Channel Magazine October 2023

Accelerating success.

For Lease - 61 Constellation Drive, Rosedale, Auckland

Star on Constellation

Various Options Available

Looking for professional office space in the popular Constellation Drive area? Various office tenancy options available with generous carparking.

Very efficient layouts and lift in the building, plus cafe on site and next to the Northern Busway park and ride. Easy access to East Coast Bays, motorways North, CBD and Western. These are exceptional office opportunities.

Features include:

• Tenancies from 200 sqm

• High quality office space

• Generous carparking

• Building security

For any commercial property leasing/sales enquiries within Auckland North Shore area, please contact property expert Janet Marshall 021 684 775 janet.marshall@colliers.com.

Janet Marshall 021 684 775 janet.marshall@colliers.com

colliers.co.nz/p-NZL67024723

Excellent location - close to public transport and motorway access

Generous carparking

Tenancies from 200 sqm

Cafe on site

colliers.co.nz

Birds of a feather Flock together

Connecting a community of local women who ‘flock’ together to share and care, inform and inspire is the concept behind the North Shore event series that goes by this name. Flock began as an idea of Takapuna businesswoman Claire Talbot and became a reality back in June with the launch of the first event at the B:Hive, Smales Farm.

The founder of Sculpt Gardens used her regular meet-ups with close friends as the basis for the idea to bring more women together to share stories, laugh and grow.

“Flock is based on the premise of getting a handful of women together to share their stories with each other,” says Claire. “I wanted to do that on a larger scale; to give more women an opportunity to share stories with more people, to connect and enjoy an uplifting evening together.”

Claire moved to the North Shore 23 years ago from the UK and doesn’t hesitate to call this place home. She has three children, all at local schools, and has built a strong client base and staff team through her Sculpt Gardens landscape design business.

The next Flock event is lined up for Wednesday 18 October. Again, it will be held in the auditorium at the B:Hive and will be sponsored by Travis Field and his team at Fantail & Turtle. It starts at 7pm, tickets are $25 and all proceeds go to charity, which this time, is ‘Look Good Feel Better’, the Kiwi organisation that offers support and connection for people living with cancer.

Speakers aren’t revealed until the event itself. Clare says, “I feel that there are very few things in life that are kept as a surprise, so I thought it would be nice for people to go along to something with a sense of intrigue, not knowing who will be sharing their stories that night.”

“The first event went really well; there was a great energy and plenty of emotion in the room. The feedback was fantastic, so I hope the second Flock event on 18 October will be equally successful.”

Flock, Wednesday 18 October, 7pm at the B:Hive, Smales Farm flocknz.org Tickets available from Eventbrite, eventbrite.co.nz

Claire Talbot

Large scale, luxury cliffside apartment

Located in Clifton Point, an exclusive enclave of six apartments in two buildings, this stunning one-level apartment spans an entire floor. The construction was by well-known and regarded commercial builders Haydn and Rollett in 2003. Offering a high stud and grand proportions, there is an immediate feeling of space and luxury. The main living offers breathtaking views over the Hauraki Gulf and superb outdoor flow to spacious outdoor terraces. One offers a loggia outdoor dining space with a fireplace and screens to enclose the space for all-weather use.

There are three double bedrooms. The master with a walk-in robe and ensuite also features great sea views and access to its own balcony. The other two bedrooms are generous in size and share a semi-ensuite bathroom, and there is also a powder room guest toilet.

A second living room/den is a cosy space to relax by the fireplace to watch tv or alternatively could be used as a large office or fourth bedroom if required. Off this space is a small office area that can be closed off with sliding doors.

Recent upgrades to the property include a new kitchen, engineered oak wooden flooring and renovated bathrooms – superb!

In addition, there are three basement car parks, an abundance of storage rarely found in apartment living, access to the lap pool, gym room and beautifully landscaped gardens, with the added security of a gated complex.

This is the ultimate luxury lock-up and leave apartment, offering wonderful sea views, superb outdoor living and generous proportions. www.precision.net.nz/ID #562805

Quarter acre 1,022 sqm in Tiri Road – renovate, live in or develop 8 TIRI ROAD, MILFORD

Situated in one of Milford’s top streets and in the centre of the famed 'Golden Mile', it goes without saying that 8 Tiri Road is positioned in a highly sought-after location! This much-cherished family home is a spacious 1920s bungalow of approximately 350m2 set on a magnificent full site of 1022m2. There are multiple exciting opportunities for the new owners to consider:

1. Live in the family home as is and have the comfort of an astute land bank for the future.

2. Create the absolute 'family dream home' by completing the full renovation the owners had planned as per the building consented plans available.

3. Buy and re-develop the site by subdividing it into multiple homes.

The home in its current form offers five bedrooms – large enough for a typical Kiwi family, comprising a master suite with an ensuite and small walk-in robe, a guest room with an ensuite, three further bedrooms, a study, a family bathroom and separate laundry. In addition to the main large open-plan living space, there is a separate living space with a balcony above the internal access

garage providing great separation for teenagers – a fantastic retreat or great media/rumpus room. A bonus third living space runs out from the main area to flank the sun-soaked pool area in an L shape to maximise sun. There is a building consent issued for plans to reconfigure and renovate the existing home into a wonderful large family home. These plans are available for approved purchasers upon request. Actioning these plans would make this dwelling one of the very best in the area. Mature landscaping creates unmatched privacy and together with the northwest-facing backyard, creates a perfect setting for alfresco entertaining. The site is flat and offers good width, meaning an ideal building platform for redevelopment.

A truly unique opportunity to secure a large family home on one of the last remaining quarter-acre sites, in one of Milford’s best-known and exclusive addresses. Opportunities like this do not come along very often. Don’t hesitate to contact the agent today. www.precision.net.nz/ID #561930

Andrew specialises in marketing homes on the Golden Mile between Milford and Takapuna and around the waterfront. In the last six consecutive calendar years, Andrew has sold over $100 million each year, at an average of over $5,000,000 per property – one of the highest (in volume and average sale price) residentially in the country. While he is renowned for dealing with higher value properties, Andrew has also carved a niche in the seaward side streets in and around Milford and Takapuna, especially with the lock-up-and-leave market. He sees a strong correlation between larger homes and the downsizer market assisting those vendors with their next purchase. If you are thinking of selling your home or purchasing a new one, please contact Andrew for a confidential discussion.

Hope springs eternal…

Here we are – we’ve made it to another spring, with surely one of the most anticipated Kiwi summers in living memory almost upon us. The gardens are starting to blossom, the days are longer, and our thoughts are turning to enjoying all the Shore has to offer this summer.

This month, we feature local athlete Matt Fenn – a man attempting an extraordinary feat, on his feet. The endurance runner is scaling the length of New Zealand, twice, to raise awareness and funds to support positive mental health.

The Shore-based public speaker and mental health advocate has already run over 1,000km for this cause, tackling some world records in the process. In 2021, Matt embarked on a 654km run in under a week; each kilometre representing a New Zealander who has lost their life to suicide in an average year. A powerful statement, all in aid of Kiwi charity I Am Hope. Aidan spoke to him ahead of his latest eye-watering challenge.

I spent an afternoon with a proud-aspunch Owen Melhuish, president of North

Shore Brass as the band sits on the eve of its golden jubilee celebrations, with much to celebrate. Recent wins at the national championships, burgeoning membership and a sustainable financial strategy mean the Taharoto Road-based brass band is experiencing a golden era and will take to the Bruce Mason Centre stage with much gusto for its ‘A Century of Brass’ concert on Saturday 21 October.

Several stylish locals have shared their thoughts on current fashion for our Q & A this month, with insights on what inspires their looks and tips on trends this spring/ summer season. As always, our push is to encourage locals to support local businesses, showcase local events, celebrate local people and bring a little good news, light reading to local lives.

Enjoy October.

Heather Barker Vermeer, Editor

Crystal Sharp, Kim McIntosh, Aidan Bennett, Heather Barker Vermeer, Liz Cannon

An environment to open minds that open doors.

Kristin School in Albany offers a:

• Modern, multicultural, co-educational, non-denominational environment with traditional values.

• Focus on student wellbeing and developing Future Ready citizens.

• Team of high quality teaching staff.

• Choice between NCEA or International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma curriculum options for senior students.

• Nationally acclaimed performing arts programme and a wide choice of cocurricular and sporting opportunities.

• Proud record of high academic results and scholarships being awarded locally and internationally.

For all admission and scholarship enquiries, visit kristin.school.nz or call our Admissions Manager on 09 415 9566 ext 2324.

• Vast range of community service and leadership opportunities, and a wide array of trips and exchanges for experiential learning.

• Park-like campus, state-of-the-art facilities and a dedicated bus service travelling 20 routes across Auckland.

Scholarships

A limited number of scholarships are available to enable new students to join Kristin from Year 9.

Applications are invited from aspiring individuals who demonstrate excellent character, school involvement, sporting, performing arts and/or academic strengths.

Night of laughs at the Bruce Mason Centre

As proud sponsors of the Takapuna Beach Business Association, the Benefitz and Channel team was delighted to attend the annual TBBA Sponsors' evening. Held at the Bruce Mason Centre on Thursday 7 September, the team and fellow sponsors networked over drinks and nibbles before taking our seats for a raucous, very funny evening of entertainment by the 7 Days Live show. It was a night full of laughs – thanks TBBA for a great night out!

Sami Thompson, Leanne Coste, Gaelene Adams Love, Hannah Stoddart

Janet Marshall, Eddie Borrie, Linda Columbus, Ben Wiltshire Zac Hansen, Nicky Partridge, Yuliya Tyshchenko, Rob Koch

Jan Walker, Jen Crane

Jugdis and Julie Parbhu

Imogen Dashwood, Simon O'Connor

Andrew Hill, Blake Douglas, Candice Murphy, Russell Weir Kim McIntosh, Blake Douglas, Liz Cannon, Jan Walker

Mel and Jason Lewthwaite Caroline Atford, Georgie Poulter Irene Fages, Thomas Standfield

North Harbour Club BEN Breakfast with Kelli Brett

Laughter and magazines were shared at the North Harbour Club’s Business Excellence Network (BEN) Breakfast on Tuesday 19 September at Regatta Bar & Eatery in Takapuna. Guest speaker, Cuisine magazine’s Kelli Brett, had the audience in stitches with her engaging personality as she spoke of her many years working in the media industry and her passion for good food and wine. The North Harbour Club & Charitable Trust hosts an array of business networking and fundraising events throughout the year. To find out more about the club and how they give back to North Harbour youth through the AIMES Awards, visit: northharbourclub.co.nz.

Geoff Wilson, Andrew Hill, Erin Robson, Kelli Brett, Andy Ruzich, Wendy Jefferson, Sue Kohn-Taylor, Erin Marmont, Simon Watts

Maree Gendall, Prudence Foster, Cheryl Wiggins, Sarah Dann-Hoare, Damien White

Lesley Monk and Simon Watts

Liz Cannon, Wendy Baker, Shelley-ann Brinkley, Kim McIntosh, Aidan Bennett

Geoff Wilson, Doug Troon, Sarah Kelly, Lisa Connor

Kevin Moultrie, Scott Garrat, Lloyd Kirby, Candice Murphy, Vanessa Pope, Brendan Rhodes, Ben Wiltshire

Wendy Jefferson, Andy Ruzich

Ann Watkin, Glenn Read, Anna Robinson

Dianne's Devonport Business Association swansong

It was a time for fond farewells and warm welcomes as Devonport Business Association held its AGM on Thursday 25 September at The Patriot. Long-serving Chair Dianne Hale, who has been at the helm since the association's inception, stepped down from her role, receiving rich praise for her work over the years. Former North Shore City Council Deputy Mayor and community champion, Dianne, handed over the reins to Rob Vickery, a passionate local Devonport dad who runs Hillfarrance on Victoria Road in the village. Members heard from Takapuna Community Constable, April Keenan, who warned about counterfeit currency circulating on the Shore before official proceedings. Laura Foote stepped down from the board, as did treasurer Sue Johnson, replaced by Philip de Lisle of Axiome Accounting. Michael Moughan, Bruce Grant, Alistair Davidson, Nick Turley, Liz Sloan and Ian Cunliffe were all elected to the new-look board.

Want to meet people and be social?

Regular fixtures: Friday draw, dinners, quiz nights, Sunday afternoon music, Club Days

All ages welcome

Social and active membership

Social committee

New to the area? Come down and meet new friends

Time on your hands? Lots of opportunities to get involved

Terrie Gray, Melissa Powell, Philip de Lisle

Richard Thorne, Rob Vickery, Ann Andrews

Rob Vickery, Dianne Hale, Nick Turley Dianne Hale, Laura Foote

Lisa and Louis Jordain, Melissa Powell

Rob Vickery, Bruce Grant, Michael Moughan

Mercedes-Benz North Shore EQE and EQS SUVs launch event

Mercedes-Benz North Shore hosted an exclusive launch event at their sensational Fred Thomas Drive dealership on the evening of Wednesday 27 September. This was the launch of their highly-anticipated Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV and EQS SUV electric vehicles. Mercedes-Benz North Shore has always strived to set high standards of excellence, and these new all-electric models are emblematic of the Mercedes-Benz commitment to innovation, sustainability, and uncompromising luxury. Channel Mag was on hand to see the vehicles unveiled. They were popular!

Lucy Mills, Sárah Bedwell, Craig Innes, Darren Chan

Yanine and Rene Be Boed, Alex Wilson, Rhys McKay

Stan Liu and friend, Darren and Landy Chan and their children Glen Chan, Blair and Cindy Knill

Robin Reid, Alex Wilson

Burger Burger opens in Waiake

Burger Burger has welcomed its expansion into two new locations in Torbay and Hamilton, marking its seventh and eighth restaurants. Burger Burger Torbay is a fab new 100sqm space located on the shores of Waiake Beach reserve. And there's even more to whet your appetite in this brand new North Shore location: the unveiling of Tuckshop by Burger Burger, your local snack bar. Doors opened for business on 14 September and they can't wait to welcome you!

Adrian Chilton, Sam Wallace, Kurt Jameson, Renee Jameson Tracey De Nys, Michaela Chilton

Akki Khanijo, Mimi Gilmour Buckley

Alan, Madi and Debbie MacLeod, Tyler Beaman

Lisa Williams, Amanda Macleod

Rachel Poulter, Jamie Lawson, Lucky Lawson Viraj Jayasuriya, Oli Varndell, Richard Notter Pat Neave, Leighton Smith

Mimi Gilmour Buckley

Going on the market this

Depot with Amy Saunders

Fusion of feminism, magic, dance and music

We have something for everyone this October with the Aotearoa premiere of a feminist history play, to an awe-inspiring pole dancing competition, magic shows, and an award-winning musical! Have a read and see if anything tickles your fancy!

The Welkin by Lucy Kirkwood 11 - 15 October

Rural England, 1759. As the country waits for Halley’s Comet, Sally Poppy is sentenced to hang for a heinous murder. When she claims to be pregnant, a jury of 12 matrons is taken from their housework to decide whether she’s telling the truth, or simply trying to escape the noose.

With only midwife Lizzy Luke prepared to defend the girl, and a mob baying for blood outside, the matrons wrestle with their new authority, and the devil in their midst.

NZAPP Auckland heats 21 October

This competition gives the amateurs a chance to show off their skills, win some amazing prizes and to show how much they have achieved from this wonderful sport. This year contestants have been split into two heats representing those just starting out, through to experienced performers and instructors.

Trick ‘n’ Treats magic show & Magic After Dark 22 October

Andre Vegas Illusionist presents two extraordinary magic shows – one for the kids and the other for adults. Come along for a spooky-fun time just before Halloween!

Spring Awakening 26 - 29 October

Winner of eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, Spring Awakening is a captivating and thought-provoking rock musical that delves into the complexities of adolescence, love, and rebellion. Set in 19th-century Germany, the show follows a group of curious and restless teenagers struggling to navigate their awakening desires amidst a repressive society.

Sneak peek into November

2 November: Bedtime Stories with R.A. Spratt – a live performance of the smash hit podcast!

10 - 11 November: Mother is a Daughter is a Mother - performance art seeks maternal answers.

12 November: The PumpHouse Picnic – food trucks, market stalls, theatre tours and more!

We hope to see you at the theatre soon! Ngā manaakitanga, James Bell

BOOKINGS: 09 489 8360 or pumphouse.co.nz

Excited for October

We’re excited for October with two exhibitions in our gallery spaces, a fresh Wayfind Creative cohort, and the second edition of our popular new Beat Battles series at Depot Sound. Read on for more details.

Depot Artspace

Auckland Studio Potters: X>1

30 September - 28 October

Auckland Studio Potters proudly presents X>1, an exhibition with more than 100 works that re-imagines ceramic art through dynamic collaborations. Curated by Richard Penn, this showcase unites ASP members with artists from diverse fields, encouraging outwardlooking creativity.

Grounding

30 September - 1 November

In Grounding, Debbie Barber and Rachel Wegrzyn find an expressive medium in earth and other organic matter, assembling and shaping them to convey that which verbal utterances can fail to capture. Together Debbie and Rachel excavate the poetic capacity of clay and the volcanic in search of a visual language of the mind’s condition.

Depot Futures

We’re now accepting applications to our summer cohort of Wayfind Creative, our sustainable creative career programme for freelancers and creative entrepreneurs to accelerate their creative career. Our hybrid programme, combining in-person and virtual learning, allows you to chart your path to success at your own pace and in your own time. If you’re feeling stuck or need that extra push to get your creative career going, apply at depot.org.nz/futures

Depot Sound

October Beat Battle

Friday 27 October, 7pm

In this monthly series hosted at Depot Sound and facilitated by local producer Floot, you will have one hour to make a beat using the provided samples. You will then play your beat for everyone and receive feedback and tips from the group (judges included). This is a safe environment for sharing your talent, and a great opportunity to make connections and grow as a producer!

Visit our website and sign up to our newsletter to keep up to date with all things Depot! depot.org.nz

News from The PumpHouse from James Bell

Catch the best local fare in Takapuna...

Catch 21 - serving you at its sunny spot overlooking Hurstmere Green

Ever since Catch 21 Eatery opened its doors, it has been a popular spot to enjoy a bite to eat or a freshly made coffee. More than your usual coffee shop, this eatery is themed around all things nautical, taking inspiration from its coastal surroundings, being just a stone’s throw from the stunning Takapuna Beach.

Open early, serving breakfast, brunch, lunch and coffee, whether you’re dining in or taking away, its ‘crew’ of friendly staff are all hands-on deck to assist with all your dining needs.

The owners at Catch 21 are passionate about providing exceptional coffee and have their stunning custom Slayer Steam EP espresso machine centre stage as you enter. Popular favourites on the menu include their signature open lobster burger, available on the brunch menu from 11am. Other top picks include the creamy seafood chowder, juicy wagyu beef burger, and tasty eggs benedict options, all available on the all-day breakfast menu.

If you have an upcoming private function or Christmas soiree that you’re planning, the team at Catch 21 will be more than happy to help. Private evenings can be specially booked at Catch for groups of 30-40 people, with set menu options available. Daytime dining is suited to groups of 10-20 guests.

Next time you’re near Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, keep an eye out for Catch 21’s wonderfully sunny spot overlooking Hurstmere Green. Stop by for an expertly crafted coffee, bite to eat, or an easy grab-andgo option from the freshly made cabinet food.

If you would like to get in touch with the team and discuss your upcoming Christmas or end of year function, they would love to host you and make your next event as seamless and hassle-free as possible.

A not-so-hidden gem in Browns Bay...

21 Days Bar & Brasserie - a perfect match for steak enthusiasts and lovers of fine cocktails

This local restaurant and bar has stood the test of time, and is a popular spot among the locals in the North Shore’s bay areas for good reason.

21 Days Bar & Brasserie is the ultimate destination for those seeking an unforgettable dining experience centred around exquisite steaks and delectable meats. It’s the kind of place that effortlessly combines fantastic food, quality steaks, beautiful wines, and appetising cocktails with a laid-back atmosphere.

The sheltered outdoor dining area is a hit with locals and regulars, whatever the weather. If you're stopping by for a leisurely lunch or a delightful dinner, this spot offers the perfect backdrop for relaxation.

When it comes to the menu at 21 Days, it's all about quality and taste. The team takes pride in sourcing premium steaks and cuts from New Zealand, Australia and Japan. You’ll find these cuts proudly displayed in the meat-aging fridge located in the restaurant. And if you're feeling a bit adventurous, the cocktail menu is a treasure trove of sensational and refreshing concoctions.

The exciting news is that the upstairs private dining area is being freshly renovated. This cosy space is ideal for intimate gatherings or private events and boasts fantastic beach views through large windows. If you’re needing more space, the restaurant area can accommodate much larger groups of up to 150 guests.

It’s a versatile venue, well suited and able to cater to a wide range of dining and entertaining needs, from lively cocktail parties, corporate events and conferences, to birthday celebrations and festive Christmas gatherings.

From mouthwatering steaks to stunning beach views, from wellpaired wines to exciting cocktails, and with the addition of a newly renovated private function space on the way, this establishment has all the ingredients for a memorable dining adventure.

If you would like to get in touch with the team and discuss your upcoming Christmas or end of year function, they would love to host you and make your next event as seamless and hassle-free as possible. Scan the QR code for more information.

21 Days Bar & Brasserie

37 Clyde Road, Browns Bay 0800 213 297 21days.co.nz BOOK

• Up to 150 guests

• Set menus available

•

Shore ON THE Eating Out

Here at Channel we're proud to support our local hospo businesses in our monthly eating out guide. Try somewhere new this month.

Devonport

Akdeniz Bar Cafe Restaurant

Offering Persian and Mediterranean cuisine. 5/15 Victoria Rd. 09 600 2125. akdenizdevonport.co.nz

Buona Sera Restaurant

Serving authentic Italian food. 99 Victoria Rd. 09 445 8133. buonasera.co.nz

Cafe Hung Viet

Vietnamese cuisine. 101 Victoria Rd. 09 446 3368. cafehungviet.co.nz

Calimero

Real pizza, great taste! 163 Victoria Rd. 09 445 2232.

Corellis

Home-style fare. 46 Victoria Rd. 09 445 4151. corelliscafe.co.nz

Devonport Indian Hub - The Asian Eatery

The best of Indian and Asian fusion cuisine. 71 Victoria Rd. 09 445 4263. devonportindianhub.co.nz

Devon on the Wharf

Mediterranean and Turkish cuisine. 1 Queen's Parade. 09 445 7012. devononthewharf.nz

Flying Rickshaw

Indian cuisine. 97 Victoria Rd. 09 445 7721. flyingrickshaw.co.nz

Khana on the Shore

Indian cuisine. 161 Victoria Rd. 09 445 1546 /021 689 216. khana.co.nz

Manuka Cafe and Restaurant

Mediterranean inspired cuisine. 49 Victoria Rd. 09 445 7732. manukarestaurant.co.nz

Portofino Devonport 26 Victoria Rd. 09 445 3777. portofinodevonport.co.nz

Signal Hill

Serves classic NZ fare. 24 Victoria Rd. 09 445 0193. signalhill.co.nz

The Kestrel

1/1 Queens Parade, Devonport Wharf. 09 445 1777. thekestrel.co.nz

The Patriot (Pub) 14 Victoria Rd, 09 445 3010. thepatriot.co.nz

Vic Road Kitchen 57-59 Victoria Rd. 09 445 9797. vicroadkitchen.co.nz

Vic Road Wine Bar & Cellar 53/55 Victoria Road. 09 445 0194 vicroadkitchen.co.nz

Vondel

Vegan and omni eats, 8 Victoria Rd. 09 446 6444. vondel.co.nz

Belmont/Bayswater

Daily Bread

Freshly baked loaves and perfect pastries 43 Eversleigh Rd, Belmont. dailybread.co.nz

Toni's Italian Pizzeria 167 Lake Rd, Belmont. 09 962 6693. tonispizzeria.co.nz

XO Takapuna

Asian skewers and street style food. 333 Lake Road, Hauraki Corner. 09 486 0003. xotakapuna.com

Smales Farm, Takapuna

Fantail & Turtle – Popular bar and eatery with alfresco vibe and great food! 09 486 0644 fantailandturtle.co.nz

Shake Out Burgers – 09 489 8223. shakeout.co Soho Thai – 09 972 2711. sohothaikitchen.com

DEVONPORT

Devonport Indian Hub

Classic Indian and Asian fusion cuisine. Be welcomed by owner Kushal and chef Bikram when you arrive at this friendly new restaurant. As a service-orientated establishment, we love meeting and getting to know our guests and are happy to answer any questions. With over 20 years' experience providing authentic Indian and Indo-Chinese cuisine, we love sharing our exquisite meals - allow yourself to be enveloped by aromatic spices, pure meats, and homemade naan and lassi.

Open 7 days a week, 11am-9.30pm 71 Victoria Road, Devonport devonportindianhubnz@gmail.com devonportindianhub.co.nz 09 445 4263

Vondel

Owner-operated eatery in Devonport. Serving vegan and omni eats alongside small batch wine, beer and spirit drinks. We hold weekly specials, along with wine makers' dinners, makers' markets and private events.

Sign up to our mailing list on our website to keep up to date with all goings on at Vondel.

Open Hours: Tues-Fri 12pm - late, Sat 10am - late, Sun 10am - 6pm 09 446 6444

hello@vondel.co.nz vondel.co.nz

instagram Instagram @vondel_akl facebook facebook.com/vondelakl

The Kestrel

Located on Devonport Wharf, The Kestrel serves modern New Zealand pub food at its finest and a great range of drinks from a stunning wharf-side location. Our sun-soaked venue is the perfect place to enjoy cocktails, tap beers, wines, a locally inspired menu and live entertainment with views out over Auckland Harbour.

1 Queens Parade, Devonport 09 445 1777

admin@thekestrel.co.nz thekestrel.co.nz

Tuesday: 4pm-9pm

Wednesday-Sunday: 12pm-late

The Grange Bar & Bistro

A favourite all-day bar and bistro. 09 972 9060. thegrangetakapuna.co.nz

Takapuna

Alforno Italian Restaurant

34 Anzac Street. 09 488-0179. alforno.co.nz

Aubergine Restaurant

European and Mediterranean, 129 Hurstmere Rd. 09 489 3104. aubergine.co.nz

Botticelli Restaurant & Wine Bar

Italian eatery, Anzac Street. 021 910 999. botticelli.co.nz

Burger Burger

Eat Street, 40 Hurstmere Rd. 09 390 5348. burgerburger.co.nz

Catch 21 Eatery

Serving exceptional coffee, staple café offerings and fine seafood.

33 Hurstmere Rd. 09 484 0005. catch21.co.nz

Centro Café

447a Lake Rd. 09 200 2277

Dantes Pizza & Casa Pasta

Eat Street, 40 Hurstmere Rd. 09 486 3668. dantes.co.nz

El Humero

Colombian-style barbecue. Eat Street, 40 Hurstmere Rd. 09 489 9973. elhumero.co.nz

Florrie McGreals Irish Pub 138 Hurstmere Road. 09 486 6330. florriemcgreals.co.nz

Flourish Café

Coffee with a conscience, service with a smile! Help Project Employ trainees fulfil their goal of gaining employment. 19 Como Street. 09 489 2266. projectemploy.nz

Francs Bar & Diner

Main Beach, The Strand. 09 488 0016. joylab.co.nz/francs

French Rendez-Vous

French bistro-creperie serving delicious traditional French favourites, gluten free galettes and sweet crêpes. 2a Maurere Ave. (next to The PumpHouse). 09 487 0009.

french-rendez-vous-caferestaurant.business.site

Nanam

Filipino flavours. 178 Hurtsmere Rd. 09 488 9976 nanam.co.nz

Regatta Bar & Eatery

Main Beach, The Strand. 09 488 0040. joylab.co.nz/regatta

Sakebar Nippon

Traditional Japanese (Isakaya style). 32 Anzac Street. 09 486 2249. sakebar.co.nz

Taylors on Hurstmere

Takapuna's friendliest little wine and tapas bar. 168 Hurstmere Rd. 09 489 9510. taylorsonhurstmere.co.nz

The Elephant Wrestler

138 Hurstmere Rd. 09 489 8030. joylab.co.nz/elephant-wrestler

Tok Tok Kitchen

Asian fusion cuisine. 129 Hurstmere Rd. 09 489 3988. toktok.co.nz

DEVONPORT

Calimero Devonport

Located in the heart of Devonport on Victoria Road, Calimero serves fresh, authentic pizzas seven nights a week. A far cry from your average pizzeria, Calimero boasts an extensive menu of both authentic and more unconventional pizza options, taking flavours from cities around the world. Great taste, great value - check out the regular Tuesday specials. Order online at calimero.co.nz for your favourite pizza or try something new. Pickup and delivery options available.

