began. For Mount sisters Wednesday and May Petersen (pictured) the opening of the city’s new library next week will be a chapter filled with books, friends and endless creative possibilities. Te Ao Mārama -Tauranga

Library and Community Hub at He Puna Manawa, 95 Willow St, will officially open on October 16, followed by a free Community Celebration Day on October 17. The Petersen sisters already visit their local library every week, with May’s favourite books and Wednesday’s love of visual stories

keeping them happily turning the pages. The public are welcome to attend the new library’s civic opening on October 16 however the facility will physically open to the community on Saturday, October 17, with a free Community Celebration Day featuring performances, author talks, crafts,

cultural experiences and activities for all ages. As the first building completed in Tauranga’s new civic precinct, Te Manawataki o Te Papa, the library’s opening marks a major milestone – and the beginning of many new stories. Read more on page 8. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

Friday 9 October 2026

The Weekend Sun

405 Cameron Rd, Private Bag 12002, Tauranga Mail Centre, Tauranga 3143. Phone 07 578 0030 www.theweekendsun.co.nz ads@thesun.co.nz newsroom@thesun.co.nz

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

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.

Actually helpful or just hot air?

The Weekend Sun is subject to NZ Media Council procedures. First, email your complaint to the Editor at: newsroom@thesun.co.nz If not satisfied or for more details, go to: mediacouncil.org.nz

This is noot a criticism of the people or This story has had a longer the valuab ble work they do. Just a lightgestation than an African bush hearted loook at job designations, or elephant. Probably two. Because titles. they’re “in calf ” for 22 months, It all starrted when an ex-pat Kiw wi about-to-beand we’ve been squirrelling away mum, wennt looking to a column about job titles for buy a pram m in London. about three years. Interesting and Not that easy: she would havve to make an unfathomable job titles. appointm ment with a

What do they tell us? Or are they just official speak, industry gobbledegook?

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Baby Tran nsit Systems Consultan nt. A pram is suddenly a convoluteed “baby transit system”. And she would need an appointm ment to buy one. With a specialist consultant. Why cou uldn’t she just go to a shop, choose on ne, chat with a “salesperson”? Deal donee. Thank you Ma’am. Nuh, she would havve to “consult” with the BTSC!

Less is best

It got us talking about long-winded, complicated job titles, ones that are mind-boggling to us out there in the jungle. This one had a young scribe chewing the end of his pencil. “How can I squeeze ‘Te Whatu Ora in Hauora a Toi Bay of Plenty acting interim hospital and specialist services lead’ into a story?” The supplied 17-word job title was a chunk of his word count in an industry dictated by economy of words. Less is best. And it would be nigh impossible to squeeze into a photo caption: that sentence explaining who and what we’re looking at. Do we plebs need to know what a title means? Probably not – probably only matters to someone in the industry, to those who need to know. No slight on the bearer of the title of course – no doubt a consummate professional doing wonderful work keeping the region well. Neil deGrasse Tyson is the scientist famous for making the head-swirling cosmic stuff of astrophysics entertaining and vaguely understandable for simple earthlings like me. His science uses the principles of physics and chemistry to study stars, planets and phenomena. But his name is longer than his title. Astrophysicist – that’s probably what’s on his business card. Got it! He’s a funny man and he had this spin on job titles. “If you need to invoke your academic

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pedigree or job title for people to believe what you say, then you probably need a better argument.”

The Squire…

George McGovern, US presidential nominee and South Dakota senator – in i t s e l f a b i t o f a g o b f u l l – n e ve r s h i e d from cynicism. He suggested “the longer the title, the less important the job”. Well, mine’s quick and dirty – hack journo. Still doesn’t make me important or a fat salary. Must take that up with The Squire of the Salary Raise or maybe the Potentate of Passable Office Performance? There was a policeman who must have the widest office door in the enforcement business if it had to accommodate a sign bearing his name and designation.

‘Just words’

Acting Police Commercial Vehicle Safety Team National Manager. However, the “APCVSTNM” is, was, likely a pivotal police role keeping truckies safe and honest. But he might need a lie down each afternoon from carrying around his job title. What’s your job? Here’s another couple of curious designations. Te Whatu Ora Hauora a Toi clinical nurse manager renal – probably selfexplanatory. If it’s to do with kidneys, ring them. Or Fire and Emergency manager of community education and behaviour change. Recently, we asked some interview subjects to explain their job titles. “They’re just words,” one said. “I applied for a job, and the title was part of the package. No idea what it means. I just do my job. I don’t try to live out my job

title.” We also found these in our repository of wordy titles: senior privacy and official information business partner Auckland City Council, Tauranga City Council spaces and places operations manager. Tauranga City Council team leader community waste programmes and partnerships, sustainability and waste. Hamilton City Council deputy chief executive and general manager of venues, tourism and major events.

Who wields the power?

But jobs are more than grandiose words, according to an HR type. When employers flick through resumes, a clear title sends a clear message about an applicant’s suitability and expertise. Past titles help future employers calculate a career trajectory and map growth and promotion. Titles tell people who wields the power, who makes the decisions, which helps when grovelling for a new job and pay rise. An accurate title is a signal of an employee’s value. It can help when negotiating that new job, and the added bucks you deserve.

What’s important?

Here are some unofficial job titles worth sharing. Perhaps. “Badass life saver” – it has more gravitas than nurse. “Crisis co-ordinator” – someone who creates trouble. Or defuses it. Or both. “Detective Inspector” – for a Detective Inspector because you can’t get gruntier than that. Marshall Goldsmith, executive coach of renown, put it all in perspective: “Your job title is temporary. How you treat people is what will be remembered.”

The Weekend Sun

Friday 9 October 2026

Dementia care faces growing pressure as population ages Tauranga and Mount Maunganui face growing pressure to provide aged residential and dementia care facilities with the number of people aged 85-plus locally is projected to rise sharply. Aged Care Association (ACA) modelling shows the Mount Maunganui electorate’s 85-plus population is projected to increase from about 1731 people in 2023 to about 5700 by 2048. Today, there are about 470 aged residential care beds across seven facilities in the electorate, including 43 dedicated dementia beds, according to ACA member data. Pacific Coast Village has 10 secure dementia beds, Summerset by the Dunes has 20 and Metlifecare’s Pāpāmoa Beach Village has 16. In Tauranga, the 85-plus population is projected to rise from 2472 in 2023 to between 6200 and 6700 by 2053. The electorate has about 1100 aged residential care beds across 17 facilities, including 190 dedicated dementia beds and 32 psychogeriatric beds.

Two electorates

The two neighbouring electorates effectively form a joint market for residential aged care, with people not necessarily receiving care where they live. ACA estimates 1100 additional aged residential care beds will be needed across the two electorates by the end of the next decade, including 110 dedicated dementia beds. ACA chief executive Hon Tracey

Pāpāmoa Beach Village is one of four aged residential care homes operated by MetLifeCare in the Bay of Plenty. Photo / Supplied

Martin said the challenge wasn’t simply providing more beds but ensuring the right types of care were available as people entered residential care with increasingly complex needs. “Every older New Zealander should be able to receive the aged residential care they need in the community where they have lived and are loved, until the end of their days,” she said. Health New Zealand says ageing is increasing demand for aged-care services across the Bay of Plenty. Nicola Ehau, Health New Zealand regional planning, funding and outcomes director for Te Manawa Taki, said Bay of

Plenty aged residential care occupancy was 97% on October 6, rising to 98% when care suites and occupation-rightsagreement beds were excluded. “Health NZ increased aged residential care funding by $145.5 million a year for 2026/2027, following a $90.9 million annual increase in 2025/2026,” she said. Ehau said Health NZ was working with providers and local health services to monitor demand and plan services, while supporting older people to remain independent at home for as long as possible, she said. Health NZ did not provide a specific forecast of additional beds required in

Tauranga and Mount Maunganui during the next 10 to 20 years. Instead it pointed to the Government’s Ministerial Advisory Group into Aged Care and its work on future funding, service models and longterm supply.

Demand changing

Local providers said demand is changing as people enter care later in life with more complex needs. Summerset clinical services general manager Lynda Irvine said demand for aged residential and dementia care was expected to continue growing as the population aged. ... continued on page 5

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Defy ageing.

The Weekend Sun

Friday 9 October 2026

Election candidates say how they would help, if elected

Continued from page 3... “…Developing new care capacity requires long-term investment and planning”, with providers needing certainty around funding and policy settings. Metlifecare, which operates four BOP aged residential care homes, said residents were increasingly entering care later and with higher acuity needs, increasing staffing, equipment and clinical costs.

Biggest constraint

people recovering after illness or a hospital stay, as well as families seeking respite support,” Irvine said. Martin said this highlighted why aged residential care should be considered part of the health system rather than simply accommodation. “Aged residential care is health care,” she said. “Health care does not stop when someone moves into a residential care facility.”

