15 March Blenheim Sun Newspaper

Chris Valli

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Teachers wanting to feel valued

Continued from page 1.

Clare, a year 7 (Form 1) teacher at Bohally Intermediate says better working conditions would include having trained support for students who need it, in-class support for students with high needs and enough qualified teachers to keep class sizes down to entice teachers to stay in the profession.

Clare has been in her profession for seven years and says making school a safe place where students feel supported and included is the priority.

She has a class of 27 students and works between 50 - 60 hours a week with four days a term ‘release’ which means she can catch up with her ‘team leader’ administration and IT planning for the year level with a relief teacher taking her class.

simon@blenheimsun.co.nz

Meanwhile, Rapaura School year 2 teacher Anna Marshall is a beginning teacher or ‘BT’. Anna says she went back to university in her 30’s to create a better life for her (at the time) one-year-old daughter.

“Being a new Mum and studying full time was a juggle, but it was the incentive of setting myself up with a good secure job and decent income for our future that got me over the line,” she says. “I graduated as a fully registered teacher half way through 2022 and stepped into a classroom of 36 year three and four.”

Anna says the workload was huge, and she ended up burning out

trying to find the right balance as a teacher.

“I am currently teaching a class of 22 year two and three’s but still find myself with my laptop out at night time, and popping into school during the weekends to feel on top of everything. My daughter currently goes to before and after school care to allow me the flexibility to start at 7.30am and finish at 5.30pm.”

Anna says during her release time, she plans lessons, assesses children, does research, has syndicate meetings, and attends professional development courses to upskill in a ‘rapidly changing

world.’

“Relationships are the driving force of what makes a good teacher, if you don’t know your children or their homelife or how they learn, it is going to be difficult to find those magical moments of teaching and learning. A teacher constantly has to adapt and adopt new practices, while understanding the emotional, social, cultural and intellectual needs of each individual student,” says Anna.

Education Minister Jan Tinetti, a former teacher, said she has huge respect for teachers and is disappointed there has been a breakdown in negotiations.

She wouldn’t comment on the strike because of the collective bargaining process, but has been assured the Ministry is focused on reaching settlements for teachers and principals that address key priorities and give members certainty for the future.

Clare says an ideal outcome would be for her profession to be viewed as an ‘appealing career’ for those who have a passion for engaging and encouraging tamariki to thrive.

“It’s about having teachers valued by wider community organisations and wages to match the current inflation and cost of living crisis.”

Wood is Worried...

Feel

Education Minister Jan Tinetti says the Ministry is focused on reaching settlements for teachers and principals that address key priorities and give members certainty for the future.

Rapaura School year 2/3 teacher Anna Marshall.

PAK’nSAVE owners celebrate 10 years

For PAK’nSAVE Blenheim owner operators Andrea Boock and Mark Elkington, marking the 10-year anniversary since their purpose-built store opened is a not only a cause for celebration, but also time to reflect on what has been a significant passage of time in their lives.

“Our youngest was only three when we opened and is now 13.

All four of our children have helped out in the store in various ways over the years, so have grown up alongside the supermarket.

“One of the special things we’re going to do is recreate the photo we took with them on the first day we opened ten years ago, although we won’t be able to hold our 13-year-old in our arms like we did when she was three,” Mark laughs.

Andrea is a third-generation supermarket owner operator. She remembers her grandfather owning Four Square Caversham and New World Gardens in Dunedin in the 1980’s.

Andrea’s parents owned and operated New World Bishopdale in Christchurch then New World Blenheim in 2000, which Andrea and Mark took over in 2010 before taking the leap to sell and move into the newly built PAK’nSAVE store

in 2013.

Mark says it was a bold move heading out to the newly formed Westwood Retail Park on the ‘outskirts of town’ but one thing he’s most proud of are the many loyal team members who’ve remained with PAK’nSAVE Blenheim since they opened.

“We’re really grateful to also be celebrating the 10-year work anniversaries for 22 of our team members who’ve been with us since 2013, so we’ll be marking this milestone with a special acknowledgement.”

For their 10th anniversary, PAK’nSAVE Blenheim will recreate the party atmosphere they

had when the store first opened, by roping off part of the car park for a bouncy castle, sausage sizzle and giveaways, as well as instore deals which Mark says is their way of thanking the community for their support over the last decade.

“Over the last few years, in particular with the Kaikoura earthquake closing SH1 and the huge upheaval through the pandemic, the way the community supported us by getting behind our hardworking team and giving them such positive feedback has really meant a lot to us.

“The Marlborough community is really something quite special,” he says.

Sun The Taylor River weedcutting to begin on May 1

A number of environmental factors have combined which mean Blenheim residents may have to put up with a flooded boardwalk in the downtown amphitheatre area for a bit longer, Andy White, Council Rivers and Drainage Engineering Manager said.

“We’ve had a fairly wet summer on top of two major storms over the last two years, which means there has been increased siltation - or aggradation - of the river bed,” he said.

“The Council fully appreciates that recreational users may be frustrated by the restricted access but the Taylor is part of the dynamic Wairau River system and does flood from time to time.”

Andy said barriers would be put up to discourage people from cycling or walking along the flooded boardwalks. An Easter egg hunt had also been relocated.

“In mid-May we will carry out some gravel and sediment removal to reduce the height of the river bed. This will provide an interim solution whilst we explore longer term solutions to aggradation.”

Food prices rise at fastest annual rate

Food prices have risen at their fastest annual rate in more than 30 years driven by sharp increases in groceries, fruits and vegetables.

Stats NZ said food prices rose 1.5 percent in February on the month before, to be 12 percent higher than a year ago. That was the highest food inflation rate since September 1989.

Fruit and vegetables drove the monthly increase, up close to 6 percent, with small rises for meat and groceries. However, the annual increase was caused by a 12 percent gain in grocery prices, notably eggs, cheese and potato chips.

for

Mark Elkington and Andrea Boock (owner operators) will celebrate 10 years this weekend since opening PAKnSAVE Blenheim.

Adam/Felicia an incredible experience

By Chris Valli

In his day job, Blenheim’s Daniel Brunel works as a Kiwi Can Leader for the Graeme Dingle Foundation. Kiwi Can is a life skills and values programme delivered to schools which has a noticeable difference and effect on how children interact with each other.

At night time, you’ll find Daniel indulging in a desert holiday, what it means to be different and standing up for what is right in the character and drag and persona that is Adam, Felicia. The role, made synonymous in the movie by Guy Pearce, has some classic dialogue of a drag that on the outside comes across as confident, extroverted with a witty sense of humour and banter.

Perhaps the Kiwi Can

Chris Valli will be writing a fortnightly column for the Sun Newspaper about Blenheim Musical Theatre’s production of Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the ASB Theatre from May 17-27. Commitment.

As a noun, commitment means a declaration assuring that one will or will not do something. As a verb it means to commit oneself by a promise to do or give.

Giving seems to be the operative word with not just this production but any commitment to be fair. In discussions with Priscilla cast and crew in recent weeks what is clearly evident is the hours and dedication that are being

whakatauki best sums up Daniel’s own development in the world of amateur theatre. Iti rearea, kahikatea tei tei, ka taea - even the small rearea bird can ascend to the great heights of the Kahikatea tree.

Indeed, the ‘small bird’ is climbing beyond the tree and will be proudly gracing the Priscilla bus of ‘fabulous’ come May 17.

Daniel admits he didn’t have plans to audition for Priscilla after having just finished the dinner theatre Blue Eyes at the back end of last year. Yet, through some encouragement from a few close friends he decided to push through his comfort zone and give it a try.

“Adam is an interesting character. He starts off as a young overconfident ignorant brat that believes the world revolves around him,” he says. “He loves to push buttons and cause drama for

his own amusement. Through the show and his experiences as himself or his alter ego Felicia we see he is so much more complex and the personality he exudes is a defence mechanism from his childhood and upbringing that he uses to not let anyone get close to him.”

He gets himself in trouble and lets his guard down enough to start getting to know the people around him on a deeper level.

Daniel says most of his experiences with shows have been entirely musicals. The ‘business’ of Priscilla including intense dance routines and powerful songs has taken some getting used to.

“The energy and emotion that ebbs and flows through the show is a real rollercoaster in and out of character. But this has been an incredible experience so far with

accumulated in order for the production to be polished.

Five rehearsals a week for some, fine tuning choreography, vocals, dialogue, reacting to such dialogue and finding ways to keep scenes fresh albeit having been done countless times before.

