16 October 2026, Issue 1332
Ready to rock! They’re pumped! Four of the Bay’s most seasoned musicians have joined forces to create band 4G1G – short for 4 Guys 1 Gig – to play a fresh, free live gig FluroFest 2026. TJ Faaosofia, Marc Joseph and Dan Antunovich, pictured, with Wills Lokeni will perform crowd favourite covers at Jordan
This year’s free-entry FluroFest this Sunday, October 18, from 1pm to 4pm at Memorial Park is being held alongside Mental Health Awareness Week, with the event built around the Five Ways to Wellbeing. Youth Voices Action chief executive Erika Harvey said Bandaoke aligns with the
Field on October 18 before handing over the microphone to budding singers for Bandaoke – similar to karaoke but backed by a live band. Those keen to give it a crack can submit a 30-45 second audition video via Youth Voices Action’s Facebook page.
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Friday 16 October 2026
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The Weekend Sun is published every Friday and distributed throughout the Western Bay of Plenty from Waihi Beach, through Katikati, Tauranga, Mount Maunganui, Papamoa and Te Puke and available to collect at many stand locations throughout the area. For a full list of stand locations see https://theweekendsun.co.nz/stand-locations.html The Weekend Sun is part of NZME - New Zealand Media & Entertainment. We keep Kiwis in the know. Locally produced at 405 Cameron Rd, Tauranga
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Going around in circles... We’re a nation of competent, cautious and courteous drivers. And, of course, we all know how to negotiate a traffic roundabout. That’s the consensus. That’s what we tell each other.
So how come many of us suffer spontaneous bouts of decision paralysis, blinker and brake bumbles, and roundabout avoidance syndrome whenever we get a sniff of a yellow road sign with three arcing black arrows? Whoop! Whoop!
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Roundabout alert. I can’t be the only one rattled by roundabouts otherwise there wouldn’t be such names as “circle-idiot” or “roundabout-clueless”. This informal slang is for someone who misinterprets lane rules or yields at the wrong time. Then there’s a “cone” – someone so frozen or intimidated on a roundabout they may as well be a traffic cone. Inert, useless. A “Sunday” is someone who treats a roundabout like a quiet country lane
in Katikati. A “roundabout ruiner” is a driver who panics, stops unnecessarily or cuts across lanes on a roundabout. I have successfully achieved all three – once, all in the same manoeuvre. “Manoeuvre” might suggest skill, care, strategy. Mine was more a dance of the dented panels, A “roundaboob” is an incompetent who doesn’t understand circular traffic junctions.
Misplaced niceness
A “roundaboob” will stop inside the roundabout for cars entering a roundabout, forgetting they have right of way. I like to think the beh haviiour off “round dab boob bs”” is more misplacced niceness. Not enough niceness on the roundabouts. I’m more thee “blinker baron” – someone whoo uses wrong turn signals, at thee wrong time, or doesn’t siggnal at all, or leaves indiicators and hazard lights flashing like a circus tent on carnival night. It provvokes interesting reesponses from other drivers. Mostly not nice. Moostly grawlixes: “$#@***!!” ttyype words questioning my parentagee. Unprintable. I’ve skimmed d the rule book. I know how to behavve nicelyy on a roundabout. Theoretically. But at 50km/h, with peak-time traffic and unforgiving attitudes wedged up my tailpipe, there’s a sudden surge of indecision and inadequacy. Knowledge doesn’t necessarily translate to positive action in a crisis. I was also co-pilot for another “good driver” who made a spontaneous, desperate dive for any exit after being sandwiched by semi-trailers on a peak-time roundabout. That big, multi-laned beast at Tauriko. He just wanted off without involving an insurance broker or an undertaker. I just bowed my head and prayed to whatever god watches over roundabouts.
The ‘four commandments’
That god’s abundant – he’s just gifted about nine new roundabouts on State Highway 2 between Bethlehem and Katikati to mankind. And now a $2.5 million gem ensuring a seamless traffic flow through what was the dangerous Ngatai/
Bureta roads intersection. However, I can reduce a “seamless flow” to an ineffectual trickle with my driver creep, my caution. I wonder if any of that $2.5m was set aside for special remedial after-school classes, for we roundaboutchallenged drivers? I suggest there are a few of us. A lot more than will let on. As I said, every New Zealand driver is a good driver. Just ask them. I got a look like a bent fender when I asked a friend if they knew the “four commandments” for roundabouts. “Ahhh ... I like to think I do.” Theyy do, but theyy don’t. “I just hope like hell no one iss approaching from the right. I don’t care how far away they are, or whether theey’ll cross my path, I’ll stop and givve way.” How does that help thee flow factor? In a real world, should my friend in ndicate when traavelling straigh ht though a rou undabout? “Only signal as you pass the last exit before the on ne you want to take.” That’s righ ht! “No, left!” Yes, I meant that’s right, left! Roundabout confusion n, and we’re not even on a roundabou ut.
Crazy out there
Our driver doesn’t indicate at all, because, she says, she followed a cop through the exact same manoeuvre recently, and he didn’t signal. She should have pulled him over and given him one of his own tickets. He would have said “do as I say, not what I do”. “Are you trying me on?” said another punter when quizzed about roundabout rules and regs. “Of course I know … well, I think so.” Which is very different to “knowing” so. No one wants to say they don’t know. Then a punter said something disturbing. “Everyone does it differently. Some don’t indicate, some indicate sometimes, and some over-indicate. They just think everyone else is psychic, that they can read your mind. “And even if they do signal,” she added, “you can’t necessarily believe them”. “A signal doesn’t necessarily align with what a driver is about to do.” It’s crazy out there on the roundabouts.
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Friday 16 October 2026
3
Mount businesses look to a brighter summer The arrival of the first cruise ship of the season brought a buzz to Pilot Bay this week, with Mount Maunganui businesses looking ahead to a summer of renewed activity after a difficult year.
Mount Business Association chair Jo Veale joined the earlymorning welcome for Celebrity Edge, which arrived at the Port of Tauranga on Tuesday carrying thousands of visitors and crew expected to explore the region before the ship departed that evening. The cruise season begins with six of the largest vessels scheduled to visit Tauranga in the first three weeks, bringing more than 20,000 people. For Veale, seeing tour operators back in action and visitors arriving in the sunshine was an encouraging sign for the months ahead. “This is wonderful. We want to welcome our manuhiri [guests] and show that we’re a great place to be,” she said. “It’s fantastic to see the tour operators here and Tourism Bay of Plenty out in force welcoming the cruise ship passengers.” The positive mood comes after a challenging year for Mount businesses following the fatal January 22 Mauao landslide, which claimed six lives and
Mount Business Association chair Jo Veale at the Port of Tauranga entrance on Tuesday. Photo / Rosalie Liddle Crawford impacted the community and had great local support. There was local trading. a destination marketing campaign Veale said it was important to that certainly brought people into look forward while keeping the the accommodation providers victims’ families at the forefront of and that works because if they’re people’s minds. staying, they’ve got to eat, they “It’s difficult to say it’s positive want to shop, they want to have a when we’re speaking about such good time.” a tragic event. The way for us to Of about 270 businesses within move through and to look to the the association’s area, Veale said she future is to support each other, but was aware of two closures this year. keeping the families of the victims Several new businesses had opened, at the forefront of our minds is while major events were beginning really key for us.” to return to areas affected by the Despite the challenges, she said tragedy, she said. the business community had “Last weekend, Ultimate Athlete shown resilience, and local support brought hundreds of people to the helped retailers get through winter. town and particularly around the “It certainly hasn’t been easy, but Mount North area.” most businesses have been able Veale said the reopening of the to dig deep over winter, and we’ve Mount Surf Life Saving Club
had been another positive development. “They’ve asked that people booking for events at the surf club use businesses around Mount North for catering. That’s a great little community initiative from the Mount Surf Life Saving Club.” Now, with cruise ships returning, warmer weather and a busy summer on the horizon, Veale said the mood on Mainstreet was buoyant. “We’re certainly looking forward to a super El Niño summer. A nice hot, long, dry summer for us is going to be
great for everybody,” Veale said. “Last year, aside from January 22nd, and the tragedy of the landslide, we had the wettest December we’d had in years. We were heading into that tragedy with a very poor trading December, which made things very hard. “But we’re the opposite this year. We’re heading into summer, return of the cruise ships, the good weather, the mood is buoyant on the main street, and we’re keeping a very positive vibe.”
