21 June Blenheim Sun Newspaper

Time-honoured tradition

Continued from page 2.

The formal is a time-honored tradition and in many ways the closest we have to a coming-ofage story. Indeed, Cinderella had it easy. A pumpkin, a couple of mice, a wave of the Fairy Godmother’s magic wand. While the pandemic had seen Marlborough’s high school students pack away their glass slippers for a couple of years, the 2023 version took on a look of its own with ticket sales at an all-time high.

The theme for the night was Beauty and the Beast and fair to say there was a fair smorgasbord of the former.

Marlborough Girls’ College

Year 12 students Emma Withers and Sophie Kenyon arrived in style in Emma’s father’s old school mustang.

Their strut down the red carpet oozed confidence and assurance.

Emma’s Emerald Green Cutout

Maxi dress from online distributor Lulu had elegant chiffon shapes which featured a rounded neckline, short fluttery sleeves and a darted bodice. Her outfit was complimented with shoes from Boohoo.

Emma has grown up with her ‘good mate’ Sophie from primary school and says her highlight was getting ready with her friends and seeing everyone all glammed up.

Meanwhile for Sophie, getting prepared at home with five of her close mates for the big occasion and seeing the variety of dresses

on offer was a highlight. Her own dress came online via Zapaka, had multiple layers and the ‘party dress’ made out of polyester had Sophie shining and then some. The King and Queen of the formal went to Year 13 students Jake Thompson and Poppy Lane.

SAMOAN

Marlborough Boys' College Samoan students acknowledge their culture and identity at Saturday night's formal. Holding the flag is Ajay

Our premises are equipped with state-of-the-art amenities to ensure a memorable farewell for your loved one.

RIGHT: Hayden McWilliam, teacher Jarrod Dunn and Elliot Webber.

Photo: Brya Ingram.

Bob Barnes Thelma & Alistair Sowman Barry Holmwood Ethan Williams Terry Ryan Faye Partridge

PROUD:

Gane. Photo: Brya Ingram.

Blair - You Gotta Know When to Hold Em

By Chris Valli

Blair Mclean reckons he has sung Kenny Rogers, The Gambler more than a few times at shindigs over the years.

The Roxburgh-born Pyne Gould Guinness (PGG) horticulture rep is only too aware of what needs to be done to transform into one of country music’s greatest icons when he takes the stage in Stars in Their Eyes late August.

The Gambler narrates a conversation about strangers on a train playing poker. The line, You gotta know when to fold em, is allegedly a poker metaphor for life.

So how does Blair depict a man known for a ‘raspy voice’ and multiple country hits including ‘Lucille’ and ‘Lady.’ Or more importantly, has he grown a beard in a former life?

“Never…..it’s going to have to start growing soon. He doesn’t move a hell of a lot which is great for me,” he says. “All his live per-

formances on the internet show he walks with the microphone and interacts with the crowd.”

The honesty is refreshing as the 53-year-old says this far out (two months) from the charity event he’s got some time to prepare and understand the full range of Kennyisms.

“There might be a few surprises,” he adds. “It’s about trying to portray Kenny as Kenny. The right clothing, the look.”

In his role as a rep for PGG the job description entails everything from looking after winery products to advising clients on crop and livestock management. So, how has the feedback been from work colleagues and clients across the wider top of the south region?

“Not many of them know,” he says. “There will be a few who will come along and support, it will be quite special.”

Special because Blair’s chosen charity for STARS is Cystic Fibrosis Nelson/Marlborough. He

lost his first wife Janet to the disorder 15 years ago. Cystic fibrosis affects the cells that produce mucus, sweat and digestive juices. His dry humour depicts the head space now and the importance of family and how proud he is of his two girls.

“I’m sure there will be time before I go on stage and there will be a bit of emotion in it. Both daughters will be there too, potentially. I’ll get as many mates to come along as possible to help me win,” he laughs.

He is realistic, the opportunity is exactly that. An opportunity and he concedes unlike other shows he has been involved with where there has been months of rehearsals and the backing or support of an ensemble, it will be down to self-autonomy and practice.

“There will be a lot of time in front of the curtain,” he says. “After spending time helping out backstage at Priscilla (Blen-

heim Musical Theatre’s May production), it made me think what I was missing outside of all other commitments. I can’t wait to get back on stage and having fun and being involved.”

Sun The GMW’s Clean for a Can Speed Management Plan

The team at GMW Jewellery in the Redwoodtown Hub have their Clean for a Can initiative until Friday, June 30. Customers can bring their jewellery into the store along with some cat or dog food and in exchange have their jewellery cleaned at no cost.

Submissions opened last Tuesday on Council’s Speed Management Plan. The consultation period runs from June 13 to July 11. The plan proposes speed limit changes on local roads around schools and marae, in small townships and in current 70km/h and 90km/h areas. The plan also addresses some speed limit inconsistencies and proposes reducing speed limits on some roads in the Marlborough Sounds.

“The purpose of the Speed Management Plan is to enable Marlborough residents and visitors to travel more safely around the region on our local roads. I encourage people to have their say,” said David Croad, Deputy Mayor and chair of Council’s Assets and Services Committee.

Marlborough’s Navigation Bylaw

Now’s the time to have your say on Council’s Navigation Bylaw with the submission period for feedback now open. Harbourmaster Captain Jake Oliver said the new bylaw will replace the current 2009 Navigation Bylaw and will include minor amendments to address key issues and improve clarity.

Marlborough’s current Navigation Bylaw came into force in July 2010 and contains rules relating to maritime and navigation safety. It helps with the regulation of shipping and activities on the waters of the region. The submission period closes on 1 October 2023. A sub-committee may be formed to deliberate on submissions.

To have you say go to: www.marlborough. govt.nz/your-council/have-your-sayconsultations

Each of these famous performers will be portrayed in the Stars in Your Eyes competition.

Blair Mclean's chosen charity for STARS is Cystic Fibrosis Nelson/Marlborough.

Hanging up the Apron

By Chris Valli

There were a few tears at Cafe Velvet last Friday morning. Ok, there were more than a few.

After starting Cafe Velvet in 2014 and 27 years in the hospitality industry it was the end of an era for Vikki Davidson with the business closing.

The emotion was palpable. Real. In many ways, a reflection on the business being more than just the place to come for coffee.

Vikki says the decision to close was ‘not a decision made lightly’. Covid she says certainly had an impact and they ‘got through it’. If it wasn’t for the help of some ‘wonderful people’ she reflects the prospect of closing potentially could’ve happened earlier. She admits other cafes opening up within the CBD certainly has ‘made it harder’.

The flowers and hugs which arrived on Friday illustrated that Cafe Velvet was more than a place to grab great coffee or try their infamous toastie sandwiches or smoothies. Indeed, it was a cafe where the staff knew their customers and often was greeted by their first name.

“When I started baristaring, it was the standard flat white cappuccino whereas now it’s about catering for everyone’s needs,” she says.

“As I found out last week it wasn’t about the coffee or the food. It was how we served and how we treated every single customer as a family member,” she says. When asked how she did that, she emphatically replies, ‘through love, compassion and respect.’

“Everyone deserves to be treated the same,”

she smiles. “Customer service is key in anything, especially in the cafe business. I remember the person’s coffee from when I made it back in 2005 and their name, their children.”

Vikki started in hospitality when she was 14-years-old and worked her way up from being the dishwasher to setting out desserts for Tuscany’s (where Fairweathers is now) to owning her own business. Her own grandmother used to own The Store in Kekerengu while her father built the building.

The name of Cafe Velvet came about after experiencing many of Wellington’s cafes. She was asked as a then 19-year-old would she own her own cafe one day and what would she call it.?

“Velvet came about because of the velvety texture of a flat white. It wasn’t until 2014 that I saw it on a building,” she laughs.

She admits she’s always been a ‘hands on, doer’ and how she likes to learn. “I’m not very good at sitting down and filling out a form kind of girl,” she laughs. “I’ve always been a worker and was taught that from a very young age helping Dad put cement in a kerbing machine.”

Vikki says she is looking forward to sleeping in and not having the alarm clock go off at 4am. She has plans to go to the States in July for three weeks ‘cruising around with really good friends on Harley’s.’ Oh and there’s a wee ceremony too, getting married in Las Vegas.

So what is she most proud of?

“I gave it my best shot,” she says. “Thanks for the memories, it’s not goodbye, see you soon.”

Vikki Davidson, Zara Jane and Lilli Gerbersgageh on the cafe’s last day on Friday.

Photo: Chris Valli

RAI VALLEY LEOS PREPARE FOR THE QUIZ: L to R Bayley Hickson, Lily Kiddey (obscured), Keira Illsely, Cooper Knight, Kayden Knight, Elina Lilburn-Goodwin, Elliot Hatcher (obscured), Ella Jenner, Weston Maisey, and Havelock Lions Club supporters Debby Upsall and Ian Cameron.The quiz fundraiser will go towards subsidising Rai Valley Camps while other funds are for Book Repository in Rai Valley. Spokesperson Ian Cameron says the quiz is Saturday, 6pm, June 24 @ Millers Rest Tavern. Tables of four with a $10 entry.

Paw-some way to holiday Partnerships created through volunteering

By Chris Valli

Every paw-rent knows the stress of planning a holiday without their fur baby. In a word, it’s ruff. But the solution to sniffing out those dog-friendly holiday spots is here.

Introducing Dog Along NZ. The brandnew way for dogs and their humans to plan the perfect adventure, no matter where in New Zealand they’re headed.

Alex Diethelm and Blenheim local Ron Ragen, the founders of Dog Along know the pain of planning the pup-friendly holiday all too well, and after too many hours of scouring the internet for places to visit with their pooches in tow, they said enough is enough.