To bring it to content, remember this is amateur operatic. Any notion of ‘payment’ from those not in the community theatre know-how, is payment through the love of theatre and not one through remuneration. The love of theatre, family and friendships with like-minded individuals is strong indeed.

It is fitting then, that with eight weeks until opening night, it is the ones at

some extremely talented kind cast mates that make every rehearsal so enthusiastic.”

Daniel believes some of the key learnings, eight weeks out from opening night, are the amount of time and dedication it takes to find the character, especially playing one person who has two different personas. He says it’s shown him that he’s capable of so much more than he could anticipate and also how important sleep is.

“I need to start getting more than five or six hours a night,” he quips. “This show is night and day from anything else I’ve ever done before. It’s given me a new perspective on many things. I’m very glad I got involved with all these amazing talented people. That’s one thing that hasn’t changed in Marlborough theatre - the people are always high quality.”

home who are providing unconditional support through changing logistics and timetables to accommodate their loved ones as they chase their theatre buzz. They are the gems in the Priscilla puzzle. The ones who might just get a wee sleep in or extra coffee come May 28.

Dean Bryant has lived and breathed the musical since 2006, travelling the world to direct various productions.

“The success of Priscilla depends a lot on casting and you just know who has the bravado and the twinkle in their eye to win the audience over,” says Bryant, now an associate director at Melbourne Theatre Company.

There is no shortage of twinkle when it comes to wardrobe and properties,

Daniel says the energy and emotion that ebbs and flows through the show is a real rollercoaster in and out of character. “This has been an incredible experience so far with some extremely talented kind cast mates that make every rehearsal so enthusiastic.”

that goes without saying. Just like any previous Blenheim Musical Theatre production, there are cast members who do indeed ‘twinkle’ and come from out of the woodwork to showcase their respective talents to a wider Blenheim audience.

It happened in 2019 with Phantom of the Opera and Canadian born Aria Bakker who played Christine with a vocal which mesmerised locals. It also happened in 2022 in Les Misérables with opera trained Rhys Hingston showcasing a full repertoire in his role as Javert. There is no question as an ensemble every cast member involved will undoubtedly sparkle and bring their

own dynamic and contribution to the production with great aplomb and gusto.

Indeed Blenheim Musical Theatre’s own mission statement reflects the success of not only this impending production but previous ones.

BMT aims to promote and foster the study, production and performance of musical theatre by providing a platform for local performers, technicians, designers, directors and other key personnel to become actively involved in the world of musical theatre. A commitment indeed. Local theatre on a professional scale, that’s Blenheim, pushing above its weight in the world of performing arts.

Enough is enough

By Chris Valli.

Lee Tepuia’s had a gutsful of people talking about mental health and not doing anything about it. His comment comes after news of two further teen suicides which have rocked the core of Blenheim’s community in recent weeks.

“My aim is to get into the schools bro, let us in,” he insists. “We want to connect and find a way in with families. There is emptiness when we hear of another life lost, when you look at individual’s date of births and really how young they were. We have a collective responsibility.”

Lee says the youth who turn up to his boxing class in Redwoodtown, tell him talking to parents or caregivers is the last thing they want to do when it comes to opening up or getting a conversation started. The days of talking to an adult one can trust albeit through school, sports or cultural groups seems to be missing with a huge void in the Blenheim community, Lee suggests.

“When you have parents coming to you and some of them you don’t even know, they often want me to hear, see, listen to what they are going through and how I can help,” he says. “One or two people in the community can’t do this alone. It takes a community to action.”

Box on Boxing is teaming up with the I am Hope Foundation

to fundraise for Rangatahi mental health in Marlborough. The Our Youth, Our Future Fundraiser night at Marlborough Boys’ College this Friday is sold out.

Mental-health advocates Mike King, Shane Cameron and Lee will talk on the night and share how ‘we’ (Marlburians) can

support Rangatahi, as they become the future kaitiaki of their community.

The night will include a platter, a sit down dinner, live and silent auctions, entertainment and bar. The funds raised from the night will go to the I am Hope Foundation, and to support up and

coming Rangatahi mental health programmes at Box on Boxing.

“The reason why I’ve done this event is because Marlborough needs to open their eyes up and start listening to people who are trying to help our kids,” he says. “Often when someone like Mike gets involved, locals get absorbed

and then it just stops. It needs to change. Suicide doesn’t discriminate and as a word shouldn’t be shut down, we have kids taking their lives.”

“We need to step up now and bring more people involved to saving lives, let’s not stop talking about it and come up with a plan.”

Box on Boxing Redwoodtown is teaming up with the I am Hope Foundation to fundraise for Rangatahi mental health in Marlborough. The Our Youth, Our Future Fundraiser night at Marlborough Boys’ College this Friday is sold out.

Charity Run a great success

By Chris Valli

Blisters, sleep deprivation, mild dehydration and fatigue. How was your weekend?

For Eli Harvey and Stefan Kahu, running on a treadmill for 48 hours certainly tested their mental and physical fortitude. After both completing 156 km’s each, the mates raised over $4600 for School Start First Impressions Marlborough.

School Start First Impressions Marlborough works to reduce the impact of poverty on the education of Marlborough children, identifying that a child’s fifth birthday and entry to school presents an impossible challenge to Marlborough families in financial crisis.

The money raised equates to

providing 10 kitboxes which contains everything a child needs to celebrate their fifth birthday and commence school including among others, a school uniform, school fees, stationery or a school bag.

Eli says quitting was never an option and they pushed through the pain. Throughout the process they faced multiple challenges including things like huge blisters, sleep deprivation, mild dehydration, and just all round fatigue.

“The support from the Stadium 2000 staff went above and beyond. They provided us with an office space that we could rest in and let us take over a portion of the gym and three treadmills to run on,” Eli says.

Eli says the challenge wouldn’t

have been possible without the overwhelming support from their respective friends and family.

“Both Stefan and I had family members who stayed with us during the nights and throughout the days doing things like filling up drink bottles, giving massages and boosting morale. We also had many friends arriving over the two days to show support. Some even came to run with us in the middle of the night.”

The sponsors for the event were Stadium 2000, Marlborough Public House, Lawson’s Dry Hills, Panache Personal Training, and StikiBiz. Donations can still be made by visiting the School Start First Impressions website www. ssfimarlborough.nz

Hospice vehicle display celebrates 10 years

The Hospice Marlborough Vehicle Display this weekend will be celebrating their 10th anniversary.

Hospice Marlborough spokesperson Sandy Inwood says despite weather and Covid setbacks, the event has raised more than $66k over the past decade.

“The hospice needs to raise approximately $800,000 a year from the community to operate annually. This is the shortfall between the Government funding available and the cost of providing palliative care in Marlborough,” says Sandy. “The organising team are grateful for the support received from local businesses. Many of them have supported the event for the entire ten years.”

The event which is run by a subcommittee of members from the Classic Motoring

Society is on this Sunday, March 19 at Waterlea Racecourse.

Display vehicles are welcome from 9.30am, $5 entry fee with the event open to the public 11 – 3.

Entry is a gold coin donation to Hospice Marlborough. People are welcome to bring a picnic lunch or they can purchase food and drink from vendors.

Eli Harvey and Stefan Kahu alongside the School Start First Impressions Marlborough team back row from left; Margaret Smith, Brenda Munro and chairperson Michelle Munro.

Taylor River weedcutting to begin on 1 May

A number of environmental factors have combined which mean Blenheim residents may have to put up with a flooded boardwalk in the downtown amphitheatre area for a bit longer, Andy White, Council Rivers and Drainage Engineering Manager said.

“We’ve had a fairly wet summer on top of two major storms over the last two years, which means there has been increased siltation - or aggradationof the river bed,” he said.

“This is part of the natural behaviour of all rivers when rainfall is heavy or prolonged.”

“The Council fully appreciates that recreational users may be frustrated by the restricted access but the river is part of the dynamic Wairau River system and does flood from time to time.”

“We completed our first round of annual weedcutting in mid-January. Under the rules in the Marlborough Environment Plan, river works are not permitted in the Taylor and Opaōa

rivers from 1 February to 30 April to avoid fish spawning season, so additional weedcutting cannot be carried out during this time.”

“The key fish species we are protecting are inanga. Juvenile inanga are the main species that make up the whitebait catch.”

Mr White said barriers would be put up to discourage people from cycling or walking along the flooded boardwalks. An Easter egg hunt had also been relocated.

“In mid-May we will carry out some gravel and sediment removal to reduce the height of the river bed. This will provide an interim solution whilst we explore longer term solutions to aggradation.”

