Marlborough Weekly 21 February 2023

Angela Helmbright outside her home of 24 years, destroyed in a fire last week. Photo: Matt Brown.

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I’m a wedding photographer, and a wedding party that was coming here from Auckland had trouble. It took them nine hours to get across. We didn’t know if the bridal party was going to make it - it was nail biting. They cut it really fine.

Our friends have had issues. They wanted to come here to work in the wineries, but they couldn’t get a ticket. The winery work starts today, and they can’t get over for two weeks. They started looking for tickets a month ago.

I’m going on the ferry in March, so I hope there aren’t any issues. We’ve heard of issues with the ferry toilets being blocked, so they couldn’t dock. Luckily, it hasn’t affected us yet.

My old man, he’s a truck driver, and he usually goes over on the ferry twice a week. He’s had to sit on the dock waiting for hours because of all the delays. The longest he’s waited is about ten hours. He’s really annoyed with it all.

Nurse resignations add to staff shortage

PAULA HULBURT

Wairau Hospital is facing further staff shortages after a slew of resignations.

Sandy says.

Four registered nurses within the hospital’s busy Emergency Department have handed in their notice, heading to Australia to work instead.

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The move has exacerbated an existing gap in staff numbers which is also affecting hospitals nationwide.

But health bosses are reassuring the public that patient health will not be affected by the loss of 10 per cent of the nursing workforce.

“Like many other countries, Te Whatu Ora faces international competition for its skilled and knowledgeable staff as there is a global shortage of healthcare workers, says Nelson Marlborough Director Nursing & Mid-

wifery Sandy McLean-Cooper.

“In this case, we can confirm that four Registered Nurses at Wairau Hospital have decided to take up positions in Australia.

“Nurses have amazing transferable skills, and we always encourage the development of a wide spectrum of skills.”

Sandy says contingency plans are in place for this, with cover coming from both in and outside the region.

“Contingencies include cover from within our district; cov-

er from Nelson’s emergency department; use of the casual workforce pool; and assistance from elsewhere in our region.

“We would like to reassure the public that urgent and emergency care will always be available at Wairau Hospital.”

Vacant roles include positions in the emergency department, the high-dependency unit and the acute assessment unit. The recruitment team is working hard to fill the current vacancies in Nelson and Marlborough,

“Te Whatu Ora is currently running a global campaign for nurses to work in New Zealand. Te Whatu Ora also has an international recruitment campaign across the health workforce which commenced in late-November 2022.”

The hospital provides lifesaving and urgent medical help to patients in Marlborough. While many of the nurses on staff have been there for decades, others are more recent additions. Sandy says she hopes the staff may return to the hospital once they have “spread their wings. “Our experience shows that often nurses will return home after spreading their wings further afield.

“We are very thankful for their service to our community while they were with us in Wairau Hospital.”

Maraea Grace

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Long wait for wages for former Club workers

PAULA HULBURT paula@topsouthmedia.co.nz

Former employees of the Club of Marlborough could be waiting months to discover if they will recover lost wages.

Employees are owed a total of $136,965.40 in wages and holiday pay and $19,489.68 for alternative public holidays.

But in their interim report published last week, provisional liquidators at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) said no time frame was available yet.

The High Court will decide if the Clubs should go into full liquidation at a hearing on March 10 in Blenheim.

If appointed as official liquidators, the team at PwC will launch a full investigation into former management and the affairs of the club.

In the report, interim liquidators

Malcolm Hollis and Richard Nacey say they will look for any “avenue of recovery.”

“… there will be a full investigation into the actions of management and the affairs of the Club to identify if there are any insolvent transactions, avenues for recovery or breaches of the law which we may refer to the authorities for further investigation.”

The Blenheim Workingmen’s

Club, trading as the Clubs of Marlborough, closed on November 11 last year, ending a 133-year journey.

The building, which was purpose-built at a cost of $18 million in 2007, remains closed, with security and surveillance now in place in to help safeguard the central Blenheim site, the report says.

“Digital assets are also secure and protected from unauthorised access and data breached.”

An inventory and valuation have been done on all chattels with insurance still in place following a review.

But it will be a longer wait for creditors, both nationally and locally, to see if they can recoup losses.

The list of those who are owed money stretches from National power company Genesis to local firms including butchers, florists and the Marlborough RSA.

In the report Malcom says that they expect more creditors to come forward.

“We understand that there are approximately 115 unsecured trade and employee creditors owed approximately $375,583.41 at this stage in the interim liquidation.

“This is only an estimate, and we expect more claims to come through in the coming period.”

The Clubs of Marlborough closed its doors in November 2022. File photos.

‘About time’: New A&P Park pavilion could get underway by next financial year

they intended to get the new pavilion underway by the next financial year.

A “master plan” is in the works for Blenheim’s A&P Park, which could finally see movement on the council’s promise of a new pavilion.

The Marlborough District Council has hired a consultant to investigate how different groups use the park, and provide the council with a master plan for a “possible reconfiguration” of the park. Located on the corner of Maxwell Rd and Alabama Rd, A&P Park is home to Marlborough Football, the Marlborough Farmers' Market and dog obedience training groups. The A&P Show and other travelling events use the park too. The master plan would slot in with the timing of the building of the new pavilion and grandstand at the park, first pencilled in the council’s 2015-25 long-term plan at a budget of $1.7m. The plan had signalled the project would be delivered between 2019 and 2020.

Council parks and open spaces officer Robert Hutchinson said

“It's been sitting there for quite a few years, the new pavilion and all the work ... that's why we need the study done,” Hutchinson said. Marlborough Football general manager Andrea Smith-Scott said the organisation had been “really patient” in its wait for a new hub and development of the park.

“We’re really excited about the opportunities ahead, it’s about time to be honest,” Smith-Scott said.

“We’ve spent a lot of time over the years going back and forth.”

She said the current building was not up to standard, and it at times was “embarrassing” to host teams from other regions.

There was not enough storage for gear and there were no changing rooms for women, she said.

She said only one of the senior football pitches could be lit enough at night, yet they had 19 senior teams.

During discussions with the consultants they had asked for more

changing rooms and showers, more storage, field lighting and hoped for an artificial turf because they needed at least one all-weather pitch for training.

Hutchinson said a draft report from the study, undertaken by

Visitor Solutions, was expected to be delivered to council within the next six to eight weeks.

“The review came out of a number of conversations with the Farmers’ Market, and the dog obedience people who came to

staff in about August last year,” he said.

“That was around the time we were confirming the new sports pavilion and its location.”

He said both the dog obedience and Farmers’ Market had signalled plans to expand, so they thought it was appropriate to finalise a master plan for how the park was used, before they decided where the new hub would be built on the park.

“That way we have got everything covered, and all the boxes ticked and a plan for the future,” he said.

It came after annual plan hearings last year, Marlborough Farmers’ Market chairman Rob Harrison asked if the council could “formally endorse” an extension of the area they leased from A&P Park.

Harrison said they would like the market to extend north of its current area, but would make sure they did not overtake the space used by dog agility groups. Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air.

Beach day proves popular

MATT BROWN

About 800 people packed their beach towels, donned their jandals and popped over to Whites Bay for the annual MoreFM Beach Day on Saturday.

Hundreds took part in a mad scramble for popsicle sticks buried on the popular beach, with success-

ful searchers earning their share of more than $5000 worth of prizes. And budding architects showed off their creative sand creations in the Jennian Homes sandcastle competition.

Sponsored by MTF Finance, Blenheim owner Eva Francis says they’re proud to support the community.

“It’s so great to see people at Whites

Bay – MoreFM have done a great job.

MoreFM presenter Georgia Watt says this year’s sandcastles were a step-up from last years.

“The calibre of the sand sculptures has definitely improved,” she says. “It’s just so great to have the event – to have the community come together.”

Marlborough Football general manager Andrea Smith-Scott said the organisation is excited they might finally get a new hub. Photo: Supplied/STUFF.

Richmond View School student Estella Giblin, 9, found one of the coveted popsticks in the MoreFM beach dig. Photos: Matt Brown.

The MoreFM and MTF Finance team, from left, Georgia Watt, Mark Ham, Eva Francis, Svenja Morgan and Max Goodman.

Pensioner escapes home blaze

MATT BROWN

A call of nature helped save a Blenheim woman’s life after she escaped a terrifying blaze in her home.

Angela Helmbright was asleep at her Girling Avenue home when fire broke out.

The now homeless pensioner woke to use the bathroom when she spotted a small flame from her gas cooker was burning out of control.

It took four fire appliances nearly two hours to completely extinguish the blaze which gutted her home of 24 years.

“The police say I’m lucky to be alive,” Angela told Marlborough Weekly, while sitting on the lawn in front of the burnt-out shell of her home.

“I’m very grateful to my bladder.” Emergency crews were called to the fire just before 4am on Wednesday morning, with two Blenheim fire engines initially responding.

Fire and Emergency New Zealand shift manager Simon Lyford says when the fire crews arrived, the fire was well involved.

A second alarm was sounded, bringing another Blenheim crew and a truck from Renwick. They didn’t leave the scene until 6am. Simon says the fire is being investigated.

Angela’s memories, meanwhile, have gone up in smoke.

“I was moving out the 28th – I had all my photos packed up and in the kitchen. Now, they’re up in smoke,” Angela says.

“I stood over the street and watched it burn.”

She says she planned to cook some kai, on a gas stove and fell asleep on the couch.

“If my bladder hadn’t woken me up, I’d still be on the couch,” she says. “It was a little flicker of a flame,

then it was an inferno.

