Marlborough is home to the best competition pool in the Top of the South Island with the Stadium 2000, known for its wide lanes, water quality and consistent depth. To make it the best of the best, Blenheim Swimming Club has taken on the ambitious project of improving the dive starting blocks. Continued on page 2. TAKE YOUR MARKS: Blenheim Swimming Club’s para swimmer Jack Bugler in action last month. BSC has taken on the ambitious project of improving the dive starting blocks at Stadium 2000 with the total cost $122,000.Photo: Mark Grammer Photography.
‘Blocks
Continued from page 1.
In 2008, a significant change in starting platform design was approved by FINA (now World Aquatics), which included an angled wedge at the rear of the blocks. This additional surface area allows for more powerful starts, as swimmers can position their rear leg on the wedge similar to runners.
When the Marlborough Lines Stadium 2000 reopened in April 2012, there was no budget for new starting blocks. The Blenheim Lions funded items such as the starting blocks and a pool access chair with Nelson Marlborough Swimming purchasing the current blocks. New blocks would bring the swim start racing experience in line with the pool facility.
Blenheim Swimming Club coach,
Shane Skehan says having up to date blocks will make a significant difference to all swimmers who compete at meets around the country from our newest juniors through to the senior and age group swimmers competing at the national and international level.
For competitive swimmers with mobility issues, the larger surface area helps them get into the start position more easily. In a sport where split seconds count, the new blocks would allow swimmers to push with their hands as well as their feet for greater acceleration. The new blocks would make competitive swimming more inclusive for those with mobility challenges. BSC and Stadium 2000 want to ensure the facility is continuing to meet national standards.
Jack Foley, Operations Lead for the Aquatic Centre, says ‘improving on an already great asset for the community only seems logical’.
The total cost of the project, including the blocks, backstroke ledges, freight, concrete tiling, and GST, is $122,000. The club has already fundraised over $10,000 for the project.
There will be a quiz night on Friday, August 16 at the Woodbourne Tavern. BSC will also be seeking business sponsorship and grant funding.
Swimming Nelson Marlborough is the regional association for swimming for the top of the South Island, and is affiliated with Swimming New Zealand. They work together to support swimming clubs in the region and hold Regional Championships.
182 water injury claims cost nearly $906,000
By Chris Valli
It appears us ‘older blokes’ continue to ‘make risky choices in the water’.
Water Safety New Zealand Chief Executive Daniel Gerrard says ‘they are still seeing an unacceptable number of preventable deaths’, especially among older New Zealand males who continue to make risky choices around water. Males accounted for 83 percent of those who drowned in 2023.
It may be the middle of Marlborough’s winter, but World Drowning Prevention Day last week (July 25) was a timely reminder to respect the water through all the seasons.
In 2023, ACC accepted 182 water-related injury claims in the Marlborough region with the injuries coming at a cost of $905,965 to help people recover. So far in 2024 (to July 15) ACC has accepted 153 water related injury claims in the Marlborough region.
There has been one fatality this year in Marlborough, the same number as this time last year (1).
Daniel says they know a lot of people love to enjoy the water throughout the winter months, and want to encourage that in a safe and responsible manner.
“The water is much colder during the winter period which means you have fewer margins for error if you get it wrong,” he says.
Rather than panic, Gerrard encour-
aged people who fall into the water to lie back, relax and float.
“Floating on your back gives you the best chance of survival if you’re in trouble in the water.
“The four key tips to remember are float, breathe, signal and survive,” he says.
The leading regions for preventable drownings so far in 2024 (1 January30 June) are: Auckland (11), Waikato (7), Northland (4), Hawke’s Bay (4), Canterbury (3) and Wellington (3).
Jack Bugler set a new S14 New Zealand record in the 1500m Freestyle in a time of 18:38.97 at Marlborough Lines Stadium 2000 on June 21, 2024. The competition was Swim Nelson Marlborough Short Course Championship.
Photo: Mark Grammer Photography.
Vaccine urged with flu surge
By Chris Valli
A nasty strain of influenza has hit Marlborough prompting health advocates encouraging people to get vaccinated. It comes just after another wave of Covid-19, and Steve Low, Interim Chief Medical Officer at Te Whatu Ora Nelson Marlborough says it was important locals were not complacent about it.
“Both Wairau and Nelson Hospitals have seen an increase in presentations due to respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19 and influenza (flu) in recent weeks,” he says. “The numbers of each vary day-by-day but the rates of winter illness are rising.”
“The flu (influenza) virus changes often. This means the vaccine has to be tweaked each year to match the new strains of the disease. Getting a flu vaccine every year means you have the best protection,” says Steve.
“Flu symptoms come on suddenly and can include fever, chills, muscle aches, runny nose, cough, shortness of breath, and stomach upsets. It is usually spread by coughing and sneezing and is most common during winter and can make you very
sick, even if you are usually fit and healthy.”
There had ‘generally been a trend’ of high rates of the H3N2 strain of influenza, which the World Health Organisation had warned about.
H3N2 virus is a non-human influenza virus that normally circulates in pigs but can infect people. Viruses that normally circulate in pigs are “swine influenza viruses.” When these viruses infect humans, they are termed “variant” viruses. The strain was covered in the vaccines.
Those at highest risk of severe influenza include the very young, the elderly, pregnant women, those with co-morbid conditions, people from low-income groups, and Pacific and Māori ethnic groups.
The Blenheim Sun spoke to a local woman who did not want to be named last week who says ‘this flu is a beast’.
“I don’t think anyone realises the seriousness of this until they have it and how easily it can turn fatal. Was reading about a 27 year old man who died up north and can understand how he just kept saying he would be alright until
it was too late.”
“My husband has been sick for two weeks and I am one week and counting,” she says. “We both had flu vaccines which is supposed to lessen the blow so would hate to think how non vaccinated people are faring.”
The 2024 flu vaccine is free for some people, including if you’re 65 and over, pregnant women, tamariki (children) aged four years and under who have been hospitalised for respiratory illness, or have a history of significant respiratory illness, people with mental health conditions and people currently accessing secondary or tertiary mental health and addiction services.
University of Otago epidemiologist Prof Michael Baker says it was ‘hard to tell’ whether this strain of influenza was more virulent than others.
“However, it has led more people to hospital than usual for a respiratory illness. There appears to be a higher rate of reportage of influenza from people. It’s certainly returned.”
Prof Baker says people should remain mindful of influenza’s effects, stay home when sick and wear masks on public transport.
Blenheim’s Wairau Hospital has seen an increase in respiratory illnesses, including Covid and influenza in recent weeks.
Immunisation data is collected from Aotearoa Immunisation Register (AIR) and is collated weekly. As of July 21, a total of 41,667 people had received a flu vaccination.
Everyone over three years old can get a flu vaccine at pharmacies and flu vaccines can be booked over the phone by calling 0800 28 29 26 (8:30am to 5pm Monday to Friday, except public holidays).
Sun The
Taylor River rabbit control starts
Pindone poison, an anticoagulant in bait form, is to be laid at specific areas on the Taylor River Reserve from next Friday, August 9.
Increasing numbers of rabbits will be targeted in two key areas –a 49-hectare block running from Doctors Creek through to the boundary of the lifestyle block area on Waters Ave and the second 21-hectare block from Wither Road extension through to Richardson Ave.
Pindone is an anti-coagulant poison – commonly used for rabbit control since the 1940s in New Zealand.
It is considered relatively safe to both dogs and cats as a large volume would need to be consumed over a number of days to affect them.
As a precaution, Council advises people with dogs to avoid the area when signs are in place. For further information go to: https:// links.marlborough.govt.nz/RabbitControl-FAQs
Open Day
The Blenheim Volunteer Fire Brigade Open Day is on this Sunday August 4 th at 10am - 2pm at the Blenheim Fire Station. 4 Symons Street, Blenheim
If you’ve ever thought about joining the fire brigade but never took the leap, here’s your opportunity to meet our awesome team and observe or take part in some handson activities. All welcome!
inbrief Sun The
Grey Power applauds commissioner
Grey Power New Zealand National President, Gayle Chambers, applauded Health Minister, Shane Reti last week for putting a commissioner in place to rescue the failing Health NZ structure. Blenheim based Chambers hopes that this is a way forward to repairing long waiting lists for seniors in the areas of elective surgery and declining in-home care services.
“I hope the assurance from Lester Levy that there will be no adverse impacts on the delivery of care in implementing a turnaround plan – rather, he and Health NZ will be seeking to bring the frontline closer to decision-making is true as this chaotic health system cannot continue,“ she says.
BootSale Market
The Blenheim Rotary BootSale Market is on every Saturday 8am – 12pm at the Blenheim Railway Station Carpark. Everyone welcome. No booking required, just turn up and choose a site. $5 per site. No sales of alcohol, guns, gin traps or children!
Farmers Market
The Marlborough Farmers Market is on every Sunday 9am - 12pm at the Marlborough A&P Showgrounds rain or shine. Come down and support your local growers and producers and help them support you in your local community. A huge range of stalls, and live music.
Marlborough’s arts is in good hands
By Chris Valli
Marlborough’s echelon in the arts landscape is gaining greater accessibility with a Young + Creative Initiative set up by the Marlborough Civic Theatre Trust
Marlborough Civic Theatre Trust CEO Joseph Casalme says the project is aligned to the trust’s strategy of supporting the growth in the arts.