163 Victoria Road, Devonport 09 445 2232 calimero.co.nz

facebook CalimeroPizza instagram calimero_nz

Fantail & Turtle

A bar & eatery founded on friendship, with an offering that acknowledges our independence and our appreciation of quality. Expect fresh & local craft beer, real ale & cider flowing from 15 taps, an on-site microbrewery, a wine list covering local and far away regions that are synonymous with varietal excellence, an extensive gin list enhanced with botanics fresh from our gardens, bespoke modern cocktails to sip late into the evening, and modern sharing dishes by chef James Wheeler, with a focus on showcasing sustainable & locally sourced seasonal produce. hello@fantailandturtle.co.nz fantailandturtle.co.nz instagram fantailandturtle

Tokyo Bay

Modern Japanese cuisine. Main Beach, The Strand. 09 390 7188. tokyobay.co.nz

Winner Winner Takapuna

Fresh dinners or lunches with yummy chicken a focus! 16 Anzac Street. 09 486 0755. winnerwinner.co.nz

Northcote Point

The Engine Room

115 Queen Street. 09 480 9502. engineroom.net.nz

Clarence Rd Eatery

124 Queen Street. 09 480 9600. clarencerdeatery.nz

Northcote Tavern

One of the best places for pub food on the Shore! 37 Queen Street. 09 480 7707. northcotetavern.co.nz

Birkenhead

Abruzzo Ristorante Italiano 13 Birkenhead Ave. 09 418 4202. abruzzi.co.nz

Birkenhead Brewing Company

17 Birkenhead Ave. 09 320 5055. bbc.kiwi

Blitza Pizza

9 Birkenhead Ave. 09 480 5006. blitzapizza.co.nz

Burrito House

Mexican food. 17 Mokoia Rd. 09 418 2095. burritohouse.co.nz

Chef Rasa Sayang

Malaysian food. 25 Mokoia Road. 09 419 9788

Centro

Welcome to our 'home away from home' cozy haven, where smiles abound with friendly service, exceptional coffee and delectable cuisine.. Each customer becomes part of our extended family, savouring not only the taste of our offerings but also the heartfelt care that accompanies every visit. Step into our café and let us wrap you in a comforting embrace of hospitality and flavours that delight the senses.

Mon-Sun, 7am-3pm.

No surcharge on public holidays

447a Lake Road, Takapuna 09 200 2277

centroauckland@gmail.com

facebook @centrotakapuna instagram @centrotakapuna

French Rendez-Vous

Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner (to be booked 24 hours in advance)

with traditional French dishes like beef bourguignon and also lots of gluten free galettes and sweet crêpes.

Located at the heart of Takapuna. Book at www.french-rendez-vouscaferestaurant.business.site

Or via our Facebook and Instagram accounts: facebook: FrenchRendezvousTakapuna instagram: @frenchrendezvoustakapuna

2a Manurere Avenue Next to The PumpHouse, Takapuna 09 487 0009

Birkenhead

DIT

Dutch Bistro. 3 Birkenhead Ave. 0274613898. ditisit.co.nz

Fika With Me

Cosy café serving funky, flavourful Findianinspired food.

5 Birkenhead Avenue. 09 418 5508. @fikawithme

Jose's Cantina Mexican. 12-14 Birkenhead Ave. 09 218 6162. josescantina.co.nz

Moxie Restaurant

82 Hinemoa St. 09 419 9082. moxierestaurant.co.nz

Mulan Malaysian Restaurant 243 Hinemoa St. 09 480 2806. mulan.co.nz

Primerose Thai Cuisine 6 Mokoia Rd. 09 418 0555. primerosethaicuisine.co.nz

Real Burger

30 Birkenhead Ave. 021 085 95485. realburger.site

Tasty Tiny Thai Restaurant

52d Mokoia Rd. 09 418 4999. tastytinythai.co.nz

Thai Yum Food Hut

23 Birkenhead Ave. 09 480 6799. thaiyum.net.nz

The Curry Master 18 Birkenhead Ave. 09 480 7211. thecurrymaster.co.nz/birkenhead

The Good Home

83 Birkenhead Ave. 09 480 0066. thegoodhomebirkenhead.co.nz

Milford

Anokha Indian Restaurant

140 Kitchener Rd. 09 489 1499. anokha.co.nz

Bunty's Burgers

NEW! Gourmet burger bar specialising in smash, chicken and veggie burgers.

89 Kitchener Rd. 09 486 5711

Cave À Vin

146 Kitchener Rd. caveavin.co.nz

La Mexicana

13 Shakespeare Rd. 09 282 0392. lamexicana.co.nz

Monthien Thai Restaurant

142 Kitchener Rd. 09 488 0409. monthien.co.nz

Musashi Japanese Cuisine Milford 212 Kitchener Rd. Phone 489 5977. musashirestaurant.co.nz

PYM's of Milford

The popular neighbourhood Milford Village bar & eatery. Excellent drinks selection with simple but great food. 154 Kitchener Rd. pymsofmilford.com

Stanley Avenue

52 East Coast Rd. 09 410 0066. stanleyavenue.co.nz

Talay Thai Restaurant

83-85 Kitchener Rd. 09 489 9568 talaythai.co.nz

The Hub Milford Bar & Grill

145 Kitchener Rd. 09 489 4480. thehubmilford.nz

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Flourish Café

Flourish Café provides training and work experience for young adults with learning differences. When you order your favourite coffee and choose from our delicious, fresh cabinet food, you will always be served with a smile. Support our trainees by coming into Flourish Café. Catering available.

19 Como Street, BDO Towers, Takapuna

7am–3pm, Monday – Friday 09 489 2266

instagram flourish.takapuna

/projectemploynz

facebook Flourish Café

/Project Employ projectemploy.nz

Catch 21 Eatery

Takapuna’s latest eatery has just dropped anchor with plenty of sunny outdoor seating overlooking Hurstmere Green. Serving breakfast, brunch, lunch and coffee for dining in or taking away, the friendly 'crew' are all hands-on-deck to serve exceptional coffee, delicious staple café offerings and a number of seafood options, as well as a beautiful range of freshly made cabinet food. Top picks include their signature open lobster burger, seafood chowder, and tasty eggs benedict. Catch 21 is fully licensed and provides a range of beer, bubbles and wine.

Open Tues-Sun, weekdays 7.30am-3pm, weekends 8am-3pm.

Shop 8/33 Hurstmere Road

09 484 0005

catch21.co.nz/menu

CATCH 21

Tokki

Modern Korean restaurant. 87 Kitchener Rd.

09 488 0888 tokki.co.nz

The Milford Cafe, Bar & Restaurant

7 Milford Road. 09 488 9388 themilford.co.nz

East Coast Bays

21 Days Bar & Brasserie

37 Clyde Rd, Browns Bay. 0800 21 3297. 21days.co.nz

El Greco Greek and Italian Eatery

1 The Esplanade, Campbells Bay. 09 475 5772. elgreco.co.nz

Montrose Cafe, Bistro & Bar

1 Montrose Terrace, Mairangi Bay. 09 478 9610. montrose.org.nz

Paper Moon

437 Beach Rd, Mairangi Bay. 09 479 8872. papermoon.org.nz

Ristorante La Spiaggia

Italian. 470 Beach Rd, Murrays Bay. 09 475 5643. laspiaggia.co.nz

Shore Wide

Your Catering

Catering for all occasions and all requirements across the Shore. Call Paul on 021 214 2095. yourcatering.co.nz

BROWNSBAY

21 Days Bar & Brasserie

Tantalise your taste buds with the best steak experience at this beautiful venue in Browns Bay. Explore the impressive selection of cuts sourced from New Zealand, Australia and Japan, where great pride is taken in using the highest quality ingredients, matched with a carefully curated wine and beverage list. The friendly team provides top-notch catering services, taking care of your special events, cocktail parties, corporate events, conferences, birthdays, anniversaries and Christmas functions.

37 Clyde Road, Browns Bay 0800 213 297 21days.co.nz

Fika with Me

If you need a reason to visit Birkenhead, you’ve found it! This cosy café is located at 5 Birkenhead Ave serving Altura coffee and has a funky menu. Chef/owner Deepak, originally from Fiji, has designed the dishes to include flavours inspired from his own heritage. If you’re in the mood to try something unique, this is the place to be.

Open 5 days a week, including Friday evenings, 5.30-9.30pm Call 09 418 5508 to book a table. Brunch hours: Wed-Thu-Fri 8am-2.30pm Sat-Sun: 8.30am-2.30pm

instagram fika_with_me facebook fikawithmebirkenhead @fikawithme

Taylors on Hurstmere

MILFORD

Bunty's Burgers

PYM's of Milford

Yellow Hour

Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label NV

Takapuna's friendliest little wine and tapas bar and everyone's favourite local just around the corner from the Bruce Mason Theatre. Perfect for private parties, no venue hire!

$85 per bottle between 5-7pm daily

Book now for Scout wine tasting

Tuesday 10th October

$40 for 5 tasters and antipasti for the table

Melbourne Cup Tuesday 7th November, Prizes for Best Dressed, $85 Veuve Clicquot all Day!

168 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna

taylorsonhurstmere@gmail.com

taylorsonhurstmere.co.nz

09 489 9510

Licenced Eatery

Visit Bunty’s this Spring! Try our smash burgers, fried chicken, and in-house smoked pork and beef brisket burgers, with plenty of gluten-free and vegetarian options available. There is a modern and adventurous wine list and Behemoth beers on tap. This ain’t your ordinary burger joint! Happy hour 4.30-5.30pm Wed to Fri

$10 tap beer

$12 selected wines

Need an event venue? Talk to us about your next function.

Open Tue from 5pm, Wed-Thu from 4pm, Fri-Sun from midday 89 Kitchener Rd, Milford buntys.co.nz

We look forward to welcoming you to our fun local venue, with delicious food and drink options, a fabulous music selection and a warm and friendly ambiance. Join our email list to keep up to date with all of our upcoming events. Pym's is also available for private and semi-private events. We look forward to seeing you here soon.

154 Kitchener Road Milford

Wednesday - Sunday from 4pm 021 413 850 / 021 446 628 drink@pymsofmilford.com pymsofmilford.com/

Introducing Forsyth Barr’s local offices

We offer a range of investment services, designed to deliver to the specific needs of individuals, families, trusts, charities, iwi and companies…

are underpinned by highly respected fund managers, investment strategists and analysts.

Whether you are an experienced investor or just starting out, our investment advisers look forward to meeting with you to discuss your personal situation and work with you in planning, building and managing an investment portfolio which suits your needs.

Please contact us to arrange a complimentary, no-obligation meeting with one of our investment advisers. You can contact the North Shore office on 09 368 0150 or if more convenient you can contact the Orewa office on 09 918 9220. For further information on our people and services, please visit our website forsythbarr.co.nz

We’re just down the road but we still go further

A world of research, knowledge and advice is at your front door.

Whether you’re starting out, or you’re an experienced investor, our Investment Advisers can help you build a portfolio to match your personal ambitions.

It may be to maintain a certain level of income, or to grow funds to help future generations reach their financial goals. Whatever your requirements, we can provide expert help. Contact your local Investment Advisers for a no-obligation review of your existing investment arrangements.

By Claire Bellingham, Personal Trainer and Nutritionist

The importance of weight-bearing exercise

The most important machine you will ever own is your body. It houses your brain and it’s your primary tool for self-expression. You only get one body and it’s your vehicle for navigating life and achieving the things that are important to you.

It’s a good idea to carry all that potential around in a strong, stable structure. Weight-bearing exercise builds lean muscle mass. This creates strong ligaments and tendons which support joints and reduce the risk of injury. You don’t need to be exercising to get injured – you can do it from the comfort of your own chair. Sitting puts stress on all your postural muscles. If you don’t have adequate muscle tone to support you then your body can adapt to the slumped stance as a new normal. This can potentially cause back and neck pain, pulled muscles and tension headaches.

Everyone loses muscle mass at a rate of around 3-5% per decade, so just by doing nothing you’re going backwards. Therefore it’s important to find a type of weight-bearing exercise that you can abide a couple of times a week. You don’t have to like it, you just have to do it.

There are a variety of types of resistance available to build lean muscle mass. Pin-loaded machines are a popular form of resistance training for the recreational exerciser. Machines put your posture and positioning in the right place which can make them a safe and easy choice for people new to exercise and/or exercising unsupervised. They can also be a great tool for rehabilitation because they’re pre-set using only the muscle and angle the machine allows. If you want to return to resistance training after a break this could be a great starting point. The drawback of machines is that they don’t allow a full range of motion or encourage the body to stabilise for itself.

Free weights such as dumbbells require the body to move in a more natural fashion and activate stabilisers as well as main muscle groups. The same goes for body weight exercises such as squats, lunges and pressups. Stabiliser activation can also be achieved via the use of tools and toys such as TRX, kettle bells, swiss balls and bosu balls. These aim to create complex functional movements that mimic everyday life. Functional exercises tend to be multi-joint, multi-muscle, multi-plane activities using upper and lower body simultaneously. These movements emphasise core control and build strength in stabiliser muscles as well as target muscles. The challenge is that these exercises create a greater risk of injury when they’re performed at pace without supervision. Ironically, many people start resistance training looking for greater functionality and abandon it after an injury with less functionality than they started with.

The best type of resistance training exercise for you will depend on your physical condition and your goals. Some people enjoy complex high intensity exercises, some like lots of toys, some like a lot of traditional free weights and some are most comfortable on machines. Most people like a mix over time. Any type of strength training can burn calories and build lean muscle mass as long as the programme is regularly changed around.

Maintenance of lean muscle mass is a significant predictor of health and functionality. Weight-bearing exercise just two or three times a week is an investment in your body, mind, and future.

Les Mills Takapuna, Rooftop Level, Shore City, Takapuna 0800 LES MILLS lesmills.co.nz clairebellingham.co.nz claire@clairebellingham.co.nz

By Teresa Burns, Doctor of Audiology, Director and owner of Teresa Burns Hearing Ltd.

Not enough people wear hearing aids

Research indicates that a person with hearing loss is twice as likely to have dementia, but hearing aids remove this additional risk(1). This means wearing hearing aids is one of the most effective, minimally invasive, and reasonably cost-effective things you can do to keep healthy as you age.

Studies show that only about 15% of people who could benefit from hearing aids wear them. Untreated hearing loss can lead to increased stress, additional cognitive workload, isolation, anxiety and depression. With both hearing loss and memory – the sooner you act the better. Getting used to wearing and managing hearing aids and re-training your brain to hear with them takes time. As with most things, this gets more difficult the older we get, especially when we add in visual and dexterity issues. Early adoption of hearing aids could help people hold onto their jobs, communicate better at home with family and friends, and remain active in their communities.

The stigma of wearing hearing aids is fading as these devices start to offer other benefits like Bluetooth streaming and health monitoring features like counting your steps and fall detectors. Professionally fitted prescription devices continue to offer better value for money as high-tech features are offered in the mid-range and lower price points. And more models of non-prescription, overthe-counter devices are on offer. The sooner you get your hearing loss treated with hearing aids, the better it will be for your brain and memory. Contact Teresa Burns Hearing to get your hearing tested and receive recommendations for the best hearing aids for you.

(1) “Association between hearing aid use and all-cause and causespecific dementia: an analysis of the UK Biobank cohort”, The Lancet, April 2023

By Simon Watts, North Shore MP

The 2023 election is nearly upon us, and I’m busy on the campaign trail

Most New Zealanders’ worries are the same as they are here on the North Shore, with the state of the economy and the cost of living top of mind. The government is spending up to 80 per cent more – $1 billion a day more – than in 2017. The current account deficit is one of the largest in the OECD.

National has a plan to rebuild the economy. We will stop wasteful spending, cut red tape, build infrastructure, drive technology and innovation, support trade and investment and grow skills and talent in New Zealand.

A working economy means New Zealand can afford the quality public services we rely on. Part of our plan to grow the economy is to provide hard-working New Zealanders with tax relief.

New Zealand should be a country where you can get ahead if you work hard. But after years of economic mismanagement by Labour, topped off by two years of rampant inflation and considerable increases in interest rates, most Kiwis are going backwards.

In particular, the squeezed middle is being left behind. These people within our community work hard, sometimes juggling multiple jobs and family responsibilities, but inflation and high tax rates are eating away at their incomes.

By Tim Edmonds, CEO, Well Foundation

Kind-hearted volunteers give time for our local hospital

Generosity from the community in support of North Shore Hospital comes in many forms. More than $13 million dollars have been received by Well Foundation in recent years for projects that improve the care of patients that wouldn’t have been possible otherwise.

But patient care is also positively impacted through the generosity of volunteers, and the North Shore Hospital Auxiliary has been a stalwart of community support for the hospital since 1973. For 50 years, group members have gathered together each week, volunteering their time and skills to provide comfort and care for patients at North Shore Hospital.

The group meets each Monday and Wednesday in a building on the edge of the hospital grounds where they bustle away behind sewing machines, knit and crochet, sort donations and make up care packages. The group provides a wide range of items to support patients, from tiny knitted booties for premature babies through to special shawls and wraps to keep the shoulders of elderly patients warm. The Auxiliary also sews sheets for new-born hospital cots, and blankets that can be draped over the laps of patients who need to sit for long periods for cancer treatment or dialysis. Volunteers also hand-make sensory mittens that are specially designed for people with dementia.

That’s why we recently announced National’s Back Pocket Boost tax relief plan, which will increase after-tax pay for the squeezed middle, making a family on an average income of $120,000, with young kids in childcare, up to $250 a fortnight better off, and an average-income child-free household up to $100 a fortnight better off.

It also provides up to $20 per fortnight more for a full-time minimum-wage earner and up to $26 more for a superannuitant couple.

Our plan ensures that working New Zealanders will benefit the most. We will fund our tax plan through reprioritisation and new targeted revenue measures.

National thinks it is time hard workers were relieved from Labour’s cost-of-living crisis. National will deliver that to them.

"For me, it’s working for everyone to party vote for National to get our country back on track.”

Simon Watts, spokesperson for ACC, Climate Change, Local Government, Regional Development, Statistics, Assoc for Infrastructure, and Finance.

Email: simon.watts@parliament.govt.nz

09 486 0005

facebook: @simonwattsmp instagram: @simonwattsmp

There are members of the group, and kind-hearted people in the community, who knit and sew outside of the usual meetings, beavering away at home to ensure there is a steady supply ready to be gifted to patients in their time of need.

The North Shore Hospital Auxiliary is currently led by Linda Smalley who says, "Members just love to support patients and the hospital, but there is also great fellowship in the group coming together. It’s a very social time and they all enjoy learning and sharing new skills."

Thank you NSH Auxiliary. The time and care you put into our hospital community is appreciated by us all!

NSH Auxiliary and Well Foundation always welcome donations from the community, both cash and items, so if you would like to provide support please get in touch on info@wellfoundation.org.nz

Well

A working economy means New Zealand can afford the quality public services we rely on.

Fay Mills, Judy Cornes, Linda Smalley, Karen Bell-Booth, Chan Giang

By Natasha Geo, Takapuna North Community Trust Manager

Counting costs, watching birds and a big thank you!

Join us on Saturday 4 November at Forrest Hill Primary School to learn how we can all save some money (and reduce our impact on the environment at the same time!). There will be seminars from local experts on container gardening, reducing food waste, and learning how to compost. Juliet from The Great Eco Journey will also host a seminar and workshop on a ‘Crapfree Christmas’!

Bird monitoring course

Do you want to learn about bird life in our parks and reserves? Are you looking for ways to make a difference to conservation efforts in your neighbourhood?

Register for Pupuke

Birdsong Project’s bird monitoring courses in our local parks and reserves. More information at pupukebirdsong.org.nz.

Environmental restoration success in September

A heartfelt thank you to all our dedicated volunteers who made a significant impact during September. Together, we achieved remarkable milestones, from clearing 30 cubic metres of debris from the Wairau Estuary, to planting trees at Lyford Reserve and Killarney Park, and hosting working bees in various parks and reserves. Your hard work and passion have revitalised our natural spaces and brought us together to enjoy them. We couldn't have done it without you. If you'd like to join in with this important work, please don't hesitate to reach out.

We’d love to hear from you!

Your voice matters, and we want to hear from you about what's important to preserve our backyard. If you have any feedback on how we serve you or would like to share some ideas, please get in touch with us.

takapunatrust.org.nz

Facebook/Instagram: @TakapunaNorthCommunityTrust office@takapunatrust.org.nz 09 486 2098

By Jane and Jeremy Bain, franchisees at Pack & Send Takapuna

Need to send something? Send Anything, Anywhere!

Pack & Send is a very popular franchise that will send any item – no matter how fragile, large, awkward or valuable — anywhere in the world.

A customer can take any item into Jane and Jeremy and be entirely confident it will be carefully packaged and delivered to any address, anywhere in the country or anywhere around the world.

The Takapuna team are well qualified to offer a highly professional custompackaging service which includes handling fragile, large, awkward and valuable items. Cover for loss or damage of any consignment can be arranged.

The Takapuna service centre is a one stop shop for everything packaging and freight. Private and Business customers are taking to the Pack & Send concept in droves. From Trade Me buyers and sellers, tourists and backpackers, university students on the move, people moving overseas, small businesses and large corporations. They cover national and international freight, road, sea and air options. They make it hassle free by offering pickup, packing services and complete the all the paperwork for delivery. They can even track to the door and advise of its safe arrival.

“It’s the sheer convenience of being able to bring absolutely anything you like into us and know it will be delivered safe and sound to any address in the world, and quickly,” said Jeremy.

“There is increase demand for clients looking for fast and safe solutions for the export/import of important legal documents and applications especially embassies and government departments in foreign counties,” says Jane.

Pack & Send Takapuna stocks a large range of durable boxes and quality packing materials for DIY packing. They can even custom make boxes and packaging for your specific needs. The personal service, professional packaging, world class systems and expertise that Pack & Send Takapuna provides are designed to make your freight experience as simple and smooth as possible. You don’t even need to open an account and they’ll send anything, anywhere plus take care of the hassles.

Pack & Send Takapuna have just been awarded Franchisee of the Year. They have been recognised as the best operators in New Zealand achieving a higher level of success. Jeremy, Jane and the team at Takapuna thank the wonderful customers that continue to support their business with confidence.

Pack & Send Takapuna open Mon – Sat, located at 77 Barrys Point Rd, Takapuna with exclusive and convenient parking outside. Ph 486 3355 or email takapuna@packsend.co.nz and let them make sending easy.

Supported

Pack & Send Takapuna, owned by Jeremy and Jane Bain, was recently awarded Franchisee of the Year

Talking Takapuna

This month, discover a Taste of Takapuna! We’re celebrating all our wonderful hospitality businesses this October – we’re featuring them on our website, we’re sharing their stories, and making it even easier for you to support local this month. Visit our website ilovetakapuna.co.nz to check out all the featured business profiles, read about some of the faces and talents behind your favourite places, and maybe discover somewhere new to try.

You can also VOTE NOW for your favourite local hospitality business in the third annual Taste of Takapuna Peoples’ Choice Awards. We’re giving you the ability to share the love to some of your favourite spots in Takapuna and nominate them in six different categories: Best Café, Best Restaurant, Best Takeaway, Best Coffee, Best Drinks and Best Sweet Treats. It’s all up to you – let us know your go-to spots, and they could win their category. We are also giving away prizes to some lucky voters. As a thank you for showing your support and voting for your faves, we will be giving away a $500, $300 and $200 Takapuna dining voucher to three different voters – so make sure you get your votes in now. Voting closes on Tuesday 31 October.

The

I Love

Before you know it, the spring days have flown by and it’s already time to start thinking about Christmas. The annual I Love Takapuna Christmas Festival is back on Saturday 2 December and will be held in the brand new Waiwharariki Anzac Square. We will also have a wonderful boutique market right along Hurstmere Road (from Lake Rd intersection to Anzac St roundabout), as well as the usual kids' activities, entertainment and shows, plus an opportunity to meet Santa Claus. Make sure you keep an eye on our social media for event updates and details: @SunshineEventsNZ on Facebook and Instagram.

Why not get out and make the most of these longer nights and the improving weather – head out with the family, some friends and your four-legged friends and re-explore the breathtaking coastal

beachside walk from Takapuna to Milford, known as the ‘lava’ trail. This can be walked at any tide (should provide a good 45 minute walk each way). It winds its way over rocks, along beaches, and interesting pathways, overlooking the Hauraki Gulf and out to Rangitoto Island the entire way. Or pack a picnic, grab some takeaways and a blanket and head over to the shores of Lake Pupuke for a little evening by the lake and explore The PumpHouse grounds.

We’re gearing up for a fantastic summer of scheduled events too – so keep an eye out on our social channels and sign up to our fortnightly newsletter (at www.ilovetakapuna.co.nz) to keep up to date with ALL the things happening in Takapuna this summer.

Whatever you’re up to or enjoying in Takapuna, we’d love to see it (the dogs you meet, the places and businesses you love to visit, or your favourite spot to relax for a moment.), so please tag us:

@ilovetakapuna when posting on social media and we might just re-share your snaps. So dust off your jandals, apply that sunblock and see you in Takapuna!

Takapuna market sat 2nd december 9am - 3pm

Like and follow @ilovetakapuna on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date with all things Takapuna!

PRINCIPAL SPONSOR

GOLD SPONSORS: The Takapuna Beach Business Association appreciates the support of our Gold sponsors…

PLATINUM SPONSORS: The Takapuna Beach Business Association appreciates the support of our Platinum sponsors…

annual

Takapuna Christmas Festival is back on Saturday, 2nd December…

the

#supportlocal

RIBBON & BLUES

Take your Christmas wrapping and decorating to the next level. We have an inspiring range of wrapping paper, ribbons, boxes, gift cards, decorations and more online. Perfect for corporate gifting too.

235 Archers Rd, Wairau Valley 09 479 3070 ribbonandblues.co.nz facebook instagram pinterest

ECOVASK

Tired of your dishcloth hanging over the tap or dropping to the bottom of the sink? The Happy SiNKS dishcloth holder attaches with powerful magnets to keep your dishcloth neatly stored to dry quickly, preventing odours and bacteria.

56 Barrys Point Road, Takapuna ecovask.nz

COSI FAN TUTTE

Dreaming of summer in the Jona Poppy dress by The Dreamer Label. See the full new seasons range in store or online.

73 Victoria Road, Devonport, 021 247 2469 cosifantutte.co.nz instagram @cosifantutte_ devonport

FLORIENNE

Sometime in October at Florienne is when the magic of these beautiful creatures starts happening ... see you this month for NZ grown peonies to start their season.

60A Hurstmere Road, Takapuna 09 486 6438 florienne.co.nz

YARNTONS

Designed by the Australian label Orientique, this dress features a flattering length and stylish sleeves, exuding a sense of playfulness and elegance.

18 Mokoia Road, Birkenhead, 09 418 4011 69 Victoria Road, Devonport, 09 445 3479 yarntons.co.nz

THE SHEEPSKIN FACTORY

10% off all baby and kids sheepskin footwear, rugs and knitwear! Use code: Springsavings10

34 Barrys Point Road, Takapuna

09 486 2679

thesheepskinfactory.co.nz

9-5pm Mon - Sat, 10-5pm Sundays

PURIRI LANE @ ADDENBROOKE

Add a pop of colour to your spring step with these delightful boots from Herbee and lightweight jackets from Scribbler. More options in store.

Wed-Fri: 10am-4pm, Sat: 10am-2pm

9 Hurstmere Rd, Takapuna puririlaneaddenbrooke.co.nz

WALLACE COTTON

Style your home ready for entertaining with the enduring style and practical darker palette of our Homestead Kitchen range. In black and natural checks and stripes, discover a beautiful collection of pieces you’ll enjoy using every day. Pop into our Takapuna store to explore our new arrivals. 156 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna, 09 551 7767 wallacecotton.com

SPERO CLOTHING & FOOTWEAR

Wilson Trollope Spring Collection - arriving soon 19 Mokoia Rd, Birkenhead 09 419 9781 spero.co.nz

CRAVEHOME

Smelly Balls keep your car interiors fragrant and toxin-free! With loads of colour combos, natural scented oils and a cute hold-all pouch, these clever car fresheners will last all summer long.

30 Mokoia Road, Birkenhead 09 419 9535 cravehome.co.nz

MICHAEL HILL - GLENFIELD MALL

Initial Pendant in 10kt Yellow Gold - $379.00

The perfect gift for yourself or a loved one. This lovely pendant is crafted in 10kt yellow gold, and is a captivating pendant that makes a simple yet touching momento. Glenfield Mall 09 442 1026 michaelhill.co.nz

SHORE PHOTO GIFTS

Perfect for Christmas – life size Santa 1500mm x 900mm shorephotogifts.co.nz

RESENE COLORSHOP

Get deck-orating with Resene! Refresh, rejuvenate and enhance your timber decking with Resene Woodsman Decking Oil Stain. Choose a CoolColour version to help keep your darker colour cooler in the hot sun. Available from Resene ColorShops.

1 Auburn St, Takapuna 09 489 1540

2 Tawa Drive, Albany 09 414 6500

8 Croftfield Lane, Wairau Park, 09 444 4387

#Gramworthy

Our round-up of posts from local businesses on IG that we’ve liked, plus a Q&A with Mica Carrick from @brightonblondes

Mica Carrick runs the hair-centric account, @brightonblondes, and has been a dedicated part of the Rodney Wayne group for nearly a decade. She moved to New Zealand in 2008 as a 17 year-old and is a full time working mum to a 13 year-old boy. Her career with Rodney Wayne has been varied, starting off as an apprentice, through to managing a salon at Browns Bay.

Mica says she’s proudly part of the artistic team and involved in the most recent Colour your World campaign, along with helping educate the group, being a lightening and toning specialist. Currently, she holds the role of training manager at Whangaparaoa Rodney Wayne where she’s training two apprentices. Mica talks to Channel about all things hair and her social media account.