“I tried to wake up my neighbour – but he’s hard of hearing. I went to my other neighbour and called emergency services.”

Angela wasn’t injured, but was shaken and says she hadn’t slept since the blaze.

She plans to move down to Bluff to live with her son.

Unattended cooking is the leading cause of house fires in New Zealand.

When you’re cooking

Don’t drink and fry. Alcohol is involved in half of all fatal fires. Instead, pre-prepare a meal, get takeaways, or use the microwave. Never attempt to drink alcohol or take medication that makes you sleepy when cooking.

Don’t leave the room when cooking. If you have to, always turn off the stove first. Unattended cooking is the leading cause of house fires in New Zealand. Keep curtains, tea towels, oven mitts and any flammable items well away from the cooking area when you’re cooking.

Keeping a clean and safe kitchen Clean your stovetop after each use. This prevents spilled fats and burnt foods from building up. Clean rangehood filters regularly. Keep a fire extinguisher and a fire blanket somewhere in your kitchen. Make sure you know how to use them.

Smoke alarms

Don’t install a smoke alarm in your kitchen. Smoke and heat from cooking (and the toaster) can activate the alarm. Smoke alarms shouldn’t be installed in the bathroom or laundry either. You can still protect these areas with a heat alarm. A heat alarm is designed to activate when the room

reaches a set temperature. They are useful in places where a smoke alarm would usually give false alarms. If your frypan is on fire, place the lid of the frypan, a wet tea

towel, or another large flat object (like a chopping board) over the pan to starve the fire of oxygen. Never throw water onto a frypan that’s on fire.

Never, ever attempt to carry a burning frypan outside. If you have a fire in your oven, try to turn off the power or gas, either at the stove or at the mains.

The Girling Ave home was gutted by fire early Wednesday morning. Photos: Matt Brown.

NewsInBrief

ON PATROL

Blenheim Community Patrol need more volunteers to join their regional teams and help reduce crime. All patrollers are trained and help as an extra pair of eyes and ears for local police officers, who they work directly with. To register interest and to find out more email either blenheim@cpnz.org.nz or picton@cpnz. org.nz

OCEAN ADVENTURE

Envirohub Marlborough are offering children aged between 5 and 12 years old the chance to experience the Marlborough Sounds by boat. To help mark Sea Week and NZ Children’s Day on March 5, the team, sponsored by Lochmara Lodge and Port Marlborough, are accepting nominations for children yet to have had the chance to go out by boat. Email conservationkids@envirohub.co.nz.

BOWLS FOR CHARITY

Life Education Trust is fundraising to support their programmes for children across the region with the Great Charity Lawn Bowls Event in April. Taking place at the Blenheim Bowling Club in Weld Street on April 1, teams of three will battle it out for the top spot honour and a corporate prize of a $100 dollar morning tea shout from Karaka Cuisine. The competition is open to anyone over the age of ten years old. Entry is $20 per person. Email admin.marlborough@lifeedtrust.org.nz to register.

Figure eights in rough seas: Bluebridge engine woes sees ferry turn around twice

MATT BROWN

Bluebridge ferry Connemara limped into the Marlborough Sounds with only one engine firing on a marathon seven-hour trip on Friday night, a passenger says.

Blenheim woman Abby Edwards embarked from Wellington on the ferry at 2pm. But after hours delay and the ferry turning around in the Strait, twice, she’s just happy she got to Picton.

The ferry was meant to sail Friday morning at 7.45am, but it was delayed until 2pm, says Abby. She booked a motel in Wellington to make the sailing.

After two hours of sailing, she says it feels like they were only just out of Wellington. Then there was an announcement.

The ferry was turning around – going back to Wellington.

Abby says the other passengers weren’t happy with that.

“It was very frustrating when they first announced it,” she says.

“People around me cancelled their motel bookings in the South Island then rebooked in Wellington, then had to cancel them again.”

Forty minutes later, there was a second announcement

The Runway Cafe & Store

Providing relaxed café dining, Lisa Stove and Stephen Badham opened the doors to The Runway Café and Store in Woodbourne three years ago and say it has been extremely gratifying watching the business grow to where it is today. The couple have transformed the building from an empty shell into a diverse art-filled space with a fully licensed bar, delicious local cuisine, spacious indoor and outdoor dining areasand a mighty Argosy Aeroplane parked outside.

No stranger to hectic time schedules, running a business, raising a family and hosting evening events would be a juggle at the best of times but, for Lisa and Stephen, it is all in a day’s work.

Prior to opening the café and store, Lisa used to teach and manage a swim school, umpire local netball as a New Zealand official, and play local softball, on top of managing a household.

“Steve and I were relatively new to the industry when we purchased the building although both of us had experience in particular aspects. Every day has

– they were going to Picton after all.

“The people next to me yahoo’d and clapped,” Abby says. Abby had been trying to book a return crossing of the Cook Strait for a week, to attend her grandmother’s funeral.

Strait crossings have been severely disrupted by multiple ship failures and Cyclone Gabrielle.

“We got across to Wellington on Monday, but when grandma died last Friday night, we

were trying to get a crossing over and back.

“We only managed to get a ticket on Sunday over for Monday. We were going to fly but we couldn't get any rental cars and to fly to Palmerston North with two kids was super expensive.”

On Thursday, she managed to book herself and her car on Friday morning’s 7.45am Bluebridge sailing.

“Everyone was really pissed off when they did the first announcement saying we're

going back.

“When asking the crew what was going to happen, they were saying we would have to ring the 0800 number to find out.

“Everyone seems ok now.” She says when she asked the crew, they told her the ship was operating on one engine, traveling at about ten knots. “I'm obviously happy we are going to Picton but they could be doing a bit more.” Bluebridge has been approached for comment.

its own challenges both in the home and at the café. But when I reflect on the past three years and opening just prior to the epidemic, I feel proud that we have managed to stay operating, thanks to the local community support.”

Working alongside Steve and watching his creativity while transforming the interior of the building has been pretty awesome, says Lisa. “Our lounge is pretty special with eclectic furniture, artwork and the new addition of ‘The Frame’ tv so we can show special art pieces, plus use it as a means of projection

for meetings and functions.” But what truly drives their passion for the business is the people, says Lisa. “We set ourselves up for locals and travellers passing by. Our local community is awesome, and we have loved getting to know our regulars. The banter is well and truly alive at The Runway!”

Stocking and serving up regional and local products, The Runway Café also hosts regular Night Shift events on Friday and Saturday evenings in collaboration with local food truck owners.

“We know how hard it is to get staff for hospitality, especially

chefs, so our thoughts for this were to offer local food trucks to come in, hook up and cook the food while we open the lounge and outside area to dine in and enjoy the full bar or ‘Fly Around the World’ on the adjoining historic Argosy Aeroplane. Something pretty cool we do, is offer a function which includes boarding the plane for short flights to destinations, before offloading to The Runway Lounge for culinary delights from that country.”

Open Monday – Saturday, follow The Runway Café on Facebook for the latest updates.

The Bluebridge is traveling through the Marlborough Sounds this evening after an ordeal in the strait. Photo: Abby Edwards/Supplied.

AMY RUSS

Amy Russ chats with owner-operator Lisa Stove

Lisa Stove operates The Runway Cafe and Store with her partner Stephen Badham. Photos: Summa Donald.

SERVICES UPGRADE

The final stage in a series of upgrades to infrastructure services in Murphys Road will get underway at the end of this month.

Works include the replacement of a water main running from Middle Renwick Road up to Roseneath Lane. Marlborough Lines are upgrading the underground power cables on the eastern side of Murphys Road, while the sewer pipeline on the western side of Murphys Road, north of Ward Street is also being upgraded. The project is due to be completed by the end of May.

NEW GM ON BOARD

The Ngāti Koata Board of Trustees has announced the appointment of Turi Hippolite as the new General Manager for the Trust.  Turi comes with a wealth of experience and knowledge and says she is grateful and humbled to help lift and grow the iwi. A powhiri for Turi will be held on April 1.

TECH TEAM

Discover how Marlborough Boys’ College are growing their technology department and investing in a pipeline of well-trained employees, business owners and innovators who will help drive productivity and growth in Marlborough. Head along to the Blenheim Club on High Street on February 23 between 5-6pm to find out more about the initiative, which is based a similar programme at Hasting’s Boys’ High School. Register with the Marlborough Chamber of Commerce.

Council to take over museum management as Marlborough Heritage Trust winds up

MATT BROWN

Rising costs and static funding has forced the Marlborough Heritage Trust to throw in the towel.

The Trust will be wound up at the end of March, with Marlborough District Council (MDC) taking over operation of the Marlborough Museum and Edwin Fox Maritime Museum.

The move was revealed after council advertised manager positions for the two museums on job websites.

Trust spokesperson Cathie Bell says it will be sad to see the trust go, but there will be benefits from the council taking over operations.

“Staff will become council employees the way that library staff are, and so will be paid market rates which will be good. Our staff do an excellent job for the region,” she says.

“Marlborough is rich in heritage and this move will give the museum and the Edwin Fox financial stability.”

Cathie says due to Covid and weather events, many museums across the country are struggling.

Marlborough Heritage Trust received $170,000 of extra funding to keep the trust operating until a council review of the trust and its operations were complete, Local Democracy Reporter Maia Hart reported in March last year.

Cathie says winding up the trust is the result of the council review.

Several heritage buildings need extensive repair or renovation and insurance costs have skyrocketed.

“We’ve all worked really hard to live within our means,” she says.

“Our grant doesn’t go up, but all our costs do.

