13 September Wainuiomata News

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Hockey team punches above its weight

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This saw them qualify for the quarter finals of the seven-a-side hockey section of the AIMS Games, held in Tauranga from 2 to 8 September.

The team narrowly lost the opportunity to make the top eight when they were beaten 1-0 by Kamo Intermediate School in the 7 September quarter final.

Wainuiomata completed their six matches during pool play with three wins, two draws and just one loss.

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They defeated Northcross

Intermediate 1-0 in their first match before drawing 2-2 with Pukekohe Intermediate on 4 September.

Following a 1-1 draw with Baradene College of the Sacred Heart they cruised to a big 4-0 victory over Bethlehem College on 5 September.

Wainuiomata lost to Orewa College 0-3 before bouncing back to defeat Carmel College 3-0 on 6 September.

Eleven Wainuiomata Intermediate School girls travelled to the games to play in the hockey

They were selected at the end of March following trials the school held in early March.

Around half the team had played for the Wainuiomata Junior Hockey Club while the other members of the team were new to the game.

Two of the team have played hockey at a representative level.

Emma Gosse-Ward and Ngataria Va’a have both played in Wellington Hockey’s under 13 girls’ team.

The team was coached by

Desmond Taumata and Barbie Henare, who are also from the Wainuiomata Junior Hockey Club.

As well as the hocky team two individual sportspeople – golfer Elijah Reuben and gymnast Rome Tavendale – also competed in the games. However they did not feture on the leaderboard.

The AIMS Games saw more than 11,500 11, 12 and 13 year old students from more than 370 schools from New Zealand and Pasifika nations, including Fiji, Samoa and the Cook Islands.

PM excited about High School project

Prime Minister Chris Hipkins said he was “excited” that two new classroom blocks at Wainuiomata High School will be completed by the end of the month.

His comment came during a visit to the school on 5 September to see first-hand the progress of the redevelopment which is continuing at pace and is on track to open in 2025.

“I had the privilege as Education Minister of taking a sledgehammer to the old blocks when work began.

“It’s a project I’ve followed closely and am proud to see these next steps completed,” he said.

The school’s new cultural precinct opened in March. It includes a wharekai, technology

and arts hubs.

“This is a project that is 65% complete and has made great progress in what has been a challenging time for construction.

“The Government has committed to seeing the project through with a total of $67 million now committed to the project.

“The next steps include building the third classroom block to accommodate the high school’s roll, refurbishing the school’s sports facilities, library and administration blocks, and building a support hub made up of essential student facilities such as reading recovery, counselling services, career guidance, school deans, a school nurse and a sickbay.

“This redevelopment demonstrates a significant investment for teaching and learning.

“It is a great example of the Government’s commitment to investing in our schools so that young people have warm, dry and fit for purpose spaces to learn in.

“The delivered and planned upgrades are an investment in Wainuiomata High School’s community for many years to come.

“The local community has immense pride in their school.

“Creating great local schools like this, that parents want to send their children to, is yet another example of how we’re achieving this Government’s goal of quality teaching spaces for all young people.

“As with many large infrastructure projects, there have been delays due to buildability challenges and design. This is not uncommon in projects of this size and scope.

“The Covid-19 lockdown and its flow on effects on the construction sector was also a factor.

“I’m pleased the redevelopment is now on track and making excellent progress and I look forward to celebrating the opening of the completed refurbishments with the school in 2025,” Mr Hipkins said.

The Prime Minister’s visit to Wainuiomata High School followed a visit to Arakura School on 5 September – which was also Mr Hipkins’ birthday.

While at Arakura School he was presented with a birthday cake, and a present in the form of an envelope containing “some solutions for education”, although the school did not say what those solutions were.

Hutt South MP Ginny Andersen and Prime Minister Chris Hipkins during their visit to Wainuiomata High School on 5 September. Photo: Supplied.

Former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell has been reported saying the group will reunite at some point.

What groups from the past would you like to see get back together and why?

Pasifika wellbeing journals launch

By Frank Neill

Mila’s Books will launch its new My Pasifika Wellbeing Journal Series on Friday 15 September.

The launch of the series is being held in conjunction with New Zealand’s Mental Health and Awareness Week, which runs from 18 to 24 September.

