Letters to Live By

letters

to live by

In our new series, we ask people to write a letter to their future selves, giving them the benefit of hindsight. Tony Cronin is a fulltime paramedic with St John and a well- known face in Marlborough.

Dear Tony,

Ididn’t really know I was going to be a Marlburian. At least not until 2000 when my world turned upside down and my marriage of 14 years ended.

At that time of my life, I was deeply immersed in the real estate industry. Looking back, I could have spent a lot more time upholding a more sustainable work/life balance (sigh). I was offered a job in Blenheim managing a real estate office. Needing to maintain some sort of income, and sanity, I travelled north from Christchurch, making my base in Picton. I travelled to Christchurch every fortnight to spend time with my children and the trip each way gave me time to reflect on what could have been.

Nevertheless, I involved myself in the community, joining Coastguard Marlborough and the Picton Ambulance Service as a volunteer in 2000. To cut to the chase, I am still involved with Coastguard and I left my very rewarding career in real estate and am now in a vastly more rewarding career as a paramedic with St John, entering my 21st year and have never looked back. I am based at the Blenheim station and still spend a good proportion of my time in Picton in both a paid and volunteer capacity. I am currently on secondment to Murchison as a Rural Support Officer for six months. It’s a nice change and I am loving the challenge. I am still spending half my time in Picton so that most people don’t even notice that I’ve gone! Have I learnt from past mistakes to focus on a better work/life balance? No, not yet (bigger sigh). As I draw closer to the end of my working career, I devote more time on reflecting. On work. And relationships. And life in general. Would I make any changes? Hell, yes!! The biggest regret for me is not spending the time to watch over my children in their earlier years. Did they suffer? We all did. And has it brought us closer as they become young adults? Absolutely. In the profession I am in now, your colleagues play a vital part of your life. Firstly, as your crew partners and secondly, as someone you can offload on to especially after those jobs that test you to your limits. I would encourage those who have not yet chosen a career pathway to consider paramedicine. The skills you learn are truly amazing and the rewards are endless. I have plans for retirement. Learn to play golf again. Go fishing. More time at my favourite café … These are not at the top of my list though. I’ve got a bit of catching up to do. And thinking about it makes me smile from ear to ear. I’m going to spend time for me. And my children. And my relationship and friends and socialising. More down time, red wine, white wine, family, did I mention red wine? Ah yes. I’m finally going to get that work/life balance concept working. What have I learnt over the last 48 years of fulltime employment? Earning an income allows you to mix it up a bit but nothing is more important than family. Stability in your personal life will pay huge dividends. The sun will always shine brighter and the happiness generated from within will be your mainstay. Do the best you can and appreciate every day. Am I too late? Never!!

Best wishes,

Paramedic Tony Cronin.

Tony

Sea life through her lens

Blenheim businesswoman Tamzin Henderson did not pick up a camera until she quit a banking career in Auckland. She told Tracy Neal her life is now focused on capturing the glory of sea birds, including from the deck of a deep-sea fishing vessel.

Tamzin Henderson at the helm of Marlborough charter vessel Katabatic

When the seas are high, Tamzin Henderson takes a certain comfort in seeing birds gliding easily on the crests of storm-force waves.

“I look at the little storm petrels which are about the size of a sparrow and I think, ‘my goodness, if they can exist and thrive out here in this environment, we’ll be okay.” Tamzin documents our treasured seabirds, from coastal species to those who dwell in fierce sub-Antarctic weather, with the eye of an artist and the mind of an analyst. Photography is a hobby, away from the boat chandlery business she and her sister Lana run in Blenheim, having taken it over in 2017 from their dad. For the sisters, it was a natural extension to their lives growing up fishing, camping and diving in and around the Marlborough Sounds. “I only started taking photos when I moved home. I’d been in Auckland for 12 years and had worked hard in a job that took up an incredible amount of my time. I wanted a hobby and decided I’d get into photography. “It’s given me incredible opportunities to go to some amazing places and see some really cool things a lot would never see.” Tamzin says she’s always been a keen recreational fisher and began taking her camera. One day she noticed a Sealord vessel steaming in through the Tory Channel entrance, followed closely by a mob of squawking sea birds. “I contacted Sealord and said, ‘hey, I’d love to come out on one of your vessels and take photos’. Tamzin has joined the company on four voyages into the Cook Strait and off the West Coast, while trips to the Southern Ocean and South Atlantic have been with other companies. In December she joined a commercial expedition vessel for a trip to the Bounty Islands - a small group of uninhabited islets and rocks south-east of the South Island.

“The sheer volume of birds and the amount of life was extraordinary. “There were Salvin’s Albatross, ErectCrested Penguins and Bounty Shags and not a spare space on the rock stack. The place is teeming with wildlife, and I think that’s pretty cool.” She says she was lucky that Sealord allowed her on board and trusted her to make judgements on what she was seeing. Sealord Group chief executive Doug Paulin says he quickly realised Tamzin’s approach presented a unique opportunity. “It took a little bit of organising, but her photos are just incredible.” Sealord is 50 per cent iwi owned. Doug says the project lines up well with what a Māori company considers is value-adding. “We don’t earn any money from it, but it adds value to other components we consider important.” Doug says the attention Tamzin’s photos attract has gone well beyond what the company considers important for highlighting the plight of commercial fishing and how its impact on the environment is viewed.

It’s given me incredible opportunities to go to some amazing places and see some really cool things a lot would never see.

and avoid negative interaction with any sort of mammal or seabird while they’re fishing. “She has rolled out all that education to those who follow her, which wasn’t really what we set out to do, but it’s been really positive for not only Sealord but for the wider industry.” Tamzin, who has more than 7000 followers on her Instagram account (tamzin.nz), says crew on the fishing vessels are also beginning to take a keen interest in what she does.

“They’ll often message me, wanting to know what bird they’re looking at, or they’ve had one land on the boat, and they’ve put it back carefully over the side. “That’s what makes me keep going.” Tamzin says protection of seabirds and commercial fishing is a thorny debate when it doesn’t have to be.

“I think we all would love to live on a planet not affected by people, but that’s a really difficult thing to aim for. “We can have these extreme views and think that’s going to effect change and it just doesn’t, whereas if we can all sit in a room and communicate, that’s where we’d make the most gains. Tamzin says New Zealand has made huge leaps with the protection of seabirds, but there have been losses. Other places around the world are still getting to a position where they care. “It’s really important we do everything we can to save as many as we can.” If you’d like to see more of Tamzin’s photos visit: www.tamzinnz.com/about

Salvin's Albatross, Cook Strait.