Together, they’ve designed an online community linking paw-rents with everything they and their fur babies could need while adventuring around the country. From holiday accommodation, dining venues, walks and accessories, all the way to pet insurance and vets, dogalong.nz is a one-stop online shop for all things dog-friendly.

Alex, a dog mom herself and avid traveler discovered the need for this kind of community after getting a puppy during COVID-19 lockdowns. Once the country opened again, she wanted to show her rescue dog Bailey all the beautiful places Aotearoa has to offer, but there was a problem.

“Once we were able to get around the country again, I found it wasn’t that easy to get out on holiday with Bailey,” she says.

Alex attended the 2022 Techstars Startup weekend in Blenheim, where she met co-founder Ron, and the two

of them immediately bonded over the idea. Dog Along’s initial concept went on to win both the judges’ and people’s choice awards at the event, granting the co-founders the supreme prize.

And the love just keeps on coming, with hundreds of humans having already registered their interest.

“Dog owners are great people, and they all run into the same issues when trying to take their dogs on holidays, or even just on a day trip. It reinforces our initial feeling that our service is desperately needed,” says Alex.

With almost 500,000 registered dog parents in New Zealand, that’s a lot of Kiwis who love to treat their dogs.

The average annual spend on a dog’s basic needs like food and vet visits (not including holidays, insurance and accessories) is $1750, an annual spend of at least one billion dollars.

This is a similar amount that parents of a new baby spend on food and nutrition supplies (according to Plunket) and clearly illustrates that dog parents greatly value their four-legged family members.

“Dog Along is dedicated to bringing paw-sitive vibes back to holiday planning for paw-rents everywhere”, Alex says. The launch date, last Sunday (June 18) is one year to the day since their win at Techstars, and just in time to celebrate founder Ron’s 81st birthday.

By Chris Valli

There was a sense of compassion, unity and a good old cup of tea at REAP Marlborough on Monday.

To celebrate National Volunteer Week, the New Zealand Red Cross Blenheim and the Sewing Craft Club held an afternoon tea to acknowledge partnerships created in the region through volunteering.

The volunteers donated their work to the Maternity Ward, Plunket and School Start First Impressions for National Volunteer Week. The numbers vary week to week depending on what is happening in the women’s lives and only run during school terms.

Spokesperson Michelle Cox says REAP had some sewing machines and a room which they had ‘very generously’ let them use since they began at the beginning of November 2021.

“The Marlborough community has been unbelievably generous with fabric, cottons and machines,” she says.

Michelle says the numbers vary week to week depending on what is happening in the women’s lives. They only run during school terms.

“We provide a safe space and amazing friendship for the Refugee and migrant women to learn new skills, help with language and give back to our Marlborough community,” says Michelle.

National Volunteer Week honours the collective energies and mana of volunteers in New Zealand. Tūao Aotearoa Volunteering New Zealand leads the national event, which runs from June 18 June 24.

This year’s theme is He wā pīataata – Time to shine.

Blenheim Toyota

Dog Along co-founder Ronald Ragen, who lives in Picton, with chief dog officer Roxy and business advisor Tracy Atkin.

to the editor

Dear Ed,

On a recent Sunday afternoon I attended a packed, standing room only meeting in a Blenheim hall. This meeting had not been advertised, nor was it later reported on by the media. The media are afraid that doing so, would mean risking their particular lump of taxpayer money, which government

have channelled their way, on condition they don’t publicise things deemed not politically correct, nor in accordance with woke ideology: $55m worth.

I have voted for a certain political party for the whole of my blue collar working life, but no more, no more.

Bill Holvey

Dear Ed, Co-governance - Private Public Partnership - Julian Batchelor Presentations.

Julian Batchelor’s presentation was informative but lacked balanced context.

In 1833 Maori traded food to Sydney Pacific Productive but they lacked a flag on their boats.

James Busby helped Maori create the Northern Tribes Flag 1833.

In October 28th 1835 at James Busbys house signed Te Whakaputanga o te rangatiratanga o Niu Tirene with 34 Tribes and was known as Declaration of Independence of United Tribes.

It consisted of 4 articles (like Waitangi).

It asserted or seated authority and power with Maori under British Maritime law, it made Maori an infant state (ie needed time to develop own governance).

July 1839 52 chiefs signed including First Maori King, Julian Batchelor does not mention this which was signed by King William IV. He presented a narrative of infighting warfare of French. Actually the British were fearful of USA French interests.

He creates a narrative of activist Maoris and an activism driving radical Maori nationalism forgetting it’s the New Zealand Government and Power above Crown that was driving the conflict,separatism, lack of democracy and really private public partnerships. Was about Parikaki Waikato land confiscations and Wairau affray.

We need one nation, one man, one vote and we need unity.

We do not need New Zealanders to eat each other politically.

Signed, Control out of Chaos

Dear Ed,

Religion, a word that originates from the Latin word “ligare”, to tie or bind, should bring people together, but is probably the greatest cause of world conflict.

Unitarianism is a small but worldwide religious movement that grew out of orthodox Christianity in the 16th century, questioning the biblical evidence to support the trinity, promoting religious tolerance and values over beliefs.

These philosophies continue over five centuries later, and a small Unitarian group meets on the first Sunday of the month at 10.30am at the Brooklyn Croquet Club.

We promote many sources of inspiration including nature as well as different religious and atheistic views. Importantly that beliefs need to be compatible with developing scientific knowledge and that different viewpoints are the means for broadening understanding not a cause for conflict.

Newcomers are always welcome to our meetings.

Stephen Vallance

Marlborough Sounds transport options released for public feedback

Marlborough ratepayers and residents are invited to provide feedback on ‘emerging preferred options’ and ‘hazard adaptation pathways’ for the Marlborough Sounds future transport network, and their estimated costs. With the next phase of public engagement for the Marlborough Sounds Future Access Study underway, high level details and indicative cost estimates of both an emerging preferred option and a hazard adaptation pathway for each of the five storm-damaged areas of the Sounds are now available.

A project team led by engineering consultancy Stantec has completed eight months of research and assessment, which also included receiving detailed feedback from the Sounds community. Based on this work, five emerging preferred options have been identified. Hazard adaptation pathways have also been developed for each area, recognising the future risk of significant events such as storms, earthquakes and sea level rise.

Mayor Nadine Taylor said the study provided options and pathways to help build a more resilient transport network for Sounds residents, businesses and visitors.

“This is the first time such extensive analysis has gone into the Marlborough Sounds roading and marine transport network. It offers potential transport solutions that enable the Council to put a business case to the Government for funding.”

“We now have cost estimates for the emerging preferred options and the hazard adaptation pathways. We still don’t know

what the funding mix between Government and Council will be, but as there will probably be a significant impact on rates there will be a financial impact on everyone. It’s important that all Marlborough ratepayers give us their feedback.”

Depending on the area, the emerging preferred options and hazard adaptation pathways fall under one of the following themes:

• Road Focus: Most roads strengthened, with marine transport primarily for emergency response

• Road Access: Key roads strengthened, with marine available where needed as back up

• Balanced: A mix of investment in road and marine transport

• Marine Access: Essential roads repaired, and marine transport made more available and more resilient

• Marine Focus: Roads repaired where affordable, but roads are mostly focused on providing access to marine transport as the primary transport mode/method for access into and out of the area

The emerging preferred options for most of the Sounds, excluding the Kenepuru area, would be a road focused or road access approach. This means the bulk of any investment would be on making roading infrastructure more resilient while also improving and protecting the Sounds marine infrastructure.

Public engagement drop-in sessions

Tuesday 20 June5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Blenheim, Lansdowne Park Sports Hub

Wednesday 21 June10:00 am – 12:00 pmWaitaria Bay Hall

View and ask questions about the options being considered for future transport solutions in and out of the Sounds.

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roads are resilient there may be trade-offs in vehicle weight or length restrictions, but this would be compensated for with greater development of marine facilities.

The high-level cost estimates are:

Using these estimates the emerging preferred options have a cost in the order of $160M while the hazard adaptation pathways would

be in the order of $80M. The hazard adaptation pathways are a mix of marine access and marine focus depending on the area.

Thursday 22 June10:00 am – 12:00 pmFrench Pass Hall

Tuesday 20 June5:00 pm – 7:00 pm Blenheim, Lansdowne Park Sports Hub

Friday 23 June2:00 pm – 4:00 pmLinkwater Hall

Wednesday 21 June10:00 am – 12:00 pmWaitaria Bay Hall

Monday 26 June5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Zoom online meeting. For details go to the MDC website as noted below.

Thursday 22 June10:00 am – 12:00 pmFrench Pass Hall

Friday 23 June2:00 pm – 4:00 pmLinkwater Hall

Tuesday 27 June10:00 am – 12:00 pmRai Valley, The Millers Rest

Monday 26 June5:30 pm – 7:30 pm Zoom online meeting. For details go to the MDC website as noted below.

Tuesday 27 June3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Nelson, Trafalgar Centre, Northern Extension

Wednesday 28 June12:00 pm – 2:00 pm Picton, Port Marlborough Pavilion

Tuesday 27 June10:00 am – 12:00 pmRai Valley, The Millers Rest

Tuesday 27 June3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Nelson, Trafalgar Centre, Northern Extension

“It’s important we get the public’s views on the hazard adaptation pathways before another significant event causes damage to the transport network,” said Mayor Taylor. “Adaptation is a journey - a series of steps. The emerging preferred option can be considered the starting point of that journey. Any significant event that causes substantial damage to the transport network may start the adaptation process. However, the hazard adaptation pathway provides certainty to the community that long term access will be available, and what that option might look like if we are unable to restore all of the roads quickly and affordably.”