“We are so excited to announce the forthcoming release of the Mila’s My Pasifika Wellbeing Journal Series,” says Wainuiomata author and publisher Dahlia Malaeulu, the owner of Mila’s Books.

“Culture, identity and wellbeing are interconnected, and is why the Mila’s My Pasifika Wellbeing Journal Series are an essential guide for Pasifika tamaiti on their

journey of becoming the best version of themselves,” Dahlia says.

There are three titles in the series.

“Tama Pasifika Wellbeing Journal: Connect, Talanoa, Heal” is written by Mani Malaeulu.

This book is designed to help tama Pasfika connect back to themselves, strengthen their talanoa skills and learn how to heal along their wellbeing journey.

“Teine Pasifika Wellbeing Journal: Seen, Heard, Valued” is written by Dahlia.

It is designed to help Pasifika girls feel seen, heard and valued through engaging and interactive activities and writing tasks.

“I am Pasifika Wellbeing Journal” is also written by Dahlia.

It is designed to be a space for Pasifika to explore and record information to support cultural identity journeys.

“Our dream is to have a generation of tamaiti and families who understand the power of being Pasifika and to continue our proud navigator legacy into the future.,” Dahlia says.

The books can be pre-ordered before the release date, or ordered after the release date at https://milasbooks. com/.

Mental Health Awareness Week is run annually by the Mental Health Foundation and has been since 1993.

The week is endorsed by the World Federation for Mental Health and is marked in more than 150 countries at different times of the year. See https:// mhaw.nz/.

NEW ZEALAND FIRST LEADER'S TOUR

Troy Gilmore Rage against the Machine – their music was awesome and something I could rock out to.

Simon van Aalst

Queen – hands down. How good would it be to see Freddie still there weaving his lyrical magic?

Michelle Chapman

If I could bring someone back from the dead, Linkin Park.

Karen Bull Bros.’ I mean I shouldn’t really, that owe me nothing.’

Craig Chalmers

Oasis – that’d be a legendary and incredibly unlikely reunion with the Gallagher brothers.

Steve Wilson

For a local take, definitely Supergroove.

Wainuiomata Intermediate School students (from left) Talina McLeod-Venu, Claire Vaka and Montell Faitele with the three new books in the My Pasifika Wellbeing Journal Series. Photo: Supplied.

New action on climate emergency

Greater Wellington Regional Council (GWRC) updated its climate emergency action plans on 7 September.

The updated pan includes actions to investigate renewable energy sources and to build a carbon storage tracking system for forests and wetlands.

The 10-point organisational and regional plans were recently reviewed after being adopted by GWRC following its declaration of a climate emergency in 2019.

The changes to the plan were endorsed by the council’s Climate Committee at its 7 September meeting.

The changes will strengthen the GWRC’s reputation as a climate action leader, Climate Committee Chair Penny Gaylor says.

“Updating these plans sends a clear message that Greater Wellington is focussed on reducing emissions while preparing for the impacts of climate change,” Cr Gaylor says.

“The new draft plans show that on climate change adaptation and mitigation, we are incorporating the latest science and methodology to protect te taiao.”

The draft organisational plan retains actions including the electrification of all Metlink buses by 2035, while adding four new actions.

Among them are an energy transforma-

tion initiative to realise the potential of renewables and batteries to reduce the council’s emissions, and a carbon sequestration and storage tracking system for forests and wetlands managed by Greater Wellington.

New actions added to the draft regional plan include enhancing pest animal control to help ecosystems sequester carbon and working with partners to ensure adaptation planning is community-led and informed by sound science and te a M ori.

Updating the plans will help Greater Wellington continue to have a positive, transformative impact across the region, Climate Committee Deputy Chair Yadana Saw says.

“It’s time for action, and we need to lead with clear and achievable plans to meet our climate goals,” Cr Saw says.

“The changes endorsed today are a commitment to our tamariki and mokopuna that we will do everything we can to leave them a thriving and abundant te taiao.”

Some of the new actions in the draft plans can be delivered using existing council budgets while others will need to be proposed for inclusion in the 2024-34 Long Term Plan.

Following the adoption of the Long Term Plan in June 2024, the draft action plans will be brought back to the Climate Committee for formal confirmation.