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Friday 16 October 2026
4
‘My life changed d forever’: A Pāpāmoa woman who crashed head-on into an oncoming motorhome at 100km/h in torrential rain more than three years ago says her life changed in an instant. The 28-year-old, who is still recovering from a traumatic brain injury, talked to The Weekend Sun after journalist Georgia Minkhorst found her cards for sale at a café. Nina Lopes said Cyclone Gabrielle had struck New Zealand with severe wind and rain on February 12, 2023, when she was driving State Highway 29 that afternoon in Lower Kaimai. Lopes said she was trying to avoid a pool of water on the road near Ruahihi Power Station when the accident happened, weeks after her 25th birthday. “I crossed the centre line into oncoming traffic and crashed headfirst into a motorhome – each of us going 100 kilometres an hour, and then my life changed forever.”
An angel
Fortunately, a man present at the crash was a paramedic, Lopes said. “The first responder is an angel and saved my life because while he waited with me for the ambulance to arrive, he restarted my heart three times. “Thankfully, I was the only one injured because it would be so hard to live with yourself and knowing you were responsible for taking someone’s life.” Lopes was transferred to Waikato
Hospital, and a CT scan revealed she had a severe brain injury and her pelvis was fractured in four places. “They [doctors] were like, ‘S**t…let’s get this girl Wh When h Nina Lopes wakes down’.” She was put into a in the early hours of medically-induced coma and the morning, she busies had two operations; one to herself craft fting t cards. remove a bleed on her brain, Photo / Kelly O’ Hara another to repair her pelvis. After nearly two months in hospital, Lopes was transferred to Auckland Brain Institute (ABI). She compared waking up at ABI to the Jim Carrey film The Truman Show. “I was really shocked. I asked my speech and language therapist if I could see something official like a hospital or police report…I’d just woken up in what felt like this retirement home, I had half my head shaved, “I was already moving my legs quite then people I recognised, a lot in my coma. I did a yoga teaching like my loved ones, told me I’d had a car qualification so I’m really into my crash.” physical fitness…it’s like my hardwiring Lopes said coming out of a coma is moving.” not like what’s portrayed in movies, where people suddenly sit up and talk. Headstrong “They call it like an emerging blooming Before the crash, Lopes described consciousness. I was whispering for a herself as extroverted, conscientious and couple of days, squeezing and could do a studious. gentle response.” She was a former Mount Maunganui At ABI Lopes slowly relearnt to talk College deputy head girl and a lover of and walk. As a highly active person sewing with a “passion for fashion”, a beforehand, she said walking again was ‘hospo’ queen, highly independent and an “pretty automatic”.
The Weekend Sun
avid traveller. “I went to Mexico solo. I’ve been to America twice solo. Then after my crash for the first year at least, I had a 24/7 support person from ACC with me.” From her brain injury, Lopes has intentional ataxia on the left side of her body, which causes shakiness. “It’s like Parkinson’s…I’ve lost the fine motor skills in my left hand so sewing is more challenging now,” she said. “I worked in hospo before, now with intentional ataxia that’s a door closed for me.”
The Weekend Sun
Friday 16 October 2026
5
Nina’s road to recovery after crash
Yet Lopes said she was making incredible strides in her recovery. “If I wasn’t so headstrong I don’t know if I’d still be sitting here.”
Cards, volunteering
From her accident, creativity sprung. Lopes combined her love of making, and her eco-consciousness, into creating unique hand-crafted cards. With talking nonsense her “mother tongue”, she began Nina’s Non-Cents’ Card Co at the end of 2025. “It was born out of waking up really early. Sleeping and a brain injury don’t go together,” Lopes said. In the early hours she makes cards using anything from magazine cuttings, old library books, travel photos she’s taken and even earring packaging. “I will use a resource that’s already in the waste train rather than buying brand new.” She sells her cards at Arataki’s Special Mention Café, and Mount Maunganui’s Good Room skateboard shop. Nina had also developed a volunteering spirit. She assists the sandwich chef at Tauranga City’s Breadhead, is a teacher aide at Mount Maunganui College and has begun fashion merchandising at Waipuna Hospice shops. “I was quite a workaholic before, and I’ve always expressed to my therapist that I’m keen to get back to work…but it’s one day at a time as the brain doesn’t heal in one night.” Sleep challenges caused by her injury mean rest is a necessity for Lopes’ ongoing recovery. “I’m still under rehab…I nap every day after lunch, especially resting
my eyes…it’s pretty much vital.”
Ubuntu
Lopes said a big thing she’d learnt from her experience is the African proverb ‘Ubuntu’ – which translates to, “I am because we are”. She’s been surrounded by care from family, friends and medical professionals since her accident. “I’ve got amazing support,” Lopes said. “My mum is like an amazing angel…it’s made me more grateful for family. “It’s also made me realise how incredibly lucky and grateful we are to have such advanced healthcare [in New Zealand]. In
Crafting has helped Nina Lopes in her recovery journey. Photo / Kelly O’ Hara
some countries, if this had happened, I probably would’ve died, and I could’ve died here even.” Lopes is now focused on her future ambitions. “My current goals are to regain my driver’s licence and share my journey in a book in the hopes to raise awareness and hopefully inspire folks with my recovery.” To support Lopes on her recovery journey, visit: https://givealittle.co.nz/ cause/nina-lopes-recovery Or grab a Nina’s Non-Cents card. Nina Lopes in hospital after her vehicle accident. Photo / Supplied
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Friday 16 October 2026
The Weekend Sun
6
Colourful welcoome to new community hub A giant circle of colourful flowers is set to welcome people from around the world into Tauranga’s new community hub.
Artist Lynette Fisher’s commissioned acrylic painting, Welcome Home Multiflora, has been installed in Waihīrere, the Community Hub within the new Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga Library and Community Hub at He Puna Manawa on Willow St. The new library and community hub will open today, October 16, with a community celebration day planned tomorrow, October 17. The 1.6-metre-diameter painting features a ring of more than 100 flowers, each representing a different culture or country connected to Tauranga.
Daisy chain
Fisher said the work grew from her existing artistic practice of creating circular “daisy chains” of flowers. “When this pitch came in, I thought, ‘I know what I’m going to do’,” she said. She was particularly attracted to the idea of creating a large canvas rather than painting directly onto a wall. The black background makes the bright colours of the flowers stand out, while the circular shape was deliberately chosen to soften the strong architectural lines of the new building. “I wanted to soften the space in a friendly way,” Fisher said. “To me, a circle is more of a friendly shape than a square because it’s soft edges.” The daisy chain is also significant,
with many of th he people Fisher spoke to during her reseaarch sharing memories of making them. “Every person that I have talked to has recognised and told me a story about their mother or them learning how to do a daisy chain,” she said.
Blooms of cultures
The flowers weere chosen through conversations with people from different cultural backgroounds. Fisher and librrary and council staff went to Tauranga’s Multicultural Festival and spoke to more than 100 people about their heritage an nd which flowers were meaningful to them. In some cases, people knew immediately what their natioonal or cultural flower was. In others, a quicck internet search led to discoveries and family stories. The finished work includes flowers such as the Scotttish thistle, South African protea, Welssh daffoodil,, Nepaleese rhododendron, South Korean Rose of Sharon and a fuchsia associated with West Ireland. There are also flowers representing Tauranga, including bunny tails and mānuka. Tauranga City Council’s libraries and community hubs manager Joanna Thomas said the artwork was commissioned to celebrate the different cultures that have made Tauranga home. “It’s to make it a really welcoming community space,” she said. Thomas said the conversations with the community were an important part of developing the artwork. “There are a large number of flowers in
Artist Lynette Fisher with her commissioned acrylic painting, Welcome Home Multiflora. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
there, and they all represent a different culture,” she said. Fisher has been working on the painting since May, estimating she has put about 100 hours’ work into it. It is the largest work she has created in this style on a stretched canvas.