“It’s been really tough.” Council’s manager, economic, community and support services Dean Heiford says the district’s heritage assets – particularly the Edwin Fox – are significant visitor attractions.

“Council will be able to modernise the museums’ structures and we aim to ensure they operate as well as possible,” he said.

ing structures and recruiting associated staff.

Cathie says while it’s never great to have to wind things up, she’s confident council will do a good job. “Council will give it that long-term financial stability and focus.

“I’m confident council will do a good job – they do with the library. And I think wages will be able to go up for the staff.

“All our staff have made really massive contributions to the district.”

He says managers are being employed first and would then have a role in develop-

The changeover transition takes place from March 31 this year.

“Marlborough is rich in heritage and this move will give the museum and the Edwin Fox financial stability.”

Marlborough District Council will take over management of Marlborough Museum and Edwin Fox Maritime Museum at the end of March.

Photo: Matt Brown.

Marlborough’s Emergency Response team have headed up to the North Island to help with the cyclone relief recovery effort. The team of six were deployed on Friday, heading to Auckland for a week where they will assist with assessment and recovery. Eleven people were killed in the disaster where the number of casualties expected to rise. As of Monday morning, there are 3215 people still unaccounted for.

New hires see Urgent Care Centre return to normal hours

Five new nurses, as well as part-timers increasing their hours, has seen the Urgent Care Centre return to their normal hours, 8am to 8pm, from yesterday (Monday). The Centre reduced its hours, closing at 5pm, in September last year, citing national workforce shortages.

General manager Lawrence Laus says he is looking forward to providing the community with after-hours care again, as well as reducing the pressure on ED and GPs.

“It has been a challenging time and we have only been able to get

Ferry companies batten down the hatches as delays continue

PAULA HULBURT

A Cook Strait ferry turned back for Wellington Harbour after a medical emergency on board.

The Interislander’s Kaiarahi had just left Wellington Harbour yesterday (Monday) for Picton when someone on board fell ill. Ferry staff acted quickly, returning to port so the patient could be treated as soon as possible. Both Interislander and Bluebridge ferries have been hit by troubles at sea recently, with delays causing frustration for passengers.

ly due to the nursing team, but now I am confident to say we have enough staff to cover our usual operating hours.”

Five nurses were hired during December and January. The shortage was further alleviated when some of the Centre’s part-time and casual nurses decided to increase their hours, Lawrence says.

“An extra three hours might not seem like much,” Lawrence says, “but being open three hours later is really helpful not only for the patients but also for GP practices and for the Emergency Department.

“We’ll be able to take a big load off the ED.

The Kaitaki was left stranded at sea with 800 passengers on board at the end of January, sparking an inquiry by the Transport Accident Investigation Commission.

The ferry was switched to freight only, a move that was supposed to be for just a couple of weeks.

But yesterday, Interislander staff revealed the vessel would have to remain as a freight only service until at least Friday.

“We are moving a lot of freight bookings from the Aratere and Kaiarahi to Kaitaki and the Valentine to free up more space for passengers and their vehicles.

“We have bookings for around 5000 people and 1500 cars this week that are affected by the Kaitaki cancellations that we are trying to reschedule so please be patient with our teams while they work through these.”

In a social media post, a spokesperson revealed that there would be some bookings that would have to be refunded. Affected passengers should expect a text or email in the next few days. But new bookings look unlikely, they warned.

“Unfortunately, there will be some bookings that we aren’t able to find space for and you will be offered a refund.

“Our focus is getting customers with existing bookings across Cook Strait. Our Customer Service team is handling a large number of calls and there are significant wait times.”

Both Interislander and Bluebridge have also been hit by crew shortages due to illness and Cyclone Gabrielle, which has seen a reduction in the number of sailings.

Bluebridge’s Strait Ferona left for Sydney on Friday for drydock and is not expected back in Wellington until the end of March. The company’s newly acquired Connemare struck troubles at sea on Sunday as she headed towards Picton.

Staff say all their sailings from Wellington to Picton in the coming weeks are at full capacity.

“There is very limited availability from Picton to Wellington. If any additional capacity does become available, it will be made available to book online but please note we are not anticipating being able to open more space on our ships.”

MATT BROWN

Cook Strait ferries are struggling to keep up with passenger demand.

Photo: Matt Brown.

Ground-breaking work set to start on heritage centre

PAULA HULBURT

Work is set to start on a new stateof-the-art rural heritage centre, replacing one ravaged in the devastating Kaikōura earthquake. It has been seven years in the making, a purpose built $1.5 million hub set to house the Ward Museum’s collection and educate generations to come about the area’s rich past. Now groundworks on the new Flaxbourne Heritage Centre are nearly underway as materials arrive on site.

Ward Museum was red-stickered in the aftermath of the 7.8 magnitude quake and was unsafe to use. Plans were unveiled for a dream centre, to be located next to the Ward Town Hall.

The Flaxbourne Heritage Centre build will showcase the multigenerational history of the East Coast from early Māori times till today. Its location adjacent to the hall, school and future path of the Whale Trail will create a hub for the community and a point of interest for visitors to the Kaikōura area.

This milestone comes after seven years of planning and fundraising efforts.

Trust chair Kevin Loe says the small team of trustees who help leverage funds for the build and display area team hope the wider community will help fundraise the balance needed.

“We are now on the final stretch of this amazing project and are looking now to the wider community to help fund the balance.

“Lotteries have been generous in granting the bulk of the funds to date, mostly from their Community Earthquake Recovery fund, other Agencies we could still approach will base their support on the size of the community contribution.”

The final stage, still to be funded is the multifunction audio visual, interactive and educational room.

It is hoped this will prove to be a key drawcard for wider Marlborough and visitors.

It will also provide a resource for teachers and students as they expand their knowledge of Aotearoa/ New Zealand history through the new history curricu-

lum, Kevin says.

“With physical construction now visible we hope you share our excitement and if able, can be part of the project through your contribution to assist in achieving our objectives.”

Kevin says some personal pledges have already been made to help protect the rich heritage of the area.

“We already have a number of generous personal pledges pending, for which we are very

grateful, but there is still a way to go until we reach our goal of opening debt free, including the opportunity for larger concerns to obtain naming rights to the centre and the multifunction room.”

Work is ramping up at the eagerly awaited Flaxbourne Heritage Centre in Ward. Photo: Supplied.

RMA dog set to be an even bigger monster under Government reform

FEDERATED FARMERS

The Natural and Built Environment Bill and Spatial Planning Bill will make resource management issues worse and should be withdrawn, Federated Farmers has told the Environment Select Committee.

“Farmers agree the costly, slow and unpredictable processes under the RMA need fixing, but in getting rid of the old dog the government risks replacing it with an even bigger monster,” Feds national board member and RMA spokesperson Mark Hooper says. “We are very concerned that the NBE is riddled with new, amorphous terms, like upholding the interconnectedness of the environment, and a focus on well-being will launch New Zealand into a decade of court cases trying to understand what anything in the Bill means.”

Submissions to the select committee closed at the beginning of February and Federated Farmers argued that requirements for decisions to promote 18 different system outcomes, alongside future well-being and interconnectedness, create an impossible maze for a Minister to navigate

when setting new regulations.

“We could accept the pain of going through this process if we thought the new bills would lead to a better outcome in the end.

Unfortunately, after a decade of court cases, farmers will be left with a regime that looks very similar to the one they have now, if not worse,” Hooper said.

“While the Minister has been singing ‘Stronger, better, faster’, I can’t help but think of The Who’s ‘We Won’t Get Fooled Again’.

“When the current RMA was introduced we were told it was 'world-leading'; 30 years on, noone else in the world has followed our lead in bundling all environmental law together. Under the new bill all the frameworks are still essentially the same and farmers will still need a costly resource consent for all the same things they do now.”

There are also some really concerning aspects to these bills for rural communities and local democracy.

The bills propose to shift all planning decisions away from New Zealand’s 67 city and district councils to 15 new Regional Planning Committees. These Regional Planning Com-

mittees will have a mix of council and iwi or hapū appointees, none of whom will be directly accountable to the towns and districts they set the rules over, the Feds submission said. This would mean decisions relating to transport, parks, and urban planning in a place like Taupō would happen in Hamilton, Masterton would see decisions made in Wellington, and Timaru would be planned out of Christchurch.

“This of course happens fast on the heels of decisions to strip district councils of responsibility for Three Waters. “If we aren’t careful, there won’t be much left for district councils to do but organise the Santa parade,” Hooper said.

“If the Government is serious about shifting New Zealand from our current three tiers of government to two, this should be done transparently. We don’t accept

SUPPLIES

a situation where district councils are stripped of responsibility piecemeal.

“Federated Farmers knows the Government has put five years into this reform, so it won’t be easy to just start again. But we are also of the view that these bills need a fundamental rethink. “The song the Minister should be singing is perhaps Kenny Rogers, Know when to hold, Know when to fold, and when to walk away.”

RMA reform is needed, Federated Farmers say, but the bill needs a fundamental rethink.

Photo: Bill McKay

Motueka / Nelson James Marshall 027 706 5610

Marlborough RURAL & LIFESTYLE

For Sale $979,000 View By Appointment marlborough.harcourts.co.nz/BL10191

Excellent property for a self-sufficient lifestyle, set within its own micro-climate on fertile land. This offers several opportunities for new owners. Action required, call William or Rhonda for an exclusive viewing. https://vimeo.com/765892123

• 2.0166ha grazing land in 5 paddocks

• Double garage, attached single garaport plus over-height carport

• Small shearing shed, two-bay shed and holding pen, hen-house and run

47

Seniors Road Lifestyle

A great lifestyle property offering an attractive four-bedroom home with new kitchen and numerous features plus views to Mt Fishtail. Sheltered from the prevailing winds and located within the Wairau Valley community, this is a rural property with means to generate income. Has to be seen to appreciate all of the improvements made by the vendors. Contact William or Rhonda to make an appointment or to chat about this special listing.