Petition on big rates rises launched

By Frank Neill

Big rates rises by Hutt City Council is the focus of a petition to Parliament.

Launched by Wainuiomata resident Craig Innes, the petition asks Parliament to “urge Hutt City Council to review rates rises of approximately 75% on areas indicated as hill residential in the 2003 District Plan that are covered in indigenous vegetation. The petition opened for signatures on 25 August and is due to close on 1 December

In its 2003 District Plan, Hutt City

Celebrating Te Reo Maori

By Frank Neill

A series of events will celebrate Te Wiki o Te Reo M ori, M ori Language Week in Wainuiomata during the next three days.

Let’s Get Active: KĪ o Rahi will kick off at Te P taka K rero o Wainuiomata, the Wainuiomata Neighbourhood Hub at 3pm tomorrow, 14 September.

The same venue will host the K ranui Karaoke, where people can dust off their vocal chords and sing some waiata, at 3pm on Friday 15 September.

The next event will give people the opportunity to help design and create a kaitiaki for Wainuiomata’s Kai M ra. This will take place on Saturday 16 September and will also be held at Te P taka K rero o Wainuiomata at 3pm.

Te Wiki o Te Reo M ori 2023 runs from 11 to 17 September.

A new Te Reo M ori Business Network was launched by Te Taura Whiri I te Reo M ori on the first day of Te Wiki o Te Reo M ori.

The network is for all businesses that actively support Te Reo M ori.

“Businesses across Aotearoa have joined the M ori Language Movement in many ways over the years,” says Te Taura Whiri I te Reo M ori chief executive, Ngahiwi Apanui.

“The network will be an online house of learning where ideas and best practice can be shared. Our network is in response to requests from the private sector,” he says.

“Whether its sports stadiums that have bilingual announcements, newspapers with articles in te reo, flight crews that welcome

you in te reo, or supermarkets with selfcheckouts that speak M ori. New Zealand businesses are embracing te reo M ori and we are here to support them.”

Mr Apanui has invited all businesses to join the free, virtual network which will be part of New Zealand’s contribution to the International Decade of Indigenous Languages (IDIL).

In 1972, a group of language champions, including Ng Tamatoa, Victoria University’s Te Reo M ori Society, and Te Huinga Rangatahi presented Parliament with a petition signed by more than 30,000 New Zealanders asking the government to teach Te Reo M ori in schools.

A M ori Language Day introduced that year became M ori Language Week in 1975. In 1982, M ori language champions marched to Parliament again, calling for Te Reo to be made an official language of Aotearoa.

Wainuiomata played a leading role in the Te Reo movement that same year.

In April 1982 New Zealand’s first ever K hanga Reo, Pūkeatura K hanga Reo opened in Wainuiomata. Te K hanga Reo was intended to stop the decline of people speaking te reo M ori by creating an environment for tamariki and p pi to be immersed in their language and culture.

Nga Kaiwhakapūmau i te Reo (Wellington Board of M ori Language) took a claim to the Waitangi Tribunal in 1985 that asserted that te reo was a taonga that the Crown was obliged to protect under the Treaty of Waitangi.

In 1987, te reo M ori was declared an official language of New Zealand.

Council (HCC) “extended the areas subject to Hill Residential zoning,”

Mr Innes says in his reasons for the petition.

“Some owners had their rates grandfathered to the rural rate. HCC recently removed the grandfathered rates.

“I understand that HCC staff have told landowners of hill residential land covered in indigenous vegetation that their land can be cleared for housing.

“However the recent EHEA [East Harbour Environmental Association] v HCC case found that this is not

the case.

“I think land that cannot be cleared for housing should not be rated as residential,” Mr Innes says in his reasons for the petition.

This petition follows an approach to the “Wainuiomata News” from a local resident, Roger Finlay (see article “Local receives big rates bill” in the 16 August issue).

Mr Finlay said he had just received a huge rates bill with a “sudden increase” of 75%.

“The rates were $107.85 [a week] before the increase and [are] now $187.27,” he told the “Wainuiomata

News”.

“Are there any other ratepayers in Wainuiomata facing this kind of increase?” Roger asks.

A “crucial point” is that the valuation on his property was done by Quotable Value.