Wednesday 28 June12:00 pm – 2:00 pm Picton, Port Marlborough Pavilion

understands the needs of our diverse Sounds communities. We also know much more about both the road network and the marine infrastructure - and the future potential of both.”

Public engagement

“The public’s feedback will be analysed and incorporated into the final business case, which Council will review before providing it to Waka Kotahi for endorsement before the end of this year.”

“As many of the fixes are complex, we need to ensure the right solution for each area is agreed upon, the appropriate design is completed, and adequate funding is in place.”

“It’s likely to be 2024 before Council can fully consult everyone in Marlborough on the detailed options and costs through a special consultative process before making a final decision.”

“Through this study the Council now better

To find out more about the options and pathways, the public can attend one of the seven community drop-in sessions being held around the Sounds and in Blenheim, Picton and Nelson from 20 to 28 June. There will also be an online webinar for people who live outside Marlborough or who can’t make one of the drop-in sessions. Videos have been produced explaining the high level details and indicative costs of both the emerging preferred options and the hazard adaptation pathways for each of the five areas. An engagement booklet also provides more detailed information. A survey seeking the public’s input has also opened, with feedback due by 11 July. At the drop-ins, members of the public will be able to view the emerging preferred option and hazard adaptation pathway for each of the five areas, and ask the project team any questions.

For more information and link to the survey go to www.marlborough.govt.nz

The Kenepuru area has significant underlying geological instability which means its emerging preferred option is a balanced approach, investing in both roading and marine infrastructure. In order to ensure the

A ‘real heart for the community’

On first impression, Isla Vincent exudes a warmth and sincerity. One of those faces anyone would feel comfortable conversing with and spinning a yarn. When she talks about what she does there is a sense of purpose, enthusiasm.

Born in Invercargill, the self-confessed ‘artist’, has ‘lived all over the place’ with recent stints in Timaru and now Canvastown.

“It was a reluctant move to Canvastown,” she admits. “We had lived in Timaru all my life and my husband said we’ve got to get out of here, I want a change.”

What’s that saying – change is healthy?

Isla says she is a ‘project kind of girl’ and thrives on long term plans which involve people that she gets ‘attached to’.

Club, while the bread rolls were provided free of charge by the local Four Square.

“I have a real heart for the community,” she says. “Quite often from doing the job, families will say to us gosh we need meals for this guy and we can do that? We make frozen meals which we give out. The need is definitely there.”

Isla says there are an increasing number of elderly locals within Havelock/Pelorus in recent years that are benefiting from not only the soup and food deliveries but the companionship and human connection of the service.

“There is nothing. There are no meals on wheels out there,” she says.

“Some of the families are ordering frozen meals in Dunedin for goodness sake and get them posted up and that’s what they get.”

“Havelock is quite isolated. Even the doctors, the surgery is open two half mornings a day, so a lot of people have to go through to Blenheim,” she says.

The vegetable soups are made by Havelock local Glenda Davies at night time while her husband chops the veggies. Isla says she is amazing and often goes to the Havelock Town Hall to prepare and even includes making cake.

Isla works alongside Dave Farrant, volunteer Soup Run delivery driver and Elder Care worker at Havelock’s Anglican Church. They both pick up vegetables from the community garden and go out into the community and visit Pelorus locals with a fresh batch of vegetables and ‘see how they’re going’.

The vegetables are grown in the town’s community garden, donated by local residents, and collected by members of the Havelock Lions

“I’m just the delivery girl but when I go out with Dave there is a real appreciation,” she says. “We have a lot of fun - he’s my sidekick. It does mean I can catch up with the same people and see how they’re going. They’re getting checked on twice a week. It’s great.”

Isla, Dave and Glenda are the three volunteers for the soup run within the greater Havelock community while Okaramio has four volunteers who alternate if, when required every Friday to drop off the soup.

“The need just keeps on going. I did 33 soups (deliveries) last Friday to individuals. We haven’t even started on families, this is just the elderly. They just need hot meals. There’s such a variety of people, they are so grateful. We get referrals from the medical centre and they have concerns about what they are eating and can we check on them.”

After about eight months in her role Isla says she believes wholeheartedly in what she is doing and knows she is making a positive difference to the community.

“I believe in it. The hardest part of the job is when we see people and ask ourselves, what is it that we can do? Some of them are real characters and often up

for a bit of stick and that’s what I love.”

“Meeting the people and knowing that you are meeting a need is extremely rewarding. Even if I wasn’t giving the soup and just pop in and say gidday to them, for some people I might be the only person they see all week. For them that’s a huge thing and something they look forward to.”

Canvastown resident Isla Vincent is one of several volunteers within the Pelorus community who is making a positive difference helping seniors with a soup run to help those in need. She spoke to Chris Valli about her ‘wonderful job’.

“There is nothing. There are no meals on wheels out there.”

Isla Vincent dropping off.

Adult

Council makes recommendations on Annual Plan submissions

Marlborough District Council has confirmed its funding priorities for the 2023-24 Annual Plan after considering 77 submissions from the public.

Mayor Nadine Taylor said it's always challenging for Council to manage the community's desire for increased levels of service and project funds, whilst keeping a lid on rates increases, especially in the current economic climate.

“This year’s Annual Plan process has been particularly challenging as we face much higher than normal levels of inflation and the expectation that the Consumer Price Index will peak at more than 7 per cent in 2023,” she said.

“After much discussion and deliberation Council has been prudent in its funding and as a result has managed to keep the rates increase this year at 7.9 per cent, on par with the 7.8 per cent we consulted on.”

“I’m very aware of the cost of living pressures on households and recognise this is still a relatively high rates increase,” Mayor Taylor said.

“We have reviewed user pays fees and reduced expenditure where possible. Fees including resource consenting, environmental health and building control are set to increase. By increasing fees we are reducing the impact on ratepayers by just over $1 million. I believe that is a fairer way of spreading costs.”

Council has been able to maintain current levels of service across Marlborough. It also continues a significant capital expenditure programme focused on our core infrastruc-

ture needs, primarily roading, sewerage and water treatment.

The rates increase includes a one-off grant funding of $31,462 for the Marlborough Stadium Trust and a $100,000 funding increase for the Marlborough Art Gallery to improve services to the community.

A number of submitters spoke about the condition of community halls in their townships.

“Council will undertake a stocktake of the halls throughout Marlborough to determine the scale and priority of work required as part of a strategic review of these important community assets,” Mayor Taylor said.

A number of submitters' proposals will be referred to the relevant committee. Proposed cycleway and bike projects will be referred to Bike Walk Marlborough to progress, while many of those who submitted on community projects will be advised to apply to the Community Grants Scheme.

Mayor Taylor thanked all submitters for taking the time to provide feedback on Council’s 2023-2024 Annual Plan consultation document.

“It’s important for Councillors to hear from their community and the Annual Plan process provides an opportunity for everyone to be involved and be heard. We value the feedback and new ideas brought to us and every submission is given full consideration during the decision making process,” she said.

The recommendations from today’s meeting will be confirmed, along with the rates for the coming year, at the Council meeting on 29 June, and come into effect from 1 July.

Rolling strikes to continue – for now

By Chris Valli

Marlborough Secondary school teachers look set to continue rolling strikes for better pay, after three days of bargaining last week between the Post Primary Teachers’ Union (PPTA) and the Ministry of Education failed to reach a settlement.

The Employment Relations Authority (ERA) has stepped in, recommending the PPTA and the ministry consider independent arbitration.

It also asked teachers to stop industrial action in the meantime, but the PPTA said strikes would keep going while they looked at the recommendations.

The PPTA rejected the latest pay offer from the ministry, which included a lump sum payment and three pay rises by the end of next year. There was no word yet on Monday morning whether they would accept the

ERA’s recommendations.

This week, Year 9 and 10 students were not taught on Monday; Year 11 and 12 students had Tuesday off; today, Year 9 gets another day off, as do Year 13; and on Thursday, Year 10 and 11 both get another day at home. Only on Friday will all students be taught as usual.

A Letter to the Editor in last week’s Sun Newspaper (June 14) from Blenheim local Jane Abbott described her frustrations with the ongoing strike action.

“What a totally unacceptable way to teach our teenagers about attendance, responsibility and putting others before self,” Jane wrote. “Get around the table, discuss, compromise, reconsider options but do not hold our teenagers to ransom. This is not the way to resolve issues.”

In a statement late last week, the Ministry of Education said the strikes “put young people in the middle of an adult dispute”.

Teachers strike for better conditions and Pay in the Octagon on Thursday. Photo: PETER MCINTOSH

30th June - 2nd July 2023

Hapori whanui - building the wider St Mary’s Community

By Chris Valli

With a Christian name like Patrick, St Mary’s School Principal ‘Paddy’ Dowling, comes from good Old Catholic stock.

Christians believe in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, that there are three persons and one God: the Creator, the Redeemer and the Holy Spirit who is the Sanctifier. In other words, Christians believe in the Trinity. So what does it mean to be Catholic? More importantly, to be of faith and part of the wider St Mary’s Parish and community?

“It’s about the level of teaching at the school and the culture,” Paddy concedes. “People walk in here and you get a sense straight away. You feel it. You’re looking at the most multicultural (primary) school possibly in New Zealand with 26 nationalities within it. It’s a melting pot, it’s awesome.”

A perusal through the interweb archives finds that the first school in Blenheim opened in 1859. By 1875 there were three classes: Blenheim Upper Boys, Blenheim Lower Boys, and Blenheim Girls and Infants. Blenheim High School was formed within the school in 1879.