“If the water level drops over the coming weeks we will be able to reopen the boardwalks. The situation will be reviewed daily,” he said. He said if the weather remained dry there was a greater chance the river’s water level would drop.

Emergency response volunteers return

A second deployment of volunteer emergency responders from Marlborough’s NZRT20 team has been completed. The group was based in Hawke’s Bay and worked with other volunteers from around the country.

Team members worked in small groups

Watch out for harvesters

With the grape harvest underway, road users are being warned to watch for heavy machinery on the region’s roads. The harvest will run for the next six weeks, with the peak of activity expected around the middle of this month.

There is already an increase in the amount of harvesters, tractors and trucks on our roads from Koromiko in the north to Ward in the south, and westwards up the Wairau Valley. Drivers should take care when driving on local roads and state highways. Extra caution is needed when overtaking - check your passing distance and be aware of oncoming traffic.

flying into remote areas by helicopter to support cut off communities.

Team manager Gary Spence said: “Thank you to the families and employers for giving our team members the time to help their fellow Kiwis up north. It is very pleasing that Marlborough is able to help these communities directly.”

New road safety chair appointed

Councillor Jonathan Rosene has been elected chair of the Road Safety Action Planning group. The group plays an important role in delivering the government’s Road to Zero national strategy interventions to achieve a target of a 40 per cent reduction in death and serious injuries on our roads by 2030.

The Road Safety Action Planning group looks to improve road safety in Marlborough through alignment with the Road to Zero campaign by identifying crash risks. It works with the Police, ACC, Waka Kotahi, Te Whatu Ora, Marlborough Roads and Council.

Mayor Nadine Taylor endorsed Councillor Rosene’s appointment and said the Road to Zero was a society wide challenge and all stakeholders need to act together to ensure the goal set by government was achievable. “It’s a goal we certainly want to achieve.” Marlborough Road Safety Coordinator Robyn Blackburn said Road Safety Action Planning is focussed on addressing death and serious injury crashes that impact our communities through applying the Road to Zero strategy interventions.

“It’s time now to consolidate on the good, reflect on the not so good, work in partnership to strengthen connections and identify all local actions that can help achieve Vision Zero,” she said.

Weed cutting beginning in May will reduce the water level of the Taylor River near Blenheim’s amphitheatre

Left to right: Don Anderson, Hemi Priestly, James Dadson, Cameron Wilson, Shelley Wetton (Team Leader), Jaco du Plessis, Dave Parsons (Deputy Team Leader ) and Phil Vercoe

New Road Safety Action Planning group chair Jonathan Rosene

Harvesters share the road during harvest

I couldn’t believe my eyes when we read the above headline in the Sun on last Wednesday.

Whilst we all knew that our rates had been rising steadily at 5%, 7.8% has to be a record for Marlborough?

Needless, to say, we are not only extremely disappointed, but cannot understand how the councillors are giving themselves a pat on the back!

If anything, we might have expected a modest increase due to a rate revaluation a year ago.

Marlborough has grown less than 1% since 2017, yet council staff have increased by a whopping 16% and vehicle purchases by 22%, totally filling the top storey of the council owned car park!

It cannot be the new library, as that

was 2/3 funded under shovel ready projects by the national government and the land was donated.

Maybe it is the loss of income from all the empty part owned council buildings in Blenheim, such as the old working men’s club. This CEO needs to be watched, he’s been building an empire under the councillors’ noses.

Now, under your watch, he’s just given us possibly the largest increase in Marlborough’s recent history.

Perhaps one might explain.

Chris Davies

The Central Bank independant of voter influence and Government are responsible for policy influencing money supply, taxation or borrowing, neither is correct.

Government needs to take control through the Treasurey and as a sovereign nation not NZ Inc, print its own money as originally intended. Pay the overseas debt off so stopping inflation. The money printed is not debt based. We need to back our currency with gold and silver assets. Central banks are the cause of boom busts economic agony.

They should be under the Treasury not above. So voters and govenment have influence. The last country to seek to dismantle the central bank or federal reserve system was America under JFK in 1963.

He printed federal notes 7 billion to dismantle the reserve system, he was dead 3 months later. The federal reserve is privately owned not federal owned.

Unemployment.

As the people on job seeker grows (ready and seeking employment) the unemployment figures shrink but unemployment is far higher and getting worse.

Banks are failing and will continue unless the bad debts are transferred to the Central Bank or Treasury. The System is gamed and doomed change the system.

Tell the truth keep your work serve the people not yourselves.

Name supplied.

Paul Potts – Opera resonates, speaks to me

Global phenomenon Paul Potts will be visiting Blenheim next month as a special guest joining the New Zealand cast of 50 Golden Years of Musicals at the ASB Theatre. Chris Valli spoke to him in Wales where he talked about touring the world, appearing on Oprah and sampling Marlborough’s Sauvignon Blanc.

Bullied and taunted at school, Paul Potts sang in the local church choir which proved to be a sanctuary for Paul. Listening to La Boheme at 16, he fell in love with opera, a romance that was to set him on a turbulent journey leading him to winning the first series of Britain’s Got Talent in 2007.

Truly a life changing event, Paul released his multi-Platinum debut album ‘One Chance’ that year, topped the charts in 13 countries, appeared on Oprah (twice), brought Times Square to a standstill, announced a global arena tour and became a household name in cities from Seoul to New York to Sydney.

50 Golden Years of Musicals celebrates the unprecedented musical journey of New Zealand’s longest serving producers, Stewart and Tricia Macpherson with Paul representing the international artists they have toured in their careers.

The opportunity to join the cast of 50 Golden Years of Musicals came about coincidentally for the opera enthusiast.

“I followed the publicist on Facebook as I had worked with her before in 2014,” he says. “I was coming to do a corporate event in March and so the timing was perfect. It was a happy coincidence.”

The Welsh tenor shot to fame by winning Britain’s Got Talent with his extraordinary performance of Nessun Dorma. Paul will be performing some of the greatest musical theatre songs from the past five decades including Chicago and Starlight Express as well as the

song that changed his life.

“I’m doing some stuff that wouldn’t necessarily be expected of me,” he laughs. “It is good to challenge yourself including Mister Cellophane which I happened to do a demo of when I was on tour in Denmark. Half of it is spoken which makes it a challenge. I’m really looking forward to getting into rehearsals and doing stuff that I’m not completely familiar with, it broadens your knowledge.”

I do about the region,” he confess es. “I often look at people bemused when I see those drinking Moet & Chandon when there is perfectly good champagne style blends from New Zealand. I’m always taking photos when I tour and I always try to take a walk and a look around.”

Meanwhile, Welsh choirs have been told they can no longer sing the Tom Jones hit ‘Delilah’ while performing during Wales’s rugby international match days at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium. One lyric of the song includes a reference to a woman being murdered by her jealous partner.

One line of the song reads: “I crossed the street to her house and she opened the door; she stood there laughing, I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more.”

He is no stranger to musical theatre and says he has often recorded and performed musicals in his own shows when touring.

“Songs like Bring Him Home and Music of the Night are familiar indeed.”

Paul has visited New Zealand before, specifically Nelson in 2014 when he did a road trip of the south island including Queenstown via Mount Cook. This time around he is looking forward to seeing parts he hasn’t seen including Marlborough. As a former trained wine advisor he knows a thing or two about viticulture.

“I know more about the wine than

The Welsh Rugby Union is still reeling from allegations of misogyny, sexism, racism and homophobia within the ranks of the governing body.

Paul says his biggest issue with the song is that it is not sung in the third person rather the first person.

“I mean I wouldn’t be standing there with a knife in my hand making somebody stop laughing,” he says. “A lot of people don’t realise what the song means. Once you start looking at the meaning it changes, it’s a rather controversial subject at the moment.”

Paul’s story has inspired the Hollywood film ‘One Chance; starring James Corden, star of the

Paul says he’s really looking forward to getting into rehearsals and doing music that he’s not completely familiar with.

Welsh shot BBC TV series Gavin and Stacey.

After all the success including releasing a further six studio albums and appearing as the ‘koala’ in Germany’s version of The Masked Singer does he still feel he has time to be Paul, the boy from Kingswood, Bristol?

“You have to be who you are. If you try and be someone you’re not,

that’s a dangerous road to go down. It’s important to be yourself and not pretence or an outer being that is not you. Sometimes that might mean a risk of not being a success but you have to value your own mental health and stay true to who you are.”

