Focus magazine issue 14

focus LIFESTYLE AND BUSINESS MAGAZINE. ABOUT WOMEN. FOR WOMEN.

Bay of Plenty and Waikato

ISSUE 14 DECEMBER 2018 JANUARY 2019

ENVIRO WOMEN LAURA WRAGG, ANNE CUMBERWORTH & REBECCA RYDER

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CEO TOURISM BAY OF PLENTY

Kristin Dunne growing the Bay with compassion ome Take me h I’M FREE

focus PUBLISHER Align Publishing (an n-Gon Group facet) EDITOR Dee Collins dee@focusmagazine.co.nz

Editor’s Welco me

CREATIVE DIRECTOR Alex Spodyneiko ONLINE EDITOR Kseniia Spodyneiko kseniia@focusmagazine.co.nz Image: Vanessa Laval-Glad, Indigo Moon Films & Photography

SALES advertising@focusmagazine.co.nz COVER IMAGE Vanessa Laval-Glad Indigo Moon Films & Photography FEATURE WRITERS Millie Freeman • Rebecca Tereu Cindy McQuade • Laura Tuck Kinsa Hays • Kymberley Carter-Paige Susan Czyzo PRINTING Sanyati Print CONTACT DETAILS 62 10th Avenue Tauranga 3110 (n-Gon Group Head Office) P O Box 14004, Tauranga, 3143 Tel: (07) 578 6838 Mobile: 021 535 770 focusmagazine.co.nz facebook.com/focusmagazinenz DISTRIBUTION 5,000 free copies are delivered bi-monthly to high traffic areas such as high-end cafés and restaurants, hairdressers, fashion boutiques, waiting rooms and professional offices across BOP, Hamilton, Cambridge and surrounding areas.

DIGITAL focus is available to view online and is supported by social media sites including Facebook, Instagram and YouTube. focus is a free magazine (subscriptions are available) and is published six times a year by Align Publishing (a facet of the n-Gon Group). focus is subject to copyright in its entirety.

All rights are reserved and reproduction in whole or in part, without the written consent of The Publisher (Align Publishing), is prohibited. Align Publishing and all its related companies and officers hereby disclaim, to the full extent permitted by law, all liability, damages, costs and expenses whatsoever arising from or in connection with information or other material in this magazine, any negligence of The Publisher, or any person’s actions in reliance thereon.

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy and correctness of the information contained within this magazine and inclusion of any copy must not be taken as an endorsement

by The Publisher. Views expressed by contributors are personal views and they are not necessarily endorsed

by The Publisher. Any dispute or complaint regarding placed advertisements must be made within seven days of publication.

All material sent to focus (whether solicited or not) will not be returned unless otherwise agreed beforehand, and all rights, including copyright in such material will be assigned to Align Publishing upon receipt. The Publishers presume all letters and other material submitted to focus and related social media sites are intended for publication unless clearly labelled “not for publication”.

Can you believe it’s that time of year already? Even though the months have whizzed by, we’ve had a full and amazing year at focus. We celebrated our second birthday in October, tweaked and refreshed the ‘look’ of the magazine and launched the very first Focus on Women Expo. What an incredible weekend that was! It was fantastic to see so many women having a laugh, having a go and finding out about something fresh, new and different – hopefully it has heralded the start of some new interests for many of you. Thanks so much for your interest and support at the Expo – see all the photos and fun on page 10.

Most importantly, this year we have also met and interviewed so many incredible women. It’s their narratives that keep us inspired and motivated, and our last edition for 2018 is jam packed with more stories to enjoy over the holiday period. On our cover we shine a spotlight on Kristin Dunne, CEO of Tourism Bay of Plenty. This resilient woman has faced a number of challenges during her life and is truly an inspiration. She reminds us that life has its ups and downs and, as women, we need to be the biggest supporters of each other.

We also feature Radio Broadcasters Association CEO Jana Rangooni, who recently won the Emerging Talent in Governance Award by the Institute of Directors, Bay of Plenty. Jana speaks to us about shifting attitudes, chasing goals and building foundations. With

a staff of 3,300, Bay of Plenty District Health Board CEO Helen Mason has come a long way in her career but admits she is still a work in progress.

We also find out why Karen Hind, who had never used skincare products herself, brought the luxury spa and skincare range VOYA to New Zealand.

Cindy McQuade interviews Laura Wragg, Anne Cumberworth and Rebecca Ryder – three women who work in different ways to improve our understanding of sustainability and the importance of looking after our environment.

We’re looking forward to next year.

From the focus team, thank you all so much for your continued support.

We wish you a very happy and safe Christmas and New Year.

See you in 2019!

With gratitude

Dee Editor & Founder dee@focusmagazine.co.nz

focus LIFESTY LE AND BUSINE ABOUT SS MA WOMEN . FOR WO GAZINE. MEN.

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focus | PICKS

focus PICKS

What we’re

LISTENing TO

SETH GODIN

What we’re reading Words DEE COLLINS A MONTH OF SUNDAYS, LIZ BYRSKI Ros, Adele, Judy and Simone have belonged to an online book club for over ten years but have never met face to face. When the opportunity arises to spend a month together, house-sitting in the Blue Mountains, they all accept. Each member is asked to choose a book that has special meaning and will teach the others something about her, and each week the ladies discuss the selected book for that week.

Each woman is at a crossroads in their lives – some are dealing with health-related issues, some are transitioning to the next phase of their lives and some haven’t dealt with events in their past. Over the month the ladies slowly confide in each other and form a special bond.

Once I was past the first few chapters and remembered who was who, A Month of Sundays was an enjoyable weekend read.

Seth Godin is more than an entrepreneur, best-selling author and speaker; he’s also a teacher on how to live life beyond the norm. Seth inspires countless people throughout the world with topics on effective marketing and leadership through to the spread of ideas and the concept of changing everything. sethspodcast.com

What we’re

WATCHing

MY POLAR DREAM, JADE HAMEISTER If you’re ever looking for a boost of inspiration, have a read of this book. Jade is the youngest person to complete the Polar hat-trick – skiing to the North Pole, crossing Greenland coast to coast and skiing from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole.

From an early age, adventure was a regular part of family life for Jade, instilling a sense of adventure and igniting dreams of bigger and better conquests.

Jade writes about the training and punishing conditions on each trek – the back spasms, blisters on her feet, sunburn, freezing cold conditions, nose bleeds and mental hardships – as well as personal issues, such as the lack of privacy, and the tears, anger and arguments with her father with whom she shared a tent.

Astonishingly, Jade was trolled on the internet, and how she dealt with this was truly inspiring.

It’s heartening to have a passionate young woman out there who is ardent about empowering women and is an outspoken advocate of climate change. I can’t wait to see what Jade does next.

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NICHOLAS JAMES VUJICIC If you’re ever feeling down and believe that life has handed you lemons, watch one of Nick Vujicic’s YouTube videos.

Author of Life Without Limits, Nick was born without limbs but instead of letting his disability deter his everyday life he took it as a challenge, using it to change millions of lives with his unerring faith.

SOCIAL | focus

BEHIND THE SCENES As always, we have a video revealing some exciting deets from our cover photoshoot focusmagazine.co.nz/kristin

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focus | CONTENTS

COVER STORY 14

KRISTIN DUNNE focus meets Bay of Plenty Tourism CEO Kristin Dunne

REGULARS 6

What’s On? Find out what’s happening in the region

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Out & About

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Product Reviews After-sun care products

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Style Pages

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Creativity in The Bay Of Plenty Moone – singer, performer and songwriter

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Recipes Homemade ice cream

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Travel Climbing Mount Taranaki – a tramper’s must-do

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Competitions Four fabulous prizes on offer

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The Last Page Kate Rigg, Regional GM of Mediaworks Coromandel and Tauranga

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FOCUS ON WOMEN EXPO 10

A quick round-up of what went on at our very first Focus on Women Expo

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LIFE 24

Joyeux Noël!

Frohe Weinachten!

Merry Christmas!

How do you celebrate Christmas?

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Christmas gift guide We’ve found the best beauty gifts for Christmas

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CONTENTS | focus

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Tips for turning your home into a sustainable haven Anna Rees-Jones shares her tips

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Enviro Women Laura Wragg, Anne Cumberworth and Rebecca Ryder work in different ways to improve our understanding of the environment

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Think before you BIN it Hazardous waste can be a big risk to the environment

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Mid-life crisis or invisible woman?

Mid-life has its challenges, but for some these can be major turning points

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Is your square not fitting into their circle?

The word 'entrepreneur' elicits varying responses, with good reason

BUSINESS

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Jana Rangooni Shifting attitudes, chasing goals and building foundations

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Karen Hind Meet the MD of VOYA NZ, a luxury spa and skincare brand from Ireland

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Striding Out Vicki Scott and Hannah Harwood talk about their massive career changes

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Working with influencers What you need to know about influencer marketing

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Journey to birth Chloe Wright is CEO of the Wright Family Foundation and Birthing Centre

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Helen Mason Kinsa Hays interviews the CEO of Bay of Plenty DHB focusmagazine.co.nz

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focus | WHAT'S ON

W H T ' S ON D E C E MA B E R /J A N U A RY

Christmas at the lake

A NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS 22 December Bethlehem College, Tauranga bethlehem.org.nz/anbc The Bay’s biggest free Christmas party is celebrating its 22nd birthday this year! Join 13,000 people for a festive variety of live music, dance, delicious food-truck food, carols, giveaways and massive fireworks. Don’t miss this unique opportunity to gather with friends, family and neighbours under the star-studded skies of Bethlehem.

CHRISTMAS AT THE LAKE 22 December Innes Common, Hamilton eventfinda.co.nz

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One Love A free, family-friendly festival beside the picturesque Hamilton Lake, where eight dance groups will perform contemporary and ethnic routines.

There will be food stalls selling gourmet fare to fish ’n chips and Santa Claus will be giving out toys and lollies for free.

OROKAWA TO WAIHI BEACH 2 KM OCEAN SWIM 6 January Waihi Beach Surf Club, Waihi Beach eventfinda.co.nz Every Bay of Plenty local is familiar with the spectacular 40-minute walk from Waihi Beach to Orokawa Bay. But have you ever tried swimming there

instead of walking? A brightly coloured swim cap and a $20-$30 entry fee is all you’ll need to participate!

KATIKATI AVOCADO, FOOD AND WINE FESTIVAL 12 January Uretara Domain, Katikati iticket.co.nz Great food, the best wines and lively entertainment are waiting for you!

One of the Bay’s most experienced and widely travelled chefs, Shane Yardley, will be doing a cooking demonstration, while headline act The Beat Girls, supported by the amazing Late 80's Mercedes and local favourite Sarah Spicer, will have you on your feet dancing.

WHAT'S ON | focus

Katikati Avocado, Food and Wine Festival

Orokawa to Waihi Beach 2 km Ocean Swim

TWS WORLD INVITATION SUPERSTOCK CHAMPS 18-19 January Paradise Valley Raceway, Rotorua rotoruaspeedway.co.nz The sheer speed and permission to hit the opposition is an adrenaline rush, and with competitors from New Zealand, UK and the US competing in the World Invitation Superstock Championship, it’s sure to be action packed. New Zealand's top women stockcar drivers will also be vying for the Aotearoa Ladies Crown.

A Night Before Christmas

Fatboy Slim Show

FATBOY SLIM SHOW 25 January Claudelands Arena, Hamilton endeavour.live/fatboyslim

ONE LOVE 26-27 January Tauranga Domain, Tauranga onelovefestival.co.nz

Six years after his last sold-out New Zealand show, award-winning and critically acclaimed UK producer and musician Fatboy Slim is touring the country again. Funky beats and catchy melodies are back!

Listen to Ky Mani Marley, son of Bob Marley, at the fifth annual One Love Festival in the heart of Tauranga. Other headliners include the chart-topping, multi-platinum reggae-pop group UB40, as well as British legend Maxi Priest, Hawaiian reggae Kings Kolohe Kai and US soul singer LaTasha Lee.

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focus | OUT & ABOUT

BAY OF PLENTY BUSINESS TO BUSINESS EXPO The official launch for the BOP Business Expo 2019 took place at CBK in Tauranga.

The Expo is designed for businesses to showcase their products and services in a vibrant, fun environment and is aimed specifically at the business-to-business sector.

The Expo takes place on 6 March at ASB Baypark.

1. Mike Bell, Annie Hill, Alan Neben and Kirsten Murfitt 2. Mary Parker and Vanessa Laval-Glad 3. Tony Snow and Jolene James 4. Sharon Giblett, Jodie Snooks and Jolene James 5. Stan Gregec and Clare Basire 6. Bryan Christiansen and Mark Irving 7. Lynda Murray and Belinda Cairns 8. Glen Whibley, Michelle Beaumont and Sharon Giblett

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Background design by Creative_hat / Freepik

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OUT & ABOUT | focus

1 WONDER WOMEN Dee Collins, founder and editor of focus and Gail Page from Positive Pathways were the guest speakers at Wonder Women, which supports the Cambodia Charitable Trust and is sponsored by Tauranga law firm Lyon O’Neale Arnold. Dee shared her journey from exhibition owner in Zimbabwe to magazine publisher in Tauranga. Gail, a communications coach, teaches people how to find their voice, speak their truth and stand in their power.