The Long Drive

The ACA’s The Long Drive campaign highlights the human cost when specialist care is unavailable locally. In one example, Wayne Naylor’s 83-year-old father made a 240km return journey from Hokitika to Westport to visit his wife after her dementia progressed beyond home care. Martin said fatigue caused him to drive off the road several times. The couple had been married for about 60 years. “Having care somewhere in the system is not the same as having the right care available in your community,” Martin said. That issue is being raised with candidates contesting the 2026 General Election. National’s Tom Rutherford and Sam Uffindell said, “aged residential care was an essential part of Summerset by the Dunes is located in Pāpāmoa. Photo / Kelly O’Hara the health system”

It identified funding as the biggest constraint on expanding capacity, saying further investment would require a significant uplift in funding and a model that kept pace with the cost of care. Both providers said respite, rehabilitation, recovery and transitional care were important to the wider health system. “We are seeing greater demand for short term stays, including from

Pacific Coast Village has secure dementia beds. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

and pointed to increased government funding and the aged-care reform process. ACT candidate Cameron Luxton described aged care as essential health infrastructure, calling for funding and contracts providers could plan around and a 10-year health workforce plan that includes aged care. Labour candidates Jan Tinetti and Rhieve Grey said aged care needed longterm, bipartisan planning. Labour has proposed restoring pay equity for care and support workers and increasing the nursing workforce, with Grey identifying workforce shortages as an urgent issue. Green candidate Pualele Westhead said the Greens would develop a long-term strategy for the health needs of an ageing population, including dementia care,

and supported a 24-hour emergency health clinic in Pāpāmoa. NZ First candidate Tracey Coxhead said her party would immediately fund 2000 new standard residential care beds nationally in the next parliamentary term and index standard-bed funding to inflation. She also believed a 24-hour facility would eventually be required in the Mount Maunganui electorate. Martin said the ACA’s proposals include increased funding, an infrastructure fund, investment in dementia and psychogeriatric capacity, workforce measures and greater use of residential facilities for respite, recovery and transitional care. “We need an electorate-by-electorate or region-by-region planning,” Martin said. Rosalie Liddle Crawford

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The Weekend Sun

Friday 9 October 2026

Tauranga tween heads to country music finals A Bethlehem 12-year-old hopes her husky, distinctive voice will set her apart from seven fellow junior singers in tomorrow’s New Zealand Entertainer of the Year (EOY) competition. competition

Elsa Griffiths has enjoyed a whirlwind four-year f journey to the national event, e which will be presented by the t New Zealand Country Music Association A (NZCMA) on October 10 1 at Rotorua’s Sir Howard Morrison Centre. C Griffiths said she began singing four years y ago after finding her way into vocal v training through guitar lessons. “When I played guitar, the man that t I took lessons to play guitar g with, his wife is

a singing coach. Then I decided I wanted to do singing more.” That singing coach was Charise Williams, who has continued to help Griffiths hone her vocals. “She has such a husky, distinctive voice for her age g and a reallyy unique q sound,” Williams said. “She’s also a wonderfully quirky girl, who has somehow become part of the furniture in our house!”

Surprised

Tomorrow, Griffiths will take to the stage in the New Zealand Entertainer of the

Year’s junior competition. About 30-odd singers will compete in categories from junior and intermediate through to senior, veteran and songwriting –after qualifying by winning NZCMA regional competitions throughout g the yyear. Griffiths was crowned junior overall winner of the South Waikato Country Music Awards in July, which cemented her spot in the coveted EOY competition n. “To be honest I was really surprised because I tried out for three songs and I only got in for one of them. On the last one I was just like, ‘I’m going to give it my all’ but I ended up getting it and thatt was very, very exciting.”

Griffiths will sing Somebody’s Daughter by Tenille Townes, and Weren’t for the Wind by Ella Langley. “My big song will be in the morning and my less high energy song will be last.” The largest crowd Griffiths said she’d performed to was roughly 400 people at her school’s production of Aladdin, where she played Princess Jasmine. The Sir Howard Morrison Centre seats 900-plus. “It’s a bit nerve-wracking but I know once I get up on stage it’ll be completely fine. “When I really get into it, it’s just so much fun singing and putting my heart out there,” said Griffiths.

Dolly and Ella

Nerves into fun

Williams said she was bawling her eyes out. “I turned around and saw her dad crying too, which made it even worse! My heart was absolutely racing. I’ve always wanted to create opportunitiess for young people, so seeing Elsa succeed means a lot to me.” Elsa’s country singing idols are the late ‘Queen of Country’ Dolly Parton, and American country singer-songwriterr and guitarist Ella Langley – heer recent hits include Choosin’ Texas and Be Her. “Ella Langley is my favourite,,” Griffiths said. Tomorrow, at EOY,

She said her gameplan will be to calm her nerves and try her best. “My advice to Elsa going into EOY is not to put too much pressure on herself or go in worrying about winning,” said Williams. “I want her to take a step back, enjoy the experience, let loose and have fun.” Griffiths said she’d love to write her own songs one day. “I just hope that eventually I might get my name out there a bit more. I’m not expecting too much but I just hope that I do well!” The New Zealand Entertainer of the Year competition is at Sir Howard Morrison Centre, Rotorua, on October 10, at 1pm and 6.30pm. Tickets are for sale at: https:// sirhowardmorrisoncentre.co.nz/ whats-on/nz-entertainer-of-the-year

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Friday 9 October 2026

The Weekend Sun

New chapter opens for Tauranga City... City Mount Maunganui siblings Wednesday Petersen, 7, and May Petersen, 5, already love going to the library. Next week, they will have a brand new one to explore.

Tauranga’s new Te Ao Mārama – Tauranga Library and Community Hub at He Puna Manawa, 95 Willow St, will officially open on Friday, October 16, with a free, public ceremony from 9am to 10am. On October 17, the library doors will open to the public and the new facility will host a free Community Celebration Day with activities and performances for all ages from 10am to 4pm. May has a particular book she hopes to find on the shelves. “My favourite book is Wrong, Wrong, Wrong!,” the Mount Maunganui Primary School pupil said. Wednesday loves art, so enjoys books with a visual storytelling focus, like Where’s Wally, while their mother Kathlene said another favourite in the household is Hooray, Hooray, It’s Library Day! The girls, who visit Mount Maunganui library weekly, are excited about making the new city library part of their routine.

Incredible

Kathlene said going to the library had become an important part of family life. “The library is just incredible. We always go and Wednesday and May always see their friends there,” she said. “I also just went to a cut flower workshop and beekeeping workshop in the last week.” May had developed such an appetite for

books that it can be hard for her to put them down, Kathlene said. “We have to take May’s books off her at bedtime now that she’s started school. She loves reading them.” For Tauranga, the opening of He Puna Manawa is a significant moment in the city’s history. He Puna Manawa is the first new building to be completed within Te Manawataki o Te Papa, the new civic precinct, marking a major milestone for the city centre and wider community. The Civic Opening, hosted by Tauranga City Council and Otamataha Trust, will celebrate the completion of the building and recognise the many people who helped bring the project to life.

Celebration day!

On Saturday, the doors will open wide for the community to explore the new library and community hub. The day will feature free live performances, author talks, guided tours, crafts, cultural experiences, technology demonstrations and hands-on activities for all ages from 10am to 4pm. There will be guided library tours at 10am, 11am, noon, 1pm and 2pm and for young readers metallic mosaics, sensory activities, a Lego showcase and maker session, a Creation Station showcase and a Coast to Forest Treasure Hunt. Author and illustrator Craig Smith will perform at 9.30am in a sold-out ticketed event, while story lovers can enjoy lunchtime storytime with Rebecca Larsen and Rachel Weston at 12.40pm. There will be music and cultural performances, including harp, Punjabi Bhangra, Chilean dance and an Opus

Innovation specialists Ella Keogh and Andrew Parker with creations made on a 3D printer at the Creation Station in Tauranga’s new library which will open October 16. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

Orchestra String Ensemble. Teenagers will have their own programme, via The Teen Takeover from 1.30pm to 3pm. The celebration will spill outside, too, with live music, roaming performers dressed as favourite book characters and a roaming magician entertaining visitors from 10am to 1.30pm. Children can make their own bookmarks at The Breeze craft station, while the Little Big Markets will operate at the waterfront. The LT McGuinness Zone will offer a chance to get up close to cranes and diggers and the new museum building. The opening will mark the culmination of a huge undertaking, including the relocation of nearly 100,000 books from

At 73: “You Know When You’ve Slept”

Patricia wakes at half past ﬁve. She always has, and no alarm was involved.

he hour is not the unusual part, it is that at seventy-three she wakes feeling like she has slept. “My body clock wakes me at half five every morning,” she says, “and I feel as fresh as a daisy.” Ask anybody over sixty how often that happens and watch their face. Sleep does not fail all at once as you age, it gets lighter and breaks more easily. For some the hours go, for others they stay put and the depth goes instead, and either way you are in bed as long and up with less. [What’s the problem with less, lighter or disturbed sleep?] So there are two kinds of half past five, and you know which the moment you open your eyes. One you get up into and the other leaves you awake but not rested, already sure that the day is one you watch rather than do. Most people treat it as weather. You look at the garden through the window and decide it can keep till tomorrow. Patricia has a garden. She calls it mainly grass, though there are lemon and lime trees in it, and a husband of seventy-five who walks with her each morning. The travelling is behind them. This is the life now. Which is why the garden keeping till tomorrow is no small thing. Do it enough and you stop being a gardener. So she stopped treating it as weather. “Over the years we’ve tried this and that,” she says, and lets it go. What she

the former library site on Devonport Rd. For Wednesday and May, however, the milestone is much simpler. It means a new place to find their favourite books.