The Catholic schools for boys and girls were established in 1872, replaced by St Mary’s Boys’ school in 1886 and in 1929 St Mary’s was rebuilt after a fire.

In 1955 the two schools in the Parish were St Joseph’s Primary School for girls and the smaller boys, and St Mary’s Boys’ School for the older boys who were taught by the Sisters

in separate classrooms on what is now the St Mary’s school site. The de la Salle Brothers came in 1952, when they took over teaching the boys but left in 1972. In 1973 the two schools amalgamated as St Mary’s Parish School under Principal Clive Sullivan and Rod Wilkes as Deputy Principal. Fast forward the school calendar to June 30 - July 2, St Mary’s will be celebrating their 150th jubilee. It’s rather a big deal to be fair. 1872 - 2023. That’s a plethora of first holy communions and teaching of special character and gospel values.

On Friday, there is going to be a Multicultural Mass, performance and lunch while on Saturday the school will have an open day to all the wider Blenheim community for guided classroom walkthroughs and games.

“These beautiful members of our school community came in for a hui and within half an hour had the lunch/ feast all planned with little packages and sapasui from our Pasfikia community, a hangi and the Filipino community putting a pig on. It’s about seeing all the cultures represented through food and dance and bringing our community involved,” Paddy says. “Covid affected our ability to come together as a community, the jubilee is an opportunity to showcase the school in a community event.” Saturday night is a dinner and a chance to reconnect and reunite with old friends, share stories, acknowledge the past, celebrate the present and look to the future.

Sunday, there is an official opening of the new Lenora Freeth whanau room and outdoor learning space.

Remember the days in the old school yard. St Mary’s students enjoying their morning tea last week.

Gospel values are ‘real life’ values

Paddy says in recent times the teaching staff has had ongoing professional development opportunities to continue to cater and nurture the wide range of ethnicities and culture at the Stephenson Street School. One such tool or pedagogical construct has been Poutama Pounamu, undertaken with leaders from the University of Waikato.

The upskill has enabled St Mary’s teachers and whanau to understand effective contexts for learning required and being more knowledgeable about the impact of the combined colonial history on Māori and on other marginalised groups in our schooling system and in society.

“It’s great because it brings all the cultures in. Learning about tikanga (customs and traditional values) in one culture could be different in another which is awesome.”

“The culture within the school will set the scene to how people respond to it,” he says. “When people are comfortable coming through the front gates, talking to their teacher or coming to see me for a chat in the front office, you know that they feel safe and are in a welcoming and inclusive environment.”

The current school roll sits at 145 and according to Paddy is growing fast. “We’re

getting an average of 30 plus new entrants every year,” he says. He believes by the end of the year they will have around 160 students at the kura. The values of humility, compassion, faithfulness and forgiveness, among others, are going a long way for St Mary’s students as ‘connected, lifelong learners’.

The school’s Mission Statement Hato Mere says akonga (students) will encounter and reflect Christ’s light, confidently developing, growing and living their gifts. So what does this mean and look like in everyday life not just within the classroom and playground?

“We’ve got a huggie culture here,” he says. “Covid dampened this. However, we are back to normal now. It’s cool man. The gospel values are real life values. I’ve been part of two state schools and we have put values in place but they were placed on nothing solid. It’s about how to respond and respect those that are less fortunate. It’s about humanity here and being treated as a human.”

“We have families from all areas of life. They are here to learn, have heaps of fun and build community.”

St Mary’s School Blenheim - Honouring their Past, Building Their Future.

St Mary’s junior students learning fundamental skills through Tasman Mako.

The roll sits at 145 and according to Paddy is growing fast. “We’re getting an average of 30 plus new entrants every year,” he says. He believes by the end of the year they will have around 160 students at the school/kura.

Suicide group formed to support EVERYONE

By Chris Valli

Marlborough has one of the highest rates of suicide in the country. The time for a support group to provide specialist counselling is here and ready to make a difference.

The Marlborough Interagen-

cy Suicide Postvention Group (MPIG) hopes to support family members, friends, and associates who have lost someone through suicide.

In consultation with Paul Martin, the Nelson Marlborough Su icide Prevention and Postvention Coordinator, CARE

Grief Matters

Marlborough and Marlborough

Supporting Families invited interested government and community services to form this group.

A postvention is conducted after a suicide, largely taking the form of support for the bereaved.

Carla Brownie from CARE Marlborough says in January 2022 there were six suicides in the Nelson/ Marlborough region with four alone in Marlborough.

“This group is about (how is there enough) coordinating support for those involved or impacted by suicide,” she says. “If there has been one suicide, there is a high chance of another one in the community. People are more vulnerable in that moment. They say, for every death there is a greater network of people impacted.”

“There are holes in the system and there needs to be support available.”

The MPIG has been coming together since June 2022 to plan the dissemination of information on local health and support services to the community and ensure individuals

and whanau in need are identified and offered help.

Carla says of the ‘current system’, when someone dies from suicide the police are involved who then liaise with Victim Support, who are run mostly by volunteers. Volunteers who are going into families with often the first question they ask being ‘do they want any counselling support?’

“What family is going to need what they want at the start,” she says.

“These families are so traumatised; they’ve just been told their loved one has died. They don’t know what they need as they are often in shock. The help needs to be better coordinated and more specific to the family’s needs as they adjust to the situation.”

Natural events like flooding and losing homes haven’t helped Carla says and getting out to support the more isolated, rural communities.

“We’ve had deaths and in many ways we’ve been putting out fires,” says Carla. “A lot of rural areas are suffering in Marlborough the most. Take somewhere like Linkwater and the families associated. Sometimes

people don’t get the chance to really get over them before something else hits.”

“We’ve had high profile members of our community lost to suicide,” says Carla. “If you go back over the last few years in Marlborough the numbers are telling.”

The feedback Carla says they have had from Marlborough’s youth is that when it comes to suicide, there was ‘no support’ and students were not allowed to talk about the topic.

As a result, ‘Grief Matters’ presentations conducted by Dr Chris Bowden from June 28 will focus on dealing with the impact of suicide and help resource the community to enhance resiliency and connectedness, including a workshop aimed specifically at youth.

If you have any concerns about someone who has been affected by the loss of someone through suicide, please use the list of contact numbers on this page to link with a support service. Youth have said it’s there; it happens but nobody actually talks about it.

Mental Health Support Services in

Grief Matters

Community workshops available

Dr Chris Bowden will be conducting a series of presentations from June 28 focusing on dealing with the impact of suicide and help resource the community to enhance resiliency and connectedness, including a workshop aimed specifically at youth.

Key Aims of the hui/presentations:

1. Acknowledge the impact of suicide on youth/rangatahi, families/ whānau and wider community.

2. Provide a safe forum for youth/ rangatahi affected by suicide to share their experience, needs, discuss issues and preferred responses (amplifying the voices of those with lived experiences and co-design opportunities).

3. Acknowledge and strengthen the skills, strategies, and resources of youth/rangatahi so they can cope with adversity and suicide bereavement and keep themselves and others safe.

4. Acknowledge and strengthen the

knowledge, confidence, and ability of parents/caregivers, family/ whānau and wider community to respond to and compassionately, safely, and effectively support young people/rangatahi impacted/ bereaved by suicide (building collective ownership and responsibility), (utilising youth/rangatahi voices).

5. Enh ance resiliency, positive relationships, and connectedness between youth/rangatahi and their families/whānau and wider community support services (enhance trust, help-seeking, and help-offering).

Dr Chris Bowden is a lecturer in child and adolescent development and mental health, suicide bereavement and trauma researcher, School of Education, Te Herenga Waka/ Victoria University of Wellington; Developer and Kaitiaki of Waves suicide bereavement programme.

Support for youth

Dr Chris Bowden.

Make your heat pump work smarter, not harder

bill, but it also adds to your carbon footprint, according to EECA. Housing expert Gareth Gretton says it’s easy to run your heat pump the smart way.

Make sure it’s clean.

Just like cleaning the filter in your dishwasher or washing machine can help it run more efficiently, cleaning the filter inside your heat pump can make a real difference to how well it works. You should give your filter a good clean as we head into the cold season, and ideally clean your heat pump filters once a month during winter. You can always clean them more frequently if they’re particularly dirty.

Know your temperatures.

How do you get a warm, dry home without churning through power? There is a middle point that’ll help you with both. Set your heat pump temperature to 18 degrees or above to help fight damp and mould, but below 21 degrees to save on power. The higher the temperature, the more energy the heat pump will use, so anywhere between 18 and 21 is the sweet spot.

Spend more time on your couch.

It might sound obvious, but heat pumps use the most energy when they’re getting a room up to a set temperature. So spending more

time in the space your heat pump is in will help you make the most of the energy you’re using. Often, that’s in the living room, which is also conveniently where our couches, TVs, and magazines live. You can close the doors to any rooms you don’t use too, to make sure they’re not stealing some of the warmth.

Don’t run your heat pump constantly.

A lot of people believe that keeping a heat pump running 24/7 is an efficient, cost-effective way to heat their home. But in fact, that idea is actually a myth. When you do that, you’re actually using more energy and losing more energy overall, so it’s much better to just run your heat pump when you’re at home. Doing that will also save you money on your electricity bill.

Got a timer? Use it.

If your heat pump has a timer, you can set it to turn on just before you get home or before you wake up in the morning. Doing that also means you’ll be less tempted to crank the heat pump at a high temperature when you get home to a cold house, or wake up in one.