Thinking outside the (mail) box

WORDS: EMILY MARTEN PHOTOS: EMILY MARTEN

Not content with settling for the norm, these creative Marlburians show us that you never know what wonders and delights might be just around the corner.

Les and his wife Viv with their mini mail van. Les and Viv Broughton

A vintage car collector since the ‘70s, it’s no surprise that Les Broughton decided to build the mailbox outside his house in keeping with this theme. “I just figured that it looked like a mail delivery van,” he says, “it’s been out there for probably eight years now.”

He carefully constructed it from plywood, bits of broom handles and lights. Stepping into his workshop at the bottom of his garden, it’s clear that he collects more than just vintage cars. An emporium of times past, the workshop houses a spectacular collection of cigarette tins, blow lamps, old post office money boxes and whiskey jugs as well as model traction engines and tractors he has made himself out of vintage Singer sewing machines.

“It’s full of bits and bobs,” he smiles.

The mailbox has garnered its fair share of attention from passers-by, from curious children to adults. “During lockdown I made one for someone, but it turned out so nice he didn’t want to use it as his mailbox!

“We just wanted to do something a bit different - I’ve always liked making things and had that interest in cars,” he explains.

Donald and Norma McCracken

A sewing machine built out of wood, Donald and Norma McCracken’s mailbox ingeniously brings together both of their passions: woodwork for Donald and quilting and patchwork for Norma.

“I’ve always loved buildings things out of wood - my father was the same,” Donald says. “Being retired, fiddling around with wood keeps my brain working,” he smiles. With Norma’s sewing machines dotted around their home - including a beautifully painted antique Singer - Donald didn’t have to look too far for his inspiration. The top of the mailbox he made from wood, while the machine itself was created using an old treadle and a punch needle. “It was a challenge,” he admits, “it took a few months.”

For Donald, this is by no means the first nor the only custom mailbox he has set his practical hands to.

“We’ve had this one for about three years, but when we were living in Southland I made a truck one for a friend, as well as a digger.” “He’s always making things,” Norma adds.

Paul’s mailbox is a small-scale version of his house.

Paul Knight

A miniature replica of his Art Deco home, Paul Knight’s mailbox was born out of last year’s four-week lockdown during the Covid-19 crisis.

“I’d been wanting to make one for a while and lockdown “I’ve always been a handyman, so I had plenty of leftover materials already lying around. “When we moved into the house there was an old shed which was made of baby iron - small, corrugated iron. This was the perfect material to replicate the corrugated iron roof in miniature form.”

The attention to detail even extends to the perfectly colour-matched exterior walls and iconic Art Deco sunrise motif on the front.

“I’ve been restoring the property, so I was able to use the exact same paint,” he says. Taking the full four weeks of lockdown, the unusual shape of the house meant it wasn’t entirely plain sailing. “It was quite fiddly because the angles of the step-down roof are higher at the front and lower at the back, as well as getting the rounded curves of the walls right. The house isn’t a straightforward shape at all!”

Jeremy and Elizabeth Patterson-Green

The desire to do something different was what motivated forestry manager Jeremy Patterson-Green when he and his family moved into their new home just over ten years ago. “Before buying this house in 2009 most of the places we had been living were pretty bland and we weren’t able to change much,” he says. The mailbox in fact came about because of Jeremy’s budget-friendly fence. “I was looking for a fence that wasn’t too expensive and ended up going with recycled materials. The idea then morphed into making a letterbox out of recycled materials too.” With a winemaker for a brother, Jeremy initially considered using a wine barrel. “We wanted a wine barrel but discovered that it was too wide to be used as a letterbox. We ended up finding a whiskey barrel on Trade Me.” Being handy with wood, Jeremy set himself the challenge of repurposing the second-hand cask into a mail-worthy receptacle. “When it first arrived, I couldn’t get into the barrel - it definitely took a bit of ingenuity to turn it into a postbox.” Now it stands its ground at the end of their drive where it’s set to spend the rest of its days. “There’s no way that’s going anywhere - I’ve concreted it in place. When we first arrived, we had a standard mailbox which got kicked over by someone coming back from town late at night. “Now if anyone tries that they’ll do more damage to themselves than our post box,” he laughs.

Elizabeth, Jeremy and their sons William and Luke with Jeremy’s handiwork.

Steven and Julie Gould

Spending time rummaging through garage sales and scrap metal dealers Steven Gould came upon the perfect object to create a stand-out mailbox for himself and his wife Julie.

“It’s actually a pressure vessel, those are the pressure valves on top,” he says. With a job at the Saltworks, Steven enjoys tinkering with metal in his free time. Among his creations is an impressive steel windmill standing tall in their garden. “The mailbox wasn’t a huge amount of work because it was mostly done already. Although I did put in a false bottom so it could collect mail,” he adds. Not wanting to take any risks, Steven made sure to fix his handiwork firmly in place. “It’s concreted in - the inside is actually brass so it’s fairly valuable even though it just looks like silver from the outside. We don’t want anyone to be tempted to move it!” Steven even hand-cut the numbers and letter to display on the front. “They’re made out of copper - that was definitely the trickiest part!”

Clubs of heart

Dan Roos is a man who likes a challenge. Since starting as CEO at Clubs of Marlborough he has steadily started to bring the ailing association back from the brink. He tells Paula Hulburt why he believes so strongly in its future.

Long term Clubs of Marlborough members Shorty, left and Kenny Rodgers chat with CEO Dan Roos Game changer. CEO Dan Roos has big plans to secure the future of the Clubs of Marlborough

WORDS: PAULA HULBURT PHOTOS: MATT BROWN

Walking at a brisk pace, Dan greets everyone he passes with a smile and peppy hello. There are around 40 staff at Clubs of Marlborough and he knows them all by name.

Everyone is busy as the day unfolds; each playing a vital role in the institution’s survival and longed for success. Glass wear gleams on the tables as staff complete minor adjustments, tweaking cutlery and running a practiced eye over the room before lunch time customers arrive.