New memories

Their father Daniel Petersen also knows just how significant the new building is. He works for Tauranga City Libraries as its creative and marketing coordinator. For the Petersen family, the library is not simply a place where Daniel works or the girls borrow books. It is where they see friends, discover stories and make memories. When He Puna Manawa opens its doors, Wednesday and May will be among the first generation of Tauranga children to make those memories in the city’s new library. Rosalie Liddle Crawford

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The difference did not arrive on the first night but on a morning a week or two in, when she got up at the usual half five, looked at the garden and went out. “It gives you a relaxing, peaceful sleep,” she says. “You wake up refreshed.” Then the part she comes back to. “You know when you’ve had a sleep. That’s the thing.” Her husband is on it now too. “We need all the help we can get at this age,” she says. Not a complaint, and not advice, though press her and she will say you need not take whichever half past five you are handed. Outside the birds start up and the kettle goes on. Patricia is not waiting to find which kind this one is. She settled that last night. Always read the label and take as directed. If symptoms persist contact your healthcare professional. Koru Nutrition, Christchurch

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Friday 9 October 2026

The Weekend Sun

Pāpāmoa Lions donate $60,000 ATV to fire brigade Pāpāmoa Volunteer Fire Brigade will soon be able to reach emergencies in areas where a fire truck can’t go thanks to some hefty fundraising work by its local Lions Club.

Pāpāmoa Lions Club presented the brigade with a new Polaris Ranger 570 side-by-side ATV on September 26 at the fire station on Parton Rd. Pāpāmoa Lion Steven Jensen said his club spent two years fundraising and applying for grants to raise the $60,000 to purchase the ATV. “Lion Margaret Brasting spent a considerable amount of time applying for grants,” he said. “This made the fundraiser one of our club’s biggest projects in recent years.” Brasting, the Project Committee team leader, said brigade chief Arron King approached the Lions in May 2024. “With this equipment the brigade could provide an improved emergency response to the community and neighbouring communities in the wider Tauranga area where the terrain is inaccessible by standard road vehicles including fire tender trucks provided by Fire and Emergency New Zealand,” she said.

Dunes, cycleways, rural land

“These areas included the sand dunes from Kaituna River in the east along the beach to the Mount, Pāpāmoa Hills, plus cycleways and walkways in our community,” Brasting said. “It seemed like it was a project for the community – and that was important.” In June 2024 Pāpāmoa Lions took on the project. “A committee of Pāpāmoa Lions and Leos from the Pāpāmoa College Leo

Club was set up with the goal to purchase the ATV,” Brasting said. “Pāpāmoa brigade members were appointed to the committee to provide technical advice, and Mount Maunganui Lions Club gave their support.” The project was named ATV4PAPAMOA with the slogan ‘Our Beach, Our Brigade, Our Safety’. Fundraising began October 2024 Pāpāmoa Lions and Pāpāmoa Volunteer Fire Brigade members with the new ATV. Photo / Sophia van Arkel with the Flying Mullet Pāpāmoa grant which converted to $17,770 when 20 years and we’ve had calls to the beach, Hill Climb. The Lions also invited received – was US$10,000. where we’ve had to walk it. We’ve also the Pāpāmoa community to donate “This Lions funding was specifically for had rural calls where we’ve had to call for via Givealittle page and schools were the equipment. Additional money from resources from further afield to support, asked to assist with fundraisers. Other the community enabled the project to which leads to delays in response.” money-earners included two sandcastle provide funds for specialist training and competitions in January 2025 and 2026 Very grateful additional helmets,” Brasting said. “Any supported by Tasman Holiday Park, a quiz King said the ATV would be available surplus would assist with brigade to night at The Flying Mullet Sports Bar and to wider Tauranga’s emergency services improve the station’s garage facilities.” an Amazing Race Challenge. should a district-wide event occur. The ATV was supplied by Action Equip“We can use it to transport emergency ment 2016 Ltd and the trailer was built Lions grants services equipment and personnel, if the by Norris Engineering in Te Puke. “The In addition, a substantial donation need occurs.” support and advice from these two firms was made by a Pāpāmoa resident, and The ATV came complete with accessories was exceptional.” $37,700 came from the following Lions – a winch and floodlights for 24-hour use King said his crew of 20 are learning to grants: the Lions District 202L District – and a transport trailer. operate the ATV. “It will be used to supBanking Trust gave $10,000, Lloyd “We are very grateful to the Pāpāmoa port firefighting operations and medical Morgan Lions Clubs Charitable Trust Lions Club and the Pāpāmoa community events in hard-to-reach areas,” he said. gave $10,000, and the Lions Clubs International Foundation – a matching “I’ve been with the brigade for more than for supporting this project.”

Interested in becoming a Lion? Email: papamoa@lionsclubs.org.nz or call Mark 022 355 6510

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Friday 9 October 2026

The Weekend Sun

From bullied schoolboy to Olympian, After more than a decade chasing Olympic dreams, New Zealand discus thrower Connor Bell has retired from competitive athletics but he has no intention of sitting still.

The 25-year-old Olympian is now using his experiences in elite sport to inspire young people, visiting schools to talk about resilience, goal setting, dealing with change and the importance of relationships. Bell, who lives in Tauranga, said that one of the biggest lessons from his sporting career was that success was about much more than medals and records.

The people

“When I look back on my time as an athlete, it’s not the distances I threw, the number of medals I won, or places that I’ve been,” he said. “It’s the people that I’ve connected with, the relationships that I’ve been able to foster, and how sports has brought me close with the people that I love and care about.” Bell’s own journey began at a tiny country school in Waitoki, northwest Auckland, with about 60 pupils. Moving to Northcross Intermediate, with more than 1000 students, was a huge culture shock. He struggled to fit in, was bullied and became increasingly withdrawn, turning to video games as a form of social escape. “I was a big kid that played video games that no one else thought was cool,” he said.

Then, at an athletics day, he discovered discus.

Power of encouragement

For the first time, Bell found something he was good at – and received encouragement from those around him. “I think something that was really important for me at that point in time was the power of encouragement,” he said. “Having someone say, ‘You’re really talented at something. We believe in you. I think you should give this a go’.” That small boost of confidence helped launch a remarkable sporting career. Bell went on to represent New Zealand internationally, win a medal and break the Youth Olympic record at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games, compete at World Championships and Commonwealth Games, and eventually realise his dream of competing at the Paris Olympics in 2024.

home of their relatives. “That generosity and hospitality was immensely important for me,” he said. “Don’t underestimate the power of a kind gesture, because it can go a really, really long way.” Those experiences had shaped what Bell wants to do next. He said the decision to retire was partly driven by a growing realisation that meaningful relationships matter more to him than chasing the next sporting

achievement. “The more that I’ve done that, the more those goals become realised, they get put behind you, and you end up with this empty space,” he said. “You’ve got to think about what’s filling that space.”

The impact

Since the Paris Olympics, Bell had taken opportunities to speak in schools through work involving the New

Connor Bell is retiring from frr his career as a discus thrower to pursue new goals. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

Setbacks too

The journey, however, was not without setbacks. He missed Olympic qualification during the Covid-disrupted period before fighting his way back. His eventual qualification came in Tulsa, United States, where he broke the New Zealand record to secure his place in Paris. Bell said an act of kindness by the organisers also played a crucial part. After he found himself in an uncomfortable environment and a shooting occurred near where he was staying, an organiser moved him into the

For Bay of Plenty Veterans Meet face-to-face with Veterans’ Affairs on 14 October, at the Lion Foundation Centre, at the Mercury Baypark. Come along, bring your whānau, and check that you are getting all the support that you are entitled to. The Veterans’ Affairs Bay of Plenty Veterans’ Forum from 10:00am to 2:00pm, Wednesday 14 October. Lion Foundation Centre, Mercury Baypark, 81 Truman Lane, Mount Maunganui. Free to attend, register at www.veteransaffairs.mil.nz

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The Weekend Sun

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Friday 9 October 2026

Environmental Enhancement Fund open Do you have a project that could make a difference in your local environment? Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council’s Environmental Enhancement Fund is open for applications of grants up to $25,000. The fund supports

community-led projects that protect and restore the natural places that make the BOP rohe special, from restoring reserves to protecting local habitats. Find out more at: www.boprc.govt.nz/ living-in-the-bay/community-funding/ environmental-enhancement-fund

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Connor Bell sharing his experience as an Olympian and NZ discus thrower.