• 3.1761ha, six fully fenced paddocks with water

• Enormous implement shed / workshop with power and water califont

• Three bay pole shed, small stockyard and loading and dog run

• Bore and private water scheme

For Sale By Negotiation (gst Incl)

View By Appointment marlborough.harcourts.co.nz/BL10297

84 Rarangi Road Rarangi

For Sale Neg Over $1,000,000

View By Appointment marlborough.harcourts.co.nz/BL10263

Privately located within proximity of Rarangi Beach, this is a property near the action with the Rarangi Golf Course on hand and beaches at Whites Bay and Robin Hood Bay close by. The family home is complemented by outbuildings that include a 2 bay pole shed, wood shed, hen house, three garden sheds and a shade-house. Make your mark on this great start-out property. Call Martin or William for further details or head to our open home.

• Domestic water via bore and holding tank

• Mains power supported by 16 panel solar system

• Established olive trees yielding annually an average of 200kg fruit

• 3 fully fenced paddocks

William Harris

M 027 756 7798 P 03 578 0888

Martin Summerscales

William Harris Rural & Lifestyle Manager

M 027 756 7798 P 03 578 0888 william.harris@harcourts.co.nz

Paul Jackson Sales & Marketing Consultant M 027 277 6686 P 03 578 0888 paul.jackson@harcourts.co.nz

Hannah Burns Sales & Marketing Consultant M 027 332 5050 P 03 578 0888 hannah.burns@harcourts.co.nz

Mike Insley Sales & Marketing Consultant M 021 229 8157 P 03 578 0888 mike.insley@harcourts.co.nz

Rhonda Stewart Sales & Marketing Consultant M 021 736 922 P 03 578 0888 rhonda.stewart@harcourts.co.nz

David Searle Sales & Marketing Consultant M 021 565 950 P 03 578 0888 david.searle@harcourts.co.nz

For Sale By Negotiation View By Appointment marlborough.harcourts.co.nz/BL10237

Substantial 20.62ha (approx.) south of the Picton township at The Elevation with an elevated, excavated site with views over Picton to the Marlborough Sounds. A 3 bay pole shed has 24 solar panels and a battery bank to power a 4 bedroom house. To arrange an on-site viewing call William today.

• Good cellphone coverage and RD3 rural mail delivery

• Water scheme with easements

Seniors Road Wairau Valley 6 4 2 2 3.1761ha Rhonda Stewart M 021 736 922 P 03 578 0888 William Harris M 027 756 7798 P 03 578 0888 304 State Highway 1 Picton 19 Camerons Road SH6, Marlborough 2 3 1 1 20.6247ha 2.0166ha Advert

William Harris M 027 756 7798 P 03 578 0888 Rhonda Stewart M 021 736 922 P 03 578 0888 William Harris M 027 756 7798 P 03 578 0888 Rhonda Stewart M 021 736 922 P 03 578 0888

• Flat and sloping grazing land in three fully fenced paddocks at base of hill

188 Mt Riley

Okaramio

5.7470ha

Road

For Sale By Negotiation

View By Appointment marlborough.harcourts.co.nz/BL10278/BL10281

This property lies just 20-minutes commute from the Blenheim CBD. The quirky tilt slab bungalow is set amongst designer gardens and established trees but make no mistake this is a property that offers a lifestyle income. There are ample sheds for implements, workshops and farm machinery plus a stockyard with loading ramp. Need more information, make a call to the listing agents. https://vimeo.com/791746635

• 5.7470ha flat grazing land in 11 paddocks with K-line

• Bore and rooftop water collection to holding tank

• Established shelter belts and orchard with pip and stonefruit

William Harris

M 027 756 7798 P 03 578 0888

Lorraine Barrett

M 027 294 9226 P 03 578 0888

Martyn Birch

M 027 570 5036 P 03 578 0888

Max Morris Sales & Marketing Consultant

M 027 959 1812 P 03 578 0888 max.morris@harcourts.co.nz

Martin Summerscales

Sales & Marketing Consultant

M 021 030 4974 P 03 578 0888 martin.summerscales@harcourts.co.nz

Vicki Harrison Jones Rural Team Administration vicki.harrisonjones@harcourts.co.nz

‘Water taxis forever not viable’: Kenepuru residents make case for Sounds road

“There was a change in format,” Caddie said.

A Kenepuru resident says the message was given loud and clear at a recent roading meeting that water taxis in and out of the area can never be a long-term option, and the road needs to be fixed.

The Marlborough District Council recently wrapped up a series of public meetings across the Marlborough Sounds to gather information on what was needed for the roading network – after it was flood-damaged in both July 2021 and August 2022.

As part of that, the council was investigating what levels of service were needed on each road, and had warned some may never get put back the same.

The council held two meetings in Kenepuru Sound – a road where access is restricted to residents and emergency services only.

Central Sounds Residents' Association chairperson Andrew Caddie said residents told council representatives they wanted to take control of the meeting at Portage – rather than spend the whole time listening to a presentation.

“There was about seven five-minute presentations from people in the audience. They were eloquent about frustrations and about the way things were done.

“It came through loud and clear, and was repeated numerous times by speakers, that the idea that they would sever the road at some point and push people onto water transport was not viable.

The council had engaged engineering consultant Stantec NZ to investigate Marlborough’s roading network.

This came after they were told by Waka Kotahi they needed to “create a network back in the Sounds that is sustainable”, before any funding was released.

This would look at the cost of repairs, climate change, land stability, safety, alternatives to road if necessary, community and economic impacts of access changes and housing land stability risks.

It was a stark difference to the response from Waka Kotahi following flooding in July 2021, when they funded 95% of around $85m in repairs – without the council having to put a business case for-

ward.

Caddie said it made no sense to not fix up the road, given “about 90%” of it was useable anyway.

“A significant proportion of the road is in good shape, there has got to be a road.

“The debate about the level of service on the road, that's a slightly different kettle of fish.

“Whether it be a road with restrictions in terms of vehicle weights and lengths that's sort of up for debate, but people were very clear that the idea of water transport was just not a goer.”

He said people also made it clear there had to be better maintenance on the road going forward.

“These events are becoming larger and more significant, so we have to be resilient and adapt.”

Marlborough District Council strategic planning and economic development manager Neil Henry told about 40 people at the Picton meeting they did not know how a change of Government would affect decision-making.

“We’re not the only region going through this and there will be other regions asking for support

too.”

Meanwhile, at a meeting over Zoom, Stantec principal consultant Andrew Maughan said they intended to share the first evaluation of options by May.

“If you tell us what is important, why these roads are important to you, that helps us achieve some criteria for the types of options that are going to have the most positive impact for you,” Maughan said.

Public Interest Journalism funded through NZ on Air.

Damage in the Marlborough Sounds following the August 2022 floods. Photo: Supplied.

Rural communities respond well to pandemic, despite challenges

The Covid-19 pandemic has added additional stress to the rural community, which itself faces different wellbeing challenges to those of urban Aotearoa. This is according to today’s Te Hiringa Mahara - the Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission report, The impact of Covie-19 on the wellbeing of rural communities in Aotearoa New Zealand. Around 16 per cent of the population live in rural areas, and around 35 per cent in total live outside of large urban areas - these figures are higher for Māori. The Covid-19 pandemic has highlighted and exacerbated pre-existing challenges and has had large impacts on these communities.

"The geographies, economies and cultures of rural communities present challenges to mental health and wellbeing outcomes. This is particularly true with respect to isolation and connectivity, workforce challenges in the economy and health services, and uncertainty in rural economies," says Dr. Filipo Katavake-McGrath, Te Hiringa Mahara Director of Wellbeing System

Leadership and Insights.

Covid-19 in Aotearoa compounded the stress farmers and growers were already experiencing. It also exacerbated pre-existing challenges across healthcare services, including mental health services.

Poor connectivity meant more people were struggling to get help, advice and support; with older people even less likely to be online. The closure of social hubs, such as schools and libraries, during lockdowns also had large impacts on communities.

"Our report highlights the challenges presented to the rural community by these issues, and with a higher rural population, rural issues disproportionately affect Māori. It is important to remember that life has not 'returned to normal' and the need for support has not gone away.

"On a positive note, connectedness and belonging have helped people in rural communities stay positive over the Covid-19 pandemic. Strong local connections are a source of strength and support; and this is highlighted in rural Māori and Pacific com-

munities. During lockdowns, iwi, marae, community hubs, and communities banded together to support one another; share information, kai, and resources; and reduce the some of the worst psychosocial impacts of the pan-

The Adventure Begins Here

demic.

"By working together, and engaging with government agencies and resources, rural communities have taken practical action to protect and support themselves. To keep the momentum going,

we call for greater involvement of rural communities (particularly rural Māori) in planning and decision-making and better understanding of the diverse needs, challenges and experiences of rural communities."

Covid-19 exacerbated pre-existing challenges across healthcare services, including mental health services. Photo: Matt Brown.

OVER THREE DECADES OF EXCELLENCE AT THE TOP OF THE SOUTH

Volunteering helps retiree stay connected to his community

The overwhelming majority of community organisations (89.2%) do not have any paid employees (Volunteering NZ website).