The bustle of activity and ready smiles are a far cry from the despondency of five months ago when most people, including its own members, had all but given up on the Clubs. A mountain of debt, redundancies and a power struggle between members made for a grim outlook. After lockdown, the Clubs owed $3.77 million on loans, bills and missed mortgage payments. “When I took over in January, the Club was at its lowest point ever. We’re still not in the best financial place, there is quite a bit of significant debt but in March, we ran into a small profit. “Covid meant the last few months were also a write-off but 2021 to 2022 is financially looking like there will be a profit. “It’s a different place now, everything is running at 100 per cent.” After coming on board as a consultant in January, Dan became official CEO in May. Moving to Blenheim from Auckland five years ago for love. Dan joined CMT in Blenheim as General Manager in April 2018, delighted to be living in a region known for its outdoor activities and fishing. But when the chance came to step in at the Clubs, he knew he had to take it.

“I thrive on challenge, and this is a very, very big challenge.” Astute, sharp and with a candour that leaves no room for doubt, Dan is proud of what he and the team have achieved already. Walking across the airy entranceway towards his office, the vibe is somehow lighter. For the first time in a long time, there is a sense of hope in the air. “The most important thing is to keep the club traditions,” he explains. “There should be somewhere for older people to meet and be social. The Clubs is a safe facility, the biggest Marlborough has, and if we lose that it would be to the detriment of thousands. “This is a place where they can come and meet up and have a laugh.” Dan has wasted no time learning all he can about the business which dates to November 1889, when the Blenheim Workingmen’s Club was chartered. It has gone through many changes over the decades to evolve into the iconic riverside building it is today, built on the old RSA site on Alfred Street. Officially opened on 3 October 2007, the Club is an amalgamation of the Blenheim Workingmen’s Club, The Marlborough Club and the Marlborough Returned and Services association.

Balancing the needs of each is a huge job, Dan says. “It’s not one business, each is a separate entity and members have to be open to change. This is an intricate business and every decision is important. “When you have a lot of different generations, it’s hard to integrate them. I’ve been meeting with everyone from the get-go and tried to meet with all staff and members.

“It’s the best way to really get to know what’s going on,” Dan explains. There is an RSA lounge and memorabilia room, a sports lounge, containing six snooker and pool tables, The Club Bar and Entertainment Centre, the relaunched Taylor’s Bar & Eatery and The Terrace Café Bar Club.

On the ground floor there’s a fitness centre complete with instructors, a rifle range, and the multi-functional main hall. Safeguarding the future of the centre and all its amenities is vital to Dan. Finding a way forward that caters for older club members while attracting younger people is key. “When you have a lot of different generations, it is hard to integrate them, but it can be done. “Building trust with everyone involved; it’s very, very important. It’s not about just walking in and making changes; I try to get input and make sure that everyone has the chance to be part of making a decision. “Ninety-nine per cent of our members are open to change.” It’s not quite 11am on a Thursday morning and there’s a steady stream of people coming in. Behind the reception desk, smiling staff are busy with enquiries. The sign in book is filling up and people chat on the escalator on their way upstairs.

“I met a girl who lived here and for the first year, most weekends, I would fly between Auckland and Blenheim, but I just couldn’t keep doing that, I made the commitment; I moved here and fell in love with the place. There’s no better place for fishing than Marlborough.” With a background in operations and business development, Dan wasted no time in putting improvements in place. “We’re offering better food than we ever have before, we have better entertainment, and we cater for families across the whole complex.” There is a new children’s room, complete with five Playstation 4’s, vibrant walls, a heap of colourful beanbags, drawing stations and a movie screen. Dan’s 9-year-old stepson happily helped him decide what should go in. Yes, he was the guinea pig,” he laughs. “The idea is that mum and dad can come in, have a drink, have dinner and the children will be entertained and not bored running around the place. “It will bring families in and make it an affordable option. If families come through for the next ten years, it will ensure success. When these children are in their 20s, they will be members too.” Dan started a family membership option and uptake has been good. He grew up in sports clubs and appreciates the importance such places have in the community. Giving back to Marlborough is key to making the Clubs the success it deserves to be, he explains. “Being open and earning the trust of the members and community, getting their input and making them part of a decision matters, it’s very, very important.” So, will the Clubs be here in ten years’ time? “Absolutely,” smiles Dan. ‘It will be stronger than ever.”

Duty manager Alan Hollaway in his element behind the bar.

Over the Rainbow

A lack of snow last year led to the Top of the South’s shortest ski season on record. Those in charge of the Rainbow Ski Area have been praying since March for snow clouds to gather. This year, they might get their wish, with a season opening planned for 10 July.

Rainbow Ski Field

WORDS: TRACY NEAL

The St Arnaud mountain range marks the apex of the Golden Triangle that is Te Tauihu – Marlborough, Tasman and Nelson – and a little bit of the West Coast.

Among the peaks and valleys of the range’s eastern slopes lies the Rainbow Ski Area. It is flanked by the Nelson Lakes National Park and is technically within Marlborough but is close enough to Tasman District that all sides like to stake a claim.

For years, families and individuals have rugged up, trundled through the Wairau, and up the icy shingle road to the ski field, via the same road that leads to Rainbow Station. But it was different last year - a warm winter cut the number of days the ski field was open from an average of 72, to 23 days. Rainbow Ski Area committee chair Mark Unwin says they’re not hoping for a repeat, which meant dipping into reserve funds to cover last season’s costs.

He is counting on science, and luck to help them this time. “We use a couple of indicators to predict our season. We look at the NIWA long-range forecast and what is happening in the Northern Hemisphere, which had a great winter season. “We also look at the ground temperature, which has been colder for us up at Rainbow and we’ve had a couple of dustings of snow, but ground temperature is really important. “If it remains cold the snow will hold, and that will make it easier for snow making.” As this article was being drafted, mountain manager Tom Harry was driving two snow makers to Rainbow from down south. He says it is key machinery that will allow the field to open as planned for the July school holidays.

Snowboarder Relaxing With a View at Rainbow Ski Field.

“It’s a very big investment but we’re pretty excited about what it will mean for us to open on time.” Tom says boosting their snow-making capability will mean snow cover for Rainbow’s entire central run.