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Photo / Rosalie Liddle Crawford

Zealand Olympic Committee and Sport New Zealand. He estimated he had visited about 20 to 30 schools. What had surprised him most was seeing the impact his story could have on students who may be facing their own challenges. “It’s been really inspiring for me to go into schools and see the impact [of ] my stories of sports - and not the successes, but the things that I’ve learned along the way - light up some of these kids,” he said. Bell is also studying for a Bachelor of Science in Psychology through Massey University. He does not have a fixed career

destination in mind. “I ultimately want to be in a space where I’m connecting with people in really meaningful ways,” he said. For now, that means using the platform sport had given him to help young people believe in themselves and value the people around them.

Funny journey

His father perhaps summed up Bell’s new chapter best. “My dad said life is a funny journey. It leads us to places which are significant. Sometimes we don’t know why, and it isn’t until much later that that significance is revealed,” he said.

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Friday 9 October 2026

Circus brings community together Get an EasyVote card People of all ages and abilities will come together in Tauranga this month for Kanohi Kitea, a free celebration of indigenous and social circus, culture and community connection.

Circability Trust BOP Hub will host its annual Kanohi Kitea celebration at Ōtūmoetai College Okohanga Whare Wānanga on October 21 from 10am to 1pm. Entry is free. Kanohi Kitea – meaning ‘Seen Faces, Visible Connections’ – is held annually across Circability Trust’s four regional hubs throughout New Zealand. This is the third year the Bay of Plenty Hub has hosted the event, and the second at Ōtūmoetai College. The celebration will bring together tamariki, rangatahi, whānau, kaumātua, people with disabilities, community organisations and local groups for participation, performance, cultural sharing and connection. Organiser Rowan Ford Dawson said the event highlights indigenous circus arts from Aotearoa alongside traditional circus practices. “Poi is already widely used within the circus and flow arts around the world and tītītōrea is clearly a form of solo or partner pass juggling. “Indigenous circus can be seen in cultures all over the globe, from Indian hoop dancing, acrobatics in Africa, and Hiko in Tonga and Cook Islands juggling with large

With the General Election quickly approaching on November 7, the Electoral Commission wants people to know that they can still enrol to vote.

“Anyone who enrols after October 4 casts a special vote which takes longer,” Electoral Commission deputy chief executive operations Anusha Guler said. “The last day you can enrol is October 25.” At the 2023 election, 94.7% of people were enrolled and the enrolment rate for 18-to-24-year-olds was 76.7%. “Overall enrolment is about 1% higher than it was at this time before the 2023 election, and we’re very pleased to see the improvement in the enrolment rate for New Zealand’s youngest voters,” Guler said. “There’s still a way to go though. If you haven’t enrolled, please do it now, and check in with the young people in your life about whether they are enrolled too.” Participants learning to spin plates at Ōtūmoetai College Okohanga Whare Wānanga in Circability’s 2025 Kanohi Kitea event. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

nuts or limes.” The programme begins at 10am with a welcome and pōwhiri, kapa haka and performances. A highlight will be the Mīharo Idea Services Kapa Haka Group, whose members are people living with disabilities who share their talents through waiata, haka, poi and performance. Circability Trust works regularly with Idea Services, combining circus, movement and performance. From 10.30am to 12.30pm, participants can try inclusive circus and cultural activities, including juggling, poi and poi-making, hoops, balancing, tī rākau, knucklebones, traditional Māori games and tītītōrea. Cultural adviser Wiremu Te

Kawana is supporting the event’s kaupapa and helping ensure its cultural elements respect te reo Māori, tikanga Māori, mātauranga Māori and Te Ao Māori. The morning will conclude with shared kai and kōrero from 12.30pm, and closing karakia at 1pm. Circability Trust BOP Hub delivers inclusive social circus programmes throughout the region, working with schools, disability organisations, community groups and older adults. Its kaupapa is ‘All abilities, all ages, all cultures – better together’, using circus arts to build confidence, coordination, friendships and community connections.

How to enrol

Kiwis can enrol or update their address online at vote. nz using their New Zealand driver licence, New Zealand passport or RealMe verified identity. Another method is filling in an enrolment form. Call 0800 36 76 56 to ask for a form, or text your name and address to 3676 and a form will be sent to you. Calls and texts are free. The commission has also set up 10 enrolment hubs around the nation, where teams can answer people’s questions and help them enrol in person. Find out the hubs’ locations at: vote.nz.

Key election dates

• October 21 – overseas voting begins. • October 25 – the last day people can enrol or update their details for the election. • October 26 – advance voting begins in New Zealand. • November 7 – Election Day, voting places open 9am to 7pm.

Rosalie Liddle Crawford

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Friday 9 October 2026

The Weekend Sun

Tauranga’s 78-year-old The Weekend Sun delivery lady! At 78, Arataki resident Heather Sutton could be forgiven for putting her feet up at the weekend. Instead, she loads a pushchair with newspapers and heads to make sure her neighbours get a copy of The Weekend Sun. Sutton has been delivering papers and pamphlets since 2016 and said she’s not ready to give it up any time soon. “At the moment I’m very happy doing what I’m doing,” she said. “I’m not looking forward to giving up; let’s put it that way.” Sutton is employed by Reach Media, the contracted distribution company for The Weekend Sun. Every Friday and Saturday, Sutton delivers The Weekend Sun to homes from Monowai St to Oceandowns Reserve and Te Manga Lane, and another route around Matavai St and surrounding streets. “I have made a sacrifice on Saturdays. I have to get my papers done. I don’t have a weekend off.” Armed with her pushchair, lunch, and plenty of water, Sutton sets off with her load of papers. If there are extra pamphlets that make the load too heavy, she sometimes completes half the route before returning home to reload. Rain can also slow things down. “I don’t deliver in the rain. I’m too old for that now.”

wet newspaper. I just j hate h it,” i ” she h said. id “SSo, I spoil my customers that way.” She said there were occasional mornings when the thought of loading up the papers felt more like a chore. But more often, Sutton said delivering them gives her a reason to get up and move.

Good purpose

“The thing that I like about the papers is that it’s a good purpose for getting out of bed in the morning.” Exercise was one reason she keeps going; but it’s the people and dogs she meets along the way that Sutton enjoys most. “I like it for the people, and I also share people’s dogs...there are a few familiar faces that will have a chat with me.” Sutton had been offered a raincoat by one resident, while others gave fruit for her as she made her rounds.

Sometimes S i she h found f d buckets b k and d boxes b of fruit left at the roadside, taking some for herself and setting aside extras to share at a local pātaka. “I love people’s gardens too. I often think, ‘Now where would I put that in my garden?’” A former carer, Sutton volunteers at the Mount Maunganui Salvation Army two mornings a week. She also regularly spends time with BaySands retirement village residents through games and conversation, leads monthly church services,

Heather Sutton said the people she meets while delivering The Weekend Sun is one of the best parts of her paper run.

and d helps h l with i h outings. i “I enjoy j being b i with ih the elderly,” she said. “They kind of teach you something, and yet I always feel they know more than I do.” Sutton was raised in the Bay of Plenty and said the region had always felt like home, even after spending time overseas.

Home

She grew up on a farm, attended what is now Ōtūmoetai School, and travelled to England in the 1970s before returning to the Mount. Sutton has lived in her home for more than 30 years. “I’ve travelled a bit. However, there’s just something about coming home.” Zoe Blake e

Photo / Zoe Blake

Nothing worse!

When she is delivering, Sutton is particular, carefully folding each newspaper and finding a safe spot for it away from the weather. A wet newspaper, she said, simply will not do. “There is nothing worse than a

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Friday 9 October 2026

The Weekend Sun

Kindergarten founder retires After more than four decades helping shape the lives of young children and their families in the Ōtūmoetai community, Sharon van Ameringen has stepped down from her role at Shalom Kindergarten.

Van Ameringen helped establish Shalom in April 1984, working with a friend to create a Christian preschool in the church hall of what was then Tauranga Assembly of God, now C3 City Church. After taking time away to raise her children, she returned as manager in 1998 – a role she’d held ever since.