Channel Mag: Tell readers a little bit about @brightonblondes.

Mica Carrick: @brightonblondes is my little baby, I’ve been growing the account for about three years now. Recently, I’ve focused on putting in time and effort on the account as it’s worth it from a business perspective. I came up with the name because I specialise in blondes (as well as colour transformations and balayage), and I’m from the UK from a place called Brighton. It’s a cool play on words.

Is Instagram a source of inspiration for you? Who do you recommend following and why?

Definitely! It’s my go-to when I’m looking for new colour/styling techniques. It’s not only filled with beautiful photos, there’s so much education shared on the app now that’s it’s really a one shop stop. It’s a bit of a community feel and a great way to interact with your favourite accounts, especially for us who work at Rodney Wayne. We love to interact and hype each other up. There is so much talent out there and so much to learn.

Which other stylists/salons or local businesses do social media well?

@ahbisonihair - Ahbi is an amazing cutter. His Instagram is stunning and also part of our artistic team, working at Rodney Wayne Albany. He recently worked on New Zealand Fashion Week too. @glowandcobeautynz - Amy is a nail tech who has built herself up from a small home salon and is about to open a glow up bar type salon in Long Bay. There will be nails, brows, lashes and hair all in one. She’s an absolute gem of a person too.

What exciting things are on the horizon for you over the next few months?

It's about to hit silly season. So, in all honesty, not much! I recently entered the industry awards for Trainer of the Year so I'm waiting to hear about that in November. So far this year, I've travelled to Auckland, Christchurch, Tauranga and soon Wellington to hold educational sessions. I also worked on our latest campaign which I coloured and styled. My main focus at the moment is to get Rosie my tech (who happens to be Rodney Wayne's Apprentice of the Year) completed for year two. And then roll on Christmas where my feet will burn, my shoulders will hurt, and I'll secretly be loving every minute of the mayhem that is working in a salon in December!

Instagram: @brightonblondes

Calling all croissant lovers! Your heaven has opened on Hurstmere Road in Taka and we can’t wait to visit based on the delicious looking offerings on their insta! @domobakery_nz

This store on Hurstmere Road is changing the game when it comes to the circular economy. They rent racks for locals to sell their high quality second hand clothing and always have a beautiful range of labels in store. Highly recommend as both a customer and seller! @regeneratefashion_nz

Duo in Birkenhead is a go-to café and restaurant and for good reason! We spy a new offering from the team opening soon. Fresh pasta coming to Hinemoa St! @osteria.uno.nz

Mica Carrick

Former Kristin School student and Wairau resident Matt Fenn is about to take on an unbelievable journey to raise money for mental health charity I am Hope, the organisation behind Gumboot Friday. On October 2nd he departs downtown Auckland to run the length of New Zealand – not once, but twice. That’s 4200 kms, or 100 marathons back-to-back over more than 50 days.

After experiencing his own mental health struggles, the 25-year-old has made it his life’s journey to educate and advocate in the mental health space. He speaks on mental health and is also focused on raising money to make a difference. His goal for this ‘Aotearoa Run’ is to raise enough money for I am Hope to provide over 7,000 counselling sessions for Kiwi kids.

Channel Mag’s Aidan Bennett caught up with Matt Fenn in late September just prior to him embarking on his epic fundraiser.

Matt’s running 100 marathons in just over 50 days!

‘Aotearoa Run’ – raising money to support I am Hope and Gumboot Friday

Aidan Bennett: Tell us about your own mental health journey that got you involved in helping others?

Matt Fenn: I left school early to move to the UK to play cricket full time. At first this was the dream for any 16-year-old, but over time, cricket became my entire life. I really struggled with my identity being tied up in what I did rather who I was. Which of course led to absolute burnout by 18. It left me feeling stuck, alone and without any real purpose. This drives my purpose now. Trying to contribute in a way that enables even just one less person to have to feel like I did during that incredibly tough time.

Wow what a challenge! What made you decide to take on this challenge?

The initial idea began from the image of reaching the famous Bluff signpost and how funny it would be to arrive after

running the length of the country but instead of stopping, turning around, and running home again. That idea has grown into an event that's all about getting the entire country involved for an important reason.

I understand this is not your first challenge. What else have you done in the past?

Over the years I’ve taken on some big endurance challenges. From running 654km in six days around Auckland Domain, attempting to climb the height of Mt Everest up and down the world’s steepest street, running for 24 hours wearing a 24kg weight vest, and running five 50km ultra-marathons in five days around the North Island.

Where are you starting from and what is the route you will take?

We’ll start in Auckland and head up to Cape Reinga, then turn around and run all the way down to Bluff, and finally, the home stretch back up the country to Auckland again. If you type in the locations on Google maps and click walk, that’s almost exactly the route we’ll be taking.

This is a massive challenge. Running 100 marathons over 50 days. What support crew do you have with you to help you overcome the obvious challenges you will encounter along the way?

I’m lucky enough to have an incredible team of crew and coaches. Gareth Edwards and Carl Read will be with me every step of the way, not only pushing me to keep putting one foot in front of the other, but keeping me fed, hydrated, and most importantly healthy. It’s truly a team event and not possible without some amazing people in my corner.

Why did you choose I am Hope and Gumboot Friday to be the recipients of the funds raised?

Growing up as a kid at school I was constantly bullied for being ‘the fat kid’, something that is unfortunately all too common. My inner self-worth reached rock bottom and it left a mark on me that I still battle with daily and echoes through everything I do. The constant need to prove myself to others and be ‘good enough’. I kept it bottled up and it got worse and worse. I would have given anything to just have someone to talk to, to speak about how I was feeling, and get the support I desperately needed at that age. Gumboot Friday does exactly that – it provides free counselling to anyone under 25 – something the government doesn’t provide. My mission is to play a small part in trying to enable the next generation of kids to have access to this.

When do you expect to finish and where?

If all goes to plan, or somewhere close, we’re expecting the whole journey to take just over 50 days. We’ll be finishing mid-late November in Victoria Park, Auckland. We’ll be keeping everyone up to date via social media every step of the way. You can find us on social media (@themattfenn).

What can our Channel Mag readers do to help?

There are two things incredible readers can do to support, and that’s to donate and share. You can donate to support via our Givealittle page by scanning the QR code below. You can also follow along on socials and share the event with people around you. Your support goes a long way and really adds up. Thank you!

For more SCAN THE QR code or visit: mattsaotearoarun.com

givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/ mattsaotearoarun

instagram.com/themattfenn facebook.com/themattfenn linkedin.com/in/matt-fenn

Matt Fenn and Mike King

Authorised by Simon Watts, Parliament Buildings, Wgtn.

Welcome to Waiwharariki Anzac Square TAKAPUNA

Now open in the heart of Takapuna

Designed as a place the community can meet, relax and play, Waiwharariki Anzac Square is now open in the heart of Takapuna.

We hope you enjoy exploring and learning more about this new public space and all the local natural and cultural treasures it celebrates.

Eke Panuku is leading the urban regeneration of Takapuna on behalf of Auckland Council. Working with local community groups and businesses, we’re planning a special community celebration later this month at Waiwharariki Anzac Square, Takapuna’s new home of events, activities, and the weekly Sunday market. Keep an eye on our channels to find out when it will happen.

‘Waiwharariki’ was gifted as the historic mana whenua place name for the area now known as Takapuna, the beach and town centre. The name of the square also acknowledges the ANZAC service men and women who with courage and self-sacrifice served our country.

Designed for current and future generations, the new square includes resilient features for climate change including sustainable timber, locally-sourced plants and filters to treat stormwater runoff.

Our goal is to make the most of Takapuna’s unique lake and beachside location by revitalising the town centre, improving public spaces, creating better connections to the beach and supporting more options for urban living and public transport.

Thank you to local residents, the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board, the Takapuna Beach Business Association and mana whenua, for your ongoing mahi and support of this project.

Waiwharariki Anzac Square.

A place to share the sun, the excitement, and the energy in the heart of our seaside town centre.

PanukuAKL

ekepanuku.co.nz/takapuna

Finding our silver lining

By Helen Hayward, owner of Takapuna Beachside Cinemas

Trying to make the best out of any situation in life is always the goal and trying to find a silver lining isn't always easy. With the cinema, we were in exactly that position.

In late 2022 and early 2023 there was fire damage to the third floor, and water damage to all three floors. Ceilings, walls, floors, cabinets: really nothing was left untouched in some shape or form.

So what do you do? The plan was to run a cinema, not to carry out a large renovation project. But there we were, we needed that silver lining.

Fortunately, it came in the shape of our friends and family who, when we talked about the damage, the replacement of items and change of the brand, jumped on board and encouraged us to go the whole nine yards and make a much bigger change. Taking the new brand we had only just started working on and translating it into three floors of colour, texture, fixtures and fittings was a mammoth challenge. But also an opportunity you don’t get often. And that's where we were at, an opportunity to have our silver lining, but of mammoth proportions. So we phoned a friend, not just any friend, but someone we knew could work with us

Helen and Shaun Hayward

Interior designer Sandra Segurado's mood board and visual for the interior of Takapuna Beachside Cinemas

to create something beautiful, cohesive and excite us with the possibilities, Sandra Segurado.

Originally from Spain, Sandra is a qualified kitchen designer with over ten years working in the New Zealand market. However it was her background in interior design, and the fact that we had worked together in a number of other projects that gave us the confidence to get her involved.

Sandra looked at the existing colours in the spaces, the colours that we had been working with for the branding, and added some sparkle on top. Having such large open spaces presents unique challenges and we had to look at the project as a whole. Sandra helped us create a consistent space that ticked all the boxes. We had a clear idea of the new branding and direction the business was going to take, but struggled to translate that into finishes and colours for the interior. Having her on board made the process enjoyable and exciting, and we loved the realistic images her studio created for us, allowing us to visualise the space in high realistic 3D renders.

The brief asked to keep the traditional experience of going out to the movies in a sophisticated, luxurious way, combined with the seaside location and more relaxed Kiwi lifestyle.

Sandra nailed the brief, taking into consideration lighting, textures, uses and flow of the space, and even managed to enhance the experience for the patrons into the mix – we cannot wait to share our brand-new space with the North Shore community.

After months of planning, designing, and working together, we are now positive the new Takapuna Beachside Cinemas will add some coastal glamour to your movie nights or special events.

Sandra nailed the brief, taking into consideration lighting, textures, uses and flow of the space, and even managed to enhance the experience for the patrons into the mix…

Takapuna Beachside Cinemas – Anzac Street, Takapuna – opening soon!

WHAT’S TRENDING

The Chemist Warehouse

Paco Rabanne 1 Million Men & Ladies - From $84.99

Paco Rabanne's 1 Million is an expression of power. For the men, a translation of fantasy that embodies irresistible masculinity and for the ladies an ultra-feminine scent which is vivacious and natural.

Silvermoon Jewellers

Silver Zodiac Necklace - $149.00

If you are a zodiac lover or are looking for the perfect gift for your favourite gal, then you have come to the right place! Pick up this beautiful piece at Silvermoon.

(Also available in gold at $169.00)

Farmers Tommee Tipee Sleepbag - $89.99

Wrap your little one in comfort with Tommee Tippee. These baby sleepbags are a bedtime game changer. They have been designed to be snug up top and wriggly down below. The sweetest prints now available.

EB Games

Harry Potter Squishmallow - $34.00

Squishmallows are the new favourite collectable and there are many places to get yours at Glenfield Mall. EB games has your favourite Harry Potter Character in store now.

October Must Haves

Novo Shoes

Bueunosaires Sandels in Denim - $94.90

An espadrille-style wedge that adds style to all your favourite summer outfits. Expressing chic style with its design and silhouette. Closed toe design and lace-up feature will make them your go-to staples.

Bed Bath & Beyond

Kids Dinotopia Cotton Duvet Cover Set - $129.90

Embark on a wild expedition with your dino-loving little one! Printed on cotton, Dinotopia features a palette of greens, blues and neutrals on a fresh white ground, reversing to a calming green hue.

Cotton On Kids

Carter Short Sleeve Pyjama Set - $59.99

Get festive with Cotton On Kids Family PJs are here and I don’t know about you but I was not missing out this year! They have six cute designs available for adults, kids, baby and even the family pet.

Briscoes

Russell Hobbs Handheld Garment Steamer - $199.99

This handheld steamer not only steams and refreshes your clothes, it also kills up to 99.9% of bacteria in 1 minute helping you to e ortlessly freshen up your suit, dress, shirt or even linen.

Give the perfect present every time!

NEWLY RENOVATED STORE NOW OPEN

THE BIG BED SALE

NOW

Milford - the centre for all your needs

Health, fashion and travel, as well as some new businesses to welcome

Woo hoo! Daylight saving has arrived, with longer evenings so we can all do more outdoor activities and enjoy the fabulous lifestyle we have here on the sunny North Shore. Let’s hope what the long hot summer the weather gurus are talking about is real.

Hand in hand with spring is another great October issue of Channel Magazine. This is the 14th spring that this wonderful free monthly magazine has been published. This is another great issue that this month is focusing on health matters, spring fashion and summer travel – all things that Milford has in abundance.

In Milford you will find no fewer than 55 health-related businesses, 29 fashion businesses and two of the very best travel businesses on the Shore. I reckon we’ve got the best shopping centreas well, in the Milford Centre. And it’s so easy to park anywhere in Milford.

It’s fantastic that new businesses just keep coming our way. We have recently welcomed the following new stores and businesses to Milford – Seasalt Cornwall, Lorna Jane, izzys Cafè, Milford Motel (bar & eatery), The Wrap Shop (pop-up), Brothers Haircuts. Further details for all are on our website: milfordshops.co.nz

Have a great October!

Murray Hill, Manager Milford Business Association, manager@milfordshops.co.nz 021 950 463 milfordshops.co.nz facebook milfordshops instagram milfordnz youtube MilfordshopsTV

It’s a suite life CRUISE DEALS

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*Valid for new bookings on 2024 & 2025 Europe sailings. Book by 30 Nov 2023.

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*Terms and conditions apply - contact us for full details, or visit www.shoretravel.co.nz for more information.

IMAGE CREDIT: Oceania Cruises

It’s a suite life!

Beyond destinations, travel is about moments and connections. The chance to discover new, exciting places, and create memories that last a lifetime. We’re excited to be your guide to extraordinary cruise experiences and help you explore the world, your way.

Shore Travel’s guide to the Top Cruise Destinations for 2024 and beyond:

Western Europe: Explore the historic cities and charming towns of Western Europe, including France, Spain, and Portugal

Greece: Visit the birthplace of democracy and explore the ancient ruins and beautiful islands of Greece

The Caribbean: Relax on white sandy beaches and enjoy the crystal-clear waters of the Caribbean, including destinations like Jamaica and the Bahamas

Asia: Discover the vibrant cultures and stunning landscapes of Asia, including destinations like Bali, Japan, China, and Vietnam

Alaska: Experience Alaska’s awe-inspiring natural beauty, including glaciers, wildlife, and stunning landscapes

The Galapagos Islands: See unique wildlife and explore the natural wonders of this remote archipelago

Norway: Cruise through the majestic fjords and experience the stunning natural beauty of this Scandinavian country

Dubrovnik, Croatia: Visit the historic walled city of Dubrovnik and explore the beautiful coastline of Croatia

The Polar Regions: North and South: Tick off that bucket list with an expedition to the outer most reaches of the globe, and witness jawdropping scenery

South Pacific: Never underestimate the beauty of our Pacific neighbours, enjoy island hopping from one palm fringed shore to another

Enquire today on 09 489 2597 hello@shoretravel.co.nz

Award-winning North Shore travel agency

Shore Travel, a member of the World Travellers Group, scooped up five awards at its recent annual conference. Shore Travel was pleased to received accolades for: top performing store for Intrepid Travel, The Travel Corporation (Trafalgar, Insight, Luxury Gold, Uniworld, AAT Kings etc), and Globus Travel Group (Avalon Waterways, Globus and Cosmos Tours). Shore Travel also took out the Supplier’s Choice Award. Team member Renee was named the Infinity Holidays’ top individual consultant.

“I’m incredibly proud of my team! It was so wonderful to see them rewarded for their efforts,” says Mary Buckley. “Our favourite award is the Suppliers Choice, knowing that so many of our supply partners voted for us. Our suppliers have been so supportive of our business and offer a great range of quality products that suit our customers.”

Set sail in style. Your

experienced, cruise travel advisors

Through a personalised service and dedicated planning, we remove the guesswork, inspiring new possibilities in your travel before tailoring an experience that’s just for you.

Auckland’s one-stop paint shop turns 30

Whether it be automotive, marine, industrial, protective, wood finish or decorative, Wairau Paint Centre (WPC) has all the paint, sundries and equipment to get the job done on time and on budget.

Pam and Peter Crispin opened the doors in the back unit of 90 Wairau Road in 1993, as they saw a gap in the market to offer specialised paint products to the Auckland market. '’In the first week I wondered what we’d got ourselves into, but we persevered,’’ says Peter.

Their children, Bridgette, Gretchen and Will have been involved from the outset. Whether unpacking stock, delivering orders to customers with the help of a Wises map, or sweeping the floors, it started as a family affair. “We gave them jobs to do so they learned the importance of hard work. They all went off and did their own thing and despite vowing and declaring they’d never get involved, they all came back and now play key roles in the running of the business. We’re extremely lucky,” says Pam.

As the business grew, there was a need to expand; they moved to the front retail space and now occupy the entire building.

Supported by their key brands and accompanying high-performance coatings, they built their reputation based on expert colour matching, solution-based technical expertise, and honest reliable customer service which saw them supplying the top automotive refinishers, cabinet makers, industrial spray painters, boat builders/ painters and many other industries across the wider Auckland region.

‘’Mum and Dad, made the decision to diversify across multiple industries in the early days, and this has held us in good stead in this day,” says Will.

Another huge part of WPC’s longevity and success has been their wider team. “The majority of our staff have been with us for many years, some from the beginning; they’re all like family to us and have been integral in building long term relationships with our customers. Without our staff, WPC wouldn’t be here today, they are the lifeblood of our operation," says Peter.

In 2015, an opportunity beckoned in the north. With Pam and Peter having been born and raised in Whangarei and splitting their time between Auckland and Northland, where the majority of their family still resides; Whangarei Paint Centre was born.

“It was a natural fit and gave us the ability to service from the Bombays to Cape Reinga with the efficiency of pooling our resources,” says Peter.

Like everyone, WPC rode the Covid wave and adapted accordingly. “It wasn’t easy on anyone. Our main focus was not only keeping the lights on and retaining our team but also our

staff and customers' wellbeing and personal circumstances," says Will. "However in hindsight, Covid times were relatively easy in comparison to what occurred with the Anniversary weekend floods.’’

Wairau Paint Centre was hit hard. “We had 1-1.2 metres of water come through our entire operation and lost virtually everything. Nothing could have prepared us for that. We spent the first three weeks in gumboots and gloves. Our team have been absolute troopers and have gone over and above; we couldn’t ask for a better team in such a crisis,” says Will.

“We just put our gumboots on and got it done," says Gretchen. “Gutting the shop and working out of Portacoms for six months was challenging, but when the time comes you do what you have to do to survive. Our Whangarei team was also critical in helping us remain operational.”

WPC’s family, friends, customers and suppliers rallied behind them. ‘’We were pretty much on our knees and the assistance we received, the messages of support, the offers to help was pretty humbling. There are too many people to thank, but they know who they are,’’ says Peter.

‘’We came out the other side through real determination and the silver lining out of all of this is the brand new showroom and upgraded facilities which have allowed us to future-proof our operations. The shop is looking amazing; we’re really proud of it. Everyone was part of the rebuild and we all know what it’s taken to get here,” says Will.

With new brands such as the American workwear brand Carhartt being stocked, as well as a variety of new brands and product lines, WPC is bolstering up for a big push ahead.

“We've got some pretty exciting stuff in the pipeline,” says Will. “We’re constantly looking at ways to innovate and provide world-leading products and solutions to our customers, while still sticking to our roots. We’re certainly not a big corporate and don’t pretend to be. We like to keep things pretty simple: we look at business as being all about partnerships; our customer's success is our success and vice versa.”

‘’The flood has definitely given us the opportunity to pause and reflect," adds Bridgette, "and it’s important to celebrate. We Kiwis aren’t very good at that. It's pretty inspiring what mum and dad have built and now to have role in that is pretty rewarding."

“Honestly, when we look back on the last 30 years of this journey it’s pretty inspiring," says Pam.

“Passion, determination, and teamwork drives success and that right there is where the magic happens,” says Peter.

Wairau Paint Centre is launching an exciting promotion: spend $50 in-store from 11 October and go into the draw to win the ultimate summer prize pack valued at $3500*. Pop along to the store on Saturday 9 December when they will be giving away instant prizes, hot specials and will draw the big prize pack with The Rock radio station, for more information please follow their Instagram & Facebook pages!

*Terms & conditions apply

Fired up about fashion - locals talk looks

As we head into spring, Shore stores have new ranges of style options reflecting the change of season and current trends. It’s more important than ever to support our local stores, designers and retailers. So, this month, we’ve been speaking to a range of stylish Shore trendsetters on what they love about what they wear, current and upcoming trend predictions, and where their personal style comes from.

From cricket whites to purple suits, Tendai's got style

Tendai Chitongo has a strong background in sport and a passion for all things style. The Devonport local now works in talent management after working in and playing cricket for many years – the former North Shore Cricket Club's spin bowling ace was Auckland Cricket Players’ Player of the year in 2022. Born in Zimbabwe, Tendai has lived in Cape Town, South Africa, and The Netherlands before settling in New Zealand. This means he approaches style and trends with an international lens and enjoys a range of global labels. Tendai shares his spring fashion predictions, including the rise of purple and denim.

What spring/summer trends do you foresee this year?

It looks like the baggy men’s trousers are bouncing back into fashion, as are suits with no shirt or a t-shirt underneath. And double denim.

Are there any colours that you see being big this season?

Shades of purple, definitely – all shades of purple, and emerald green.

What items do you have on your wish list this season?

Haha, it has to be a purple suit on the list for me. I am very specific on the shade of purple, too.

Who is your personal style inspiration? Why do they inspire you?

I love the boldness of Usher Raymond, in his fashion sense. Michael B Jordan is another one. Look him up.

Outside of fashion, what do you enjoy doing?

Outside of fashion, I love making cocktails. Especially after a relaxed day at the beach.

Where do you shop?

I like the variety of combining both international and local labels. I get a lot of clothing from Aussie and the UK.

aucklandfoundation.org.nz Get in touch today:

info@aucklandfoundation.org.nz

We envisage a future where every Tāmaki Makaurau community is strong and thriving.

By making it easy for donors to support causes they care about, we inspire & unlock a movement of impactful giving.

Tendai Chitongo

Jude’s craving style at home and beyond

Jude Turner is the proud owner of Crave, the expertly curated homewares and gift store in Birkenhead. Jude is married to Don and mother to Avery, David and their dog, Max. Family is a huge part of Jude’s life; Avery graduated from Otago in May and is back at home working in the city with her dream job, David is nearing the end of his second year of a BCom at Otago and her husband Don has a native tree nursery in Matakana, so life is pretty busy! With a background in marketing, PR and fundraising, Jude says she’s fortunate to be doing something she absolutely loves operating Crave. Jude talks to Channel about supporting local retail and her trend predictions for spring.

What do you currently have in store that you think will prove popular this season?

A lot of our summer collections are beginning to arrive, including our summer fashion, so we know that as soon as the weather warms up, every pretty dress we have will be flying out the door. Beyond fashion, we have also just taken delivery of our ever-popular chilly bins and are waiting on the arrival of a beautiful new collection of melamine serving ware, ideal for outdoor dining.

Are there any colours that you see being big this season?

Not so much, I think we’re less trend-driven these days. Using neutrals as a base and adding accent colours in cushions or glassware is a great way to bring in whatever colour is popular in terms of home style. But with fashion, I’ve seen fuchsia pink, cobalt blue, emerald green and orange sitting alongside tan, white and black. Go with whatever feels right to you.

Who is your personal style inspiration? Why do they inspire you?

On a truly aspirational level, I adore everything that Cate Blanchett wears. It’s always right, right now. She’s unafraid of different silhouettes and her red carpet outfits are flawless. In terms of a more attainable style, I get inspired through TikTok and making my wardrobe work in different ways.

Outside of fashion, what do you enjoy doing?

We have had some family babies arrive this year and I have dug out my crochet hook and made a couple of beautiful little blankets. I’m currently working on a large crochet patchwork blanket for Avery.

We also love eating out, having fun with friends and getting away for the weekend.

How important is local support for retail right now?

It’s hugely important. As the country recovers from the Covid years, it’s clear that households are under incredible pressure with their finances. I know of a number of small businesses that are really struggling so I would just encourage people to support their local stores in whatever way they can. That might be through liking or sharing posts on Facebook or recommending their favourite stores to friends. We all value our customers and every sale helps us to continue doing what we love.

Jude Turner

Trudi’s flair for personal styling

Trudi Bennett is an experienced stylist and personal shopper. She started her personal style consultancy, Wardrobe Flair, in 2005 after discovering a huge market of men and women unhappy with their personal and professional wardrobe. She offers styling services at Milford Mall and focuses on giving practical, down-to-earth advice and tools to help people make wise, logical shopping decisions based on their body, budget and lifestyle. Originally from Wellington, Trudi has a background as a fashion contributor, public speaker, and in tv and radio. She travelled the world during her 20s and came back to New Zealand to have her two children, now aged 19 and 21. She’s lived in Auckland for nine years and loves living and working on the North Shore. Trudi answers a range of spring style questions and tells Channel what’s on her wishlist.

What spring trends do you foresee this year?

There’s a bit of everything for everyone this spring, which is always refreshing. Long unstructured, lightweight dresses and flowing maxi skirts are going to remain a strong trend, as will loose-fitting wide-leg trousers. Flatter footwear – whether it’s platform sneakers, chunky strappy sandals or ballet slippers – keeps the focus towards comfort and ease-of-wear.

The ‘90s era remains an overall strong trend inspiration with cargo pants and slip dresses being popular. Denim with details will be in stores, with a mix of both longer style skirts and minis, plus shorts, denim jackets and shirts. Matching sets have been around for the last season and will continue with spring session versions. This can be suits, or unstructured matching top and bottoms. The juxtaposition trend of blending feminine with masculine, or delicate and floaty with chunky is key. Think of a frilly feminine skirt and black, chunky

combat boots. Mix soft feminine silhouettes with bigger, oversized more structured pieces adding a twist of edginess is the perfect amount of contrast to make a statement.

Are there any colours you see being big this season?

We are still seeing ‘Barbie pink’ as a key colour this season, as well as kelly green. Expect to see more red and different types of greens, like apple, filtering down. You’ll also have a good base of neutrals this season with lots of creams, stone and grey.

What products or items do you have on your wish list this season?

I’ve got some chunky neutral sandals on my wish list, as well as a lightweight but longer style denim skirt and another couple of colourful long summer dresses. I also can’t get enough of wide leg trousers, which are so comfortable after the many years of skinny jeans!

Who is your personal style inspiration? Why do they inspire you?

Iris Apfel is a style icon who I admire the most, she’s just turned 102! She proves that age doesn’t matter when it comes to style, and she inspires me because she is 100% authentic in her styling. She wears what makes her happy and that confidence is essentially why I became a stylist. I love to help men and women be the very best they can be, with what they have. It’s not ever about trying to be someone else or looking younger, it’s about being you, expressing yourself and feeling when you leave the house, you look great and feel confident.

Outside of fashion, what do you enjoy doing?

I love being outdoors. Nature is a complete balm for me, whether it’s reading in the sun, walking with friends, e-biking around the Shore, eating outside or swimming in the sea. I love to cook and enjoy eating out and exploring different foods and wines with friends and family. Music is also something I really love. I go to quite a few concerts. My next three are Post Malone, The Weekend and, in February, I’m off to Taylor Swift in Sydney with my daughter.

How important is local support for retail/labels right now?

A strong part of my styling ethos is to shop mindfully and support local. People are coming around to this way of thinking, that it’s better to buy considered quality pieces that you’ll wear, love and re-style for a long time, versus fast, cheap fashion. Covid had a huge impact on retail and New Zealand labels and so our support is very much needed.

wardrobeflair.com

facebook.com/wardrobeflair

021 236 4738

Trudi Bennett

Michiko’s passion for fashion to feel good

Fashion and beauty stylist Michiko Hylands is North Shore born and bred. She lives in Birkenhead with her husband, 11 year-old twins, 20 year-old stepson and their rescue puppy. With a background in tv, Michiko has worked in Sydney at Channel 10 and as style director at TVNZ, dressing presenters and running the make-up department. These days, Michiko works as a stylist and a make-up artist on various projects, often with New Zealand celebrities. She loves making people look and feel amazing! Michiko answers Channel’s questions about dressing for spring and where she finds inspiration.

What

spring/summer trends do you foresee this year?

There is a plethora of spring trends to be inspired by! As always, you can never go wrong with spring florals. American Vogue editor Anna Wintour famously said, “Florals for spring? Ground-breaking!” However, florals always bring a fresh and feminine feeling and there’s always something for everyone. I love to wear florals and colour block with them. Bold colour always makes a statement and makes your outfit pop! The denim-on-denim trend remains strong. Double denim is often called the ‘Canadian Tuxedo’ and, when done right, it can look incredibly chic. Metallics are huge again this season and all-out silver pieces are bound to turn heads. If it’s all too much, try elements of metallic accessorises to jazz up your wardrobe game. Transparent and semi-sheer looks abound – think boudoir style but always done in a chic and sophisticated way. The ‘90s silhouette continues its long reign with elongated lines, as well as looks to create Grecian goddess-style drapery.