“Snow making has become more frequent over the past years. We’re lucky we can do that; it guarantees cover, and all fields are doing it.” Rainbow is run as a commercial operation, but the club owns the assets on the field, and has a licence to operate from the Department of Conservation. “We’re a club operation that runs a commercial field and with the support of our members and our partners, we’re good to open. “Christmas pre-sales and support were good, and we’ve had new customers sign up for season passes.” The club has about 150 members shared evenly between Marlborough and Nelson. Mark credits last season’s dedicated beginners for helping it through by signing up to learn to ski. “We had a lot more beginners because it was a lesser product, so we did cheaper deals and got a lot of new people interested in skiing and snow board riding. That has translated into sales this year.” Rainbow is classed as a small ski field, and while it caters to intermediate and advanced skiers and board riders, its strength is its base for novices.

It is also an important year-round regional attraction. Destination Marlborough general manager Jacqui Lloyd says it rounds-out the number of options locals and visitors have throughout the year. “We have the wine industry, the water – the Marlborough Sounds. Rainbow is a ski field only an hour to an hour-and-a-half away from our cellar doors which helps build depth to what we can offer visitors, and that’s really important.” Jacqui says the broader offerings of the Nelson Lakes area cannot be overlooked.

“It’s an interesting spot because it really is on the border with Tasman, even though visitors never see those boundaries. “The important thing for us is that Rainbow is a club field, and if we look at the overseas visitor market they have – and always will gravitate towards the larger commercial ski fields, whereas our local and domestic market has more opportunities to get to Rainbow while they’re travelling through the Top of the South. “That’s a really nice string to our bow, in terms of what we have in this area.”

Tasman tourism and hospitality business owner Nic Roland is one of the ski area’s biggest fans.

Nic says Rainbow has a “good family vibe”, and if you can get there on a good powder day during the week, he says it’s probably one of the best ski fields in the country because there’s no one there.

“During the week you pretty much have the place to yourself. Anywhere else in the country, by 10am the whole place is tracked out – you can’t find any fresh snow anywhere. “At Rainbow you can still find fresh snow by 3 o’clock in the afternoon.”

For a place of such grandeur and beauty, the name Rainbow does conjure images of gently rolling land steeped in milk and honey. Its name is linked to the Rainbow high country station, which a former lease holder Tom Sturgess says is named after the Rainbow River, which joins the Wairau just past Hell’s Gate near the border with Molesworth.

There is also a mythical connection. The tallest mountain in New Zealand outside the Southern Alps is head and shoulders above the cluster of peaks in the north-east corner of the South Island. Tapuae-o-Uenuku, formerly Mount Tapuaenuku, translates as “footprint of the rainbow”, and is clearly visible east from the ridgeline above the ski area. Rainbow Ski Area has recently created a commemorative history to mark its 40th year. The origins of the name span what researchers Helen Rance and Katherine Vadura describe as urban myths, including that the valley was named after a Shepherd called Rainbow (ref: Footprints JNW Newport) to the origins of the early explorers and their Māori guides. Travers, Lock, Maling and Oldham wrote a description of their journey during an 1855 exploration of the Upper Wairau. With the guidance of local Māori, they wrote “Te Kopi o Uenuku (the Rainbow River) had its source in the mountains above Lake Rotoroa”.

Mark Unwin says Rainbow was like all other ski fields, including those in the deep south, in that it was planning for a future on the mountain with less natural snow.

“We want to do more to create access to the mountain, year-round. We have been working with the Department of Conservation to try and open or provide different products so more people can use the mountain. It would be good to get school groups there, to do things like mountain safety training.” He says diversity is needed to support maintenance of the huts and other gear. “It’s absolutely something we need to look at - that, and our investment in snow-making are the two key things for Rainbow, long-term.” In the meantime, Mark says they’re looking forward to a white winter, and to welcoming more people on to the slopes.

Barry Whitnall/Shuttersport.

Cricketer Carl took his talent to the Max

In cricketing circles, it is often said that “catches win matches”. However, some catches have wider implications than others.

PETER JONES

WORDS: PETER JONES Former international cricketer Carl Bulfin with the ball he used to take a Cricket Max hat-trick against the West Indies. His three victims kindly autographed the match ball at the end of play.

In Marlborough cricketer Carl Bulfin’s case one particular catch, taken off his lively pace bowling, was to have a very significant outcome - not only on his career, but also his life.

The year was 1996; the catcher, at slip, was Black Caps batsman Mark Greatbatch. The occasion was a two-day friendly match between a Marlborough Invitation side and Nelson at Horton Park and the catch would ultimately launch the then 23-year-old painter and decorator onto the world cricket stage. Carl takes up the story. “Mark was standing at second slip and I was bowling to [former NZ batsman] Mark Douglas. I found the edge of Dougies’s bat and ‘Batch’ caught it. Next thing I know he says, ‘we’ve got this new Cricket Max competition in Christchurch coming up and you look the goods boy’. “He must have put in a good word with the selectors because next thing I was in the Central Districts Max side. It was a weekend in Hagley Park with all six first-class teams there … in my debut match against Northern Districts I got 4-11, my bestever figures. They only needed 70 in the second innings and I ran through them like a dose of salts,” he recalled with a chuckle. “That immediately gave me confidence and I felt I belonged at that level.”

“We really enjoyed [Max cricket], it was different,” said Carl. “As a bowler you only had to bowl 24 balls so you would try to bowl 24 yorkers and, if you got them on the money, you generally got wickets.”

CD, buoyed by Bulfin’s bullets, won that tournament and the final in Hamilton the following weekend. Then a Max league was formed, players participating in the Shell Cup one-day competition before taking part in a Max match the following evening against the same opposition.

Carl’s raw talent gained him a spot in the CD one-day side, his blonde dreadlocks and fiery pace bowling quickly earning him something of a cult following around the country, especially in the Martin Crowe-inspired Cricket Max format.

It was a hugely-innovative concept, the forerunner of Twenty20 cricket, and included some radical tweaks to previous cricketing norms. Games were completed in just three hours (creating a perfect TV package), free hits were introduced, plus decent prize money, animated umpiring signals became commonplace (initiated by the legendary Billy Bowden), regular floodlit matches were played for the first time in this country and drop-in pitches were utilised.

Setting Max cricket apart from T20 was the fact two 10-over innings were played and the Max zone was introduced, with any runs scored in that area counting double. As the game began to take off nationally, Carl’s profile soared. In 1997, an English Lions side toured the country and the first New Zealand Max Blacks team was chosen. Carl was included, among a relatively unproven bunch at international level, led by Roger Twose. Carl recalls that historic first series.