1. Jo Tricker, Angela Cheruseo and Dee Collins 2. Carina Sinclair 3. Lillian Richmond and Gail Page 4. Devon Harland and Bronwyn Abbot 5. Rose Gilmore and Lynley Smith 6. Kathryn Clout 7. Jenny Hardwicke, Raewyn Henry and Toni Trafford 8. Denise Arnold, Cherie Wilson and Irene Osbaldiston

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focus | FOCUS ON WOMEN EXPO

Expolicious!

Images VANESSA LAVAL-GLAD, INDIGO MOON FILMS & PHOTOGRAPHY focus was delighted to bring you the inaugural Focus on Women Expo on 27/28 October. From foodie delights, beauty, health and wellbeing stands, to martial arts, yoga and dancing demos – there was a lot going down at the Expo and visitors experienced an enjoyable few hours finding out about the amazing products and services on offer in our plentiful region.

We also listened to awesome speakers talk about different perspectives on women’s health, financial health and spiritual wellbeing – and we learnt how to turn a grey day into a bunch of roses with an entertaining laughing workshop. focus founder and Expo organiser Dee Collins is a big believer in trying something new, even if it pushes you a little out of your comfort zone. That’s what this expo was all about, she says, to inspire, empower, educate, connect and entertain women in the Bay – just like focus, the magazine.

“I think we all need a little push sometimes, to go out and try new things, and make the most of our lives.

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Running an expo is no small thing but I wanted to go out and take a positive step forward because encouraging women is something I’m really passionate about.

“It was so wonderful to see women stepping up and giving things a go. And, even if they didn’t try something at the Expo, I hope lots of women felt inspired to explore something new. I’ve always found that taking that first step is often the hardest thing, but once you’re on the road you open yourself up to so many new experiences, and you grow.”

There were also some big prizes up for grabs during the weekend and one visitor will soon be enjoying three nights in a stunning rain forest cottage at the award-winning The Falls Montville on Australia’s Sunshine Coast. Two more visitors won prizes from Lifestyle Gear, including the fabulously relaxing Treepod Cabana – who didn’t want to jump into that during the weekend to rest those weary feet?

We hope you enjoyed the show!

FOCUS ON WOMEN EXPO | focus

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SKIMMING THE SURFACE

Taking closer inspection of our skin

WITH OVER 4000 KIWIS DIAGNOSED WITH MELANOMA ANNUALLY, THIS DEADLY DISEASE CONTINUES TO GRIP NEW ZEALANDERS COUNTRYWIDE. WHILST SKIN CANCER AWARENESS IS GAINING MOMENTUM, TAKING STOCK OF YOUR SKIN BEYOND SCANNING THE NEWS HEADLINES, IS ESSENTIAL TO WINNING THE LONGTERM BATTLE.

Readying our skin should go much deeper than slapping on the sunblock and UV preventive clothing. Before stepping into the sunshine and spending time in the Great Outdoors, a thorough skin check from a trained professional to pinpoint suspicious spots and suspect areas, should be your first port of call. Why? Because skin cancer isn’t a problem to pick and choose – we are all at risk.

“Although dark skinned people have more melanin content in their skin, which acts as a protectant, no one is exempt from melanoma,” says Dr Amy Stanway, skin cancer specialist and dermatologist at the Da Vinci Clinic. “Regular skin checks for all New Zealanders 15+ with a trained professional are your best option for early detection and treatment.”

“UVB and UVA light damage our cells differently,” explains Dr Stanway. “UVB light damages the surface layers of the skin and causes sunburn. UVA penetrates the deeper layers of the skin and causes oxidative stress and production of free radicals which contribute to skin cancer and skin ageing. Both are responsible for melanoma.

Not everyone will develop skin cancer, however the risk is just too great to ignore.”

It’s not just about reducing our exposure, it’s about targeting the damage earlier for a better outcome.

“Research tells us that sunburn in young adulthood leads to a greater likelihood of

developing skin cancer,” says Dr Stanway. “For example, a study led by the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University reported that at least five blistering sunburns between the ages of 15 and 20 were 80% more likely to develop melanoma.”

The danger of skin cancer is that it can spread rapidly to other areas of the body.

Abnormal cells from a mole can develop and multiply uncontrollably. Careful monitoring and correct diagnosis are the best way to prevent the cancer growing and spreading.

“The risk of dying from melanoma is inherently related to the depth of the cancer.

The deeper the tumour growth the greater the risk of spread to other areas of the body. The thinner the tumour the lesser risk,” explains Dr Brandon Adams, cosmetic and plastic surgeon at the Da Vinci Clinic.

“Because skin cancers can present on any part of the body, we as trained professionals examine all hidden areas too such as insides of ears, the scalp, behind the ears, fingernails, butt cheeks, backs of legs, palms of hands, soles of feet and toenails too.”

Self-checking for any new spots or changing moles is a must too, and the experienced team at the Da Vinci Clinic are on hand to guide you through the correct measures and means to stay skin aware. For the tech savvy among us, tuning into UV apps - uv2Day and GlobalU - is also a great way of staying up with sun play.

DA VINCI CLINIC www. davinciclinic.co.nz

focus | COVER STORY

In kind hands

growing the Bay with compassion

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COVER STORY | focus

‘Growth’ is a little word with big potential. It’s a word Bay of Plenty Tourism CEO Kristin Dunne lives and breathes, not just for the benefit of the region, but also for stretching her own learning and enabling the professional development of the team she leads. She shares her thoughts on leadership, resilience and why kindness matters.

Words: Millie Freeman Images: Vanessa Laval-Glad, Indigo Moon Films & Photography Hair: Shannon Morrison, Ivy Hair Makeup: Sharyn Butters Hair and Makeup Artist Clothes: Wendy's Boutique

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ristin developed a strong work ethic from a young age. At 15, in Auckland, she landed an after-school supermarket job, and then got her first taste of tourism at the “much more exciting” Rainbows End while studying business at university. Step-by-step, job by job she grew into each new role, initially as marketing assistant at DB Breweries, and later in management roles at ASB Bank and TVNZ. In 2001 she joined Vodafone NZ to help set up its new commercial business division, and in 2005, at just 31 years old, became General Manager for Vodafone Business in what was then a predominantly male-led industry.

Surprisingly, given her career successes, she says confidence is not necessarily her strong point. What drives her is transformation and positive change, making the move to Tourism Bay of Plenty as head of marketing a particularly good fit. She became CEO in 2016, responsible for growing visitor numbers and transforming the Bay into a fantastic destination for tourists and a better place for residents. The next ten years will see a big emphasis on growth, she says, balanced always by ensuring the social, cultural and environmental sustainability of the region. focusmagazine.co.nz

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focus | COVER STORY

“We are guardians of the region on behalf of our residents so our challenge is to make sure we manage the development,” she says. “We don’t want so many visitors here that it becomes detrimental. Our residents have a strong sense of tūrangawaewae (their place to stand) and they want to see the environment protected.”

BALANCING PROGRESS WITH KINDNESS Kristin brings strategic vision to the role, being able to imagine what that future will look like and knowing what steps to put in place to help us get there. She’s also a people leader, and focuses on how she can best support her team to enable them to do their job.

“A woman mentor once told me, ‘People will say you need to be different than who you are in order to be a successful leader. Don’t believe that.’ So I never took on a ball-breaking masculine approach because that wasn’t me and I couldn’t have pretended even if I wanted to. I have come through my leadership opportunities still being me – empathetic, caring, kind, supportive and with low ego, and these have served me really well.

“I tell other women to use their feminine strengths, which are more natural to us anyway, because they are

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COVER STORY | focus

“

People will say you need to be different than who you are in order to be a successful leader.

Don’t believe that.

strengths. That’s what your team wants from you and that’s how you create success in an organisation.”

At Tourism Bay of Plenty three values underscore the team’s work – supportive (of each other), belief (in self and in their role), and greatness.

“I strive for results and enjoy growth whether that’s personal or industry growth, so yes, we have targets to reach but there’s no reason why you can’t do that in an environment that’s kind. I believe in giving others the belief that they can do things when they don’t think they can; not to stretch them out of their comfort zone, but to give them more challenges and scope when they’re ready. I get a real reward out of knowing that I’ve helped build someone’s self-

belief in some small way.

“Leadership is a very humbling experience and if you’re not humbled by it and don’t have a low ego then I’m not really sure how you do it because it’s definitely not an ‘I’m out-in-front’ thing.”

RESILIENCE FROM CHALLENGE Understanding how personal experiences help to make us more resilient and better equipped is also important to leadership, and Kristin is not ashamed to say she’s faced her own challenges. She’s now happily married to Jared Smith focusmagazine.co.nz

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focus | COVER STORY

and has a five-year-old son, Caelan, but 10 years earlier with a different partner, things were not so bright. On top of enduring an abusive relationship, she suffered a storm of cyber bullying and public scrutiny when her high-profile domestic violence case went to court, plunging her into an extraordinarily difficult time in her life. Like others who have faced similar personal online attacks, she did question her worthiness, but, despite the odds, managed to renew her battered self-belief and let it grow.

“My amazing parents encouraged me to look at my life, which was pretty broken at the time, and see the opportunity to put myself and my life back together in a different way. Things happened in my life that were less than ideal, but I wouldn’t go back and change them now, even if I was able to, because what they’ve produced since then is so good.

“Sometimes I feel I have been tested more than my fair share but have come to the conclusion that everyone’s life is hard in different ways and that’s what is transformative about it. Facing challenges helps to change you from the inside; you learn that you are resilient and have strength, and that you are stronger than things are terrible.”

Following the case Kristin became involved with Shine, which provides services for victims of domestic abuse, and started working individually with women living in abusive situations. She has also worked with White Ribbon and men who are current or former perpetrators. In 2010, with Lesley Elliott, she co-founded the Sophie Elliott Foundation, and set up the Loves Me Not relationship programme, which is now run entirely by the New Zealand Police in 100 secondary schools. She is currently ‘on leave’ from the Foundation while she focuses her support on her own family. “My son and my parents need me right now and my spare time and energy needs to go into looking after them at this time.”

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THE MOTHER JUGGLE Like it is for many families and parents working outside of the home, Kristin’s life is a constant juggle of work hours, family time, personal time for exercise and home admin. Throwing in an extra task or two, like buying a new house – currently a work in progress – can cause the balls to come tumbling, so Kristin has support in place to keep things running as smoothly as possible. My Food Bag is a good example – it cuts out supermarket shopping and time spent menu planning, while providing good food for the family. She also has a nanny for Caelan two afternoons a week, and her parents help out with childcare as well. Two Pilates classes and a gym session each week are also in the diary but she admits rarely getting to all three – her priority is spending time with her family in the evenings and on weekends.

“I like to think of my day in terms of energy management because time management assumes every day will be the same, but it depends on how you’re feeling. Some things you do are exhausting and others make you feel energised so I try to be more mindful about my energy levels and change things around when I need to.”

And when life does bring you down, Kristin reminds us that, as women, we need to be the biggest supporters of each other. If a woman’s crown is off centre, just quietly adjust it for her, she says.

“My journey has been about resilience and learning that I’m stronger than the bad stuff that happens, and that’s the point of all of this. It may not always be pretty or graceful, but you do heal, you can move on, and you become more grateful for your life every day. 

COVER STORY | focus

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My journey has been about resilience and learning that I’m stronger than the bad stuff that happens, and that’s the point of all of this.

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focus | HEALTH

ENHANCING BEAUTY Like many of us, the thought of appearance medicine therapy filled me with intrigue and trepidation in equal parts.

My curiosity was recently peaked when a friend started working at Skin Dermatology Institute and couldn’t say enough good things about its array of treatments.

Words RACHEL MCLEOD Images SUPPLIED

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he urged me to stop being a scaredy cat – to try some of their lovely treatments or at least have a consultation with one of their nurses so I could find out more.

I had heard great things in the media about the benefits of microneedling, a cosmetic procedure that involves puncturing the skin with tiny, sterile needles to stimulate collagen production. The proven benefits of this treatment are touted as reducing scars, fine lines, wrinkles, pigmentation and improving skin tone and texture.

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Enough said – I was in. So, I got over myself and booked an appointment.

They, as promised, were lovely. A warm and welcoming reception, both from the architecturally designed building and the staff. You get the feeling that pampering, professionalism and confidentiality go hand in hand at this local business.

I met with Katie, one of the nurses, who asked questions about my medical history and gave me more background on the microneedling treatment. She quickly made me feel assured after my initial apprehension at the thought of needles puncturing the skin. It sounded sore, but in fact they use an anaesthetic cream to limit most of the feeling in the area being treated.

I was given 5-star treatment, including being offered a tea or coffee, having ‘before’ photos taken (which we will compare at my follow up appointment) and being wrapped in a cuddly blanket so I wasn’t cold.

The procedure itself felt a bit like being thoroughly exfoliated. And apart from feeling flushed, I didn’t experience any real discomfort either during or after the treatment. It helped that Katie was so attentive to how I was going.

The next day my skin was back to its normal colour and felt wonderfully soft – so much so that I couldn’t stop stroking it (discreetly, I hoped). Four days later I could see skin pigmentation and lines starting to reduce. The benefits of microneedling increase up

to 4-6 weeks after treatment, and the more treatments you do, the better the results.