Are there any colours that you see being big this season?

Fire engine red is a strong and powerful colour and is a great choice for the upcoming party season ahead! Get into the blue this spring with all sorts of sea tones ranging from aqua, ice blue and sapphire. This ties in nicely with the mermaid core trend – ocean colours and mermaid-inspired silhouettes.

Which items do you have on your wish list this season?

My wish list for this spring and must-haves are:

• Spring dresses in beautiful prints from Juliette Hogan and Ruby

• Baguette bag from Georgia Jay

• Jewellery to elevate your look from Meadowlark, Nick von K and Jasmin Sparrow

• Ankle wrap sandals from La Tribe and fun, playful metallic heels from Kathryn Wilson

• A pair of seriously cool new shades like Saint Laurent black shades from Sunglass Style

Who is your personal style inspiration? Why do they inspire you?

My personal style inspiration is my fabulous fashionista mum, Masako. She is quite well-known in Auckland for her incredible style. She always looks amazing and has a wonderful way of choosing colours and style and making her look unique. She also has a beautiful collection of vintage pieces that give me so much joy and never-ending inspiration. I adore vintage and pre-loved treasures. You’ll often find me in op-shops! It's the thrill of the find, finding something unique, plus it’s a great choice for the planet! I’m all for sustainable style.

Outside of fashion, what do you enjoy doing?

I love going for walks with my dog and enjoying nature. Whether it is at a local reserve, park or at the beach, this is my happy place where I can recharge my batteries and mentally decompress from a busy week.

How important is local support for retail/labels right now?

It is so important to support local retailers and New Zealand labels right now, more than ever before. After Covid, so many businesses suffered and it has been so tough for them. I try to choose local brands over those from overseas. It’s great to buy beautifully made, considered pieces that stand the test of time over fast fashion from chain stores.

Meet the artists – 2023 artists will be in attendance by their artworks

Great opportunity to see and purchase artworks before our exhibition opens to the general public

Complimentary drink on arrival from Soho Wines and food from The Officers Mess Return free ticket to come again at your leisure

Don’t miss this spectacular event! Tickets on sale now – head to our website to purchase.

nzsculptureonshore.co.nz

Michiko Hylands Credit: Yuki Wada Fotografie

Mood-boosting trends at Mikko

With warmer weather on the horizon, we’ve been dreaming about our new season wardrobes here at Channel Magazine. For a little style inspiration, Channel Mag's Liz Cannon called Michaela Longstaff, the founder of Mikko Shoes, to discuss the stunning spring/summer 2023 trends collection available in store now.

Liz Cannon: Thank you for speaking with us today, Michaela. First things first, how would you describe this season’s colour palette?

Michaela Longstaff: It’s always a pleasure to chat with the team at Channel Mag, especially about one of my favourite topics – footwear trends! This season there are two camps when it comes to colour: mood-boosting brights, and timeless, luxe neutrals. ‘Tropical brights’ features rich papaya and mandarin, deep fuchsia, magenta and bubble-gum. We also have ‘lavender haze’, the lilac-toned catwalk colour of the year, and ‘elemental blues’, covering all shades from cobalt and cyan to sky blue. As a more tonal response to the season, ‘warm mid-century’ features hues of ecru, biscuit and malt, while ‘blended whites’ is a spectrum of icy cool whites, warm creams, ivory and bone.

What are the top new style trends?

There’s a style to suit all tastes this season. ‘French girl style’ features timeless flats, points and loafers, with classical adornments. For those who love more glam, we have ‘Grecian goddess’ – think woven metallic leathers and elegant heels. And for a total statement, ‘superficial adornments’ sees styles embellished with buckles, diamantes and floral motifs, here to solely serve the purpose of being beautiful!

What’s a particular trend you don’t see going away anytime soon?

‘Athlete chic’ remains a strong trend, after years of success. Sneakerstyled platforms and wedges are low effort and high comfort, while

still feeling polished when on the go. We cater to this with options that focus on tactile textures, sleek silhouettes and cutting-edge technology for all-day wear.

Final question.... You’re celebrating your tenth year of business this year – congratulations! Aside from the gorgeous new season collection, can you tell us what’s next for Mikko?

Thank you, it’s hard to believe that we’ve been here for a decade! Our customer support is the number one reason we’re here, and it’s why we always listen to feedback. As part of this, we’ve received countless requests over the years to create an offering for men.

So, I’m delighted that after a lot of work behind the scenes, we’ve just launched 'Mikko Men’s' – purely dedicated to sophisticated, quality, stylish men’s footwear. We have over a dozen international men’s brands on offer. Our first physical store is located at 134 Victoria Street in Christchurch, but Channel Mag readers can still enjoy our digital experience, with the entire collection available to shop at mikkomens. nz. Keep your eyes peeled for an Auckland store opening later this year. It’s an exciting year for us!

Mikko Shoes, 121 Kitchener Road, Milford 09 972 2354 mikkoshoes.nz, mikkomens.nz

Asher by Ara

Sidonie and Sylvan bag by Hispanitas Clarette by Arche

Marcos by Pons Quintana

CHANTAL’S

CLOTHING + HOMEWARES + GIFTS

OPENING HOURS: Monday - Friday 10.00am - 5.00pm

• Saturday - 10.00am - 4.00pm

10 The Promenade, Takapuna (opposite Bruce Mason Theatre entrance)

Plenty of Parking Right Outside

chantalsboutique.co.nz

Penny • Dyrberg/Kern Jewellery from Copenhagen

Chantal in Paula Ryan

Tracy wearing Mos Mosh

Why laser hair removal at Off & On?

Ready to replace your razor for laser? Off National Trainer, Julie Buchan from Off & On – hair removal experts – shares reasons you should give laser hair removal a try.

It saves time. With permanent hair reduction, you can save time on waxing or shaving and start or end your day with smooth hair-free skin. No more added routines to your day. The laser hair removal treatment journey does require some investment at first but once you’ve completed your number of required sessions, you’ll see amazing results with no more hassle.

You see long term results.

It’s precise. Using laser technology means it’s targeting precise locations and also more than one hair follicle at a time. Talk about efficiency. What’s so great about laser technology is that you can target hair from any part of the body – even those hard to reach or sensitive areas when done with waxing such as the back or bikini area.

It prevents in-grown hairs. If you’re prone to getting in-grown hairs, laser hair removal is a better option than shaving or waxing. Shaving or waxing can actually sometimes cause ingrown hairs. Because laser hair removal targets the hair from the root, you don’t have to worry about hairs growing back in the wrong direction.

Laser hair removal is a permanent hair reduction treatment and a majority of individuals see permanent lasting results also. Although some clients may need a touch up later in a few months or years, it’s still one of the best options in the industry for long term hair reduction/removal results.

Off & On is now offering 20% off laser hair removal packages. Book your complimentary laser hair removal consultation at Off & On or online at offandon.co.nz. Ts & Cs apply.

Off & On Takapuna, located at 99 Hurstmere Rd, Takapuna.

OFF

What’s so great about laser technology is that you can target hair from any part of the body

Julie Buchan

Who are we?

Skintel is a specialist Skin Cancer Clinic on the North Shore of Auckland. We have successfully detected and treated over 10,000 proven skin cancers helping to ease the burden of NZ’s profilic rates of skin cancer.

Skintel is only staffed by experts in skin cancer: Specialist Dermatologists and Mohs Surgeons.

Precision Matters!

‘She’ll be right’ is NOT an attitude that has any place in skin cancer treatment.

Our high levels of precision means we excel at detecting early and subtle skin cancers. Many people don’t realise that the most common type of skin cancers are flesh coloured, which can make them very difficult to see.

Our precision is also reflected in our extremely low incomplete excision rate, meaning a 99.9% chance of your skin cancer being removed completely the first time. This means that you avoid unnecessary repeated surgery and also helps to minimise the risk of complications.

Mohs Surgery: The Most Precise Treatment

Our drive for precision is why we offer Mohs Surgery, the most precise treatment for skin cancer. Mohs is considered the Gold-Standard treatment for skin cancer on the face, it offers:

• The highest cure rate & lowest risk of the skin cancer returning

• Pathology analysis on the same day - be confident that your skin cancer has been removed before you leave

• Optimal cosmetic results

Did you know?

Studies have shown that a stressful environment can impact patient outcomes. Therefore, a key priority for us was to ensure that we created a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere for both patients and staff. We even went so far as to design a custom skin-check gown to ensure patient comfort.

Reminder for summer - get your skin checked

Every year, almost 90,000 people in New Zealand are diagnosed with some form of skin cancer. With sunnier weather on its way (we live in hope), it’s timely to remind everyone to get their skin checked. Skin cancer doesn’t care that you are busy.

Steve Gulik, founder and director of Takapuna-based video production agency The Post Office, says, “As Kiwis, we are notorious for putting things off and avoiding uncomfortable conversations.” His agency has developed a reminder campaign in conjunction with Skin Institute to open the conversation, remind everyone of the dangers of sun exposure – and remind them to get their skin checked.

“The campaign needed to strike the right balance between getting the message across, without using scare tactics,” he explains. “We engaged real people and interviewed them in a simple but

elegant studio setting. No distractions, just their skin and their story. “

Emma Rock, marketing manager at Skin Institute, adds, “Too often we hear people say that they wished they had come in sooner for a skin check. This campaign is a new direction for us and we truly believe that by sharing these brave stories we can save people’s lives. The Post Office was more than our production partner. They brought our idea to life, from developing the creative direction and engaging the talent through to production and delivery of the videos and stills photography and we are excited to see it launched.”

Mason, Nikki and Tim have bravely shared their skin cancer journey and their stories are a powerful reminder to all Kiwis to take action and get their skin checked regularly. The videos are available to view on skininstitute.co.nz/treatment/skin-cancer-consultations/ or thepostoffice.co.nz/skininstitute

Tim Nikki Mason

Honest dentistry with warm service and style

Dr Talha Gul is changing the look, and the feel, of local dentistry with his boutique practice in leafy Greenhithe. He spoke to Channel about his journey into the profession and what he’s doing differently…

How long have you been a dentist in Greenhithe?

Eight years ago, I started working at this practice part-time as a fresh dentistry graduate, after being offered the job while still studying at the University of Otago. About six months into the job, I was offered shares in the business by my then boss. In January 2021, I took over the business. I always had dreams of owning a family dental practice in a close-knit, family-orientated community. I’m really pleased to have made that happen.

What do you enjoy most about running your own dental practice?

I love the area, the people, the work… Having been a dentist here for over eight years now, I have got to know our local patients really well. I’ve seen plenty of children grow up! It’s really satisfying to have these longstanding relationships with patients and to help them along the way.

How did you decide to get into the profession?

My passion for dentistry began as a child of about seven or eight, when I broke one of my front teeth. I needed three years of root canal treatments. This came, however, after one dentist said that he should take the tooth out. My parents questioned this and got a second opinion, thankfully. It was a daunting process, but because of the care I received from the dentist we chose, I actually looked forward to going to see her. She really made a difference to my experience of dentists as a child. I decided I wanted to be a dentist and have this kind of impact too.

Do you have any specialist areas of interest in dentistry?

I offer every dental service here and I love serving the needs of all our patients, but my own specialist interest is in cosmetic composite veneers. These are different to standard implants and veneers in that they’re non-invasive. I’ve been trained by some of the leading US doctors in this field – this treatment has been around a lot longer over there – as well as the leading dentist in this field in Brazil. I’ve adapted what I have learned to make a style of my own, using my love of art – the lines, the colours, the textures, the symmetry. I really enjoy the results I can offer my patients.

Why did you choose to create the look and feel of your practice?

My mum is an artist and I always loved art; I used to draw comics as a kid. Drawing is still a way I like to switch off, as well as going to the gym, playing indoor cricket and squash! So, when it came to designing the practice, art was always going to be an important feature. I chose works by Kiwi artist Lucy G, whose art I love.

Patients say it doesn’t feel like your average dental practice when you walk in, which I love. It’s warm and colourful, which I feel puts patients at ease as well as being aesthetically pleasing. I even tried to get rid of the sterile dental practice smell, but unfortunately that can’t be avoided!

How do you like to give back through your work?

I carried out a month of volunteer dentistry work in Cambodia at a school for deaf and blind children and have provided dental treatment to over 220 people in Rarotonga during a four-week period over there. Both were rewarding experiences of giving back.

I also like to give back, locally, and I always make it my aim to provide one free treatment per week. This could be an additional service I surprise someone with free charge, just as a thank you. There is so much talk about the price of dentistry and everyday costs and I can help by reducing this a little for people when they put their trust in me for their dental services.

Why should North Shore locals switch to Greenhithe Dental Boutique?

Everyone hates the unknown! I know how daunting and potentially expensive it can be to go to the dentist, so I’d like to help Channel readers out by offering a FREE CHECK-UP AND CLEAN for new patients who book during October. Just mention Channel when booking your appointment. You’ll get an honest opinion – some say we’re too honest! – and quality dentistry you can trust, in a welcoming, stylish environment with warm communication and service. Plus, if you’re a sports fan like me, you can even watch your favourite live sport while you’re receiving your treatment!

6/8 Greenhithe Road, Greenhithe, 09 413 5109 greenhithedental.co.nz

Dr Talha Gul, left with staff at his Greenhithe Dental Boutique

Summer skin begins in spring...

with the Alma Rejuvenation duo facial treatment exclusively at Le Visage, Milford

What is the Alma Rejuvenation duo facial treatment?

This unique treatment has been specially formulated for this spring season in readiness for summer skin. It is a combination of Alma Clearlift nonablative laser treatment and Alma Advanced IPL (AFT) together in one skin resurfacing treatment. Both treatments work synergistically to pack a powerful punch for skin renewal and radiance to promote healthy glowing skin. It’s the ideal treatment combination for uneven skin tone, pigmentation and rosacea and is a great choice to repair sun damaged skin.

Alma Clearlift and Alma IPL are two advanced skin treatments that work in perfect harmony to produce dramatic skin results. They work by creating thermal heating in the deeper layers of the skin to stimulate fresh collagen and elastin production for a more youthful glow and plumper skin.

Le Visage, Milford's preferred skin clinic, is where you will experience the latest in advanced skin care. Their passion for skin has led to careful thought and consideration in choosing skincare products and treatment rituals that offer clients the best results, but are also kind to the skin. All their treatments and products are results-focused, alongside providing clients with professional ongoing support and education.

Mother and daughter duo Terry and Sarah have more than 35 years' experience in the New Zealand and international skincare industry. Skin health and wellbeing is core to all that Le Visage stands for. Their service is about ethical and results-driven skin care and treatments, with a preference towards a holistic approach taking client's lifestyle, health and wellbeing into account. Their treatments are designed to be tailored to your skin's specific needs so that concerns and expectations are met, to enable you to experience the ultimate in professional skin therapy in a relaxed and caring environment.

Terry and Sarah are Auckland Council Health certified and they hold New Zealand qualifications as well as Swiss and British qualifications. Client safety, respect and care are what sets them apart.

Alma Clearlift laser is designed to improve the tone and texture of your skin by helping to tighten and lift, and IPL works by targeting pigmentation and redness to improve the colour, tone and texture of your skin. Together, Alma Clearlift laser and IPL are the ideal combination for reversing and delaying the effects of aging on your skin and is a perfect spring treatment in readiness for the summer ahead.

Special spring 2023 offer: Full face treatment $649

Le Visage Level 1, 161 Kitchener Road, Milford 09 486 6880

info@levisage.co.nz levisage.co.nz

facebook @levisage instagram @levisage Clinic hours:

Tue, Wed, Fri: 11am-5pm, Thu: 11am-8pm, Sat: 9am-1pm

Alma Clearlift laser and Alma advanced IPL treatment

Both treatments work synergistically to pack a powerful punch for skin renewal and radiance…

Sarah Bellian, Terry Taylor

Your path to holistic oral health and wellness

Introducing Mint Dental Hygiene: A fresh approach to holistic direct access care in a tranquil oasis of oral health.

Meet Nova Edgcombe, founder of Mint Dental Hygiene, who brings over two decades of experience in the dental sector to her new clinic.

Nova's dream has always been to open a practice where exceptional patient care takes precedence. With an extensive background that involves working for dental specialists in renowned cosmetic surgeries and holistic dental clinics in New Zealand and the United Kingdom, Nova is known for her kind, caring, and gentle approach to patient care. She's proudly served the local community for many years.

Comprehensive services for your smile

Oral health is inherently connected to overall health and quality of life. The condition of your mouth impacts the flow of essential nutrients throughout your body and influences your wellbeing in everyday activities like speaking, eating, kissing and expressing emotions. Furthermore, oral bacteria can lead to infections in other parts of the body, especially when the immune system is compromised. And, more seriously, poor oral health has been linked to chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer's disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Chronic inflammation, a common factor in these conditions, often begins with gum disease, which frequently goes undiagnosed.

Are you ready to experience a fresh approach to dental hygiene care?

At Mint Dental Hygiene, Nova is committed to ensuring that you receive not only exceptional dental hygiene care but also a holistic understanding of how your oral health impacts your overall wellbeing.

Experience the 'Mint' fresh approach to dental hygiene care by scheduling your appointment easily at mintdentalhygiene.co.nz Online booking is available for your convenience.

Mint Dental Hygiene's comprehensive range of services includes:

• professional dental cleaning

• child and orthodontic cleans

Mint - a tranquil oasis of oral health

Mint Dental Hygiene, a unique independent clinic in Takapuna, offers top-notch oral care. This direct access clinic lets you book with dental hygienist Nova Edgcombe without prior dentist visits. The clinic resembles a spa and Nova prioritises your comfort whilst fostering a non-judgmental atmosphere for your treatment.

A holistic approach to dental hygiene care

Nova emphasises regular hygienist visits for gum and teeth health, preventing oral diseases. As a holistic dental hygienist clinic, Nova places a strong emphasis on understanding the intricate relationship between oral health and overall wellbeing. Each patient receives a personalised treatment plan designed to address their unique oralsystemic health situation and needs. All products are carefully chosen and are biocompatible and free from colourings and preservatives.

• periodontal gum disease

treatments

• dental disease prevention

• implant maintenance

• teeth whitening

• air-powered stain removal

• teeth desensitization

• bad breath treatment

• dental x-rays

Nova Edgcombe BSc, Diploma Dental Hygiene University of Bristol UK, RDH

Dental Hygienist

Mint Dental Hygiene

424 Lake Road, Takapuna 021 2306517

info@mintdentalhygiene.co.nz mintdentalhygiene.co.nz

Nova Edgcombe

Mint Dental Hygiene, 424 Lake Rd, Takapuna

Your ears, your choice

Take control of your hearing journey

At Ear Health, we believe in the warmth of authenticity, the irresistible allure of a well-told tale and treating you like an individual, because you have a story worth hearing, and every hearing journey is unique. So, please sit back, sip your tea, and let us transport you into a world where quality meets uniqueness and trust takes centre stage.

Let's get straight to the point, shall we? We're not here selling hearing aids like hotcakes. We don't expect them to be the next must-have accessory at fashion week, surrounded by swarms of supermodels or snap-happy paparazzi. Hearing aids are more medical than fashionable. But that doesn't mean they can't look stylish while you strut your stuff. Only a full diagnostic hearing test can determine whether you need them; it's like a warrant of fitness for your ears. We won't be twisting your arm or convincing you to get something you don't need. It's up to you; your choice, your call. Whatever your decision, our team will support you every step of the way.

Our experienced audiologists and ear nurses will assess your needs with utmost care and attention.

We have some information that might help tip the scales if you're at the crossroads... Your ears connect to your

Joelle Hopkins, Terry Gunn

noggin, which houses your brain. Now, your brain does all sorts of things, like recalling the last All Blacks' winning streak or those wild rock 'n' roll dance moves you’ve still got if the occasion calls for it. But if your hearing goes on the blink, your brain has to compensate, and that might cause a 'glitch in the matrix'. The sooner you get your hearing sorted, the more likely you will maintain a healthy connection between your ears, brain and body. Consider the banter you might be missing out on at your local, or your mates at the rugby club who've had to shout once too often.

Here's the sticky wicket: Getting a hearing aid differs from picking up the latest high-tech gadget from your local retailer. It's a life-changer, a healthcare solution, a partnership between you and your audiologist. Like anything new, it'll take some getting used to. Some adjustment time is required. However, as with most changes for the better, you'll soon be rolling with the punches. So, if you're wondering what to do next, don't beat around the bush! Get down to your local Ear Health clinic and experience that high-five feeling.

We'll have your hearing on the right track faster than you can say 'jazzed-up jalapenos!'.

Ear Health

82 Lake Road, Narrow Neck 09 242 0866 earhealth.co.nz

Ron Trounson, Beam Jantharachote, Sharon Akers, Jerika Pring, Ash Prasad, Dr Soren Thompson

Devonport resident Dianne Hale retired as chair of the Devonport Business Association at its AGM at the end of September. Dianne is a community champion who has assisted Devonport and the wider North Shore community in so many ways over the years. Channel Mag’s Aidan Bennett has enjoyed a close association with Dianne. Their paths have crossed continually. He has seen first-hand the difference that Dianne has made. He sat down at Dulcie Café on Devonport’s waterfront for a chat with Dianne in late September.

A chat with… Dianne Hale

Dianne Hale is one of those people there will only ever be one of. She’s a gem. When I heard of her retirement from the role as chair of the Devonport Business Association, I knew we had to do something to acknowledge her service to not only that organisation, but many others.

By Aidan Bennett

I have known Dianne for a long time. She used to work in the bank with my late father Noel way back. That was her first job. Ironically, she also conducted my father’s funeral service in 2011. She’s been a marriage and civil celebrant since 1998. I once joined her ticket to stand for the local board. She romped in and I missed out. It was reassuring to learn during our chat that she failed herself at her first attempt at being elected to council back in 1989. More recently I spent three years as the local board representative (when I was successfully elected!) on the Devonport Business Association and saw what a solid pair of hands she is in the governance space.

Dianne Hale has been part of the North Shore area for most of her life. She was brought up in Whenuapai and married Dennis, from the Hale’s Bakery family in Takapuna. Fifty-six years ago they settled in Devonport and have never left. They love it. The family business, Fleet Street Panel Beaters, in central Devonport, was set up in 1971 and 52 years later is still going strong, these days run by their son Nathan. Until a few years ago Dianne guided the admin for the business, often keeping it going when Dennis was travelling around the world as an international rugby league referee.

It was when Dianne ran the mid-week section of the Ngataringa Tennis Club back in the '80s that she first thought about becoming a local body councillor. Dianne and a fellow member realised that if the club wanted to retain members it needed to install artificial courts. However the request to underwrite the cost was not supported by the then Devonport Borough Council and it annoyed her. Consequently, Dianne stood and was duly elected to the Devonport Borough Council in 1986. She first stood for North Shore City Council in 1989 but missed out. She stood again in 1992 (she says talked into it by Ken McKay), was successful, and went on to serve until the amalgamation of the Auckland supercity in 2010. She was deputy mayor under George Wood for three terms. Dianne was then elected to the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board in 2010, serving two terms before retiring in 2016, completing almost 30 years in local body politics.

What I really like about Dianne is how she is always focused on getting things done. Not an easy thing to do in local body politics. She says she loved council and was particularly proud of the projects she led, too numerous to name, but the northern busway would have to top the list.

Dianne Hale and Aidan Bennett at Dulcie Café on Devonport’s waterfront

“I chaired the busway committee at council for more than nine years and we copped a great deal of criticism of the project back then. We held our nerve and built it. It is a thrill to see how it has blossomed; it is just a pity that some of the pushback watered down parts of the project, such as the proposed Northcote Busway Station close to the bridge and Onewa Road. Opposition meant it didn’t happen. It would have been a great asset for the area.”

Dianne says it is a shame that the Auckland Council structure has taken away the local knowledge of the area from governance of the North Shore.

“I wish we could have kept our own North Shore council. Amalgamation with Rodney to create a bigger entity may have been a better option. North Shore City Council was a pretty well-run council with good planning and manageable debt levels. Investments were being made in all the right areas. Now, a lot of our money goes elsewhere.”

magistrate in the criminal court, serving from 2010 through until 2021, a role she really enjoyed.

Dianne is also a Justice of the Peace (JP), appointed in 1995.

Following on from her local board involvement, Dianne was elected to join the Devonport Business Association board in 2016 as chair. It is a role she has really enjoyed, but believes it was time for a fresh pair of hands.

“The DBA plays a very important role for Devonport businesses and I have enjoyed the seven to eight years immensely,” said Dianne. “At the time I first became involved, the building height issue was very contentious and the Covid years have also brought their challenges. Business viability with the changing retail landscape and working with the new Auckland Council structure, with issues such as roading and parking, have also added complexity for the DBA. I do feel we have operated well, despite all these challenges. We have some excellent new people coming on to the board which is good.

“We have some great businesses in Devonport and real customer loyalty from locals. I am excited about the future, particularly with the investment that is being made by Peninsula Capital in the village. These are local people who I believe only want the best for their home patch and that has got to be good for Devonport. I know they are keen to support the DBA efforts. I have heard it said that Devonport can be the Sausilito (i.e. San Francisco) of Auckland. I reckon that is a pretty good aspiration, and this type of investment can only help.”

Dianne’s service to the community was recognised with a Queens Service Order (QSO) in 2008.

Serving her community is certainly part of Dianne’s DNA. As well as her council and local board work she has served in a governance role for many organisations. These have included the North Harbour Stadium Trust, and she still serves on the Navy Museum Trust Board and a North Shore Fund committee. She retired in 2021 as a community

While Dianne’s retirement from the DBA may mean slowing down, she has found herself another passion. Croquet. She loves playing, and with her friend Jenny they’re driving the fundraising efforts for the North Shore Croquet Club to finance improvements to its Wairoa Road facility. Sounds like a job for Dianne! Throw in tai chi, pilates, and mahjong, with boating and fishing planned for the better weather, and she easily manages to fill her days!

Channel Magazine salutes Dianne Hale. Thanks for your work for the DBA and what you have done for the wider North Shore Community.

Serving her community is certainly part of Dianne’s DNA. As well as her council and local board work she has served in a governance role for many organisations.

Dianne and Dennis Hale

Dianne Hale with Toni van Tonder and Laura Foote at a Devonport Business Association event

Our Award-Winning Aged Care available now, at Lady Allum in Milford.

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How to ensure you’re insured for financial resilience

Resilience is all about being able to overcome the unexpected. In these turbulent times, it’s vital to have insurance cover tailored to your unique needs, to ensure you have the right support if and when you need it.

It’s all about identifying the risks and vulnerabilities that could cause your business difficulties – such as the effects of inflation or extreme weather events – and covering yourself against them to give your business the best chance to thrive.

If you need a second opinion on what risks and vulnerabilities your business may be dealing with, one of the experts in the Rothbury North Shore team would be more than happy to help.

With access to over 40 insurance providers, your local Rothbury broker will recommend the right insurance cover to help mitigate risks and reduce your claim exposure.

Protect your commercial property

Commercial property and equipment are big capital investments for any North Shore business. The right insurance cover can help protect the value of these investments should the unexpected happen, and enhance your financial resilience .

Economic and environmental factors are currently driving changes in commercial property insurance. So if you own commercial property, the following factors are key considerations when reviewing your insurance:

• increased frequency of extreme weather events,

• inflationary pressures, and

• rising construction costs.

As the impact of each factor will vary depending on your circumstances, your Rothbury broker will discuss what the effects of each may mean for you and provide quality advice to help mitigate the potential risks.

For example, if your business is impacted by an extreme weather event such as a storm, as many on the Shore have been, the damage caused to premises and equipment can have a significant financial and operational impact. In this situation, Business Assets and Business Interruption insurance can aid your recovery by covering physical

loss to your buildings and equipment as well as loss of insurable gross profit and fixed expenses (such as staff wages).

Quality advice from locals

The goal of resilience isn’t just to survive but to thrive, and it’s important that your business has the right insurance in place. From recommending the best insurance options, to policy renewal and claims management, your local Rothbury broker will take ownership of your insurance needs, so you can save time and focus on what you do best.

The Rothbury North Shore team is comprised of 11 dedicated commercial and domestic insurance brokers, and every one of them is committed to providing you with personal service and quality advice. And being based right here on Auburn Street in Takapuna, any help you need is just down the road.

If you have any concerns about your current insurance cover, or want a second opinion about your insurance needs, contact your local Rothbury North Shore team today.

Our brokers pair local knowledge with insurance expertise, and can help tailor an insurance policy to help protect what’s most important to you and to give your business the best chance to thrive.

If you need a second opinion on what risks and vulnerabilities your business may be dealing with, one of the experts in the Rothbury North Shore team would be more than happy to help.

Bold as brass, 100 years on

By Heather Barker Vermeer

Where there’s muck, there’s brass. It’s an old saying that rings true in Takapuna. Next to the playing fields on Taharoto Road sits North Shore Brass band rooms. Since 1923, the sounds of brass have resonated from this location, and they’re as loud as they’ve ever been as the band celebrates its golden jubilee during what is proving to be a golden era for the band.