“We played [the Lions] first-up at Ericsson Stadium under lights on an artificial wicket which was an interesting proposition. We lost there but won in Hamilton and went to a decider in Wellington, which we won.” Carl bowled well to claim two wickets for a meagre 15 runs in the decider, but even better things were to come in his fourth, and what proved to be his final international Max fixture. The following season, the West Indies opened their NZ tour with a game of Max at Lancaster Park in Christchurch and it became a night to remember for the young Marlburian. The Max Blacks took a 46-run first innings lead, built around captain Twose’s seven-ball 43 and Chris Cairns’ comparatively sedate 17-ball 44.

Then Carl stepped up, claiming the first Max hat-trick with the notable scalps of Windies’ stars Brian Lara, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Sherwin Campbell in consecutive deliveries.

“It was in the second innings, the second-to-last over … I got Lara with a slower ball which he hit in the air, then I cleaned out Chanderpaul with a yorker and flicked Campbell’s gloves on the way through to the keeper with the third ball. Everyone ran in and someone said, ‘was that a hattrick?’ and I said ‘bloody oath it was’. It was pretty neat.” Carl had opted for the dreadlocked look, courtesy of Blenheim hairdresser Sharee Stark, before he sprang to prominence. After that, the flowing locks, and the fact he sometimes bowled in wraparound sunglasses, helped lift his profile to a new level. “The kids loved [the dreads],” recalls Carl. “I even had my own bloody fan club in south Taranaki. They wore mops on their heads and were a good bunch of lads.”

As for the sunglasses, well they were not there just to avoid glare. “Adidas asked me if I wanted some glasses and I said, ‘how about some money as well if I wear them when I bowl?’, and they came to the party,” explained Carl. He went on to play first class cricket for CD and Wellington and represented New Zealand in four one-day internationals, including a World Cup match in 1999. However, it will be his Cricket Max heroics that Carl is best remembered for.

The dreadlocked tearaway paid tribute to local identities Tony Kilmartin, from the Celtic club, and former international speedster Gary Bartlett for helping him make the most of his potential. “Tony was there in the earlier days, he helped with my run-up, action and fitness and Gary took it from there. “He was all about hitting the crease hard and helped me manage my injuries … he said if you got your rhythm right then things were going to happen for you, which nine times out of 10 they did.”

There are plenty of batsmen, across all levels of the game, who will vouch for that.

SUPPLIED Carl Bulfin had a distinctive haircut and bowling action.

We didn’t have to go far to find someone for On The Street this month, Marlborough Media’s new general manager Leigh Somerville has a great sense of style.

What are you wearing today?

A cropped ZARA jacket, Jeans, my favourite boots and an MCU tee featuring ‘Groot’, and a smile. Do you have a usual style?

Tailored with an ‘edge’ vibe – a good jacket, jeans, the humble tee and great shoes! What item do you have the most of in your wardrobe?

Shoes – as Marilyn Monroe once said ‘give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world’ What looks or trends do you like at the moment?

I try to keep things simple, so I like to buy items I love that I can mix and match and will stand the test of time. I tend to let colours, seasons, textures, and my mood with a pop of rock and country, drive my day-to-day style. Where do you buy most of your clothes?

I’m more conscious of ethical purchasing these days and how consumerism affects our planet, so it does vary but I do like to support local. My last purchase was a great jacket from No.4 Boutique here in town. What is your favourite all time buy?

My red tartan ‘Hades‘ boots purchased from Rocs in Nelson. Worst clothing disaster?

My multi-coloured fluro ski suit – I thought it would look awesome on the slopes in the 80s! A wardrobe staple everyone should invest in?

A great suit jacket – Dress them up or down, they go with anything. Finish this sentence. You would never catch me wearing…

That multi-coloured fluro ski suit.

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Building a Better New Zealand

My home

Renowned interior designer and co-owner of Cinnamon House Design Simone Hill has made the most of her talents to create a unique and special home.

Where is your home and who lives here, and how long have you lived here?

Chris and I found Maxwell rd 24 years ago while passing through from Christchurch to the Coromandel to meet my future in-laws. I’ve always been enchanted by 2 story Victorian villas and couldn’t stop thinking about it so when it was still on the market a few months later we knew it was meant to be our family home. We have raised our three kids there who still come and go .

What four words would you use to describe your home?

Lush, dramatic, comfortable and eclectic

What inspired this look?

The old house itself, it speaks to me. I think the thing I like Most about old houses is that they have lots of rooms and you can embrace many looks and styles under one roof. Perfect for a girl who likes everything.

What do you love about the neighborhood where you live?

I love living here as it’s a short walk to town yet has lots of trees. We have a tree down the back of our property that is around a hundred years old.

My sandstone pharaoh bookends. My mum gave them to me when I was 19 and I was gutted when they were broken in an earthquake but were beautifully restored by the very Lovely and clever Vonny Paul.

What’s your favourite spot in the house?

It’s hard to pick a favourite spot, I love different spaces for different moods and seasons.

If I had to pick one it would be the sunroom. It’s a bit French and a bit shabby and very comfortable. This is where I enjoy a wine with my girlfriends.

Where do you shop for homewares?

I shop for my home literally everywhere I go. I’m always looking for treasure for both home and Cinnamon House. Interesting objects regularly move between the two.

What’s your decorating style?

Diverse, I have many and I like aspects of all styles.

When it comes to homeware, do you save or splurge?

Both save and splurge I love both a bargain and a treat you can’t appreciate one if you never have the other.

Have you done any renovations?

We have done lots of renovations since we bought her and areas are due for a spruce up again now, but that just goes with the territory of owning a Victorian for a few decades. I don’t mind as I’ve fallen in love with some gorgeous wallpapers and fabrics at work.

THINKING OF RENOVATING? WE MAKE IT EASY

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What should every home have?

Every home should have a mixture of old and new, something from your grandparents house, a chair facing out to the garden and a cat or dog if you can.

Best money spent?

The stained glass panels in our lounge French doors, they make rainbows in the morning.

Best seat in the house?

Chris’s Antique Leopard wingback recently traded for with a cool client. It has a tail. What is one thing you would change about your home if you could?

The one thing I would change would be to put back the original fireplaces that were taken out in the seventies. I often wonder what the house was like in 1905 when it was new. We found a picture of the outside at the Marlborough museum which hangs in the library.It shows a women on the front porch in a big white dress.

Best memory in your house?

Bringing my brand new babies home.