Grant retired 8 years ago and has enthusiastically embraced volunteering – finding it a rewarding way to use his time and give back in his community.

“As an active retiree, I really enjoy being involved with meaningful volunteer work. It is very rewarding to see the results of our labour, and to be able to spend

mr green

quality time with like-minded people”, he says.

For many New Zealanders who are retired, giving back to the community is an important part of their life.

Grant and his wife Lynne are clear – they could not manage without NZ Super, and while it does not cover everything, it means they have been able to both stop working and make the most of this period of their lives.

Grant started working as a teenager and had a busy career working in engineering.

“We were always happy to live within our means, so never got into any financial difficulties. We brought up four children, and for the most part only had one income, so at times money was tight.”

When Grant and Lynne retired, they downsized and moved out of Auckland. One of the benefits of this move has been meeting people in their new community.

“There is an amazing community spirit within the town, and everyone seems to volunteer for something,” says Grant. There are range of different ac-

tivities Grant has got involved in, which reflect his varied interests.

“I work with the Mangawhai Tracks Charitable Trust, we build and maintain walking tracks in and around Mangawhai for the public to use.”

“I am also a volunteer at the Mangawhai Museum, where we are restoring a historic ship which was discovered on Muriwai Beach after being buried for over 150 years.”

Finally, Grant is also a volunteer with the local golf club, where he has had several roles supporting the club on various committees.

Currently he works to assist the greenkeepers, especially if there is a major weather event. These activities are on top of the family occasions and “school holiday programmes” that Lynne and Grant run for their grandchildren. With 13 grandchildren, mostly at primary school, there are constant visits from family, something that Grant enjoys. Grant has certainly managed to put the “active” into his retirement, something both his family and the community appreciate. And something that is made possible with NZ Super.

ELIZABETH O’HALLORAN

Grant found volunteer opportunities that reflected his interests. Photos: Supplied.

better

Life after you stop working can mean living without a steady income, so you’ll have some choices to make.

This might mean changing how you budget, or applying for extra support. If you’ve got KiwiSaver or other savings or investments, you’ll need to decide how much money to use at a time.

Will you run out? Where should you keep your funds over such a long period?

It takes some forward thinking and savvy decisions in order to make that money last for what can be 30 years or more in retirement.

Stretching your retirement money

People don’t typically spend consistently throughout retirement. There are usually higher expenses early on (as we tick off the bucket list).

Spending generally then falls during the middle stage before picking up later in life due to increasing health costs.

So studying our options, plan-

ning and getting quality advice become more important than ever.

How to estimate your retirement income

The retirement calculator at sorted.org.nz can give you an idea of how long your money can last through the years. By setting your age to just before 65 and then inputting a certain amount of retirement savings, it shows how much steady income might be expected from a balanced fund.

How much retirement money should you use at a time?

The retirement calculator shows just one way to draw down savings, using a rule of thumb called the ‘life expectancy rule’. This means stretching savings for as long as you estimate you’ll live. It’s not the only one, however.

The New Zealand Society of Actuaries has offered four rules of thumb that can help us make decisions on how to draw down our funds in different situations:

The Life Expectancy Rule: Each year, take out the current value

of your savings divided by your average life expectancy at that time. This is for those who want as much income as possible during retirement and are not focused on leaving an inheritance.

The 6% Rule: Each year, take out 6% of the starting value of your savings. This is good for those who want to spend more at the start of retirement, when they are more active, and who are not focused on leaving an inheritance.

The Inflated 4% Rule: Take 4% of the starting value of your savings, then increase that amount each year with inflation. This works well for people worried about running out of money, or those who want to leave a legacy.

The Fixed Date Rule: Run down your savings to a set date. Each year, take out the current value of your savings divided by

the number of years until that date. This is good for those who are okay with living off of NZ Super after their chosen date.

Keep your retirement money in three buckets

During retirement, there are three challenges to overcome with the money you have:

Liquidity: For the short term (0–3 years), you need money to live on and cash on hand in case of an emergency.

Income: For the medium term (4–9 years), you need money invested that can spin off a regular income for when you’ll need it.

Inflation: For the long term (10 years plus), you need money invested that can keep up with inflation.

Money loses its buying power over time, so in the long term it can’t be just stuffed under a mattress – by the time you’re

ready to spend it, it will have lost much of its value.

The solution to these three challenges is to have your savings in three buckets:

The short-term one can hold cash.

The medium-term bucket can be filled with income-producing investments such as bonds. The third long-term one can hold growth assets such as shares or property.

Spreading funds across all three buckets helps prepare for decades of retirement. It all comes down to when you will need to spend the money – and you can invest accordingly to match your needs.

You’ll need to review your situation each year and move money from long term to medium term, and from medium to short. This helps to make sure your savings will be there when you need them.

Clothes maketh the man... do things

First of All I would like to make an apology for an article I wrote last year where I made fun of a man wearing a ‘Make Ardern Go Away’ as the hat didn’t seem to work.

It turns out I was wrong. The hats do work.

It just took a really really long time for it to work. Like $2 shop paracetamol.

It does make one wonder about the influence of clothing. Marketers have used them for years, putting brand names, bands, slogans, etc. on every conceivable piece of fabric that can

be slapped on a person. For example, I remember back in the 90’s and 2000’s, the No Fear brand was everywhere, track pants, hoodies, you name it. Now, you barely see the brand. But you know what I do see though?

Increased anxiety in the general population. A Coincidence? Most definitely!

But that’s never stopped my ranting before. Noticed how people are more and more miserable nowdays? And also how no one is wearing the ‘have a nice day’ t-shirts with the smiley face on it?

That’s right. People are only crabby these days because clothing

has stopped telling them to have a nice day.

Yes, this is all coming back to my old arch nemesis Big Pants. The clothing giants that control the world… through clothing. There is some logic to it.

A band makes an album and sells shirts with the band name or the album artwork on it then people pay money to buy the shirt and provide free advertising to the band, which increases sales of the album.

Then the people who buy the album, like the band and show their musical preferences by buying a t-shirt. Does the t-shirt exist to market the band or does the band exist to

market the t-shirt. The answer is, both exist to make music executives rich. But back to the conspiracy theory.

I’m writing about this now because the other day I was in town and came across a young man wearing a hoodie that said ‘Obey’. And that frightened me. I don’t want to obey him, he was sitting in town on a Tuesday at 2pm with no friends and nothing to do.

I came back an hour later and he was still there. This guy has nothing going on, just sitting around. I could imagine the horror of his clothing coming to fruition and me one day having to obey this young man.

“What do you want of me master?” the young man shrugs his shoulders nonchalantly and glares mindlessly into the people of the CBD.

I would be the first person to literally die of boredom. This fear of the overpowering power of personal panoply has got me thinking that I could use this for good.

I could wear clothes that say ‘Recycle’ or ‘Donate to the food bank’ or ‘Life hacks are just a socially acceptable way of being cheap’ And change the world for the better.

I would be like a super hero, a fat middle aged super hero with t-shirt powers.

Moon-gazing at Marfell’s Beach. Photo: Raeleen Neal.

TO FEATURE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS IN THE MARLBOROUGH WEEKLY, EMAIL THEM TO MATT@TOPSOUTHMEDIA.CO.NZ

CHRIS LIPPIATT

Comedy Chris

1. Leighton Twose and Jahcinda Rangiuaia.

2. Sven Jensen, Maddy Fyfe, Margot Millar and Becky Jensen.

3. Jamie, Edison and Amanda Gilbert.

4. Jayla Murrell, Ali Stanners, Ash Murrell and Sean Lange.

5. Arabella Venrooy, Tracey McKenzie, Leanne Broughton, Bella Broughton, Herbie Broughton, Arizona McKenzie and Corban Broughton.

6. Paula Rodding and Nele Freund.

7. Alana and Samatha Case.

8. Dave and Amy Carter-Yarrall with Holly and Elizabeth Ross.

9. Eddie, Nic and Devin Sykes.

10. Charlie, Bruno and Mateo Mazzanti.

Tasman rugby chair steps aside

PETER JONES

peter@topsouthmedia.co.nz

The Tasman Rugby Union will need a new board chair after the resignation last week of Scott Ford, who has held the position since February 2022.

Scott resigned from his roles as both chair and independent director of the board, effective immediately.

The Christchurch-based company manager said there were “a couple of reasons” for his departure after seven years on the board.

“I pretty much went onto the Tasman board when I was living in Nelson and as soon as I finished playing rugby over there,” he said. “Then I subsequently moved to Christchurch.

“I stepped into the chair’s role because it was felt as being the best thing for the union for me to take over the role at that time.

“I only planned to do it for a certain amount of time because it is a bit hard being remote … this was probably going to be my last year [on the board] anyway. I was keen to set it up so I could hand it over in a good state.”

However, a recent difference of opinion with fellow board members saw Scott make the decision to step aside now, rather than later.

“I put a motion to a resolution through with strong recommendations from Tasman ops with real good rationale why they needed it a certain way – backed up by the high-performance team and backed up by the commercial team - and the board largely didn’t support it.

“So I basically said I am going to leave now because I don’t want to be a part of driving a wedge between governance and operations. Simple as that really.

“I am a man of principle and I couldn’t stand up and look in the mirror knowing I had stayed at the helm and let that potential wedge get driven.

“In my day job I run a big contracting operation and I never undermine my operations by going against them by saying I know best, as the manager, so I am not going to do the same in governance.”

Scott was reluctant to provide more details on the actual sticking point, not wanting to exacer-

bate the situation.