Welcomed
She said the title, Welcome Home Multiflora, reflects exactly what she hopes people will feel when they see it. “I just want people to feel welcomed when they see it.” The Community Hub is designed as a flexible space for community groups and
commercial hire. It can accommodate up to about 100 people for presentations and events, with tables, chairs, audio-visual equipment, a kitchenette and accessible facilities. It can be used for workshops, classes, performances, meetings, celebrations and other community activities. Thomas said the artwork adds another dimension to the space. “It is about visual things that make people smile, make people happy and make people feel welcome,” she said. “And it’s about celebrating creativity. I think that’s what a library is all about – celebrating creativity.” Rosalie Liddle Crawford
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The Weekend Sun
Friday 16 October 2026
7
Bandaoke with Bay musicians to rock FluroFest! Listen up youth! A fresh, free live music experience is coming to FluroFest 2026 this Sunday, October 18, from 1pm to 4pm at Memorial Park – and it’s not to be missed! Four of the Bay’s most seasoned musicians are joining forces to create band 4G1G – short for 4 Guys 1 Gig – to bring their energy and musicianship to the FluroFest stage. Marc Joseph, Dan Antunovich, Wills Lokeni and TJ Faaosofia will perform crowd favourite covers at Jordan Field before handing over the microphone for Bandaoke – similar to karaoke but backed by a live band. Antunovich and Joseph play bass and drums respectively for Black Comet, while Lokeni and Faaosofia are key members of Bay of Plenty covers band Black & Gold. Budding singers of any age have the chance to step onto the FluroFest stage and perform with 4G1G backing them – with $1000 in prize money up for grabs.
Free fun for families
With crowd-favourite hits, 4G1G said it’s ready to rock FluroFest! “Whether you’re grabbing the mic or cheering from the crowd, come along for a free, fun-filled family day packed with music, laughter and community spirit!” Want to sing? Submit a 30-45 second audition video for a chance to perform live with the band! Spots are limited, but those who miss out or register on the day can enter a lucky draw for another chance to take the stage. Auditions close October
TJ Faaosofia, Marc Joseph and Dan Antunovich make up three-quarters of 4G1G, which will perform crowd favourite covers at Jordan Field before handing over the microphone for Bandaoke. Not present: Wills Lokeni. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
17 at 11am. Visit Youth Voices Action Facebook page for registration details. This year’s FluroFest is being held alongside Mental Health Awareness Week, with the event built around the Five Ways to Wellbeing – Connect/Me Whakawhanaunga, Give/Tukua, Be Active/Me Kori Tonu, Take Notice/Me Aro Tonu, and Keep Learning/Me Ako Tonu. Youth Voices Action chief executive Erika Harvey said Bandaoke aligns with the kaupapa behind FluroFest. “Music has an incredible ability to bring people together, and for many of us it is also something we turn to when we need to lift our
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mood, switch off for a while or simply feel connected to other people.
Perfect fit
“That makes Bandaoke a perfect fit for FluroFest. You can connect by singing with your friends and whānau, be active by getting up and dancing, keep learning by having a go at something you might never have tried before, take notice and enjoy what’s happening around you, and give by supporting the person brave enough to get up on stage.” The event will have organisations, student businesses, food trucks, circus activities, bubbles, sport and live music on-site.
Harvey said the aim is to make conversations about wellbeing feel positive, accessible and genuinely communityfocused. “Mental wellbeing doesn’t always have to start with a serious conversation. Sometimes it starts with getting out of the house, meeting someone new, kicking a ball around, supporting a local charity, trying something different or belting out a song with a live band behind you. “The Five Ways to Wellbeing are really simple actions – FluroFest is about creating a place where people can experience all five of them in one afternoon.” FluroFest 2026 is at Jordan Field, on October 18, from 1pm-4pm. Entry is free.
Friday 16 October 2026
8
The Weekend Sun
Augmented reality to feature at Black Caps’ matches Bay of Plenty cricket fans can feel the thrill of facing and striking a real ball via augmented-reality simulator at November’s Black Caps-India matches at Bay Oval.
Supporters watching a past Black Caps versus England match at Bay Oval. Photo / Photosport
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has partnered with global sports technology company BatFast to bring the interactive cricket experience to venues across the country during the Hero Vida India tour of New Zealand, Powered by Ai+ Nova Smartphone. The India tour begins on October 22. The action comes to Tauranga’s Bay Oval on November 13 and 15, when the Black Caps take on India from 3pm. The ANZ BatZone will give fans the chance to pick up a bat, test their skills and take part in BatFast’s augmented-reality cricket simulator. The free-to-play activation will feature at matches in Christchurch, Wellington, Auckland, Hamilton and Tauranga between October 22 and December 1. Fans will be able to face a range of delivery types, with every shot mapped on a digital wagon wheel. Built-in registration and queue management will keep the experience moving, while live on-site and online leaderboards let participants compare scores. NZC chief commercial and marketing officer Glenn Critchley said the interactive experience promised
At 73: “You Know When You’ve Slept”
Patricia wakes at half past five. She always has, and no alarm was involved.
T
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
fans an elite game-day activation. “NZC is delighted to be teaming up with BatFast and ANZ to bring the experience to our country for the first time this summer,” he said. “We’re always looking for ways to connect Kiwis with the game, build on our match-day experience and our engagement with the community and we can think of no one better than BatFast to bring a genuinely world-class experience to cricket fans across Aotearoa.” BatFast senior commercial manager Jack Roddick said the simulator was a major opportunity to connect with fans. “Sport is at its most powerful when people have the opportunity to participate, not simply watch,” he said. “This partnership gives us an incredible platform to turn the excitement around one of the biggest series of the summer into active participation.” Tickets to the Hero Vida India tour of New Zealand are for sale at tickets.nzc.nz
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has instead is a rule, and it is short. “It’s got to be natural. None of that other stuff.” That rule disqualifies most of the shelf. Koru Nutrition got past it because her husband uses one of their creams on his knees. “It does what it says on the tin,” she says. So when they made one for sleep, she read the back. Most things sold for sleep do one job: put you under. Koru Sleep has seven natural actives working across the night instead. Passionflower and L-theanine quiet a mind that will not stop, so you get off to sleep rather than lie there. Valerian eases the body down. Magnesium, zinc, 5-HTP and vitamin B6 sit behind the body’s own melatonin and rhythm, keeping you in the deep stretch rather than surfacing at two. Not to knock you out, but to let the night finish, so the morning turns up clear. Koru Sleep went beside the bed. She began taking it expecting little, having read too many labels to be impressed.
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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The Weekend Sun
9
Big brother, big messaage: When Tauranga Intermediate Year 7 student Soni Moala suddenly began jumping in circles, shaking his arms and hands and loudly calling “Ha! Ha!” in front of an audience, he knew exactly what they might think. “What a weirdo. Is he alright? He’s crazy!”
He then asked the audience how they felt watching him. This was the opening of the 11-year-old’s speech that won first place in the Year 7 division of the Western Bay of Plenty Speech Competition. His speech, ‘Life lessons from my brothers with autism’, was inspired by his two younger brothers, Moana, 10, and Ofa, 5, who both have autism. “But before you knew me you judged me,” Soni told the audience. “This is what my brothers have to go through for the rest of their lives being kids on the spectrum.” For the Soni, the message was personal. He shares a bedroom with his brothers and said growing up with them had taught him lessons about difference, communication, patience and kindness. After struggling to settle on a topic, his mother, Aloi Koula, suggested he talk about his brothers. “At the time they were playing around together, and I asked him how he would feel if he did a speech on them,” Aloi said.