Falcon Brae Villa. Photo: Jason Mann

TE KAHUI WHAIHANGA NEW ZEALAND INSTITUTE OF ARCHITECTS (NZIA)

LOCAL ARCHITECTURE AWARDS

Words: Adrienne Matthews

Accolades beamed down recently onto a number of Top of the South architectural projects chosen to receive coveted regional Te Kahui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) Local Architecture Awards.

Established in 1905, the NZIA represents over four thousand members and these awards are an opportunity to throw a spotlight on some of the most innovative and exciting designs. Entries come from the country’s eight regional branches and are peer-reviewed by a jury, members of which visit and appraise each design meticulously. This year the Nelson/Marlborough region continued its tradition of contributing a diverse range of buildings to the winner’s stand. Of fifteen projects shortlisted, twelve winners were chosen. Among them were three residential houses to win Housing Awards and another, a Housing- Alterations and Additions Award. Jerram Tocker Barron Architect’s design, The Collingwood Street House, a three-storey home constructed on a very small and difficult section by the Grampians, was much feted by the jury who commented, “in response to their client’s request for ‘a box with a pool’, the architects have delivered exactly that, albeit a skilfully executed box that rises above the constraints imposed by its steep and challenging site.” Irving Smith Architects won a Housing Award for Feather House and a Housing – Alterations and Additions Award for Tahunanui House. The former is a moderately sized home, on a spectacular site overlooking Nelson. The jury was taken with the design that offers “a choice between expansive views and cosy retreat.”

PIVOT HOUSE – Housing Borrmeister Architects Photo Sarah Rowlands Photography

CIVIC HOUSE – Enduring Architecture Ministry of Works and Athfield Architects Photo Virginia Woolf

TAHUNANUI LIONS TOILET PARK – Small Project Architecture Jerram Tocker Barron Architects Photo Virginia Woolf MAYFAIR ARTS AND CULTURE CENTRE – Public Architecture Irving Smith Architects Photo Andrew Spencer

TAHUNANUI HOUSE – Housing Alterations and Additions Irving Smith Architects Photo Patrick Reynolds

FEATHER HOUSE – Housing Irving Smith Architects Photo Patrick Reynolds

CPR HQ CAFÉ – Hospitality Rural Workshop Architecture Photo Matt Croad

The latter was the result of a twelve year project that involved the reconfiguration of the home to create a warm, light-filled and inspiring place. “This is a clever, beautiful response which reflects the close relationship between architect and client,” said the jury. Pivot House in Blenheim by Borrmeister Architects draws its title from the manner in which the rooms pivot around the open kitchen, maximising the light and ventilation that fills the rooms as the natural sunlight shifts position throughout the day. Jerram Tocker Barron Architect’s Bragato Research Winery design in Blenheim won a Commercial Architecture Award. The way in which temperature controls and running costs were made an integral part of the design was mentioned by the jury along with the important consideration given to the environmental impacts of the building. Irving Smith Architects were honoured with a Public Architecture win for their Nelson Hospice design. The jury noted, “the building is the culmination of huge collaboration between the clients, architects, consultants, contractors and sub-contractors.” The result, a building that sits comfortably within its urban environment and meets very well the needs of the many Nelson families who come through its doors. Another Public Architecture Award was bestowed on Irving Smith Architects for the Kaikoura Mayfair Community Arts and Culture, an earthquake damaged building that has been cleverly reinvented as a multi-purpose cinema, gallery, theatre and conference venue. It was the first of the public buildings in Kaikoura to be brought back to life post-earthquake, affirming and encouraging to both the clients and public. Two further Public Architecture Awards went to Jerram Tocker Barron Architecture for the Tahunanui Lions Toilet Block and WSP for their Kaikoura Highway Public Amenities. A café in Blenheim, CPR HQ, was one of two buildings to receive a Hospitality Award. Rural Workshop Architecture created the “vibrant coffee roastery and café” on a limited budget that had to include seismic strengthening. The jury was impressed with the way the architects have allowed light to penetrate deep into the building and how the project created a new public gathering space and a lively interface with the street.

Falcon Brae Villa in the Motueka Valley was the other Hospitality Award winner. Jerram Tocker Barron Architecture designed the luxury retreat which was described by the jury as an elegant addition to New Zealand’s luxury lodge offer. Built to an extremely high standard, it blends harmoniously into its natural environment.

Either loved or loathed, Civic House, constructed by Ministry of Works (architect John Rowe) and Athfield Architects in association, is an architectural style very much of its time and was the recipient this year of the Enduring Architecture Award. The jury says, “the robustness of its late Brutalist forms may not win universal appeal, but there is an integrity in its materiality that reveals a higher level of architectural consideration.”

Simon Hall of Jerram Tocker Barron says, “the awards are a celebration of architecture and a good opportunity to discuss projects with your peers.” Andrew Irving expressed the general feedback received from those architectural firms who entered saying, “the award is a way for us to self-select our best work and see how it compares with that of other architects all around the country. It is great to think that the work we are doing is relevant both locally and nationally.

THIS YEAR’S MAJOR AWARD WINNERS

COMMERCIAL ARCHITECTURE Bragato Research Winery by Jerram Tocker Barron Architects.

ENDURING ARCHITECTURE Civic House (1983) by Ministry of Works (architect John Rowe) and Athfield Architects in association.

HOSPITALITY Falcon Brae Villa by Jerram Tocker Barron Architects.

CPR HQ by Rural Workshop Architecture.

PUBLIC ARCHITECTURE Nelson Hospice by Irving Smith Architects.

Mayfair Arts and Culture Centre by Irving Smith Architects

SMALL PROJECT ARCHITECTURE Tahunanui Lions Toilet Block by Jerram Tocker Barron Architects.

Kaikōura Highway Public Amenities by WSP Architecture. HOUSING Pivot House by Borrmeister Architects. Feather House by Irving Smith Architects. Collingwood Street House by Jerram Tocker Barron Architects.

HOUSING - ALTERATIONS & ADDITIONS Tahunanui House by Irving Smith Architects.