He described his seven-year stretch with Tasman rugby as “bloody great”.

“There is no doubt that we had a bit of a fairytale story for a few years and boxed well above our weight on the high-performance side of things.

“I guess we always want to do

better in the community space and we haven’t always got it right … it is hard to satisfy everyone, but we have got some really good plans and strategy going forward. It is about getting a good balance between the high performance and community spaces. You don’t want to throw the baby out with the bathwater.”

Tasman rugby CEO Lyndon Bray announced Ford’s resignation in a letter to stakeholders on Tuesday, adding, “I wish to reflect on the fact that Scott … has been with the TRU Board for over seven years as a director and has provided a sterling service to the region of Tasman.

“Scott has also fulfilled the role of director on the Crusaders’ board, as the Provincial Union Stakeholders’ elected director.  He will continue to focus on that role on our behalf.

“The Board wishes to thank Scott for the incredible commitment he has given to Tasman Rugby, and as the CEO I personally would like to thank Scott for his support and guidance during 2022.”

Scott, originally from Marlborough, is the son of former All Blacks winger and Red Devils Ranfurly Shield-winning hero Brian Ford.

Lyndon said the board would likely announce an interim chair, while the appointment process is worked through for a replacement independent director.

The TRU Annual General Meeting is expected to be held towards the end of April.

Final Relay Team meeting held at 5.30pm, on 28th February at Dodson Street

This is compulsory for Team Captains, and includes final health & safety information in prep for the event on Saturday and collection of team packs for all registered participants.

Event features back for another Relay:

▫ Kete Kai Night Market

▫ Mascot

Sponsorship packages

We still have silver and bronze opportunities available and would welcome donation or spot prizes!

Scott Ford. Photo: Supplied.

Mixed tennis champs found

The Yealands Wines Marlborough mixed doubles residential champions were decided on the Rapaura courts recently.

The grass court complex was the venue for the annual event, postponed from the previous weekend due to weather conditions.

Top seeds Donna Clark and Stu Campbell justified their No 1 ranking to claim the title from a 12-strong field, beating Amber Lyons and Daniel Riordan in the final, 7-6, 6-2.

Donna and Stu had to win their way through nail-biting semi and quarterfinal matches to make the decider. They eased past Adam Balasoglou and Caroline Cornelius 3-6, 6-3, 10-8 in the round of eight before accounting for fourth seeds Glen Campbell and Jo Campbell 6-3, 3-6, 12-10 in the semifinal.

Second-seeded Amber and Daniel forged a smoother path to the final, beating Eveline Apthorp and Ben Burridge 6-2, 6-4 in their semi after taking care of Jacqui Swanston and Matt Sutherland in straight sets in their quarterfinal match.

Peter Stubbs and Jane Davidson claimed the plate title from Paul Carrodus and Joey Beckett.

Rowers get among medals

Wairau rowers claimed seven medals of different colours at the national champs which concluded on Lake Ruataniwha on Sunday.

Tristan Gregory-Hunt struck gold in Friday’s final of the club single sculls, prevailing by a second and half from Otago’s Edwin George in the title decider, where just two seconds separated the top four scullers.

Tristan took the long way to the final. He finished third in his heat, won his repechage, came fourth in his quarter final and second in the sem ifinal to make his way into the final. The club single is viewed as the biggest and toughest field in the cham pionships to get through, la belled “New Zealand rowing’s version of Squid Game”.

The men’s club eight crew was a composite mix, containing Wairau rowers Hugh Strak

er, Liam Collins, Joe Hughes, Liam Kirkland and Gregory-Hunt. They won their heat and progressed directly to the final, where they finished second, claiming the silver medal. Wairau’s third medal was a bronze secured by the men’s premier quad, a composite crew comprising stroke Kobe Miller and Fred Vavasour from Wairau, plus Connor Bacchus and Sam Wilson from the Avon RC. Wairau’s Kirstyn Goodger

Kirkland came home eighth in their final, while Vavasour and Docherty finished fourth in the final of the under-22 double.

The men’s club quad of Straker, Collins, Hughes and Kirkland wound up sixth in the final, after finishing second in their heat and third in the semifinal.

The Blenheim club’s sole representative at the champs, Tokyo gold medallist Tom Murray who is making his

back into action at Ruataniwha, picking up three gold, a silver and a bronze medal. In Friday’s premier single final, Robbie had to settle for third in a race won by Phillip Wilson from the Petone club, however he picked up his first gold medal of this regatta later in the day when he took out the premier double title alongside Finn Hamill. On Saturday he added gold medals in the senior and premier quad events, plus a silver as part of the second-placed Waikato eight.

There was more success for former Marlborough athletes. Charlotte Lightfoot out of the Picton club and now rowing for Dunstan Arm, had a successful regatta, picking up silver in the senior double while Phoebe Trolove, rowing for the Otago University club, won gold medals in the women’s under-22 single and double, plus silver in the sen

Wairau rower Tristan Gregory-Hunt grabbed gold in the club single sculls. Photo: Sharron Bennett Photography.

PETER JONES

Donna Clark and Stu Campbell are the residential mixed victors.

Photo: Supplied.

PETER JONES

Rep side struggles at Chapple Cup

PETER JONES

The Marlborough senior men’s cricket side struggled to make an impact in a hastily-reorganised Chapple Cup tournament at the weekend.

Cyclone Gabrielle had a major impact on this year’s event. Originally scheduled for a threeday, 50-over tournament, a major reshuffle was required after Hawke’s Bay were forced to withdraw at late notice due to the impact of the storm, and the original Palmerston North venue was deemed unfit for play.

Central Districts cricket and the eight participating regions agreed to reconfigure the event as a two-day, Twenty20 tournament, staged in Levin, with one pool of four teams and one of three and cross-over finals on Sunday.

Marlborough ended up in the pool of four, alongside Horowhenua Kapiti, Manawatu and Wairarapa. Nelson, Taranaki and Whanganui were in the other pool.

First up, Marlborough met hosts Horowhenua Kapiti, and were sent into bat.

Marlborough managed to put a competitive total of 137-6 on the board after their 20 overs, opener Tom Leonard top-scoring with 29 from 27, helped by Matt Stretch with 22 from 21. Jamie McVittie’s unbeaten 24 from 17 balls provided a late boost.

A tight fielding and bowling effort from Marlborough then restricted Horowhenua Kapiti to 123-8 when the final ball was bowled, leaving Marlborough winners by 14 runs.

Star with the ball was spinner Tom Sutherland, who bagged 5-19, including the prized wicket of former Marlborough player Prabodha Arthavidu, who top scored for the hosts with 35. Nick Weaver, Jaden Adams and Sam Boyce picked up a wicket apiece.

Later on Saturday, Marlborough took on a powerful Manawatu outfit and came off second best, beaten by eight wickets.

Marlborough batted first against a first-class attack and struggled their way to 61 in 19.1 overs, extras top scoring with 14, followed by Stretch with 11.

It took only eight overs for Manawatu to knock off the runs, for the

loss of just two wickets, one each to Joel Pannell and Adams. On Sunday morning, Marlborough faced up to Wairarapa and came away with another loss, beaten this time by five wickets. Batting first Marlborough scored just 117-7 from their 20 overs. Stretch, 37 from 33, Luke Pannell, 34 not out from 44, and Sutherland, 17 from 13, provided the bulk of the runs, but their total was too low to fully test the Wairarapa batters.

Despite some outstanding bowl-

ing from Weaver, who grabbed 3-10 from four, Wairarapa coasted to victory with five balls to spare, ending at 122-5. In their final encounter, Marlborough met old rivals Nelson in a battle for fifth and sixth position. Batting first Marlborough reached 142-7 from their 20 over complement, a superb 72 from just 36 balls from Nick Weaver highlighting their batting. He and Luke Pannell, 32 not out from 32 balls, put together a 94run partnership to rescue Marl-

borough’s innings, which was teetering at 5-48.

Nelson managed to knock off the required target in the 18th over, ending at 143-5, to win by five wickets. Joel Pannell snared two wickets, Adams, Weaver and Boyce one apiece.

Marlborough head coach Jarrod Englefield was full of praise for the tournament organisers who he said did “an amazing job” to get the event underway on good wickets despite the obvious weather-related issues.

Mahar Cup team come up short this year

PETER JONES

The Mahar Cup is firmly back in Nelson hands after they came out on top of Marlborough in the

meet at Saxton Field marked the 86th edition of the event. The inaugural competition was held in Blenheim in 1932.

This year the final, unofficial,

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le, Ronan West, Alex Hansen and Tracey Sims.  Spokesperson Tracey Sims said the result was “a credit to our team who once again gave it their all and had some great support

“We only needed another three or four Marlborough athletes and for the West Coast to have had representation and it would likely have been a very different result.”

The Marlborough senior men’s

relay team of Dave, Adrian, Remy and Joseph continued their recent dominance, claiming the prestigious McConachie Baton.

The Marlborough junior men’s relay team of Alex, James, Ronan and DJ also won their event.

Nelson retained the McConnell Cup, most points in under-17 grades, and also won the Daly Cup for senior women’s relay.

The Mawhera Shield for out-

standing performance of the meet was awarded to Annika Pfitzinger from Nelson for setting a new record in the women’s 3000 metres (9.53.94). Second-placed Kathy Dunbar also went under the record. Some changes are in the pipeline for 2024 with a proposal to re-align age grades with those recognised by Athletics NZ (under-16, under-18 and under-20) and to also introduce two masters grades (35-49 and 50+).