“The fact that there have been no improvements to the property at all in five years points to it being an issue of location rather than anything else,” Roger says.

“Rates should be based on improvements, not on location in my opinion.

“I have lived here for 40 years and back in 1983 no one wanted to live

here,” he says.

Mr Innes’ petition is the second one he presented to Parliament within about a week.

His first petition asked Parliament to urge Hutt City Council to withdraw its Biodiversity Strategy; reconvene the Biodiversity W nanga that was held to inform the draft of that strategy; and appoint an observer to oversee interactions between HCC and landowners in relation to any policies on the issue. That petition opened for signatures on 21 August and is due to close on 1 December.

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Authorised by Chris Bishop, Parliament Buildings, Wgtn.

Spate of cars being taken

By Frank Neill

Cars belonging to Wainuiomata have been taken recently.

Wainuiomata residents have reported in Facebook posts that cars had been taken from where they were parked in Lower Hutt.

The recent spate of cars being taken “is across the whole Hutt Valley,”

Sergeant Patrick Tangipo, the officer in charge of the Wainuiomata Police told the “Wainuiomata News”.

“Ove the last week more than 20 cars were taken across the Hutt Valley, averaging almost three cars a day,” Sergeant Tangipo said.

To minimise or prevent one’s car being stolen, the Police advise people to invest in car alarms and steering

& Trades

locks, and to make sure they don’t leave valuables in their vehicles. When offenders take cars they are not generally seen by members of the public. However the Police do receive reports from time to time.

If people do see something suspicious “give us a call and we will come out and have a look,” Sergeant

Tangipo said.

While accidents are still occurring on the Wainuiomata hill road, the drier conditions mean that they do not seem to be causing as much disruption as they were earlier in the year. It continues to remain important that people drive to the conditions, however, making sure that they leave a margin for error.

to new

Wainui rider wins opener

By Andy McGechan

It was almost impossible to separate KTM duo Jake Whitaker and Ryan Hayward when the 2023 New Zealand Hard Enduro Championships kicked off north of Wellington at the weekend.

The first of two rounds in series was held over two days in the Akatarewa Forest near Pauatahanui, north-east of Porirua, and Wainuiomata’s Whitaker and Papakura’s Hayward were both simply outstanding.

The margins between these equally-skilled riders were slim indeed, with 32-year-old father-of-two

Whitaker edging out 18-year-old Hayward by nearly three minutes on Saturday and then Hayward outpacing Whitaker by just over three minutes the following day. When the two days’ times were added together, Hayward got the nod, winning the event’s premier Gold Grade outright by just 47 seconds.

Remarkably, this was Hayward’s debut ride in the Gold Grade, but, after his impressive showing at the Red Bull Romaniacs hard enduro in Romania last month, where he finished up as the best-performed New Zealander at the massive international

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event, it was probably expected that he would step up to the top category for the weekend’s domestic championship event north of Wellington.

Whitaker won this series overall in 2019 and 2021 and then again last season too, and his credentials as a record eight-time New Zealand trials champion – a parallel motorcycling code where the emphasis is on balance and throttle control rather than pure speed – help add to the mystique that possibly surrounds him in this most difficult of off-road bike racing disciplines, but it’s a lofty position that is now coming under threat.

Peter stars in 50th match

By Frank Neill

Wainuiomata’s Peter Umaga-Jensen was in outstanding form when he played his 50th match for the Wellington Lions on 2 September.

The Lions captain, Peter played a big role in Wellington’s defence of the Ranfurly Shield, with the Lions scoring a comfortable 56-27 victory over Counties-Manukau.

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Peter played an important role in Wellington’s second try, linking well with Losi Filipo to put Kyle Preston over the line.

Indeed he and Billy Proctor linked well in the mid field throughout the encounter, which the Lions led 32-12 at half time.

Ruben Love scored two tries for the Lions, with Kyle Preston, Billy Proctor, Isi Saumaki, DuPlessis Kirifi and Kemara Hauiti-Parapara also scoring tries.