BRAGATO RESEARCH WINERY – Commercial Architecture Jerram Tocker Barron Architects Photo Jessica Jones

COLLINGWOOD STREET HOUSE – Housing Jerram Tocker Barron Architects Photo Jason Mann KAIKOURA HIGHWAY TOILETS – Small Project Architecture WSP Architecture Photo NZTIR/WSP

FALCON BRAE VILLA – Hospitality Jerram Tocker Barron Architects Photo Jason Mann

NELSON HOSPICE – Public Architecture Irving Smith Architects Photo Patrick Reynolds

CPR HQ

BY RURAL WORKSHOP ARCHITECTURE LTD

Anarrow lot in Blenheim’s CBD has become a vibrant coffee roastery and café, thanks to simple yet effective interventions by architects who, despite a limited budget, made all the right moves. The existing building required significant seismic upgrades along with modifications and replanning to address its limited natural light and amenity. A new internal courtyard provides a lightwell that draws the sun and the air into the heart of the building and creates a sheltered dining area where exposed concrete walls and new seismic steelwork provide a raw and honest aesthetic. Most significantly, by removing the original façade and setting the new glazing line back from the street edge, the architects has allowed light to penetrate deep into the building and create a generous covered front terrace – an important urban gesture that creates a new public gathering space and a lively interface with the street.’ – NZIA

HI I’M MATTHEW CROAD.

PROUD TO BE THE PHOTOGRAPHER INVOLVED IN THIS AWARD-WINNING PROJECT!

m 021 215 2750 e photos@matthewcroad.com www.matthewcroad.com

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Rural Workshop Architecture Ltd were delighted to win the Hospitality award for CPR HQ at the recently held Nelson/ Marlborough architecture awards. “We feel quite proud of this achievement as most of the awards go to much larger and higher profile practices,” says co-director Jarrod Midgley, who owns the firm with business partner Chris Nott. “It is recognition of the care, craft, love and design skills we apply to all of our projects.” Rural Workshop Architecture also won the Housing award for Tai Tapu House at the 2021 Canterbury Architecture Awards which took place in May. ‘A sense of calm pervades this house,’ which has sweeping views, and like CPR Café, it features a sheltered courtyard, wooden joinery and raw concrete elements. “Each represents more than two years of dedication and are the result of a wonderful team, being the client, architect and builder.” Jarrod and Chris both have 20 years of experience in the industry. They combined forces in 2020 to form their small, design-focused practice which has an emphasis on providing high-level architectural solutions for residential and commercial projects throughout New Zealand. “We all have our different strengths, which is what really makes the practice work on the whole. Everybody brings different skill sets to the table”

“We like to think from scratch with every project; with CPR, there were definite constraints with the building which allowed an opportunity to explore some of the existing elements like 200mm thick insitu concrete walls to the neighbouring boundaries.” When they first embarked on the project, it was an old building with a very heavy, unstable façade to the street. “So, we were seeking a way to open it up and provide some sunshine and light to the core.” Early on, the Rural Workshop team arrived at the concept of an internal light well and later decided they could achieve the feeling of an outdoor courtyard by glazing way up high, incorporating a skylight overhead. An unexpected aspect for the Rural Workshop team was being able to share it with their clients, the owners of CPR, who were ‘really chuffed’ with the outcome. “It was a really nice way to conclude the project.” Rural Workshop Architecture is currently working on projects in Marlborough, but also as far south as Wanaka, and north to Gisborne. “Many of our projects are rural based including 5 which are currently underway in the Marlborough Sounds. We enjoy the challenge of working in remote and interesting places.”

PIVOT HOUSE

BY BORRMEISTER ARCHITECTS

Borrmeister Architects is an award-winning, designoriented practice driven by a philosophical approach rather than a pre-determined style. The company took home an award in the housing category for Pivot House, a stunning new build in Blenheim.

“After retiring from a large Marlborough vineyard home our clients decided to scale down as they transitioned to urban living on a small inner-city section,” says Wulf Borrmeister, director/architect. Their brief called for a comfortable, easy to live in timeless design that would capture the sun and maintain a solid connection, not only to outdoor spaces and greenery, but also to fit in with its surrounding neighbours and the broader Blenheim neighbourhood. The design consists of a near flat-roofed, contemporary and carefully considered ‘broken up’ dwelling, featuring a simple palette of natural and low-maintenance materials and finishes (cedar, concrete block, and fibre cement boards) as well as ample outdoor living spaces.

“To create a relaxed mood outdoor living was paramount, despite the tight inner-city site,” says Wulf. It was also crucial that the design seamlessly interconnects with its surroundings, with the kitchen as the heart of the home and the pivot point for three courtyards. On the east side is the ‘morning terrace’, flanked by the kitchen, study, entrance and a wellstocked veggie garden. To the north is the central courtyard, accessed through the kitchen, day room, lounge, and dining. The ‘afternoon deck’ is located on the western side of the home and can be reached via the dining, lounge, and main bedroom. These three courtyards offer protected outdoor living areas all year-round, visual interest, architectural surprises, view shafts, and available connections throughout the thoughtfully landscaped garden surroundings. A double garage, laundry, and several storage areas are also located on the ground floor. The upper-level features two guest bedrooms, a play area for the grandchildren, and the family bathroom. This level does not dominate the lower or neighbouring houses due to its floating pavilion appearance, with its light colour and cedar sunscreens within a skeletal steel structure. Cedar screens and pergolas were introduced on all sides of the house, providing additional shade, and creating a visual continuity between the indoor and outdoor living areas. “Ultimately, the overall design establishes a relaxed atmosphere and an easy place to live in all year round where the homeowners feel as though they are always on holiday.” Based in Christchurch and Whangamata, Borrmeister Architects is always committed to creating environmentally friendly buildings using natural and sustainable materials that are energy efficient. “We always strive to create architecture that integrates the natural world thoughtfully and respectfully; to achieve positive experiences and healthy environments for both our clients and future users of our buildings.” The wisely thought-out economic footprint of Pivot House avoids unnecessary circulation areas and other wasted space, despite its broken-up nature. It includes multiple courtyards on three sides to support natural cross-ventilation, solar gain, and protection from the prevailing winds. It also has a void from the kitchen on the ground floor to the first level, which encourages natural stack type ventilation. The footprint further encompasses solar/photovoltaic panels, rainwater retention tanks for garden irrigation, high levels of insulation, thermally broken window and door joinery with high-performance glass, cedar pergolas, cedar fixed and sliding screens, high-level windows, low maintenance materials, calculated roof overhangs designed to follow the daily sun path, and space for a well-stocked veggie garden. Overall, the design outcome successfully answered the client’s wish for an environmentally friendly home.