If you don’t have a heat pump but you’re looking to buy one, check out our guide to choosing a heat pump for tips on what to look for, including energy star rating, locations, and size.

The days are darker, it’s getting colder, and the temptation to run the heat pump at full blast might be growing. After all, they’re a low-cost

and efficient way to heat your home. Tempting though it might be, blasting your heat pump will add to the numbers on your electricity

Tackle dampness in your home

Damp homes promote mould and dust mites which can cause respiratory problems.

While dehumidifiers and ventilation systems help reduce the symptoms of the problem, it’s important to track down the underlying cause of dampness in your home.

The problem may be relatively cheap and easy to fix.

What are some of the signs of dampness?

• Musty smells

• Da mp or mouldy clothes or shoes in wardrobes

• Mould forming behind pictures, mirrors and furniture

• Mould, stains or watermarks on ceilings or walls

Marlborough has a wide range of businesses that can provide solutions to dampness in your home or business. Simply contact them to find out how they can help you.

Electric blankets are cosy, but

when damaged

With all of the technological advances in today’s modern world, how often do you remember to check electrical devices for faults?

In particular, when was the last time you checked your electric banket?

It’s that time of year where people venture into their storage cupboards, seeking out their thick, heavy duvets and of course, their electric blankets.

The thing is, that without proper care and use, they can become an unexpected fire hazard.

The biggest concern are the wires and other components flowing through the blanket. Electricity goes into these wires to heat it and warm the bed. But anytime

electricity is present there’s the ever present danger.

All it takes is one wire to be pierced, shorted or frayed and you have a fire.

Crimped cords or wires can also cause hot spots that turn into fire hazards, so before turning it on, it’s important to know your electric blanket is in good working order.

At the first sign of wear, or just for peace of mind, have your electric blanket checked by a qualified electrician.

Replace your electric blanket every five years with newer heat protected designs which are safer.

When in use don’t place heavy objects on the bed while the blanket is on and make sure it’s always flat on the bed.

While dehumidifiers and ventilation systems help reduce the symptoms of the problem, it’s important to track down the underlying cause of dampness in your home.

Stella - a show for kids by kids

By Chris Valli

A stage production called Stella with a live orchestra and band is on offer for all ages at the ASB Theatre next Tuesday. Supported by a team of Marlborough sci-fi film makers, it follows the adventures of Stella - a bold space explorer who finds herself lost in space after something goes terribly wrong.

As part of her adventures, she makes new musical friends who hopefully will help her get home. The story was put together by local filmmaker, actor and science fiction enthusiast Geoff Anderson.

The show features the music of Guardians of the Galaxy, Holst’s Mars and Jupiter, Bach, Star Wars and The Greatest Showman.

Spokesperson Linda Lloyd says 17 members of First Class Brass are involved playing

Country Music Awards, Renwick

By Chris Valli

Blenheim will showcase the Nelson Country Music Club New Zealand Sun City Country Music Awards fundraising event.

The ‘Top of the South Gold Guitars Country Showcase’ this Sunday is 1.30pm at the Renwick Community Memorial Hall.

Admission is $15.

The concert will feature special guest, Zac Griffith from Tapawera, who was named this year’s 2023 Senior Overall Winner at the prestigious New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards earlier this month in Gore.

Zac will provide an encore performance of all of his winning songs, and will be backed by a fantastic four-piece band. He will be joined by a full line up of talented Nelson singers (from age nine right through to 70 plus) who performed in Gore this year and can’t wait to share their songs with a warm Blenheim audience.

The event is a major country music singing contest that draws performers, young and old alike, from all over New Zealand to compete. The event costs upward

of $35,000 to run annually and the volunteer committee are hugely appreciative of the wonderful support from the public at their fundraising concerts, and are sure the upcoming Renwick Showcase will be no exception.

The NZ Sun City Country Music Awards Committee would also like to acknowledge the Blenheim Country Music Club for their ongoing support and assistance, the alliance between both clubs helps to ensure that country music continues to thrive here in the ‘Top of the South’.

Raffles will be available for purchase and a complimentary ‘cuppa’ and light afternoon tea will be provided during interval.

All proceeds will be put toward the running of this year’s NZ Sun City Country Music Awards, scheduled to be held at Club Waimea (Richmond) over Labour Weekend.

So round up your friends, family and neighbours and be sure to get along to the Renwick Community Memorial Hall this Sunday, June 25 for a ‘not to be missed’ show.

Ticket are $15 with cash door sales only.

horns, cornets and basses along with drums and keyboard and combining with 35 members of Upbeat Orchestra. She says the age range is from eight years old up to 70 with the majority on stage under the age of 18.

“The orchestra and the band have all been working hard on this repertoire since February and are sounding great,” she says. “We’re also grateful to have a few members of the Marlborough Civic Orchestra and Marlborough District Brass Band helping out the younger ones to support them.”

Linda says Upbeat Orchestra and First Class Brass are also putting on a day of school concerts on Tuesday, June 27 which have proved popular and already booked out.

The 45 minute concert is $5 per person or $15 for a family of four. It is being supported by the Fulton Foundation and the ASB Theatre.

Te Hoiere Project boosts biodiversity

By Chris Valli

Native seedlings are being planted at 13 sites totalling 7.2 hectares in the Te Hoiere/Pelorus catchment this autumn and early winter, supported by Te Hoiere Project.

Glyn and Carol Jones have planted about 7000 kānuka, mānuka, beech, hoheria, tōtara, kahikatea and other natives along streams, on slopes and in awkward corners of their Ronga farm near Rai Valley. This includes 600 planted this autumn by Project contractor, Landscape Marlborough, behind fences built by Glyn.

“The trees help with erosion protection, silt retention, and bring the birdlife out of the bush. We are hearing more tūī and bellbirds,”

says Glyn who traps possums and rats along with shooting pigs, goats, rabbits and hares to protect birdlife and plants.

When the Jones heard about Te Hoiere Project, they recognised it would enable five years planting progress in one. To participate required agreeing to a free catchment condition survey and signing a landowner agreement. The farm was mapped, and first plants delivered, about two years ago.

Te Hoiere Project is also providing 15,000 native seedlings to Ngāti Kuia, for planting at Ruapaka Wetland near Canvastown. Diploma of Horticulture graduates trained by NMIT in partnership with the iwi is replacing willows and other weeds with native species.

The Ministry for the Environment is helping pay for the Ruapaka restoration along with Fonterra and the Department of Conservation. Waka Kotahi/ Marlborough Roads provided a stop-go road crew as machinery ground poisoned willows into mulch for seedlings, alongside SH6.

Te Hoiere catchment coordinator, Aubrey Tai, says the Project aims to protect Te Hoiere/Pelorus catchments and restore biodiversity from the headwaters to the sea/ ki uta ki tai. Packages are tailored to each property and landowners’ ability to contribute labour, plants, or materials. The Marlborough District Council and the Department of Conservation are partners along with Ngāti Kuia, Rangitāne o Wairau and the community.

Blenheim's Emilie Mackay, 9, plays the part of 'Stella' the girl who is trying to find all the musical instruments to bring music back.

Zac Griffith from Tapawera who was named this year’s 2023 Senior overall winner at the New Zealand Gold Guitar Awards will perform as a special guest.

Glyn Jones pots up a tōtara.

ART TRAIL LAUNCH: Alzheimers Marlborough Foundation members Viv Broughton and Helen Knapp. The trail is being held on Saturday 23th and Sunday 24th September from 10am to 4pm. Tickets cost $20 per person and the ticket is included as part of the brochure and map showing who the participating artists are and where they are located along with their contact details (Absent: administrator Helen Hannay). Photo: Chris Valli.

One with nature

By Chris Valli

There were two midwinter swims on the weekend in Marlborough. One was in Picton and the other at St Arnaud, Lake Rotoiti with, um, no clothes on.

The Blue Duck Nude Midwinter Swim greeted punters with a wind chill factor that kept even the most adventurous honest in the beauty of Nelson Lakes National Park.

Organiser Bill McEwan says the dip was ‘a natural experience’ for the 20 brave souls who turned out for the 12 noon swim off East Jetty in Kerr Bay.

Punters came from Saint Arnaud, Blenheim and Nelson. As for the temperature Bill says the climate and the water temperature came under three ‘rough’ categories’ cold, very cold and really?

“It was one of those,” he laughs. The feedback from the punters was overwhelmingly positive, if not holistic.

From an 82 year old great grandmother, ‘Life is what you make it’

Calling all creatives

Alzheimers Marlborough is gearing up for this year’s Art, Craft and Collections Trail so mark September 23rd and 24th on your calendar now.

The inaugural 2022 Trail was a huge success and this year organisers are planning to build on that and firmly cement the event on Marlborough’s annual calendar.

Borne out of a need to raise awareness of dementia and fundraise to maintain and increase the services provided by Alzheimers Marlborough, this event gives the community an opportunity to visit many talented artists, collectors and craftspeople in Marlborough.

“The community who went on the trail last year were amazed at how many talented people we have in Marlborough and really enjoyed seeing some of the artists in ac-

tion,” Helen Knapp, Alzheimers Foundation member says.

“So we are seeking expressions of interest from the public, people who would be prepared to display their art, craft or collections in their own venues like studios or workshops,” Helen says.

Helen said participants would be able to sell their pieces for their own profit should they want to, and there will also be gallery space available for artists without studios.

“We’ll be making a map of which artists are where, with some information about them and their work. Doing this means there will be smaller venues rather than crowding everything into one big venue.

“And we won’t be running buses that crowd people together either.”

People will be able to take their own cars. “That will also help spread the crowds out.” Though they’ve just started, she’s delighted at the enthusiastic reception local artists and collectors have given them, including an offer of a display venue for anyone without one.