Something he knows
Soni initially worried listeners would find the subject boring, but his mother told him to make it entertaining and relatable. “He’s always with them. He’s
Friday 16 October 2026
Soni speaks up
their big brother,” she said. “[I thougght] It would be easier for him to do a top pic on something that he knows and he can c educate others on.” In his speech, Soni explained that autism was a different way of experien ncing the world, comparing it to looking through someone else’s glasses: the world remains the same, but the way it is seeen is different. “One won’t hurt a fly but will hold his nose if you talk too close to his face and the other one won’t hurt your feelings but will probably bite you,” he said. “What we see as rude” behaviour, Soni said, may instead be part of how an autistic person experiences and communicates with the world. “Behind every behaviour is a person n trying to communicate. Be patient enough to listen.” Soni also spoke candidly about his experience as an older brother, jokingg that he is “neither the referee nor protectoor” but “the instigator”.
‘Normal’
He talked about using his brothers as “tackle targets” and wrestling partners and teaching his youngest brother “puppy eyes” to use on their mother when they want McDonald’s. Before embracing their differences, there were times when the family tried to teach the boys to be “normal”. “Normal is just a cage to put them in,” Soni said. Aloi said the public response to Soni’s speech had been overwhelming, particularly after Tauranga Intermediate shared a video of his winning
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From left, Soni Moala, 11, with younger brothers Ofa, 5 and Moana, 10. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
performance on Facebook. She said it was especially meaningful as part of the Tongan and Pasifika culture, where autism was not always openly discussed.
Be kind
For Aloi, Soni’s speech is helping start that conversation. “We do it for our Pacific community as a whole. Not much is spoken about.”
Soni’s final lesson is one he hopes people will carry with them. “In a world where you can be anything, be kind,” he said. “I want to protect my brothers that have autism. Let’s do our part to understand the behaviour and not misunderstand the person.” For Soni, kindness is “like a superpower”. “It’s the strength to care when you could choose to judge.”
Rosalie Liddle Crawford
Friday 16 October 2026
The Weekend Sun
10
‘Just a Te Puke boy’ who made a big impact Former Te Puke town crier and icon of the wider community Michael Jones died on October 8, aged 78 As a tribute to Jones, his community work and his family, The Weekend Sun is reprinting excerpts of Rosalie Liddle Crawford’s story on him in June 2025.
Michael Jones may be widely recognised as Te Puke’s beloved town crier, but he laughs off the suggestion he’s a local icon. “I’m just a Te Puke boy who over the years has been involved in a lot around town,” he said. “Many people know me as the town crier, but I’ve also held key roles in the kiwifruit industry and town promotions and been part of Te Puke Repertory for over 65 years.” Born in Te Puke in 1948, Jones grew up surrounded by theatre. His parents were founding members of the Te Puke Repertory Society in 1952. “Apparently I was there when it all started – it began in our home,” he said with a grin. Over the decades, Jones, now the society’s patron, has taken on every role imaginable – from romantic leads to a lifeless corpse. In June 2025, Jones stepped back into the director’s chair for his 11th major
production, Call Girls, a comedy by New Zealand playwright James Carrick.
‘Dragged’ into theatre
Jones’ theatre journey began when he returned to Te Puke at age 20 and was “dragged into” a production by his parents’ friends. “Initially to do sound effects – and then suddenly I was on stage!” Since then, he’s directed 10 major productions, written original pieces for short play festivals, and created a local revue titled The First and Final Te Puke Review, a sellout hit despite what he calls “a total shambles”. “It was about Te Puke – that was the point,” he laughs. “It had all the local characters in it. People loved it.” Beyond the stage, Jones served as a Western Bay of Plenty District councillor for the Te Puke Ward from 1998 until his retirement in 2010. “I’ve always been a strong supporter of Te Puke and was grateful for the support I received.”
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The late Michael Jones photographed inside at Litt Park Theatre, Te Puke, in June 2025. Photo / David Hall
Jones was also known for his threedecade run as Te Puke’s town crier, a role he began in the mid-1990s while serving as deputy of the Te Puke Promotion Society. “We needed someone to lead the Christmas parade, and I thought, ‘Why not a town crier to tell people what’s going on – and how to behave?’ So that’s how it started.” In 2021, Mike was recognised as Te Puke Citizen of the Year, acknowledging a lifetime of giving back to the town he loved. He retired from the town crier role in 2024 for health reasons. This week, many tributes have flowed from the Te Puke community for Jones.
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In a memoriam email to members, Te Puke Repertory Society said their patron and life member was “the true heartbeat of our theatre family, dedicating an extraordinary 65 years of service and passion to our community”. “Whether he was directing, performing or guiding our vision as patron, dedicating countless hours behind the scenes, or cheering loudest from the front row, his love for the arts was boundless. His unwavering lifelong support shaped who we are today, and his loss leaves a profound void in our theatre and our hearts.” Jones’ friend Lynne Avery
wrote on Facebook, “A grand pillar of our wonderful theatre has fallen”. “His presence and input will be sorely missed. Many a wise word was shared and treasured,” Avery said.
Former town crier
Epic Te Puke’s tribute included a photo of Jones dressed as the town crier. “For more than 30 years, Mike was the familiar face, booming voice and ringing bell of Te Puke’s Town Crier. For generations of families, his presence at the Te Puke Christmas Float Parade was part of the magic of Christmas, bringing smiles, laughter and excitement to children and adults alike,” a spokesperson said. “But Mike’s contribution to Te Puke went far beyond his role as town crier. A true pillar of our community, Mike dedicated countless hours to making Te Pu uke a better place. “From his remarkable 65-plus years of involvem ment with Te Pu uke Repertory Society to his service in locall government, community organisations and town initiatives, Mike’s passion forr his hometown was unwavering.” The spokesperson said Mikke had said he’d play just a sm mall part in trying to make Te P Puke a better place. “To us, and to so many others, that part w was anything but small.” The late Michael Jones, pictured in n his role as Te Puke Town Crier at the head of the Te Puke Christmas Float Parade in 2020. Photo / Stuart Whitaker
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The Weekend Sun
11
Driving hope through golf
Friday 16 October 2026
WARNING: Th This articlle discusses suicid de and d may be upsetting to some read ders.
Tauranga businesses and golf enthusiasts can rub shoulders with sporting personalities on the fairway this month and make a difference to young people’s mental health. The I Am Hope Charity Golf Day at Tauranga Golf Club on October 23 promises a day of golf, networking and entertainment – all in support of the foundation’s work connecting young people with free counselling. Teams of four are urged to register for the event, which will feature a charity auction and evening celebration. I Am Hope partnership manager Richie Barnett said the need for youth mental health support was growing, while some of the foundation’s traditional fundraising income had dropped considerably. “The need is really skyrocketing around the country,” the former professional rugby league player said. “We’ve had the highest suicide rate for youth in the developed countries for a long time and we are also the highest for bullying.”
How funding works
Barnett said a key challenge was ensuring people understand how I Am Hope’s funding works. “There is the perception that I Am Hope is getting a lot of money from Government, but that funding goes directly to the counsellors. Additional fundraising is needed to maintain the platform that connects young people with counsellors. We work to make accessing support faster and
easier for young people, but th he platform is very expensive to run becau use we’ve got 936 counsellors, with onboarding, off-boarding, compliance, and upgrades.” Barnett said the foundation provides about 3000 free counselling sessions a month, with young people typically waiting on average seven days to access support and nearly three hours for a response. “It’s crazy good. It just takes all the red tape out, the constraints to getting immediate support for our kids,” he said. For Barnett, the work goes beyond connecting youth with professional help. It’s about changing attitudes towards mental health and giving young people the confidence to speak up.
Like a gym
Barnett said counselling should be viewed as a proactive step towards wellbeing, rather than something people turn to only when they reach crisis point. “It’s okay to go see a counsellor, it’s actually just like going to the gym,” he said. He hoped the golf day would connect businesses and community members with the cause, encourage open conversations and generate funds to sustain the foundation’s work. Team entry includes four players, 18 holes of golf, a barbecue, a welcome
I Am Hope partnership manager Richie Barnett at Tauranga Golf Club. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
from I Am Hope founder Mike King, prizegiving and the evening function. Registration opens 11am for a 12.30pm shotgun start. Participants can bid for a chance to play alongside sporting personalities. The evening celebration will include prizegiving, food, entertainment and a charity auction. Supporters who don’t play golf are welcome.