Aidan Morgan kicked two conver-

ACROSS

1. Sham (11)

7. Prattle (7)

11. Bygone (5)

12. Upstart (7)

13. Rustic (5)

14. Narrow in outlook (9)

15. Tower Of London warder (9)

16. Round,close fitting hats (6)

18. Deep crimson colour (7)

21. Dress (4)

23. Longing(inf) (3)

25. Cathedral city(U.K.) (3)

27. Christmas (4)

28. Without purpose (7)

30. Sign of authenticity (6)

32. Leather boring tool (3)

33. Dandy (3)

34. Incorrect (6)

35. Swift animal (7)

36. Holiday house (4)

37. Range of knowledge (3)

39. Male cat (3)

41. Russian emperor (4)

43. Injures (7)

45. Attorney (6)

48. Kiwi rugby team (3-6) 49. Breed (9)

sions and three penalties and Sam Clark kicked two conversions for the Lions.

With the win on 2 September the Lions retained the Jonah Tali Lomu Memorial Trophy, contested annually between the two teams.

Jonah Lomu played for both Wellington and Counties-Manukau before his tragic passing in 2015.

The Lions continued their winning run with a convincing 41-24 victory over Waikato at Stadium Waikato on 8 September.

The defending National Provincial Rugby champions, the Lions were at the top of the table following this win.

With seven wins from their seven matches, the Lions are the only undefeated team in the competition.

The Lions are currently on a record winning streak of 19 games. They have won 17 NPC games in a row which is just one game short of matching their greatest winning run

51. Wanderer (5)

52. Relish served with fish (7)

53. Sequence (5)

54. Unpredictable (7)

55. Distance measuring instrument (5-6)

DOWN

1. Horse’s hindquarters (5)

2. Be in legal custody (5,6)

3. Stubbornness (8)

4. Mend (6)

5. Register (5)

6. Quiver (7)

7. Dark brown (8)

8. Concurs (6)

9. Ecclesiastical cap (7)

10. Governor (5)

16. Feast (7)

17. Marine alga (7)

19. Muslim name for God (5)

20. Intoxicating liquid (7)

22. Meat vendor (7)

24. Zero (3)

26. Bark (3)

29. Soft leather (5)

31. Clumsy (5,6)

32. Seabird (3)

in that competition.

The Lions next match is against Bay of Plenty at Rotorua International Stadium on 17 September.

33. Obese (3)

38. Drug (8)

40. Type of pasta (8)

42. Everywhere (3,4)

44. Underwriter (7)

46. Light red wine (6)

47. Stick together (6)

48. Eagles’ nest (5)

49. Clear (5)

50. Mistake (5)

Solution

Last Week: 6 September 2023

For June 16, 2004

SOLUTION For April 9, 2003

Peter Umaga-Jensen.

Wainuiomata’s Jake Whitaker in action during the opening round of the New Zealand Hard Enduro Championship. Photo: Andy McGechan www.BikesportNZ.com.

Big turnout for Ulalei prizegiving

By Vaegaau Isaac

It was standing room only at the Ulalei Netball Prizegiving held at Pelorus Trust House on Saturday 2 September.

It was a rich fusion of Samoan, Tongan, Cook Island, Fijian, Palagi and Maori family and friends in attendance to celebrate the achievements of the players, and acknowledge the mahi of coaches, managers, umpires and all the volunteers involved in a successful season for Ulalei.

Ulalei acknowledged all the sponsors that provided grants and subsidies that enabled the club to look smart in their playing uniforms, as well as train and play well with quality netball equipment.

Ulalei rolled out the big hitters to present their awards, the honour given to those from the Wainuiomata community who have contributed to the club over the years. They included Peter Cowan, Fauono Ken Laban, Luamanuvao Dame Winnie Laban, Milovale Milovale, Councillor Keri Brown, Joseph Godinet, Lagi Moananu, Hans Seupule, Tira Cairns and Gabby Soutar.

“Ulalei is a community,” Mr Cowan, from Wainuiomata High School, said.

“The school is thankful and has

benefitted the most.

“I look around the room and see Wainuiomata High on your committee, coaching, playing and now parents.”

Due to the growth of the club to seven teams (where the most they have had in the past is four teams, the players involved in building the club from the early years kindly sponsored eight new trophies: a huge thank you to Tira Cairns, Renee Olsen, Rongo Toelupe, Kara Mihaere, Lagi Moananu, Melanie Laban and Gabby Soutar.