50 Golden Years of Musicals is at the ASB Theatre on Friday, April 21 and Sunday, April 23, 7:30pm.

“If you try to be someone you’re not, that’s a dangerous road to go down”

Irish Settlers – a Renwick story

By Chris Valli

A tale of two men born 60km apart in Ireland during the early 1800s and being laid to rest 10km apart in Marlborough, is the theme of an exhibition running at the Renwick Museum for the next few months.

Opening at 10am this Friday, on St Patrick’s Day, the exhibition is being curated by museum volunteers Sharon Evans and Megan Ross.

Sharon an experienced genealogist has brought together the story of the Gees, an Anglo-Irish family from County Kilkenny and the Mahers, an indigenous Irish family from County Tipperary. James Gee with his Scottish wife Margaret McKenzie arrived in the area some-

time in the late 1850s. Both he and M ichael Maher, an Irish settler from Tipperary signed the petition which resulted in the separation of Marlborough from Nelson in 1859.

James Gee left Ireland to join the 96th Regiment of the British Army and in time came to Australia as a guard on a convict ship. He then moved on to New Zealand arriving in Wellington in 1841 just in time to take part in the Maori land wars.

He is buried in the Upper Wairau Cemetery.

Michael Maher and his family left Ireland for England as well, spending 12 years in London before emigrating aboard the Lord Auckland bound for Nelson in 1842. He and his wife Nancy Lanphier began their life

in New Zealand as tenant farmers in the Waimea area before amassing enough equity to purchase their own land at Kaituna. There have been Mahers farming at Kaituna ever since. Michael is buried at the Maher family cemetery, Kaituna.

The Maher history has been recorded in the recently released book From Tipperary to Kaituna. A copy of the book can be viewed and ordered at the museum on the 17th and every Monday from then on or by email to loretomaherl@gmail.com.

Sharon says she hopes more information on the Gee family will come to light during the running of the exhibition and also of other Irish settlers to the Renwick area in the 1800s.

Cultural Kaleidoscope

By Chris Valli

The Cultural Kaleidoscope exhibition opened at the Marlborough Art Society last weekend.

MAS President Anne Barrer says Marlborough’s demographic has changed over the last 30 years. With the Making Marlborough documentary by Paul Davidson last year, the film highlighted the various ‘waves’ of settlement from the earliest Māori who landed at Wairau Bar through to the back packers and RSE workers that make Marlborough their home even for short periods of time.

“This exhibition is about celebrating Marlborough’s diversity; a chance for the artist to tell their ‘story’ through art. The entry includes a short piece reflecting on art, identity and culture. It might include where the artist comes from (their place of birth), their reason that they came to be living or working in Marlborough and what their art represents,” says Anne.

“What is special is that we have five RSE workers from Vanuatu who have entered the exhibition. They work for Hortus and one of them. William Bule, is an artist back home. Sisil Siptiley, also from Vanuatu is a basket maker and she has used harakeke to weave a food basket. They recently completed a one day workshop that the Art Society ran to help attendees explore their identity through art.”

Anne says the works by all the artists are inspiring and tell the story of the artist

Watch the skies

If excitement is what you are after, then Yealands Classic Fighters is the place to be this Easter Weekend! The 20th Anniversary show is bringing back the Roaring Forties, the Yak 52 Formation Aerobatic Team, and the RNZAF’s Black Falcons and Kiwi Blue display teams. Watch the skies of Marlborough come to life as these magnificent men and women put on a show with all the thrills of an aerial circus! Prepare to be dazzled as some of New Zealand’s most skilful pilots put their magnificent

THROUGH ART: Sisil Siptiley, from Vanuatu is a basket maker and has used harakeke to weave a food basket.

and how their sense of belonging comes through in their paintings or 3D works.

“There is a striking painting of a Hongi, a retro painting of 1970s caravans kiwi style, wonderful cyanotype work representing craft skills passed down by mothers and grandmothers and a paper crafted vessel.”

The exhibition runs for two weeks at the Marlborough Art Society from Saturday, March 11 - Sunday, March 26.

machines through their paces. Teamwork is essential, and the nine-ship formation loop of the Yak-52 Team is a real crowd-pleaser!

Kiwi Blue is the RNZAF parachute team. All members of the Display Unit are full-time instructors and take pride in landing directly in front-centre of the crowd at airshows. Combined with the Black Falcons in their T-6C Texan II aircraft, Yealands Classic Fighters 2023 will be a show to remember. Tickets are available online at www.classicfighters.co.nz or the gate.

IDENTITY

A new exhibition about Irish settlement in the Renwick area is about to open at the Renwick Museum on St Patrick’s Day, curated by Sharon Evans, left and Megan Ross.

Rotary Blenheim South fundraiser a success

Last Wednesday evening, Rotary Blenheim South hosted a s p ecial screening of the film Fisherman’s Friends 2 to raise funds for the victims of Cyclone Gabrielle.

Fisherman’s Friends 2 is a story about a real-life group of Cornish fishermen who landed a record deal by singing sea shanties.

At the heart of the story are the themes of friendship and community, and the Marlborough community certainly showed their support with 315 tickets being sold for the event.

Attendees were greeted with a complimentary glass of wine on arrival, donated by Forrest Estate Wines and Catalina Sounds Wines, and there was food provided by Rotary members, their p a rtners and friends utilising ingredients donated by many local suppliers.

Local businesses also showed their support by donating a total of 17 prizes that were raffled off during the course of the evening.

“We are very appreciative of the wonderful support we get from the Marlborough community who so willingly support our fundraising projects,” Rotary Blenheim South President Neville White says. “The success of our

fundraisers is very dependent on their fantastic support.”

The event raised a total of $15,000 from the sale of the movie tickets and raffles plus some very generous donations from Blenheim locals and a contribution from Rotary Club funds.

The money raised will go to the Rotary District which covers the Hawkes Bay and Gisborne this week, who have established a special disaster relief fund to be administered by senior Rotarians.

They will process applications from Rotary Clubs in the most impacted areas and allocate funds

according to need. All of the money raised will go to frontline restoration and recovery projects.

The Rotary District Governor Kevin Forgeson was very pleased with the outcome.

“This is a fantastic effort. We can’t thank you enough. It looks like everyone had an enjoyable night,” Kevin says.

“Please pass on our thanks to all involved in this wonderful fundraiser for us.”

Neville says that Kevin advised the primary objective was to get the funds to the coalface to assist

where the money is needed most.

“The local communities are best served by determining their own priorities, he told us.”

Other similar fundraisers held by Rotary Blenheim South have included for the Westport flood victims, and the refurbishment of the Rotoiti Outdoor Education Centre.

“Our Rotary Blenheim South Club is deeply moved and motivated by the overwhelming support from our Marlborough Community,” Neville says.

“To all concerned, thank you very much.”

Marlborough locals had a blast at the special showing of Fisherman’s Friends 2 last Wednesday, a Rotary Blenheim South Club fundraiser for Cyclone Gabrielle victims which raised $15,000.

THANK YOU

Rotary Blenheim South Club’s very successful fundraiser held at the Event Cinema last Wednesday raised nearly $15,000 in support of Cyclone Gabrielle victims as a result of the very generous support from the Marlborough community and donations of kind and service from the following ever-supportive business community.

We thank you all for your amazing support which made this event so successful.

Forrest Estate Wines

Catalina Sounds Wines

Dominoes Pizzas

Burkharts Fisheries

Service Foods

Marlborough

Blenheim Print

Alex Lloyd Graphics

Scenic Hotel Blenheim

Nite Spa

Event Cinemas

Well & Good Health

Centre

ITM Blenheim

Meaters Butchery

Saint Clair Family Wines

Springlands Lifestyle

Village

Super Auto Shoppe

PGG Wrightson

Liquorland

Blenheim Sun Newspaper

Cyclone Gabrielle fundraiser

Is your wood stacked and ready to burn?

Chances are that most homes which rely on wood burners already have their firewood seasoned, stacked and ready to burn.

But if you have found yourself caught out and on the lookout for firewood to burn this winter, be aware that you will need dry wood, and not wet or ‘green’.

Generally most firewood merchants have dry firewood available, but if it has recently been cut you will need to stack it to dry it out.

When firewood is not dried properly, many problems arise including more smoke which affects air quality, blocked chimneys which create a fire hazard and of course inefficient heating.

Most importantly though, wet wood is hard to light and keep lit, so try to source dry wood if it’s for this year’s winter.

Tips for drying wood

It’s best to cut your firewood trees at least a year in advance. If you are trying to burn wood four months after cutting it, you’re being a little unrealistic.

