Life should always be an adventure

scout groups have been so successful in recent times and it was a sad day for Bronwyn Colman and Trish Anderson when they closed the doors of the scout hall in Atkinson Road.

In its heyday the Titirangi Air Scouts had more than 40 cubs (now down to five) and up to 25 scouts (now about 13) but numbers have been falling in recent years and with difficulties finding volunteers to help run it, Bronwyn and Trish thought it was time to put the group into recess.

“Scouting is such a wonderful thing to do and we had so much fun,” says Bronwyn of her 52 years with the group. “We taught important life, outdoor, first aid, rope and survival skills. We taught the young people how to take care of themselves, look after their health and how to cook,” she says.

There were hiking, camping and orienteering trips and visits to islands like Waiheke and Kawau and they took pride in community service such as beach cleanups. And high on the learning scale was teamwork, camaraderie and friendship.

Trish has been with the group for 46 years, volunteering alongside Bronwyn to plan, organise and lead events. Bronwyn’s two adult children, Wayne and Sarah also contributed, putting in 25 and 22 years respectively. Other long-time leaders were Phil Freeman (30 years) and Laingholm fire fighter, Arie Litherland (eight years).

Over the years life within scouts changed according to Trish and Bronwyn. Health and safety regulations and police vetting made things harder, volunteer numbers dwindled as life took on a busyness never known before and young people took an increasing interest in computers, sports and school and community events.

It was time for Bronwyn and Trish to call it a day ... and what a great last day for the group it was.

Continued on page 14 >> Scouting is one of life’s great adventures and the New Lynn Sea Scout Group is committed to exploring the adventure playground that the West provides.

While the underlying aim of scouting is all about the personal and life skill development of its members, the foremost thought for the youth (and the big kids who take on the opportunity to become leaders) is usually about all the new experiences, the fun and the challenges that playing in the outdoors brings.

For the New Lynn group, a typical programme will encompass both land-based activities such as tramping, camping, rock climbing, caving, and pioneering as well as water-based activities. Swimming, rafting, rowing, canoeing and sailing are all available as is canyoning (when the opportunity presents itself) which brings both land and water together.

These experiences are often capped off with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity such as the National Scout Jamboree, held over last New Year at Mystery Creek. About 4,000 Scouts from New Zealand and further afield came together for a 10-day camp to explore other cultures and live with others from different backgrounds while trying new challenges.

One would think that a 10-day camp would be enough adventure for some, but no sooner had the New Lynn scouts returned from Jamboree than some headed off for a week canoeing down the Whanganui River while others headed for a five-day sail around the Hauraki Gulf camping on various islands. It is with these sea-based expeditions that the benefits of scouting are so easily seen as these are not activities that are simply laid on for the scouts. Rather, they have learned the technical skills to sail and navigate, plan and execute their own adventure.

For this coming year, a key focus for the older sections will be the opportunity to test their skills against their peers at the National Scout Regatta to be held in Picton next Christmas. For some it will be just about the journey and the experience while for others the drive is to recapture the national title after coming second in Wellington two years ago. (New Lynn had won the three previous triennial events.)

However, not all local A senior member of New Lynn Sea Scouts takes some of the younger members in tow.

Senior members of New Lynn Sea Scouts awaiting the race countdown for the Auckland Anniversary Day Regatta on the Hauraki Gulf. The Titirangi scout hall at the top of Atkinson Road. The group is in recess.

Your Local MPs

Hon Carmel Sepuloni MP for Kelston Dr Deborah Russell MP for New Lynn

Kelston Electorate Office 200C West Coast Road, Glen Eden 09 818 4131 kelston.eo@parliament.govt.nz New Lynn Electorate Office 1885 Great North Rd, Avondale 09 820 6245 newlynnmp@parliament.govt.nz

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It is not news to friends and colleagues that I have never been a fan of the amalgamated Auckland Council. It’s not personal; it’s too big and tends to blur local character and differences. The hierarchy of central council, local boards and CCOs is complex and fraught with very wellpublicised problems. (For sound sense on all this read everything that Simon Wilson writes for the Herald). However, over the 10 years of this regional monolith’s existence, I have learned where the gold is. The local boards have elected members who are passionate about their area; who know it’s geography and culture intimately and fight the good fight year after year. What’s more, they are a conduit for us, their constituents, to talk to them about the things that matter – the good and the bad. Did you know that monthly board meetings are open to the public and that you can take your issues to the open forum at the beginning of each meeting? It’s a five-minute chance for you to have your say. It should not be just for grizzlers; these tireless people need to hear your thanks and appreciation as well.

The three western boards (Whau, Waitâkere Ranges and Henderson/ Massey) have a great track record in supporting the arts. Waitâkere Ranges Local Board has a real understanding of, and support for, the arts and heritage precinct of Titirangi and the festivals that are focused there – and for the wider area.

Whau Local Board has had an arts broker, Melissa Laing, for some years now – with stunning results. Just that grass-roots supply of connections and funding has provided life blood to the amazing creative talent in the area.

Now Henderson/Massey Local Board is funding a part-time arts broker contract with Renee Tanner, whose role is to work with local artists and creative organisations to facilitate the development and delivery of their creative ideas and projects, whether this be assisting with funding, marketing, or helping to find the right location or people to work with. Over 25 years she has worked as a curator, public programmes coordinator, marketing manager, arts advisor and sponsorship manager across many genres including the visual arts, theatre, dance, music, festivals and events. Renee has been the event manager for Open Studios Waitakere since 2015 and will be looking to deliver this again in 2020. Renee is interested in hearing from you and learning about your creative projects, even if they are just an “idea”. It could be dance, film, craft, visual arts, music, kapa-haka, spoken word, digital arts, a publication, a performance or an exhibition. For further details, and inspiration, go to www.creativehendersonmassey.org.nz.