My only regret is that, as I was limited by time, I didn’t undertake the combined microneedling and chemical peel treatment which is a particular specialty at Skin Dermatology Institute. The idea is that combining the two treatments can be beneficial to maximise results. Chemical peels remove several layers of sun-damaged skin cells, leaving skin which has a more even surface and colour, and can further enhance collagen stimulation from the microneedling.

While I was there, I queried Katie on fillers. What I found out, and the selection available, certainly gave me fodder for thought. Apparently, I could wind back the years with a multitude of treatments. A possibility for another time perhaps.

I will definitely be going back for at least another round of microneedling.

I really enjoyed the experience and the results, and I certainly left feeling open to the idea of fillers in the future.

After all, you have to harness your own happiness and confidence, in whatever form that means to you. 

Skin Dermatology Institute 07 571 5548 skindermatology.co.nz

LIFE 26 BEST BEAUTY GIFTS FOR CHRISTMAS

32 BAY OF PLENTY ENVIRONMENTAL WARRIORS

48 CLIMBING MOUNT TARANAKI

Plus STYLE PAGES, PRODUCT REVIEWS ... AND MORE

focus | CHRISTMAS

Joyeux Noël!

Frohe Weinachten!

Merry Christmas!

Family reunions, BBQs, secret Santa and flowering pohutukawa – that’s a traditional Kiwi Christmas for many of us. It’s hard to imagine there might be a different way to spend it. These Tauranga locals, coming from all over the globe, share a whole new approach to our favourite holiday.

DEE COLLINS (ZIMBABWE) Whilst living in Zimbabwe, Christmas was always a special time of year. In the lead up to the annual shut down there would be cocktail parties, luncheons and events to attend; everyone would be frantically busy at work, right up to Christmas Eve, then everything would close and we would all head off to our families to celebrate the holiday.

Although it was summer in Zimbabwe and usually very hot, we would always celebrate with a traditional cooked English Christmas meal in the evening – roast turkey, ham, stuffing, potatoes, vegies, Christmas pudding, etc. The table always had Christmas decorations and crackers.

There were quite a few traditions

back in Zimbabwe that we don’t have here. For example, we were paid monthly. At the end of the year we were given a 13th cheque – a bonus for a successful year. It was also a time when gratuities were given out – everyone from the postman to the dustbin collectors would eagerly anticipate their ‘Christmas box’ (money) from all the householders.

I love the iconic Kiwi Christmas tree – the flowering pohutukawa – and definitely the buzz as tourists start to arrive in the Bay of Plenty. Most of all, I love being able to celebrate Christmas with my family, who now live in Christchurch.

HAYAT BERKAOUI (THE NETHERLANDS) Christmas in the Netherlands revolves around family and food. We celebrate Christmas Day, which we call the first day of Christmas, with one side of the family, and the second day of Christmas (Boxing day is a foreign concept to us) with the other side of the family. As I was raised by my mum we usually spent first Christmas day with our family and grandparents and the second day of Christmas just with our small family.

Usually we don’t give each other presents at Christmas as we have

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another celebration on December 5th where presents are involved. I think over the last few years though, it has become more popular to have an ‘American Christmas’ with loads of presents under the Christmas tree.

I love a summer Christmas here in New Zealand – it feels so laid-back and everyone enjoys the good weather, however it never feels like ‘Christmas’ to me as I associate Christmas with very cold weather, possibly snow, and drinking hot chocolate.

CHRISTMAS | focus

KATIA GRODECKI (BELARUS AND CANADA) I am originally from Belarus, but spent most of my life in Canada where Christmas is a very important holiday.

Given my, and my husband's, Eastern European heritage (he was born in Poland), our Christmas celebrations have always been a fusion of European and Canadian traditions.

We would have a large Christmas Eve dinner with the family, where we enjoyed Borscht (beetroot soup) with mushroom dumplings, as well as several fish-based dishes. On Christmas Day we typically ate turkey with delicious vegetable side dishes, after spending some time playing in the snow and watching Christmas movies while snuggled under a blanket. Spiced wine and shortbread cookies were a 'must' for dessert.

We also used to make hot chocolate in a thermos, wrap warm blankets around ourselves, and drive around the neighbourhood in the evening, looking for the most beautifully decorated house. Christmas lights bring out the kid in me!

This will be our second Christmas in New Zealand and I confess I still find it challenging to truly get into the Christmas spirit at summertime and neither do I crave the traditional turkey dinner when it's 30° outside. However, Christmas in New Zealand has its own special charm and I love the tradition of having a barbecue with loved ones in-between trips to the beach. I am embracing our newly adopted tradition of Christmas Eve dinner on the patio.

COKA KLUG (CHILE) Christmas is huge in Chile! As the majority of the country is Catholic, we celebrate Jesus’ birthday and spend time with family. Turkey and apple purée are always present on the festive table.

The best memory I have about this day is how my dad once pretended he saw Santa outside. We ran out to meet him and, of course, couldn’t find anyone.

But when we came back to the lounge, our Christmas tree was surrounded with loads of presents! We went to sleep with hearts full of love. The next day, after waking, my dad and mum opened the window and said: ‘Coka, look what’s in the backyard!’ And there it was – a massive tree-house, almost as big as our real house! Or at least it looked like that to me. It was a dream come true!

One of my favourite Christmas traditions is to reproduce the Nativity scene. Most often it would be a little set of ceramics with wooden figures, representing Mary, Jesus, Joseph and a few animals. Our kids would also dress up and perform a play in church for everyone to watch.

Christmas in New Zealand is all about nature and a day out at the beach. Although, to be honest, I always feel a little homesick, it certainly is a time you want to spend with your family. At least I can now share it with my daughter! When she was little we had massive celebrations at home with other foreign friends, a yum dinner and incorporated our traditions. I want her to feel the same love I used to feel back at home. 

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focus | CHRISTMAS

Christmas gift guide From luxurious to purse-friendly, we’ve rounded up the best beauty gifts for Christmas. Warning: might be tempting to keep them for yourself!

PAMPE R Designe TRIO, r Brand s, $19 THE CHEFS, Matakana Botanicals, $18

PACKS, CHRISTMAS ., Biolage R.A.W $70.00ea

TRANQUILLO GIFT VOUCHER Personalised, beauty therapy in a serene and relaxing environment – your dearest ones deserve to be spoiled!

Vouchers can be purchased either by dollar value or for specific treatments.

XMAS SEASONAL SPICED CANDLE, VOYA, $69 Sensuous sweet orange, spicy cinnamon and buttery clove aromas create an atmosphere of warm summer nights.

A glowing festive fragrance to envelop anyone’s home.

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CHRISTMAS | focus

SOFT MIX ME RANGE, Nivea, $10.99 Is your bestie a DIY guru?

She’ll love mixing and matching Classic, Chilled Oasis, Berry Charming and Happy Exotic creams to create up to 25 new scents.

FOOT BALM, HoneyBliss, $22

MIDNIGHT GODDESS COLLECTION, wet ‘n wild, $24.99

Make someone’s make-up kit merry with the warm shimmering hues of an eyeshadow palette, Mega Last lip colour and the moonlight glow of the Mega Glo highlighting powder.

CHRONOLOGISTE HOLIDAY TRAVEL SET, Kérastase, $55 Contains revitalising shampoo, balm and fragrant oil for all hair types. Haircare routine for upcoming summer holidays, sorted!

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“ FORGET

ABOUT THE FAST LANE. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO FLY, JUST HARNESS YOUR POWER TO YOUR PASSION

Photo by Freepik

OPRAH WINFREY

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USING KIWISAVER TO GET INTO YOUR FIRST HOME

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hen buying your first home, you may be able to withdraw from your KiwiSaver funds to help finance the purchase. If you’ve been a KiwiSaver member for at least three years, intend to use the funds to buy your first home (and not an investment property), and if you leave a minimum balance of $1,000.00 in the account, it’s likely that you are eligible.

“First, you should contact your KiwiSaver provider to advise that you are looking at buying your first home. Ask them to email you the amount you are entitled to withdraw, and the application form,” says Adele Ransley from The Law Shop.

Then, once you have a sale and purchase agreement, see your lawyer to complete the Statutory Declaration. Your lawyer will send off the application, a copy of the Agreement, an undertaking letter to either withdraw the funds to use for the deposit or to assist towards the settlement funds, the law

firm’s trust account deposit slip and a certified copy of your photo ID and certified proof of your current address.

“It could take up to 15 working days for your application to be processed, so if you’re ready to make an offer on a property you will need to allow that time to change your finance,” Adele says.

If you have lived overseas while contributing to KiwiSaver, it can delay the processing time and you won’t be eligible to withdraw the tax credits earned while you lived overseas.

Your KiwiSaver provider will contact you and your solicitor, usually by email, if you have been approved.

The team at The Law Shop can make things easy if you’re thinking about withdrawing from your KiwiSaver account to buy a home. They will guide you through the process, and help you make it happen. Give them a call today to get things underway.

focus | SUSTAINABLE LIVING

Tips for turning your home into a

sustainable

haven A few years ago, Anna Rees-Jones was preparing to bring little lives into the world. Realising a lot of toys and kids’ products on the market were full of harmful chemicals, she decided to design her own.

Words LAURA TUCK 30 | focusmagazine.co.nz

Images KSENIIA SPODYNEIKO

SUSTAINABLE LIVING | focus

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nna, along with husband Blythe and business partner Luke, developed a range of beautiful, fun and engaging kids’ products that are safe to use, rich with natural benefits and made from renewable materials (namely wool, which prompted the name ‘Woolkin’). Today, the Bay of Plenty-based business is booming, and ships its eco-friendly goodies across the country as well as abroad.

Kiwis are slowly but surely catching on to the sustainability movement, but it can often be tricky knowing where to start. We sat down with Anna to learn how we can encourage our families to become more environmentally friendly at home, at school and on the go.

How can we make our home a more natural and sustainable environment?

Start off with the basics. Think about simple ways to improve what you’re already doing without adding any cost.

For example, I used to go for convenience (snap lock bags, plastic wrap, the works), but we’ve slowly switched to bento-style lunch boxes and reusable wraps. There’s less waste, and no extra cost.

Nappies are a tricky one, because there are advantages to both disposable nappies (fewer cleaning products needed) and cloth nappies (less plastic waste). Personally, I used a combination of both, which worked well for our family, but it’s just about minimising waste where you can.

Keeping up with the latest material objects can also affect your family’s ecofriendly factor, not to mention become a huge financial obstacle. Instead of upgrading your lounge suite every year just to be on trend, why don’t you save that money and use it on something else?

How do you encourage your kids to ‘go green’?

We talk about it all the time; so do schools these days – it’s amazing. Our school has a big focus on waste reduction – everything that comes to school has to go home again, which we think is a great initiative.

At home, we often talk about pollution. My kids love the ocean, so we talk about how precious it is, and how pollution has become a big problem – a problem we can all do our bit to try and solve.

Instead of driving, we’ll ride bikes or walk to school most days, which is an easy step towards minimising the impact our vehicles have on our environment.

Can being more environmentally friendly save you money?

Absolutely! If you use beeswax reusable wraps, for example, you’ve got a good few months of using the same product to wrap your food without having to keep buying new containers or plastic wrapping. I was a bit reluctant at the start, but once I used them once I was addicted, they’re incredible! They keep

everything fresh and they’re so simple to use.

Buying food in bulk is often cheaper than buying pre-packaged food, and buying second-hand clothing is a great way of reducing waste while also saving money.

Being a mum, I’m always busy, but making my own body scrub at home is a super easy and cheap way to treat myself. I love to experiment with different ingredients in the fridge and pantry, and it leaves my skin feeling beautifully soft and smooth (without the price tag).

What’s changed in the last ten years in terms of sustainability? Is there still a long way to go?

Being ‘eco-friendly’ wasn’t a big conversation ten years ago. Today, we’re more educated and aware of our footprint on the earth, so it’s a really exciting time for New Zealand (and the world).

The conversation around plastic straws and plastic bags is great because our kids hear it, they’re part of it, and they understand why we’re no longer using these products. If you went cold turkey and told your kids they’re no longer allowed a bright blue straw with their smoothie (without explaining why), they’d be upset because they wouldn’t understand why. It’s all about teaching our kids from a young age and getting them on board with positive, healthy and sustainable habits. 

ANNA’S HOMEMADE LUXE BODY SCRUB ½ cup coconut oil ½ cup sugar 5-10 drops of your favourite essential oils (such as peppermint and lavender) 1. Combine all ingredients into a coarse paste 2. Jump in the shower, cleanse your skin and generously apply the scrub all over your body 3. Rinse with water, pat dry and apply a hydrating body oil or moisturiser

For more information about Anna and Woolkin, visit woolkin.co focusmagazine.co.nz

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focus | SUSTAINABLE LIVING

ENVIRO WOMEN From ‘killer missions’, to teaching children, and creating places of beauty, we meet three Bay of Plenty women who have been working in entirely different ways to improve people’s understanding of sustainability and the importance of valuing our environment.

Words CINDY MCQUADE Images SUPPLIED

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Background design by Freepik

Caring for our planet has become a media hot topic over the last few years. However, people have been working to educate, inspire and help people appreciate our environment long before it reached the headlines.