“It was about looking for ways in how we support the community users more. We have subsidies for arts groups to be able to access the main auditorium,” he says.
“We’ve identified that the youth is a group that can benefit from the program and what we did was to create smaller, internal programs first like the college band project in May in 2023 and reaching out to the college(s).”
Joseph says the Young Creatives was not about reinventing the wheel. By reaching out to Marlborough’s schools that already had their curriculum programs cemented, it came down to how the theatre could provide support and access.
“Exposing the students to perform and work at the theatre in a professional context with personnel such as Barbara Song (music
teacher Marlborough Boys’ College) and Paul Robinson, Manager, from the Rockshop Blenheim. We needed to know how the Anderson Theatre would fit in the scheme of things if there was a rock band and how that would affect the other spaces.”
A Pasifika workshop this year in collaboration with MBC Pasifika students and Blenheim’s Fua Creative (providing innovative arts experiences for professional, educational and community) is one example of such support and access to showcase the arts community and talent.
The Anderson Theatre lends itself to boutique productions and concerts and represented the final stage of the multifunctional venue. The theatre’s name recognises the philanthropic generosity of a wellknown Marlborough family. With no prescribed seating or staging, it is a 12 metre by 12 metre flat floor which can be set up how different arts groups want it.
Joseph, who has been in the role for two years, says the ASB Theatre’s smaller rooms such as the Whitehaven Wine Room and the Anderson Theatre, will provide accessibility for arts groups to perform, such as StageLab, who are performing The Boy, The
Peak Living invites you to the pre-launch of a new retirement investment fund that offers a unique retirement planning solution.
This will be an opportunity to learn about this new retirement investing concept and how you could be part of a new retirement village development in Blenheim.
It represents a shift in how we approach preparing for our future retirement living where you can have your cake and eat it too.
LIVING INFORMATION SEMINAR
Choose your session: Wednesday 21st August, 11am or 5pm
Venue: Scenic Hotel Marlborough, 65 Alfred Street, Blenheim
Mole and The Cake, opening tomorrow night.
The show (four shows, two nights and two afternoons) is an immersive theatre collaboration between StageLab and Creative Kids. The unique selling point of the show is that ‘immersive theatre’ is both atmospheric and participatory with 70 plus Marlborough youngsters showcasing their work into a ‘beautiful story of friendship’. The show also includes Whitney Street Hono Hapori project with nine children, which uses music and theatre to recognise, collaborate and celebrate Marlborough’s
cultural diversity. Joseph says there is a sense of not only pride, but responsibility when working with children and Marlborough’s youth to ‘hone their skills and craft’, and providing opportunities. “It’s about making sure the arts are in very good hands because these are our future creatives and artists. The arts have a very important role in our society to create identity in our community and a sense of pride. When family see their kids on stage there is a deeper connection that people can relate to. It’s important to the family, it’s their world.”
Joseph says smaller rooms such as the Anderson Theatre, provide accessibility for arts groups to perform, such as StageLab, who are performing The Boy, The Mole and The Cake, opening tomorrow night.
From Boomtown to country
By Chris Valli
Mention the name Zach Bryan to anyone who is into music and it would be no surprise that the reaction might be who? Mention country music and Zach Bryan to Phillip Johnson, the reply will be one of enthusiasm and great gusto. He may not be a house hold name in New Zealand but in the USA, Zach is followed by millions.
Zachary Lane Bryan is an American country music singer from Ooogah, Oklahoma – you just Googled where that is aye? For Witherlea School teacher Phill Johnson, Stars in Your Eyes Blenheim has always intrigued the 37-year-old.
“I’ve always been curious about it and have known of people who have done it,” he says.
Continuing a family tradition, Zach was an active-duty member of the United States Navy for eight years, enlisting at the age of 17 using his spare time to write music for his enjoyment.
Singing and playing music for enjoyment is something Phill can
empathise with. Phill grew up in Renwick and sings in the band Acoustic Boomtown, alongside Brad Pope and Sean Crockett and has always sung in bands since he was at Marlborough Boys’ College
“The last few years I have really got into my country music and started singing Zach Bryan songs with the band. I thought I could sing quite close to how he does it and thought maybe this is the artist I can do at Stars in Your Eyes.”
On July 15, 2022, Zach released his second EP, Summertime Blues, which contained nine tracks including the charting song of Oklahoma Smokeshow which peaked at number 75. It’s the song Phill has chosen to bring to the ASB stage next month.
“I really connected with it – it’s got a cool video clip to go along with it. It’s a song about a girl who is really talented, beautiful and stuck in town who gets with the bad guy. Country music has grown on me, initially through Luke Combs and Chris Stapleton and I found Zach through a
The largest range of engineering supplies in the top of the South Island.
“His first hit song was Something in the Orange (which has only been played 950 million times on Spotify) and I thought I quite like this guy. I could relate to his lyrics and country music does that, falling in love, having beers in the sun, being on the farm,” he says. “The songs have poetic meaning and you can relate to them.”
A father of two boys Huxley (9) and Maddox (7) and step-father to Lauren, Thom and Sam, Phill says they often talk about the time when Dad sang Sweet Caroline at the local resort in Samoa and ‘got the crowd going’.
“Our Saturday nights has been sitting watching You Tube, live concerts of Zach – there’s a great concert of him at the Red Rocks (Colorado) and it’s snowing and they are all rugged up while he’s playing. That’s what we do,” he says.
Ironically, Phill has never attended the Creative Kids Trust and Fulton Foundation Charity fundraiser. The 2024 version
FAMILY TIME IN SAMOA: Phill with his boys Huxley (9) and Maddox (7) with wife Cat in Samoa. Phill says they often talk about the time when Dad sang Sweet Caroline (Neil Diamond) at the local resort in Samoa and ‘got the crowd going’. Phill will be appearing as American country singer Zach Bryan at next month’s Stars in Your Eyes Blenheim.
will be his first, as a performer on stage no less.
“I just want to go out there and perform, rock out and make people laugh and have some fun. Music is fun,” he says.
Sun The
Calling all artists
The 2024 Alzheimers Arts, Crafts and Collections Trail will be on Saturday and Sunday September 21 and 22.
Organisers are welcoming all previous and new exhibitors to join this wonderful annual event.
For further information contact Helen Knapp 021 126 2508 or Email:MarlboroughAdmin@ alzheimers.org.nz
Wither Hills submissions close soon
Balancing soil conservation and native plantings with recreational use and farming is the aim of the Wither Hills draft management plan, now open for submissions.
Parts of the farm park, which covers 1,029 hectares, were originally bought by the Crown in 1944 to address soil conservation and that role is still the overriding priority for management today.
Council Parks and Open Spaces
Planner Linda Craighead says the plan sets out a strategic direction for community comment.
“The review of the existing plan began in 2022 with discussions by Council staff, iwi and stakeholders and last year the public was invited to provide their thoughts on future management options,” she says.
Consultation closes on 9 August – to have your say go to: www.marlborough.govt.nz/ your-council/have-your-sayconsultations
Nobody does bearings and engineering better than the team at Bearings & Accessories
The Ford Club Marlborough hosted a ‘show and shine’ fundraising meet at Lansdowne Park on Sunday. The fundraiser benefited Marlborough Breast Cancer Support Group and Marlborough Riding for the Disabled.
We asked Ford enthusiasts, what made their Ford vehicle
Adam Atkinson Picton
I built it myself from the ground up in my driveway and made it out of three cars. Running and driving an L200 (Mitsubishi Triton), I stripped it and got the body from a guy in Invercargill. I then got a crashed AU 2000 XR8 (Ford Falcon).
Beverley Stuart Nelson
Most people don’t think the vehicle is a Ford Popular but it is. It’s been turned into a coupe (closed roof, two door passenger). We put a big motor in it, a 355, she’s all grunt.
Letters
Letters on issues of community interest are welcomed. A maximum of 150 words please. They must be signed and a street address provided to show good faith, even when a nom de plume is provided for publication.
Congratulations to our colouring winners
LEFT: Hannah Grigg BELOW: Zara Boyd
Graeme Kitto
Brightwater, Nelson
We have a 1995 XR6 wagon and it is a five-speed manual. Only five of them came into New Zealand with 198 made worldwide.
Kevin Straw Christchurch
We bought my Ford from Chicago and we’ve done over 40,000 miles in it. It cruises at 80kph.
Murray Dixon Nelson
My Ford is a 1966 vehicle and was bought over to New Zealand from the factory in the United Kingdom.
Watch for habits to the editor
The editor reserves the right to abridge letters or withhold letters from publication. Email them to news@blenheimsun. co.nz or present to our office at 72 High St. Please note that your name and street address MUST be provided with emails.
On the mark
Dear Ed
Your Rarangi correspondent is on the mark concerning misinformation re Israel. I am old enough to remember Israeli terrorists bombing the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, killing British servicemen who were part of the peacekeeping force working on the setting-up of the State of Israel. 91 died in that atrocity in 1946. The same Jewish terrorist gang murdered British captives in revenge for the execution of their members for terrorist acts. Jews assassinated Count Fulke Bernadotte, chief negotiator in the talks between Arabs and Jews in 1947. That same year, Jewish ‘commandos’ slaughtered every living soul in the Arab village of Dayr Yassin, 254 in all.