What began in two rooms behind the church had grown into a purpose-built early childhood centre for children aged 2 to 6. The new facility opened in 2000, after van Ameringen helped secure Ministry of Education funding for the building. The centre had also evolved from a sessional preschool into an all-day early learning service, with its staff growing from two fulltime workers and relievers to a team of about 12. “I’ve never owned it,” van Ameringen said. “I’ve always managed it for the trust.” For her, one of the biggest changes in her 41 years had been the amount of administration involved in running an

Sharon van Ameringen with Shalom Kindergarten kids, at back: Elijah Clayton-Jones, 4, Wyatt Andersen, 3, Willow White, 3, Annalise Howie, 4, and Antonia Fletcher, 4, and at front: Miller Collier, 4, and Mackenzie Hein, 4. Photo / Kelly O’Hara

early childhood centre. “There’s lots of paperwork,” she said, referring to the reporting, teaching standards, assessments and mentoring now required alongside the day-to-day work with children and families. But the memories she treasured most were about people and shared experiences – trikeathons in the carpark, trolley cars built by teachers and children, visits from animals, fire engines and ambulances, excursions, beach walks, pyjama days and pancake breakfasts.

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One of her favourite traditions was Father’s Night, when fathers or another special male figure in a child’s life were invited to spend an evening at the kindergarten. “It was such a lovely way to meet dads who perhaps we wouldn’t have met otherwise,” she said. Family remained an important part of the Shalom culture, with former children returning to visit and some children being the offspring of former Shalom families. “One of my teachers is on maternity

The Weekend Sun

Friday 9 October 2026

after four decades on the job leave, and she was a kindy child. She about what to call the new preschool started here when she was 3,” van when the word ‘Shalom’ came into her Ameringen said. mind. The following day, a colleague Shalom head teacher Raewyn Stewart, independently suggested the same name who’d worked under van Ameringen’s after having a dream about children in a leadership for 25 years, said she’d been peaceful environment. passionate about creating a Christian “That had to be its name,” van centre where children and families were Ameringen said. welcomed and supported. Today, Shalom She highlighted van ccontinued to draw Ameringen’s commitment ffamilies from Ōtūmoetai, to inclusion, including M Mount Maunganui, children with additional P Pāpāmoa and Ōhauiti. and diverse needs. C3 City Church senior “These tamariki p pastor Elena Hood said and their whānau are h her family had experienced welcomed and supported SShalom first-hand, with to grow and develop h her four children attending alongside their peers,” tthe centre. Stewart said. “We are so grateful About 20% of Shalom’s tto Sharon for working roll today have diverse ttirelessly for over four needs, according to van d decades to create, lead Ameringen, while about aand build the happy place one-third come from tthat is Shalom Kindy,” families of different H Hood said. Sharon van Ameringen cultures. The staff She remembered van cutting the cake at Shalom represented about eight A Ameringen and her staff Kindergarten’s 10th cultures. birthday celebration in aas always having “a ready 1994. Photo / Supplied “Everyone is welcome,” ssmile and a friendly word van Ameringen said. oof encouragement for She said the centre was weary parents”. sometimes assumed to be only for church For van Ameringen, the greatest reward families, or even Jewish families because was seeing the difference the centre of the name Shalom, but most in the could make. wider community now understand it is “I just love seeing that we do make open to all. a difference in families’ lives and in The name itself had its own story. children’s lives,” she said. “I love seeing Van Ameringen said she was thinking children learning and asking questions.”

A trikathon held at Shalom Kindergarten in the early 2000s. Photo / Sharon van Ameringen

Sh She h hoped d Shalom Sh l would ld continue ti to t be “a vibrant community centre where all people in the community feel welcomed

and part of the Shalom family”. Retirement does not look particularly quiet for van Ameringen. She plans to spend more time with her husband Joel and their Saturday congregation, as well as walking, crafting, reading and cooking. She has already started to try new things – her first Monday without work was spent line-dancing. Looking back on her years at Shalom, van Ameringen said, “I’d like to thank the Shalom family and the community here for supporting us over all these years and for coming for a visit and just being part of a community of ever-changing people”. Rosalie Liddle Crawford

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The Weekend Sun

Friday 9 October 2026

Relive your childhood in Brisbane exhibitioon The best way to see the new Jim Henson exhibition in is not to stand respectfully pretending you have outgrown Sesame Street.

It’s in a wildly coloured costume. I realised this when I spotted Gabe and Becs Reed and 10-year-old daughter, Vegas-Jack at the opening of Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company at Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA). This was possibly the best way to do this exhibition properly, because it isn’t about puppets sitting behind glass. It’s about the moment a piece of foam, fabric, wire, or a scribble on a scrap of paper becomes a character capable of making generations laugh, cry, or believe in another world.

Still surprise

I discovered quickly that what I thought I knew about Henson’s worlds could still surprise me. Take Bert, Ernie and Oscar the Grouch – created in 1969. 1969? Somehow, I’d mentally filed them away as permanent residents of childhood – characters who’d always existed. Standing in front of the originals, their age suddenly became part of the magic. I had another small personal mission: find Beaker. While everyone was hunting down

Big Bird, Snuffleupagus, Kermit, or Cookie Monster, I was scanning for that anxious, orange-haired friend. That’s one of the joys of Make, Believe, Magic: everyone can arrive with their own Henson character lodged in their memory. The world-exclusive exhibition brings together more than 500 objects from seven decades of The Jim Henson Company’s work. There are famous puppets, costumes and props, but I was equally fascinated by the drawings, scribbles and early attempts at characters and creatures.

The beginnings

On display are actual drawings from the company’s archive – the beginnings of ideas that would become some of the most recognisable characters and worlds in popular culture. I lingered over the imperfections: hurried lines, little marks, evidence of somebody thinking with a pencil. The scribbled notes were an eye-opener: Labyrinth was nearly titled Magic Maze or Inside Out? Lisa Henson, Jim Henson’s daughter and chief executive of The Jim Henson Company, said her father would have understood why those objects belong in a gallery. He was interested in museum exhibitions, she said. But there was a problem with putting puppets in a gallery. “P Puppets are meant to move. You see the art side of it, but at the same time, they’re not moving,” she said. “My fatheer thought that immobilisation was a challenge.” The company traained its people to pose the puppeets and their armatures so theyy’d look as alive as possiblee. It’s an idea that run ns through the exhibitiion: these aren’t simply objects. They were maade to perform.

Smith said Make, Believe, Magic is more than a nostalgic exhibition. “…it’s an art exhibition aas it looks at the making of the work, whether th hat is the puppets and creatures, or the character building and world building or whether that’s the actual final artwork, which is the work on screeen, which is what we know and love.” Make, Believe, Magic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson Company exhibition is organised by the Queensland Art Gallery | GOMA in collaboraation with The Jim Henson Company. It runs to Ap pril 18, 2027. Rosalie Liddle Crawfford *Rosalie Liddle Crawford was hosted by Queensland Art Gallery | GO OMA

Kermit the Frog as featured in the openingg of The Muppet Movie. Photos / Rosalie Liddle Crawforrd

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Wh What h t if?

Lisa recaalls her father was fascinaated by gadgets and experiimentation. For Henson, if something didn’t exxist he’d build it. Thatt philosophy is everyw ywh where at GOMA. The exhibition moves from prractical puppetry through animatronics and creatu ure design into digital innovvation, showing how the compan ny kept asking: what if? f?? Curator Am manda Slack-

Gabe Reed, Vegas-JJack Reed, 10, and Becs Reed at the launch of Make, Believe, Maggic: The Worlds of The Jim Henson n Company, at Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art.

For more information please contact NZ Adventures Please phone 03 218 8569 Mobile 027 550 6727 or 027 4354 267 Email: info@nzadventures.co.nz

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Friday 9 October 2026

The Weekend Sun

Featuring Bay Home Show exhibitors | 16-18 October, Mercury y Arena Baypark yp

A healthy and large variety of plants to sell Strategic Nursery has been open to the public for just over a year, and has built a reputation for healthy plants, tidy presentation and a range that continues to grow.

“One of the things that makes our nursery different is its expanding variety,” said Strategic Nursery owners Paul and Carole Williams. “Water lilies, aquatic plants and pond fish are part of the range, alongside pots and water features. New varieties are added, so visitors often find something new from one visit

to the next.” The cycad collection is a standout feature, Manson said. “Strategic Nursery is home to New Zealand’s largest cycad collection, with 10 different varieties sourced from around the world and grown from seed on the property. “Raised in the nursery’s greenhouse, the collection reflects our interest in growing unusual plants and offering something distinctive.” That same sense of purpose carries through to the nursery’s Pohutukawa programme, Paul said. “P Pohutukawa are being grown in large numbers with the long-term aim of helping

support and restore the coastal region, combining an interest in New Zealand natives with a desire to contribute to the environment.” The nursery also carries bulk quantities across its range. Rather than stocking justt one or two of each plant, Straategic Nursery can supply a few w plants for a home garden or larger quantities for landscaping projects. Hedging and screening is a major part of the business, with substantial numbers for privacy planting, shelter, boundaries and larger developments.