The ticket prices are still being organised and a light lunch will also be available to purchase separately, along with raffles.

This is a great opportunity for local artists to raise their profile and support a much needed organisation, but you must register your interest before the end of June. For more information contact Helen Knapp on 021 126 2508, Viv Broughton on 03 578 4847 or by email to MarlboroughAdmin@ alzheimers.org.nz if you can help.

while from another, ‘when I get overwhelmed this grounds me.’

As for Katie who went in twice. “I thought it would be far worse than it was. I loved it - we’ll be back…. how come there are not more of us?”

Bill says the best thing about the day was the support they offered each other beforehand and the joy they felt after.

“It can be a big ask to be naked with others and swim in cold water on a cold day. We felt such a bond after and gratitude for being so fully alive,” he says. “The dominant

messages or themes are about being minimalist, natural, open and having fun.”

Bill says most of them shared a love of their greater-than-human world, gratitude for life and a sense of fun.

The plunge finished with punters telling tall stories of their adventure with a shared lunch.

The Blue Duck midwinter swim has been running for more than 20 years and is a well-established event. At 600 metres, it’s the highest altitude midwinter swim in the country.

ALWAYS TIME FOR THE SUN: A local shopper catches up on all things community from last week's edition of the Sun Newspaper at Pak N Save, Blenheim.

Brave locals take the nude plunge with the Blue Duck midwinter swim at St Arnaud, Lake Rotoiti on Sunday.

Endovenous Laser Ablation (EVLA) is one of the most popular varicose vein procedures offered by local vein specialist clinic, enhanceskin. Dr David Orsbourn refers to it as the gold standard of treatments. He says, “It’s fast, effective and minimally invasive.” Nevertheless, David says some clients visit him and might not have heard about it. So, this week we’re bringing you all the details.

EVLA – Your Questions Answered

How does the procedure work?

Firstly, it’s essential to establish where your varicose veins are; sometimes, they are not visible. But ultrasound vein mapping identifies and targets your varicose veins.

Yo u’ll receive local anaesthesia to numb the entry point.

Next, we insert a needle and feed a laser fibre through the needle into the vein.

Once in position and after further local anaesthetic to protect the normal surrounding tissue, we slowly withdraw the fibre with its laser light activated. This process shrinks and seals off the vein, redirecting blood to existing healthy veins.

This whole process is painless, apart from a few needle ‘pricks’.

How long does the treatment take?

This treatment is fast and effective; the whole procedure shouldn’t take more than an hour out of your day for one leg or 2 hours for both.

Are there any painful side effects?

You may experience minor pain or discomfort (and possibly temporary bruising) post-treatment as the local anaesthetic wears off, but paracetamol usually alleviates this.

Can I get back to work and an active lifestyle straight afterwards?

Many patients feel comfortable returning to work the next day. However, you might want to take some time off if you’re on your feet for long periods or your job involves manual labour or extended driving. We also recommend you avoid heavy lifting. The best exercise you can do post-treatment is walking. 45-60 minutes of walking

daily in the first two weeks post-treatment are vital.

Will I need to wear compression stockings after my treatment?

Yes. We’ll ask you to wear compression stockings immediately after your treatment. They will help minimise discomfort and bruising, prevent clots and facilitate better circulation. You must wear them 24/7 for one week, including showering and sleeping.

Can I have EVLA immediately before my holiday overseas?

We recommend that you wait two weeks pre- or post-treatment before you travel internationally.

How effective is EVLA treatment? Will my veins come back?

EVLA has a 99% success rate (even after five years, and the studies are now out to 15 years) so effectively the Veins we treat are not coming back!

How much does the treatment cost?

Costs are dependent on the number of veins we need to treat. But, at your initial complimentary consultation, we’ll be able to let you know.

If you have health insurance EVLA is usually covered. We are an Affiliated Provider to Southern Cross Health Society. We are also accepted for cover by NIB, Sovereign, FMG, UniMed, Accuro and OnePath.

Dr David Orsbourn

Sun The txt talk with

Idle workers

Saw Marlborough Road workers with 3 vehicles parked chatting at 9 am. Came back at 9.45 am, they were still idle, chatting. Who pays them? Ratepayers of course.

Re: Winston

Re: Text talks 31-5-23 re Aotearoa and Winstons

Right, many will agree with what has been said, well done.

Our country is New Zealand, English our first language, so please STOP calling us Aotearoa, changing names and pushing Maori onto us, co-governance. It is causing a division, we have many different nationalities here in New Zealand and I thought we were all one. How our country is changing and we don’t like it. A sad NZ kiwi.

English

It’s so sad that in, of all places the library, English relegated to a second rate language. All the signage in Maori with English in tiny letters underneath.

Upgrade

Talking about roundabouts. Yes you are meant to indicate left just before you exit, ug hm, let’s talk about the worst roundabout in the southern hemisphere on the corner of SH1 and Redwood Street! I can’t see it being upgraded in my life time, but we badly need a more permanent line marking solution!

Re: Icy roads

Got to love Marlborough’s roading authorities. Northbank road been frozen for a week and no frost grit on roads but they may have used that liquid antifreeze (didn’t work). Car slide off road due to ice now there’s frost grit in same area and big electronic sign warning of ice.

More... or less?

Did you really mean less Mr Luxton?

Correct me if I’m wrong, but both the Cost Of Living & Inflation rates are running in the double figures. Plus, have high housing costs. Together with exorbitant food and electricity prices. And a severe shortage of affordable housing to boot.

So, shouldn’t commonsense prevail and only bring additional ‘mouths to feed’ into this world when it’s possible to adequately feed, clothe, house and educate them? A fairer, lower tax regime for all low income earners would help immensely and should be a benchmark for all aspiring Electoral Parties.

Dominator

A huge thank you to Mike and team at Dominator Doors for your help 13/6..9.15 am. much appreciated guys.

Shut down

Come on, Christopher Luxton said it..a town gets closed down because a gang member has died. He got half a minute on the news. New Zealand is starting to smell, not a nice place anymore.

Dialysis patients

Read article in front page Marlborough Express. Poor patients and poor volunteers travelling to Nelson especially in winter road cold conditions and very tired after treatment for patients. Who is on the board of endless sausage roll meetings. In this day and age with technology. Fund raiser someone who was voted in making big bucks on some board of ceo’s should make this happen. Hope when Luxon gets in he scrapes the endless waste and sorts NZ out.

New Library

I have to say the new library, with its external appearance and internal open design, is a fantastic, top class asset for our town. But who on earth authorised, or forced, the acceptance of this current government’s non-mandated, pervasive, idealistic policy of Maori language at the behest of English?

The use of Maori signage is to be applaudedbut to see it in this instance in a large, bold font with English sheepishly beneath it in a smaller, lighter font is confusing, irritating, an insult to the majority of the population and smacks of political interference and adherence. And this from someone who acknowledges and promotes common sense and positivity. Such a shame.

Climate change

I hope everyone has their affairs in order. On 21/6/2018 Greta Thunberg said: “A top climate scientist is warning that climate change will wipe out all of humanity unless we stop using fossil fuels over the next five years.” Only a few days to go...

Change

How Blenheim has changed. Half a million dollars of drugs seized, shots fired at the police station, guns found in cars, ram raids, vehicle thefts. At least four gangs here, so much for a beautiful place to bring up your kids. Not a great place to live, was the perfect place at one stage.

Freezing

Had a lovely time browsing the shops in Picton - except for one that had no heating at all and was freezing! I gave up looking for what I was after and left because it was so cold and I was rugged up - Poor workers looked half frozen! No point spending money making a shop look fancy if you can’t heat it.

Re: Bully beating

I share your anger. We can blame successive governments for the state of New Zealand, but the ones really to blame are our own communities which have embraced political correctness, wokeism and tolerance of everything. Apathy, a head-in-the-sand attitude and a refusal to speak out or question is endemic in our communities because we are afraid to ‘get involved’. Martin Luther King Jr said, ‘Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.’ The anarchy is just beginning!

Freemasons

It’s great to see the local Freemasons activity recruiting new members. Hopefully they can get some young recruits to give them a boost of adrenalin through the veins and carry on their work in the community.

Motorway

An other $1b motorway for Auckland. How about a freeway to replace state highway one for the South Island.

Ill Fated Name Changes

With the continuing expanding debate and concern at costly, unnecessary and inappropriate name changes in our country, it would be very wise to re-consider the naming of the new Marlborough Schools Complex.

The initial proposal of an obscure name representative of 8-9% of the school role and community is totally unacceptable.

‘Marlborough College... Ma Katoa’

Is the logical and likely, most widely acceptable name. Common sense please.

Talk of the week

The Golding Girls

Well done ladies! Once again, hidden talent shining! Absolutely enjoyed your play, as did everybody else, going by the amount of laughter!! Thanks to you and all the people involved giving up so much of your time to entertain us. Must be many, many hours.

Not so rosy

Living in Blenheim doesn’t seem so rosy for the elderly and retired people now, due to closure of Clubs of Marlborough, restricted pool activities, including am aquasize classes at Stadium2000 and increase in crime. Although the library is new and lovely, parking is an issue as is having the adult section upstairs and staff now begrudgingly helping older patrons. Also all the library signage is in large black Te Reo lettering, with pale English lettering underneath. Why??

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.

Deli meats

Delicatessen meats in supermarkets. Wished I had license years ago to turn cardboard camouflaged, into so called tasty meals.

Property Managers

What right have you setting rental prices on properties under your management. Also advising low income renters to apply for accommodation supplement, that is taxpayers money contributing to your fees and rental owners. Rents need to be adjusted to age and condition of property not continually increasing.