Jewish influence makes sure that Uncle Sam keeps up the supply of billions of dollars of munitions to slaughter the helpless inhabitants of Gaza. What a legacy of hate this must create for our world. Netanyahu is building lebensraum, but at what a cost.....
Bill Holvey Witherlea
Ray Spencer Christchurch
I’ve had it 16 years, we’ve had a few Fairlanes and it’s ideal for long road trips with the caravan and headed to Havelock.
If we open our eyes
Sir, Peter Mathyssen.
Yes, I am aware of what is happening in Gaza and the fight against the Iran supported Hamas.
We see, if we open our eyes, what has happened in Yemen - 500,000 killed, and Lebanon by Iran backed terrorists.
Years ago when in Iran, often on TV, the Star of David would come up and a fist would smash it.
Genocide? What about Darfur, Northern Nigeria and other places where millions have been displaced and thousands murdered, 50,000 Christians in Nigeria alone?
I understand the Mufti being worried about the loss of Palestine to the Jews who lost their ancestral home long ago to the Muslim armies.
Dear Ed
Chris Valli’s story about Mary Barnes reminded me of a similar experience two years ago.
My next door neighbour was an elderly lady, independent and kept to herself with her routine always the same. Every morning at 8am she went to the end of our shared driveway and checked her mail box. Every second day at 10am washing went out regardless of the weather forecast. Every Tuesday and Thursday at 9.30am she caught the Blenheim bus to town. On Monday mornings she carried her rubbish and recycle crate to the kerb in a wheelbarrow for collection because she couldn’t carry them.
I noticed a letter in her mail box uncol-
According to Wikipedia, the Mufti, when visiting Hitler and concentration camps on March1, 1944, on Berlin radio said, “Arabs, rise up as one man and fight for your sacred rights. Kill the Jews where ever you find them. This pleases God, history and religion. This saves your honour. God is with you”.
I suggest that people go to, www.thereligionofpeace.com to open shut eyes to what is happening in the real world.
Incidentally, if we in NZ had bred like the Palestinians (with UN aid help) from 1948, our population would now be nearly 14 million!
John Vile Blenheim
lected. Something wasn’t normal. I knocked on her front door but no answer. Rear door the same.
Both doors were locked.
I looked through the windows into the living room and bedroom, net curtains for privacy making it difficult to see. I was fairly sure she wasn’t in either room. I walked away then went back and shouted her name through every window.
I heard the faintest noise. I called again and a gap in the curtain glimpsed a movement in the passageway, her arm on the floor.
I broke a window, climbed through and dialled 111.
Evan Robinson Redwoodtown
Jo Lorraine Debby Arthur
Marlborough cultural treasure award lives on
Council has taken guardianship of the Marlborough Living Cultural Treasure Award with the support of the Economic, Finance and Community (EFC) Committee.
The award was established in 2012 by the Friends of Marlborough Museum in partnership with Marlborough Museum and Council.
The Friends of the Marlborough Museum group no longer exists but a former member approached Mayor Nadine Taylor earlier this year to find an enduring home for the award.
She agreed to see if it could come within Council, EFC Committee chair
Councillor David Croad said.
“This is an important regional award, with a proud history, given to recipients who have demonstrated a lifetime of excellence in cultural endeavour and are a source of community inspiration,” Clr Croad said.
“The request for Council to assume its guardianship will safeguard it and ensure it stays alive for the people of Marlborough.”
The inaugural recipient was Peg Moorhouse in 2012 and most recently Clarry Neame in 2023; there have been 11 recipients since its inception. On two occasions, two people shared the award.
Long service awards for JPs
Two long-serving Marlborough Justices of the Peace have been awarded certificates of appreciation.
Former Councillor Jenny Andrews received her warrant from the Governor General in 1993.
“One award will now be presented per mayoral term in line with the Marlborough Civic Awards and we have also considered the diversity of the selection panel to ensure it is broadly representative of our region,” Mrs Neilson said.
“New detailed criteria for the award will be designed in consultation with the selection panel before nominations open. These criteria will focus on a nominee’s demonstration of an extraordinary, inspiring and significant contribution in cultural endeavour over a lifetime, and wherever possible sharing these with the community, including inspiring future generations,” she said.
The selection panel will consist of the mayor, one community representative appointed by the mayor, one previous recipient of the award, Libraries’ Manager and an iwi representative nominated by Te Tau Ihu chairs.
Nominations will open in November before council elections with the award presented in late March/ early April of the election year. The committee decision is subject to the approval of full Council. No additional budget is required.
For more information go to: www. marlborough.govt.nz/our-community/ grants-and-awards/marlboroughliving-cultural-treasure-award
Some minor changes to how the award is structured will be made, Council’s Project Lead Arts, Culture and Heritage Nicola Neilson told the committee recently.
Horton Park cricket pitch resurfaced for coming season
Horton Park’s No.1 cricket block has been resurfaced ahead of the coming cricket season.
In presenting the certificates, Mayor Nadine Taylor said Ramon Sutherland and Jenny Andrews had given exceptional service to both the Justices of the Peace organisation and the Marlborough community.
“Our JPs tend to be people who serve our community in many ways and today is a chance to thank all of you for your service and in particular thank Ramon and Jenny who have completed 50 years and 30 years of service respectively,” she said.
In giving Ramon his award she noted that much of his active adult life had been given in service.
“I congratulate you on achieving 50 years of service,” she said. “Without people such as you who volunteer it would be a lengthy and expensive process for community members to visit a lawyer to obtain certified documents.”
Ramon, who led Marlborough to its historic Ranfurly Shield rugby win, was sworn in in 1974 after being approached by then MP Ian Brooks.
Mayor Taylor thanked Mrs Andrews who first worked in the days when people relied on the phone book for contact information. Being a JP with a surname starting with A meant it was always a busy job!
While the demand hasn’t dropped, no longer having a landline helped and the service was far more evenly shared thanks to a JP service now being regularly available at the Marlborough Library at Te Kahu o Waipuna in Blenheim.
JPs witness signatures on legal documents, certify copies of documents such as birth certificates and passports, and administer statutory declarations.
Two JPs are available at Te Kahu o Waipuna each Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday from 10am to 12pm.
Picton Library and Service Centre has two JPs available each Wednesday from 11am to 1pm.
More than 10,000 woolly nightshade plants have been destroyed by Council’s biosecurity staff.
Four staff spent five days carrying out the work in Squally Cove, destroying seedlings and young plants after a previous visit.
The pitch is currently in a ‘grow in’ period to allow seed to germinate, and will be managed until the first ball is bowled in the new surface in October.
Clay beneath a cricket pitch needs to be replaced at a minimum of every 10 years to keep the pitch in good playing order. As part of the resurfacing, the old block was dug up, and replaced with 100mm of gravel, 20mm of top course and 110mm of Ward clay.
Biosecurity Manager Liam Falconer said the site, in Croisilles Harbour, is one of the largest of several infestations in Marlborough.
One other large infestation is in Port Hardy on Rangitoto ki te Tonga/d’Urville Island with smaller infestations in Moetapu Bay, Moenui and Blenheim as well.
Mr Falconer asked anyone seeing woolly nightshade to report the highly invasive pest to Council immediately so it could be destroyed.
“Council will carry out control work at no cost to the landowner,” he said. “Sites are visited by biosecurity staff or contractors regularly to ensure infestations are controlled. We are concerned at the increasing number of finds of woolly nightshade in Marlborough.”
Woolly nightshade is an aggressive, fast-growing plant that forms dense exclusion colonies crowding out other plants and preventing native plant regeneration. Dust from the leaves and stems can irritate skin, eyes, nose and throat.
Each plant can produce thousands of seeds which are dispersed by birds that eat the berries.
Look out for woolly nightshade
Mayor Nadine Taylor with Marlborough JPs including Jenny Andrews (sixth from right) and Ramon Sutherland (front)
Biosecurity staff killing woolly nightshade in Squally Cove recently
First recorded in New Zealand in 1883, woolly nightshade is an invasive lowland shrub that can grow to 10 metres.
Horton Park's No. 1 cricket pitch is getting a facelift
Creating something truly beautiful one
Corie Boley has empathy when it comes to Marlborough’s youth and understands the significance of community involvement. Corie explains to Chris Valli the value of connection as individuals and as a community.
In Maori custom, a pepeha is an oral recitation given by a person when introducing themselves and is often part of a formal greeting, telling a story of a person’s connection and follows the pattern of maunga (mountain), awa (river) and iwi (tribe).
For 36-year-old American Corie Boley who now resides in Blenheim, his own pepeha began in a ‘little town’ called Vail, Colorado with ‘one of the best ski resorts in the country, if not the world’. Set within White River National Forest, the town is a gateway for winter sports such as skiing and snowboarding. It’s also a summertime destination for golfing, hiking and cultural festivals.
Corie’s parents come from a recreational background so finding oneself in the mountains was part of the DNA, learning to ski as a three-year-old. He admits ‘full disclosure’ he has not yet been skiing in New Zealand, let alone hitting the slopes of Saint Arnaud’s Rainbow Ski Area.
“I can’t really contest to what the best ski fields are in my seven years here,” he confesses. “I guess I’ve been trying to have new experiences.”