The award that drew much emotion was the new Airini Chase cup kindly donated by Gabby Soutar in memory of her late mother.

Mrs Chase was an avid supporter of Ulalei from when it was first established and attended all the Ulalei prizegivings. The Airini Chase Cup is awarded to Sina Tamaali’i for her outstanding service to Ulalei Netball and the Wainuiomata community.

The exceptional and generous support from her partner Hans Seupule was also acknowledged.

The award winners were:

Ulalei Suni, Year 6-8 team: Most Improved Player Layla Lealava’a, Most Consistent Player Jordin Savai’inaea, Supporter of the year Manu Soi

Ulalei Lagaali, senior 4: Most Valuable Player Krystal Nikara,

Fair Player Award Maria Gillies, Supporters of the Year Fa’anoi Heather and Phillip Piri Gillies.

Ulalei Pualulu, senior 4: Most Improved Player Ashleigh Ody, Fair Player Award Mailena Rawiri, Most Valuable Player Destiny Savage, Supporter of the Year Keriana Kingi.

Ulalei fFuesina, senior 3: Most Improved Player Tiana Ruwhiu, Most Consistent Player Shekinah Sa’u, Most Valuable Players Taliilagi Smith- Saleupolu and Drew McLeod, Supporter of the year Tania Beyer.

Ulalei Puataunofo, premier 3: Most Promising Player Iveti Nau, Most Consistent Player Darnaka Barry, Most Valuable Players Bree Itula and Waiapu Tangianau, Supporter of the year Lenora Smith.

Ulalei Aute, premier 1: Umpires Choice Lace Tangianau, Players Player Award Sina Tamaali’i, Most Valuable Player Brittany Antipas, Supporter of the Year Brandon Faatau.

Ulalei Moso’oi, senior 3 champions: Most Valuable Player Tahlia Samuelu, Most Dedicated Player Kathleen Samuelu, Supporter of the year Journey Samuelu.

The Hutt Valley and Wellington representatives were:

Under 16: Hannah Smith and Eilani Stempa-Gray, who was awarded Most Valuable Player at

Wainui celebrates Football season

By Ryan Imray

After months away from Richard Prouse due to weather conditions and poor ground conditions, the Wainuiomata Football Club was packed full of people as the club came together to celebrate another football season.

It was a chance to celebrate both individual and team successes.

The Undertakers and Fiddick's got their hands on their league trophies after successfully finishing their seasons top of the table while the Roundballs were presented with the Wellington Plate after winning the all Wainui final a couple of weeks ago.

All sides were presented four awards each - Players player of

the Year, Most Improved Player of the Year, Most Consistent Player of the Year and Top Goalscorer.

The stand out of these awards was the Top Goalscorer Award for the Reserves as three players were joint winners, Rowan Whitfield, Yvan Sapele and Andres Gomez who all scored five goals each.

In the club awards, Adam Ross took out the club's top goal scorer award with his staggering 32 goals throughout the season.

Leanne Smith walked away with both the top goalscorer award for the women's side as well as Committee Member of the Year and the Undertakers won the Team of the Season Award, a trophy that was re introduced this year.

Josh Wilkie had a season to

remember as he not only took out Club Member of the Year but also the Coach of the Year Award with his work for the Fiddick's and developing the younger members of the Club.

Supporter of the Year went to Ryan Imray while Sportsperson of the Year went to John McDonald.

In the final awards of the evening, Adam Trott was awarded the club's Bestest and Fairest Player of The Year and young Hadley Attewell received Young Player of the Year.

Wainuiomata's Player of the Year went to first team player Bailey Phipps who also walked away with the Players Player of the Year for the Men's Capital Premier Side.

the Netball Hutt Valley representative prizegiving.

Under 18: Oshyn Mulipola, who was awarded Players Choice and Most Valuable Player at the Netball Hutt Valley representative prizegiving, and Janique Te Wiki

Nu.

Open age: Sina Tamaali’i, Oakley Baldwin, Tamara Howie and Alofa Aberdein-Tapu 'i.

Representative Management

Wellington Under 16 team: Assistant Coach Ponifasio Smith.

Hutt Valley Under 16 team: Coach Lenora Smith.

Wellington Men’s and Mix Netball A team: Managers Sina Tamaali’i and Lahraine Sagaga.