In an age of Artificial Intelligence, a throwback to times gone by is going stronger than ever here on the Shore; reconnecting people IRL (in real life) through a love of music and a sense of community belonging. North Shore Brass Band celebrates its 100th anniversary this year. And it is bucking modern trends in music by proving to be more popular than ever.

President Owen Melhuish has been at the helm of the band for over 13 years. The tuba player is proud and pleased to share the spoils of what has been a seminal year for North Shore Brass.

“We are enjoying a truly golden period this year. Not only with the golden jubilee, but with the calibre of players we have and having brought back so many wins from the national championships this year.”

Owen says eight members of North Shore Brass are currently touring Australia with the National Band of New Zealand after the band enjoyed huge success at this year’s nationals in Dunedin this July. There were six junior champions, the youngest winner being eight year-old trumpet player Celine Wu, who incredibly scooped the Under 15 national title. In addition, Matt Donaldson was awarded the Junior Champion of Champions trophy at only 15 years. This trophy had been won by North Brass Band’s Liam Wright since 2019. Last year, the overall Senior Champion of Champions also went to a North Shore player, Murray Borthwick.

“Both this year’s and last year’s national contest results have been staggering,” says Owen. “It really demonstrates the breadth and depth of talent we have here.”

There are currently 120 musicians, aged from eight to 80 years old, which make up four bands that play under the North Shore Brass banner: North Shore Youth Brass, North Shore Community Band, North Shore Brass Academy (playing in the national C Grade) and North Shore Brass (A Grade).

Sowing the seeds of the current success started a decade ago, says Owen, with the establishment of the band’s youth academy. “We started the academy over ten years ago and that has fed players into different levels of the playing group. Our Director of Music Harmen Vanhoorne has been a real driver of the band’s success in recent years. We’re lucky to have someone of his calibre on board.”

Originally from Belgium, Harmen took up his role of leading the band in 2020. Former cornet soloist with the Royal Wind Band of the Belgian Guides, Harmen is a revered player, tutor and conductor who has made a statement on the New Zealand band scene, not only with the success of so many players under his direction, but with his flamboyant conducting style.

A long time in the planning, a 100th anniversary celebration evening will be held this month – on Saturday 21 October – at the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna. The big birthday event, A Century of Brass, will feature long-time supporter of North Shore Brass, Don McGlashan.

Owen says, “We’re delighted to have the support of Don McGlashan for this very special event. We have done several collaborations with Don over the years, such as a project with New Zealand Dance Company, a World War One centennial performance, and some of our players have travelled to Samoa with him. He has long been a fan of brass band music, starting out on the Shore with

Owen Melhuish

Official opening of the original band room 1930

What does Owen feel is the enduring pull of being a member of a brass band, and how does North Shore Brass continue to attract so many young players amid the digital distractions of modern life?

“It’s a very family-orientated, safe environment for people of all ages and backgrounds to come together, spend time with each other and make music! It truly is an inter-generational activity. Children, parents and grandparents can all be involved in the same band. It’s not only about the music; it’s also about the sense of community.

“Playing in a brass band is something that can continue seamlessly from childhood into adulthood. It’s a low barrier to entry – most players start off with a cornet. These only have three keys and they are also cheap to hire.”

The band owns most of the instruments used, with some players choosing to buy their own. This includes a vast assortment of accompanying percussion instruments, something Owen says people understandably don’t think about in terms of brass band music.

He is rightfully proud of the state of the band in 2023. It is in a healthy position in terms of numbers, finances and competition wins, and is building even further on a successful 2022. “There are currently eight North Shore Brass players in the National Secondary Schools’ Brass Band, seven in the National Youth Brass Band and eight in the National Band of New Zealand. Three of our members are also in the Royal New Zealand Navy Band. It’s great to be able to say we’re in a strong position.”

Part of the 100-year milestone celebration is a book due to be published over Labour Weekend. Mirroring the name of the

centennial concert, A Century of Brass, the book will take readers on a journey from the band’s formation back in 1923. It has been compiled by local historian and long-standing Channel columnist, David Verran.

In the book, David explains how the origins of brass bands stretch back to 1820s Britain and Europe, with the first brass bands on the North Shore being the short-lived Devonport Brass Band, formed around January 1886, and a separate Devonport Naval Band dating from 1885. There were various iterations between then and the formation of Takapuna Municipal Band in 1923.

The band became known as Takapuna City Silver Band from 1964 and entered a golden era during the 1970s, under the direction of Gil Morrison, in which it enjoyed significant national success, much like today. On 8 December 1993, Takapuna City Silver Band became North Shore Brass. It is now the only surviving brass band on Auckland’s North Shore.

To generate income, the band rooms are hired to community groups, and Owen is pleased with the numbers of regular bookings they have attracted for various community activities. He says the band is grateful for the support of Devonport-Takapuna Local Board, and the numerous other funding bodies that have helped along the way.

A ‘sponsor a seat’ fundraising scheme has proved popular since it was introduced last year, with half of the available seats already snapped up. “Hopefully readers can help us get this scheme fully subscribed in our golden anniversary year,” smiles Owen.

Locals can also show their support and experience the stirring sounds of brass on Saturday 21 October at the Bruce Mason Centre from 7.30pm. Secure your tickets for A Century of Brass, with special guest Don McGlashan, at ticketmaster.co.nz. Door sales are also available at Bruce Mason Centre ticket office until sold out.

We are enjoying a truly golden period this year. Not only with the golden jubilee, but with the calibre of players we have...

Don McGlashan

North Shore Brass Band, with Director of Music Harmen Vanhoorne, centre

2022 overall national champions, Liam Wright and Murray Borthwick

Don McGlashan and Celine Wu

By Lewis Rudall, Master Electrician and director at Lake Road Electrical

Create inviting outdoor spaces with electrics and lighting

Summer is almost here and when it comes to enhancing the beauty, functionality and security of your outdoor spaces, electrics and lighting are crucial. Let’s shed light on how to create a breathtaking outdoor oasis.

Safety first: Use weather-resistant materials and maintain outdoor electrical systems. Ensure installations are performed by a licensed electrician.

Functionality: How you would like to use your outdoor space? Time to supercharge the BBQ area, install a spa pool, add ambience, functional lighting or enhance what exists? Extend your living outdoors.

Functional illumination: Outdoor lighting isn't just about aesthetics, it's also about functionality. Consider pathway lighting, motion-activated security lights, and task lighting for cooking and dining.

Aesthetics: Outdoor lighting transforms your property's appearance after dark. A variety of fixtures create layers of illumination that highlight architectural features, landscaping and outdoor art.

Energy efficiency: To minimise energy consumption and reduce costs, opt for LED lighting; highly energy-efficient, long lifespan and provides excellent illumination. Incorporate timers, dimmers, smart systems, and motion sensors to further conserve energy.

Landscape lighting: Elevate your garden and illuminate your outdoor landscape. Consider uplighting trees and statues, and accents for subtle highlighting. In-ground fixtures can also create a seamless look.

Waterproof outlets and covers: Ensure outside outlets are weatherproof and protect connections from the elements. Covers are essential for outdoor entertainment areas, allowing you to power appliances, speakers and more.

Maintenance: Clean fixtures, trim plants that obstruct light, and inspect wiring for wear and tear. This is key to keeping your outdoor electrical components in safe and optimal condition.

Lighting zones: Divide your outdoor space into lighting zones, each with its own switch or control system. This allows you to create different moods and adjust the lighting.

Landscape integration: Lighting can accentuate the natural beauty of your garden and make it a focal point, turning your daytime garden into a stunning night feature.

Get in touch with us, your local family-owned Master electricians. We can help you turn your outdoor area into a captivating and inviting haven. Call us now for a free consultation.

Preparing for El Niño

We are forecast a very hot, dry and tough summer for the gardens. This will be compounded if you have a lot of clay or sand in your soil. However, there are a few things we can do to help prepare our gardens and plants and give them the best chance of coping with an El Niño summer.

Improving soil quality. Both clay and sandy soils are improved by adding compost and other organic materials. Compost allows more water to be stored in sandy soils, and also improves soil structure in clay soils increasing drainage capabilities. If you have clay soil it can also help to add a good amount of gypsum clay breaker and sheep pellets to help improve soil structure over time.

Installing drip irrigation is also a great help as this is one of the most efficient ways to water.

If watering by hand or using pop up irrigation, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning, watering in the middle of the day can lead to leaf burn and much of the water will be lost to evaporation; whereas watering in the evening makes your plants more susceptible to disease and fungal problems.

Seaweed tonic is a great weekly addition to your watering, it contains a large amount of trace minerals and is a wonderful organic way to increase flower, fruit and vegetable yields. Seaweed tonic also improves plant health and resilience to drought, pests and diseases.

Last but certainly not least is my number one addition – mulch Adding a nice thick layer of bark mulch or bark nuggets will not only act as a regulator, insulating the soil from the sun’s heat in the day and from the cold at night, but it also helps to keep the soil from drying so quickly by reducing evaporation, for this reason it works especially well with drip irrigation. Moreover, as the bark or mulch breaks down over time it will also help to improve the soil structure of your soil, another great benefit.

Amanda Graham Newhaven Gardens Ltd 021 378969 instagram.com/newhavengardens/

amanda@newhavengardens.co.nz newhavengardens.co.nz

Top tips from Amanda Graham, Newhaven Gardens. North Shore hedge trimming, garden tidy ups, planting, pruning and garden maintenance.

Big impact, low maintenance

As the traditional quarter-acre section becomes a thing of the past, we have embraced the creative opportunity our new housing developments have brought. No matter the size or the space, there is a garden to suit every lifestyle, from busy families to retired downsizers and everything in between.

When dealing with urban environments, our homeowners often request a fuss-free outdoor space requiring minimal maintenance. Having a garden doesn’t mean you must sacrifice a lot of time on the upkeep. If low maintenance is your thing, here are our top tips to get you going:

Ditch the lawn and the mower

Lawns require mowing. Often. Weekly in summer and at least monthly in winter, not to mention the effort needed to keep the weeds at bay. As an alternative, if you really want a lawn, hardy mat-forming ground covers can offer the same benefits without needing constant mowing.

Build contained garden beds

We can create a lush garden in even the smallest of spaces by planting pockets of greenery between decking and paving. Contained garden

beds allow us to maximise the functionality of the space by planting around entertaining or relaxation zones. If space is an issue, raised garden beds enable us to bring in additional soil required for planting larger trees, particularly where privacy is needed.

Easy care plants

If you want to keep maintenance as low as possible, select easy-care, hardy plants that require minimal upkeep and less water. Natives, including our grasses and flaxes, and shrubs like corokia and coprosma repens, are a good option. If natives aren’t your thing, some of our favourite exotics include westringia, nepeta, ajuga, and dianella, to name a few. Just remember to consider the aspect of the garden and how much sun/shade the plants will get.

City Botanics specialises in small urban gardens, terraced housing, balconies and decks. If you are thinking about transforming your small outdoor space, contact Martin and his team on 027 215 7884 citybotanics.co.nz

design and create thoughtful, liveable green spaces for urban dwellers

Do you have this pest plant in your backyard?

October pest plant of the month: Climbing asparagus

Climbing asparagus is a scrambling vine that is capable of smothering and shading out seedlings, eventually creating thick mats throughout the understory and preventing indigenous forest regeneration. This vine is able to grow in shaded areas making it a high threat for invading native bush. The berries ripen from green to red-orange and the seed is spread by birds. Climbing asparagus can also be spread by dumping of garden waste.

Take action as soon as possible:

• Dig out small infestations, trying to remove all parts of the root rhizomes – climbing asparagus can regrow from rhizomes that are left in the ground.

• If using herbicides, they’re most effective in spring and early summer before the seeds have ripened. Hand pull any climbing vines off non-target plants and seedlings before spraying. Spray with glyphosate 10ml/l (plus penetrant). Always wear appropriate personal protection equipment and read the manufacturer’s label for guidelines and recommendations. Talk to your local group for further guidance.

• Follow up in three months to reapply herbicide and ensure all regrowth has died.

• Dispose of seeds, rhizomes and roots in your rubbish bin to go to landfill, securely tied inside a plastic bag – to stop it spreading to other areas.

• Talk to your neighbours and encourage them to take action too!

There are several environmental networks across Auckland’s North Shore that support communities to recognise, report and remove pest plants and restore our native wildlife.

East Coast Bays and Hibiscus Coast, Restore Hibiscus & Bays info@restorehb.org.nz restorehb.org.nz/resources-pest-plants/ Facebook.com/RestoreHB

Kaipātiki, Pest Free Kaipātiki (PFK), enquiries@pestfreekaipatiki.org.nz pfk.org.nz/pest-plant-resources Facebook.com/pestfreekaipatiki/

Takapuna, Pupuke Birdsong Project, enviro@takapunatrust.org.nz Facebook.com/pupukebirdsongproject

Devonport Peninsula, Restoring Takarunga Hauraki pestfreedevonport@gmail.com, Facebook.com/restoringtakarungahauraki/

Upper Harbour, Upper Waitematā Ecology Network (UWEN) info@upperharbourecologynetwork.org Facebook.com/ @upperwaitemataecologynetwork

For advice on chemical-free alternatives, Kaipātiki Project community@kaipatiki.org.nz kaipatiki.org.nz Facebook.com/kaipatikiproject

This monthly feature is a collaborative initiative between Restore Hibiscus & Bays, Pest Free Kaipātiki Restoration Society, Pupuke Birdsong Project, Restoring Takarunga Hauraki, the Upper Waitematā Ecology Network and Kaipātiki Project. Building on Te Ao Māori principles of kaitiakitanga and whanaungatanga, these environmental networks bring our communities together to foster guardianship, care and respect towards our whenua, natural world and indigenous wildlife.

Leaky homes and plaster cladding

Leaky homes and monolithic plaster cladding have been significant issues in New Zealand over the past few decades. These problems can lead to costly repairs, mould growth, and even health issues for homeowners. Here are some crucial tips to prepare for and prevent your home from becoming a victim of these issues.

1. Regularly inspect your home

It’s essential to regularly check your home for any signs of water damage, including mould, water stains and dampness. Early detection can save you from more extensive damage and expenses down the road.

2. Maintain exterior cladding

Ensure that any external cladding, especially plaster cladding, is not only properly installed but also well-maintained. Faulty cladding can allow water to seep into your home's structure, causing significant damage over time.

3. Keep gutters and downpipes clear

Regular maintenance of gutters and downpipes is crucial to prevent water from seeping into your home. Clogged gutters can lead to overflow, which can damage exterior walls and even infiltrate your interior spaces

4. Exterior wall maintenance

Regularly maintain your exterior walls to prevent water penetration. Cracks or gaps in your home's exterior can become entry points for moisture, so address them promptly.

5. Professional home inspections

If you’re in the process of purchasing a home, it’s highly advisable to have it inspected by a professional. A thorough inspection can identify any existing issues, including those related to cladding and potential leaks.

6. Address issues promptly

If you suspect that your home may have issues with leaks or plaster cladding, don’t hesitate to contact a professional builder. They can assess the damage and recommend necessary repairs to safeguard your home's integrity.

Regular maintenance is a vital aspect of preserving the condition of your home or building. We are proud to recommend the guys at Supercity Property Services for your house and building washing, roof washing and treatments, exterior painting needs, to help keep your property in top notch condition. Contact supercityproperty.co.nz

Thinking of building or renovating or just some general building maintenance? Contact Brett or a no-obligation free quote brettb@sorenovate.co.nz 021 861 794 sorenovate.co.nz

For more about us or our latest projects visit our website www.sorenovate.co.nz or follow and interact with us on social media instagram @so_renovate facebook @sorenovate

Early detection can save you from more extensive damage and expenses down the road.

Join a JustWorkout gym and achieve your fitness goals

The JustWorkout team is dedicated to providing exceptional, personal service and an extensive range and variery of exercise options across eight locations on the North Shore. Takapuna's JustWorkout is centrally and conveniently located at 79 Barrys Point Road, and offers a variety of membership benefits, including:

• Complimentary 24-hour access to all of our fitness clubs

• Free group fitness classes

• A free initial health check

• A free personalised exercise programme

• Free programme updates

• Free mini progress assessments

JustWorkout General Manager, Jay Hill says, "Our number one goal is to make a positive impact on the lives of our members. From our personalised training approach, to our convenient locations, to first-class equipment and classes, to our passionate staff, at JustWorkout we’re here to make a difference." JustWorkout began life in 1996, and pride themselves on not being a fly-by-night operation or a basic low-cost, high-volume gym. Hill continues, "We provide a gym experience that has been created and fine-tuned by gym professionals for over 20 years.”

"Great

trainers, awesome nutrition advice, plus up to date equipment, parking is easy, very accessible!" - testimonial from Takapuna JustWorkout member, Kathryn Hall

JustWorkout, 79 Barrys Point Road

JustOne, Yoga and Pilates fitness classes

Win the morning, win the day

Win the Day: an affirmation of optimism that’s perfectly suited as the name of Isaac Masden’s small start-up in Belmont. Christine Young meets the creator of a unique coffee-and-vintage business that’s fast becoming a community hub.

Many locals will know Isaac as the exemplary and friendly barista in a couple of converted garages behind Belmont Baptist Church, opposite the entrance to Belmont Primary School. Isaac provides convenient coffees to parents and caregivers as they drop their charges off at school in the mornings. Later, he serves the same excellent coffee and friendly conversation to an eclectic mix of locals, who call in at Win the Day for their daily (or weekly) caffeine fix but also, sometimes, simply to chat. A self-described extrovert, Isaac knows many of them by name, enjoys meeting old and new friends, and his passion for creating community and connections shines through as customers arrive during our late-morning interview. Coffee and vintage? Or, as it is now, coffee and vintage golf? How does it work?

The genesis of this small business stems from Isaac’s love of coffee, op-shopping, deep grounding in Christianity and community, and his ethos of making everything he does as sustainable and respectful of the environment as he can.

He loved op-shopping with his mother as a child, and as one of a large family, was used to wearing hand-me-downs as a child. By the time he was 18, he was committed to environmental sustainability and claims that he has only ever worn vintage clothing since then, aware of the huge impact the fast fashion industry has on the environment and on the lives of the people who help create it.

Before and during his time at university he was a youth worker, youth leader and youth service manager at CYC (Coast Youth Community) Trust in Whangaparaoa, Springboard Community Works in Warkworth, and for Northcote Baptist Church. Initially he gave the fruits of his surplus op-shopping to the youth, “because they liked my style”, he says. But some offered to pay for it, and the idea of selling vintage clothing that matched his style was born.

Another influence from his childhood was his father’s love of coffee – and the at-home espresso machine his father made frequent use of. Between his father and a mentor at one of his jobs as a youth worker,

By Christine Young

Isaac became a more than competent barista. So competent, that when he left university and started a job at Coca Cola, when it became known he could work magic with a coffee machine, he spent a fair chunk of his early mornings at work making coffee for colleagues.

So far so good. The idea for what is now Win the Day further developed when he began attending Belmont Baptist Church with his then-girlfriend (now wife) Anna. The church just happened to have two unused and unloved garages. Isaac dusted off and revised a business plan he had developed as a university assignment, and approached the church about taking over the garages. With a lease in place that reduced the risk to his new business, but also offered the church a return on the previously unused garages, Isaac and Anna worked with family and friends to “spruce up” the garages; in fact, to completely clear them out, reline them, install plumbing and electricity, and paint them inside and out. Anna, who works in advertising and marketing, also contributed the logo, and in April 2021, what is now Win the Day opened for business.

Isaac paid for the renovations and a commercial espresso machine out of his own pocket, and says he’s “super-grateful for the opportunity”.

“I grew up in the church and have always been a Christian,” he says. “I see this as my ministry. I get to meet people, to chat with them, and if it’s right, to pray with them. I’ve invited people to join the church.”

At the same time, it hasn’t been all plain sailing. The original name for the business was Mufti – until a few people pointed out that a mufti was an Islamic scholar or legal expert. “We didn’t want that to affect our business,” says Isaac, so during that last, long Auckland lockdown he and Anna came up with the upbeat Win the Day, Anna being a big believer in the tenet that if you win the morning you win the day.

Initially the focus was on coffee and generic vintage clothing –anything that Isaac felt reflected his style and personality. As with

Between his father and a mentor at one of his jobs as a youth worker, Isaac became a more than competent barista.

Isaac Masden outside the Win the Day premises

many start-ups he soon discovered that his initial product mix did not generate enough profit to sustain his dream of a community-oriented business that offered him the flexible lifestyle he dreamed of – let alone their dream of Anna also working in the business.

Isaac, once a highly accomplished athlete (under-age North Harbour rep in rugby, and on the way to being a pro snowboarder in Queenstown until a disastrous pair of car accidents ended his serious sporting days) has relatively recently discovered a passion for golf: for the game, and for the quality vintage golf gear of the 1980s and ’90s in particular. The vintage aspect of Win the Day morphed into Win the Day Golf, complete with online sales (which are currently larger than in-store sales) and its own logo.

He still op-shops some of the gear he stocks – mainly polos and caps – but he brings in vintage golf clothing you can’t get in New Zealand. “It’s still ethical,” he says. “It’s getting another life, and I believe the quality and style are better than today’s.”

Speaking of ethical, the coffee side of Win the Day is similarly driven by ethical considerations. Isaac encourages customers to bring their own keep-cups, or to use one of the selection of (op-shopped) Garfield mugs that line shelves in the second garage, which also boasts comfy sofas, and a couple of tables. He’s thinking of reintroducing keep-cups for sale, and you can bet they won’t be plastic. And he serves Flight coffee, a brand that over the last ten years has developed and remained committed to ethical coffee production, from the coffee farmer through to processing.

Isaac knows he needs to grow the business for it – and him – to survive financially. His dilemma is finding a balance between lifestyle, community and profitability. He needs to increase the number of cups of coffee he serves each day, especially during school holidays when around half of his daily customers, Belmont Primary parents and caregivers, aren’t dropping in after dropping their charges at school. He’ll run one or two markets over the summer, in what during the term serves as a carpark, and sees himself in the future developing the golf side of the business – a small putting green right outside the store, for example (once they can afford that); and golf camps, particularly geared to open up discussions around issues men especially find hard to talk about. “Some of the best conversations happen on the golf course,” says Isaac.

Oh, and by the time you read this, he and Anna will have started a twice-a-week early morning run club – a community-oriented five kilometre run (or walk) that will start and finish at Win the Day. They may also be stocking New Zealand developed Vollé biodegradable golf balls and golf tees made of up-cycled coffee grounds and biomaterial, and Isaac is considering selling vintage/recycled golf bags.

“I’ve got lots of plans and ideas but they’re not fully formed,” he confesses. “I want to make something happen, and I’m still learning. It’s hard, working on my own and motivating myself. People don’t realise

how grabbing a $5 coffee off me makes my day. If I had 50 more people a day….”

Given Isaac’s resilience and determination to date in building the business and handling the challenges life has thrown at him, odds are that with his strong belief in a God who works always for good, and Issac’s own strong sense of community, he and the business will both

Isaac Masden shows off some of his vintage golf gear

Guest Speaker

Ruby Tui

Appreciating our environment, home and away

From DTLB Chair, Toni van Tonder

Last month, my husband and I took our three children abroad for a much-needed holiday and a boost of vitamin D. We went to Beijing and Thailand and, I tell you what, there’s nothing quite like getting away to help crystalise your appreciation for home.

On our journeys, in between the kilometres travelled, there were a few observations I made that drew my thinking back to Council matters. I was surprised to see the vast number of established trees in Beijing. President Xi Jinping has been, for over a decade, encouraging residents to participate in a massive programme of afforestation (planting stands of trees in areas where there have never been any before). It’s something to behold! Not only is the city far greener than I ever expected, but the trees do a massive service in cooling what is an extremely hot place to live and travel. It was, while we were there, typically 33 degrees Celsius each day. If we weren’t walking under the tree canopy, then the kids pretty much short-circuited and their legs stopped moving, so I was grateful for the shade.

We booked a tour to see The Great Wall and our English-speaking driver told us of the impacts of climate change. He observed that historically they’ve only ever had a smattering of days where temperatures have soared into the high 30s. This summer, however, they’ve had nearly seven days’ worth of 40 degrees. It’s put a hold on outdoor work, placed stress on power grids as demand for air conditioning has soared, and now they’re witnessing impacts on their food production as growing conditions have vastly changed. It’s quite scary stuff. Knowing how long it takes for trees to mature to create good canopy, I’ve come back feeling like we need to supercharge our planting efforts. Future generations will need it.

Bangkok made me utter thanks for our pretty good wastewater networks, for our housing quality and our safe power supply; although I did see the benefit of being able to throw my three kids onto a scooter and nip around town! I don’t think I’d get away with that here. I guess every place has its pros and cons.

In local (and more important) matters, I’m grateful we’ve had a few positive announcements. Firstly, Auckland Council landed on a co-funding deal with the Crown in response to the flooding and weather events this summer. It’s a $2 billion ‘recovery package’ aimed at improving Auckland’s storm resilience. The package provides $774 million for Category 3 property buyouts.

The property categorisation process is ongoing (and will be for some time).

The on-site assessments are really important to determine whether homes are at critical risk from future flooding or landslides. So, if you’ve had a letter or email from Council, please do chase it up. Not everyone who has been alerted has taken the opportunity to have their homes assessed. A total of $390 million is tagged to the cost of recovery to the transport network that was directly impacted by the storms, and the final $820 million is to fund projects that will help build

anticipate the development of blue-green networks in our areas that were most impacted: lower Sunnynook and Milford. We’ll keep you posted on what they may look like when we know more.

In the middle of August, we were told that Fullers had made a decision to stop delivering the Northcote/Birkenhead/Baysater ferry run. With a huge shortfall in skippers, and a protracted training programme to upskill new skippers, they’ve made a decision to redeploy some of their vessels to deliver a fast-tracked training programme. This was a huge blow for ferry commuters, and it felt like another huge step back in public transport provision for the Devonport peninsula and other areas. However, we should have all reserved our judgement because, just four weeks later, AT made an announcement that they have contracted Explore Group to take on the service with no interruption at all. Obviously, they have the same challenges with regards to a lack of skippers in the country, so it will still be some time before the service returns to the pre-Covid frequency, but I’m certainly grateful that they’ve stepped into the void and supported locals to get around without returning to their cars and adding further to the Lake Road burden.

In the last week of September, like many other incorporated societies and charitable trusts, the Devonport Business Association hosted its AGM. This meeting was an important one as it was the last one that Dianne Hale hosted as chair of the DBA. I want to take a moment to acknowledge Dianne for her commitment to her community and local business. Dianne was first elected to the Devonport Borough Council in 1986 and continued her local government career becoming the deputy mayor when George Wood was North Shore mayor. Following amalgamation, she served on the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board until 2016 when she finally stepped away and focused her energies on work, family, and the Devonport Business Association which she has chaired since its inception. Dianne is someone I deeply admire; she has gifted her time to the community for decades. Levelheaded, future-focused, and pragmatic, she always plays the issue rather than the person. Thank you, Di, for bringing life and vitality to Devonport’s town centre over the years, advocating for local outcomes and benefits to business.

Happy October, all.

Toni van Tonder, Chair, Devonport-Takapuna Local Board

Email: toni.vantonder@aucklandcouncil.govt.nz

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A fortnight of sporting fun

Sport came to the fore for two weeks in late Term 3 as the excitement of Winter Tournament Week, followed by AIMS Games, swept through schools across the country.

Competing in various regions around New Zealand, Kristin had 12 teams competing at Tournament Week in sports such as Basketball, Football, Fencing, Equestrian, Hockey and more. This week is always a great opportunity for our teams to travel to different locations and experience competition against schools or teams that they don’t usually face off against.

There were plenty of highlights, including our champion fencers taking home multiple gold medals, our 1st XI Boys’ Hockey team taking out the title in Nelson (beating Nelson College in the final on their home patch), which also secures them a spot in the top tier national league in 2024, as well as some top results in Equestrian and others.

The following week we had 100 Year 7 and 8 students head south to Tauranga for the muchanticipated AIMS Games, joining 11,000 students from around Aotearoa. The spread of sporting disciplines was large with multiple team and individual sports being represented by Kristin. We even had our Hip Hop team competing for the first time at AIMS this year, further showing there is something for everyone to get involved in.

There were some very notable results with our Badminton, Table Tennis and Swimming teams all tasting championship success. Overall, it was another great AIMS week with all students making the most of the opportunity to connect with fellow students and push themselves in their chosen sports.

Kristin students raise more than $7500 for Starship

In the penultimate week of Term 3, Kristin Middle and Senior School leadership students laced up their runners to raise money for the Starship Children's Hospital.

Kristin’s annual Run for Starship celebrates the life of former Prefect Peter Troake, who sadly passed away in 2017, while also raising much needed funds for Starship.

The run consisted of each student completing as many onekilometre laps as possible over a period of two hours, with friends and family sponsoring students for each lap they complete.

More than 50 participants took part this year, making this the biggest edition of the event to date. They completed an astonishing 610 laps, raising in excess of $7500 for Starship from their efforts.

Middle School Assistant Principal Mark Haslam says: “I was delighted with the organisation and dedication of the Year 10 Peter Troake Alliance Team in regard to putting on this year's annual Peter Troake Run for Starship. The two hours that the students and members of Peter's family walked and ran the one kilometre circuit around the school, allowed them in a meaningful way, to continue Peter's legacy of altruistic, service leadership.”