Corie has a background in Experiential Education (a philosophy of education that describes the process which occurs between teacher and student that infuses experience with the learning environment). He arrived in Marlborough nearly two years ago alongside teacher husband Todd. Corie was working for the Interislander in Wellington and found an opportunity working with Destination Marlborough as a marketing manager.
“I kinda got some warm fuzzies from the community and met many people from the tourism side of things and they asked if I wanted a job and
here we are.”
One of Corie’s more ‘unique’ skillsets he brings to the community is that he is a fire dancer. ‘A product of his environment’ he says after having friends who were doing it back in Washington and met at a park.
“My friend Brandon lit these orbs on fire and hurled them around his body and I was like what kind of satanic magic is this? I wanted some of it. He pushed me over to the deep end, I had a few whacks and kept with it.”
“Marlborough’s one of the best kept secrets in the country.”
“The (then) marketing manager at Rock Ferry had a night market, I went to a few of them as a patron and then she found out that I had done it and asked if I wanted to perform it as part of the winter solstice. I spoke to the band there and what songs there would be which would translate into the fire dancing aspect. I just figured out in their set list which covers would have the most tempo to them and danced in the background.”
So have there been a few close calls, after nearly 20 years throwing flames.? “Nothing to go to the hospital about,” he suggests. “We use a fuel in the States called Coleman Fuel which is a low combustible fuel. It ignites but it doesn’t explode and when it hits things it evaporates quickly. If it catches your arm hair it will singe it but it won’t catch your skin on fire.”
“I’m kind of a jack of many trades but a master of none in a way,” he laughs.
After moving to Marlborough, he has found his ‘creative desires’ once again and joined the Marlborough Art Society. It was through this he had an opportunity to assist with painting murals in Seddon under the SH1 under bridge involving among other groups, the Marlborough Youth Trust.
“I noticed when I first moved here there was some murals and street art that were done to a high quality and I thought it would be great to continue that. Through the Seddon project it was a great way to connect with the youth,” he says. “The community is first and foremost in everything I do, I like that. It’s about engagement and bringing everybody together.”
The Seddon project brought people from diverse cultural backgrounds including RSE workers from Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and Thailand. Along with individuals from Germany, Japan, Scotland, the Middle East, India, America and New Zealand.
Corie is a Level 2 Te Reo Maori student and has a great empathy and understanding of Marlborough’s own cultural lens and the stories of those that immigrated to Waiharakeke (Blenheim). So what is his own take on the Marlborough pepeha?
“It’s an enigma. You have the space and once you enter, it has all these layers of the community that you keep unfolding. There are layers and people to it. The diversity is like people are afraid of that because it might lose its authenticity. There are 70 nationalities in the community here, that’s insane. Why aren’t we singing this song more loudly? Marlborough’s
American-born Corie Boley says the mural project stands as a testament to Seddon’s vibrant spirit and the power of coming together to create something truly beautiful. Insert: ‘I’M A FIRE STARTER – one of Corie’s unique hobbies.
one of the best kept secrets in the country.”
Corie says transforming a neglected area like Seddon into a welcoming space for everyone had been incredibly rewarding.
“Seeing our diverse community unite for a common goal fills my heart with joy. The positivity and
love invested in this project and over the last four years speaks volumes about our community’s openness and acceptance. This mural project stands as a testament to Seddon’s vibrant spirit and the power of coming together to create something truly beautiful.”
Reduce Heat Loss Increase Comfort Maximise Energy Savings Most homes in New Zealand can be retrofitted in just one day. Viridian installers are fast and efficient, ensuring a minimum of disruption. Your trusted local glass company for over 50 years.Contact us TODAY!
Viridian Retrofit double glazing captures free energy from the heat and light of the sun. It offers greater savings on energy costs creating a more a more comfortable home.
Ph 03 578 0850 47 Grove Road | viridianglass.co.nz
Going, going, gone!
By Chris Valli
The saying one man’s trash is another man’s treasure was never better illustrated than an Omaka Queen tractor which sold for $107,000 at a farm estate auction recently.
The auction was at Ash Murdoch Estate, 542 Hawkesbury Road, Renwick, which was formerly owned by the late Marlborough ploughman, Ashley Charles Murdoch, who owned the Omaka Queen.
The auction included vintage cars, engines and tractors and drew a healthy crowd over the weekend, albeit in damp conditions.
Nelson based licensed auctioneer John Walker says the highlight of the auction was the selling of the Omaka which went south to Winton and will take pride in place at a museum. Another tractor
John says sold for $20,000 while a 1926 Chevrolet car sold for around $14,500.
John believes the total sold was over $200,000.
“It was a great crowd
overall which turned up and I was really thrilled with the auction, pity it was a bit damp,” he says. “The majority of the machinery did sell, it was surprising where it went to including Auckland, Canterbury and folk from Australia.”
John says there is an upcoming ‘car parts’ Marlborough auction at 31 High Street in Renwick.
The location is that of Anthony and Robyn van de Water, who are lifetime classic car enthusiasts and owned many cars from Minis to Healey’s.
In 1993 they moved from Auckland to Renwick, and established BASIS
NEW ZEALAND in an old building, once a petrol station and garage at 31 High Street. They built a thriving mail order business shipping parts all over New Zealand and beyond, while serving their local community.
Footnote: Ashley Murdoch died October 13, 2021, not 2001 as was initially reported. The Blenheim Sun apologises for the mistake.
MGC students learn agri-career
By Chris Valli
Year 12 students including Marlborough Girls’ College student Rosa Lonergan recently completed the Farm2Future educational programme sponsored by Rabobank.
The programme took in visits to a range of agribusiness operations across the Canterbury region.
The programme took in visits to a range of agribusiness operations
across the Canterbury region including sheep and beef, dairy and sheep milking operations, Meadow Mushrooms, Foodstuffs, LeaderBrand, and PGG Wrightson’s.
The programme also featured a panel discussion with several young agribusiness professionals talking about their roles in the sector.
This was the third edition of the Farm2Future programme (previously FoodX) with the prior
programmes having taken place in 2019 and 2023.
The initial idea for the programme was developed by the Rabobank Upper South Island Client Council – a group of Rabobank clients who work with the bank to help address key agricultural industry challenges – after they identified a need for more promotion of agri industry careers among secondary school students.
Rural Conversations
QUESTION: What steps are you taking to stay competitive and resilient in the face of domestic and global
Marlborough Girls’ College students recently completed the Farm2Future educational programme sponsored by Rabobank, attended by 24 Year 12 students. The programme took in visits to a range of agribusiness operations across the Canterbury region.
Marlborough firefighters to battle Canadian wildfires
By Chris Valli
Marlborough
firefighters
Rob Horsenail and Angela Pahl are part of a second group of 21 firefighting personnel who left yesterday for Alberta, Canada to help fight wildfires burning across the province.
The contingent consists of 21 personnel, made up of four five-person arduous firefighting crews, including five personnel from the Department of Conservation (DOC), and a liaison.
Fire and Emergency New Zealand National Commander Russell Wood says the second contingent is being deployed in addition to the seven specialist personnel who landed in British Columbia last week.
"We know that this second contingent will deploy for approximately five weeks. They’ll be firefighting in tough conditions, working hard to keep the communities of Alberta safe," he says.
The situation in Canada is significant, with 861 active wildfires burning across the country as of 8am 29
July NZST. 134 of these are burning across Alberta.
The conditions are challenging, with high heat warnings across western Canada contributing to the rapid spread and increased intensity of the wildfires.
"Given the scale of the emergency in western Canada, it’s likely we’ll receive further requests for support," Russell says.
Fire and Emergency takes the responsibility of providing international firefighting support seriously, but there is also value in using it to improve our firefighters’ skills.
"These deployments are extremely valuable for our firefighters and firefighting specialists. It gives them experience in different environments that they can bring back home," Russell Wood says.
Fire and Emergency deployed personnel are from: Northland, Auckland, Bay of Plenty, Hawke’s Bay, and Nelson Marlborough. The five DOC personnel are from Taranaki, Nelson Marlborough, Mid-South Canterbury, Otago, and Southland.
Nadine Taylor, is part of a second group of 21 firefighting personnel who left yesterday for Alberta, Canada to help fight wildfires burning across the province.
Sharing native plants with public
By Chris Valli
The Kaipūpū Nursery Plant Sale will be held on Friday, Aug 16 from 2-4pm, and Saturday, Aug 17 from 10am-12 noon.
For the last few years Kaipūpū volunteers have been collecting seed from native plants on Kaipūpū and the wider Picton area, and growing them in a nursery until they are big enough and ready for replanting.
As a result, their nursery is overflowing so now they have the chance to share native plants with the public.
The nursery’s goal is for every garden to have a range of native species to increase the food source for their native birds.
Come along and take home a few native species for your garden. They will have some experienced plants people onsite who can give you advice and are happy to share their knowledge.
The Kaipūpū nursery is located at the Powerhouse Reserve, 8 Wairau Rd, next to the skate park in Picton. The Picton Environment Centre at 14 Auckland St, Picton will also be open these hours for those who may not have visited before to see some of the great products that are sold there. This is a fundraising sale where all proceeds are used for enhancing the natural environment.