SUSTAINABLE LIVING | focus

LAURA WRAGG Laura Wragg has noticed a dramatic increase in the public’s appetite for environmental action, and she believes people are now ready to roll up their sleeves and do their bit.

Laura is the General Manager of Envirohub Bay of Plenty, one of 12 Environment Centres in the country aiming to help local communities support a sustainable future. She says one of their aims is to make people feel that even small changes can make a difference.

“Climate change is an issue where most people feel helpless – that it is too big an issue to do anything about. Our job is to help educate them to feel they can do something practical in their daily lives.”

She says programmes like Sustainable Backyards have grown enormously over the past few years and support people to take action in practical ways.

“Sustainable Backyards and Sustainable Backyards Bitesize help people see what they can do everyday. Events like these may be their first step on the journey, but often lead to something else.

“Don’t get discouraged by the headlines. Even making a small change to your lifestyle has an impact – it’s not too late.

Sitting back and doing nothing is not an option.”

She says greater awareness has led to attitude change at all levels of society, including at national and local government level and within business.

“Envirohub is raising some really important issues in the public domain and having conversations we wouldn’t have had a few years ago because people are ready to engage.”

One example of this is the enthusiasm for a ‘killer mission’

Laura Wragg sends out hundreds of rat traps to people who want to be part of the ‘killer mission’ in Tauranga.

to trap rats in Tauranga. Following the success of a similar programme in Wellington, Envirohub is collaborating with New Zealand Landcare, Bay Conservation Alliance, and local councils, and receives help from the Men’s Shed which make the rat traps.

While Matua and Merivale were the two pilot suburbs, people across Tauranga became so enthusiastic about the trapping programme it has expanded to include any suburb that wants to take part.

“People have really stepped up, so we thought, why stop?

We don’t want to curb people’s enthusiasm. The traps are free for people to set up in their backyards; in return, we ask they keep the trap set and log their kills via the website. We’re aiming for 1 in 5 backyards to be part of the initiative in order to get rat numbers down.”

Laura is hoping Tauranga will follow Wellington’s experience where some suburbs have been declared rat free thanks to people power.

“The Wellington turnaround happened in a really short space of time, and people here are chomping at the bit to give it a go. It’s something practical they can do that will make a big difference to our precious bird population.”

ANNE CUMBERWORTH Practicality is something Anne Cumberworth is very familiar with.

On any given day of the week you will find Anne at Tauranga Waldorf School digging in a garden, feeding pigs, teaching children to cook the food they have grown themselves, or backing a trailer loaded with gardening gear into a tricky corner of the school.

Anne has a Diploma in Horticulture from Lincoln University and has studied biodynamic farming. With this knowledge she works alongside children at the Waldorf School’s mini farm, complete with fruit orchards, vegetable gardens, chickens, pigs, cows, and extensive riparian planting.

She believes the health of our environment starts with helping children get in touch with nature.

“When they learn by doing and feeling, rather than intellectualising, they get joy out of learning. You lose children’s interest with too much theory.

“When a child grows a seed, they begin to see how that particular seed expresses itself into a sunflower or a tall tree.

They see the magic of nature and feel inspired by it. The added benefit is that they are also learning mathematics, and science and ecology.”

Having children take part in farm activities is important in teaching them to understand where their food comes from, and how energy is made, she says.

“They learn about the cycle of the seasons, and the cycle of birth and death when an animal dies. Our future depends on us understanding where our energy comes from, how our ecology works and how fragile our earth is.

“Children are becoming disconnected from the food they eat and from their environment. It’s important to me to pass on my knowledge to the next generation – to teach children focusmagazine.co.nz

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focus | SUSTAINABLE LIVING

Gumboots and a spade are two of Anne Cumberworth’s favourite tools – she also parks a mean trailer. that we need to work in harmony with nature otherwise everything just collapses.

“When they study India, they grow turmeric. When they study medieval history, they identify and grow ancient herbs.

Gardening and working with the environment enriches our curriculum and gives children an understanding of how important the environment has always been in human history and how central it is to our future.”

REBECCA RYDER Some of us think of the environment as being separate from us; that it’s simply a place for our physical enjoyment and survival. Rebecca Ryder believes the environment is also something we engage with spiritually, culturally and emotionally and in her work as a landscape architect she needs to consider all of these values alongside practical concerns.

There are many aspects to her work: some projects may include working with urban developers to create suburbs that are good for people’s quality of life and also have low environmental impacts. Other projects have included consulting on the design of many Bay of Plenty parks and reserves.

She says an enjoyable part of her job is engaging with

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people from different disciplines who are passionate about improving the city as well as the environment. She works alongside ecologists, planners, local government, Iwi, and landowners to find a balance of how to juggle the differing needs of people with environmental values.

With density a hot topic – as land is needed for housing, business, recreation and growing food – she says developers need to consider how people live and work in the spaces they create because people won’t want to be in them if they are of low quality.

“How we increase density as well as maintain quality in urban areas is a big issue at the moment as we want people to live in healthy, safe environments with relatively high levels of amenities. The role of a landscape architect is to look at how to balance human use of the landscape with environmental outcomes.”

Another aspect of Rebecca’s job is to identify particular areas of significance within the Bay of Plenty and work with the community and local councils to integrate the appropriate use of these special places into the district plans.

One recent example of a successful collaboration was the development of Route K to Takitimu Drive. Rebecca worked alongside Iwi and local government to create a place that not only had practical use, but also spoke to spiritual, historical and environmental values.

“I find it inspiring when you create an environment or place that continues to be successful well beyond your involvement – when you have brought together energy from a range of different groups to give the environment a life of its own.” 

Rebecca Ryder is responsible for helping design dozens of local parks and reserves in addition to working alongside planners and ecologists in her varied job.

SUSTAINABLE LIVING | focus

Think before you BIN it Planning on getting rid of old paint, weedkiller, electronic goods, tyres or pool chemicals? Not a problem – just don’t chuck them in your rubbish bin.

Words MILLIE FREEMAN

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pool chemicals. Ms McLean says businesses need to take responsibility for their own hazardous waste and plan what they are going to do with it.

More information about drop-off locations and what can be recycled is available on the Tauranga City Council website: tauranga.govt.nz/living/rubbish-and-recycling/hazardouswaste Bay of Plenty Regional Council has also set up an easy-touse directory to help residents and businesses in the Western and Eastern Bay plan for the disposal of hazardous waste. For each type of waste, it gives several drop-off options, contact details and whether there are costs involved: boprc.govt. nz/residents-and-communities/get-sustainable/waste-andrecycling-directory/ For agri-chemicals contact Agrecovery (agrecovery.co.nz) to help with disposal. 

Photo by Freepik

hat you have may be small in volume, but hazardous waste can be a big risk to the environment and people’s health if not dealt with correctly. It includes substances that are flammable, corrosive, chemically reactive, toxic, eco-toxic or radioactive.

Cayley McLean, Acting Manager, Sustainability and Waste, Tauranga City Council, says many people don’t realise what is considered to be a hazardous material.

“Things like certain household cleaners, garden sprays and chemicals, waste oil, batteries (mainly rechargeable batteries), car batteries and old pool chemicals are all really problematic if they are thrown away in the general rubbish.

When hazardous waste is put into landfills it can cause problems because many of these materials don’t mix well and can cause fires or leak into the surrounding environment.

“Old agri-chemicals are particularly concerning as they don’t breakdown in the environment, and waste oil is a major concern for waterways as it can cause harm to birds and fish,” she says.

Hazardous waste needs to be separated from normal household waste and recycled or disposed of properly.

Several companies in the Bay of Plenty are able to accept and process old, un-used or unwanted hazardous waste items, including paint, electronic devices, tyres and batteries.

In Tauranga, transfer stations at Maleme St and Te Maunga freely accept small quantities of hazardous waste from households including waste oil, garden and

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focus | PRODUCT REVIEWS

n a t y h t l Hea

A good quality SPF reapplied every few hours is essential for a day at the beach. But if you still come home burnt as yesterday’s BBQ – this is New Zealand after all – an after-sun routine is crucial to keep your skin healthy and glowing. The focus team tested a number of after-sun potions and lotions and share our favourites with you.

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AFTER SUN SOOTHING GEL, RITO COOK ISLANDS $39

Niche skincare brands are always about high quality local ingredients and Rito Cook Islands falls into this category. It is the only premium skincare brand made in the Cook Islands.

The abyssine, Tamanu oils, coconut oil and Makaku extract in the After Sun Soothing Gel work wonders at calming, healing and moisturising the skin. It’s quickly absorbed, and applying it with closed eyes actually makes you feel like you’re vacaying in Raro – all thanks to the wonderful tropical smell.

Available from Serenity Spa, Tauranga.

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SOLEIL CC CREAM, KÉRASTASE $48

Ignoring hats on hot days means your hair can get damaged easily. And while prevention is always better than treatment, if you accidentally leave your hat on the bench, make sure you don’t forget to use Soleil when you’re back home. Fueled with linseed and safflower oil, ceramides and anti-oxidants, it softens, nourishes and protects hair. The best part about this treatment is that it can be applied to dry hair and doesn’t require rinsing – so easy to use!

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MASKERADE FACIAL MASK, VOYA $89

This gorgeous product was created to calm and moisturise irritated and sensitive skin. The mask contains seaweed, antioxidants, pro-collagen and chamomile extracts, which cool the skin down but also leave it feeling really hydrated and soft. The instructions recommend leaving the mask on for ten minutes before rinsing off with warm water, and using it twice a week. By accident, we found the mask also works well on men’s shaving rash.

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AFTER SUN MOISTURE LOTION, NIVEA $10.49

The champion moisturiser for calming down red skin.

This lotion literally needs only a few minutes to soothe itchy, dry sunburnt skin. The quick-absorbing, non-greasy, light formula, with Aloe Vera, Vitamin E and avocado oil is hydrating and protects the skin against premature ageing.

focus | STYLE PAGES

Endless Summer Draw your fashion inspiration from nature itself – think floral prints, lush greens and gorgeous textures.

Tee’s Knees CURATE Available at Wendy’s Boutique $179

Cabas Moyen Tote VANESSA BRUNO Available at Sisters&Co $365.00

Aperol Splits Dress COOPER Available at Wendy’s Boutique $629

Maud Dainty Playground Dress – Rockpool MAGAZINE CLOTHING

Sunglasses RAY BAN Available at Sunglass Hut $275

Carmel Heel KATHRYN WILSON Available at Sisters&Co $279

Silique Grace Stripe Dress MAGAZINE CLOTHING

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STYLE PAGES | focus Tempest Dress JULIETTE HOGAN Available at Sisters&Co $399.00

Leave Dress COOPER Available at Wendy’s Boutique $549

Classic Vintage T-Shirt BASSIKE Available at Sisters&Co $119.00

Wide-Brimmed Hat ZARA $55.90 Zephyr Flora Top and Megan Salmon Antique Floral Pleated Pant MAGAZINE CLOTHING

Walker Sling Bag RAG & BONE Available at Sisters&Co $720.00

Explorar Racer ZEENYA $44.90

Albany Sandal MYSTIQUE Available at Sisters&Co $369.00

To The Maxi Dress COOPER Available at Wendy’s Boutique $599 focusmagazine.co.nz

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focus | PSYCHOLOGY

MID-LIFE CRISIS or

invisible woman?

Reaching a certain age – let’s just say mid-life – has its challenges, but for some these can be major turning points.

It’s often a time for reflection. The children have moved out and you’re unsure of your new role or are wondering if there is more to life. Older and wiser we may be, but many of us feel lost, powerless and sometimes even invisible.

Words KYMBERLEY CARTER-PAIGE

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hen our children no longer need us, who are we? What is our life purpose now? We have years of experience, but for what? Are we now destined to work in a mundane job, come home, cook dinner and then slump in the chair in front of the TV only to start all over again the next morning?

Many women can be in a relationship but find themselves alone; sometimes they just want to break free. But from what? And where do you run to?

We may feel trapped in our circumstances – maybe too old now to start a dream career, own our own business or find a new partner. Maybe it’s just easier to stay in the status quo, ignore the pain and discomfort and have a couple of glasses of wine at night and/ or go shopping.

I have worked with so many women who feel just like this – lost, unhappy and powerless; from depression, to indifference and hopelessness. You see, as women we take on the role of feeling responsible for everyone else’s happiness. We forget who we are and

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ignore our own needs and wants. This often results in feeling unhappy, lonely and empty.

After reading Johann Hari’s latest book Lost Connections, it is easy to see why women often begin to feel depressed in middle age. We are tribal people. Each of us is unique, with a distinct perspective on life and life experiences that we have a need to share.

We need to feel valued and useful to our tribe and to have a purpose in life. So is it any wonder that when our children leave home and/or we are working in a job that feels meaningless and unfulfilling, we begin to feel undervalued, depressed or trapped.

What’s the answer? Below are 10 top tips on how to change those deep-rooted beliefs in your subconscious mind so that you can become happier in your everyday lives: Write on your bathroom mirror or somewhere (you must see it several times a day) “I am enough”. This is easier than saying, “I am perfect” or, “I love myself”.