A good rule of thumb is to always be a year ahead. If you can’t be a full year ahead, you should at least cut your trees in the spring

Before you burn your firewood this winter make sure it is dry. If you are having wood delivered, stack it in a way that there's airflow to help it dry.

or early summer to give them a good six to eight months to season.

Process the wood as soon as possible

Cut the wood into firewood lengths and split it as soon as possible. This will accelerate the drying process significantly.

As soon as the wood is processed, it is important to stack it to ensure that it dries in a timely manner.

Just add air and sunlight

Allow air circulation and sunlight to reach the firewood. Covering your firewood with a tarp is not the best idea when trying to season firewood.

Let the sun shine down and the air circulate around the firewood. The best way to do this is to stack the firewood in an area where the sun will shine.

Fall into winter prep

As the leaves begin to change into stunning Autumn colours it’s also a sign that the cooler weather is on its way.

Very soon frosts and winter conditions will be knocking at your door so the big question will be; is your home ready for winter? There are tasks which should not be left to when you start to feel cold, such as filling the wood shed, servicing heatpumps and other heating sources, sealing draughty windows and hanging thermal lined curtains. By booking a professional to come to your home now and take care of these tasks, means you can rest easy when the temperatures plummet knowing that you are prepared. Here are some tips to get you busy around your home:

• Install weather stripping, insulation, and storm windows.

• Insulate water lines that run along exterior walls.

• Clean out gutters and repair roof leaks.

• Have your heating system serviced professionally to make sure that it is clean, working properly, and ventilated to the outside.

• Inspect and clean fireplaces and chimneys.

• If you do not have a working smoke detector, install one. Test batteries monthly and replace them twice a year.

If your wood shed is not yet filled, now is the time to get it done.

With the cold comes mould

With winter comes the dreaded condensation affecting walls, ceilings and even floors.

If you have noticed condensation causing mould to grow on surfaces, now is the time to take steps to prevent it this winter so that your family can breathe easy and be healthy.

First of all; what is condensation?

In simple terms it occurs when warm moist air meets a cold surface.

It’s mostly a winter issue as the home becomes cold and windows are opened less, therefore leaving this moist air unable to escape.

But when mould growth occurs, it’s a

warning sign that t he home’s heating, insulation and ventilation may need improving.

A lot of this can be seen in bathrooms and kitchens due to the nature of what those rooms are used for, as well in bedrooms, inside cupboards and even corners of rooms where ventilation and air movement are restricted.

To help prevent moist air from spreading to other rooms, provide some ventilation to all rooms so it can escape, and keep your home reasonably warm. Good ventilation of kitchens when you are cooking is essential, as is in the space you are drying clothes indoors.

Use your extractor fan if one is available and leave on until any misting on windows has cleared.

If your home does not have an extractor fan, open windows but close doors to other rooms.

In bathrooms keep the window open and door shut for the time required to dry off the room.

Remember, too much ventilation in cold weather can waste the heat you are trying

to generate indoors.

So be mindful of how wide you open the windows and for how long.

If you notice black mould already in your home, clean it with bleach and anti-fungacide solution.

A ny sign of mould growth is an indication of the presence of moisture and if caused by condensation provides a warning that heating, insulation or ventilation – or all three – may require improvement.

If condensation is a problem in your home during winter, use this time to get it sorted before the temperatures get too cold.

is..."licking my buddy dry after a summer rain," Queen Charlotte Sound, Dec. 2022: La Puma (Burmese, left) and her distantly-related but no less her best mate, Abby (Burmilla ...a

Harvest Marlborough Kartstars – with Brian FM and Fruitfed Supplies

Lovers of motor sport will know that most of the worlds best drivers cut their teeth on the go kart track.

World famous drivers Scott McLauchlan and Liam Lawson both began their motorsport journeys in a go kart.

First class talent from all over New Zealand will be gathering at Kartsport Marlborough to compete in round 3 of the Kartstars series. This is a new event, which has been incorporated into a relatively new Kartsport New Zealand series called Kartstars.

Kartstars is made up of 5 rounds on 5 different New Zealand tracks.

To be eligible to win the series, competitors must attend all events.

Harvest Marlborough Kartstars with Brian FM and Fruitfed Supplies will kick off on Friday the 17th of March with a practice day and then the action will happen Saturday and Sunday!

The best of New Zealand’s karting talent will be bringing their A game to the top of the South Island so there will be some amazing racing to watch across 7 different classes.

6 local drivers will be racing with Taylor Costello and Josh McConway entered in the Cadet Rok class, Will Finch entered in the hotly contested Vortex Mini Rok class which has 27 entries!

Arthur Broughan and Archie Botham are both entered in the 125cc Rotax Max

Junior class which is bound to be exciting to watch with over 20 drivers in the field Broughan is also entered in the Vortex Rok DVS Junior class. Daniel Morton, Marlborough’s only senior competitor is

in the Rotax Max Heavy Class. There are 118 entering the event, with a pretty even 50/50 split of North and South Island drivers.

It’s an event not to be missed!

Arthur Broughan, current holder of both the National Schools and South Island Champ titles.

Are Varicose Veins Hereditary?

Whenever Dr David Orsbourn treats a client for varicose veins, they are usually keen to know the reason they got them in the first place. David is often asked whether varicose veins are hereditary, and the short answer is yes! But he stresses that several elements can contribute to varicose veins developing, so we asked him to share more details on the associated risk factors.

David firmly maintains that the leading cause of one person developing varicose veins over another boils down to the genetic card you are dealt in life! He says, “If your parents or grandparents have suffered from varicose veins, there is a higher likelihood that you will too.”

Sedentary Lifestyle: Everybody knows it’s good to keep moving. That’s why ‘smart’ wearable devices have become so popular. They allow us to track our steps and prompt us to stand if we’ve been sitting for too long. Setting alarms reminds us to get up and stretch our legs throughout the day.

Standing Occupations: But David says it’s not just desk jobs that contribute to a higher risk of varicose veins; so too do those that require you to be on your feet all day, such as nursing and hairdressing. If you’re on your feet all day, try to put your feet up during your tea breaks.

Hormones:

A change in hormones can often lead to varicose veins. David says many pregnant women or mothers of young children present with varicose veins. And while some young Mums might leave varicose vein treatment until after their families are complete, David cautions against this approach. He says, “Not addressing varicose veins will just make future pregnancies more uncomfortable.” It is easy to fit in a non-surgical treatment with David between babies to make your legs happier and healthier. David also sees women who have experienced hormonal changes through medication (birth control pills or HRT) or menopause at the enhanceskin vein clinic at the Churchill Private Hospital.

Age:

David stresses that young people can and do get varicose veins! He says, “At enhanceskin, we’ve treated teenagers as young as sixteen.”

He continues, “But getting older undoubtedly increases your chances of developing varicose veins. As you age, your body shows signs of wear and tear and vein valves that help regulate blood flow are no exception.”

Excess Weight:

It’s no secret that being overweight can contribute to many health issues. David affirms that varicose veins are no exception. Carrying those extra kilos can put extra pressure on your circulatory system, eventually developing varicose veins.

The good news is that modern technology allows Dr David Orsbourn to offer varicose vein walk-in and walk-out outpatient treatments. Ultrasound Guided Foam Sclerotherapy (UGS), Venaseal Glue, and minimally invasive Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA) all allow you to return to normal activities almost straight away. enhanceskin offers a complimentary initial consultation, has Affiliated Provider status with Southern Cross for varicose vein treatment and can accept payment through all other health insurance providers.

Sun The txt talk with

Penny Hand

What the! Just got back from town to see the penny hand has been replaced by a large ugly looking thing. Sit down to read the Sun and I read, rates increase of 7.8% in difficult times. More wasted money.

Totally weird!

So our Council claims it’s OK to introduce another round of excessive rates increases based purely on the argument that the increases are less than those imposed by other Councils. Totally illogical. All increases must be warranted & justified.

N o t hought has been given to reducing unnecessary expenditure or introducing more efficient practices.

Relay for Life

What a day, no place to sit and watch the walk, no hot drinks or hot food until 5pm. Was told club room was closed up stairs, they should have had a tent for people to sit. Not good enough, went home early. Was better at the A and P showground 2 years ago.

Re: food

To the lady who goes without meat for her husbands sake, keep it up and you’ll be healthier than him. I gave up meat when 50 and am now 86 and in good health, rarely get colds or flu even without vaccinations.

Fingers crossed

Have the Council got their fingers crossed that we wont get too much rain before they dredge the Taylor River? All the drains and creeks coming into the river in the town area need looking at too.

Overpriced

Wine and Food Plus Air Show.