OUTSTANDING VOLUNTEER: Marlborough firefighter Angela Pahl, pictured with Mayor
New Zealand Women in Wine has launched its 2024 Mentoring Programme with ten pairs of mentors and mentees from around the country, working in a wide range of roles within the industry.
The 2024 mentors are: Andrea Craig, Whitehaven; Anna Remond, O:Tu; Emma Lowe, Monowai Estate; Kat Mason, Cloudy Bay; Raffaela Dragani and Katherine Minchin, Indevin; Ryann Calder, Monte Christo Winery; Sarah Burton, Calvert Vineyard; Sophie Matthews, Wineworks; and Ngarita Warden, Bragato
Huge turnout of Fords for local charities
146 Ford vehicles turned up at Lansdowne Park for the ‘show and shine’ fundraising meet on Sunday.
Spokesperson Murray Eyles says Ford enthusiasts came from the likes Murchison, Westport, Christchurch and Kaikoura for the meet.
Murray wanted to thank the Ford owners who turned up which benefitted the Marlborough Breast Cancer Support group and Marlborough Riding for the Disabled. It was also the 20th anniversary of Ford Club Marlborough.
Research Institute.
The induction workshops, led by Nicky Grandorge, Leadership & Communities Manager at New Zealand Winegrowers, took place the first week of July at Spy Valley in Marlborough and the pairs will now meet six times over the next six months. With the guidance of coach and author Fiona Fenwick, the bespoke programme has been running since 2018 with over one hundred women having taken part. Connect, Inform, Change is the motto of New Zealand Women in Wine and the mentoring programme encapsulates all three.
L-R: Kat Mason, Katherine Minchin, Nicky Grandorge, Emma Lowe, Anna Remond, Raffaela Dragani and Ryann Calder.
Business Women in
Welcome to The Blenheim Sun’s - Women in Business Feature - where we shine the light on local women achieving great things every day
Name: Hannah Lamb Occupation:
Cranky Pantry
What does your role entail?
As the General Manager of Cranky Pantry, I oversee operations with a focus on promoting New Zealand-made cheese and supporting small artisan food producers.
What is your biggest achievement?
Launching the New Zealand Cheese Festival. The festival is now on its 4 year and is set to be its biggest event yet in October as we celebrate NZ Cheese Month at Clos Henri.
Why I love where I live and work
I’ve lived here for 18 years now. I love living in Marlborough for its community spirit and the ability to develop professionally, I take great pride in supporting the region’s passionate food producers.
The greatest joy about what I do is Seeing people come together and enjoy food, Its the gateway for great conversations and quality time together with those you love.
When not working I enjoy
Spending time with my daughter, volunteering as masseuse and medic for Renwick Rugby Club and spending time with friends.
A woman in the world I get inspiration from Kelli Brett from Cuisine Magazine, The influence she has on the food industry is incredible, her knowledge and understanding on food and business is so inspiring. I was lucky enough to spend time with her last year and she gave me so much inspiration!
My priorities and hopes for the future
Is to connect people of New Zealand to the incredible food that is produced within our nation. We are home to incredible products and through Cranky Pantry and the NZ Cheese Fest we can build those bridges between customers and small producers.
Contact myself/business because
We would love to share our cheesy knowledge and small food products with more Marlborough people!
Name: Jessie Murphy Occupation: Manager – Murphy’s New Zealand
What does your role entail?
My primary responsibility at Murphy’s New Zealand is to provide comprehensive support to our crew.
What is your biggest achievement?
My most significant achievement extends beyond the office - I’m a mother to two children and a bonus mother to three more.
Why I love where I live and work
Name: Kirsty Wraight Occupation: Company Director – David Wraight Cottages Ltd
What does your role entail?
As a small business owner, I wear many hats. Primarily I’m the project manager, but I also handle accounts, GST, admin, kitchen design, client interactions, and even pie deliveries.
What is your biggest achievement?
Transitioning from the Hospitality industry to running a construction business has been a big challenge. Recently, I completed a Diploma in Interior Design.
Why I love where I live and work
I’m fortunate to have a job I love with a varied role. We have a great team of subcontractors and wonderful clients. At home in beautiful Marlborough I enjoy relaxing in the gardens.
The greatest joy about what I do is
Seeing the completed product leave our yard on the Smith Crane and Construction truck is always surreal, no matter what time of day or night.
When not working I enjoy
My three dogs and big gardens keep me busy. I also enjoy aquatic training and a quiet sav!
A woman in the world I get inspiration from I know there are a lot of women who have achieved great things, but the person I most admire is my late Nana – She took on my sister and myself aged 5 and 7 in her 60’s and brought us up amid very hard and tragic times.
My priorities and hopes for the future
Stay healthy, happy and continue to enjoy my work.
Contact myself/business because
Together with “The Daves” (Wraight and Gee) we are all very passionate about our product and the work we do. We have a small but proud team who are dedicated to providing a quality product for our clients.
Blenheim has really grown on me. Six years ago, moving back from Brisbane, I never thought I’d say that. But it’s been the best decision for my kids, growing up close to their grandparents.
The greatest joy about what I do is At work, I find great joy in connecting with new people and learning about their stories.
When not working I enjoy
I’m very project-oriented, whether it’s tackling a hedge at home, embarking on a new exercise challenge, or running around with the kids. I thrive on keeping busy!
A woman in the world I get inspiration from I’m inspired by my friend Sarah, who works tirelessly as a nurse and is always there whenever my children get a scratch—apologies! She’s constantly striving to better herself in her career and as a parent. I truly admire her.
My priorities and hopes for the future
My main focus at Murphy’s is on recruiting exceptional staff and ensuring our current team is well cared for—making a significant impact along the way. Personally, my greatest hope is for my children to lead happy lives.
Contact myself/business because
Feel free to reach out if you’re interested in a seasonal position with our fantastic staff starting in late January or early February 2025!
Name: Debbie the Webster Occupation: Franchise Owner – Mike Pero Real Estate
What does your role entail?
Management of all spectrums of Real Estate within my office, I have proved you can be the smallest company in the world but the power of modern technology and computers today has put us all on the same page.
What is your biggest achievement?
Number One Agent in NZ for number of properties sold and being a Mike Pero Hall of Fame Inductee was huge not to mention numerous recognitions and awards.
Why I love where I live and work
Hop skip and a jump to everywhere, the diversity of the people I meet from all walks of life, from meeting complete strangers in my business to making wonderful friends.
The greatest joy about what I do is
The people I have met over 26 years in Real Estate, if I can make someone happy by taking the stress out the transaction, this is priceless to me!
When not working I enjoy
An old “Petrol Head” at heart with many years of supporting the Super Saloon Racing fraternity, over recent years proud Main Sponsor of the South Island Super Saloon Super Cup series.
A woman in the world I get inspiration from
From a large family down south, my dearly beloved Mum, she taught me work ethic, honesty and respect, empathy and to treat people the way you would want to be treated! My priorities and hopes for the future
With so much doom and gloom out there in the world today, I wish for happiness and peace.
Contact myself/business because ‘Trust’ is a firm belief in character and ability – ‘Trust’ in my business has always been paramount! Call me today 03 5783760
An exhibition called Matala, featuring original performing and visual art works by five talented Marlborough artists was on offer at the ASb theatre recently.
the feedback from the artists ranged from ‘it allowed me to engage directly with the public to build a supportive audience for my art’ to ‘it gave the rangatahi who I’d been working with in my programme the chance to showcase their work’. Audience members spoken to say it was awesome to see everyone’s work and the expression of creativity in different forms (live performance and visual arts).
“I feel like I came through that door and into this different world full of creative energy - it was a wonderful evening,” says an audience member.
Photos: Supplied.
SMITH HOSTS GOLDSMITH
Kaikoura MP Stuart Smith hosted Minister Paul Goldsmith in the electorate last Friday, July 26. the MPs attended a number of portfolio related engagements, the last of which was a public meeting at Dodson Street beer Garden from 3.30 – 4.30pm where the Minister addressed Law and Order, followed by a 30 mins Q &A.
Photos: Supplied.
MBC DEFEAT SELWYN COMBINED
the Marlborough boys’ College First XV played Selwyn Combined last Friday winning 62-7 on the college front field. the Falcons host St bede’s next weekend, with MbC needing a bonus point win of qualifying for the top four in the Miles toyota premiership competition.
Stuart Smith, Mayor Nadine Taylor and Hon. Paul Goldsmith and Minister of Justice last Friday.
Mr Goldsmith talks to members of the public at Dodson Street Beer Garden.
Artist Susana Tyrell with her original Pacific art pieces on exhibition at ‘Matala’.
Kellie Allenet with her original art pieces on exhibition at ‘Matala’.
Audience members enjoying original artwork by artist Stephanie Koutsimanis.
Photos: Chris Valli
Lock Tom Robinson contests the kick off.
Captain Ben Gibbons leads the team out.
Tafa Asiata leads the whole school haka.
5 minutes with...
ElEanor ColE
Convener of Marlborough Quilters
Are you a dog or cat person?
Cat and some special dogs.
My friends would say I am…
Hardworking, creative, supportive, caring, competitive in a nice way with smiley eyes and a positive attitude.
The best advice I ever received was?
From my mum who always said do your best and tomorrow will be a better day, something I’ve always passed onto my children.
What would you buy if money was no object?