RAI VALLEY A&P SHOW

RAI VALLEY A&P SHOW Enter

4 March 2023

4 March 2023

Fun for everyone - amusements, food stalls

Fun for everyone - amusements, food stalls

Rai Challenge - carry a pig around an obstacle course

Rai Challenge - carry a pig around an obstacle course

Really Young Farmer competition - kids give it a go

Really Young Farmer competition - kids give it a go

Equestrian events including show jumping

Equestrian events including show jumping

Wood chopping

Vintage vehicles, trade sites

Wood chopping Vintage vehicles, trade sites

Want to enter? schedule on website

available

Memberships

A sombre start to the Chapple Cup in Levin as representatives of the seven participating districts stand in silence to pay respects to the victims of Cyclone Gabrielle. Photo: Central Districts Cricket.

Pasifika flair on display

PETER JONES

On Saturday, Marlborough said “Kia Ora, Bula Vinaka, Talofa Lava and Malo e lelei” to a new event on the region’s sporting calendar when the inaugural Marlborough Pasifika

Sevens was staged at Marlborough Boys’ College.

Organiser Charlie Tikotikoca said the event had been in the pipeline for the last two years but, unfortunately due to Covid 19, could not be staged. This year it did go ahead, and proved a great success.

Eight sides took part - three from Marlborough, two from Nelson, plus one from Christchurch, South Canterbury and Mid Canterbury. Teams played a series of pool matches to decide placings for the quarterfinals, followed by semifinals, a third/fourth playoff and culminating in a grand final.

The final was won by a slick Mid Canterbury combination, who defeated second-placed South Canterbury 33-19.

The third/fourth play-off, between the beaten semifinalists, was won 15-12 by Breakthrough Canterbury over Waitohi Rangers. Matches were played on the MBC front field, with a selection of delicious food available on the side of the playing area, plus tents catering for measles immunisation and Census 2023 promotion.

The tournament was organised and run by Nav Pasifika Marlborough, a Pasifika community group focussed on growing Pasifika wellbeing through participation in sports.

They were supported by the Nelson Tasman Pacific Trust, Stats New Zealand, Marlborough Fijian Community, Marlborough Tongan Community and the Blenheim Samoan Community.

Charlie was thrilled with how the tournament came together. “As the organizers, we were very grateful for the success of putting together an event that has managed to bring together such a large amount of Pasifika people in Marlborough. We’ve been told that it has never happened before but we’re just very grateful that through sports we’re uniting our communities.

“We have a vision of creating a South Island Pasifika Sevens series and we’re very thankful, to the teams that come from out of town who share the

Mako players aplenty as Super Rugby start nears

The Tasman Mako will be particularly well represented when Super Rugby Pacific kicks off on Friday.

ious national squads, there is sure to be a wide array of Super Rugby talent for the Tasman selectors to call on in 2023.

same vision and helped support us get this tournament of the ground. It was an awesome outcome.

“Massive thanks to Stats NZ for their assistance and support … promoting Pasifika participation in the census 2023, plus Tasman Nelson Pasifika Community Trust for their support and the Te Piki Oranga team from Nelson for promoting Vaccination against Measles at the event.

“It was great to see a lot of people utilize their services. Also, thanks to Marlborough Boys’ College for providing us with their ground and facilities, our incredible Tasman referees plus all the teams, supporters and communities that helped make this tournament a success,” he added.

Twenty-eight players from the top of the south union will line up across seven different sides. The majority will be part of South Island franchises, the Crusaders and Highlanders, plus the Moana Pasifika side.

Nine Mako players will turn out for the champion Crusaders, plus prop Kershawl Sykes Martin who is likely to stay with the champs as part of their training group, while eight players from Tasman will front up for the Highlanders. Five players are included in the Moana Pasifika roster.

Newcomers to the competition include winger Macca Springer and halfback Noah Hotham, who are with the Crusaders, plus prop Luca Inch who gets his chance with the Highlanders. With the Rugby World Cup to be staged in France later in the year, the focus will be firmly on international competition.

Although several potential Mako are expected to be included in var-

Tasman players in Super Rugby Pacific sides:

Crusaders: Quinten Strange, Ethan Blackadder, Sione Havili Talitui, Noah Hotham, David Havili, Leicester Fainga’anuku, Macca Springer, Sevu Reece, Will Jordan.

Highlanders: Andrew Makalio, Max Hicks, Hugh Renton, Mitch Hunt, Pari Pari Parkinson, Fetuli Paea, Luca Inch, Shannon Frizell

Chiefs: Atu Moli, Alex Nankivell.

Hurricanes: Tyrel Lomax.

Blues: Anton Segner, Finlay Christie.

Fijian Drua: Te Ahiwaru Cirikidaveta.

Moana Pasifika: Sam Moli, Tomasi Alosio, William Havili, Levi Aumua, Timoci Tavatavanawai.

Western Force: Campbell Parata

In week one, the Crusaders meet the Chiefs in Christchurch (Friday night), Moana Pasifika play the Fijian Drua in Auckland, the Highlanders take on the Blues in Dunedin while the Hurricanes travel to Townsville to play the Reds.

Halfback Noah Hotham will turn out for the Crusaders.

Photo: Shuttersport.

PETER JONES

Dave Fotu from the Marlborough Tongan team tries to evade a Mid Canterbury tackler. Photos: Peter Jones.

Nunia Baleisomosomo and Eka Ratuba enjoyed the occasion. Marlborough Fijians player Eferemo Davobalavu races down the wing.

MONDAY

RUMMY-0 CLUB Mon 12.30-4pm Bowls club rooms, Weld St. Ph Joy 577 6191/Mary 5788747

BLENHEIM BEGINNER LINE DANCE CLASSES Mon

2-3pm and Mon 6-7pm. First lesson free, then $6 per lesson after that. Senior Citizen’s Hall, 172 High St. Ph Judith 5787554 or 0212341095

BLENHEIM SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING Mon

7.30pm Whitney St School Hall. No partners needed. Beginners welcome. Ph Heather 02102587325.

MARLBOROUGH GUILD OF WOODWORKERS Mon 9am-12pm, 7-9pm. Wed 9am-12pm. Sat 9am-12pm. Wooden toys & projects. 1st Sun monthly 1-4pm. Brayshaw Park. Ph Philip 5705188.

CARE & SHARE A place for creatives to meet, encourage & share their skills. Mon 9.30am fortnightly. Barnies, Nativity (76 Alfred St). Ph 5783909 for more info.

ROTARY CLUBS in Blenheim, meet Mon & Tues 5.30pm. World-wide service club for men & women, doing great things in your community. For info on meeting venues. Ph Blenheim Club Secretary Andy Rowe 021842928. Blenheim South Club Secretary Dean Heiford 0212462642.

TUESDAY

SAYGO Exercise & Balance for Seniors. 11.30am12.30pm. Ph Diana Brooks Eldercare Coordinator 0212694198 or email diana@stchristophers.co.nz for more info.

MARLBOROUGH HERB SOCIETY Meets 4th Tues of month. 7pm, various locations. Promote use, educate & identification of herbs. Text only Meredith 0272122773.

SUNBELT TOASTMASTERS Learn public speaking & improve your confidence. Tues 6.20pm Fortnightly. St Mary’s Community Centre. Ph 0276001788 or email sunbeltblenheim@gmail.com

RED HAT SOCIETY The Kiwi Damsels in De-Stress are part of a worldwide organization for women to enjoy fun, laughter & friendship. A specific dress code is part of the fun. This daytime group meets twice a month on the 1st & 3rd Tues mornings. Ph Tina 0211045945.

MARLBOROUGH TENNIS CLUB Parker St. Tues 8.3012pm. Social tennis. Morning tea 10am. Non-members

$5. All welcome. Ph Joanna 0275786436

SIT AND BE FIT Tues & Thurs 1.15pm Cost $2. Contact Riversdale Community House 5780469 or 0223007342.

BLENHEIM CHORAL (Marlborough Singers) Tues, 7pm, Wesley Centre, Henry St. New members welcome, no auditions necessary. www.marlboroughsingers.org.

BLENHEIM AIR TRAINING CORP Tues 6.30-9pm RNZAF Base Woodbourne. Recruiting new cadets aged between 13 & 15 for 2023. For more info email: 27sqn@ cadetforces.org.nz

KNITTERS & SPINNERS Meet up Tues 10am, Picton library. Bring your knitting to the library for this social catch-up.

PICTON TABLE TENNIS for adults Tues 10am-12noon. Little Theatre, Picton. $4 per session. Meet people & get some exercise. Morning tea provided. New members welcome. Ph Ernest 0275888453.

MARLBOROUGH’S COMMUNITY NOTICES

RENWICK MENZ SHED 54 High St Renwick. Left side of church. Morning tea provided. Tues 9am-12pm. Ph Dave 021 0228 2592.

PICTON LINE DANCING Tue 9.30-11.30am, Anglican Church hall. $6 per class. Beginners welcome. Enquires to Carol 0212125252 or Raewyn 021715484.

WEDNESDAY

BLENHEIM PROBUS CLUB Retired/semi-retired? Enjoy good fellowship? We’d love to see you at our meetings. 1st Wed of the month. 10am. Wesley Centre. Coffee mornings & outings as well. Ph. Raewyn 5784576 or Robert 5788938.

WAITOHI SOCIAL CLUB for a bit of fun & friendship. Join us the last Wed of month, 10am Picton Library. FREE event, all welcome!