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Pick three things that you like about yourself or are grateful for. This could be your legs (that they don’t give you any pain, or you are able to exercise easily), or your personality (that you make people laugh, or what your friends love about you).

As soon as you wake up, think of three things that have happened over the past week that you are grateful for – it could be a hug from a loved one, a meal you really enjoyed, a sunny day, a productive day at work. It can be anything, but it does need to be a different scene from the day before.

Every evening, prior to going to sleep, be grateful for three things that have happened in the last 24 hours.

It could be an inspired conversation, or an experience you enjoyed – anything that felt good and made you smile.

Don’t be so hard on yourself.

Imagine those words you say to yourself were spoken to an innocent child. Would you tell them they had fat legs or were useless at everything? Of course not! So don’t say these things to yourself! We are our own worst critics

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Photo by Freepik

PSYCHOLOGY | focus

and if you continue to put yourself down your subconscious mind will find ways to validate what you are saying. STOP it!

Spend some time writing in a journal. Write about things you have done that you are proud of. For example, you’ve brought up your children safely, completed a course or you’ve had a great career. Perhaps you have amazing friendships and a beautiful, loving home.

Be proud of what you have achieved.

Look back at where you have come from and give yourself praise for the courage and hardships you have worked through.

Focus on what you HAVE done and not on what you didn’t do.

Get out more. Experience new things, sights, meet new people. It’s vital we experience variety in our lives.

Walk a new route, book a holiday to a new destination, try a different food/ restaurant or go and test-drive a new car.

This way you can decide what you want your future to look like and what you want to strive towards.

Meditate. Yes, I know this may seem woo-woo to some of you, but it’s about taking control of your

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mind and stopping the random negative thoughts from taking over and affecting your mood for the day. There are many great free meditation tracks on YouTube which take you through the process (it’s not about sitting and trying to think of nothing)! I particularly love The Honest Guys. They have a raft of free, guided meditations for anything from stress, abundance, relaxation, to finding your true purpose. Start with 10 minutes and increase from there. There’s nothing like starting your day with a positive attitude.

Judge less. Don’t waste your time stressing over other people’s lives, especially your children’s. Lead by example. If you are always happy, people will want to learn from you. If you walk into a room and there’s a negative vibe, either walk out or be so happy and joyful that everyone else joins in with you.

Take every day as the best day.

Appreciate the good, forget the bad and start each day as a fresh new one. Don’t take the negatives of yesterday into today; leave them behind and start again. When you change jobs don’t take your old self with you. Re-

invent yourself as the person you would like to be and you will succeed.

Most of all – appreciate yourself!

Be kind to yourself and don’t let others define who you really are. 

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Kymberley Carter-Paige is a Rapid Transformational Hypnotherapist, professional speaker and author, and specialises in helping people to live the life of their dreams by removing the mental blockages through their brain’s neuropathways. kymberleycarterpaige.com focusmagazine.co.nz

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focus | COLUMN

IS YOU R SQU ARE NOT FIT T ING INT O T H EIR CIRC LE?

Photo by yanalya/Freepik

Words REBECCA TEREU

You, my dear, may be a budding entrepreneur!

Now, when you hear the word Entrepreneur what’s your first response or reaction? Honestly.

I mean, isn’t that just some new age fad that millennials love to shout from the Insta rooftop?

If you were to believe the hashtag hype, everyone’s an entrepreneur these days – #bossbabe #hustlehard #entrepreneurlife #millionairelife #laptoplifestyle #cough_ bullsh*t Truth is, the word entrepreneur elicits varying responses in this day and age, and not without good reason.

It’s hard to take seriously for understandable reasons, and yet, if you were wise you would.

Let me explain…

A few years ago I joined the MBA programme at Waikato University and I will never forget when one of my professors talked to us about entrepreneurship and specifically the network/direct marketing business model. His point (in a nutshell) was when technology finally takes over (and it will), human contribution and the diminishing value of it, will become obsolete UNLESS we can find a way to cement sustainable, unique value in the workforce. And one of the only ways to do that – is to BE HUMAN. To value relationships and provide our world with what AI cannot. Heart, Soul, Love, Compassion, Connection and Creativity – all that good stuff that only humans can offer.

Yet another professor told us that in this day and age a person is likely to change their career an average of 17 times.

WHAT?? Seventeen times?! And guess what? Many of those surveyed chose to explore their entrepreneurial tendencies.

Case and point. Gone are the days where society expects us to work 9-5 in the same job for the rest of our lives. So what’s our problem and why are we holding back – still trying to fit our square into some imaginary circle?

If you feel like a trapped bird and spend all your time thinking about what you’d do and how high you’d fly if ever you were released, then maybe it’s time to kick the cage door

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yourself. Whatever that big open sky looks like – whether it’s being an entrepreneur or taking a completely different career path – give yourself permission to be creative and not waste all your time hiding behind the fear of what others may think of you.

Now I know a little something about that fear. I’ve spent the majority of my colourful career worrying about people’s perceptions – real or imagined.

You see, I wasn’t that girl who went through high school knowing exactly what she wanted to do with her life. I wasn’t that girl who graduated from university with clear intentions about how she was going to put that fancy degree to good use. I wasn’t that girl who was happy to settle for one career for the rest of her life; in fact like my mother before me, I’ve lost count of all the different pathways I’ve walked. I’m like a freak’n firework – zip this way, zap that way, boom, clap, bright colourful sparks that may or may not go anywhere (ha!). Ideas and creativity have gotten me into some pretty interesting roles and experiences. I am an entrepreneur through and through. Now some may look down their noses at my colourful display of awesomeness, and others may take the opposite stance and be mildly impressed.

The point I really want to make today is this: WHO CARES what anyone thinks!!

You have one life – JUST ONE. There ain’t no time to be sitting around worrying about how living up to your full potential is going to look to nosey Nelly or boring Brad. (No offence to anyone with those names!)

Time to ask the question: What are you really worried about?

I’ve recently read a book by Gaye Hendricks titled The Big Leap. I highly recommend you read this book if you want to “conquer your hidden fear and take life to the next level”.

There was so much that impacted me in this book, but one standout takeaway I want to share with you is the concept around operating in your ‘Zone of Excellence’, versus your ‘Zone of Genius’.

In short, you may be really good at what you do – after all,

COLUMN | focus

you were probably paid a lot of money to be educated, trained and qualified in that thing, right? Your zone of excellence will make you feel accomplished, needed, and validated. You may even be a little bit comfortable. But it’s your zone of genius that will really light that fire in your thirsty soul. That’s the zone where your specific and customised giftings are fully realised, and you are able to offer the world a level of genius that no one else can.

YES YOU. Is it so hard to believe that YOU have a zone of genius?

Something only you can do in your own unique way? Unlike the zone of excellence, it’s often an uncomfortable place, or at least choosing to operate from that place for the first time can take a little courage. But once you activate and step fully into that zone of genius, you will never regret it and will experience a measure of passionate contentment only ever accessible when you discover and walk out your life’s purpose.

I’ve spent a bit of time coming to terms with the fact that this colourful square isn’t fitting into any boring circle.

And if I’m honest, I’m still working out what that looks like in my heart. But I can smell freedom, and I’m excited to be finally operating from my zone of genius. So what about you?

Some quick takeaway tips for you to nibble on: • Don’t be embarrassed – this is your one and only life. Refuse to waste time worrying about what other people may or may not be thinking.

• Open the cage door yourself – don’t sit around on your little perch waiting for someone to come and ‘free you’. FREE YOURSELF lady!

If you’re an entrepreneur – embrace it, celebrate it, hastag the authentic *** out of it, whatever you want to do, do it. Just don’t hide that light – the world needs you! Summer is a great time to be inspired, and get those creative juices flowing.

Accept that you have a zone of genius, then figure out what it is and have the courage to step into that thing. Read the book or listen to it on Audible while you’re walking around the Mount – you’ll LOVE it, but I highly recommend you take some tissues for leaky eyes and running noses. 

Rebecca Tereu is a business advisor, speaker, encourager and author Lifeandinsights.org facebook.com/LifeandInsights focusmagazine.co.nz

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focus | CREATIVITY

y in t i v i t a y e t n e l Cr P the Bay of

MOONE Singer, performer, songwriter, Moone, Marama Rice, was born and raised in Wellington but spent many school holidays with her grandparents who lived in the Bay of Plenty, so it was inevitable that after years in Australia she would eventually settle here. focus caught up with Moone to find out more.

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CREATIVITY | focus

My Nanny had incredible foresight and I believe she instilled in me a love for our Marae Tia and Tangata Whenua. She would quiz me on where I’d like to live and I would always say "the old place, nan" which is where I built my home and now live. It’s the same place where I had my first swimming lesson at three-years old – my papa threw me into the Kaituna River, the place where he and I would pick watercress from the creek and where I had my own vegetable patch when I was a kid. I have also buried my children’s pito on the land.

My whānau have been here for over 800 years in this sacred place, the place where I too belong and feel most at peace.

inspirational. She has dedicated her life to helping others and created a legacy that will continue to empower women.

Another dear cousin of mine, Pare Te Moni (nee Ronaki), who passed away recently has had a huge impact on my writing. One of my songs Broken was created because of her. Her love of life, marae, whānau and unconditional love, kindness and acceptance surpassed expectation. She supported and encouraged me with my music, she was proud and she cared. My partner has inspired me to go for my dreams and trust my instincts and I am so thankful to have such wonderful people in my life.

Is your family musical?

The Rice family had a travelling theatre in Australia in the early 1900s. My grandfather, Harry Rice, was born in 1898 and played the piano for the silent movies and was also a concert pianist. My aunty Josie was an opera singer and actress. Her last competitive aria was in Tauranga with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa when Dame Kiri was just starting her career.

My daughter, Jazz Ellington, is writing songs, singing, rapping and playing the piano and she has aspirations to study the arts at Victoria University. My son, Indie Coltrane, plays the piano and has the gift of listening to a song and then playing it.

Tell us about your music-making process?

I have a couple of different processes when writing. I can write a song in five minutes – this is my favourite as it flows really fast and is usually my best work. When I’m really emotional, like feeling sad, it’s another fast and furious process but can be painful. I can be driving along in the car and have to pull over to just write and get it out. It feels like someone outside of myself is telling me to hurry up and write it. Sometimes I go to a special place to write, like the beach, and the environment takes me to another place.

The melody nearly always comes first or when the words are coming. I always have my phone, so I frantically record to make sure I don’t forget or miss the moment.  moonemusic.com Image: dp photos

Did you always want to be a singer?

My debut performance was at five years old – my sister and I were travelling on a bus from Wellington to Te Puke. I sang to the passengers while my sister held out her hat collecting lollies. I remember the smiles and good feeling I received from the audience and knew then that I wanted to be a singer/ performer.

Many of your songs are about women standing up and reclaiming themselves. Why are you drawn to these themes?

I’m no spring chicken and I’ve had some tricky life experiences.

Most of my songs are either my own stories or very closely sourced observations. I want women to know that they are not alone, to know they are important and have a voice. As a woman, I have easily dismissed my own needs to fulfil others.

It’s a gift being a mother, wife, partner and friend, however, it’s most important to be me.

Do you write all your own songs and music?

Yes, my strength is in writing good melodies and I have the honour of working with fantastic musicians Silas Tawhara (drums), Josh Reha (bass), Jeff Baker (drums), Derrin Richards (guitar), Evan Pope (sound engineer) and, in particular, Phill Reha, who has inspired me from the beginning and brings colour and groove to the music.

Where do you get your inspiration from?

From people who have made an impact and amazed me with their struggles and determination to overcome them. My cousin, Eva McGauley, was diagnosed with terminal cancer at the age of 15. But watching her rise above this as well as working tirelessly to create a charity, Eva’s Wish, which raises funds to enable other women to seek help, is truly

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focus | RECIPES

DIY ice cream We’re in for a long hot summer here in the Bay and, whilst we are spoilt for choice with cafés and stores serving ice cream, there’s nothing like making your own, especially when they’re healthy.

Avocado and coconut ice cream Ingredients; • 2 large ripe avocados • 425g can full fat coconut milk • 1 tsp lemon zest • 3 Tbsp lemon juice • ¾ cup sugar • 4-5 mint leaves • pinch of salt

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Method: • Purée all ingredients in a blender until smooth.

• Place the mixture into a freezer-safe container and freeze until it has a firm consistency (approximately two hours).

• If you require a firmer texture, leave in the freezer for longer

RECIPES | focus

Ian Wright is the co-owner and brains behind Yo and Co (an innovative and independent ice cream and yoghurt space) and POLAR Dessert Bar (purveyors of cold plate ice cream, gelato and hot donuts) in Mount Maunganui.

Fro Yo Ice Pops Ingredients;

Method:

• 1 cup unsweetened natural or coconut yoghurt • 1 ripe banana • 1 tsp vanilla extract or paste • ¾ cup milk or dairy-free substitute • 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

• Blend all ingredients together in a food processor until all the blueberries are mashed up.

• Pour mixture into ice block moulds then freeze for approximately 30 minutes before inserting ice cream sticks.