Register now
Auction items include a golf getaway at Kinloch or Queenstown, a Bay of Islands fishing trip with Matt Watson, a Warriors rugby league jersey, racing boots donated by Kristy and Jared Lawson, and running shoes signed by Sam Tanner. Barnett said the event was ultimately about recognising the challenges people face and showing youth they don’t have to struggle alone. “It’s just respect for people
that are going through tough times.” Businesses are urged to register now, with entries and sponsorship opportunities limited. Email richie@ iamhope.org.nz or phone Tauranga Golf Club on 07 578 8465.
Rosalie Liddle Crawford
Where to get help:
• Lifeline: 0800 543 354 (7am to midnight) • Suicide Crisis 24/7 Helpline: 0508 828 865 • I Am Hope: www.iamhope.org.nz Free call or text 1737 to talk with a trained counsellor 24/7. • Youthline: 0800 376 633 • What’s Up: 0800 942 8787 (11am to 11pm) • Depression 24/7 helpline: 0800 111 757 • Rainbow Youth: (09) 376 4155 • Samaritans 24/7 crisis helpline: 0800 72 66 66 • Grief Support Services – bereaved by suicide service: 07 578 4480 • Aoake te Rā – bereaved by suicide service: 0800 000 053 *If it is an emergency and you feel like you or someone else is at risk, call 111.
We’ll put the kettle on!
Bupa Open Day
Saturday 17 October 10am – 2pm Discover Bupa retirement village living at our Open Day this Saturday. We’re opening our doors at selected villages, so come on over, enjoy a cuppa and a bite to eat, chat to our friendly team and see if Bupa is right for you. Or book a personal visit if one on one is more your cup of tea. Accadia Tauranga
Cedar Manor Tauranga
To find out more, visit bupa.co.nz/opendays
Greerton Oaks Tauranga
Te Puke Te Puke
Friday 16 October 2026
Soda and Floof!
Beautiful brothers Soda and Floof are looking for a home together. They will offer double the fluff, double the fun, and double the love! Floof is about 8 months old and Soda about 14 months. Floof is a little ball full of fun who loves to play, cuddle, and soak up all the love he can get. He adores hanging out with his brother and is always ready for playtime followed by snuggles. Soda, his handsome big brother, is a little shy but once he feels safe and comfortable, he blossoms into a loving little cuddle bug. He loves exploring the great outdoors and discovering what the world has
to offer. The boys complement each other and would love to find a forever home together. Imagine them snuggled up side by side? Could you open your heart and home to this gorgeous pair? They’re looking for a family full of love, patience, and cuddles. Meet the boys today! Phone Tauranga SPCA on 07 578 0245. Ref: 676688 and 676689.
The Weekend Sun
12
Views sought on Baypark Arena extension The current Mercury Baypark Arena facilities. Photo / Supplied
Bay of Plenty residents, community groups, organisations, and stakeholders have three days left to share their views on whether Manawa Trust (formerly TECT Community Trust) should contribute up to $15 million to the Mercury Baypark Arena Extension Project. The proposed contribution would support a six-court expansion of the arena, helping address the region’s growing shortage of indoor sports facilities and providing more room for regular community use and larger events.
Manawa Trust was an early supporter of the arena, approving a $6 million grant towards its construction in 2009. Since opening in 2011, the nine-court venue has supported everything from local recreation to major sporting fixtures, conferences, exhibitions and live shows. In a statement, Manawa Trust said it was seeking feedback from local residents, community groups, organisations and stakeholders across the region as part of its decisionmaking process. The trust said community submissions would help trustees decide whether to confirm the proposed contribution. Manawa Trust chief executive Wayne Werder said community
feedback was an important part of any significant funding decision. “The Mercury Baypark Arena Extension Project has the potential to expand opportunities for sport, attract major events, and enhance the region’s ability to host concerts, exhibitions and community gatherings,” he said. “Before any decision is made, we want to understand how our community feels about the proposal and its potential benefits for the region.” People can learn more about the project and submit online at www.manawatrust.nz/arenaextension/. Feedback is open until 4pm on October 19.
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The Weekend Sun
Friday 16 October 2026
13 news and views for the over 55s
Thirty years on, a garden opens its gates There’s something rather magical about a garden that has had 40 years to grow into itself. Trees reach for the sky, birds make themselves at home, and paths invite you to slow down and discover what lies around the next bend. At Greenwood Park retirement village in Tauranga, that magic is about to be shared with the public. From November 19-22, Greenwood Park will open its established gardens and 1.8km Quail Trail as part of the Bay of Plenty Garden & Art Festival, joining Palmers Bethlehem as a joint sponsor of the Garden and Art Trail. The original main garden, designed by landscape architect Wendy Davies in the late 1980s, has matured beautifully, bringing elegance to the central pergola and covered walkway, now enclosed by a rich variety of trees, shrubs and roses. Younger plantings complement the mature landscape, providing a wonderful variety for garden lovers to explore around the established fishpond.
Maturity, diversity
Head gardener Claire Masters, who leads a team of five, said it is the maturity and diversity of the gardens that make them special. “It’s testament that good design stands the test of time,” she said.
Master’s favourite part is the abundant birdlife. She recalls pruning a shrub during her first week at Greenwood Park when a tūī fed on a nearby bottlebrush, just a metre away, seemingly unconcerned by her presence. It’s a lovely reminder that, in this peaceful haven, people and nature share the space.
Quail trail
And then there’s the Quail Trail, a bush walk through native trees and wetlands beside the Kaitemako Stream. Revegetated by residents and gardeners over four decades, it is now home to tūī, fantails, kererū and quail, with ferns, fungi and fascinating insect life adding to its hidden wonders. The trail’s name is no accident, said Greenwood Park resident experience manager Mica Nomell. “We have the Quail Trail open for all to walk throughout the festival, as well as our well established and beautiful rose gardens with a large pond.” Art adds another layer of discovery, with works by local artists Christie Cramer, Maureen Fell and Monica Zapater on display. Visitors can also stop at the village café for coffee or lunch. For an extra-special experience, join renowned bug enthusiast Ruud Kleinpaste
Greenwood Park’s head gardener Claire Masters and resident experience manager Mica Nommell will open the facility’s 1.8km Qual Trail to the public as part of the Bay of Plenty Garden & Art Festival. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
for a guided Quail Trail walk at 10.30am on November 21. No booking is required. Thanks to Bayleys, principal partner of the Bay of Plenty Garden and Art Festival, sometimes the best discoveries are found when we take our time. Greenwood Park offers four days to wander, wonder and enjoy a little garden magic. Tickets to the Bay of Plenty Garden & Art Festival, November 19-22, are available at Palmers Bethlehem, Décor Gardenworld, i-site Tauranga, Pacifica Garden Centre, Te Puke Florist, The Art Junction Katikati or online at www.
gardenandartfestival.co.nz
Rosalie Liddle Crawford
The Weekend Sun has two Bay of Plenty Garden & Art Festival Multi-Day Festival Passes to give away to two lucky readers who can tell us the name of the landscape architect who designed the original garden at Greenwood Park? Enter online at www.sunlive.co.nz by Tuesday, October 20.
Friday 16 October 2026
14
The Weekend Sun
news and views for the over 55s
The reallity off grandparents Com and se e at the e us Home Bay S Stand how 510
0800 520 046
When a Matua resident stepped in to raise her 9-year-old granddaughter, she had no idea how dramatically her life would change.