The wider range includes New Zealand natives, trees, shrubs, grasses, flaxes, flowering plants, palms, groundcovers and feature plants, Paul said. Some of the most rewarding feedback has come from customers. “Visitors regularly comment on how healthy the plants look and the high standard of the nursery.” As a family-owned business, the personal side matters, Paul said. “We get to know our regular customers personally. That’s something we really value.” While Strategic Nursery works with landscapers and trade customers, it is not a trade-only

business. It is open to the public, public and everyone is welcome. Being locally owned, rather than part of a franchise, is also important, Paul said. “The family values supporting other local businesses and being part of the community.” After its first year open to the public, the focus remained simple, Paul said. “Keep expanding the variety, maintain the high standard customers have noticed, hold enough stock for jobs of every size, and make the nursery somewhere locals enjoy returning to!”

QUALITY PLANTS. GROWN LOCALLY Whether you’re planting a new garden, creating privacy, landscaping a property or sourcing plants for a larger project, Strategic Nursery offers a wide range of quality plants for Tauranga homeowners, landscapers and trade customers.

Explore our range of NZ natives, hedging and screening plants, trees, shrubs, grasses, ﬂaxes, groundcovers, ﬂowering plants and more — with a knowledgeable local team here to help you choose plants suited to your space.

Hedging & Screening, NZ Natives, Flowering Plants & Perennials, Shrubs, Groundcovers 7 Edging, Trees, Grasses, Flaxes & Strappy Plants, Palms & Tropical Plants, Edible Plants.

Water lilies, aquatic plants and pond ﬁsh are part of the range, alongside pots and water features. New varieties are added, so visitors often ﬁnd something new from one visit to the next.

1464A State Highway 2 Whakamarama | Phone 021 319 332 OPEN WEDNESDAY - SUNDAY 9AM-3PM | OPEN TO THE PUBLIC AND TRADE.

The Weekend Sun

Friday 9 October 2026

Featuring Bay Home Show exhibitors | 16-18 October, Mercury Arena Baypark

Smart living solutions for modern New Zealanders As housing needs continue to evolve across New Zealand, more families, retirees, rural property owners, and investors are looking for flexible and affordable living solutions.

Mini Homes New Zealand Limited is helping meet that demand with a range of innovative expandable homes, portable cabins, and stylish tiny homes designed to maximise both space and value. Based in the Waikato, Mini Homes New Zealand Limited specialises in high-quality expandable homes and tiny cabin homes that combine practicality, comfort, and modern design. Their growing range includes portable homes, container homes, tiny cabins, and contemporary living

spaces that are designed to suit a variety of lifestyles and budgets. “What sets Mini Homes NZ apart is our commitment to delivering affordable housing solutions without compromising on quality,” said operations manager Roy Kumar. “Every home is thoughtfully d e s i g n e d t o m a k e t h e m o s t o f a va i l a b l e space while providing the modern comforts Kiwis expect. “Whether it’s additional accommodation for extended family, a rural retreat, staff housing, a holiday home, or a permanent residence, Mini Homes NZ offers a solution that can be tailored to individual requirements.” Their range includes popular models such as the Mini Cabin, Mini Glass Home, Premium Mini Homes in 20ft, 30ft and 40ft options, along with the contemporary Mini

Modern Cube. “Each design showcases clever use of space and a focus on stylish, functional living. Added peace of mind comes with a four-year warranty on Mini Homes NZ container homes, demonstrating the company’s confidence in its products and workmanship.” Kumar said as sustainability becomes increasingly important, portable and expandable homes offer an attractive alternative to traditional housing. “Designed to be efficient, practical, and adaptable, Mini Homes NZ homes can be installed quickly and provide a costeffective pathway to home ownership or additional accommodation.” Visitors to the Bay Home Show – at

Mercury Arena Baypark from October 16-18 – will have the opportunity to learn more about the Mini Homes NZ range and discover how a compact home can deliver impressive value, style, and flexibility. “Whether you’re dreaming of a tiny home lifestyle, looking for extra space on your property, or exploring affordable housing options, the team at Mini Homes New Zealand Limited can help bring your vision to life,” Kumar said. With their philosophy of being “mini on cost, max on value and style”, Mini Homes NZ continues to provide innovative housing solutions that are changing the way New Zealanders think about modern living.

DOWNSIZE WITHOUT SACRIFICING QUALITY Based in the heart of the Waikato, Mini Homes NZ are a construction based business that specialises in innovative minor dwellings that are durable, eco friendly and offer ﬂexibility and comfort.

Friday 9 October 2026

The Weekend Sun

Featuring Bay Home Show exhibitors 16-18 October, Mercury Arena Baypark

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Think a painting, rug, ornament, piece of furniture, artwork, antique, pottery, ceramics, glassware, crystal or carved wooden items. Despite whether the home is modern, newly-built, freshly renovated or redecorated, many times the owner will divulge to visitors that their signature piece was found in the back of an op shop. To find a treasure to suit your home in an op shop, here’s some tips and tricks. First, take your time – a rush trip will never work if you want to find something special. Look high and low. Often undiscovered gems have been placed away from eye-

level, where people don’t usually look. Don’t discount something that has caught your eye if it’s a bit messy or in bad shape. Have a closer look and see if you could polish or repair it. It may just need a good clean, sanding or new coat of paint etc. The put-back racks and boxes near the rear of op shops are worth scrummaging through too. Because, like the old saying goes, ‘one man’s trash is another man's treasure’. Lastly, ask shop attendants what they have out back, especially if you’re looking for something specific. Say, an old teapot. They may not have put it out for sale yet. Most of all, don’t underestimate the power of the op shop when decorating your home. Happy hunting!

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The Weekend Sun

Friday 9 October 2026

Featuring Bay Home Show exhibitors | 16-18 October, Mercury Arena Baypark

Super tips to prepare for summer entertaining Summer is the time when Kiwi families really open the doors to their homes to entertain – whether it be friends, family, colleagues, acquaintances, fellow hobbyists or kindred spirits.

With summer fast approaching, now is the time to make sure your home is ready for entertaining and hosting larger groups of people. Firstly, spring cleaning is key. Give your hosting spaces – such as the outside deck, the lounge and dining room and kitchen inside – a good clean. Wash windows, curtains and carpets, wipe down, dust and oil furniture, remove any clutter accumulated during winter and really pair back what’s in the rooms or areas. Then figure out what is the maximum capacity of guests your home can host.

Have you got enough seating, cutlery, crockery, glassware for 20 or 30? Or more? Going by your seating capacity is probably the best bet, then match your cutlery, crockery, glassware needs to suit. Next, take a look at your hosting areas. Does anything need repairing or replacing? Is anything looking tired or worn out? Maybe your décor needs a bit of freshening? If so, think carefully about how could revitalise the areas. If replacing or buying new kitchen and dining equipment, homewares or furniture, what new colour or shade would suit your home’s current aesthetic or style but also elevate it? Maybe new cushions, rugs, tablemats, tablecloths, artwork or indoor plants could freshen the area. Don’t just buy the new rage design out in the shops – buy something that suits your home’s spaces, colours and styyle – but

slightly lifts or modernises them. Outside, could you add new squabs to outdoor furniture, plants, umbrellas or other shade mechanisms affordably? Try not to add items to spaces but replace them instead – so you don’t re-clutter your areas. Make sparing changes, as less is often more. Target one area and do it well and with thought. Also, think about what age and stage guests will be this summer. For young children, a toy box would be

ideal. Even a set of blocks or a board game would do the trick to keep them happy. For older guests, make sure you have made space for walkers, wheelchairs or any mobility aids they use throughout the home. You want them to be able to get around easily. For families ranging in ages, items such as outdoor game sets – think corn hole or a jumbo 4-in-a-row – can get everyone involved and make your home look inviting. Bring on summer!

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Quarry park’s plant sale on tomorrow!

Te Puna Quarry Park’s annual spring plant sale is on tomorrow from 10am-1pm. The outdoor event at the Western Bay of Plenty park on Te Puna Quarry Rd will boast an exciting array of garden plants – both vegetables and flowers – plus seedlings, house plants and pots, garden tools, local crafts, textiles, jams and gifts. The event is a fundraiser for the volunteer-run park, which boasts 17 gardens and outdoor artworks among dog- and family-friendly trails on 25ha. The park is open all

day, every day, and admission is free. Te Puna Quarry Park was a rock quarry from the early 1900s until 1979. The Te Puna Quarry Park Society was formed in 1993, and three years later began developing the park into the treasure it is today. Attendees are encouraged to bring cash to the October sale. Food and refreshments will be for sale too. Proceeds raised will go towards park maintenance. Find out more on the Te Puna Quarry Park Facebook page.