• Continue to freeze for at least 8 hours, until completely solid

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focus | TRAVEL

a tramper’s must-do

Mount Taranaki in all its glory at the peak of summer

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TRAVEL | focus

Marvelling at the views from the summit

It may not be the tallest peak on the North Island, but it's arguably the most picturesque. Perfectly cone shaped and spreading out from the crater rim like a flawlessly laid out wedding skirt, it closely resembles the volcanic model I made for science class back in grade school. Fast-forward 30-odd years, I found myself at the foot of Mount Taranaki, getting excited to hike my science project.

Words & Images SUSAN CZYZO

I

t was a gorgeous summer weekend in early February and I knew I had struck it lucky with the weather. The climb to the summit can be done in a day – information centre to summit and back, in 8 to 10 hours. To get the most of my time on the mountain, and to theoretically ease myself into the climb, I chose to break it up into two days, staying overnight in a hut less than 2 hours in from the car park on the first day. This allowed me to start walking early, taking advantage of a crisp and clear morning.

A UNIQUE LOCATION Whether visiting or living in New Zealand, trampers can't help but place this dormant volcano on their climbing must-

do list. On a clear day, the views from the summit include the North Island's other famous peaks, Mount Ruapehu and Mount Ngauruhoe. On an ideal day, you can even wave to your South Island neighbours. Like any mountain though, Taranaki is not to be taken lightly, regardless of experience level. Snow sits on the mountain for most of the year, even into the summer months. The Department of Conservation will warn trampers to stay off the snow-covered portions unless they have (and know how to use!) crampons, ice axes, etc. With its proximity to the shoreline, it can almost be said that the mountain extends down to New Plymouth’s beaches. This coastal location, paired with the sudden changes that are so characteristic of alpine territory, catch many people off guard. Even during the summer, it’s safest to be prepared for anything. focusmagazine.co.nz

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focus | TRAVEL

HIKING TERRAIN The wonderful part about climbing Mount Taranaki is its varied terrain.

The track starts with a gravel road, and is followed by naturally formed steps. A scree wall, boulders requiring use of your hands, and possibly snow, finish things off. These sections are not physically marked but it’s not difficult to see where the terrain changes, offering a rough indication of progress to the summit.

PACKING THE ESSENTIALS Anyone planning to take on this hike is encouraged to wear hiking boots that sit above the ankles, and to add a pair of gaiters to their packing list – keeping rocks out of your boots is key for comfort! The entire hike is fully exposed to the elements, making sunscreen, a hat, and a windbreaker some of the other essential items for this track.

UP, UP AND ... UP To be completely honest, there actually isn't much 'easing into it' with this climb, as it's an uphill battle from start to finish. You don’t have to be a professional mountain climber to take on this track, but I do believe my fitness level helped. The toughest section of the track was the near-vertical wall of scree (read: loose rocks and pebbles).

‘One step forward, two steps back down’ was on repeat all the way up this section. Taking plenty of breaks, and staying focused on my goal of reaching the next section, went a long way to getting through this challenging terrain.

REACHING THE SUMMIT I was extremely lucky to climb on a clear and stable day, surrounded by 360° views and a temperature just shy of ‘too hot’. Conditions on the summit can vary and will determine how long you can stay to take in the views. Thanks to ideal conditions, I was able to take my time to admire my

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Celebrations atop Mount Taranaki where the snow was soft from the February sun

effort, re-fuel, and soak up every bit of the sprawling scenery. I even got the chance to watch the extents to which people will go for their perfect Instagram photo – I'm still confused about the suit-clad tramper who posed for photos with an ironing board he carried to the top. There wasn’t a dull moment on the summit that afternoon.

LETTING LOOSE As you can probably imagine, the walk down was also no piece of cake. Slow and steady was my strategy for the majority of the descent, helping me stay in control. This worked until I hit the scree portion, that is, where the best thing was to let loose and enjoy the ride. Part of the fun came from watching other climbers tackle the scree. Everyone’s technique was a bit different, with mine involving landing on my heels while slowly jogging down.

I definitely wished I had invested in a pair of gaiters!

By the time I reached the bottom, the muscles in my legs were giving off some hard to ignore pain signals, but I already knew that this adventure was going to be one of my favourites in New Zealand. Why? Because it required a full-on physical effort with arguably the best North Island views accompanying me the entire way up. I wish you the same luck and a similarly epic climb, muscle soreness included. 

Susan Czyzo is an outdoor adventurer, photographer and physiotherapist who lived in New Zealand for a few years, spending countless weeks exploring the many day and multi-day hikes on offer. Along with Mount Taranaki, Susan has hiked Cape Brett, the Routeburn Track, and Lake Waikaremoana, to name a few. When not in the mountains, you can find Susan in the ocean waiting for the perfect wave. bysusanczyzo.com @feelslikethirty

TRAVEL | focus

Into the clouds en route to the Tahurangi Lodge on day one

Focus too much on the physical challenges and you'll miss the varied terrain of the mountain

Trampers going at their own pace through the tough scree section of the climb

The uphill climb begins, just steps from the Tahurangi Lodge

Trampers staying low and using their hands to stay in control on the descent

Mount Ruapehu in the distance, from the Mount Taranaki summit focusmagazine.co.nz

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BUSINESS 56 KAREN HIND BRINGS VOYA TO NEW ZEALAND

60 WORKING WITH INFLUENCERS 62 CHLOE WRIGHT ON SUPPORTING KIWI FAMILIES

Plus INSPIRING CAREER CHANGES … AND MORE

focus | BUSINESS

Rebuilding life’s foundations What started as a post-uni holiday job at a provincial radio station in the late 80s turned into a 30-year career in commercial radio for Jana Rangooni, whose extensive leadership experience has made her a highly regarded figure in the broadcast industry. In August Jana won the Emerging Talent in Governance Award by the Institute of Directors, Bay of Plenty. It sounds like the perfect example of successful career development, but it didn’t mean Jana could sidestep a mid-life crisis in her late 40s. She talks to focus about chasing goals, building foundations and turning 50.

Words & Image MILLIE FREEMAN

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BUSINESS | focus

I

n 2016 Jana Rangooni finally made the big break, moving out of the day-to-day management of commercial radio and into a part-time role as CEO of the Radio Broadcasters Association (RBA) – the industry body. Last year she also moved out of Auckland and now has a home near the beach in Papamoa.

While she still spends Monday to Wednesday in Auckland for the RBA, she’s usually able to work the rest of the week from home.

With a key leadership role and a big commute, life already sounds busy, but the change in direction has enabled Jana to spend more time on her growing passion – governance.

“I had always been interested in business and thought organisations were primarily a product of the CEO, but then realised that boards have a huge influence because they set the tone and strategy of an organisation and will be the difference in whether the organisation is successful or not.

“I realised I wanted to be a director, having an impact where it matters most. Seeing strategies achieved and organisations achieving their goals is what I find most rewarding.”

MOVING UP, FALLING DOWN Before leaving her full-time role at Mediaworks and still deciding which path to take, Jana started on her governance journey by becoming a board member for the not-for-profit New Zealand Music Foundation.

She earned her first major directorship role in 2015, bringing her extensive commercial, marketing and media experience to the board of Paralympics NZ. Ultimately, her solid background in managing big organisations with big budgets led to her inclusion on finance and risk committees – something she never thought she would be offering, but, she says, stepping up your game is essential, and to be effective in governance you have to keep learning and growing and increasing your sphere of understanding.

Since then she has also become a board member for the Advertising Standards Authority, and is a member of Global Women. Winning the Emerging Talent award gives her the opportunity to develop her directorship skills by joining a local Bay of Plenty board for a year – a bit like an internship, as she calls it.

Just another directorship or two to fit into her already busy week! But Jana – the self-acclaimed ‘queen of planning’ – has already planned her hours well into next year; her Google Calendar a carefully constructed schedule of colour-coded blocks of time. Better time management was part of her late-40’s change in direction. To live the life she really wanted and reach the goals that actually mattered, she needed to become more disciplined, so as well as spreading her wings in the governance sphere, she focused on getting more sleep, more exercise and giving up coffee. She started building her life back up from the foundations.

Like so many other women, however, the looming 50th birthday prompted a stock take of what she had achieved in her life, and again, like many of us, she didn’t go easy on herself. The decision to leave commercial radio, to leave Auckland, her son, her friends and support networks, set Jana up for a massive crash.

“I didn’t have a problem being 50 but it was a real benchmark, and even though I had already started making a lot of changes, it was about turning 50 and feeling I hadn’t achieved anything.

“I gave myself a mental scorecard of where I was in my life and everything seemed to be ‘F’ – relationship, mental health, physical health, finances, friendships. It was a bunch of little things happening all at once and I completely fell apart.”

that hadn’t shifted. Once she finally realised that, she was back on track.

“I’ve got friends who never made 50 so I told myself to get off my arse and start living; laugh at the stuff that goes wrong, fix what you need to and be grateful for what you have.

Everything that I felt was wrong with my life was largely dealt with by me changing the way I looked at it.

“It starts by understanding your foundations, your values and what really matters to you and making sure everything you do lines up with that. I think people need to be more honest with themselves and responsible for their own wellbeing, because your own actions and attitude will often be what needs addressing most.”

Physical and mental health, family and friends, and personal growth are what Jana values highly. So to align with that she puts a priority on sleep and exercise, spends lots of time laughing with and feeding family and friends, challenges herself at work and gives back in her voluntary work.

She also assessed values against her governance work so she could pursue the opportunities that really mattered to her. “It makes life so much easier,” she says.

“The other thing that helps a lot is doing ten minutes meditation every day which reminds me to look at all the positives. Most of the things that cause stress and anxiety are thoughts and feelings, not facts, so mindfulness helps to keep things in perspective.”

As she continues to spur herself on to reach her goals, the solid wall of cookbooks in her living room is like a physical representation of the foundations of wellbeing she has set in place. Creating beautiful food for friends and family in her relaxed and welcoming home by the sea is one of her greatest joys, and she is now making enough time in her week to focus on those good things in life. 

ATTITUDE SHIFT From the changes Jana had already put in place, she was getting fitter and healthier, but it was her attitude focusmagazine.co.nz

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focus | BUSINESS

SKINCARE

FROM THE SEA how Karen Hind brought VOYA to New Zealand Until last year, Karen Hind from Omokoroa had never used any skincare products. She had tried many, but with such sensitive skin she would react to everything.

It’s no small irony then that Karen is now Managing Director of VOYA NZ, a luxury spa and skincare range from Ireland.

Words & Images MILLIE FREEMAN

B

efore finding VOYA, Karen found the only things that worked for her skin were water and, strangely enough, raw seaweed, which she discovered through her work as a management accountant. From a client who manufactures seaweed products for the agricultural industry, Karen learnt about the benefits of seaweed micronutrients in supporting and maintaining animal health. Why not try it on her own skin, she thought, as a cleanser. She liked the results and, importantly, didn’t have any reaction.

Of course, seaweed has long been regarded as a healthy essential food, but Karen was soon to discover its acclaimed status as an age-old skin tonic – we’d just never heard about it in this part of the world.

One day, flicking through a

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magazine, she noticed an ad for VOYA, promoting its certified organic seaweed-based skincare range.

Interest peaked, she contacted the company to get some samples sent over.

“I wanted to find out more because we didn’t have anything like this in New Zealand. I’m also a seabird, having spent all my life at the beach so the whole sea thing is a real passion.

Because of that I’ve spent a lot of time in salt water and to me, that’s the best facial cleanser you could ever have.”

What makes seaweed so beneficial for us? “No other known plant has a comparable quantity of minerals, vitamins and beneficial ingredients and in such high concentrations, so it’s the perfect solution for replenishing the body's minerals and protecting the skin.”

FROM PRODUCT SAMPLE TO BUSINESS PROPOSITION When VOYA told her they were looking for someone to distribute its products on this side of the world, she thought, well why not? She had already fallen in love with the products from the samples sent and says to this day she has never had any skin reaction.

For someone who had never had a facial before, let alone a spa treatment, Karen had a lot to learn. But all the ducks lined up – she was itching for a new seven-year challenge, she had the business nous, and was fuelled by her passion for this unique skincare range and the opportunity to bring it to New Zealand. As well, her husband Geoff, a teacher, was approaching April school holiday time, so after talking with

BUSINESS | focus

VOYA, they were en route to County Sligo on the west coast of Ireland.

Karen soon learnt that bathing in seaweed was a 300-year-old tradition, and bathhouses dotted Ireland’s wild Atlantic coast from the early 1900s until hurricanes eventually destroyed them. In 2000 the Walton family decided to reopen theirs, offering traditional seaweed baths to tourists.

Customers wanted to replicate the effects of the baths at home and VOYA took seed, creating the first genuinely certified organic seaweed-based skincare products in the world.

Karen and Geoff saw how the products are made and where the seaweed is harvested – a handful of expertly trained harvesters have 2-3 hours at low tide to hand-pick the four varieties that contain the beneficial micronutrients. Sustainability is paramount and the seaweed taken is regenerated 8-12 months later – more than enough to sustain the vast seaweed-laden beach. They also enjoyed an iconic seaweed bath.

“That was amazing. Seaweed contains all these oils and gels which come out in the water, and you just want to keep rubbing them on your skin, because they feel so wonderful.”

For customers in other parts of the world who want the bathing experience, the seaweed goes through a natural drying process, so when we put it in the bath, it expands and feels just like the traditional baths in Ireland, Karen says.