Kristin students enriching local environment

A raft of Kristin students, spread across many year groups, are making a sustainable difference in our local community with their involvement in the Te Hōnonga a Iwi – Restoring Rosedale Park project.

This project is a five-year community-led initiative that aims to restore a large area in nearby Rosedale Park, using bio-organic principles to revitalise the land and the adjacent Alexander Stream with the goal of turning it into a park-like place where biodiversity can increase, and local people can go to connect with nature.

Kristin students, along with many other schools and organisations, have been involved in many facets of the project such as clearing invasive species, planting native plants and ground covers, as well as many other tasks to achieve the projects’ objective.

Students from the Kristin Junior, Middle and Senior Schools have all been mucking in at different times, including the Kristin Girls’ 1st XI hockey team and environmental science students, among others.

Our Year 2 Junior School students are currently contributing to the Te Hōnonga a Iwi Nursery Project. This involves taking over

Kristin sing to gold

There has been plenty to sing about at Kristin in recent times, with two of our exceptional choirs winning Gold awards on the national and regional stages.

Kicking off with the annual The Big Sing Finale at the Auckland Town Hall, our ever-successful Euphony choir claimed a prestigious Gold award after three days of full noise competition.

Euphony is comprised of more than 50 students from Year 9 through to Year 13 and is currently in its 25th year of competition. Over that time they have claimed many national and international accolades, and this recent accomplishment once again places Euphony in the top few female choirs in New Zealand. The standard of singing was extremely high, with the Australian adjudicator commenting that they could only dream of having such a sophisticated level of choral music in schools in their country.

Next up it was our premier Junior School choir ‘The Treble Clefs’ turn to take to the stage at the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Parnell, competing in the Primary Schools category of the annual The Kids

Year 10 Kauri crowned champions

A tall congratulations are in order for our Kristin Year 10 Kauri Basketball team, who were recently crowned champions of the top North Harbour Junior Boys Year 9 & 10 League 1. The mighty Kauri had a stellar season, culminating with the grand-final against a talented team from Westlake Boys’ High School. The Kristin boys left it all out on the court, claiming a close 3-point victory and with it the 2023 title!

responsibility for transplanting and nurturing harakeke seedlings. These seedlings will then be passed to a local retirement community for care over the summer, before being planted on the Rosedale Park site by our Year 5 students early next year.

These projects are incredibly enriching for students to be involved in as they provide fantastic learning opportunities, offer students the chance to better understand the importance of looking after the environment, and allow them to further strengthen bonds with peers in and out of the classroom setting.

As well as our students’ contribution to Te Hōnonga a Iwi, Kristin has many similar initiatives of our own on school grounds, including our Lucas Creek Restoration project. After proudly achieving GreenGold Enviroschools status last year, we continue to strive to better our local environment on-and-off school grounds.

Sing Festival. Made up of 65 Year 4, 5 and 6 students (and three instrumentalists), The Treble Clefs delivered a beautiful three song performance, winning the hearts of the adjudicators and being rewarded for their phenomenal singing with a Gold award. To add to our choirs successes, ‘Noteworthy’, our Year 7 and 8 choir, were awarded a Silver award at the same competition.

A huge congratulations goes out to our dedicated teams working behind these singers, to all of the schools and students involved in these competitions, as well as to our Kristin students for their Gold award successes.

Smallest of margins bring agony, ecstasy

In sport, small margins can mean the difference between success and disappointment; agony and ecstasy. This was the case for our top football and rugby teams.

Key moments saw our 1st XI Football team win all four trophies available to them while our 1st XV Rugby team reached a National Final.

Our 1st XI Football team made the final of Winter Tournament Week where they faced a spirited St Peter’s College. The score was locked at 0-all and went to extra time. With just 90 seconds to go before a penalty shootout, up stepped Finn McKenlay to hit a header home and win the national title.

Our 1st XV rugby team experienced similar highs after winning the North Harbour 1st XV 1A competition for the sixth straight year, defeating Rosmini 42-8 in the final.

The following week, they were up against a formidable Sacred Heart side in the Blues Final. The match was a gripping contest played on our home field in front of 5,000 spectators. With just minutes to spare, and Sacred Heart pressing on our tryline, our 1st XV held on to win 32-31.

For the second consecutive year, and by the smallest of margins they were Blues champions.

A week later the 1st XV faced Tauranga Boys College in the Top 4 semifinal in Palmerston North. The game was on knife edge but our boys again showed courage to win 43-40.

Two days later they faced Southland Boys High School in the National Final and led 19-10 at halftime. However, Southland went on to win 29-32 by the finest of margins. Our players can still be immensely proud of their efforts this season.

For our 1st XI Football team, the last piece of the trophy puzzle was beating Selwyn College 3-1 in the Knockout Cup final, after goals from Finn McKenlay, Troy Putt and James Taylor.

We are just the second school team to hold the Auckland Premier League, Knockout Cup, National Title and the Alex Harvey Industries

Trophy (the Ranfurly Shield for schoolboy football) in a season. James Taylor also won the Auckland Golden Boot award for most goals in a season.

Westlake Assistant Principal and football coach Nick Dale praised our football efforts this year after our U13s, U15s and 1st XI all won Knockout Grades.

“We are very proud of our 1st XI footballers this year, they have created a team culture of hard work, loyalty and togetherness throughout the season and they have represented themselves and our school with pride.

“They have left a Westlake football legacy which will inspire other footballers in the school to follow in their footsteps for generations to come. 2023 has been a special year for football at the school.”

1st XV rugby manager and Deputy Principal Mr Shane Young said the team this year had gone further than any other Westlake 1st XV and created history by making the National Top 4 final.

“Their achievements have been built around a programme starting as early as November 2022 and a commitment from the group of players to multiple sessions every week. The commitment of these players combined with the quality and dedication of the coaching team, being prepared to play a brand of rugby that made opposition have to rethink their strategy and a culture of integrity have all contributed to the results of the season.

“We are extremely proud of this group of young men on their results but also on the way they have conducted themselves this year and the manner in which they represented the School.

“Individually the team has achieved far more representative honours that any other team in the past. Well done to James Cameron and Isaac Murray Macgregor on their selection for New Zealand Secondary Schools team and to Blake Lidgard and Reimana Saunderson-Rurawhe on their selection for New Zealand u18 Maori.

“A total of 10 players (8 Blues and 2 Crusaders) will be represent two franchises at u18 level.”

The 1st XV Rugby team after winning their top 4 semifinal First XI football national champions

Gala Dinner a standout success

The Westlake Boys inaugural Gala Dinner was a standout success with over $65,000 raised for the Boys First fund.

Guests arrived on a red carpet and were welcomed with complimentary espresso martinis setting the scene for the James Bond-themed event. Actor Shane Cortese did a wonderful job as the MC for the evening while Martin Cooper from Harcourts Cooper & Co skilfully led the live auction.

The three-course dinner was delicious and the evening concluded with guests dancing to the popular beats of Dukes of Hammersmith.

Special thanks to our wonderful gala partners whose sponsorship helped bring this event to our community: Benefitz our platinum sponsor and print specialists for the event, Harcourts Cooper & Co in partnership with Team Roberts, our gold sponsor which also provided the auctioneering expertise, and Lexus of North Shore and Hallertau Beer, our silver sponsors, for their generous contributions.

The Boys First fund has been established specifically for projects and initiatives that support the wellbeing and development of all our boys during their time with us.

Headmaster Mr David Ferguson said the fund would help us do an even better job supporting our students.

“Boys thrive on finding their passions, getting better at interests they pursue, and being valued for what they can contribute. The more we can offer them, the more this can happen.”

We are delighted to confirm the first initiative to receive support is the 2024 Motutapu Island Year 9 camp in January. Thank you to everyone who helped make this a reality.

Choirs win gold at finale

Our two Westlake Boys choirs were awarded gold at the NZCF Big Sing finale at Auckland Town Hall on 26-27 August.

Voicemale, our premier student choir, received a standing ovation for their performance of ‘Mack the Knife’, choreographed by our HOD Drama Nick Brown with assistance from HOD Music Warwick Robinson and conductor David Squire.

Choralation, our mixed voice choir from Westlake Boys and Girls, won the Auahi Kore award for Best Performance of an Item in Te Reo Māori. They drew loud applause for their performance of 'I te timatanga nā Te Whānau Wehi'.

Videos of both performances posted on our Facebook page have had more than 360,000 views with positive comments from new Westlake fans around the world.

Nathan Davies held aloft at the Big Sing finale

Exciting debating team news

Our senior debating team (Isabella Drummond, Dinithi Liyanage, Grace Adcock, and Sydney Brandolino) won its championship debate on 5 September against Dilworth Boys!

It was a close debate, but our team won in the finals. It is now the reigning Auckland Schools champion for its grade, Advanced Open. A big thank you to Jane Hodges for organising the event (and debating) and all the staff who attended.

Sydney Brandolino also won Best Speaker of the competition for her grade.

The team members received their awards on 6 September at Saint Kentigern College in Pakuranga. Warm congratulations to you all.

Second XI hockey wins bronze

Our second XI hockey team competed in their national tournament, the Chris Arthur Cup, in September in Ashburton, where the team won a bronze medal. The players hit their stride early in the tournament, winning their pool games against St Andrews (5-0) and Dio (3-0). Westlake was forced to show resilience and resolve in their quarterfinal when RangiRuru went ahead 2-0 in the third quarter. Our team fought back to tie the game 2-2 at the end of regulation and slotted three goals in the shootout to earn its way into the semifinals. St Margarets proved to be a challenging opposition in the semifinals. Despite its best efforts, the Westlake team went down 2-4. However, the players rallied around each other to come back strongly for the final against Christchurch Girls High. Although CGHS scored first, Westlake kept the pressure on, eventually winning the game 4-2. Congratulations also to Charlotte Lockie, who tied for top goal scorer of the tournament.

Pasifika performance at Wilson School

On Tuesday 22 August, a selection of our Cook Island, Tongan, and Fijian dancers performed at the Wilson School in Takapuna as part of its Pasifika festival. The girls performed beautifully, and the audience of students, support workers and staff were very supportive and enthusiastic.

Here is what one of our students had to say:

"Today was an amazing opportunity. To be given the chance to perform in front of a school with special needs was empowering. It reminds me of why I've chosen to take a career path that helps with young children. It was a one-of-a-kind experience that I will forever cherish – having the kids there cheer for us as we performed not only for the Cook Island group, but for the Tongan and Fijian groups too. It filled my heart with joy, knowing that they enjoyed our performance. Not only that but being able to see them interact with our students and take photos reminds me of how grateful I am to be blessed with such opportunities; I pray that there are many more experiences for our PI students like this. I would just like to thank our school for letting us, the Pacific Island students, go on this trip and share our culture with the students of the Wilson School." Emma-Jade Amadia.

Amaya Tan-Peters – NZSS Climbing Cup

Year 10 student Amaya Tan-Peters competed at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Climbing Cup in Mount Maunganui on 28-29 Aug. Amaya competed in her usual disciplines in the Junior Female combined bouldering/top-rope event, as well as competing in the Junior Female speed climbing event for the first time. She continued her strong season in bouldering/ top-rope, winning the Junior Female bronze medal with 127.5 points and finishing only three points behind first place. In the speed climbing event, Amaya earned a strong fifth place in the qualifiers, where only the top eight went through to the finals, and less than one second separated second to fifth places. Amaya continued her rapid learning curve in the head-to-head finals, beating the fourth fastest qualifier before losing the semifinals by 0.4sec. Amaya executed her best speed climb of the weekend in the bronze medal round, winning in 12.488sec and beating the second fastest qualifier. In winning bronze in both disciplines, Amaya was the highest-ranked Auckland Junior Female in the tournament and the only Junior Female medallist who didn’t attend Mount Maunganui College.

Isabella Drummond, Dinithi Liyanage, Grace Adcock, Sydney Brandolino

Second XI hockey

Westlake students at Wilson School

Amaya Tan-Peters

Lights, camera, action!

On Wednesday 23 August, the media studies department held its annual Oscars Evening, celebrating the successes of our Y12 and Y13 media studies students. The evening kicked off with popcorn as students, their friends, and family settled in to watch the year’s top Y12 narrative music videos and Y13 short films. The students worked incredibly hard to put together their films, and seeing so many people there to support them was great.

At the end of the night, we had an awards ceremony. Awards in many categories, such as best cinematography, storyline, acting, costume and makeup, editing, and more, were handed out.

The top two awards of the night were Best Overall Y12 Music Video, which went to Veronica Liu and Gianna Marigondon for ‘TV’,

Congratulations to all our media studies students for another great year of work!

A tale of students, bubble tea, and cheese!

On Monday 28 August, a group of students interested in careers in food technology and food science had the opportunity to participate in engaging activities in Massey University’s new, state-of-the-art food science and engineering facility at the Albany campus.

Tony Mutukumira, senior lecturer in the School of Food and Advanced Technology, gave us a tour of the new building and introduced his colleagues, who would be our teachers for the day. Tony explained Massey’s Food Science and Engineering degree and the many potential jobs we could get with this qualification, including many international opportunities. He said he has taught many Westlake Girls graduates and is always impressed by our ambition and hard work.

The day was divided into three engaging lab sessions. The first session was the sensory experience lesson. We began with

Westlake student gives back to the community

identifying food aromas, some of which were not pleasant! We also did a blind taste test of Pepsi and Coca-Cola. In the next session, we used alginate as a thickener and made colourful edible balls. These could be added to various foods, such as bubble tea. The alginate experiments showcased the role of edible food products in texture and thickening. Our teacher gave us oobleck to explore as we learned about non-Newtonian fluids. In the final session, we made cheese and ate it! Cheese-making involved using milk and citric acid to separate the curd and whey. We had to be precise and keep the pH at a certain range while adding the acid.

This experience highlighted the fusion of creativity and chemistry in food science. The day was a reminder that food is both an art and a science.

By Aisha Hussien,

St John Youth recently awarded Libby Pauley in Y12 her 1000 Hours Community Service Shield. One thousand hours – that's an incredible effort!

Libby has volunteered at school, within and for St John, and in the community. She spent the last school holidays volunteering at Lifeways Merge Café in Karangahape Road, Auckland Central. The café supports those experiencing homelessness by supplying food, drinks, clothing, free computer and wifi use, and so on. Libby had to travel three hours daily using five buses to get there. This impressive commitment earned her the final 60 hours needed to meet her massive goal of one thousand hours.

Libby spent the weekend of 13–14 August competing against 11 teams from St John Youth from across the motu, with many first, second and third placings. Her team came first in one combination of the tests and second in the overall event.

Year 10.

and Best Overall Y13 Short Film, which went to Regina He, Kate Liu and Fufa Pimolsri for their horror short film ‘XO’.

Libby Pauley

Kate Liu, Fufa Pimolsri, Regina He

Mary Ferrer and Gianna Marigondon

International Baccalaureate continues to evolve at Rangitoto

Rangitoto’s International Baccalaureate (IB) programme has had an exciting Term 3, with updates in subjects and eventful CAS (Creativity, Activity, Service) opportunities.

We are now offering Visual Art and ESS (Environmental Systems & Societies) as IB subjects, alongside Psychology and French as IB-only subjects. Students have also taken self-study Literature or Language and Literature in their mother-tongue this year, with ākonga untaking courses in Arabic, Dutch, German, Korean, Russian, Macedonian, Portuguese, Italian, and Malay. These sit alongside our already wide language offering of Spanish, French, Japanese, Chinese, and English B.

Students have excelled in crafting CAS Portfolios as part of their IB Core, encompassing a range of in-school and community activities. These experiences, often reliant on student volunteerism, not only boost university applications but also cultivate the IB Learner Profile traits, including risk-taking and skill development.

For Creative Day, students chose to engage in a variety of activities, such as knitting, drawing, writing, and many more. The cohort worked together as a team and built their own unique projects, while others focused on their individual creative pursuits. Students have been

exercising their musical talents in our school’s jazz bands and others practising their artistic skills in graphic design and creative writing. We were extremely excited to see their final creative products. Service Day will see collaboration with Te Hōnonga a Iwi at Rosedale Park, where students will participate in ecological conservation tasks like tree planting and site clean-ups.

On the international stage, several students have achieved.

Yeonsu Na represented Korea in the International Canoe Federation (ICF) Junior World Champs Canoe Slalom which took place in Krakow, Poland. He is also in the ICF Talent Identification Programme which is a development camp run by the ICF. Lucie Knight passed the international French Exam C1 DALF which comprises listening, reading, writing, and speaking. Students who pass this four-hour exam can express themselves fluently and spontaneously. IB students Dowoong (Peter) Yang and Minwoo Kim, along with two NCEA team members, Haechan Noh and Joshua Hang, competed in the New Zealand Engineering Science Competition. They were assigned the question, How much power does New Zealand need to adopt generative AI? The results of the competition will be released in November.

The lasting impact of the Year 12 Leadership Programme

Our Year 12 Leadership Programme has recently finished, leaving participants equipped with the necessary skills and insights needed to shape their future journey. The programme's strength lay in presenting different viewpoints through guest speakers. The collective wisdom dismantled the notion that leadership is confined to authority, highlighting its role in making positive change. Central to the programme was highlighting personal growth. Our participants embraced discomfort to uncover their true selves and appreciate different perspectives, making interactions and decision-making better. The programme promoted practical leadership skills beyond

theory. Armed with a refined leadership understanding, participants are prepared to tackle post-school challenges. Whether it's pursuing student leadership roles or excelling in sports, the skills and insights gained from the programme are ready to make a lasting impact.

Echoes of the Year 12 Leadership Programme will resonate in participants' actions, leaving a legacy of purpose, resilience, and effective leadership in individuals and within the school community – qualities that will undoubtedly leave a permanent mark on both individuals and the school community.

Marishelle Van Staden, Year 12

Artwork by Esther Shen

Annual Rangitoto College fashion show delights local community

The Textiles Department has been bustling this term at Rangitoto College. Our Year 10s designed wearable art costumes from materials that would have otherwise ended up in the landfill to enter in the Eye on Nature competition held in Manukau. Rangitoto saw great success when we came away with a merit prize worn by Lily Ma.

The Year 11s designed outfits for Walk the Line, with 13 members of the class being chosen as finalists and invited to show their garments at the Walk the Line show during New Zealand Fashion Week.

We also dazzled our local community with our annual fashion show, displaying garments from every year level, from t-shirts to costumes, and wearable art to baseball shirts. The creativity and hard work is a testament to both the Textiles Department and the students of our kura.

Silver medal at Mayhill Cup

Rosmini College 1st XI hockey team recently showcased their skill, determination and sportsmanship at the recent Mayhill Cup. While they came oh-so-close to the ultimate victory, they secured a silver medal in a nail-biting final match.

Rosmini faced off against a formidable opponent from Bethlehem College, with both teams displaying exceptional teamwork and keeping spectators on the edge of their seats. With just 45 seconds left on the clock, a controversial penalty corner was awarded to Bethlehem College, resulting in a goal that brought the score to 2-2.

The game progressed to a shootout, which also ended in a draw, pushing the match into sudden-death shootouts.

Though the outcome did not favour Rosmini in the end, the boys left the field with their heads held high and silver medals around their necks. Their performance was a testament to their dedication and unwavering spirit, reflecting the true “Rosmini way”.

Rosmini celebrates Te Wiki o te reo Māori

Week 9 at Rosmini was a special time as we joined thousands of New Zealanders in celebrating Te Wiki o te reo Māori.

The week began with a moving karakia, and students took part in various Māori language-focused activities in class, including a traditional Māori game of Tapu Ae. The school library showcased a number of interesting and informative books available to borrow.

On Wednesday six kura (schools) travelled to Rosmini to perform kapa haka. It was inspiring to see so many young people perform with such pride and passion.

In the early hours of Friday morning some of our kaiako (teachers) prepared a delicious hāngi of potatoes, kumara, pumpkin, carrots, cabbage, chicken and pork, with a side of stuffing, which was enjoyed by students and staff at lunchtime!

It was fantastic to hear so much te reo Māori around the school, and to celebrate our special culture.

Students lend a hand

The Young Vinnies recently hosted the second session of Travelling Pots at Carmel College. A group of devoted Year 12s and 13s from Rosmini and Carmel prepared 89 packaged portions of pasta for less fortunate people.

Mattox Song, Young Vinnies leader at Rosmini, says: "I am extremely proud of the boys for giving up their time, following God's work, and, most notably, following the school motto: 'Charity Fulfils the Law'. We are eager to continue this ministry again soon!"

Volleyball victory at zone day

Photo by Joanne Cammell

Rosmini had a very successful day at the recent North Harbour Volleyball Zone Day.

The A team, consisting of year 7 and 8 players, won six games in a row to be undefeated and win the tournament. Congratulations!

IB visual arts exhibition

Our IB2 visual art students showcased a coherent body of work that had been produced over their two-year course. The pieces were produced in a multitude of media, including paintings, installations, sculptures, photographs or ceramics.

The themes were extremely thought provoking and encouraged us to reflect on time and transitions, coming of age experiences, the entropy of capitalism, and the cyclical nature of the patterns of history. To view photos of the student’s art work, please scan this QR code.

Merit badge awards presentation

Annually our Year 12 and 13 students are recognised for the substantial contribution a student has made to their activity or sport. These students have performed with distinction, exhibiting excellent leadership and strong commitment. This year we congratulated nearly 200 students who received a merit award. Nine students pictured above also received a gold merit award for their contribution in four or more individual activities or sports.

To view photos from the ceremony, please scan this QR code:

Shave for a Cure team raises $8.5k...and climbing!

Ten keen students were cheered on by a supportive audience as they lost their hair for Leukemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand. Shave for a Cure has become a staple of the school calendar and this year’s event was an incredible success. So far $8,816 has been raised. The funds will be donated to families dealing with blood cancer across the country. Seeing students so courageously forgoing their hair in front of their encouraging peers and families was a

Alumni dinner

To view the list of award winners, please scan this QR code:

beautiful sight which provoked an emotional response from the audience.

A big thank you to all the students who shaved their heads and to everyone who supported the event financially or otherwise. You can still donate now via this QR Code to show your support and help us get to $10k!

A special mention to brave Sofie Perkinson (pictured) - who has raised over $2,000 this year, making her the biggest contributor to our school total.

A large group of alumni and friends of the school enjoyed wonderful food at our second annual alumni dinner. We celebrated several distinguished alumni for their outstanding achievements and contributions to the community. Honoured was former Black Fern and current head of Women’s High Performance at New Zealand Rugby Hannah Porter, for her contribution to elite sport; Tim Williams and Jonny Henriksen for their significant contributions over more than two decades to innovation and business in New Zealand and overseas; and Bruce Hopkins for his array of achievements and service at national and international level in the performing arts. Kevin Welsh was a special guest, invited by his 1992 TGS fifth grade rugby team. Kevin,who taught and positively influenced many students, retired recently after 43 years as a classroom teacher.

New Zealand Fashion Week Young Designer winner

Year 12 materials technology student, Amelia Smith, was crowned the winner of her designer category at New Zealand Fashion Week, Walk the Line event recently.

Walk the Line is a youth-led fashion design event where high school designers and models aged 13-18 have the opportunity to create and showcase garments on the New Zealand fashion week runway. Out of hundreds of young designers across New Zealand, Amelia’s innovative approach to fashion design stole the show and crowned her the winner.

Cans for Christmas

Our annual Cans for Christmas drive wrapped up recently. It was a great opportunity for us to give back to the community.

In total, Carmel students collected 1561 cans which have been donated to St Vincent de Paul. This will mean a lot to people as they will be able to put dinner on the table at this special time of the year. Each House also got creative by using their contributions as a creative Christmas themed design.

In total, Carmel students collected 1561 cans…

Amelia Smith and her winning designs

Service in Our Community

When students provide service to others, when they give their time, they are developing skills and attributes that cannot be taught easily in the classroom. They are living the Mercy values that are central at Carmel College whereby students are compassionate and respectful, where they will seek justice for others and themselves, and where they will have the courage to pursue their ambitions.

The service programme embraces one of the college’s values and represents a key part of Carmel’s special character. It demonstrates that students have seen a need and have made a difference, giving generously of their time for others. All students are expected to carry out a minimum number of hours of service in the community and reflect on what they have learned from doing that service as they walk the talk.

Age-appropriate opportunities and ideas are promoted within the college for each year group, with many students finding their own way to provide service to others. The parameters around service is that it must be:

• unpaid,

• completed in their own time, and

• of benefit to the community, or environment, or person outside the immediate household.

As Term 3 draws to a close, students' service reflections are being completed. We are reading heart-warming stories of students giving their time and carrying out an incredible range of service actions. They coach sports, babysit, support clubs, tutor younger students, sew and clean for Hospice, walk neighbours' dogs, bake cakes, donate blood, plant trees, pick up litter, and fundraise in dozens of different ways, supporting causes that have a personal connection for them –or simply because they want to help out.

As our students mature we see their service becoming more capable and independent. They report that they make connections, overcome challenges, learn new skills and have a lot of fun. We see them developing their interpersonal skills and organisational abilities and, most importantly, finding a sense of themselves as people who can make a positive difference in the world.

It is wonderful to see, through participation and the contribution made through the service programme, that our young women are developing the skills and attributes to be equipped and empowered to pursue their own personal excellence and are preparing to challenge and shape their futures, whilst being young women of Mercy who act justly, love tenderly and walk humbly with our God.

Chefs for Compassion and Travelling Pots make meals to donate to the community

Ministers of the Eucharist during Ash Wednesday

Sewing heart shaped cushions to donate to Hospice

Chefs for Compassion

Baking for Faith Café – raising funds for Caritas NZ

By Ella Hawkins

Things I wish I knew:

Ella, Mairangi Bay

When tasked with writing something about my experiences of being the mum of a toddler, it was hard to not get personal with the information I included. Everything about motherhood is immensely personal and such a different journey for every person and baby.

Outdoors: We have a border collie, so the current go-to outing for me, my husband and our daughter is adventuring to a beach or park somewhere on the North Shore and exploring together. Getting all three of us out in nature for at least an hour does wonders! We can find the coolest rocks and pile them into our pockets, splash in the rock pools and sand puddles, skip around the beach and practice our running and jumping skills, as well as throwing the ball for our doggie and watching her swim. The extra bonus is that it is all free! (Unless we reward ourselves with a coffee, fluffy and scone.)

Being Silly: As well as watching my little girl grow taller, smarter, faster, funnier and more dramatic every day, for me, the best part of becoming a mother is being able to find my ‘silly’ again. When you are a parent, anything goes. I can run around and act like a child with her, dance with her, find simple games/tasks to complete, sing in silly voices for her and it provides so much entertainment (and expresses my inner child and imagination again). Seeing everything from her perspective can be so fun!

Grandparents: They are a special treasure. Having a child is an amazing thing in itself but, in our personal experience, seeing our parents become grandparents is the absolute best. They too find their inner child and develop this special love and bond with their granddaughter, like a secret language. The endless energy, fun and patience they somehow muster up at their age is pretty awesome. It is a privilege to watch. My husband and I are also lucky enough to still have some of our grandparents around, and to see them light up when they see their great granddaughter, is another level of special!

Confronting: Being a parent really shines a light on all aspects of your own personality, even parts I didn’t know much about. I was confronted with how much of a ‘fixer’ I am and the perfectionism that comes with that. It took me a while (and a lot of advice and support from my husband, friends and family) to realise I didn’t need to find a solution for every growth phase my baby went through. She was simply ‘being a baby’.

I have also learned that I LOVE routine. So, to not have any sort of routine in the early days really disrupted my personal rhythm. I have since learned it is not about me anymore and, once I leaned into following her lead and meeting her particular needs, I started to feel a sense of comfort as a parent. Having a set weekly routine of outings and catch ups was key for me.

Also, having a great community of trusted people and professionals to reach out to for advice really helped. It truly does take a village, and

once you’ve found your village, it is life changing as a parent. I do still trawl through Facebook groups to find out if our current phase is ‘normal’, but I think that is something I will forever be doing for peace of mind, haha!

Friends and support: I found the newborn stage quite hard. My saving grace in the early days of babyhood (and something I am still very thankful for), is the support system of my 'mum' friends (my angels) as well as my awesome husband. My husband and I are lucky to have a friend group with babies of similar ages, and to be able to call on them for advice was incredible.

Something about surrounding yourself with likeminded people in the same or similar situation, makes you feel so sane on the hard days. Getting out for a coffee and walk, visiting their homes for a change of scenery or simply just being in their presence on a hard day to laugh about it, was truly the best. For me, being a first-time mother really stripped everything back to basics and taught me to enjoy the simplest things in life.

Reflecting on what I would do differently: It’s hard to decide on what I would do differently if my husband and I were to have a second child (or just for the sake of being critical of myself), but I would definitely lean on my support system more to have time to myself and try to go with the flow. As well as not putting pressure on myself that as a mother on maternity leave, it was my job and only my job to do everything for my baby. I now know that everything is a 'phase' with newborns growing into babies then into toddlers, and time does go by way too fast. I am so proud of the little person my daughter is becoming, she makes my heart sing everyday! Like one of my colleagues recently said, you very quickly find your new normal and it all becomes second nature.