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Friday 9 October 2026

The Weekend Sun

Featuring Bay Home Show exhibitors | 16-18 October, Mercury Arena Baypark

Fresh ideas at the Bay Home Show The Bay Home Show is back at Mercury Arena Baypark on October 16-18, bringing more than 200 exhibitors under one roof for three days of home inspiration, product discoveries and exclusive show deals.

Visitors can enter to win their dream holiday – Helloworld Travel The Lakes and Helloworld Travel Mount Maunganui are joining forces with the show to offer a $10,000 travel voucher prize. Every general admission visitor can enter the draw, with daily travel deals also available from Helloworld Travel at stand 424. “Your chances of winning first division Lotto are about one in 38.3 million,” says Bay Events managing director Dana McCurdy. “By comparison, your odds of winning our $10,000 holiday prize are around one in 4000, so definitely fill in your entry form when you’re at the show!” There’s plenty more happening across the weekend, including cooking demonstrations in the Live Cooking Kitchen, sponsored by local business Kaimai Eggs and featuring chefs from around Tauranga.

At 11.30am each day, Italian chef Stefano Raimondi from Autentico and Cuore di Gelato is making spinach and ricotta ravioli with burnt butter and sage. “There’s something wonderfully comforting about making fresh ravioli, filled with creamy ricotta and vibrant spinach,” McCurdy said. Chef James Broad from Te Pahi Cook School is cooking with seasonal produce at 1pm daily. He will celebrate the arrival of peas and asparagus with simple, colourful salads that let these crisp and sweet ingredients shine.

Kids’ entertainment

Completing the round-up at 2.30pm daily is Uruguayan chef Nico Pagani from El Jefe Meats, bringing a little Mexican-inspired flavour to the kitchen with spicy, crispy smashed chorizo tacos and golden, cheesy quesadillas. Packed with bold flavours and plenty of texture, these are easy, crowd-pleasing dishes made for sharing. Families are catered for with free children’s entertainment on October 17-18, including a bouncy castle, rock painting and balloon twisting. For McCurdy, it’s the combination

Tauranga chefs, who will feature in Bay Home Show’s Live Cooking Kitchen include, clockwise from left, Stefano Raimondi, James Broad and Nico Pagani. Photos / Supplied

of exhibitors, entertainment and the opportunity to connect with businesses in person that makes the home show buzz. “There’s a really strong mix of exhibitors this year, and that’s what makes a home show so enjoyable. You see products up close, talk directly to the people who supply them and take advantage of deals that are

exclusive to the show. Add the cooking demonstrations, food trucks and kids’ entertainment and you’ve got a great weekend outing.” The Bay Home Show is organised by a local family business, something McCurdy said gives the event a different perspective. “We’re part of this community ourselves, so we understand what’s happening here and what matters to local businesses,” she said. “We get to see the relationships that develop between exhibitors and customers, and the contribution the show makes to the wider local economy.” The event itself has changed considerably during its 14-year history, reflecting the rapid

See us at

Stand #488

evolution of home products and technology. Traditional furnishings and decor have been joined by smart home systems, robotic appliances and an ever-growing range of products designed to make life easier.

Face-to-face

“It’s been fascinating watching the home industry change,” McCurdy said. “But one thing hasn’t changed – when you’re making a significant purchase for your home, there’s real value in being able to meet the person behind the product, ask questions and build some trust. “That face-to-face connection is really at the heart of what the Bay Home Show is about!”

The Weekend Sun

Friday 9 October 2026

Featuring Bay Home Show exhibitors | 16-18 October, Mercury Arena Baypark

Grow a piece of p paradise! Greetings gardeners, and welcome to the inaugural National Gardening Month.

This October, we’re celebrating the culture and cultivations of all that is bountiful and beautiful from the earth. Managed by a working group from New Zealand Plant Producers Inc and building on past Labour Weekend initiatives, the inaugural event encourages Kiwis to get outside and grow! At a point in our collective history, while we were hunting and gathering, we decided to stop. We announced: “Enough! Here I will stay and plant this seed! I will water, fertilise, and protect it so I can eat”. Moreover, I will grow to feed my family and tribe. From this will sprout the origins of society, for I will no longer spend my days chasing the buffalo and picking the berries. No longer beholden to the seasonality of animal migration and wilding fruits. For now I can stop p for myy crop ps and fruit do not run away. I can think and invent, germinating civilisation itself. If we were once warriors, we were

once farmers too. We observed how plants reproduce by spore or seed, wind or butterfly, or by solstice of spring or winter. We crossed the barely edible lacuta serriola, or wild prickly lettuce, into lacuta sativa, so that by the time of the Romans it was a sacred food imbued with stamina and healing. This, cultivated and consumed for 4000 years, is the namesake of the modern Romaine lettuce – that essential leaf of our summer Caesar salad. For myself, National Gardening Month’s theme ‘Grow a Piece of Paradise’ reflects our heritage in growing that made New Zealand our piece of paradise. From the first Māori commercial growers trading with early European settlers, to the Chinese market gardeners of Pukekohe – from which I trace my own lineage – we continue to this day thriving with our domestic produce and global exports from our fertile soils. Let’s celebrate gardening this month together. So go on! Give it a grow!

Saadie the sweetheart!

Ad dorable puppy Sadie had a difficult start to life. She was foun nd in the cold with her siblings, and without a mother. Noow, she’s grown into a curious and affectionate pup who is reeady to find her forever family. The 3-month-old female pup is still learning about the Th worrld and approaches new people, places and experiences with h excitement and enthusiasm. Her new family should be prepared to continue her learning journey with plenty of patiience, positive reinforcement and guidance. If you’re ready to welcome a loving companion into your life and can provide the time, training, and commitment a grow wing puppy needs, Sadie could be a great match. Phone Tau uranga SPCA on 07 5780245. Ref: 674995.

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BIRTHDAY SALE IS ON! SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER 9AM- 1PM Help celebrate Garden Forest Marine’s 25th Birthday by getting yourself a bargain. Mowers, Ride on mowers, Trimmers, Chainsaws and Blowers - all on sale. Bring in your old mower and take advantage of Masport’s Trade in, trade up deal. Sausage sizzle & more. Displays of old and new, classic cars and vintage motorcycles. Racing lawnmowers. and more.

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Friday 9 October 2026

The Weekend Sun

Big gigs in Tauranga Let’s start exactly where we left off last week – Mudhoney and OvO.

of AllMusic says: “Nirvana may have been the band that put an entire generation in flannel, and Pearl Jam and Soundgarden both sold a lot more records, but Mudhoney were truly the band that made the 1990s grunge rock movement possible”. The reason is Mudhoney was the first real success story for Seattle’s Sub Pop Records, the label that released the band’s first single, Touch Me I’m Sick, and their debut EP, Superfuzz Bigmuff, in 1988. Kurt Cobain listed it as one of his favourite albums in his 1993 journaal and that music laid the ground dwork for the movement, makin ng Seattle, Washington, the capitall of the grunge universe.

Unless you listen to a particular kind of music it’s possible those names mean nothing to you. Fair enough. We are not talking anything resembling mainstream here. But you will have felt the musical influence of Mudhoney even if they don’t feature on your playlists. Mudhoney were one of the founding fathers of Seattle’s grunge scene in the early 1990s. As Mark Deming

Across No. 2004 1. Insect (4) 5. Bird (4) 7. Country singing 6. Unrecognized (9) duo (4,5) 12. Medallions (9) 8. Lazy (4) 13. Aquatic mammal (4) 9. Lap (4) 15. Untidiness (4) 10. Midday (4) 17. Unmoving (6) 11. Children (4) 18. Colour (6) 14. Elation (10) 20. Hirsute (5) 16. West coast beach 21. Island (NI) (5) (10) 23 Brass instrument (4) 19. Appear (4) C E N T E S T B I I A A H A N N I E C R U MM E R M 22. Section (4) S R U Z E A L X M P T M S 24. Attendant (4) F I Z Z E R G O B O I S T 25. Small (4) E C D E D L G M X S M P T C H U T N E Y T S T A B S 26. Town (NI) (9) Y E L A O T G P O E A A O 27. Variety (4) O D O U R I H A U R O K O A T T R I C G R T R I E K Down A T T A C H G S N E L L S 1. Whip (5) Z A P N E I I L I D O I K 2. Meal (5) A L I G H T W E I G H T S F L T A E S E Y O Y T E R 3. Drink (6) Solution 2003 4. Optimistic (6)

Octo ober 30

Italian duo OvO will play at Ōkahukura in Tauranga on October 31. Photo / Annapaloa Martin

As too the music itself, I’ve heard grungge described as “heavy metal musscle, punk attitude, and garrage rock primitivism”. That works for me. Astonishingly, Mudhoney is coming to The Mount, to the Totara St performance venue, on October 30. The next night, October 31, at Ōkahukura on Grey St, is the arrival of a delightfully weird and hard to categorise Italian duo called OvO. Something of a mix of punk, metal, industrial, art, electronica, and several other sub-genres of strange. This will be the last stop of a New Zealand tour on which they’ll be supported by one of the big beasts of tthe Tauranga alternative scene, Threat.Meet.Protocol. Th

Hats off to TMP for scoring such a cool tour. OvO has always been one of the most active bands in the worldwide ‘noisy rock’ scene. In the last 25 years they have played more than 1000 gigs, released 11 albums and much more. They comprise singer and guitar player Stefania Pedretti and enormous drummer Bruno Dorella, and sound like nothing I’ve ever heard. The new album, Gemma, is similarly uncategorisable but it certainly makes an impact.