The prizegiving was an opportunity to recognise the Club’s involvement in the community giving back through netball by: Coaching Wainuiomata Intermediate team Maria and Piri Gillies, Coaching Wainuiomata Intermediate team Peter Sua, Coaching of Our Lady of the Rosary Lagi Moananu, Coaching the Wainuiomata High School Junior team Lahraine Sagaga, Holding UlaFit for all club netballers on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings at 6am at Wainuiomata High School Gym run by Lahraine Sagaga and Sina Tamaali’i, Regular Social Media – the social media experts Sina Tamaali’i and Lahraine Sagaga

providing regular updates of club activities each week on the club's Insta page and Facebook page, including promotion of Pacific Language Weeks.

The 150 plus crowd at the prizegiving was impressed to hear about Ulalei's presence in thecommunity through various activities: entered a team in the Relay for Life raising funds for the Cancer Society, prepared the free hangi for our community during Matariki celebrations, attended the Hutt Valley Sports Awards, attended the dawn Karakia Whakatuwhera for the newly upgraded Wainuiomata Town Centre, Lahraine Sagaga received the Whanaungataga Award at the 2023 Wainuiomata Spirit Awards for service to the community Ulalei Netball and Sports were finalists in the Wellington Airport Regional Community Awards 2023.

"We had a great season and the prizegiving was our biggest and best yet. I believe the main attraction to our club is that they love what we stand for: service, family, community, respect and reciprocity. It’s hat simple," says President Alannah Laban. Ulalei Wainuiomata Netball looks forward to 2024 where the club will celebrate its 20th birthday.

Fauono Ken Laban with Hutt Valley and Wellington Representative players and management. Photo: Supplied.

Ulalei’s young Year 6-8 Suni Team. Photo: Supplied.

Bailey Phipps with the Wainuiomata Player of the Year award presented by coach Mark Foster. Photo: Imray’s Snaps.

Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) is taking place from 18 to 24 September. This annual campaign works to help Kiwis understand what boosts their wellbeing and improves mental health.

It has been running it since 1993, when not many people wanted to talk publicly about mental health.

MHAW is for everybody. “We really mean that,” says the Mental Health Foundation (MHF), which organises MHAW.

“Your ways to wellbeing when you’re not feeling great might be different to what works when you’re well. That’s okay. It’s important for you to do what you can and what feels best to you.

“Maybe it’s just texting someone back, taking a moment to notice the sun on your face or listening to a song that connects with you.

“We know a focus on wellbeing can feel small. It can feel like the MHF isn’t seeing the huge pain people are feeling or that we’re not acknowledging the big challenges Aotearoa is facing in making sure people have the right support for their mental health.

“It can feel like advice to connect with others or go for a walk belittles what you’re going through. We hear you.

“And of course better services are needed.

“We also know from the lived experience of people who have significant mental health challenges and from research that

actions to improve wellbeing do support healing and recovery – even when you feel really bad.

“We are working every day to advocate for improved mental health services, the and community, less prejudice and discrimination.

“New Zealand needs to tackle a whole bunch of big problems like racism, poverty and violence, too. These are barriers to us feeling and functioning well – and we will never stop working on removing those barriers. But we can’t wait for these things to happen before we focus on wellbeing.

“We can’t just focus on removing risk factors and barriers. If we really want to make sure New Zealanders have lives worth living we need to make sure we all have opportunities to connect, grow, learn and build good mental health and wellbeing.

“That’s what MHAW is all about,” MHF says.

“We don’t have a huge amount of awareness about what good mental health is, what it looks like and how we can each work to build it. That’s why we run MHAW as a wellbeing campaign. Wellbeing is important.

“Growing good mental health is so important that promoting wellbeing is one of the key strands of the new national suicide prevention strategy.”

Titiro Whakamua Teen Parent School

We are a secondary school for teenage continue their education and be encouraged in their parenting. We have a fully staffed Early Childhood Education Centre on site providing care and quality learning our students are doing their mahi.

A full wrap around service is also available with a Social worker, VIBE Doctor/ Nurse and Plunket offering clinics on site to support these young families. Spaces are available for 2023/2024, conor ph 045288977 between 8:30am-3:00pm during school terms.