For most, raising grandchildren followed an unexpected event that required a major readjustment to their lives, Clark said. In one instance, police delivered two young children to their grandparents in a For her, the support, advice retirement village late one and workshops offered locally night, meaning the elderly in Tauranga by national charity couple were forced to find organisation Grandparents alternative accommodation. Raising Grandchildren (GRG) In Jane’s case, she was just provided a much-needed lifeline. months from retirement in “When I think about the 2023 when serious concerns possibility that there’s not were raised about her enough funding to run meetings, granddaughter’s welfare. I actually feel despair,” Jane said “I had plans to travel Aotearoa in a statement from ASB Bank, and then the rest of the world,” which has supported GRG with she said. “But her school principal a grant. Jane is not the Matua was worried, so I stepped in resident’s real name; she wanted to care for my mokopuna GRG Tauranga Support Group to remain anonymous. co-ordinator Jacqui Toung, with GRG [grandchild].” kaitaunaki Christina Forrest. Photo / Supplied “The support groups make me It meant Jane’s granddaughter realise that I’m not the only one didn’t have to go into foster care. going through this,” she said in the statement. However, her life was turned upside down. Grandparents Raising Grandchildren general manager “I’ve felt resentment at times because I had big Dr Braden Clark said his organisation supports plans that didn’t include being a parent again. I just about 6800 whānau (families) throughout Aotearoa. want to be the grandparent.” “[About] 150 of those are in and around Tauranga,” GRG Tauranga support group co-ordinator Jacqui Clark said. Toung completely understands. She gained custody “Our members range in age from early 40s to 90s of her then 5-year-old granddaughter in 2016. “It’s a feeling of the life we expected to have getting and include great-grandparents raising their greatstripped away. We felt robbed,” Toung said. grandchildren.”
The Weekend Sun
Friday 16 October 2026
15 news and views for the over 55s
raising th heir grandchildren “My husband and I lost friends, and there was the feeling of being judged; as if we’d done something wrong as parents.” Clark said GRG provides training in parenting kids with trauma or disability and helps grandparents navigate their own sense of grief and loss because they may be isolated from family and friends. “And we provide advice on their rights as they navigate the legal system.” As a kaitaunaki (whānau support and advocate), Te Puke-based Christina Forrest is often the first point of contact for Western Bay of Plenty grandparents who’ve stepped in to care for their grandchildren. “They come to us very overwhelmed and stressed about where to go or what their next step is and my role is to support them as they navigate their journey, which might involve their parental situation or the legal system, referring them to our support groups so
they have a local face to connect with.” Forrest said a recent $5000 grant from the ASB Local Community Fund will enable GRG to continue supporting those thrust back into a parenting role, often for their children who’ve experienced adversity, trauma or have additional needs. Forrest said GRG sessions create a sense of connection and belonging. “Without grants like this one [the ASB Local Community Fund] we wouldn’t be able to run our core services, and our core services result in thriving and resilient tamariki [children],” she said. ASB community investment manager Hannah McHugh said stepping in to raise grandchildren can cause significant financial pressure “so this felt like a natural area for ASB to support”. The public can support GRG via their website at: https://www.grg.org.nz/support
Food often the doorway to Super Support For many older people in Tauranga, asking for help starts with a simple statement: “I need some help with food”.
Super Support social worker Melissa Laurent said food assistance provides immediate relief, but it can also be the first step towards wider support. “Super Support brings together a network of local organisations to provide older people with wraparound support and services,” Laurent said. “Rather than navigating multiple services or repeatedly sharing their story, people are connected with the right support while organiisatiions coord dinate behind the scenes to ensure their needs are met.” Tauranga
Community Foodbank manager Nicki Goodwin said during the past 12 months, 1085 food parcels had been provided to 251 households primarily reliant on New Zealand Superannuation. “This represented 13% of all food support provided,” Laurent said. “Of these, 827 deliveries went to couples or people living alone who are connected with Super Support because they could not afford to put food on the table.” Goodwin said the number of deliveries for Super Support increased by 59% compared with the previous year. “When rent, power and essential bills are paid, groceries can become the only expense left to cut. An unexpected car repair, medical bill or reent increase can quicklly push h a tight budget beyond its limits.” Accessing help is simple. If you or someone you know could benefit froom Super Support, compleete the online form at Herettohelpu.nz or
leave a voice message on 0800 568 273. Super Support is run by a group of Tauranga agencies including Good Neighbour, Here to Help U, Tauranga Community Foodbank, Age Concern Tauranga, Bay Financial Mentors, and Tauranga City Council.
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30 Carmichael Road, Bethlehem, Tauranga 0210 265 3536 || sarndra@woodlandsboutiquevillage.co.nz
Fill out a request form at heretohelpu.nz or leave a detailed message at 0800 568 273 (this is monitored and someone will get back to you)
Super Support social worker Melissa Laurent, Tan nya Smith from frr Agge Concern and Amanda Gabb from r Here to Hellp U. Photo / Supplied
Friday 16 October 2026
Your coins can make a difference People who drop a few coins into a pink bucket today or tomorrow will help Breast Cancer Foundation NZ support people affected by breast cancer and work towards a future with zero deaths from the disease. About 500 volunteers will collect donations across the region for the Pink Ribbon Street Appeal on October 16-17. Breast Cancer Foundation NZ chief executive Vanessa Sorenson said every donation helps turn community support into practical action. “Behind every pink bucket is a volunteer giving their time, and behind every donation is someone choosing to stand with New Zealanders affected by breast cancer. “We know household budgets are under pressure, so we’re asking people to give what they can. When thousands of small donations come together, they help our nurses provide trusted information and support, take breast health education into communities, fund important research and push for changes to make earlier diagnosis and better treatments available.” Donations can also be made online at pinkribbonappeal.co.nz or text ‘PINK’ to 2447 to donate $3.
The Weekend Sun
16
Berberine: More than blood sugar When people hear about berberine, they often think off blood sugar support.
This is understandable, because much research is focused on berberine and blood sugar management. However, berberine may offer broader support for metabolic health. Research suggests berberine also supports fat metabolism, gut microbiome activity, inflammatory pathways, and cellular energy regulation. These areas are important for people with type-2 diabetes or prediabetes, who may struggle with weight gain, increased appetite and low energy. This wider pattern is often described as metabolic syndrome. Metabolic syndrome includes increased waist measurement, high triglycerides, impaired fasting glucose, elevated blood pressure, and low protective HDL cholesterol. A 2025 systematic review of randomised placebo-
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controlled trials found berberine supported healthy triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, and waist circumference. Chromium polynicotinate is a useful trace mineral to combine with berberine because it supports similar pathways. When insulin resistance rises, the body can store more fat, produce more triglycerides, and struggle with energy gyy balance. Chromium helps to support insulin communication with cells to maintain healthy blood sugar balance. A water-soluble berberine extract is important, as ordinary berberine is poorly absorbed and may cause digestive upset. Improved solubility is designed to make the ingredient easier for the
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John Arts (Adv.Dip.Nut.Med) is a nutritional medicine practitioner. To read more by John and the Abundant Health products, visit: www.healthhouse.co.nz, call 0800 140 141, or email: john@healthhouse.co.nz.
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body to access, while product quality, dose and consistency remain crucial. A quality water-soluble berberine extract combined with chromium should be used alongside a lowsugar, low-carbohydrate diet based on low-starch plant foods, antiinflammatory fats, and regular protein. Please contact me for a copy of my Healthy Eating Guide, which explains the role of food choices in blood sugar control.