KAIKOURA

MAYFAIR COMMUNITY ARTS AND CULTURE

BY IRVING SMITH ARCHITECTS

Words: Amy Russ | Photos: Andrew Spencer

Reinventing an earthquake damaged complex may seem simple but recreating the Mayfair Cinema into a multipurpose cinema, theatre, gallery and conference venue was a stroke of genius.

Irving Smith Architects received the Public Architecture Award for the Kaikoura Mayfair Community Arts and Culture in the recent 2021 Nelson Marlborough Architecture Awards. Architect Andrew Irving had a sophisticated brief and the jurors for Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects (NZIA) Awards - William Samuels of William Samuels Architects, Rachel Dodd of Arthouse Architects, Sally Ogle of Patchwork Architecture and Myles Montgomery say Andrew’s team delivered. “The architects have cleverly responded to these multifarious demands, creating a comfortable, functional, hard-working building. A key addition was a terrace at the upper level to take advantage of the theatre’s waterfront site and add life to the facade. Archaeological finds that added significant complexity to the build were worked through simply and quickly - a testament to the architects and clients, and their strong relationships with the wider community.” Originally built in the 1930’s the Mayfair Cinema contributed as an art deco icon on Kaikoura’s seaside esplanade. “In true 1930’s cinema style, a simple shed and screen were dignified by a sturdy art deco façade.” The 2017 earthquake had a devastating effect on many public buildings in and around Kaikoura. It caused significant damage to the Mayfair Cinema masonry building, rendering it unsafe and unusable and only the reinforced concrete façade was able to be salvaged. Andrew says the Mayfair Cinema was a simple masonry hall, with a reinforced concrete Art Deco Façade. ‘Post-earthquake, the masonry component was unsalvageable, leaving only the façade intact. Our challenge was to install a much broader set of uses on the same site, and in the same width, as the former building. It seemed important, in this case, to hang onto the façade, and retain that strong sense of identity on the Kaikoura esplanade.” “The Mayfair Trust was insistent that we rebuild the new portion as a lightweight and resilient timber structure. This allowed us to draw on our recent experience in larger scale timber construction.”

Reopened in 2020, the building houses two state-of-the-art cinemas with the larger of the two designed to accommodate conferences, presentations and stage shows, complete with sound and lighting rigs. “There was a lot of complexity and head scratching involved in fitting all these uses and spaces back on site. Once we had that resolved, the key was simple - to try and tie the internal spaces together by expressing their timber construction.”

Their careful attention to acoustics and technology was a key feature. “We have reconfigured the spaces to fit a community gallery on the upper floor, and upgraded what was a canopy over the front door to a deck with incredible views up and down the east coast. It was an ambitious brief from our client, and a lot to pack on to the existing site.” The team had never ‘made a pink building before’ and Andrew says it caused some trepidation, “We’re delighted at the way that it’s re-established the art deco nature of the retained façade, and forms the basis of all of Mayfair’s marketing material. This is the first public building completed or reopened in Kaikoura following the earthquakes. It’s great to be involved in bringing this building, and the activity it allows back to this community.” John Wyatt, President Chief Executive of Kaikoura Community Theatre, led the project along with his wife Sandra and says that Andrew and his team rose to the challenge of what he describes as a “very exacting brief for what is now an award-winning building”. “They understood the need to work with the community for what is essentially its beating heart. It is a community space with a lot of community focus and they understood that. Irving Smith Architects worked well with everyone involved. It was a great result with good team effort and good spirits all round.”

Master Builders Commercial Project Silver Award Winner 2021

BRAGATO RESEARCH INSTITUTE

BY JERRAM TOCKER BARRON ARCHITECTS

Words: Adrienne Matthews | Photos: Jessica Jones

The Blenheim campus of Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology and Marlborough Research Centre is the location of the world leading Bragato Research Institute – Rangahau Karepe Wāina O Aotearoa. Established on behalf of New Zealand Winegrowers, the only such national body of its kind in the world, it has been designed to undertake trials, research, test new technologies and processes and be a model for how wineries can operate sustainably. It will help enable New Zealand to remain at the forefront of the international wine industry which earns the country 1.5 billion dollars annually.

It is named after an internationally acclaimed Italian viticulturist, Romeo Bragato, who served as the government’s viticulturist from 1902 to 1909 and whose recommendations laid the foundation for modern day viticulture practices. The striking but simple looking structure belies the complexity within and wowed the judging panel. As jury convener William Samuels says: “Simple moves such as windows at the perfect height for overlooking the vines outside elevate this building to the status of an ‘elegant shed.” Simon Hall of Jerram Tocker Barron Architects, who designed the building, says, “the trick with this project was keeping it cost effective and environmentally sustainable. It also had to fulfill the requirements necessary for the diverse range of activities and processes carried out by the Institute while having an elegance that sat well in the environment and could be blended with other activities proposed for the site.”

The wall cladding in a rich charcoal hue is Kingspan, a high performance insulated panel system that is smart and contemporary but also offers a high degree of insulation. The sloping skillion roof adds to the simplicity of the building, while the areas of glass reflect the surrounding greens of the vineyard. An important aspect of the brief was sustainability. Rainwater systems are in place so that rain is harvested from the roof before being stored, filtered and UV treated for use in the winery. Power is obtained from a 15KW solar power system which produces up to 30% of the building’s needs. Integral to the design is an efficient Building Management System, an integrated automated technology system that monitors energy, heating, lighting, along with water and air quality. As demands for these alter, it allows modifications to take place so that the building meets the needs of its research activities and adds to the comfort of staff working within it. This was recognised by the NZIA jury who say, “it is admirable to see an architect so knowledgeable about the environmental impacts of their design and how these have been worked through.”

NEW ZEALAND

There is no detail of the build that hasn’t been carefully considered. A distinctive feature of the conference/ seminar room is the ceiling. A timber laminate, it has been given a black backing before being machine cut in an abstract pattern that reflects the institute’s logo. An acoustic batt sits in behind to absorb any noise. The colour was chosen as a reference to oak wine barrels. It is this kind of attention to detail that have helped this project to become a winner. The building’s quality, design and functionality are best summed up by the winery’s Research Manager, Dr Tanya Rutan, who says, “working in the Bragato Research Institute is such an amazing experience and I feel extremely fortunate to carry out operations in such a well-designed state of the art building. The thoughtful lay out and hi-tech management system provides for efficiency and high productivity – but it’s the natural light and openness that instils a more important sense of wellbeing. It’s truly one of those places where you walk in and simply say, wow!”