A holiday home in Kaikoura for the family to share and a bigger boat for fishing.
Local coffee haunt?
Market Street Cafe, weekly with my scrabble buddies.
Favourite takeaway? Chinese.
The shop you can’t walk past is...? Any quilting shop.
What’s the most thoughtful gift you’ve ever received?
Receiving my 5 year cancer clearance and the outpouring of love from my colleagues during that difficult year.
Where is your happy holiday place? Noosaville, Australia.
Favourite programme or series currently watching? High Country.
What’s one thing on your bucket list? Go to an international Quilt show.
Savings: By Wally Richards
Currently there are people struggling to make ends meet and that makes life unpleasant and stressful.
From what I see, everything is increasing substantially in price; rates, insurance and food where incomes are not increasing to cover all the outgoings. In situations like this one tends to ‘clutch at straws’ rather than make a firm stand on the situation.
Many years ago at a time when there was hardship I suggested that there would be elderly people living in homes where there is land to garden and likely vegetable plots that now grow weeds as the people are not able to garden like they used to.
I am sure that many of the people in that circumstance would be happy to see a fit person come in and plant up vegetables and share the produce.
If you dont have land then utilise someone’s land that they are not using. How do you find someone that has land and can’t garden?
Grey Power has offices in most places which have good contact with elderly people that you can approach and they maybe able to match up for a good arrangement.
People with land and gardens also may not be utilising all the land they have and can increase their food growing areas by turning lawn into productive gardens.
I have seen in the past older Chinese people owning or renting a place where all available land front and back was in highly productive vegetable gardens.
I can tell you it looked far better than green lawns that you have to mow at a cost of time, labour and fuel expense.
In days gone by one would have a good sized area of lawn at the back to play cricket or football with the kids, those days have gone, by and large, with kids grown up and moved on or back living with you as they can’t afford to buy a house or pay rent. They may be interested in learning the skills of gardening and muck in, producing good healthy food at a very low cost in money terms.
Which is good exercise, you get some free vitamin D from sunlight (as long as you are sensible by gradually increasing exposure time) and throw away those harmful sunscreens that prevent you gaining free Vitamin D.
Also you get some exercise through gardening and can save on gym fees.
Growing your own food naturally has the biggest savings of all. It reduces the outlay of buying unhealthy commercially produced food.
Grown naturally with minerals and elements, you are growing health bombs which will improve your current health and help prevent future ailments which are expensive and not nice.
You will live longer and healthier and have a better chance of not losing your marbles later in life.
Hopefully I have sold you on the idea of saving money and being much healthier. There is also much satisfaction when sitting down to a meal which all the vegetables you eat have been picked truly fresh out of your own garden.
You will find they are very filling, ‘taste out of this world’ and you do not have to eat much to feel satisfied which will mean better weight control.
Your motor mower eats grass, you don’t! So dig up a lawn area that gets a reasonable amount of sunlight.
We are now into a new growing season and this is the very best time to get gardening.
A bit of exercise with a spade or shovel you cut squares the size of your spade blade and lift the turf and turn it upside down back into the ground leaving exposed dirt and buried grass which will rot and become food for your vegetables you plant.
Sprinkle garden lime over the soil and leave for a week or so then lightly rake to make the soil friable.
Alternative to digging up your lawn: the cardboard garden which I suggested in my latest book.
It involves more expense as you need to buy a few bags of compost but a lot less labour and it is instant. What you do is get a stack of cardboard boxes from some retailer such as a supermarket that throws them out.
Cut them so the whole thing will lay flat and cover the area of the lawn you want to make into a garden. It is a good idea to start off small with area about a metre wide and about 4-5 metres long or as many metres long as you wish.
You can always increase as you become more enthusiastic.
It is a good ideal to leave lawn around the perimeter of the plot which will become walking areas to tend the garden from instead of actually walking on the garden and compressing the soil.
Dig a trench about a half spade deep around the perimeter to create a mote which will help with drainage during wet times and also separates the garden from the lawn for mowing.
Now whether you have dug or cardboarded the new veggie plot, you are ready to plant.
You could go out and buy seedlings but instead why not buy a couple of packets of seeds instead?
You get more plants for your money, you have a lot of seeds which you can plant for succession and anything grown from seed in the soil is going to mature and will be far superior to any seedling you transplant. I would suggest any of the following seeds to start off with if you are newer to gardening. Silverbeet, lettuce and spring onions. There is one product I suggest you invest in and that is our Magic Botanic Liquid (MBL) because it is the best natural gar-
dening product you can invest in for great healthy vegetables quicker than otherwise. You take some seeds out of the packets and the plants I have mentioned are good size seeds and easy to handle.
You look at the planting spaces that are suggested on the packet and you put two seeds together at that planting space. You push the seeds into the soil a centimeter deep and then you spray them with MBL (made up in a trigger sprayer), then cover the seed with a little soil.
Keep the area moist with light watering and in next to no time the seeds should germinate if they are viable seeds. Now if only one germinates then no problem if two germinate you allow them to grow till they are about 3 cm tall and then with a pair of scissors you cut the one that is not the best off at ground level and leave the foliage laying on the soil so the root system left and the cut foliage become the initial extra food for your plants left to grow. Now with the MBL in the trigger sprayer, spray your seedlings once or twice a week till all has been used up, then make up a fresh batch.
You will have a lot of seeds left in the packets so to ensure they are kept good for future planting simply put into a small glass jar with a lid and then store in the fridge. Later on when your crop has reached maturity and you are harvesting you will judge which plant is the best and not harvest it, instead let it mature and go to seed. When the seed is ripe you will pick and allow to dry in a saucer on windowsill indoors and then put into a plastic bag with name of vegetable type and the date then they go into the glass jar in fridge also for future use.
At that time any original seeds purchased can be given away to family or friends. You now have your own seed bank of seeds that have grown on your land and are already superior to any that you can buy.
You will repeat this every time you grow a crop from your own seed to obtain a new generation of seed even more superior to the last generation.
Thank you
To the Surgeon and staff at Wairau Hospital. A huge thank you.
From a very grateful patient.
Thank you
Thank you to the person who handed in my keys that they found in Couplands car park and handed it into the staff at Couplands.
Failing
Oranga Tamariki keep failing our vulnerable children in this country. Someone must be responsible to sort this organization out and quickly. Breaks my heart every time I read of another innocent child harmed.
What next
Still moaning about the new wheelie bins? What next? Moaners are bound to find something to complain about!
Room for improvement
Sad times when you’re job searching and from about 20 applications only 2 acknowledgements. I’m semi retired so water off a ducks back but how does this make a first time job seeker feel? Unimportant that’s how! Room for improvement. Please!
Thank you
A huge thank you to the stranger who put a Countdown Voucher into our new mailbox following the damage to our house on Saturday night. This kind gesture is most appreciated.
Grocery pricing
‘The Warehouse’ Red Shed, failed many years ago to compete in the grocery business. No one got ‘a bargain’. It will not work this time either. Hundreds of millions of capital investment required to set up every Warehouse retail outlet to house thousands of grocery units required to satisfy customer demand. The Warehouse is struggling to compete with Aussie invaders in their present retailing. Groceries are not the answer.
Three grown men
Cycling on their mountain bikes, wearing fluro vests, Saturday 27th 2.30pm Taylor river.
Riding 3 abreast across the concrete footpath, expecting every other user to get out of their way.
Even a dear elderly lady walking with the aid of her walker, they didn’t even give way to her, she had to step aside. She is 95.
You three men are disgusting, disrespectful, and a curse to other footpath users, including families with small children and a mobility scooter user.
Grape spills
Smiled about roads team getting an award for less grape spills.
Just maybe it was the truck drivers not the shiny backside group.
Rubbish bins at Cemetery
If you take the time to tend the graves, then take your rubbish home with you. More rubbish Bins means up go the rates. They also mean a variety of waste go in them, which means landfill. What do you lazy people think the council are trying to do with using Wheelie Bins. Surely you are old enough to know not to expect everything to be done for you.
Find a hobby, it will take the strain off your moaning.
Ready for what?
Picton is getting ready for what? A defunct ferry that no other country wants, the tories sum up as a good second hand corolla! Second hand travel for our overseas tourist, Kiwi family travel!
Even thou they have wasted at least $330 million in cancelling the ship building contract. Where are the new ships coming from and when is arrival date? Come on do something positive for a change. Wondering!
Good luck
Good luck in getting the funds for a roof over the Whitehead Park, lawn bowls. There is not even a road sign off Redwood Street to the park, or even of that nameless street into the park!
Re Text Appeal
Good to have your ramblings back on this page. I hope your trip to the UK was as good as it could be, under the circumstances. Oh by the way. It’s txt or SMS not Text.
Speed reductions
21 dead in 23 years between Blenheim and Picton.
Tragic but calling for speed reductions is a bit simplistic. Just off the top of my head, I know 9 that had nothing to do with speed. Drugs, distraction, not restrained and exhaustion. And that’s with no further research into accident causes.
The number speed related deaths. I don’t know. But so many have little or nothing to do with the 100 km/h speed limit.
Better late than hardly ever?