Memories: I am thankful for the ten million photos I have of our journey together so far. It really illustrates how fast time does go by. My mission while on maternity leave was to be strict on filling out her baby book with information and photos. I also made sure to religiously print out photos and create albums (like my mum has of me growing up) as it is such a nostalgic journey looking back on how far we have come as a family and how much she has grown in such a short time. I’m hoping to keep this up so I have something tangible to treasure and look through when I want to reminisce (and show her when she’s older).

Being a parent really shines a light on all aspects of your own personality, even parts I didn’t know much about.

The new Trusts Act – two years on

Tammy McLeod, Managing Director and trusts specialist at Davenports Law presented a seminar on updates on the new Trusts Act at the North Harbour Lounge, North Harbour Stadium on 29 August. With over 25 years legal experience, Tammy’s extensive knowledge was invaluable on the topic of trusts and the key points you need to consider.

Topics of discussion on the night included why people have trusts or why you might consider winding one up, disclosure of information to beneficiaries, considerations for overseas beneficiaries, importance of independent trustees and trustee meetings and recent case law around the liability of trustees. Tammy also highlighted the importance of Enduring Powers of Attorney and IRD disclosure requirements in relation to trusts.

It was a great opportunity to listen to different situations that directly impact each individual circumstance. Often people don’t think that their circumstances are complicated but there may be legal twists and turns that aren’t thought of that require a specialist to help you navigate.

The seminar only touched the surface on trusts and the effects of the updated act. The Q&A session at the end highlighted that there were still many questions around individual circumstances. If you would like further trust law advice, get in touch with Tammy McLeod and the Davenports Law Team.

09 883 3282

Davenportslaw.co.nz

It was a great opportunity to listen to different situations that directly impact each individual circumstance.

Tammy McLeod, left, and the Davenports Law team

Tammy McLeod (BA LLB) is the managing director at Davenports Law and a trust and asset structuring specialist. Tammy leads the Davenports Trust Team and enjoys providing clients with advice and assistance on a broad range of issues involving the structuring and establishment of asset plans, interpretation of trust deeds, the management and administration of trust funds and trust disputes. An important part of Tammy’s practice is reviewing existing asset holding structures to ensure they achieve the needs and requirements they were established to meet. She is also experienced in Property (Relationships) Act issues and advises clients on both contracting out agreements and separation.

The effects of diminishing capacity

Jenny, Dan and Tania’s father had died five years ago. Their mother, Iris, was now in her late 70s and while she was physically well, they had really started to notice her mental capacity starting to decrease.

Iris and her late husband had owned their home and investment portfolio in a trust they had set up in the 1990s. They also had an investment property they had purchased in their own names which had been passed to Iris by way of survivorship when her husband died. Iris’ daughters could see their mother slipping and thought now was the time for her to move into a retirement village. Iris was fine with that decision, although her son, Dan, was reluctant. After many weeks of looking around various villages with her daughters, Iris paid a deposit on a unit in a village that was in the community that Iris had been living in for many years. They booked an appointment to see Iris’ lawyer.

Iris’ lawyer explained how the occupation licence worked and that it was something that the trust couldn’t purchase. It had to be purchased in Iris’ name. The lawyer explained that the trust could lend the money to Iris for the purchase but that she would need the consent of the trustees of the trust to do that. The trustees of the trust were Iris and Dan, who had been appointed as a trustee after the death of his father. At that point, the girls were concerned. Dan hadn’t been keen for Iris to go into a retirement village because of the costs over time. He thought she was well enough to continue in her own home. He was very keen to preserve all trust assets for the next generation.

The lawyer also mentioned Iris’ diminishing capacity. She explained that under the new trust laws, people could not be trustees once they no longer had mental capacity. As Iris’ trust deed was an old one, if she lost capacity, then Dan would be the remaining trustee with the power to appoint new trustees. Because of the way the trusts had been set up and decisions made as to who would be trustees of the trust after their father died, Jenny and Tania now had absolutely no say in how they could help their mother move into care that was more appropriate for her current needs.

The lawyer then talked about enduring powers of attorney and how important they were at all stages of life. Iris had fortunately put those in place years ago. Jenny and Dan were jointly attorney for property and Tania was attorney for personal care and welfare. Jenny then became concerned that she may not be able to work with Dan given his position in relation to the trust and his mother’s care going forward.

Iris and her husband had appointed Dan to come on as a trustee when Iris’ husband had died, but perhaps had not appreciated the different view Dan might hold to his sisters. They had done everything right with having powers of attorney in place as well, but there may

have been no thought given as to how that might impact the trust. This scenario highlights the need to understand all the aspects of your asset planning. Sometimes the decisions you make around your powers of attorney will have an impact on who has the power to say who the trustees of your trust are if you lose capacity. In some trusts, that has no impact at all. In other cases, if you die, then the make-up of the trustees may be different again. It is so important to take specialist advice to ensure that all facets work well together.

Diminishing capacity is becoming more of a talking point with an aging population. It is so important to continually review your affairs to ensure that you have a plan which works cohesively with all family members in all events – whether you are alive and functioning, alive with diminished capacity or deceased.

Tammy McLeod, Managing Director, Davenports Law

09 883 3282

DAVENPORTSLAW.CO.NZ

… Jenny and Tania now had absolutely no say in how they could help their mother move into care that was more appropriate for her current needs.

Asset Protection. Considering Everything Together.

The protection of assets that we have worked so hard to acquire is an important consideration for most people. Trusts provide protection of those invaluable assets, which allow a person to hold property and assets on behalf of another - for the good of the beneficiaries.

It is just as important to ensure that other forms of asset structuring are up to date and considered in relation to your trusts structure. These include your will and enduring powers of attorney. Contact Tammy

Considerations for New Zealand businesses when seeking bank funding

In the world of business, few things are more crucial than securing funding, whether that be for a project, seeking growth or innovation, or simply navigating your business’s specific day to day cash flow needs. Whether you’re an established business or a startup, it is paramount that you understand some of the key considerations that need to be taken when approaching a bank for funding.

In this article, we explore some of the funding options available to businesses, the importance of aligning the purpose of the funding with the needs of the business, and what you should prepare before going to a bank.

Aligning funding furpose with business needs

When it comes to securing bank funding, the type of funding chosen will carry with it different repayment terms, interest rates and security requirements. Therefore, ensuring that your funding solution is fit for your purpose is an opportunity to add value and avoid undue risk. Here are some solutions available:

• Working capital loans. These are used to cover the day-to-day operations of the business and are generally secured against the current assets on the business’s balance sheet. A loan of this nature would be suited to any business dealing with seasonal reductions in trading or increasing lag times in converting its assets to cash due to business growth.

• Trade finance loans. These are short term loans which are provided to cover the trade cycle of businesses which deal in international trade, suitable for importers or exporters. With lead times in the trade cycle often being several months, many businesses run into cash flow issues while waiting for the purchased inventory to eventually be converted to cash. Trade finance loans typically attracts lower interest rates than other working capital facilities because they are for a discrete purpose and time bound.

• Asset finance loans. These are loans suited to the purchase of company assets, for example new machinery or motor vehicles. The term of the loan is aligned with the perceived useful life of the asset being used as security for the loan. Asset finance loans are secured over the asset which is being purchased or alternatively other unencumbered assets owned by the business.

• Term loans. These are loans for a fixed period of time with matching repayment terms. These loans may be either unsecured or secured depending on the composition of the business balance sheet. Interest rates and repayment terms are ultimately dependent on the businesses credit risk profile and the quality of the assets available as security.

Preparations for meeting with the bank

Preparation is key when approaching a bank for funding as they require a comprehensive understanding of your business’s financial performance and position in order to understand if the requested facilities are within the bank's risk appetite. Here are some considerations:

• First and foremost, you must be clear about the purpose the funding is needed for.

• A story to tell the bank is key. The bank needs to understand the way the business functions. A business plan for new businesses and an overview of business strategy for established businesses should be prepared.

• Up to date financial statements. These are vital for displaying the historical results of the business as well as the current and past financial positions as they relate to the suitability of lending. Financial statements typically provided include both annual financial statements and the latest monthly management accounts.

• Financial forecast for the current financial year with supporting assumptions including a capital expenditure plan. The forecast should include the three main financial statements, being a profit and loss statement, balance sheet and statement of cash flows. Test your forecast and ensure it demonstrates the business is an attractive business to lend to. Strong key performance indicators like gross profit margin, interest cover ratio and equity percentage help demonstrate to the bank the viability of the business and its ability to repay its debts when they are due.

• Ensure all your IRD payments are up to date as banks may be hesitant to lend to businesses which are behind on their tax payments.

• Personal financial positions must also be considered; specifically, those of the owners and individuals who are owed money by the business, and especially if someone plans to be a guarantor for the loan.

Preparation is key. Presenting a high quality bank funding proposal to your bank will provide them with the necessary information to complete their internal credit process and fill them with confidence that this is the right decision to achieve your goals.

If you are considering approaching a bank for funding, please get in touch with our bank advisory team at Bellingham Wallace who can provide a tailored solution to support you with your bank engagement.

Visit: bellinghamwallace.co.nz

Accountancy with Mike Atkinson of Bellingham Wallace.

When it comes to securing bank funding, the type of funding chosen will carry with it different repayment terms, interest rates and security requirements.

By

Anna Riddle. After finishing her final semester of university on an exchange at the University of Glasgow, Anna joined the Schnauer and Co team in February 2023. Anna has spent the last 5 years in Otago studying Law and Psychology and after making the move up to Auckland is excited to begin her legal career in civil litigation and family law.

Family Court challenging

The New Zealand Family Court has come under harsh criticism in recent times due to significant delays in the processing of cases. This is in part, attributed to the limited resources, resulting in overwhelmed Family Court staff and reduced Family Court time. Delays are particularly challenging for families involved in emotionally charged disputes, such as those related to the care of children, where stress and uncertainty is prolonged through the Court process. On top of the lengthy delays, the cost of litigation can be especially difficult to meet for recently separated couples whose financial positions may have changed.

While in some circumstances going through the court system is a necessary and inevitable step, it’s important to be aware that there are several alternative options available. Firstly, it is always possible for parties to resolve issues between themselves without the involvement of lawyers or the court. This is a timely and cost-effective alternative in circumstances where individuals remain amicable, and effective communication is maintained. However, understanding your entitlements is important to reaching a suitable agreement.

Sometimes, resolving disputes between yourselves isn’t always possible. Family Dispute Resolution (FDR) is a mediation process designed to help parties resolve their issues under the guidance of an impartial mediator. FDR mediators can help guide parties in a way that promotes cooperation while ensuring the principles of the Care of Children Act 2004 (COCA) and most importantly the welfare and best interest of the children are kept in the forefront of decision making. Unlike through the Court, the cost of FDR is capped, and funding can be available through the Ministry of Justice.

The parties may also benefit from negotiating an agreement through their lawyers. This option removes the need to communicate directly with the other party when emotions are already high following a relationship breakdown, or alternatively the lawyers can facilitate a round-table meeting if this is appropriate. If some or all of the matters are able to be resolved, then an agreement can be drafted, which is then signed by both parties. While this agreement is not legally binding, it is an effective way to establish a workable arrangement to implement a smooth transition when dealing with the care of children or other relationship property matters. It also allows you to adapt and amend the agreement as circumstances change. Alternatively, if Court proceedings have been commenced, you can still reach settlement through your lawyers or via a Judicial Settlement Conference, that can then become a legally binding order sealed by the court.

Having matters decided through the courts can be daunting and stressful as well as financially and emotionally costly for everyone involved. However, engaging with out-of-court alternatives can resolve some if not all of the issues, leaving only the critical sticking points to be decided by the courts and thereby reducing the amount of court time required. When this happens, you are more likely to have your issues resolved in a more cost-effective and timely manner. Schnauer

Last week my six-year-old son asked me when he was allowed a cellphone. The question caught me by surprise, so I told him I’d get back to him but that he wouldn’t be allowed one for a long time!

His question got me pondering something that I have contemplated often in the last six years; Why don't children come with a parenting manual?

Everyone has their own theory on the right age, and it is every parent's prerogative to decide the right time to give their child a smartphone. There are, however, a few things to consider before doing so.

Common Sense Media suggests it’s not age that is important but rather your child’s maturity level. They note that: “When you hand your children a cellphone, you're giving them a powerful tool for communication and media production. They can create text, images, and videos that can be uploaded to websites instantly and widely distributed. Parents and caregivers need to consider whether their kids are ready to use a phone responsibly and respectfully.” Netsafe also offers clear steps for families to consider before allowing a child to have their own smartphone, which is certainly worth exploring.

At Kristin Middle School, phones must be turned off and locked away during the school day. However this is not a magic solution and appropriate online behaviour is something we are continuously educating our students about. Unfortunately, being the age they are, adolescents will often act before thinking through the possible consequences. What we do find is that students who have worked alongside their parents to create a contract around appropriate online behaviour, have dedicated time to hand their phones in at night and know that their parents are taking an active interest in what they are doing with their devices tend to use their smartphones in a more responsible way. We are also seeing an increase in ‘dumb phones’ which only have texting and calling capabilities for those wanting their children to have a phone just for safety and convenience reasons.

I sometimes think it would be much easier to have a smartphone licensing system just like a driver. At 16 students would have to sit some kind of test to prove their readiness and then would be considered ‘learners’ while they are being taught how to operate the phone and if that goes well they can graduate to a ‘restricted’ programme with a few greater liberties before being let loose to operate independently. However, this is not the case. As parents, we need to make this decision for or with our children. There is no manual!

Why don't children come with a parenting manual?

Parents and caregivers need to consider whether their kids are ready to use a phone responsibly and respectfully.

By Bronwyn Bound, Sunnynook Community Centre Manager

Centre manager receives accolades

Well, it has certainly been a busy few months at the community centre. I was very surprised and honoured to receive the North Shore MP’s Certificate of Appreciation at a Sunnynook Community AGM in August for services to the community following the extreme weather events of early 2023.

And then in September I was guest speaker at the East Coast Bays Rotary meeting where I was presented with a certificate naming me a Paul Harris Fellow by The Rotary Foundation, which I was so surprised and happy to accept. I have been involved with the Sunnynook Community Centre for 28 years and have enjoyed my various roles over the years. I have met so many wonderful people.

North Harbour Rotary is now meeting in the community centre on Friday mornings and East Coast Bays Rotary meet on Monday evenings at Pupuke golf course. Both Rotary groups have been incredibly supportive of our continued efforts with the flood response and rebuilding our community.

Restorative justice meeting

Another group that has joined us recently is the Auckland Restorative Justice Trust. ARJT is a registered charitable trust contracted by the Ministry of Justice to deliver restorative justice services in the Auckland and North Shore courts. They also accept private referrals. Their facilitators who will support you are professionally trained and accredited in standard and family violence cases. For more information, please email admin@aucklandrj.org.nz.

Biketober is a community-created bike festival presented by Bike Auckland. It’s an opportunity for anyone who isn’t a winter rider to get their bike out to explore the spring sunshine! For more information about the events that are being run, check out the Bike Auckland website.

For more information about any of the classes / groups that meet at the Sunnynook Community Centre and Kennedy Park Observation Post please check our website. Our latest newsletter is available from the office or community centre foyer. sunnynookcomcentre.co.nz office@sunnynookcomcentre.co.nz.

By Sonia Thursby, CEO, Yes Disability

Keep an eye out for I.Lead in your community

We are finally seeing the sunshine more often, which means more opportunity for out of office engagements. The last few of weeks have been packed with events and networking opportunities for us to continue spreading the word.

We are currently going out to schools around Auckland promoting the programmes we offer to the school units and their students. The I.Lead team will continue the school visits throughout October so keep an eye out for us at your school.

An exciting announcement is that I.Lead will pick up the I.Educate programme again. This is where some of the I.Lead team go to universities and speak about their school experience. The I.Lead team was able to present at the Strengthening Diversity Symposium in Auckland. The symposium focused on young people’s schooling; the young people consisted of a diverse range of communities including those who represented the rainbow community, the disability community and the ethnic communities. The purpose of the symposium is to understand the challenges these young people experience during their schooling years and how teachers are able to break down barriers.

A great programme that I.Lead has brought back is the Empowered programme. The second block of this has started and last month the participants had their first workshop. The first workshop was held in Auckland with Cam Calkoen as the facilitator, Cam did an amazing job with the participants. The workshop was over a two-day period, with the two days involving a workshop, dinner and overnight stay at a hotel. The second workshop is held in October, with a special workshop in Christchurch for wonderful sceneries.

yesdisability.org.nz, ilead.org.nz

Facebook- facebook.com/ileadconferencenz Instagram- instagram.com/i.leadnz/

We are currently going out to schools around Auckland promoting the programmes we offer to the school units and their students.

The origins of Taharoto Park - Part Two

By David Verran

Between June and September 1925, the Takapuna Borough Council proposed selling Taharoto Park to finance the purchase of the 33 acre Smith's Bush. However, as the Smith family estate wanted 5,000 pounds for the site, that purchase was ultimately regarded as beyond council resources. Eventually, the bush area was purchased by the government in association with Auckland area local and regional societies and councils, and the first meeting of the new Onewa Domain Board was in January 1943.

In July 1926, the council decided to fill and level part of the still hilly Taharoto Road Park for a cricket pitch, but in September 1926 was again considering selling. This time it was to purchase land owned by the Napier family to form a council recreation reserve at the bottom of Esmonde Road, now the site of the Amaia housing development. Ultimately, this too was decided against and from April 1927 the council allowed rugby matches to be held on the Taharoto Road site.

In May 1927 the council voted to spend 75 pounds for developing both the cricket and rugby grounds, and in March 1928 confirmed another 25 pounds towards grassing those grounds. In June 1928 a tender was accepted by the council for 98 pounds 5 shillings for excavation work on the site. Money was also set aside for trees and a shelter belt along Taharoto Road. In September 1928, the Takapuna Cricket Club gave the council ten pounds towards upkeep of the cricket pitch.

The now nine-acre Taharoto Park was officially opened on 17 November 1928, and in November 1928 the council agreed to match pound for pound, to a total of 50 pounds, a grant from the Auckland Returned Soldiers' Association to employ returned soldiers to level the football ground. This was followed in March 1929 with a 110 pounds subsidy from the Public Works Department for further relief work. On 8 December 1928, the council had participated in a well-attended mardi gras on the park to fundraise to generally beautify the suburb.

In early 1929 the Takapuna Municipal Band approached the council for assistance to build a band room on the Park for both a practice room and social club, and in May 1929 a space at the north-western corner of the park was set aside for them. That band room was opened on 31 May 1930. Also in 1929, the Takapuna Rugby Football Club was allocated two playing grounds for that year and grants for the development of the park continued from both the local cricket and rugby clubs.

In May 1930 an approach from the newly formed Takapuna Rugby League Club for their own playing field was turned down, as the football grounds were already in use by the Takapuna Rugby Football Club. Nevertheless, if the rugby club couldn't use a field for any reason there was still an opportunity for the league club to use it instead. Similarly in October 1930, the Pupuke Cricket Club was told to work out the use of one of the cricket pitches with the Takapuna Cricket Club.

The future of Taharoto Park was now assured as a recreation area for local sports clubs and other community groups. It should be noted that the present day Takapuna Rugby Football Club dates from 1934, the Taharoto Park Tennis Club (now Lake Pupuke Tennis Club) from 1935 and the Takapuna District Cricket Club from 1950. More recently, the scout den dates from 1952; the transfer of rugby to Onewa Domain happened in 1972. Soccer is now played instead on Taharoto Park.

The old Takapuna band room building was shifted away and North Shore Brass is now in their new location on the park. This month, North Shore Brass celebrates its centenary, having started as the Takapuna Municipal Band in 1923.

david.verran@xtra.co.nz

T2744, courtesy of Auckland Libraries Heritage Collections, photographed by Edward Clark Lackland (d. 1970) at the official opening of the Takapuna Municipal Band Room on Taharoto Park

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Younite in hibernation

By Adriana Tobin, co-chair of Younite

Younite is currently taking a short break due to exam season, but will be back up and running soon!

As Younite usually does around this time of the year, we are slowing down operations to allow our members to prioritise their exams. However, do not fear! We are continuing our mahi behind the scenes and have some awesome events planned for the end of the year.

On Thursday 31 August, we had the honour of being guest speakers at the Devonport Community House (DCH) Annual General Meeting where Lisa and I spoke on behalf of Younite. We provided insight into what Younite is, what our goals are, what we’ve achieved, and how we are connected to the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board. We also spoke about our wonderful ambassadorship with Lake House Arts as well as how we plan to continue to support the rangatahi in our area in the future. According to Nigel Bioletti, a member of the Lake House Arts committee, our speech was very well received by those in attendance, as it provided them with more insight into the work we do and how we raise up our local youth. It was wonderful to have some of our members and friends sit in and support me and Lisa, as well as hear what work the DCH do and their future plans for the community. Thank you to DCH for the opportunity to speak at your AGM that reflected the challenges and successes of the previous year and outlook into the future.

Keep an eye out on our networks as we have an epic Slam Poetry Event happening soon after the success of our first one earlier this year. We encourage and welcome everyone to have a go at speaking, regardless of your writing ability or experience in slam poetry. This event is purely for enjoyment and to allow youth to express themselves in a safe and comfortable environment filled with the melodious sounds of clicking. Of course, if you’d prefer to sit out on speaking this time we still welcome you to bring your friends and come along and enjoy the amazing speakers, bean bags, and yummy food. More details about this event will be released soon.

Lisa and Devon recently attended the UoA Web Development Club’s milestone presentation. They saw a run-through of the current functions of our new website along with the presentation of other projects. We are very pleased with progress and the execution of the website and can’t wait for it to go live very soon!

As always please keep an eye out on our social media for upcoming events and opportunities, and if you have any questions, queries, or suggestions, please feel free to contact us via younitechair@gmail.com or instagram @yountiedt and we will aim to get back to you as soon as possible.

Ngā mihi nui.

For any questions, queries regarding our events or the work we do, feel free to reach us at younitechair@gmail.com, or contact us through instagram @younitedt.

By Sonia Thursby, CEO, Shore Junction

Shore Junction celebrates Neighbouring bowling green leased for youth innovation hub expansion

Young people on the North Shore will soon have more resources available to them in central Takapuna. At a recent business meeting, Devonport-Takapuna Local Board granted a new 13-year ground lease for the site of the former Takapuna Bowling Club at 2 Mary Poynton Crescent to the Yes Disability Resource Centre Services Trust Board. Yes Disability is the governing body for Shore Junction, a youth innovation hub located on the neighbouring site.

We are so excited to be able to expand our offering to young people and provide even more amazing safe spaces for them to access. This lease represents a dedication to expand the organisation's services and offer more opportunities to the youth community.

What makes this development particularly thrilling is that Shore Junction doesn't intend to maintain the status quo. Instead, we plan to transform the area into a completely new and dynamic space tailored to the interests and needs of the youth. Shore Junction is committed to involving its members and the broader youth community in the transformation process. We will seek ideas, feedback, and suggestions to ensure that this space aligns with the interests and aspirations of young people. The goal is to create a vibrant space that truly inspires and empowers young people.

Shore Junction welcomes the entire community to join in the excitement of this transformation. Whether you're a young person with ideas to share or an adult eager to support the initiative, your input and involvement are highly valued. Together, we can shape this new space into a dynamic hub of innovation and creativity that benefits the entire community.

Our vision continues to be to make youth feel safe to grow their potential and navigate the world as their authentic selves and we feel that this space will continue to allow us to do this.

To learn more about these sessions please email info@shorejunction.nz

Lisa Yuan and Adriana Tobin

Wilson Home provides lasting memories

As I sat on the deck outside the Wilson Home Trust office recently on a rare sunny Auckland day, looking across the driveway at the old homestead which is the Wilson Centre and its associated buildings, I reminisced about times past when as a little boy I spent a lot of time there as an in-patient. One occasion I recall was spending three months there on respite as my parents were travelling overseas throughout Europe.

Decades later and what I am looking at is the existing respite villas being redeveloped to be modernised and made fit for purpose. One of the reasons I was thinking back in time was because of a social media post I read from someone who is 70 years old, and not someone I know, who commented about his memory of staying at Wilson Home and how happy he was to learn it was still helping disabled children. Like this person, my memories of my time at Wilson Home are happy memories.

By Richard Thorne, Devonport Business Improvement District Manager

Fond farewells and 'welcome aboard's

Devonport Business Association’s recent AGM heralded substantial changes around the board table. The DBA has been extremely lucky to have been guided by the immensely capable Dianne Hale QSO over the past seven years. A deputy mayor of the former North Shore City Council for almost a decade, then member of the Devonport Takapuna Local Board for six years, Dianne has been an irreplaceable asset on the DBA board. Her energetic commitment to this voluntary role, over the challenging recent years in particular, is wholly admirable.

Taking her place for the year ahead is Rob Vickery, an internationally active local professional who first joined the board in 2022.

“I am honoured to become the next Chair of the Devonport Business Association. Dianne Hale has set a very high bar for me to hit, and I’m excited to continue building the DBA on the foundations she has most expertly laid.

“I’m a proud Devonport business owner and believe that the success of our company, Hillfarrance Venture Capital, can in part be attributed to our location on Victoria Road. As it is for many businesses here, our clients enjoy making the trip from the CBD to see us, and entertaining them in our beautiful village is always a pleasure.”

The AGM also farewelled Sue Johnson and Laura Foote who have both fully earned long service awards, while welcoming new board members Philip de Lisle, Nick Turley and Liz Sloan.

Another memory I have of my childhood at Wilson Home was of hearing about someone named Bruce McLaren who had been a patient at the home at some stage. As a child who he was didn’t mean a lot to me but it soon did as I got older. It was interesting to hear that Bruce McLaren Racing recently celebrated its 50th birthday.

I cherish the good memories I have of my time at Wilson Home and am pleased to be able to give back through the Wilson Home Trust.

If you would like to know more about The Wilson Home Trust please check our website wilsonhometrust.org.nz, 09 488 0126

The school holidays plus Auckland Heritage Festival 2023 that run into early October include Devonport’s creative Flotilla event, encouraging the creation of a ‘flotilla’ of origami boats. (Visit flotilla.nz for a visual introduction to this fun holiday activity.)

Designed by DBA board member Bruce Grant, the significance of Flotilla and its place in the Heritage Festival’s celebration of ‘Peace, Love and Protest’, is currently displayed in the northern-end windows of the Devonport Library. Our seaside village played a nation-leading role in Auckland’s nuclear-free protests during the 1970s and '80s, not least with Devonport Borough Council’s nuclear-free declaration in 1981. Bring your tamariki to the library to collect their own origami boat templates and learn about that history from the timeline and evocative photo display.

Devonport is YOUR seaside escape devonport.co.nz

Rob Vickery

Bruce Grant

I cherish the good memories I have of my time at Wilson Home…

By Kevin O’Leary, General Manager, Business North Harbour

Who gets your vote?

With the general election looming ever-closer, political parties are setting out their stalls as they hit the campaign trail hoping to win our votes. A certain number of people will vote the same way they have always voted regardless of the claims and counter-claims made by various politicians, but for others the differing messages based upon the various assertions that the parties are putting forward raises the question, who do you side with?

One of the most hotly debated pre-election topics is the ongoing ‘cost of living crisis’ which is proving to be very challenging for many businesses and households, as high interest rates continue to bite and with food prices having increased by 8.9% in the year to August. Given that, as expected, the Labour and National parties are taking a very different view on each other’s economic narrative, it is little surprise that people are confused as to whose current economic claims are valid and could become a reality after the election.

Regardless of the various discussions and different points of view, unfortunately our economic challenges are here to stay for a while. There appears to be no end in sight to the high interest rates that are proving to be so problematic to many business owners and home owners, who are needing to become more resilient and flexible in order to make ends meet as disposable income becomes a rare commodity. Currently, most economic commentators are predicting that the economy is unlikely to achieve sustainable growth until next year, with the Official Cash Rate (OCR) and interest rates remaining at raised levels until late 2024 or early 2025.

By Simon Ritchie, Marketing & Communications Lead

Come and join the digital seniors

Free on-to-one coaching for seniors in our community

Also, check out the LiiFT Aotearoa professional development topics coming up in October, listed below:

LiiFT Aotearoa Professional Development

There are some fantastic professional development and training sessions happening in October, including:

• Social Media: Creating your three-month content planner (5 October, 1–2pm, on Zoom).

• FREE in-person governance workshop in Glenfield, with the topic ‘The Legal Responsibilities of Boards and Health & Safety and the Board’s Role (9 October, 6.30–8.30pm).

• Governance Matters series #8 with the topic ‘The Manager’s Appraisal’ (10 October, 6.30–7.45pm on Zoom).

• FREE in-person workshop in Glenfield, ‘Strategic Grant-seeking and Writing’ (12 October, 9.30am–12.30pm, in person).

• Resourcing Leaders in Times of Change series with topic ‘The Life Stages of an Organisation’ (18 October, 10–11.30am, on Zoom)

• Telling your organisation’s legacy story in-person workshop (25 October, 9.30am–12.30pm, in Takapuna).

To find out more about each of these sessions and to register head to ANCAD’s dedicated training website found at LiiFT.nz Food Insecurity Network Meeting. This meeting will take place at Sunnynook Community Centre, 10-11.30am on Wednesday 11 October. RSVP to https://events.humanitix.com/north-shore-foodinsecurity-network-meeting-october

The Active Ageing Expo, in partnership with Heart of the Bays will take place at East Coast Bays Leisure Centre on Thursday 2 November, and the Seniors Summit will be on Wednesday 8 November.