Rather wonderful

Also on the Halloween bill is Hoick and Flogging a Dead One Horse Town. Plus, here’s a couple of new releases on my radar: Beck has a new album, Ride Lonesome, a beautiful meditation on love and life and a brilliant return to simple songwriting after dancefloor experiments with Pharrell. Tom Waits has a new release, a collaboration with Massive Attack, and also a spoken word piece of his own titled The Fly. It’s rather wonderful. And Elvis Costello is celebrating extravagantly with the 49th anniversary edition of his debut album My Aim Is True, no doubt getting in early before all the punk 50th anniversary releases. A 35-minute album now covers five CDs, with 104 songs. So much music, so little time...

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

www.tinyurl.com/yzn47ret

Wander Walks return for Western Bay doggies

Dog owners and their four-legged friends are invited to explore their rohe this summer as Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s Wander Walk Summer Series returns for 2026-2027. The series will host six free Wander Walks for the whole family at the following dog-friendly locations. Te Puna Quarry Park on November 7, Puketoki

HARD

SUDOKU

7 1 8 9

5 4

No.2359

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

How to solve Sudoku! Fill the grid so that every row and every 3x3 square contains the digits 1 to 9

Solution No.2358

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

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

Reserve on November 21, Te Puke’s McLoughlin Park on December 12, Waitekohekohe Reserve on January 23, and Anzac Bay at Waihī Beach on February 13. All walks start 10am with all dogs kept on-leash. Dog owners are encouraged to arrive from 9.30am. Attendees will automatically be entered into a draw to win a $250 Animates voucher.

Te Puke to host smartphone skills course Te Puke Library is hosting a new five-week series of Smartphone Skills Classes to help people build confidence with smartphones and make the most of the features they use every day. The classes, presented by Kimi Katene from Tu Mai Digital, will run 10am to 12pm Tuesdays, starting October 13. Topics covered will include smartphone basics; photos, apps and communication; everyday smartphone skills; online safety and security; and AI, safety features and phone maintenance. Western Bay of Plenty District Council Team Lead Library and Service Centre AmandaJane McFadden said the were designed to help people feel more confident using technology in their daily lives. “Whether you’re just getting started with a smartphone or want to make better use of the features you already have, these sessions provide practical, hands-on support in a welcoming environment. Participants will need to bring a smartphone to the classes, and can book at Te Puke Library and Service Centre, call 0800 926 732, or at: eventbrite.co.nz.

The Weekend Sun

Friday 9 October 2026

An afternoon where love is heard Tauranga’s Inachord Singers are inviting the community to an afternoon experience celebrating love, hope and belonging, while supporting local charity Good Neighbour.

The women’s community chorus will present Let Love Be Heard at St Peter’s in the City on Saturday, October 17,, at 2p pm. Team Leader Nardia Lloyd-Ashton said the event was designed as more than a traditional choir concert, combining music, storytelling and

moments of connection. “This concert explores how love draws people together by celebrating joy, hope, belonging and courage,” she said. The non-auditioned chorus welcomed women of all musical abilities and aims to build confidence, friendship and community through singing. Chorister Crystal Henry said the group was excited to share the diverse programme and its layered harmonies with the audience. Raffle proceeds and a portion of ticket sales would support Good Neighbour.

Tickets start at $10 through Humanitix or at the door. Rosalie Liddle Crawford Children under 12 are free.

LET L ET L LOVE OVE B BE E HEARD HEARD

Where hearts unite in song

SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER 2PM ST PETER’S IN THE CITY, TAURANGA Join us for an inspiring afternoon of music celebrating love, hope and belonging. PROUDLY SUPPORTING

Helping ensure the generosity experienced inside the concert continues beyond it’s walls.

Inachord Singers will perform on October 17. Photo / Supplied

BOOK TICKETS Online via Humantix.com/nz Tickets also available at the door

TICKETS: $10-$35 CHILDREN UNDER 12: FREE CH E: inachordemail@gmail.com P: Crystal 027 358 1038

TAURANGA T AUR AN GA G OLD B BUYING UYING E EVENT VE NT RA TAURA NGA GOLD th th B e t h l e h e m H a l l F r i d a y 1 6 ctober 11pm pm - 44pm pm Bethlehem th Hall Friday 16 O October 2239 39 S tate H ighway 22,, B etth hlehem, ((Opposite Op pp posite W oolworrths) tth hs) State Highway Bethlehem, Woolworths)

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Friday 9 October 2026

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Friday 9 October 2026

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Specialising in: • Exterior & Interior Painting & Plastering • Repaints • Roof Paints

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IN TIN

Computer Services Business or Residential Windows or Apple Mac New Computers / Laptops Repairs & Upgrades Phones & Mobile devices Wi-Fi and Printers

We come to you! (07)2621000 Tauranga 927 Cameron Road www.silverservice.co.nz

recently departed

Public Notices

Personal

BAYPARK SPEEDWAY | MERCURY BAYPARK STADIUM 2026/2027 SEASON DATES

BAY OVER 50’s SINGLES SOCIAL GROUP

2026 | Oct 17 & 24 • Nov 07 & 28 • Dec 05, 26 & 28 2027 | Jan 16 & 30 • Feb 20 • Mar 05-06 & 27

Do you enjoy going out and having a lovely dinner with social happy people? If that’s you, phone us Andrea 021 133 0313 or Lorna 027 427 5635

Please note some event dates may change due to weather conditions and unforeseen circumstances. For a list of up-to-date events, visit www.bayparkspeedway.co.nz For any noise complaints, please call 027 2820 564 For any queries, please email events@bayvenues.co.nz SPEEDWAY RACING LIMITED & BAY VENUES LTD

Introductions for Genuine People

Gardening & Landscaping

Ready to meet someone special?

Our caring, experienced matchmakers personally introduce genuine ladies and gentlemen seeking friendship, companionship, and a lasting relationship. No computers. No online dating. Just personal introductions arranged with care. Call today

LANDSCAPE GARDENER

Experienced, efficient, knowledgeable and highly qualified. Maintenance, pruning, hedges, shrubs, roses; disease/pest control, lawns, tree work, garden renovations; design and plant.

Ph Ben 021 133 1857

bellissimolandscapes@hotmail.com

0800 446 332

www.sunlive.co.nz Click on Funeral Notices

Churches Active In Our Community

We remember and give thanks

Then, on October 29, 1966, the new St Columba Church building was dedicated. This year, on November 1 at 9.30am St Columba will celebrate the 60th anniversary of the opening of the new church building. All are welcome. Through all these years, many people have gathered at St Columba to celebrate their faith in God. They have worshipped, prayed, raised families, supported one another, served their community and helped shape the next generation. As we remember and give thanks to God for the past, I wonder what kind of legacy we are leaving for the next generation? I suppose only time will tell. May God bless you all.

Sandra Warner,

St Columba Presbyterian Church

Enquiries 022 632 5957

ALL WELCOME

Lifezone 7 Oak Lane, Tauranga Shabbat (Sat) 10am or Youtube live @10am

Shalom

EVANS RD COMMUNITY CHURCH, PAPAMOA v . a

n a il

d h h r r i

oel & Sharon van Ameringe

ST ANDREWS

021 768 043

office@bethel.org.nz BethEl.org.nz Assembly of God

72 . g

ill R & D , u. o . t hu c . g n o l r l a a il r i

Family Friendly, All Welcome

History is important. It shapes what we do, and, in many ways, who we are today. It reminds us of where we have come from, the lessons we have learned, and the people and events that have helped shape our lives and our communities. History also reminds us that one day we too will be relegated to the mists of time. This means that how we live matters – not just for ourselves, but also for those who will come after us. The choices we make, the values we pass on, all help to shape the future. This applies not only to individuals and families, but also to organisations and churches. On New Year’s Day 1960, St Columba Presbyterian Church became a Parish in its own right, with the first services held in the hall in Ngatai Rd.

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