Questionable? And very surprising to finally see a street/gutter sweeper active today (24 July) within the Blenheim inner suburbs! Unfortunately, a total waste of Ratepayers’ funds as (long suffering) residents had already gone to the expense of removing and disposing of the Council’s leaves from the gutters! Perhaps one of the hugely large Council Staff Conglomerate could take note for this necessary action be taken in April & May 2025. Election Year!
Re NZ vaping must go
Your political blindness has warped your mind. Labour/Greens wanted NZ to be smoke free in 2025, remember? The clown coalition repealed that and have now removed 50% of the tax for vaping making it cheaper!
Talk of the week
Thank you
Blenheim Lions would like to thank a lovely lady who brought 2 plates of yummy cakes to the dispenser and wood work morning. 15 hard workers this morning thoroughly enjoyed the treats. We didn’t get a name, but you made a group of Lions very happy.
Thanks for your support.
Makos Rugby team
I met this team at the Rai Valley on Wednesday. What a group of young gents so polite and well behaved. It’s a delight.
Kindness appreciated text
This warmed the cockles of my heart. In this crazy old weird world we are living in this is exactly what we need to keep going. Xxx
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.
Unattended
Airport disable car park not allowed to be unattended so how do you pick people up if you can not leave your car.
Dianne
a passion for life
Standing at 5’4 with a good figure, blonde hair and blue eyes her interests include gardening, travelling, cooking, music and the outdoor.
Dianne is looking to meet someone genuine and honest who enjoys an active lifestyle.
Please call 0800446332 Quote code
If you would like to join a fast paced, friendly organisation, then Alzheimers Marlborough is looking for you.
Facility Cleaner
5 days a week Monday-Friday.
2.30pm-4pm. This role involves assisting to clean our facility, vehicles and extra tasks.
Homeshare Volunteer
Tuesday’s from 8.30am-4.30pm. This role involves assisting our Host to run this programme, in a private home. Must have 1st Aid Certificate, clean drivers licence, be able to drive our van, enjoy mixing with others and can think outside the box.
Police checks are required for both positions.
For further information, email Catherine Donnelly on manager.marlb@alzheimers.org.nz
2pm, Sunday 25th August
Cloudy Bay Funeral Home, 15 Boyce Street, Blenheim
Contact President ph 027 416 0542 for apologies.
MARLBOROUGH PROSTATE CANCER SUPPORT GROUP
An established support group meeting in Blenheim for men and their families living with a prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment. Spouses, partners and family members welcome.
Cancer Society Blenheim House 76A Maxwell Road, Blenheim For more information please contact:
Group Coordinator Murray Eyles
027 608 5667 e: marlborough@prostate.org.nz
www.prostate.org.nz/support-meetings
Sun The Sun The
Death Notices for July 2024
PITTS, Lois Fay (nee Kennedy)
June 24, 2024
ARTHUR, Louisa (nee TanerauLove), June 25, 2024
PALMER, Rodger Henderson (Rod), June 27, 2024
APPERLEY, Harleen Rose (nee Bain), June 28, 2024
WELLS, Leigh Francis: June 29, 2024
JONES, Helen Muriwai (nee Pacey), June 30, 2024
YEMM, Owen Frank June 30, 2024
COOPER, Graeme Leslie July 2, 2024
WALTER, Marion Elizabeth (Elizabeth), July 3, 2024
YARRALL, Noel Dudley
July 3, 2024
RICHAN, Ian James “Flange”
July 4, 2024
DAY, Karen Jane
July 4, 2024
MALAQUIN, Linda Elizabeth (née Vis), July 5, 2024
DEPREE, Helen Fenton (née Stewart), July 6, 2024
CHAN, Lee
July 14, 2024
NEALE, Ngaire Elizabeth Ann July 17, 2024
JONES, Leslie Brian (Les) July 18, 2024
MUNRO, Judith (Jude) Marion (née de Roo)
July 21, 2020
HALL, David James July 21, 2024
YORKE, Lloyd Sydney
11.09.1950 - 29-07-2020
Four years have passed by so fast since you tragically lost your life. A day never passes without thinking of you.
Dearly beloved Husband, Father, Father-in-law, Grandpa and new Great Grandpa. Pam, Darryl & Hayley, Jason & Angela and Karla. Alana & Gemma, Andrew & Kaitlin, Evelyn and Great Grandchildren Brooklyn & Ivy.
Sadly missed.
Lots of Love RIP Lloyd
HURREN: James Douglas (Jim). Passed into the arms of Jesus on July 26th. Dearly loved husband of Robyn (née Toyer); loved father and father-in-law of Linda and Alex, Geoff and Erin. Wonderful Grandad to Toby, Samara, Johanna, Beth, Jeremy and Laura, and adored great-grandad to Maci. Messages to www.cloudybayfunerals.co.nz or email tempoconcert@hotmail. com. A private internment will take place on Wednesday morning 31st July; followed by a public memorial celebration of Jim’s life at the Cornerstone Church/Witherlea Bible Chapel - 49 Wither Road, Blenheim. Pop in anytime between 2pm and 4pm for light refreshments and to share memories. Heartfelt thanks to the caring staff at Waterlea Lifecare. Grateful thanks to the Lord for our precious Dad/Grandad’s life.
Death notices
BOWEN: David Allan William. On 23 July 2024 at the Marlborough Hospice, after a short illness. Loved husband of Valmai, father of the late Geoffrey, father-in-law of Katharine and Poppa to Alex, Olliver and Sophie. Messages to PO Box 85 Spring Creek 7244 or www.cloudybayfunerals.co.nz In lieu of flowers, donations to the Marlborough Hospice (Acc No. 03 1369 036520700 Ref: Bowen) would be appreciated. A Funeral Service for David has been held. The service was livestreamed and may be viewed on the Cloudy Bay Funerals website.
Cloudy Bay Funerals 03 578 2004 F.D.A.N.Z.
MURPHY: Daniel Ignatius (Dan). On Monday 22nd July at Maxwell Lifecare aged 97 years. Dearly loved husband of Esmé for 72 years and father and father-in-law of Joanne and Gary, Colleen and Leon, Clare and Ian, Michael and Lyndsey. Brother of the late Mary Vickers. Proud Grandfather of Simon, David, Ellen, Jane, Sean, Daniel (deceased), Kilihi, Maria, Paul, Chris, Matthew and Laura, and Great-Grandfather to 24 great-grandchildren. Messages to the Murphy family c/- PO Box 9 Blenheim 7240 or www.cloudybayfunerals.co.nz A service for Daniel has been held. A recording of the service is available to view on the Cloudy Bay Funerals website.
CHAN, Lee: It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Lee on Sunday July 14, 2024, peacefully in Blenheim. Loved and missed by partner Emilie, and children Reuben, Dominic, Olivia and Avery, together with their families. Grandad to Ryder and Te Oho Mauri, brother-in-law of Nat. Beloved brother and brother-in-law of Sue and Philip Sue. Uncle of Geoffrey, Melanie and family. Messages may be sent to the Lee Family, c/- P O Box 110, Blenheim 7240. Lee will be remembered fondly by all who used his Quartz Carpet Cleaning service. Rest in love and peace.
NEALE. Ngaire Elizabeth Ann: On Wednesday July 17, 2024 at Nelson. Aged 81 years. Dearly loved partner of Don Newport, loved mother and mother in-law of Aileen and Trevor Allen (Richmond), Barry and Evelyn Holmwood (Blenheim), Tamara Neale and Sam Gray (Christchurch). Loved Nana of Sarah and Chris, Holly and Anna, Felix and Rowan. Messages may be sent to the Neale Family, c/- PO Box 110, Blenheim 7240. A private family farewell for Ngaire has been held in Nelson.
NOAD; Norma Maria. On the 22nd July at Bethsaida Retirement Village in her 97th year. Dearly loved wife of the late Maxwell George Noad. Mum and Mum-inlaw of Stephen Noad and Dawn Simpson, Geoff and Tina Noad, David and Heather Noad, and Debbie and Peter Birse. Loved Grandmother of Michael and Sarah, Carrie and Mark, Kelly, Mandie and Andrew, and Gemma and Todd, and adored by her many Great-Grandchildren. Beloved sister of Ngaire Edwards and family. Messages to the Noad family c/- 3 Silk Close Blenheim 7201 or www.cloudybayfunerals.co.nz Heartfelt thanks to the caring staff at Bethsaida Retirement Village. At Norma’s request a private cremation and Memorial Service has been held.
HALL, David James: Passed away at Maxwell Lifecare on Sunday July 21, 2024. Aged 81 years. Dearly loved brother of Margaret Hatton (Christchurch), Elizabeth (Liz) Anderson, and the late Leslie Hall. Brother-in-law of Margaret Hall and the late Tim Anderson. Special uncle to his nieces and nephews: Philippa, Richard, Steven, Warren and Johnathan, Donald, Robert and Karyn. Special thanks to all at Maxwell Lifecare for the wonderful compassionate care of David. “Forever in our hearts.”