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The Weekend Sun
BOP autism parenting programme hits milestone
A service supporting Bay of Plenty families with children with autism and autistic traits has celebrated delivering its 50th programme. Families who’ve attended the Incredible Years Autism and Language Delay Programme in the region say the skills they’ve developed have changed their lives for the better. The programme is funded by the Ministry of Education and delivered by Health New Zealand’s Child Development Service in Tauranga. It has run since 2016 and has supported up to 400 children through their parents and caregivers, with much of that success built on the dedication of facilitators, particularly Gill Duncan, who has led all 50 programmes. Designed for parents and caregivers of children aged 2 to 6 years with autism or autistic traits, a formal diagnosis is not required to enrol. Over 14 weekly sessions, parents meet in small groups with trained facilitators to learn practical strategies for everyday life. Sessions include group discussions, collaborative problem-solving, roleplaying, and opportunities for parents to share experiences with others facing similar challenges. Incredible Years Autism facilitator and programme leader for Bay of Plenty, Gill Duncan, said the focus is on helping
Friday 16 October 2026
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parents better understand and communicate with their child, build social skills, and establish routines that work for their family’s circumstances. “The result is happier households with fewer meltdowns and children who are better prepared for everyday life.” Nikki, who attended seven years ago, said the strategies they learned continued to make a difference today. “The programme helped us better understand how our child experiences the world. “That changed the way we responded to difficult situations and made life at home much calmer.” The programme has been delivered across New Zealand for many years. Heather Stewart, team leader at Child Development Service in Tauranga, believes its success in the BOP is largely due to Duncan. “Gill is the leader and glue. She is the main reason we consistently receive positive feedback from parents. She never wants to be the centre of attention, but the parents love her, and she is the star.” The programme operates in more than 24 countries worldwide, and research shows improved parenting confidence and consistency, fewer challenging confidence behaviours, and stronger family relationships. Current attendees often highlight the value of connecting with other parents and gaining practical skills and confi dence to navigate confidence everyday challenges. One parent shared a particularly touching example: “Last year, I couldn’t get Betty to sit through even fi ve minutes of a magic show. Last week, five she sat through the whole thing, enjoyed it and was really confi dent. confident. “Before joining the programme, I felt like I was the only parent facing these challenges and my confidence was low. “Now I feel much more capable. That confidence has helped Betty too.” Facilitator Rae Stott said many families who complete the programme require little or no further support from services, such as occupational therapy or psychology. “This suggests parents leave with increased confidence in managing challenges independently.” The Child Development Service, Tauranga, now delivers up to eight programmes a year, including periodic programmes in Whakatāne. Incredible Years Autism facilitator and programme leader for Bay of Plenty, Gill Duncan with ‘Molly’ the puppet. Photo / Supplied
Action and motivation
“Do not wait to strike till the iron is hot; but make it hot by striking” – William Butler Yeats Many of us wait for motivation before we take action. We postpone opportunities until we feel confident or more certain. However, more often it is action that creates motivation. Confidence, skill and momentum aren’t requirements for action, they are the result of it. Progress comes when we begin, even imperfectly, rather than waiting for the ideal conditions. Every meaningful achievement begins with an imperfect first step.
Headway is made through small, consistent actions that gradually strengthen our confidence and move us closer to creating those opportunities and goals we envision. What one small step could I take today? If you’d like to know more about strengthening relationships, exploring your potential and creating transformation in your life, phone Mary Parker, The Fast Track Coach, on 021 258 2145, or visit: www.thefasttrackcoach.co.nz
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Friday 16 October 2026
The Weekend Sun
18
Free tomato and bean seeeds
Many Bay of Plenty residents will be busy mucking in to get their summer garden growing. For those who’d like to receive free seeds to plant – Whanganui-based Heritage Food Crops Research Trust will happily oblige.
According to the website, the trust has a range of seeds for golden tomato and heirloom bean varieties available free. The trust says it’s wellbeing initiative for all New Zealanders, however it will gratefully accept donations to help them continue their work. With a six-pack of tomato seedlings retailing in New Zealand gardening stores
from anywhere between $4.80 to $7, receiving free seeds in the post is very economical. There’s not much you can get for free these days! And storebought vegetables, even when in season, can still be costly. Moreover, homegrown vegetables always seem to have more flavour. To obtain free tomato or bean varieties, send a stamped, self-addressed envelope to: Heritage Food Crops Research Trust, 126A Springvale Rd, Whanganui 4501. If requesting both tomato and bean seeds, just send one stamped, self-addressed padded bag.
Alternatively, to make a donation to thee trust to cover postage coosts, send the trust an emaail to let it know your posttal address and the varietiees you want to: info@heritaggefoodcrops. org.nz. The trust’s ban nk account is 06-0793-029 99259-00 (ANZ Bank).Th The trust Th advises that tom mato seeds be planted insid de and transplanted ou utsid de once the risk off frost has passed; and d that its common and runner beans are best sown outdoors in October-Noovember, when there is no risk of frost. Find out more at: heritagefoodcroops.org.nz
Trusted Tauranga business turns 25 When it comes to lawnmowers, chainsaws and outboard motor servicing, Garden Forest Marine has the expertise and experience to meet your needs.
Celebrating 25 years in business this year, the team has an in-depth knowledge of these essential machines, offering customers reliable products, professional servicing and expert advice. Their commitment to quality and customer service has helped establish Garden Forest Marine as a trusted business for both new products, repairs and servicing. “Right from the day we opened, we placed importance on old fashioned service plus honesty and I feel that this is why we have been around in business for so long,” business owner Adam Pendred said. “We are happy to share our knowledge, repair your well-worn mower or chainsaw, but if it is not viable, happy to advise the best options available to fit your needs. “The community is our business, and we want customers to leave pleased with the service we provide and return when they need us,”
BIRTHDAY SALE IS ON! SATURDAY 17 OCTOBER 9AM- 1PM Help celebrate Garden Forest Marine’s 25th Birthday by getting yourself a bargain.
The Garden Forest Marine team, from left, apprentice technician Oliver Winters, owner Adam Pendred, administrator Sara Kerwood and workshop technician Shannon Fowle. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
Pendred said. This Saturday, October 17, from 9am to 1pm, the Garden Forest Marine will be celebrate their 25 year milestone with a great range of in-store specials. There will also be a wonderful display of hotrods, classic cars, vintage and classic motorbikes, chainsaws and lawnmowers in their carpark. “Make sure you check out the hotted up chainsaws in action and grab a barbecue sausage as well,” Pendred said. Garden Forest Marine is located at 1235 Cameron Rd, Tauranga.
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The Weekend Sun
Friday 16 October 2026
19
A thunderous, youth-filled start to arts festival More than 70 young Tauranga musicians are preparing to make some noise when Wonderstruck, a high-energy marimba and bucketdrum spectacular, opens this year’s Tauranga Arts Festival at Baycourt Community & Arts Centre on October 22.
The family-friendly performance will bring together schoolchildren from across the region, playing marimbas, xylophones and glockenspiels alongside the energetic Hittmen Bucket Drummers, in a celebration of rhythm, teamwork and the joy of making music. With event tickets sold out, the young performers have an eager audience waiting to hear what they have been working on since the beginning of the school year. Musical director Jeremy Hantler said the children come from schools stretching from Whakamārama School to Ōtūmoetai Intermediate, including Matua School, while the bucket drummers represent a range of schools across the area. “They’ve been working all year to prepare a dynamic set that celebrates percussion in the primary school,” he said. Rehearsals began in February, with the performance drawing inspiration from the Orff New Zealand Aotearoa (ONZA) Marimba Festival, alongside Tauranga’s
own Hittmen, led by Carl Homersham. The concept has a successful history elsewhere, with a sister marimba festival in Auckland running for about 20 years and attracting more than 700 performers. Hantler brought the project to Tauranga six years ago. “Now with the Tauranga Arts Festival coming on board with their idea to collaborate with the buckets, I am excited to see local children take centre stage this year at one of the city’s
major arts events,” Hantler said. “While arts festivals often include shows for children, they rarely feature shows including children. To celebrate the diversity on offer at the festival, what an apt way to begin with a performance from some of Tauranga’s youngest musicians.” Th Thee show will feature a mix of ensemble performances, with the marimbas taking the spotlight in the middle section before the bucket drummers bring danceable tunes to the stage. Th Thee groups will join forces for the opening and fi nale. finale. Audience participation is also part of the fun, with mixed seating and fl oor floor space set aside for a dance party,
inviting children and the young at heart to get involved. The sold-out 60-minute performance begins at 6pm on October 22, at X Space, Baycourt. For Hantler, the show is about more than a spectacular opening night. It’s an opportunity to celebrate the musical talent growing in local schools and encourage more children to discover the rewards of learning an instrument. American R&B and soul singer Macy Gray’s festival show is also at Baycourt that evening.
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Toby Burmister, 11, drumming, and Amara Hoeft ft, t 9, on marimba, rehearsing for Wonderstruck. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
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Friday 16 October 2026
The Weekend Sun
20
So much music, so little time... I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: there is too much music.