The VOYA range also includes exquisite facial serums, cleansers and moisturisers, body lotions and oils, hand and hair care products, as well as candles, diffusers and herbal teas.

Karen already knew a lot about certification from her accountancy work with clients so was able to verify VOYA products were certified organic and used high quantities of seaweed.

“By the end of our two-day visit I was convinced that this was the genuine thing.”

EXPANDING OPPORTUNITIES Since April last year Karen has been Managing Director of VOYA NZ, responsible for developing business and distributing VOYA into the South Pacific.

While the full product range is available for online purchase to individuals, experiential spa treatments are the core VOYA business, with products being used in exclusive spa studios by VOYAtrained therapists. Currently only a few high-end spas in Auckland, Northland, Queenstown and Christchurch offer the VOYA experience, and Karen has started investigating opportunities in Australia.

She’s also finally had a few facials and can see why women rave!

“It’s been a really interesting and exciting journey so far. It’s taken me to some amazing places and I’ve met some neat people. I’ve had to start with a complete blank canvas, and learn a whole new subject area, but I like challenges and it’s good for the body, mind and soul to keep those challenges going.

“The skincare market is very cluttered in New Zealand so I wouldn’t bring in another product unless there was something unique about it, and I genuinely believe this product is unique.”

Another benefit of VOYA she

is passionate about is the growing evidence showing the skin healing benefits of seaweed for cancer patients going through chemotherapy. Next year she will offer an education programme for VOYA therapists, run by Christine Clinton from Christine Clinton Cancer Care™ in the US, in the use of safe spa treatments and protocols for cancer clients.

“Many clients with cancer around the world are refused spa treatments because therapists don’t have the knowledge to treat their clients safely, which I think is really degrading. The other issue is that people going through cancer are concerned about what chemicals they are putting on their skin, so it’s fantastic that Christine Clinton has endorsed VOYA products as being safe to use.”

While Karen is enjoying the challenge of a new business, her accountancy consultancy work continues to fill most of the week and she says without that business knowledge she may not have had the confidence to take on the VOYA opportunity. It makes for a busy week though – accounting by day and VOYA by night – but she enjoys the time she spends in both occupations and has no plans to go full time with VOYA yet.

However with a launch into the “huge” Australian market, she concedes she may have to make some decisions a year or two down the track.

Another idea on her radar is a dream to establish a VOYA spa here in the Bay, something she would love to see in this area … looks like that seven-year challenge cycle may have fast-forwarded a few years! 

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focus | BUSINESS

STRIDING OUT VICKI SCOTT Photo by Charmaine Marinkovich Photography

Defence lawyer

Owner of Crimson Organic Tampons crimsonorganic.co.nz What were you doing?

I was a criminal defence lawyer specialising in representing young people aged 13-17 years.

What are you doing now?

I am the founder and owner of Crimson Organic Tampons based in Mount Maunganui. Via our website we sell certified organic cotton tampons which are the safest tampon available. To make women’s lives easier we offer a subscription delivery service so that women only need to sign up once and then tampons are automatically delivered each month. Our tampons are made in Europe, under our own label, using ethically sourced organic cotton from Turkey, and are certified organic independently. Turkey produces the longest cotton fibres which reduce shedding and lower the microbial infection risk, meaning we can make a much safer tampon. Many of our customers suffer from endometriosis and they know our tampons contain no toxins, plastic, synthetics, chemicals, or perfumes (hypoallergenic).

What do you love about your work?

Donating tampons to women in need.

We give one for one, so for every order placed we donate a box of tampons.

Our recipients include Auckland City Mission, Te Tuinga Whānau Tauranga, and the Nawaka Village medical centre and school in Fiji. Access to period care is a fundamental human right – no

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woman should have to choose between food for her family and period products, and no girl should have to stay at home from school because she does not have access to period products. From my experience as a young person’s lawyer I am aware there are many barriers for at-risk teenage girls to attend school.

Many of them don't go to school when they get their period. Some might be lucky if there is soap and toilet paper in their homes, let alone menstrual products. Research shows there is a direct link between missing school and juvenile criminal offending. Working with these young women and seeing their potential often go unrealised through dropping out of education was one of the reasons that motivated me to start Crimson. We have to try to level the playing field for them.

I also love receiving emails from women who tell me our organic cotton tampons have reduced their cramping and irritation. Endometriosis sufferers endure so much pain and I have the utmost respect and empathy for them. We do need to talk more about endometriosis to raise awareness of this debilitating condition.

What did you have to do to make the change?

Upskill on IT, learn about social media marketing, carry out extensive due diligence and industry-specific research, travel to Europe to visit the factory, and basically lots of after-hours

work. I talked to lots of women and business people about my business concept and their responses gave me the confidence to proceed. I also employed a housekeeper (life-changing) and asked the family to pick up some of the domestic jobs. The emotional and practical support of my family, particularly my husband and parents, was crucial to me starting the business.

How hard was it to make the leap?

It was really hard to let go of the comfort zone I was in and take a risk with something new when I didn’t know if it would be successful. I was scared of failing, but I realised I had to take the leap and hope the net would appear, otherwise I would always be thinking “what if?” I didn’t want to look back in ten years’ time and regret not being brave enough to do it.

What challenges have you faced?

Like all working mothers – the constant juggle. And prioritising self-care and staying connected to friends. The TO DO list always beckons and seems endless.

What would you say to other women thinking of making a change?

If you’re not happy in your day job or you feel a calling to do something else, those feelings will not go away. Better to chalk a failure up to experience than regret a missed opportunity. Fortune favours the brave.

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decisions I have ever faced and probably will ever face. At the time I was planning a wedding and had just purchased a home. My daughter attends a private school so there were her fees, and I also had two step children and my then partner to consider. However 18 months years later everything has worked out.

HANNAH HARWOOD instagram.com/doughgarden facebook.com/doughgarden

What were you doing?

I was working a typical 9-5 job at a prominent investment banking company and prior to that held various positions for large companies in sales management. I was also studying law part time.

What are you doing now?

I started making vegan donuts purely by accident. I’m from Canada and grew up with a strong Canadian influence thanks to my mother who is amazing in the kitchen. She would whip up pumpkin, cherry and apple pies, donuts, cinnamon rolls and all sorts of wonderful baked goods – she set a high standard. When I became unwell and had to leave my job, I had time to reflect and also reconnect with the kitchen.

I was following a strict plant-based diet and had a huge turnaround in my health. Of course, during that time, I needed some treats so started experimenting with making 100% plant-based donuts. They turned out to be a hit and the rest is history – Dough Garden was born.

Investment banking

Owner of Dough Garden What do you love about your work?

I love the looks of pure bliss when people take that first bite into my donuts. The enthusiasm is wonderful and I love that a 100% plant-based product gets the tick of approval, by even the most carnivorous men.

Healthwise, I still need to be careful not to overdo it and Dough Garden allows me to work as much or as little as I need to – my stockists and customers are very understanding.

What did you have to do to make the change?

It took severe burnout to force me to reflect on my wellbeing, my future and my daughter’s future. I hadn’t had proper annual leave for three years and during that time changed roles, in addition to taking over the role of my previous manager, who had also experienced burnout months earlier. Seeing him so happy, healthy and thriving gave me that final push to make a change.

What challenges have you faced?

Being an A type personality I tend to go 100% at everything and then have the tendency to crash and burn. There was a time when Dough Garden literally blew up before me and I was given the chance to launch big time by a kind investor – dozens of outlets around the country wanted to stock my product and I was literally inundated. I could feel the wheels falling off again and took off to Canada so I could reflect on the situation. I realised while all this was a dream come true, I needed to pace myself and learn to manage my A type personality as things were going from 0-100 at an alarming rate. It’s been the biggest challenge, but also the most rewarding.

What would you say to other women thinking of making the change?

I totally get the belief of the need for a full-time 9-5 job, especially when we have mortgages and other financial responsibilities anchoring us to stay in these often toxic environments.

If you look around, you will find there are always answers and alternatives to everything. Just reach out. Tap into the many resources and free training out there for financial advice, business mentorship, life coaching. Learn mindfulness. Reconnect with nature. Your health and wellbeing and time with your family are paramount. Often when we take a step back and simplify our lives we actually experience the true beauty of life.

“Embrace Uncertainty. Some of the most beautiful chapters of our lives won’t have a title until much later.”

Bob Goff 

How hard was it to make the leap?

It was so very hard – one of the hardest focusmagazine.co.nz

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Social stars know better

WORKING WITH INFLUENCERS As people are losing their trust in online advertising, they are turning their attention towards influencers – self-made celebs and experts who have, in the past few years, become a powerful tool for marketers. Here’s how this new community can drive your brand into a brighter future with just one post.

HOW TRADITIONAL ONLINE ADVERTISING LOST THE BATTLE Nowadays brands have access to more data about their audience than they could ever dream of – demographics, lifestyle choices, preferences, professional ambitions. Everything is available with just one click. Did you know that websites can even identify at what time of day we are most likely to buy?

So how come, with all this data, traditional ways of advertising aren’t working anymore? Quite simply, Google may have done an incredible job advertising a ‘jandals clearance sale’ at the exact time your previous pair fell apart, but this left millennials annoyed and older users creeped out by the specificity of what was being shown to them.

Influencers are a whole different story. They are normal people, like you and me; not a powerful omniscient machine. They have their own opinions, problems and solutions. They are authentic. And they work hard to grow

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their audience and will, therefore, never risk losing its trust and engagement by promoting something they don’t genuinely believe in. In other words, influencers are reliable both from a consumer and brand perspective.

PICK THE RIGHT INFLUENCER To reach specific goals, an influencer marketing campaign should be properly targeted. And while it’s tempting to use the most obvious metric – the number of followers – when it comes to collaborating with opinion makers, you should be digging deeper.

Relevance. Staying within your niche is the cornerstone of a successful campaign. No matter how gorgeous the pics of a foodie influencer, promoting your new sneakers on this feed might not be the most effective idea. Whereas organic cereal, snapped by the same home cook, will most likely be sold out in a day.

Engagement. Do followers comment and like the influencer’s

posts? If they are indifferent to what the influencer has to say, why would they care about your product that appears on their feed? With the Instagram algorithm changing often, it’s hard to pinpoint the exact ‘good engagement rate’, but on average the number sits between 2% and 6.5%.

Frequency. Influencers with regular updates have a higher rate of involved readers who return on a daily basis, save useful information and even make the effort to proceed to the bio and actually click the link in it – it’s a great result in the era of fast consumption and automatic scrolling!

SO, WHAT SHOULD WE DO NOW? There are endless ways to create effective and engaging campaigns with influencers. Here are some time-tested options: Gifts. The most obvious way to get your brand exposed to new potential customers is to send your products (or gift voucher for services)

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to a local influencer, whose aesthetics complement your brand. The downside?

Unlike a paid promotion, gifting doesn’t guarantee exposure – it is just an invitation and the decision to share your product with their followers remains completely with the influencer, unless of course, you’ve made a prior arrangement with them.

Sponsored posts. Arguably the best way to reach out to a new audience via influencers. Not only are you guaranteed to spot a beautiful pic of your product on Instagram feed, you’re also able to list key points about your brand that will be mentioned in the caption. But keep in mind that losing an influencer’s own authentic voice with too many instructions won’t do your brand’s image any good. This type of relationship requires an influencer to add #Sponsored or #Ad to the post.

Giveaways. A mutually beneficial collaboration – you are spreading the word about your brand while the influencer grows their audience by offering free goodies to subscribers. To succeed with this, make sure the prize

is of great value – you’ll be surprised how spoiled the social media audience is nowadays! Another useful tip: do not overcomplicate the rules. Low-effort giveaways get more entries and, as a result, bigger exposure.

Experiences. The most time- and money-consuming project, which, if done right, results in you enjoying a life-long vacation while your business keeps growing and prospering (ok, maybe a little less than that, but you see the scale). Experiences get several influencers together and make them do the coolest things which they are then happy to share with their followers. Like a ‘girls only’ bootcamp, organised by an activewear brand, or a trip to the South Island where the lavender for your perfume grows, or how about testing your amazing new waterproof iPhone cases on an extreme whitewater rafting tour? With so many collaborations on offer to influencers these days, the more unusual your idea, the more chance of being featured not once, but many, many times! 

IN 2017: 78%

OF BRANDS IMPLEMENTED INFLUENCER MARKETING CAMPAIGNS

1.5 MILLION POSTS WERE TAGGED WITH #AD

$1

SPENT ON INFLUENCER MARKETING BROUGHT APPROX

$6.50 IN PROFIT

Influencer marketing worldwide - Google

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Journey to birth SUPPORTING KIWI FAMILIES AT BETHLEHEM BIRTHING CENTRE Chloe Wright is CEO of Birthing Centre, which opened Bethlehem Birthing Centre in Tauranga in 2014, followed by centres in Palmerston North and Lower Hutt. A fourth birthing centre is due to open in South Auckland early 2019. Chloe is also CEO of the Wright Family Foundation, which owns and supports Birthing Centre and is dedicated to growing the good in New Zealand through education and health initiatives.

Here, Chloe shares her personal story of her birthing journey, and how these experiences inspired her work supporting Kiwi families.