HICKMAN; Aileen Mary. In Loving Memory of Aileen Mary Hickman (nee Fogarty) 25.10.1948-21.07.2024. Aileen Mary Hickman, a fearless and kind-hearted Irish mother, passed away suddenly. Dearly loved wife of her late husband Tom. Daughter of the late Brendan and Dolores Fogarty. Aileen was a devoted mother of seven children—Louise, Brendan, Kieran, Peter, Gerard, Simon, and Siobhan— standing by them unwaveringly. Cherished grandmother to Charlotte, Jack, Jonty, Louis, Harriet, Jamie, Georgie, Thomas, and Rory. Aileen was a beloved sister of Brian, Joan and Ruth and mother-in-law to John, Jacqui, Michelle, Kristina, Tom, and Ivy. Her welcoming spirit extended beyond her immediate family, reaching all her nieces, nephews, extended family members and friends. She touched the lives of all who knew her. A Funeral for Aileen has been held. A recording of the service can be viewed on the Cloudy Bay Funeral Services website. She leaves behind a legacy of love, strength, and resilience. She will be deeply missed and forever remembered. “May the road rise up to meet you”. In lieu of flowers a donation to Cystic Fibrosis New Zealand c/www.cfnz.org.nz/donate account number 123147-0230576-00 Ref Hickman. Messages to Hickman Family, PO Box 120, Ward, Marlborough 7248 or www.cloudybayfunerals.co.nz
HISLOP: Hazel Joyce. In memory of a much-loved mother of Tony and the late John Roche. She left us one year ago. Love you forever Mum
MUNRO, Judith (Jude) Marion (née de Roo): Passed away on Sunday July 21, 2024 at Aberleigh Village, Blenheim. Aged 88 years. Beloved wife of the late Welly, loved mother and mother-in-law of Michael and Janet, Peter and Kim and loved grandmother of her grandchildren. Loved sister of Robyn. Specials thanks and love to Jacquelene and Inner Wheel fraternity. Messages may be sent to the Munro Family, c/- 19 Plunket Street, Runanga 7803 (please say how you knew Jude). In accordance with Jude’s wishes, a private cremation has taken place.
MCCANN: Gordon Robert ‘Gus’. Reg. No. X20054 (Navy). On 20 July 2024, at home aged 71 years. Dearly loved husband of Colleen and a loved father of Perralee, Trudie, Clinton and Tash. An adored Grandin of Sarsha, Tegan, Ryan; Michael and Alana; Charli and Jed and a great grandfather of Jake, Jack, Parker, Hunter, Evelyn and Riley. Messages to the McCann family c/- PO Box 9 Blenheim 7240 or www.cloudybayfunerals.co.nz A celebration of Gus’s life will be held at the Springlands Chapel, Cloudy Bay Funeral Services, 15 Boyce Street Blenheim on Wednesday 31 July at 2.00pm followed by private cremation.
Acknowledgements
FIFIELD; Kathleen Lynden (Kath) formerly Williams, née Henry. (23.5.1942 – 22.6.2024). Kath’s family would like to send their thanks for all the phone calls, cards, baking and flowers at the time of Kath’s passing. Your support has been much appreciated. Please accept this as a personal acknowledgement of our grateful thanks.
Urgent Care Centre: Wairau Hospital Grounds. Entry off Hospital Rd, Blenheim, 8am-8pm daily. Phone (03) 520 6377. Ambulance: Urgent 111. Non urgent 578 0797.
Community Care Pharmacy: Within the Blenheim Warehouse, open 7 days 9am8pm. Only closed Christmas Day. Lifeline Marlborough: 0800 543354, 24hr helpline.
Women’s Refuge and Sexual Violence Support Centre Marlborough: Crisis line number phone 0800 refuge or 03 5779939.
Victim Support: 0800 VICTIM (0800 842 846)
Alcoholics Anonymous: 0800 AA WORKS - 0800 229 6757.
Citizens Advice Bureau: Free, friendly, confidential advice. Mon - Fri 9.30am4pm. Phone 578 4272. Wairau Hospital: Hospital Visiting Hours: Daily 2.30pm - 8pm, children under 12 may visit parents only.
Maternity Ward: 10am-noon, 4pm-7pm. Children's Ward: Daily 10am-8pm. Visiting at all times is subject to the discretion of the nurse in charge of the ward.
Taylor Costello is like any other eight year old kid who loves to play and have fun. As Sun journalist Chris Valli discovers, when you’re racing go karts at a national level with a sponsor and development coach, it’s taking on a whole new level of fun.
Can you remember what you were doing as an eight-year-old or what the after school routine was?
One might have to pose that question to Year 4 Riverlands School student Taylor Costello, in years to come. The eight-year-old has his foot on the accelerator in 2024 with some outstanding success on the motorsport track.
Taylor started go-karting two years ago and along with proud father Pete, who bought a go kart and with the encouragement of a few of Pete’s mates, the wheels started turning for father and son.
Pete says Taylor’s potential behind the wheel – and let’s remember he is eight here – was evident rather quickly.
“He kinda got the pace quite quick. We put him into his first competition within about three weeks,” he says. “At that age you’re not too sure what’s going to happen really.”
2024 has seen Taylor racing go karts at a national level with some ‘pretty awesome’ results. The Sunbelts Champs held in Blenheim
and Nelson in June, he finished P1 (position one) and also won the Fair Play award chosen from all competitors from the weekend for driving at a high standard and showing respect to fellow competitors and officials.
He now has a driver development coach, Jimmy McLaren, out of Queensland, Australia who has worked with Shane Van Gisbergen, Chaz Mostert and high profile karters in the Australian league. Jimmy says in the two months of working closely with Taylor he’s really pleased with his progress and mostly his self-belief.
“The self-belief he now has, he deserves to be racing at national level. It’s going to be an exciting year ahead working with him,” he says.
“It’s good,” he says, when asked how he felt about all the fuss and excitement. “It’s exciting, I enjoy being in the car, it’s fun to handle with the turning and braking and accelerating. I love passing people on the track.”
It’s been a busy, productive seven months for Taylor who has been racing across the country including Auckland, Hamilton, Rotorua, Palmerston North and Christchurch leaving others behind on the back straight while networking and making some new-found friends.
In the July holidays at the Kartsport New Zealand National Schools he represented Riverlands School and finished P3 and only 0.4 seconds behind the leaders.
Another recent success was the Jason Richard’s Grand Prix held in Nelson where he finished P3 and was chosen from 100 plus competitors to receive the Jason Richard’s trophy for the driver showing respect to fellow competitors and officials, high quality standard of driving through the whole event.
“You do it by giving them room on the track,” he says. “You have to give other drivers a certain amount of room...you can’t squeeze them off the track.” Respect indeed.
The feedback from the go karting community is beginning to read like a mid-year school report with
‘next steps’ and how to nurture, foster the school – home – track relationship.
He recently picked up a go kart sponsorship from race team Tasman Karts and is now a sponsored driver for the brand. Team Owner of Tasman Karts Brendon Gridley believes Taylor is always learning and hungry to develop his race craft skills.
“He strives to continue to improve and push himself. At the recent event held in Nelson he raced amazingly well to do his personal best and finish third which is a huge accomplishment. We are beyond proud of Taylor and can’t wait to see his future achievements. Taylor is an awesome team member with a great can-do attitude.”
Meanwhile, Caleb Cross, a Multiple New Zealand Championship winning driver and Taylor’s driver coach based in Christchurch, says the way he applies himself and soaks up information is impressive.
“Very rarely do the young drivers understand kart feedback but
Taylor does which has really impressed me. His improvement in the short space of a few months since I have been working with him has been nothing short of incredible. I’m looking forward to working with him in the future and supporting his Motorsport dreams. Taylor is one to watch.”
Taylor currently sits in position one for Marlborough club points and position one for Nelson club points. His favourite driver to watch is Formula One’s Max Verstappen with Red Bull Racing.
Pete says go karters are lucky in Blenheim with full access to Witherlea’s Kartsport Marlborough.
“It’s seven days a week access, nine to five during the winter, and full access to the tracks, amazing training facilities,” he says. “We’ve now got the bug, we wanted to do something different and I’m learning how to be a mechanic.”
He thanks the commentators and the officials.” It’s been a really nice foundation of support and networking that he has had and is establishing.”
UMA TIRAHA/DRAW IN YOUR BREATH: Marlborough Boys’ College students supported the FIRST XV last Friday with a whole school haka. Whaea Helen Joseph says the haka was composed by Wiremu Houia, who was the Te Reo Māori Teacher at MBC in 1992. In 1993, Wiremu composed the haka for the first fifteen as the college never had one. The translation is included. PHOTO: Chris Valli.
Kaea: Ko tēnei te kura tuarua o ngā
tama tōa o Waiharakeke
We are the boys of MBC Kia Mau! Hold Fast
Katoa: Hi! Kaea: Ūma Tiraha Draw in your breath and (stick your chest out)
Kaea: Kiw whakangā hoki auē ahau Breathe in again
Katoa: Hi auē hi Kaea: Ko te kura tuarua e ngunguru nei
This college is ready to go into battle!
Katoa: Au, au, auē ha! hi!
Kaea: Ko te kura tuarua e ngunguru nei This college is ready to go into battle!
Katoa: Au, au, auē ha! hi!
Kaea: Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui Be strong! Be confident! Be patient/ steadfast!
MBC School Haka
Tyler Costello was chosen from 100 plus competitors to receive the Jason Richard’s trophy in Nelson recently for the driver showing respect to fellow competitors and officials and a high quality standard of driving at the event. “You do it by giving them room on the track,” he says. Photos: Chris Valli, Bella Tahu Photography and Shutter Media.