Even with these ongoing challenges, I’m happy to report that the future is not all doom and gloom as inflation appears to be reducing, albeit slowly, and the housing market is finally reporting some positivity as it stabilises, with prices expected to start creeping back up in the year ahead. Other positives are the boost to the economy as a result of increased tourism, helped significantly by the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the increase in the number of people arriving in New Zealand to take up vacant roles across a number of business sectors, helping to remedy the shortage of labour that has plagued many businesses for so long.

Whatever box you decide to tick on 14 October, I sincerely hope that the next government is able to deliver an economic future that enables everyone to enjoy a financially secure, stress-free lifestyle, where inflation and high interest rates are a thing of the past.

Finally, I would again ask you to continue your support of local businesses by buying local and utilising locally available goods and services.

businessnh.org.nz

09 968 2222

027 479 9563

kevin@businessnh.org.nz

Digital Seniors: FREE one-to-one coaching for seniors in our community. Hubs take place across the North Shore Tuesday to Saturday. For more details head to digitalseniors.co.nz or facebook. com/Digitalseniorsnorthshore.

ancad.org.nz facebook @ancad.org.nz instagram ancadinc

LiiFT Aotearoa, LiiFT.nz

0800 426 223 or info@ancad.org.nz

Regardless of the various discussions and different points of view, unfortunately our economic challenges are here to stay for a while.

By Yan Davies, Takapuna Residential Bayleys Real Estate Ltd

Various sale methods - pros and cons

One important decision to make when selling your property is choosing the most suitable method of sale. Different methods of sales have different advantages and disadvantages depending on the type of property, market conditions, personal situations such as timeframe and goals, and your personal preference. There are five main sales methods: auction, price, sale by negotiation, expression of interest/set date sale, and tender.

Auction

Advantages: Timeframe approach; ensures competition; unconditional sale; transparency; the vendor is in control.

Disadvantage: No conditional offers initially.

Price

Advantages: Buyers know what the price is; can deal with conditional offers.

Disadvantages: If priced incorrectly you may sell at a lower price; no timeframe; purchasers may not engage in property on price; not considering the features and benefits.

Sale by negotiation

Advantage: You can accept conditional offers.

Disadvantages: No time frame/no urgency; offers are often conditional; buyers often try to get a bargain.

Expression of interest/set date sale

Advantages: Timeframe approach; owner can accept conditional offers; deadline sale.

Disadvantages: Offers are often conditional; buyers often don’t understand this process; no transparency.

Tender

Advantages: Timeframe approach; allows confidentiality; ideal for challenging properties; interested parties have to do due diligence; a very formal process that locks buyers in.

Disadvantages: Non transparent; buyers often don’t feel comfortable with the process.

Each sales method has its pros and cons. You need to weigh them carefully and choose the one that suits your situation best.

Yan Davies, a long-time North Shore local, has amassed a wide network of quality clients and superior knowledge of the area. She is a straight talker who enjoys an open communication style and ethical business model. She works hard for her clients, driven by a sense of duty to provide a high level of service. She holds a Masters degree in business and administration and speaks English and Chinese fluently.

Yan Davies 燕

021 585 590

yan.davies@bayleys.co.nz

Licensed under the REA Act 2008

Louise Benson, Head of Property Management Barfoot and Thompson Milford

What tenants look for in rental properties

What

makes a great rental property?

For a landlord, the 'holy grail' is a property that requires low maintenance, delivers high returns, is rarely vacant and always attracts good, reliable tenants. And for tenants, there are also several ‘must haves’.

The most important thing for tenants is a property in good, clean, modern condition. Gone are the days when renters tolerated flatting in draughty old villas for a couple of years while saving for their first home. Currently, approximately one third of our population are renters, and they’re living in rental housing for longer.

With this reality in mind, the priorities of today’s renters are much like today’s owners. They‘re less interested in homes with dated, tired décor and un-renovated kitchens and bathrooms. Even in the most desirable suburbs, older style houses in original condition tend to sit vacant for longer and bring in lower weekly incomes.

Much of Auckland’s rental stock is older and not modernised, so there’s a mismatch between supply and demand. When we advertise a modern home, we are able to achieve a premium weekly rent, and the landlord will often be spoiled for choice of great potential tenants.

If a refresh or renovation isn’t in the budget, the next best thing a landlord can do is properly maintain their rental. If you want your tenants to look after the home, it’s important to show that you’re quick to fix repairs. By creating the impression that the owner cares about the property, you’re sending the right message to the person you have entrusted with your valuable asset.

The layout of the home is a factor too. Unusual layouts that don’t suit how most people live, typically take longer to let. Examples include lots of bedrooms but a very small living area, a kitchen with no storage or small bench space, or no outdoor living area.

Unsurprisingly, location is key for most people. Rental properties in good school zones, with proximity to public transport or commercial centres are always in demand. And in any location, a secure garage is also important. Even if there’s off-street parking available, tenants often need more storage space because, like owner occupiers, they have a lot of stuff!

Lastly, some tenants look for properties that allow pets. We encourage landlords to keep an open mind on this. Appreciative tenants with pets can sometimes be the best tenants. They tend to stay longer and pay more for the privilege.

Louise Benson, Head of Property Management

Barfoot and Thompson

027 431 9536

Milford

milford.rental@barfoot.co.nz

Much of Auckland’s rental stock is older and not modernised, so there’s a mismatch between supply and demand.

Oteha Valley Road, Albany,

PREMIUM GROUND FLOOR OFFICE - ALBANY

Janet

Drive, Rosedale,

Janet

E

Spring is in the air on the Shore…

Spring is in the air, with a notable increase in leasing activity and business confidence, plus recognition by the Real Estate Institute New Zealand.

Colliers dominated at the 2023 REINZ Awards with the Colliers North Shore team named Small Commercial and Industrial Office of the Year for the fifth time in six years. There were also individual successes with Shoneet Chand and Matt Prentice jointly awarded the Overall Commercial and Industrial Salesperson of the Year, an award for salespersons who work in a partnership.

Activity invariably increases in the last quarter of the calendar year, and if interest rates have peaked this will provide investor confidence and an increase in sales transactions. We have seen an increase in rental rates particularly in the industrial market and office leasing interest in the small to medium sized premises.

There are many exciting opportunities available and coming up. Please feel free to contact us for an update or drop into our Takapuna office at 129 Hurstmere Road.

Janet Marshall, Colliers North Shore

A lovely five weeks overseas

I’d like to thank my mate at the pub, who covered for me with the magazine article last month. I felt personally he hit the nail right on the head with his article and, like many think, if we don’t get this lot out of government in October, then I too will be heading overseas to reside in calmer waters. So for all our sakes, vote for a National/Act Government.

I had a lovely five weeks overseas, with not a road cone in sight. The weather was beautiful wherever I went. I went first to San Francisco to catch up with American friends I’d sailed with many years ago. From San Francisco we drove to Newport Beach in southern California again catching up with friends I hadn’t seen for a few years due to the Covid situation. From Newport Beach we drove out to Utah in the Arizona area to go house-boating on the largest man-made lake in America, which lies behind the Glenn Dam. The lake took 30 years to fill up after they completed the dam and now has a foreshore of 2000 miles and a length of 200 miles.

admission, and there were so many people ready and willing to help to make the day easier.

From Annapolis, I caught a train up to Newark Airport and got a flight to London. I was picked up by another English sailing mate, who I’d met 45 years previously when he sailed to New Zealand and stayed for six months. The following day I drove down to Southampton where there was a gathering of former Whitbread and Volvo sailors prior to the start of the Global Ocean Race. It was a wonderful occasion outside in Southampton in big tents, so many friends who I hadn’t seen in years. A great reunion.

After the reunion I drove down to Dorset, Devon, and Cornwall where again the weather was absolutely perfect, allowing me to swim in the ocean most days. Again, I caught up with friends and watched the first All Blacks’ pool game versus France in a tiny pub in Cornwall, surrounded by a few French and Kiwi viewers. Not a great night to be a Kiwi.

After this sojourn around England, I got myself back to Heathrow and caught a flight home. It was indeed a wonderful five weeks that I will remember for a long, long time.

I spent a week on the houseboat, with various friends. The houseboat was 100 feet long with four decks of pure comfort. There were 12 people on board along with a professional chef; a wonderful relaxing holiday, a lot of it being due to no telephones, internet etc. due to being within the vast canyons surrounding the lake. From the lake, I flew from Las Vegas to Baltimore, where I stayed with Geoff Stagg who was the watch leader 40 years ago on my first Round the World race. Geoff settled in Annapolis, in the state of Maryland, after that 1981-82 Round the World Race and began working for Bruce Farr, a New Zealand yacht designer who had based his office there. Basically, Geoff went there, and never came home.

During my stay with Geoff, I went to visit Washington DC, and had a look at a couple of art galleries. It was the most beautiful weather in DC, very clear and warm and I had a great deal of pleasure in walking around a big city, taking in all the special places. The Smithsonian Institute, the incredible Library of Congress which houses 53 million books, the American Portrait Gallery, the President FDR Memorial, which is spread over eight acres, the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Memorial. It is such a wonderful city, beautifully designed and so easy to get around. Every museum and art gallery had free

On my return, I received a letter from the Ministry of Social Development dated 13 September, which read… “Tena Koe Simon – I’m getting in touch because NZ Customs Service (Customs) let us know about your recent travel. MSD and Customs share information to make sure our information is up to date and we give you the right services. The information we have from Customs shows you left New Zealand on 14/08/2023 on Flight number… Let us know if we’ve made a mistake. You can call us on…. [numbers provided]. We’ve stopped your winter energy payments because we’ve been told you’re overseas. We’ve stopped the following payment: Winter Energy Payment from 13/09/23. Please get in touch when you are back in the country. If you still qualify we can start these payments again from the date you return.

So in saying that, I had to email them back with my travel details and confirm my return to New Zealand and the date. So, I gave them the date I returned, and they also asked me for my reasons for leaving New Zealand. I answered them, and said I had to go on a much needed holiday, because I can, and to get away from this useless Government we currently have.

A week later, I received another letter…. Tena Koe Simon, Thank you for getting in touch. We always want to get it right for people, so we recently reviewed your payments after we found you’d left the country on 14 August on Flight NZ… If you travel overseas and plan to return to New Zealand we can keep paying any extra help for the first 28 days. Here are the details of the overpayment… Winter Energy Payment $2.92, total overpayment amount $2.92. We have restarted your payments. As you returned to New Zealand on 17 September 2023, we restarted the following payment… Winter Energy Payment from 17 September 2023. Repayment – we’ll deduct this automatically from your next payment.

On that note, I’ll see you all next month.

Simon Gundry is a Devonport and North Shore identity, and character, who is known for calling a spade a spade. He is a director of contracting company Gill & Gundry, is an enthusiastic sailor (past crew-member of Ceramco New Zealand, Lion New Zealand and Shockwave) and is a life member of the North Shore Rugby Football Club. Simon was awarded a QSM for services to the community in 2013. More recently, he was inducted into the North Harbour Business Hall of Fame. He has been writing this thought-provoking column for Channel from the very first issue (over a dozen years ago!).

The weather was beautiful wherever I went. I went first to San Francisco to catch up with American friends I’d sailed with many years ago.

with Lindsay Knight

North Harbour bowlers among the medals at world championships

North Harbour’s two current Black Jacks, Selina Goddard and Tony Grantham, furthered their international records at last month’s world championships on Queensland’s Gold Coasts.

Both finished among the medals, though from an individual viewpoint perhaps not quite with the colour each would have preferred.

Selina added to the two bronze medals she gained at last year’s Commonwealth Games with another in the fours in which she played with Nelson’s Val Smith, Queensland-based Cantabrian Katelyn Inch and Counties’ Leeane Poulson to make the semi-finals.

But she and Inch missed out in the pairs, failing to make it past the quarter-finals. And Grantham, who now plays most of his top bowls from Auckland’s Mt Albert club but remains a member of Birkenhead, also picked up bronze in the fours but he and Canterbury’s Andrew Kelly were another pairs combination to not go past the quarter-finals.

Selina did have the consolation of being part of the New Zealand women’s team which, thanks largely to the effort of Canterbury’s Tayla Bruce in winning gold in the singles and silver in the triples with Smith and Poulson, won for the first time the Taylor Trophy for overall points. She then followed the world championships by competing on the Gold Coast in the world champion of champions event. She won the right to be New Zealand’s singles representative thanks to her brilliant win over Bruce in the national final on the North Shore early this year.

But the event proved to be a bitter-sweet experience. With her Takapuna club mentor Graham Dorreen acting as her rink coach, Selina entered the final day of qualifying well placed to make the playoffs. She led her section, having suffered one loss to American Anne Nunes. But in her final two matches she lost first to the great Australian Karen Murphy and then in a major upset to Cook Islands’ Teakotei Jim. After the first set was tied 5-5 Selina won the second 7-6, but then lost the deciding third set 2-5 to lose by two shots.

There was some irony in this defeat for the Jim family has a connection with the Takapuna club. Jim’s daughters, Tiare and Emily, who were also part of the Cook Islands world championship team, played at Takapuna when competing earlier this year at the Oceania tournament held in Auckland.

Playing in sets rather than the conventional scoring method does have vagaries and is not to the taste of some purists. This was the case with Selina missing on post-section to a South African player through use of a differential, and because of confusion over its interpretation a protest was lodged on her behalf. Selina had a superior shot differential, but in this instance the two players were separated by the number of sets won, which favoured the South African 12 to 11.

North Harbour was represented by another player in the world championships, Takapuna’s Keiko Kurohara who played for her native Japan. With Dorreen helping Japan as a coach, Keiko did well to win half of her qualifying singles matches but only one of her pairs.

Domestically, the new season’s first centre championship saw Browns Bay’s Paulette Mytton, who won her last Harbour title 15 years ago, and Sean Mulholland win the 2-4-2 mixed pairs title.

Paulette has played little competitive bowls in recent years but showed she has lost little of her touch which gained her two national titles in 1999 and 2001 in fours and pairs when she was skipped by the great Marlene Castle.

bowlsnorthharbour.com

Selina Goddard with the Taylor Trophy at last month’s world championships on Queensland’s Gold Coast

North Harbour bowlers Selina Goddard and Tony Grantham won medals as part of the New Zealand team at last month’s world championships on Queensland’s Gold Coast

LOGAN MCINTOSH

Shop 5, The Arcade, 15 Victoria Road, Devonport

The Channel Crossword

Breaking fresh ground • Set by Māyā (https://mayaofauckland.com/), each month for Channel. No. 91

Across

1 Relating to citizens 104 and 99 (5)

4 McCarthy or Stalin's type of 6 down? (3)

6 Lick about 500 sheets of paper (5)

9 Finnish cocktail for a supporter of Stalin (7)

10 Replenishes umpire with troubles (7)

11 Solo sailor in oil-rich region (6)

12 Enthusiastically cool-headed leaders, weirdly (8)

13 Man addressed casually getting letter from abroad, attending to old type of 6 down (9)

15 Rowan's character could be magic for Jack (4)

18 Part of sword blade to the left of insect (4)

20 Catching Englishmen left out at sea (9)

23 No polar region admits gas or drug (8)

24 Remainder in river, just like that! (6)

27 6 down maker found in boat Sir Abraham brought about (7)

28 Nice in south to wash subject (7)

29 Verbal injury prepares 6 down (5)

30 Reasonable about a tree (3)

31 Commander backing offensive musicians... (5)

Down

1 ...and losing end (or most of it), (5)

2 Galvanic Ghanaian lake I see on the radio (7)

Solution to last month's crossword

3 Roughly, drunk boxes female - handbags at dawn! (8)

4 Jack Gardner's type of 6 down (4)

5 Small but important creature: "Attention! Worth rocking out to Motörhead!" (9)

6 Call to attract attention, very loud in place of heart: "Hot stuff!" (6)

7 Revolutionary B-Bruce Eisenhower is slippery and hard to catch (3-4)

8 Note animal enclosure is obscure (5)

13 Cup of glue overturned (3)

14 On camera, I played 6 down (9)

16 Persistently bother old horse (3)

17 Cockney chap's crowd with nothing for a 6 down (8)

19 Lights gold organ with gold from the bottom (7)

21 The moment for a type of 6 down? (7)

22 Runs drying kilns; prepares, for example, 6 down 15s (6)

23 Nail old boy to Mogul (5)

25 Above the opening, that's obvious (5)

26 Book report holding up fringe benefit (4)

This month's crossword will also be uploaded to the creator’s blog at: channelcrossword.wordpress.com There, Mãyã will kindly attempt to answer any questions or comments that may arise from the crosswords each month.

is experienced and well-networked.

“I was delighted with her unquestionable integrity and trustworthiness throughout. She was insightful and agile in trying to navigate difficult issues and was totally solution focused. I was impressed with her commercial acumen and her very high service levels. She is very driven but this drive is balanced by a unique ability to bring parties together and build a relationship through the process. A hugely talented real estate professional. I would not hesitate to recommend Kathryn.”

- J Biddles,

Devonport

Established in the property industry for over 13 years, Kathryn sells throughout the North Shore, specialising in the Takapuna to Devonport peninsula. She

Going up, up, up?

Signs are that the property market is set to see house price growth as the year continues. The latest ANZ forecast shows economists have raised their predication of house price growth and now anticipate a 4% rise for the second half of 2023.

The latest, New Zealand Property Focus publication, released in September by ANZ, is sub-titled ‘Going Up’. The hot air balloon on the cover of the research document echoes this sentiment (or leaves homeowners hoping this isn’t just a load of hot air?).

The report summary says, “The house price cycle has clearly turned, with prices marching upwards over the past few months. Indicators of market tightness are still far from ‘hot’ (days to sell are still above their long-run average and house sales are still weak relative to history) but things are certainly heating up.

“Indeed, all turnarounds must tart from somewhere and there are plenty of green shoots to be found in the August REINZ data. In each of the last three months the house price index has risen 0.7% m/m, which is over 8% annualised. Close to 100,000 net migrants have entered New Zealand over the last year, and that demand for housing is not being matched by supply, adding pressure to both rents and house prices.”

The bank has amended its previous 3% predicted house price increase for 2023, up 1%. However, it urges caution with its longerterm look towards next year.

“We’ve revised our near-term house price forecast upwards and now see prices lifting around 4% (previously 3%) over the second half of this year, with house prices rising at around their current pace until autumn next year. Underpinning recent momentum, first-home buyers

appear to have re-entered the market after a long hiatus. We don’t think recent levels of house price growth will be sustained over the second half of next year, as unemployment rises while interest rates remain high.

“Our outlook is for annual house price inflation to come in around 5% over 2024, then moderate to around 3% in 2025. If upside housing pressures result in upside CPI inflation pressures, the RBNZ is likely to respond with hikes, stopping the housing upswing in its tracks. Be careful what you wish for!”

Knowing when and where to make the most of the market, as a buyer or a seller, can be a minefield. We reckon buying on the North Shore is always a good bet! Take a look at what’s for sale this month in our pages of The Property Channel…

To see your home for sale in this magazine, ask your agent to book space in The Property Channel, or contact Liz Cannon liz@channelmag.co.nz or Kim McIntosh kim@channelmag.co.nz for more information.

Going on the market this spring?

If upside housing pressures result in upside CPI inflation pressures, the RBNZ is likely to respond with hikes…

TAKAPUNA | 2/19A SANDERS AVENUE

Great Things Come In Small Packages And In The Best Of Locations!

You simply won’t believe it at just 240sqm (approx), this incredible town home offers so very very much.

On the top level you will find stunning open plan living flowing to north facing decking enjoying sun and sea views. There is a brilliant master bedroom including views and a huge walk-in wardrobe and ensuite bathroom. Also on this level is a fabulous full bathroom with bath and a further two large bedrooms.

On the lower level you have another entire living room, with a bedroom, bathroom and office, an amazing space for visiting guests, teenagers or extended family. These rooms all flow out to a beautiful outdoor living area, with massive decking ideal for entertaining. These easy care grounds include an Astroturf lawn for low-maintenance living, that could easily be converted to a putting green for great family fun.

Built the old-fashioned way using block and cedar and subsequently refurbished you will enjoy all the mod-cons. All this wrapped up in the most desirable Takapuna seaward side location, a moment to the beach and tucked away for a zen like level of peace and tranquillity.

Bring the boat and plenty of kids and visitors, as well as the double garage there is great off-street parking here.

With very easy motorway access, the main shopping centre a stroll away, the best of schooling surrounding you, it’s time to simply enjoy the finer things in life without the drama.

Our sellers are moving offshore to meet their kids, this is a genuine sale, we are flexible regarding terms in all respects.

premium.co.nz /80449

VIEW | SUN 1 - 1.45 PM OR BY APPOINTMENT

EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST | 26 OCTOBER 2023

AT 4 PM UNLESS SOLD PRIOR

LEWIS GUY 021 867 355

LewisGuy@premium.co.nz

TAKAPUNA 916 6000

3 Castor Bay Road Castor Bay

Exquisite ElevationMesmerizing Ocean Vistas

4 Bed | 2 Bath | 2 Garage

Stephen Barr 021 619 819 Michael Barr 021 190 5435

stephenb@prestierealestate co nz michaelb@prestigerealestate.co.nz

prestigerealestate co nz

37 Hastings Road Mairangi Bay

Size, Views, Massive Development Potential

5 Bed | 3 Bath | 2 Garage

This residence offers an unrivalled panoramic spectacle, sweeping from the harbour bridge through the vibrant City skyline and tracing the silhouette of Rangitoto Island The heart of the home is a convergence of open-plan living spaces and a well-crafted, contemporary kitchen, designed to bask in the warmth of the sun and seamlessly extend into the private garden The master bedroom reigns supreme, with an ensuite and a spacious walk-in robe, affording you the privilege of waking up to this magnificent seascape every day Descending to the lower level, you'll discover three additional bedrooms, a well-appointed bathroom, and a dedicated study area Along with a large double garage that includes plenty of space for storage

Prestige Real Estate International Ltd

Licensed Real Estate Agent REAA 2008

Craig Crosweller 021 630 150 Fleur Davis 022 192 1614

craig@prestierealestate.co.nz

fleur@prestigerealestate co nz

prestigerealestate co nz

Positioned on approximately 1070m2 of land and commanding elevated seaviews, this 3 bedroom home with another 2 bedroom flat offers an incredible opportunity in the heart of Mairangi Bay

First time ever on the market

14a Muritai Road Milford

128 Churchill Road Rothesay Bay

You from was reno With this livin

Magnificent Seaviews

A Picture Of Perfection On Muritai

This BRAND-NEW home is positioned in one of Milford's most coveted and picturesque beach-side streets Designed by awardwinning CAAHT Studio and crafted by Synergy Build Group, this stylish low maintenance home is living at its best Access to the first-floor living is via a double height stairwell, or central elevator and leads to a contemporary, light-filled space The designer kitchen, with large island and stone benchtops provides ample room for entertaining and casual dining Open plan living flows to an outdoor deck with louvred roof, planter boxes and views to the Hauraki Gulf The master suite on the same level has expansive sea views, along with spacious walk-in robe and well-appointed ensuite On the ground floor, a second living area opens on two sides to enjoy the landscaped courtyard or closes off for guests or office use The luxurious family bathroom is generously proportioned with walk-in shower and twin sinks A further two bedrooms have sunny garden decks, with views down the street to the beach Both levels are equipped with hydronic underfloor heating Data cabling, audio and security systems have been installed The gated entry ensures further privacy

With the beach, lake, and vibrant Milford village a short stroll from your doorstep, 14 Muritai Rd offers the perfect opportunity for those wishing to downsize or as an alternative to apartment living A brand-new home of this calibre on its own title, is extremely rare on the Golden Mile

Stephen Barr 021 619 819 Michael Barr 021 190 5435 stephenb@prestierealestate.co.nz michaelb@prestigerealestate co nz

3 Bed | 3 Bath | 2 Garage

TAKAPUNA/HAURAKI | 1/14 CLIFTON ROAD Charming Residence | Clifton Road

Located on a sunny street-front position in sought after Clifton Road, this home has been immaculately kept by the original owners for 28 years and has a lot to offer. Spacious ground floor kitchen, living and dining areas flow seamlessly to a gorgeous courtyard area with manicured lawns and gardens which enjoy privacy and a lovely all-day sun aspect. Due to the generous proportions of the home there is an abundance of space comprising three bedrooms, two bathrooms plus guest wc, two living areas (one of which could be a 4th bedroom or study), a double garage with internal access and laundry room. This location provides the ultimate lifestyle all within a short stroll to local amenities, the beach and excellent school zones. premium.co.nz /80444

VIEW | PLEASE CALL FOR VIEWING TIMES EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST | 28

By Yan Davies, Takapuna Residential Bayleys Real Estate Ltd

Various sale methods - pros and cons

One important decision to make when selling your property is choosing the most suitable method of sale. Different methods of sales have different advantages and disadvantages depending on the type of property, market conditions, personal situations such as timeframe and goals, and your personal preference. There are five main sales methods: auction, price, sale by negotiation, expression of interest/set date sale, and tender.

Auction

Advantages: Timeframe approach; ensures competition; unconditional sale; transparency; the vendor is in control.

Disadvantage: No conditional offers initially.

Price

Advantages: Buyers know what the price is; can deal with conditional offers.

Disadvantages: If priced incorrectly you may sell at a lower price; no timeframe; purchasers may not engage in property on price; not considering the features and benefits.

Sale by negotiation

Advantage: You can accept conditional offers.

Disadvantages: No time frame/no urgency; offers are often conditional; buyers often try to get a bargain.

Expression of interest/set date sale

Advantages: Timeframe approach; owner can accept conditional offers; deadline sale.

Disadvantages: Offers are often conditional; buyers often don’t understand this process; no transparency.

Tender

Advantages: Timeframe approach; allows confidentiality; ideal for challenging properties; interested parties have to do due diligence; a very formal process that locks buyers in.

Disadvantages: Non transparent; buyers often don’t feel comfortable with the process.

Each sales method has its pros and cons. You need to weigh them carefully and choose the one that suits your situation best.

Yan Davies, a long-time North Shore local, has amassed a wide network of quality clients and superior knowledge of the area. She is a straight talker who enjoys an open communication style and ethical business model. She works hard for her clients, driven by a sense of duty to provide a high level of service. She holds a Masters degree in business and administration and speaks English and Chinese fluently.

Yan Davies 燕

021 585 590

yan.davies@bayleys.co.nz

Licensed under the REA Act 2008

Louise Benson, Head of Property Management Barfoot and Thompson Milford

What tenants look for in rental properties

What makes a great rental property? For a landlord, the 'holy grail' is a property that requires low maintenance, delivers high returns, is rarely vacant and always attracts good, reliable tenants. And for tenants, there are also several ‘must haves’.

The most important thing for tenants is a property in good, clean, modern condition. Gone are the days when renters tolerated flatting in draughty old villas for a couple of years while saving for their first home. Currently, approximately one third of our population are renters, and they’re living in rental housing for longer.

With this reality in mind, the priorities of today’s renters are much like today’s owners. They‘re less interested in homes with dated, tired décor and un-renovated kitchens and bathrooms. Even in the most desirable suburbs, older style houses in original condition tend to sit vacant for longer and bring in lower weekly incomes.

Much of Auckland’s rental stock is older and not modernised, so there’s a mismatch between supply and demand. When we advertise a modern home, we are able to achieve a premium weekly rent, and the landlord will often be spoiled for choice of great potential tenants.

If a refresh or renovation isn’t in the budget, the next best thing a landlord can do is properly maintain their rental. If you want your tenants to look after the home, it’s important to show that you’re quick to fix repairs. By creating the impression that the owner cares about the property, you’re sending the right message to the person you have entrusted with your valuable asset.

The layout of the home is a factor too. Unusual layouts that don’t suit how most people live, typically take longer to let. Examples include lots of bedrooms but a very small living area, a kitchen with no storage or small bench space, or no outdoor living area.

Unsurprisingly, location is key for most people. Rental properties in good school zones, with proximity to public transport or commercial centres are always in demand. And in any location, a secure garage is also important. Even if there’s off-street parking available, tenants often need more storage space because, like owner occupiers, they have a lot of stuff!

Lastly, some tenants look for properties that allow pets. We encourage landlords to keep an open mind on this. Appreciative tenants with pets can sometimes be the best tenants. They tend to stay longer and pay more for the privilege.

Louise Benson, Head of Property Management Barfoot and Thompson Milford

027 431 9536

milford.rental@barfoot.co.nz

Much of Auckland’s rental stock is older and not modernised, so there’s a mismatch between supply and demand.

Join us at our open days as we unveil our stunning new apartments.

THE BEST OF BROWNS BAY ON YOUR DOORSTEP.

Saturday 7 & Sunday 8 October, 11am – 3pm. 3 – 7 Woodlands Crescent, Browns Bay. Refreshments included.

We’ve recently completed the development of our boutique two and three-bedroom apartments at Arvida Aria Bay. Architecturally-designed, fully insulated and just a stone’s throw from the beach, the shops and the hustle and bustle of beautiful Browns Bay, they won’t hang around.

For more info, call Sharon on 0800 20 22 20, or visit arvida.co.nz/ariabay