Got an important issue to share with Marlborough? Text your thoughts to 027 242 5266

Leon from Warwick fabrics will be talking about the latest fashion and trends with curtains.

Complimentary drink and nibbles.

$25 per person. Limited tickets available - so get in quick! Proceeds go to Hospice Marlborough. Purchase tickets in-store at Hospice Marlborough.

5 minutes with...

Megan Slape

Toroa Career Navigator Youth Coordinator Graeme Dingle Foundation Marlborough

 Are you a dog or cat person?

Both.

 My friends would say I am Caring.

 The best advice I ever received was?

Mistakes are meant to happen as they are learning moments, so you know what not to do next time.

 What would you buy if money was no object?

Land for an animal care sanctuary and to have a place for youth to come and build wellbeing and resilience skills.

 Local coffee haunt?

My morning starts at home with a fresh black coffee, the smell of coffee brewing is my morning sensory meditation.

 Favourite takeaway?

Sushi.

 The shop you can’t walk past is?

Online shopping.

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

A necklace, which I wear every day and makes me feel connected to the special people who gifted it.

 Where is your happy holiday place?

Anywhere new and exciting.

 Favourite programme or series currently watching?

Our Planet II. I love a good nature documentary especially if its David Attenborough.

 What’s one thing on your bucket list?

See the aurora borealis.

‘I love weeding and being outside’

By Chris Valli

Vanessa Wall’s face beams when she is outside in the garden. And with good reason.

When we met to discuss what it is about Selmes Garden Centre and her place in ‘the family’ her smile is constant throughout and a sense that maybe, maybe, she has found her niche in the gardening landscape and nursery.

The nursery is a holistic place of learning and Vanessa is very much the student and the teacher, always learning, always helping, and always growing. The trust and the people at Selmes are fulfilling a role vacated by IHC.

Vanessa at 58-years young is Selmes longest employed staff member having been part of the current and former location in Rapaura Road for 38 years. She has acquired an abundance of all things horticultural. It certainly helps that she has a keen sense of humour too with the odd ‘fresh winter’s day’ keeping her honest from time to time.

There’s not much she doesn’t know when a customer requires content or information around compost, potting mix, bark or coconut fibre.

Brought up in Hawera, Taranaki, Vanessa was involved with the IHC making wood pellets and was a dab hand assisting with crushing the materials into a wood hammer mill which formed the solid pellets.

“I wanted a change from making pellets,” she says. “They (Selmes) were looking for nursery workers and I saw it in the paper and I thought yes, I’m into that.”

Her first ‘job’ at Selmes she says was ‘showing people around’. These days, she works afternoons (1 - 4pm). She loves the sun and can be seen watering the plants and bagging up potting mix. The new hours, she says, make her ‘less tired’. But there is one job she enjoys the most.

“Weeding. I like doing it. We all

get different jobs but I like that the most,” she says.

There is no doubt that for gardening aficionados, communing with nature is a soul-seeking enterprise. For someone like Vanessa, joining Selmes has reaped many benefits and rewards for her own wellbeing and purpose.

When asked what the best thing

is about working at Selmes she smiles - again - and replies with an emphatic answer.

“Communicating with my friends and getting to know and helping the customers,” she says.

“The job has given me happiness, if I have any problems they help me out and we sit down and talk.

“I just love it, being outside.”

Vanessa is Selmes longest employed staff member of 38 years.

SONRISA: (smile) Celebrating Chile and the Spanish language is Valentina Aeeufar and Azul Arin. Photo: Chris Valli.

LOOKING DAPPER LADS: MBC students in fine form at the Combined College’s formal.

Photo: Brya Ingram

Marlborough Girls’ College choir Ovation placed second in the Choral Art category at the regional BIG SING choir festival recently. They also received one of two commended awards.

THE CLARINETS HAVE IT: Iona Panoho leads the clarinet section who will perform in Stella at the ASB Theatre on Tuesday.

Marlborough Girls’ College students Sophie Kenyon, Emma Thomas, Breanna Campbell and Emma Withers. Photo: Brya Ingram

Talofa lava: Anafuamanu Te'o, Manutaki Pasifika, performing for visitors in the Marlborough Girls' College quad. From May 29 to June 2, the school celebrated Samoan Language Week. Photo: Stella Henry.

Māreikura Nepia and Fenella Cooney have been selected to represent Nelson Marlborough secondary schools at Ngā Manu Kōrero Nationals.

Māreikura delivered a stunning speech titled “Me pēhea te ahurea Māori e whaitake ai ki ngā rangatahi” and Fenella gave a compelling speech titled “I am unapologetically Māori”. The national Ngā Manu Kōrero competitions are from September 19-21.

AGM Springlands Bowling Club on Sunday 9th of July. 1pm at the clubrooms. 136 Middle Renwick Road, Springlands.

LOST trailer wheel New Renwick Rd & Alabama Rd area. 205/70/14 wheel size. Ph 021 499 901.

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

Golf Results

Blenheim Golf Club

Mon 5 Jun: 9 hole Stableford: Ray Herd 19

Alex Herd 17 Dan Crawford 16 Clarry Neame 15

Dean Ormsby 15 Don Lamond 15 Ladies Elaine

Brown 16 Helen Neame 15 Colleen McLeod 15

Dawn Walker 13 Sa-Nga Grupp

Tue 13 Jun: 7th Ladies Stableford: 9 holes Kay

Ayson 15 18 holes 0-29 Sa-Nga Grupp 37 Vickie

Lane 28 Marion Flynn 28 30+ Bernice Arnold 29

June 8th 9 holes Stableford Leo McKendry 17

Brian Brown 16 Glen Hurcomb 15 18 Holes Par

Mike McConnell 2 Nigel Smith 0 Alex Herd 0

Stuart Parker 0 Graeme Parker 0 Guido Bertogg

-2 Duncan Cassidy -2 Ray Herd -3 Ezra Kahaki

-3 Ross Agnew -3

Sat 10 Jun: Ladies Stableford Sa-Nga Grupp

39 Rachel Bell 38 Sue Duckworth 35 Men Mike

McDonald 38 Jordan Judge 37 Don March 37

Kobe Hart 36 Glen Hurcomb 34 Bob Tapp

33 NTP Fairweathers 9/18 Mike Gardiner

Sowmans 3/12 Ezra Kahaki

Mon 12 Jun: 9 hole Stableford: Dave Menzies

22 Mike McConnell 20 Ian Hatcher 19 David

Marlborough Golf Club

Mon 13 Jun: 9 Hole Stableford Div.1: Suzanne

Clifford 14, Margret Hall 10. Div.2: Debra

O’Keeffe 17, Leana Gargiulo 16, Leonie Savage 15, Rebecca Harvey 15.

Thu 15 Jun: Men’s Stableford Div.1: Paul

Roughan 38, Tony Gill 38, Duncan Bint 37, Ken Steel 34, Kevin Price 33, Ian Newport 33. Div.2:Ross Inder 36, Colin Marsden 34, Ian Walker 32, Neal Ibbotson 32, David Wilkins

Picton Golf Club

Tue 13 Jun: Marlborough Stroke Championship: Best Nett over the field: Martella Cup: Anita McCaffrey 72 Picton; Senior Gross: T Bary Rarangi 81; Intermediate Gross: H McIsaac 100 Picton; Junior Gross: L Stone 107 Picton; S/F in Grades-Senior: Jo Prescott 32 Picton, M Robertson 32 Greenacres, J Laing 31 Rarangi, Mel Hampton 31 Wairau Valley;

Intermediate: M McConway 31 Picton, H McIsaac 30 Picton, J Rosie 30 Picton, D Harper

Rarangi Golf Club

Wed 14 Jun: Mens Midweek Stableford: Dick Hubert 42, Graham Ilott, Stuart McLagan 39, Tim Clark 39, Gordie Lang 38, Jim Thomas 38, Phil Hill 38, David Best 37, Terry Allen 37, Tony Nichol 36, Ian Molloy, 34, Glenn Kirby 34, Allan Ryder 32, Robert Lopez 32, Jack Gleeson 32, Alan Rutledge 32.

Thu 15 Jun: Ladies Midweek Net Medal: Annie Hubert 72, Di Betts 75, Tracy Bary 76, Janet Laing 78, Marilyn Smith 79, Anne Newman 80, Carolyn Reaney 80, Dale McCrindle

Wairau Valley Golf Club

Sat 17 Jun: Medal/LGU/Putts: Mel Hampton 66, Richard Bruce 68, Brian Roughan 71, Rex McGarry 71, Yvonne Wallace 71, Mike Collins 72, Pete Bishell 72, Colin Baker

We

. Interior/exterior detail clean

. Machine cut and polish

. Ceramic coating

. Sale ready/end of lease valet

. Shower glass polishing and ceramic coating

pearce@mobilecarvalet.co.nz or phone Nadine 021 234 5474

talk

Waters 19 Clarry Neame 19 David Dyer 19 Dean Ormsby 17 Roy Lilley 16 Elijah O’Donnell 16

Ian Clark 16 Stuart Parker 16 Ross Agnew 15

Bob Tapp 15 Allen Knight 15 Dan Crawford 15

Ladies Elaine Brown 17 Dawn Walker 17 Jenny

Evans 16 Bernice Arnold 16 Helen Neame 14

Sue Duckworth 14 Leanne Young 14

Wed 14 Jun: Net Medal 0-29 Sa-nga Grupp 70

Sue Duckworth 71 30+ Jenny Evans 80 Colleen

McLeod 82 9 holes Net medal Shirley Godsiff 39

Thu 15 Jun: Irish Satableford Dave Menzies 80 Graeme Daines 79 David Dyer 79 Buck

Asplet 73 Ezra Kahaki 72 Phil Starkey 70 Doug

Shaw 69 Bo Tapp 68 Graeme Parker 67 9hole

stableford George Addis 21

Sat 17 June: Net Medal Desz Campbell 67

Trent Davies 67 Brian Yarrall 68 Chris Hill 68

Bob Tapp 68 Buck Asplet 69 Glen Hurcomb 69

Roy Lilley 70 Helmut Adenhorff 71 Sam Rainbird 71 Ladies Net Medl Rachel Bell 72 Judith Batty 74 Bernice Arnold 74 NTP Fairweathers 9/18 Phil Starkey Sowmans 3/12 Brian Yarrall

31, Warner Plus 31. Sat 17 Jun: Women’s Stableford Div.1: Julie Nicolle 32, June Maslin 32, Julie Smith 30. Div.2: Elaine Porter 32, Judy Ibbotson 31. Men’s stableford Div.1: Mark Watson 40, Mike MacLeod 34, Paul Silke 31. Div.2: Francis Hassan 38, Lance Nuttall 36, Trevor McGarry 35, Simon Winter 33, Ravi Johl 32. Div.3: Ian Walker 39, Stuart Smith 37, Jeff Clarke 35, Neal Ibbotson 34.