Words CHLOE WRIGHT Images SUPPLIED

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W

ill I ever forget the shock of labour; the nursing sister hissing “don’t touch doctors’ hands!” Pinned to the delivery table, a terrifying journey into motherhood.

Then came the silent tears, one month off turning 19, wondering if I would ever be able to run, play tennis, and dance again. It was only one episiotomy stitch, but I felt ‘stitched up’.

Greeting our newborn (10lb6oz) son, washed, swaddled and handed to me like a plain brown paper wrapped package, I instantly loved him with the intensity that only a mother would understand, but I thought “I will never do this again”. Five years later, telling myself “it is only one day, then you will have the most amazing gift of a child”, I ventured forth with my next pregnancy and the next. Two more boys, excruciating back pain, stirrups, masked doctor, and on my back like an upturned centipede. My positioning was dictated by the delivery table and the brightness of the overhead surgical lights. But the care and support I received while resting in hospital for 10 days after my second birth, then eight days after my third, prepared me for the rigours of each new baby. Two more babies followed, with, by now, six days afterwards in hospital, and did I need them with other children at home!

Until my daughters-in law began having babies, I was unaware of the sweeping changes to women’s birthing experiences. Now we had midwives, women-centred professionals who supported and made the journey of pregnancy and birth a place where pregnant women could speak of their hopes and fears, and feel the love and commitment to their needs. But, where was the needed rest, nurturing, breastfeeding support, educating of parents in how to care for their baby, and respect for the time of attachment?

Women were sometimes being sent home within hours of giving birth.

I began collecting stories. The common thread from older mothers was the memory of the nurturing postnatal care and attention, but the lack of empowerment with the birthing experience.

Women can do anything, but not all

at the same time. I began to look at the rates of post-natal depression and the horrific incidence of maternal suicide.

There had to be a correlation between this and many women’s sense of isolation, feelings of inadequacy, and a system that told women, basically, to get on with it. Women need choices, and the current system is failing many.

We need to recognise that if we don’t fully support those who nurture new life, there will be a continuing spiral of maternal mental health issues derailing the chances of many children achieving the healthy and happy upbringing they have a right to.

Birthing Centre was born out of a commitment to advocate for women’s choices, honour women’s birthing experiences, and help to create the strong bonds to develop beautiful family relationships.

The care we offer at Birthing Centre is what research demonstrates builds the bonding and attachment between mother and baby in the first few days, and prevents the baby being shaken or harmed. The nature of the bonding between the mother and the infant influences childhood neurodevelopment. Maternal nurturing and attention during the first post-natal year appears to be critical for optimal infant brain development.

As I attended my own daughter’s birthing experience I marvelled at how far we had come with the care for women by midwives, but was saddened by how much had been lost for women and babies who were not provided with the vital post-natal support due to them. Women have a right to remain in post-natal care for 44 hours after birth if they do not feel competent and confident.

As I gather my large extended family around me I am grateful for the love and support of my husband, the joy I find in my family, and the energy I get from providing all I am able as I advocate for best outcomes for the women of New Zealand. 

Watch the Wright Family Foundation’s Love Grows Brains clips at WrightFamilyFoundation.org.nz focusmagazine.co.nz

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HELEN MASON’S CARE FOR THE COMMUNITY Words KINSA HAYS Images SUPPLIED

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“I’m proud of being a nurse and a midwife and my greatest achievement is my son,” says Helen Mason, the woman in charge of an $800 million budget for health funding.

She’s Chief Executive of the Bay of Plenty District Health Board (BoP DHB) with a staff of 3,300 and the state of the community’s health in her tender care. And tender it is. Her first and foremost value is compassion: for the sick and ageing; for family and whānau, and for her staff.

“CARE is the acronym for how we run our hospital and services,” Helen explains. “That stands for Compassion, All One Team, Responsive, Excellence.”

And BoP DHB is clearly heading in the right direction, with five out of six Health Targets achieved in the last six months, a considerable improvement from two years back. Health Targets are one means by which the Ministry of Health gauges the performance of its District Health Boards, who report on them quarterly.

And yes, the results are made public.

Success sits lightly on Helen; she’s slender and articulate, with a truck driver’s handshake. In her mid-50s, she’s been CE for a few years now, working her way up the ranks over the past 20 years with BoP DHB. Born in Ireland, Helen and her two sisters were raised single-handed by their mother. A nurse, too, she worked mostly in Zimbabwe, caring mainly for high-need indigenous patients.

“I’m from a long line of nurses,” Helen confirms. “Both my sisters started their careers as nurses and Mom was our inspiration. I’d go into town with her on a Saturday when I was little, or she’d pick me up from school or ballet on her Wednesday half-day, still in her uniform.

“As we walked down the street the people she’d helped would come up to say hello or thank you, or update her on a family member. It was my mother’s great professional skill and compassionate involvement in the community that made me want to make a difference like that.”

That’s what drives Helen.

“About half of our budget goes on running our hospitals, Tauranga and

Whakatāne. But the District Health Board is broader than that, and also In the 1920s, wealthy American funds a wide range of community and philanthropist Anna Harkness set up primary providers: the Commonwealth Fund to perform GPs, pharmacies, a similar function to the Rhodes labs, kaupapa, rest scholarship, a reciprocal arrangement homes, mental for those working in a social conscience health units and context – numbering journalists, lawyers dental and hospice services. and health professionals among its “We need recipients. strong hospitals, but what we’re working hard on is keeping our community well by finding out what key support is pay for nurses that recognises their needed. We want to achieve enhanced skill and experience, and improved residential care so the elderly don’t end working conditions. I respect the up coming to hospital in an ambulance right of workers and the union to take at midnight.” industrial action.”

She leans forward.

Helen Mason likes to push herself “I have an appetite for change. The physically and mentally. She was DHB has an appetite for change. Our recently in the UK for a conference and staff support the need for change, made time to visit her son Mungo who which is largely driven by our teams; by plays professional rugby in Scotland. nurses in particular. But we must make The two of them tested the Edinburgh sure that nobody is left high and dry by Festival ferris wheel, 44m high, in high change.” winds and self-rotating.

Reworking the culture of the Then off to family connections in organisation came first.

Ireland, a local girl again in Kilrush, a “Research in the UK showed that village on the west coast. better communication equals better “The heat wave was over and it was care. When staff were 5% more good Irish weather,” Helen smiles. “I engaged and liking their work, the walked along the cliffs in the driving mortality rate dropped by 3%.” wind and rain. Great stuff. Next stop She laughs.

America! Pushing against that wind, “If you had a pill to do that you’d at one with nature, fully alive and patent it and make a fortune. We invigorated.” engaged our staff differently, using the Pushing herself at work, too.

CARE values, for colleagues and work, Stepping outside of boundaries to expecting it to be returned.” a place of empowerment. In 2014It was. The kindness of the staff 15 Helen was awarded a Harkness to patients is recorded on the walls as Scholarship, attending a London you walk in – not the clinical outcomes, conference to share with Harkness but the kindness, to make compassion Fellows from the last 20 years the visible. effectiveness of research and policies.

The nurses’ strike was a difficult “An impressive group,” Helen time. How did negotiations affect admits. “I was also on two panels. I Helen’s relationship with her nurses? shared my passion and research on “It was a long process, and aged patient care and told them about professional throughout. Everyone Red Chairs and Let’s Get Moving.” involved worked hard for a good Red Chairs? resolution. We were all focused “That’s about seeing things from on the same outcome: appropriate a patient’s point of view. You’re focusmagazine.co.nz

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admitted, put in a hospital gown and into bed in a busy room with no windows, surrounded by strangers mostly over 80. You wait up to 48 hours to see a specialist. You’re immobilised, confused, after living independently at home. You’d not be your usual self, would you? How then do you present that to a specialist? He’d see you out of context.”

That certainly made sense.

“So we changed the name to Assessment Planning Unit. Took out some beds and replaced them with red Laz-Y-Boys. And now you stay in your own clothes, your usual self. The senior doctor can make a better diagnosis in that context.”

She’s thoughtful, and adds, “In reality, it’s best not to be in hospital at all. Once you’re in, it can be hard to get out.”

Common sense! And Let’s Get Moving?

“That was an effort to experience the mindset of patients, to generate conversations with them. Technical excellence with brusqueness is not enough. Our staff were asked to come to work in their pyjamas, and around 50 agreed.”

A pyjama party? Did it work?

“It was harder to do their usual work. When you’re in pyjamas you’re not supposed to be efficient and recording things. You should be on the sofa watching Netflix.”

Asked by some Harkness fellows if she’d written a paper on it, she told them, “The team just did it.”

Later, reflecting on her career, she tells me, “I’ve been lucky in that others saw a kernel of something in me and helped when I needed help. When Max and I were in Scotland where he did his MBA, he suggested I did one, too. I also was given a foot in the door as a health care assistant when we came to New Zealand.”

(Max, to whom she’s been married for 28 years, is TCC City Councillor Max Mason.)

“I’ve had incredible support and guidance from Phil Cammish, past CE of BoP DHB, Sally Webb, our Chair, and many others. And I knew what I didn’t want to be like, trying to get through an agenda instead of allowing time to

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listen to what people think.”

Listening to good advice, too. A friend, Derek Feeley, reassured her.

“Don’t try to be something you’re not, Helen. If you’ve a gap in policy development, say, think what you’ve got in strategic planning and contracts.”

A long time back, worried whether she’d be taken seriously enough, another mentor suggested it was in her head and to ‘get over yourself.’

Permission to stop worrying about people’s responses, and to know instead, “I’m here, I belong,” and to put herself forward instead of waiting to be asked.

So what good advice has she got for other women in a position of such responsibility?

Here’s Helen’s tips: • Build a great network of family and friends around you.

• Resist the temptation to be all things to all, wanting to please. Find the fortitude to say no.

• Being successful is finding time for what’s most important.

• For men as well as women, get the work/life balance right. You can’t keep spending massive hours at work.

• Exercise is important. I do yoga and run.

• Like the Harvard Business Review advises, be intentional or mindful about developing good habits. Leave your desk clear.

• At the end of the day, do two easy tasks so you go home with a sense of satisfaction, even if that big job is still unfinished.

One more thing she’s proud of?

“BoP DHB has a Clinical School and it’s developed and grown so well since it was launched in 2007 that Auckland University’s School of Medicine has awarded us clinical campus status.”

That’s big, but only the latest achievement. As this hardworking and dedicated CE Helen herself says, she’s still a work in progress, still going strong. How fortunate for the community that Helen Mason chose to live here in the Bay of Plenty and use that kindness, compassion and drive for our continuing health and wellbeing. 

The Bay of Plenty Clinical School was established by the District Health Board in 2007 to develop training and research initiatives that would attract healthcare students and encourage them to return as employees once qualified. Since that time the School has supported the clinical training of some 480 undergraduate medical, nursing and allied health students per year at Tauranga Hospital, Whakatāne Hospital and in general practices in the Bay. These students came from a wide range of national and international tertiary institutions.

Kinsa writes for children, particularly environmental stories in the Magical Realism genre. She has also won awards for her short stories and poems for adults. She contributed to a community book The People’s History of the Bay of Plenty in writing, editing and collating stories the public sent in.

Recently she created a website for her writing and her art and can be found at kinsahays.com

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KATE RIGG COMPANY: Mediaworks Coromandel and Tauranga POSITION: Regional GM Coromandel and Tauranga I’ve worked in various roles at Mediaworks for the past 28 years; the last four years as GM for Coromandel and for the past year as GM for Coromandel and Tauranga.

Mediaworks is a multi-platform media company spanning radio, digital, TV and radio. We provide the eyes and ears that people need to get their daily dose of information and entertainment and for businesses to profile themselves to get customers. We love being local and are extremely proud of our local teams and the fact we walk the talk in our communities.

I believe successful businesses build successful communities!

What would you study if time and money allowed?

Law and Te Reo Māori. I’ve always believed the easiest way to learn languages is total immersion and I would love that opportunity with Te Reo. I’ve always been fascinated by the law and, while I have studied aspects of it when I trained and worked as a journalist, I would love to again have the time to do more.

Who has been an inspiration to you at any point in your life?

Joan Withers – she was my GM when I worked as Marketing Manager and Breakfast Show producer at i98FM in Auckland early in my career. Joan is someone who exudes integrity, values,

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work ethic and has incredible ability but she was also a fun person with a sense of humour. I will never forget my time working with her and the things she instilled in me.

Who would make an interesting dinner guest?

Quincy Jones – I am a huge music fan and, over the years, have admired his work with pop artists. I only found out recently that he has a huge composing background and, since the 1950s, has worked across so many genres.

I can highly recommend the Quincy documentary on Netflicks! Also Stevie Nicks and Marianne Faithful – two amazing women who’d have the best Rock ‘n Roll stories!

Where would you love to visit one day?

Scotland – I have a lot of Scottish heritage that I am keen to learn more about.

What’s the most pressing issue facing the Bay of Plenty?

Infrastructure – the region is growing at a fast rate of knots and the infrastructure isn’t keeping up. We are the best region in the country for so many great things but if we don’t have the infrastructure to match our amazing growth, then it will negatively affect us.

What’s the most pressing issue facing humanity?

Poverty, conflict and climate change. 