Another festival generously supported by the Waitâkere Ranges Local Board, the Going West Writers Festival, hits its 25th anniversary this year. New producer, local James Littlewood, takes the reins for this celebratory year – a time to reflect on what has been achieved and some serious pondering on what the future holds. We know what we do well for both our Aotearoa writers and our loyal and growing audiences – and that will not change – but we live in an increasingly digital world. Do we dance with it or fight it? A question that James is tangling with as I write.

Like so many creatives who work in the world of the arts, James’ professional story is one of some range and diversity. In what he refers to as ‘right back in the dark ages’, (i.e. the ’90s) he worked in theatre, doing everything from technical design and operation up to directing and producing, including a stint at the Sydney Opera House. He was also a feature writer for Pavement magazine and a theatre critic. Following years saw a decade of design research for clients in corporate, government and NGO sectors and a time as video producer and content strategist at Zoomslide. The last few years have seen James lecturing at Manukau Institute of Technology; editor at The Big Idea; video producer (including one about kauri dieback https://www.rnz.co.nz/news/ the-wireless/375277/wireless-docs-the-forest-of-tiriwa); and regular contributor to https://nzplaces.nz/ – a site for creative writing about places in New Zealand.

James has been a trustee on the Going West Trust for several years and both Associate Director and Poetry Slam producer in that time. As he takes leave to produce Going West this year the trust has confidence that he knows the event thoroughly but has the confidence to take it into new territory. James writes: Building the love for reading and writing in Aotearoa seems fundamental to what we do. This idea becomes still more powerful when we consider what it might mean beyond the realm of the written word. For instance, if we acknowledge that te reo Māori is grounded not in writing, but in oral traditions, then we may also apply ‘reading and writing’ to performative and other non textual narratives, such as oratory, performance, and so on. James Littlewood: confidence to take Going West into new territory.

Another small gem in the monolith of the Auckland Council is Panuku Holdings – or at least the branch of it that is developing Henderson. As a trustee of the Corban Estate Arts Centre (CEAC), I am seriously impressed with their connection to the community and their support for cultural life as a cornerstone for the wider development of Henderson. For CEAC this means a beautiful arts-led design for a footbridge over Henderson Valley Road onto the estate – creating accessibility by public transport from all over Auckland. But more than

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that, there is an open conversation and support for what CEAC will mean for a town centre with many more thousands of people living within walking distance of the estate – not to mention the burgeoning film industry down Henderson Valley Road.

CEAC is unique in the Auckland Region: a beautiful park-like estate with heritage buildings and a community of artists and arts organisations that span the widest range of creative and cultural expression. This last year has seen the re-homing of New Zealand’s only tikanga-based theatre venue (Te Pou) and the establishment of a regional base for Māori carving (Whaotapu). 2020 will see the conversion of one of the large tin sheds into a purpose built theatre for Te Pou and Whaotapu will continue planning for a permanent carving complex. All this puts CEAC at full capacity and creates a need to divide leadership roles to cope with this expanded programme.

A new position of Assistant Director will support director Martin Sutcliffe in meeting that demand.

I’m delighted to introduce Ross Cunningham in this role. Ross has a 20-plus year professional background in arts leadership, management and education. He worked in television production and directing in the 1990s and early 2000s. Like James he spent time with Zoomslide Media (digital storytelling including Ross Cunningham: knowing how to work from the ground up.

television programmes for mainstream broadcasting) and also held leadership roles within the creative tertiary sector – including WINTEC, Unitec and MIT. In conversation Ross comes across as a listener, a creative and strategic thinker and a person who knows how to work from the ground up but still reach for the sky. He’s worked in a broad range of creative areas – including visual arts, music and digital storytelling – and as he eases into the role at CEAC, his aspirations for 2020 are to support the rich range of programmes that CEAC offers and work together with the CEAC teams to amplify that offering.

Summer sunset. Photo by Bevis England.

Waitakere Ranges 2020 Vision

Welcome back and Happy New Year. Hope you’ve had a wonderful break and enjoyed our beautiful beaches and natural environment. There are some exciting things happening this year, Karamatura Heritage Farm at Huia is holding their annual open day on Feb 6 – a fabulous day for the family, and the Manukau Sports Fishing Club West Coaster Competition is on March 5 – 7. Our area is also fortunate to be hosting part of the World Surf League’s Challenger Series at Piha in March. A number of bush tracks have been upgraded and re-opened with more to come soon and I’m optimistic that Auckland Council will respond positively to the public’s call for all our heritage forest walks to be reopened. Your local board is about to kick off with an important consultation: refreshing the Waitakere Three-Year Plan which guides all our work programmes and budgets for the next three years. The plan is anchored by six ‘Outcomes’ which currently are: 1. People actively protect the Waitakere Ranges Heritage Area.

2. Our unique natural habitat is protected and enhanced. 3. Local communities feel good about where they live. 4. People experience local arts and culture and recognise our heritage. 5. Our urban centres are enjoyable places to be. 6. Our community spaces, parks, sports and recreation facilities meet local needs and are easy to get to. I think we can do better. Let me know what is important to you. And let’s get some tight, measurable and meaningful Outcomes that we can hold Council and the Board to account on. We talk about this plan in more depth at www. westwards.co.nz. Let Michelle Clayton or myself know what you’d like to see, join our discussion on Facebook or contact us directly.

michelle.clayton@ aucklanndcouncil.govt.nz info@kenturner.co.nz or 021 066 6262 – Ken Turner, WestWards Advertisement