Like a lot of families and others like myself, haven’t been to the Wine Festival or Air Show for ages . Why ? So overpriced for the average Joe Bloggs. The average family today would never be able to afford it. Especially if you have transport to consider as well. Seems it’s all for the rich and visitors to the town.

New sculpture

I’m certain there’ll be others text in about the new sculpture we now have in the town centre - but just in case - WHY? Did we need this?

Re: Harvest

So we are all told grape harvest has started and to lookout for machinery on our roads. How about all the harvesters and tractors pull over and let vehicles pass as in the law. And are the TAB giving odds on when the first grape spill will happen?

Re: not returning

Renwick Tea Cafe. Yup maybe kids playground needs a bit of love..but we love going there. The grass is no bother. The fact it’s not like the town cafes is part of its charm. Very relaxing sitting with a cuppa at the outside tables on a sunny day. Lovely food, and great friendly service.

Race track

Join the racetrack Club Burden Street. Try living Dillion Street. Police can’t do anything now, with all cellphones telling drivers where they are. We just have to put up with it. It’s only a few seconds to put up with these “nitwits”.

Attendance

Agree with text last week on schools needing attendance officers. That’s just it, parents are losing control. Society needs to wake up.

I am ever amazed at the number of people that do not understand the meaning of the word stop at intersections. Young, old, male, female. Do they think it doesn’t apply to them? Weld Street and Cleghorn Street intersection is a great place to watch these law breakers. Especially when school finishes for the day.

Re Wine & Food

Totally agree with finding another vineyard venue. Just not the same atmosphere. And please take the helicopters further away! Not only was it distracting and hard to hear the music every 5 minutes as they flew overhead, it’s also dangerous!

Unity

We need a unified New Zealand. A divided country is a weak one. No need for co-governance with special privileges for a few. We need equality of opportunity not equity of outcome. New Zealanders know how to work together, borne out by the earthquakes and Hawkes Bay disaster. All cultures contribute something. Let’s stop dwelling on the past and value what’s good so we can all move forward together. Don’t let a destructive ideology control our country.

Be mindful

I ask the Council to be mindful that Pensioners didn’t get a payrise sufficient to cover the increase in rates, unconscionably inflicted on us. Please be mindful that some of us don’t have a separate income to supplement our pension, so what must we cut back on? Please don’t be wasteful with our rates - some “Consultants” are excessive - although if Councillors do have incomes bigger than the pension (which I suspect is probably the case) then they will see things differently... Please do not “rate” us out of our homes.

Strikes

All these strikes for massive and backdated pay rises; one wonders if MPs will collect post election defeat! But more to the point, our volunteers:-shops, caregivers, agency, advice services, on call, hospitals, stalls, tourism, meals on wheels and more. Driving for free, no pay - just moral pride and ethics! How about we all strike for a fortnight and see the country stop in its tracks. Tea and sugar, no darling; spoon yourself!

Let go

I’m disappointed to see the empty section in Warwick Street being let go, that the weeds are higher than the fence. There is no respect from the owners to the residents who have to look at it.

Talk of the week

Thank you

I enjoyed the section in Sun March 8 on local firefighters and wish to thank the businesses that support one of these volunteers on their team. Firefighters we applaud you.

Positivity

Good work Tom Knowles on your latest single I am Enough. Positivity, acceptance and empowerment in a world that needs it.

Love txt talk

Wednesday March 5th paper. Got to the txt talk page and was so disappointed to have only half a page!!!! My favourite read of the whole paper!!!!!! SURPRISE, turn the page and find another full page as usual. My gosh, shocks like that not good for the old ticker.

Love the txt talk page.

We welcome your texts on 027 242 5266.

Limit to 70 words please. We reserve the right to publish at our discretion. Please note the opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Sun management.

Not bright

Hi Mr holden bright blue car! The only thing bright about you! Anyone can drive fast down Muller road. It only takes an “IDIOT” to do it !

Matt and nadine

Directors, Mobile Car Valet Blenheim

 Are you a dog or cat person?

Nadine is a cat person and Matt is a dog person.

 My friends would say I am…

Nadine’s friends would say she is bubbly and outgoing and Matt’s friends would say he has a big heart and always has time for them.

 The best advice I ever received was?

Don’t give up when times get tough.

 What would you buy if money was no object?

Matt has a passion for his motorbikes and would love to get a new bike. Nadine loves to swim and would love a big swimming pool to spend summer days in.

 Local coffee haunt?

All Good Brew, especially for Matt, he loves his cold brews.

 Favourite takeaway?

Thai food. Our favourite place is Lemongrass.

 The shop you can’t walk past is...? BBQ shops, we enjoy using our pellet grill and can’t resist the delicious new ribs to try.

 What’s the most thoughtful gift you’ve ever received?

For Matt it was a personalised robe Nadine bought him with his nickname on it, for Nadine it’s her heart necklace that her and Matt bought together on their trip to Christchurch.

 Where is your happy holiday place?

Nadine and her family always went on holidays to Lake Taupo and have great memories there. For Matt his happy holiday place is Bay of Plenty where he spent lots of summer time there.

 Favourite programme or series currently watching?

In Your Honor.

 What’s one thing on your bucket list?

Nadine has always wanted to travel to Canada (she loves the cold) and Matt wants to travel to Norway.

Winter preparations: By

This week I noticed a distinct chill in the air, first thing in the morning, which could be described as a very light frost. Others must have noticed it in their localities as orders started coming in for Vaporgard, the spray on frost protection.

Now if you think back to Marches in the past years, it is very early to start to get chilly and it is more into April and May that one starts to realise that winter is getting into gear.

March is the first month of autumn in New Zealand and we have just started autumn with some leaf colour changes.

In autumn, New Zealand enjoys some of the most settled weather of the whole year.

Soak up long, sunny days and golden leaves with hiking, cycling or kayaking. (used to be)

Looking overseas there are number of late cold events in places such as California where snow is certainly not common even in winter.

I would not be surprised if we don’t have a really cold winter this year and an early start to it.

So time to get organised for winter chills in your garden and in your home.

So what to do to protect your garden against the coming cold and frosts?

First thing is soft sappy growth of plants caused by nitrogen fertilisers will suffer unless you harden the growth up by applying Wallys Fruit and Flower Power which is half potash, to firm up growth and half magnesium to help ensure foliage stays green in winter.

A small sprinkling once a month starting now will toughen and green up your plants for winter.

Delicious plants such as roses and many fruit trees that will drop their leaves and rest over winter so there is no point of using Wallys Fruit and Flower Power till the spring when they start to move for the new season.

Wet weather in winter takes a toll on plants that don’t like wet feet and can often lead to their deaths.

Mulches that you used in summer around plants should now be removed as they prevent the soil from drying out and will cause root rots.

Great for summer water retention but deadly in winter. Even weed mat can cause a problem in a wet winter.

It is now time to start a monthly treatment of plants that do not like wet feet such as citrus trees by spraying the foliage with Wallys Perkfection, once a month for the next 3 to 6 months.

It fortifies the roots making them less susceptible to rotting in wet soil.

The above has taken care of your preferred ever green plants but what about the ones that are frost tender such as passion fruit, avocados, tamarillos,

Wally Richards

hibiscus, citrus etc?

Also glasshouse plants such as tomatoes, capsicum and chili that you are wintering over?

It is time to spray the foliage with Wallys Vaporgard; ‘Spray on Frost Protection’.

It comes in two sizes 100 mils which makes 6.66 litres of spray which is often enough to do all the cold sensitive plants in many gardens once or 250 mils makes up 16.66 litres of spray.

Place the Vaporgard bottle into a jug of hot water so it pours better and then mix with warm water at 15 mils per litre.

You can add some Magic Botanic Liquid to the spray which your plants will appreciate.

Only spray on a sunny day in full sun light over the plants leaves so the film dries faster.

It gives down to minus 3 frost protection within 3 days of application for about 3 months.

So a spray now will be repeated about middle of June to take your plants out of winter.

If you don’t use all the spray mixed up remove from sprayer and store in a bottle in a dark cupboard. It can be used again later. Then and most important; immediately rinse out sprayer with fresh water and tip out.

Then another lot of water which you will spray as a jet (adjust nozzle to make jet) to ensure that filters and nozzle dont block when Vaporgard sets.

If you don’t do this straight away you will have problems cleaning it the next time you go to use. The above is good practise to do with any sprays you use in your sprayer.

In areas where frosts are very heavy then you can add Wallys Liquid Copper to the Vaporgard spray and that places an extra layer of particles over the foliage to give even better frost protection.