28 Picton; Junior K Ross 32 Greenacres, M Frisken 32 Picton, J Jones 31 Picton, L Stone 30 Picton.

Thu 15 Jun: Tim McCaffrey 37; Andrew Sunley 36; James Fattorini 35; Gary Aldridge 33; I Aldridge 32; Jeff Pascoe 31, Nick Wright 31, Bill Catrell 31; Leigh McGlynn.

Fri 16 Jun: Putts: Lin Stone 15; Margaret Frisken 16; Judy Jones 17.

ARE you tempted? I’m back in town. Ph 020 4105 8586 No text.

S O i L , free for removal, easy access Ph 5775541

Public Notices

81 Sue Lang 82. Sat 17 Jun: Special 6’s Stableford: Combined - Maryann Best 39, Neil Butts 38, Lindsay McAlpine 38, Shane Weaver 36, Sue Campbell 36, David Price 36, Terry Lane 36, Sue Lang 35, Marilyn Smith 34, Anne Newman 34, Hamish Holst 33, Allan Shutkowski 33, Peter Browning

33, Allan Ryder 33.

Sun 18 Jun: Stableford Mens: Michael Gibb 40, Jerome January 34, Brad Robinson 32, James Sutherland 30, Greg Thomas 28.

72, Maureen McKenzie 72, Bruce Roughan 73 Putts: Richard Bruce 26, Mike Collins 28. Two’s: Bill Lacey.

Public Notice of Availability of Summary of Decisions Requested by Persons

Making Submissions on Variation 2: Ecologically Significant Marine Sites and Variation 3: Meretoto/Ship Cove Heritage Resource

On 9 March 2023, the Marlborough District Council notified Variation 2: Ecologically Significant Marine Sites and Variation 3: Meretoto/Ship Cove Heritage Resource to the Proposed Marlborough Environment Plan. The period for making submissions on the variations closed on 11 April 2023. The Council has received 63 submissions on proposed Variation 2 and 6 submissions on proposed Variation 3.

The Resource Management Act 1991 requires the Council to now publicly notify the availability of the summary of decisions requested by persons making submissions on the proposed variations. This summary, together with the submissions in full, may be inspected without fee at the following locations at any time that these places are open to the public:

• The Council’s Office, Seymour Street, Blenheim

• Marlborough District Library, 15 High Street, Blenheim

• The Council’s Picton Office and the Picton Library, High Street, Picton

An electronic copy of the summary of decisions requested and the submissions in full can be viewed on the Council’s website using the following link: https://eservices.marlborough.govt.nz/programmes

The following persons may make a further submission but only in support of or in opposition to any of the submissions already received:

• Any person representing a relevant aspect of the public interest; and

• Any person that has an interest in the plan greater than the interest that the general public has.

Further submissions must be received within 20 working days of this notice. It is important that your further submission follows the prescribed format of Form 6 of the Resource Management (Form, Fees and procedures) Regulations 2003. To assist you, the Council has prepared a further submission form that follows the prescribed format. The form is available from Council’s website or from the places listed above.

Within 5 working days of lodging a further submission with the Council, you must serve a copy on the person who made the submission to which your further submission relates. The postal address of submitters is also available at the locations listed above.

The closing date for making further submissions is 5.00 pm, Friday, 21 July 2023. You can lodge your further submission by -

Delivery at:

Attention: Karen Bloor Marlborough District Council

Karen Bloor

Once the closing date for lodging further submissions has passed, the Council will hold a hearing to consider the submissions and further submissions that have been lodged and will then issue a decision(s) on the proposed variations. Anyone who has made a submission or further submission, and who has indicated that they wish to be heard, will have the right to attend the hearings and to present their submission or further submission. Those people will be notified of the hearing dates in due course.

If you have general enquiries about the process, please ask for Karen Bloor. The Council phone number is 03 520 7400.

Dated at Blenheim this 22nd day of June 2023.

Ben selected for NZ Rugby Referees Squad

By Chris Valli

Blenheim’s Ben Alexander has made the New Zealand Rugby Referees Squad for 2023.

The selection for the 21-year-old is testimony for all the hard work and commitment to his refereeing pathway over the past seven years. Ben says it’s been a long but enjoyable journey to get to this point.

“It’s been a long but enjoyable journey. It means a lot to me personally and to those around me that the hard work has paid off. This selection is a big step in my development. It gives me the opportunity to referee higher level games and begin to make a career out of the game that I love,” he says.

The recognition he says comes down to having a positive attitude towards the game and being technically accurate with his decisions.

“To begin with, you need to be an established premier referee in your provincial union,” he says. “Then it’s a matter of being nominated for different tournaments around the country where New Zealand selectors are often present.”

The former Marlborough Boys’ College head boy works as a vineyard operator for Cloudy Bay. He says his short term goal for this season is to make his Heartland debut with the whistle in hand. Long term, he definitely has a goal of refereeing at a World Cup somewhere in the future.

“Rugby is a game that I grew up playing as a kid but started to lose the enjoyment of playing the game. With an older brother and Dad both al-

ready refereeing, it seemed like the obvious choice. Over the last seven years, I have found more enjoyment refereeing the game than I did playing. I think the most enjoyment comes with the challenge of the high pressure situations. There’s just something special about that sort of challenge.”

part

ABOVE: Ben oversees the South Island first XV final between Nelson and John McGlashan Colleges last September. (Photos by Barry Whitnall@shuttersport.co.nz)

LEFT: Ben officiates the Tasman Trophy game earlier this month between Waimea Old Boys and Marist, Tahuna Park.

(Photo by Evan Barnes/Shuttersport Limited)

of his role was to identify and promote promising referees. He says Ben was nominated to New Zealand Rugby last season and was one of only two male referees selected to referee at the top four schools finals.

“He has great physical attributes of fitness and speed. What sets him apart is his maturity and calmness under pressure. He showed this in

refereeing the Tasman Trophy final superbly last season at just 20 years of age at the time.”

Ben credits his parents Tony and Brenda and older brother Cam on the referee career path. He also would like to acknowledge the team at Tasman Rugby Referees.

“The support and guidance they provide right from the start is what’s kept me involved. From the

Special Olympics swimming ribbon day

Marlborough Special Olympics and Nelson Special Olympics swimmers had their annual Ribbon Day at Stadium 2000 on May 28 with some keen competition between them. Pictured is Adam Shatford and Cameron Rowe starting in the 50m breaststroke. Both swimmers bettering their times with Adam winning. Ben Thomas, Tiffany Walbran and Frances Watson also bettered their entry times. Marlborough had 14 swimmers competing. They will be training for Ribbon Days early next year leading up to Regional Games followed by National Games in Christchurch in 2025.

weekly meetings to the ever present social events, we have created an awesome environment with the referees that could quite possibly be one of the best in the country. I would also like to thank anyone else who has helped me on my journey so far. It really does mean a lot and it doesn’t go unnoticed.” The announcement of the full squad will be named at a later date.

inbrief

Sun The Mako’s selected for All Black Squad

Five Tasman Mako rugby players have been selected for the 36 man All Black squad announced on Sunday evening. They are Finlay Christie, Shannon Frizell, Will Jordan, Leicester Fainga’anuku and Tyrel Lomax. Crusaders midfielder Dallas McLeod is the biggest surprise in the All Blacks’ first squad of 2023.

McLeod is one of five official new caps named by All Blacks coach Ian Foster, joining Crusaders prop Tamaiti Williams, Chiefs loose forward Samipeni Finau, Hurricanes halfback Cam Roigard and Chiefs winger Emoni Narawa as the new faces.

Whitehead Park Winter Bowls results

Wed 14 Jun: Open Triples - 1st - Jane McIntyre, Andrew Bishell, Chris Bishell; 2nd Graeme Hirst, Geoff Sandford, Bev Newell; 3rd Bob Hunter, Kevin Wills, Rex Dovey.

Sat 17 Jun: 6th Round Winter Fives - 1st Picton Pirates - Barry Fishburn, Helen McIsaac, Joe Peel, Alissa Waters, Trevor Hodgkinson; 2nd Bowl-U-Over – Joe Flood, Lyn Somerville, Mike Sextus, Tony Troon, Dot Capill.

Former Tasman Mako Referee Manager Dave Paterson says