It has finally broken me. I can’t do it anymore. Being a music lover with a compulsion towards completionism has engulfed my life, but I’m done. Enough. I think most music lovers, and I’m
choosing that word over “obsessives”, are collectors at heart, building their own museum of music; and most lean towards being completionists. After all, when you start collecting something, you want to get the whole set eventually... Also, if you really like someone, you want to hear everything from them. Completionism
seems a reasonable approach. For many years I’ve had favourite artists and have bought everything they release. That seems not unreasonable. The list has changed through the years as bands disband, people die and new artists emerge.
Fulltime job
Running off the first few names that spring to mind, it includes The Rolling Stones, The Saints, Graham Parker, Bruce Springsteen, Lucinda Williams, Elvis Costello, Yello, Drive-by Truckers, Lyle Lovett, Billy Bragg, Joni Mitchell, Beck, The Warratahs, Frank Turner, Tom Waits, John K Sampson, Christy Moore, Robyn Hitchcock, Chris Bailey, Andrew London, Arctic Monkeys, Bonnie Prince Billy, Bill Callahan, Nick Cave, and, of course, Bob Dylan. And many more. In case that looks really old and fuddy-duddy, I should mention I also listen to a lot of newer music. It just isn’t yet on the “buy everything by these guys” list. But just keeping
up with the past is a fulltime job. It’s Bob Dylan that finally broke me. Springsteen nearly did it with 2025’s Tracks 2: The Lost Albums boxed set. Nine LPs or seven CDs, 83 songs, at JB Hi-Fi for $550. Meanwhile, Elvis Costello’s first album, My Aim Is True, which I mentioned last week, has just been re-released as a 5-CD box set, 104 tracks, for a mere $360. But it was Dylan’s new release, The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1976 Live Recordings, that has finally it done for me. Dylan already released The Rolling Thunder Revue: The 1975 Live Recordings, a 14-CD set. But that only featured 5 concerts and a slew of rarities. It’s selling for $750 on Amazon.
Give in
So the new Bob set is a (relatively) great deal. The 39-CD(!) set contains all professionally recorded shows from the 1976 second leg of the tour,
Bob Dylan. Photo / Supplied
381 tracks, and can be yours for just under $300. And d off course I want it. I’ve got alll th he oth her boxed d sets, including the one with two dozen concerts from 1966. But I’m wondering now if life is too short. That’s fatuous. Clearly life is too short. But is it too short for all this music? I conservatively estimate the 1976 box will take more than 30 hours to listen to. Once. Even if I can afford it, when can I find time to actually listen to it? And while I spend 30 hours enjoying a 50-yearold tour, approximately 100,000 new songs are uploaded onto Spotify and other streamers every single day. I give in.
Hear Winston’s Latest Playlist Scan the QR code, or visit:
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9
No. 2005 Across 5. Scope (8) 1. Town (SI) (8) 6. Aggregate (5) 6. Pour (4) 7. Cost (7) 8. Insect (4) 12. Lucky charm (8) 9. Island (NI) (8) 14. Versus (7) 10. Ooze (5) 16. Strain (7) 11. Aptitude (6) 18. Requested (5) 13. River (NI) (6) 20. Halfwit (5) 15. Fluster (6) 21. Tranquil (4) 17. Sausage (6) 19. Garden pest (5) W A S P E C T U I S A I H 22. Recording artist & H F A O T O P P T W I N S I D L E E G L B M A T C S TV presenter (5,3) S E A C K N E E I N O O N K I D S D A G A X E MG T 23. Flower (4) A N C E X C I T E M E N T 24. Button (4) Y S L A OWG T O E A I O G I L L E S P I E S K T M 25. Propose (8) A G T A I T G N T S H OW Down U N I T E A I D E I A L H 2. Unwind (5) Z I P U E T I I I M I N I C A M B R I D G E E R V T 3. Wander (7) F S T A E C E O O T Y P E 4. Trees (4) Solution 2004
1
SUDOKU 2
3 4 8 9 1
8
9
7
8 6 3 7 2
4 6 9 2 5 1 7
9
3 6 1 7 4 5
How to solve Sudoku! Fill the grid so that every row and every 3x3 square contains the digits 1 to 9
Solution No.2359
3 6 2 7 4 9 1 8 5 8 9 6 2 5 7 4 3 1 5 2 8 6 1 3 9 7 4
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The Weekend Sun
Friday 16 October 2026
21
A maestro returns to the Mighty Wurli Whenever Jelani Eddington sits down Theatre’s at Ngā Hau o Rēhia Baycourt Theatre’s ‘Mighty Wurlitzer’, audiences can expect the unexpected.
The Mighty Wurlitzer being played as part of the International Youth Silent Film Festival back in 2018. Photo / Supplied
Th Thee internationally acclaimed organist is returning to Tauranga for The Mighty Wurli & the Maestro on Tuesday, November 4, bringing his extraordinary, signature style that has made him one of the world’s leading performers of the theatre organ. Baycourt Th eatre manager Reena Theatre Snook said Eddington’s career began at 13, when he became the youngestever winner of the American Th eatre Theatre Organ Society’s Young Theatre Theatre Organist Competition. “He was later named Theatre Organist of the Year. Since those early days, Jelani has performed widely across the US and the world as a concert artist, recording musician and educator.” His work goes beyond live performance – he has released more
than 30 albums, Snook said. “One of his most notable achievements is his viral performance of the Star Wars Symphonic Suite, which drew millions of views on YouTube and showcased his widespread appeal.” For local audiences, this isn’t Eddington’s first encounter with Baycourt’s ‘Mighty Wurli’. Snook said Eddington’s return offers the chance to hear the theatre’s much-loved instrument – as it approaches its 100th birthday in February – in the hands of a performer who understands not only its technical possibilities, but also its personality. “The concert programme will traverse familiar pieces from stage and screen, and classic favourites. Audiences will experience music with a generous dose of nostalgia, yet Eddington’s style is far from old-fashioned.” For theatre organ devotees, Eddington’s performance will be a welcome return. For others, it is an opportunity to discover what happens when a world-class musician meets one of Tauranga – and New Zealand’s – most remarkable musical instruments.
The Mighty Wurli &
the Maestro internationally acclaimed organist Jelani Eddington
Wed 4 Nov | 7pm Ngā Hau o Rēhia Baycourt Theatre Pay What You Can BOOK NOW baycourt.co.nz
Friday 16 October 2026
The Weekend Sun
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The Weekend Sun
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public notices
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BAY OF PLENTY FARMERS EDUCATION TRUST 2026 SCHOLARSHIP
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REMEMBRANCE DAY
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A Remembrance Day commemoration service will be held at Tauranga RSA, 250 Chadwick Road, Greerton, Tauranga. Wednesday 11th November 2026 at 11.00am Parade will assemble at 10.30am Medals to be worn by all current serving Defence Forces and ex Service personnel.
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Enquiries 022 632 5957
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ALL WELCOME
EVANS RD COMMUNITY CHURCH, PAPAMOA
Lifezone 7 Oak Lane, Tauranga Shabbat (Sat) 10am or Youtube live @10am
Service: 10.30am Saturdays
oel & Sharon van Ameringe
ST ANDREWS
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70 Pooles Rd Greerton (St James) Find real hope, peace & strength in Christ www.churchofgodslove.com
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021 768 043
office@bethel.org.nz BethEl.org.nz Assembly of God
30 Evans Road Phone 027 276 6868 www.evansroadchurch.or 10am Family Service Cnr Macville Rd & Dee St, Mt Maunganui. Phone 575 9347 www.mountchurch.org.nz Rev Douglas Bradley 10am Family Service
Family Friendly, All Welcome
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regular Friends, closer Garden, sorted Beach, closer Coffee, shared Travel, easier Nature, nearby Freedom,
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There are all sorts of reasons to consider retirement living. Whatever your reason, we’re open. Metlifecare Open Days 12 to 16 October 10am–2pm
metlifecare.co.nz * For full terms and conditions, visit metlifecare.co.nz/terms-and-conditionsmove-in-package. For information on the full list of villages participating in Metlifecare Open Days, please visit metlifecare.co.nz