How does Vaporgard work? Besides putting a protective film over the leaves it acts as a sunscreen against UV. VaporGard develops a polymerised

skin over each spray-droplet which filters out UVA and UVB. This provides a sunscreen for chlorophyll which is normally under attack by UV light.

This results in a darker green colour of the foliage within a few days of application. This chlorophyll build-up makes the leaf a more efficient food factory producing more carbohydrates, especially glycols.

Glycol is anti-freeze so the plant has its own anti-freeze protection of the cells. The cells still free but are protected with the anti-freeze.

That is fine if you have a frost every few days but if there is several frosts night after night then the cells don’t have enough time to heal before they are frozen again.

That being the case you need to use additional protection such as frost cloth for the second and third frosts.

Vaporgard will ensure that you don’t get caught out from that unexpected frost.

Once you have winter proofed your gardens then also change your watering patterns of your indoor plants which will suffer inside during winter if the mix is wet.

A little water as needed is best for winter indoor plants keeping the mix a little on the dry side.

Most important after watering that you remove any water from the saucer below the pot.

If at this time you find when you water the water quickly fills the saucer below then you have a problem called soil tension which prevents the water from wetting all the growing medium.

If the pots are not too big then plunge them into a tank of water and watch them bubble away.

When they stop bubbling lift and let drain before placing back on saucer. They will accept water better next time.

If the containers are too big to plunge then mix some dishwashing liquid into warm water, lather up and water that over the growing medium. It will break surface tension.

The

Three years in the making

After three years of knocking on doors the Blenheim Menz Shed has finally secured an AED defibrillator which will service several community groups who ultilise The Bright Centre on Dillons Point Road.

The Dillons Point Playgroup, Marlborough Pidgeon Club, Marlborough Community Potters, and other casual groups are regular users of The Bright Centre. These groups along with the Blenheim Menz Shed will all have access to the potentially life-saving device.

A chance conversation with Blenheim local Julie Williams was the key. Julie approached the Blenheim Menz Shed with a garden seat refurbishment project in mind. Dave Oliver, chair of the Blenheim Menz Shed group mentioned they had been looking for some time, three years in fact, to acquire an AED for use by the All Bright community who meet at Dillons Point Road. As luck would have it, Julie’s son Chris Williams is a Freemason and the current Master of Lodge Eckford. Chris investigated the acquisition of an AED from St John and secured a deal in association with the Freemasons Charity. Lodge Eckford funded 50 per cent of the $3,000 project alongside a 1:1 dollar matching grant from the Freemasons Charity.

The AED was presented to the Blenheim Menz Shed and representatives from other

groups who meet at The Bright Centre, including the neighbouring Dawkins Place community.

“We are extremely grateful to Lodge Eckford, the Freemason’s Charity, and the efforts of Lodge Eckford Master Chris Williams,” Dave Oliver says. “This technology will provide peace of mind to all the community groups that meet here. Strong communities are those that are connected through charity, friendship, and giving time and energy to all.”

The Blenheim Menz Shed assists the community in a number of practical ways whilst giving men the opportunity to connect and work together to give back to the community through their skills, time and energy. It is a healthy way for like-minded men to gather and work on a range of community projects. Menz Shed is supported by local businesses and organisations who see the positive impact the group has on not only the community, but also the men themselves.

This aligns closely with Freemasonry which is a men’s fraternity that contributes funds for community organisations along with grants from the Freemasons Charity. Freemasonry helps men develop skills, invest time and support men to improve themselves, essentially making better men.

Anyone interested in Freemasonry can

THE PRESENTATION: Front and Centre: Buks Lundt from Lodge Eckford presents Dave Oliver of the Blenheim Menz Shed with the AED defibrillator, flanked by (from left) Carol Davies of the Dawkins Place body corp, Kevin Black, Marlborough Community Potters president, and Lodge Eckford Master Chris Wiliiams at right with Wendy Cresswell holding Sofia Forsyth. Back: Representatives from the Dillons Point Playgroup Casey Spencer holding Sienna Spencer and Hugo Rea, and Kymberly McConway holding Mateo Abbott and Joan Halliday.

contact Chris Williams on cfd.williams@ gmail.com or on Facebook Lodge Eckford No. 334.

Anyone wishing to join the Blenheim Menz Shed can contact Dave Oliver on ph 021-234-0057.

GREAT HAIR DOESN’T HAPPEN BY CHANCE, IT HAPPENS BY APPOINTMENT.

Jo Lorraine Debby Arthur

Chinese Community combined dumplings and census to good effect at the St Christopher’s Church Hall last Friday night. Spokesperson Mandy Li says new families to the group were supported to fill out their census forms and a good night was enjoyed by all who attended.

WHOSE UP FOR DUMPLINGS? Xiumei Tian, Frida Yi, Liying Song, Xuemei Zhang, Fang Gou, Stanley Yu, Lynn Liu, and Yonghong Zhou.

Mandy Li, Xuemei Zhang, Zidi Hong, Chengde Hong and Joe Asiata.

027 256 0808 aaron@carspa.page carspa-detailing.com

Property Removal For Sale

P r OP ert Y R EMOVAL To one Keegan Woller. This is your official notice to remove your things from the property where they are stored. You have 28 days from the date of this notice to remove your things before appropriate action is taken.

Situations Vacant

Driver required for Driving Miss Daisy Marlborough. We are looking for companion drivers in the Blenheim Area. You must have a P-endorsement and first aid certificate or be willing to obtain these. You need to be flexible with work hours and be available to work some weekends and nights. Please contact Dawn on 021503354

ECE / Schools Projects Facilitator

We need you!

We are on the hunt for someone with passion and skills in working with early childhood and school age children in our region. Teaching qualifications are not necessary. This work will be part time. We are growing our team to implement several exciting initiatives.

Our must haves;

• be able to work independently and as part of a team

• be currently eligible to work in NZ

• hold a Full NZ Drivers license

• Be able to pass a Police Vet check

If this sounds like you, please get in contact with us by sending yor cover letter & CV to; Jo Leahy ece@reapmarlborough.co.nz or Selena Tonks selena@reapmarlborough.co.nz

Deliverers Wanted!

Need some extra cash??

Why not get fit earning it! Be

Interested?

We require honest, reliable people, aged 11 or over.

For further details contact: 03 5777 868 office@blenheimsun.co.nz

Wednesday

Business For Sale

MULTI-DAY TOUR BUSINESS FOR SALE

• Established & well-known brand

• Operates Top of the South/Chathams

• Loyal Kiwi customers

• Rural connections make this a one of a kind business

Talk to owners Will and Rose Parsons if you think this sounds like you.

L ADY ’s tennis racquet & cover $15. Small attache case $10. Sleeping bag, quilted, adult $50. All as new condition. Ph 5783766

ph 0800 708 844

info@driftwoodecotours.co,nz

www.driftwoodecotours.co.nz

Public Notices

Clothing Alterations: by Lynette

Atkinson-Parker

For your sewing requirements

Phone 03 578 1010 or 027 578 1010

Quality Service Guaranteed

Parent Support Group

AGM 7pm

29th March at the Grovetown Country Hotel All Welcome

GOLD BUYERS

Scrap gold Gold coins Gold medals Gold pocket watches Gold wrist watches Gold jewellery

Broken or damaged gold

Any Sterling Silver items ph 0800 00 24 25

Eric Jackson Antique Buyers, PO Box 665, Picton

Public Notices

Endeavour Park Pavilion Society AGM

Monday 3rd April 2023 6:30pm

Port Marlborough Pavilion

All welcome

Only financial members can vote or stand for office

Signed notices of motion must be sent seven days prior to the AGM

Forms and more information available at manager@endeavourparkpicton.co.nz

Cubitt St, Sat 18 March, 8am3pm, Lawn mower, crowbar, brewery collectables, shelves, rocking horse and much more.

e stAte Busters Celebrating 10 years. Sat 18 March. Moving on Sale. Household items, some furniture, plants, pot plants and more. Signs out 8am off Murphys Rd

Book your space now in our next (by 3pm Tuesday) Garage Sale Column!

Golf Results

Pennants Rarangi

Ladies match play golf competition held over 5 rounds annually in the Marlborough region.

Picton Golf Club

Sat/Sun 5/6 March – Dewar Cup – Tere Poa 138; Wayne Pratt , Iain Berrie, 140; Phil Hawke 143; John Saxon, Paul Lane, 145. Junior Marlborough Stroke – John Saxon 185; Leigh S/Smith 187; Mark Ivamy 189. Intermediate Marlborough Stroke- Phil Hawke 164; Iain Berrie 168; Mark Milne 173; Wayne Pratt 174; James Sutherland 176. Senior Marlborough Stroke – Paul Silke 148, Tere Poa

The Liberty Bell and Big Ben were cast by the same bell foundry and both bells are cracked.

Retirement Villages Residents Association of New Zealand

You are cordially invited to attend a Regional Forum of the RV Residents Association

Thursday 16th of March 2023, 2pm

The Redwood Tavern, 66 Cleghorn Street, Redwoodtown, Blenheim

gueST SpeAkeR:

Brian Peat - RV Residents National President

Brian will be reporting on progress to date on the upcoming review of the Retirement Villages Act (2003) along with the Code of Practice (2008) as it relates to residents of retirement villages in New Zealand.

He will also discuss overall structure of the RV Residents organisation, the financial structure, national statistics, the importance of village contacts, promotions and our future focus. There will be ample time for questions.

Family and friends are most welcome to attend this forum.

There is no charge for this event but a gold coin donation would be greatly appreciated to help defray expenses.

“We look forward to seeing you all there”

Pennants Rarangi 6/03/2023. Blenheim 8. Kaikoura 8. Awatere 7. Rarangi 5. Picton. Marlborough 5.

148; Chas Craig 149; Blair Bavin 153; Andrew Tasker 156.

9th March – Stableford- Jock Mannington 39; Grant Aikman 37; Barry Slater, Iain Berrie, Gary Aldridge, Tim McCaffrey, Jeff Pascoe, 36.

10th March – 9Hole – Stableford- Anita McCaffrey 24, Judy Jones 22, Mary Butler 19, Lyn Pawson 17

Marlborough Golf Club

7th March: 9 Hole Mixed All Irons Stableford Div.1:Leigh Andrews 17, Suzanne Clifford

15. Div.2:Leonie Savage 12, Leana Gargiulo 12, Bev Lindsay

9. 8 March, women’s stableford

Div.1:Jane Anderson-Bay 36, Julie Nicolle 35. Div.2:Jackie McGarry 39, Gloria Rodgers

33, Lucy Jefferis 32, Lesley Blanchard 32. Div.3:Elaine Porter

36, Annette Wilkinson 35, Ann Duncan 32.

9th March: men’s stableford Div.1:John Humm 37, Duncan Bint 35, Ramon Coleman 35, Robin Whiting 34. Div.2:Trevor

Blenheim Golf Club

6th March: 9 hole stableford

Men Dan Crawford 118 Steve Griffin 17 David Dyer 17 Les

Boniface 15 Dean Ormsby 15

David Waters 15 Graeme Parker

15 Glen Hurcomb 14 Clarry

Neame 14 Ladies Bernice Arnold

15 Jill Hurcomb 14

8th March: Ladies Medal 0-29

Sue Duckworth 72 c/b Vickie Lane 72 30+ Bernice Arnold 70

9 Holes Stableford Anne Walker

36 March 9th Stableford 9 Holes

David Waters 17 Stuart Parker 17

Ian Hatcher 16 Leo McKendry 15

Dean Ormsby 14 Par Doug Shaw

7 Graeme Daines 2 Graeme Parker 1 Gary Hildyard 1 {at Gillman

1 Don March 1 Stuart McLagan

0 Jim Findlay 0 Murray Ingram

-1 Desz Campbell -1 Ray Herd -1

Morgan Bowe -1 John Anderson

-2 Ezra Kahaki -2

11th March: Blenheim 1000

Best Gross Ladies Lyn Batchelor

McGarry 39, John Rodgers 38, Dave Wiley 36, Neal Ibbotson 35, Graham Muir 35.

11th March: women’s stableford Div.1:Belinda Sprot 37, Julie Nicolle 36. Div.2:Jackie McGarry 41, Frances Handforth 38, Julie Knowles 37, Francie Shagin 36. Men’s stableford Div.1:Lance Nuttall 36, Mark Watson 35, Tim Abrahams 33. Div.2: Bob Nicolle 39, Nick Robinson 38, Robin Whiting 36, Alan Yemm 36. Div.3: Ian Newport 39, Paul Eden 38, John Rodgers 37, Brian Chippendale 37.

87 Net Bernice Arnold 69 SaNga Grupp 74 Diane Smith 74 Rachel Bell 75 Sue Duckworth

76 Averill Burrows 77 Men Best Gross overall Shane Weaver 71 Best net Div 1 0-15.2 Brent Baker

66 Dave Watson 68 Mark Batty

69 Mike McDonald 70 Jerome

January 70 Don Lamond 71 Barry

Drummond 772 Ezra Kahaki 72

Ben Alexander 73 Tere Poa 73

Ray Meaclem 73 Div2 15.3 20.8

Ron Adams 64 Tom Bainbridge

67 Morgan Bowe 68 Jim Findlay

68 Don March 69 Nigel Smith 70

Blue Arthur 70 Ray Herd 70 Neil Butts 71 Patrick (jun) Norton 72

Desz Campbell 73 Div 3 20.9-

54.0 Glen Hurcomb 68 Terry Duff

69 Stuart Parker 69 Alan Smith 69

Aaron Vercoe 69 Graeme Parker

70 Nigel Martin 72 Brian Brown

72 Duncan Cassidy 73 Clive

Aitchison 74

Special role for local Special Olympian

By Glenise Dreaver

Twenty-eight-year-old Tamati Matene of Picton was recently chosen for a very special role at the Beehive.

A Special Olympics athlete, Tamati, who is from the Papatuanuku Independency Trust in Boons Road in Waikawa Bay, was one of eight athletes nationwide representing their provincial teammates. This was following the National Special Olympic Games in Hamilton late last year. It was Tamati who spoke for them all,

thanking those who had supported them in the huge venture.

He says the chosen athletes arrived at the Beehive in their Special Olympics van and went into the beautifully-appointed toilets to get changed.

There were a few eyebrows raised when they gathered again in the foyer thoughthe other athletes in their uniform blazers and Tamati in the signature dark suit, shirt and the dark tie he wears for very special occasions. He was supported by fellow Special Olympians from Papatuanuku -

Brooklyn winners

Blenheim and Brooklyn Croquet Club's Interclub competition was finalised last weekend with Brooklyn emerging the clear winners of the Orchard Plate trophy. This is a hotly contested programme over five months with three teams of pairs from each club competing against each other. Brooklyn came through with 29 wins to Blenheim's 16, a very satisfactory result for

the victorious team.

A team of four from Croquet Marlborough, 2 each from the two clubs, are to compete at the South Island Golf Croquet Teams Event being held in Ashburton next weekend. Players competing are; Brian Goodwin in Premier, David

Gavin Hapeta, like Tamati, a member of the provincial ten pin bowling team and Samual Claughton (golf).

They weren’t surprised by how well Tamati did, but he says: “The others there were completely shocked.”

He was specially honoured to meet Parliament’s kaumatua, among the many dignitaries there.

His performance wasn’t luck however. For several months Papatuanuku Manager Pete Leach has been taking Tamati with him to attend the fortnightly evening meetings of Blenheim Toastmasters, and also coaching Tamati himself.

“Bella Ansell has also been tutoring and helping me within the Special Olympics,” says Tamati.

Pete says Toastmasters has played a crucial role in Tamati’s long journey of rehabilitation from severe brain injury, one that started when he was just three and a half.

“I was on my little push bike playing in the yard of our house at the bottom of Sussex

Street in PIcton,” Tamati explains.

“The driveway was uneven.” He fell off and split his head open. His parents took him to the doctor, who immediately called an ambulance.

Tamati still remembers some important details, like the names of the Picton paramedics who were with him on the journey to Wairau hospital.

“Wendy and Anzac McDonald.”

He remembers too that his little bike later got thrown in a skip…

There was ongoing therapy, especially with his speech.

However, with the support of Pete, and the staff at Papatuanuku Trust, Tamati has found his confidence in public speaking grow. He is often asked to talk when the Trust do community events.

For the last seven years, Papatuanuku has been his home, which is a safe family environment for up to ten residents, where he currently has eight brothers and sisters, with room for a couple more.

Tamati Matene of Papatuanuku Independency Trust in Picton, who spoke for all New Zealand Special Olympians at a ceremony of recognition and thanks at the Beehive.

Grigg in Advanced, Joy Hayes in Intermediate and Leah Thomson in Primary.

The two teams who played in the Orchard Plate at Brooklyn last weekend. The Blenheim team is in red and the Brooklyn team in blue. Centre holding the trophy is Marg Foxton, Club Captain of the Brooklyn Club.