PICTON BEGINNERS’ SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCE

CLASS Commences Wed 8th March 6.30pm. Cost $40 for six weeks. Picton Little Theatre. Ph Lynda 0212600860 to register.

STRETCH & BREATHE Exercise for Seniors. 10-11.30am

Ph Diana Brooks Eldercare Coordinator 0212694198 or email diana@stchristophers.co.nz for more info.

MARLBOROUGH MULTICULTURAL CENTRE hosts a newcomers morning tea, Wed 10.30am-12noon, 21 Henry St. Opportunities for Newcomers & Marlburians to make friends, practice English & support each other. Everyone welcome. Tea, coffee & biscuits provided. Ven y practica tu inglés. Te esperamos.

HEART HELP SUPPORT Community group dedicated to the well-being of those who live with a heart condition or experienced a heart attack. Offering support to whanau. Meet 3rd Wed of the month, 10am, Quench Chateau Marlborough, 95 High St. Ph Jenny Goss 0211629102.

COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS casual parents/caregivers catch up, Wed 10.30-12pm, town Plunket Clinic, 16 Henry St. No charge.

MARLBOROUGH CHINESE FELLOWSHIP Chinese Christian group, whether interested in the Bible or Christianity, desiring to grow in the faith, or would like to meet new friends, we welcome you. Wed 6-7.30pm, St Christopher’s Church. 92 Weld St. Ph Guan 0221 642 782, Mandy 0224 326 886.

DEPRESSION SUPPORT GROUP Meets every Wed 1011.30am to support each other, have regular speakers, outings, share in a safe environment. Ph Alistair Crawford for details 0272 883 032.

MARLBOROUGH VINTAGE CAR CLUB MUSEUM Sun & Wed, 1.30 – 3.30pm, Brayshaw Park, Arthur Baker Pl, Blenheim. Donation appreciated. Other times by arrangement. Ph Bill 0275 784 322.

BLENHEIM PETANQUE CLUB Games held at courts, 65A Weld St, Wed 1-3pm & Sun 10am-12pm. Ph Chris 5787303 or Brian 5742267.

LIONS’ CLUB OF BLENHEIM Serving the community for over fifty years. Would you like to know more about the Lion’s club or are interested in becoming a Lion. Tea meetings held 2nd & 4th Wed. Ph Delphine Lee 0299425004 or Helen Williams 0211458572.

THURSDAY

OLDER PERSONS SEMINAR 23rd Feb 10am-1pm St Christopher’s Church Hall, 90 Weld St, Redwoodtown. Speaker Marianne Startup from Community Law on EPOA. Games, quizzes & chat. Morning tea & a light lunch provided. Cost $5 Contact Diana Brooks Eldercare Coordinator on 0212694198 or email diana@stchristophers.co.nz to register.

INVITING YOU TO COMPANIONS for ages 65+, 1st Thurs of Month. 1pm. Harvest Life Church, 22 Nelson St. It’s free, so no strings attached & there’s YUMMY afternoon tea. We have an interesting programme throughout the year. For more info ph Avon 035792440/ Lorraine 035781240/Shirley 035783728.

COPD SUPPORT AND EXERCISE GROUP Free. Every 2nd & 4th Thurs 1.30pm. Redwoodtown Community Hall, Cnr Weld & Cleghorn St. For more info contact Asthma Marlborough 0272057244.

SOCIAL BADMINTON Thurs morning 9-12noon Simcox Stadium Batty’s Rd. $5. All adults welcome. Ph Cathy 021 503 348

PICTON TABLE TENNIS Thurs 10am-12pm, Port Marlborough Pavilion, Waikawa Rd. All adults welcome. $4 incl. morning tea. Equipment supplied. Ph Ernest 0275 888 453.

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS Thurs 7-8pm Riversdale Community House, 131 Budge St.

KNIT & NATTER Marlborough District Library. Every 2nd & 4th Thurs of the month, 10am-12noon, tea & coffee provided. All welcome. Bring your yarn & have a yarn. For info ph Sue 5785317.

FRIDAY

LUNCHTIME CONCERT Featuring ‘Sounds Together’ Singing the songs we love. Fri 3rd Mar 12noon. Anglican church, Nelson Square, Picton. Free Entry.

NATIVITY TUNES FOR TOTS Music, food & fun for pre-schoolers & caregivers. Fri 9.30am. Wesley Centre, 3 Henry St. During term time. Ph 5783909 for more info.

PICTON NEWCOMERS NETWORK ‘SUNDOWNERS’

5-6pm at Café Cortado on the waterfront. New to town? Need help to settle in? Interested in local activities? We can help! Ph Cathy (Coordinator) 021 045 1799 picton@ newcomers.co.nz

LINK Fun & board games & afternoon tea for all in the lounge at Nativity Centre, 76 Alfred St every Fri 1pm. Gold coin donation appreciated. Ph 5783909 for info.

UPBEAT ORCHESTRA community orchestra for all ages, instruments, from beginner-grade 5. St Ninians Church Hall, Alabama Rd every Fri 5-6.30pm For more info email upbeatorchestra@gmail.com

RENWICK SOCIAL TENNIS every Fri 4.30-6.30pm weather permitting. Members $2. Visitors $5. 10 Uxbridge St (behind the Bowling Club). Ph Leigh Andrews 0211913034 or visit our Facebook Page for more details & other upcoming events.

SATURDAY

/ SUNDAY

REPAIR CAFÉ We’ll fix your small repair on site. On the day, while you wait & have a cuppa. Sewing, darning, bikes, small furniture, wooden items, toys, electronics & mobile phones. 9am-12noon, every 4th Sat of the month. John’s Kitchen, 2 Redwood St. Donations ac-

cepted. WORKING BEE Te Whanau Hou Grovetown Lagoon followed by BBQ. Every 2nd Sunday of the Month, Feb to Nov. Planting & tending trees, weeding, mulching & continued conservation. Meet at Wairau Rowing Club, Steam Wharf Rd, Grovetown. 9.30am-12pm. For more information, email Justine Johnsonmarlborough@ gmail.com

BAHÁ’Í DEVOTIONS 1st & 3rd Sun, 10.30-11.15am, Marlborough Community Centre, 25 Alfred St, 12th Lane, Blenheim cnr Farmers carpark. “In the garden of thy Heart plant naught but the rose of love”. www.bahai.org.

THE ROADHOUSE BREAKFAST for car enthusiasts of all genres. 1st Sun of month, Riverlands Roadhouse, coffee cart on site, cafe has great food. 100+ cars at each of first two events.

BLENHEIM ROTARY BOOTSALE MARKET Railway Station carpark, Sat 8am-12pm. Blenheim Rotary Bootsale operating over 25 years, funds to local/ international projects. New or used items, plants, food, coffee carts welcome. See bootsalemarket on Facebook.

MARLBOROUGH STROKE CLUB a voluntary organisation dedicated to the wellbeing of those who have experienced a stroke, and to the support of their caregivers. We offer support, friendship & education with various meetings held each month. Ph Vyvienne Dunlop 5783837 or 021929955.

NARCOTICS ANONYMOUS Sat 7-8pm Riversdale Community House, 131 Budge St.

MARLBOROUGH MUSEUM at Brayshaw Park, open 10am-4pm. Maori treasures, Wairau Bar 1250 AD, The Wine Exhibition, Early settlers, Asian Dolls, 1870 to 1970 Fashion, local pottery plus more! FREE entry on Saturdays.

MARLBOROUGH MOUNTAIN BIKE CLUB committed to seeing mountain biking flourish in Marlborough. We hold regular rides suitable for all levels of fitness & ability. Including back country expeditions, easy local rides, more serious mountain bike races. Marlboroughmountainbike@gmail.com.

BLENHEIM FAMILY HISTORY GROUP Interested in Family History Research & building your Family Tree?

Contact us for advice & assistance. Informal gatherings held 3rd Sun of month, 1.30–3pm, Family History Rooms, Brayshaw Park. Ph Lauri 578 8385.

MARLBOROUGH ARTISAN CRAFT MARKET Sat, Market Place. Come down & meet your local craft people. Children’s area with games for young & old. A free Community Site to promote or fund-raise your organisation.

Renwick Tennis Club 8 Uxbridge St.

MARLBOROUGH FARMERS MARKET A&P showgrounds, 9am-12pm Sun, local fresh & seasonal produce & products.

REDWOOD MARKET Redwood Tavern car park, Cleghorn St. 8am-noon every Sat. Plants, garden products, flowers, crafts including handmade soaps, cards & jewellery. Raising money for your community.

CRUISEY CHURCH for kids of all ages & their families.

Includes bible stories, games, songs, crafts & dinner. 3rd Sat each month 5-6.30pm. St Andrew’s Church, 5 Henry

St, Blenheim. Koha appreciated.

PICTON RAIL & SAIL on the Foreshore. Mini train rides & yachts from 20 cents. Every Sunday & the school holiday’s, subject to weather.

BLENHEIM RIVERSIDE RAILWAY Runs 1st & 3rd Sun of the month. We have Eftpos. Facebook / Riverside Railway.

MARLBOROUGH TENNIS CLUB Parker St. Every Sun 3-5pm. Social Tennis Non-Members $2 All welcome. Ph Joanna 0275786436

BARNABAS CHURCH BLENHEIM 4pm Sun service. St Ninians Church, corner Riley Cres & Alabama Rd. More info: barnabas.org.nz.

MARLBOROUGH ASSOCIATED MODELLERS SOCIETY

miniature train rides, $2, 1st & 3rd Sun of month, model yacht & boat sailing Sun, 1pm-4pm, Brayshaw Park.

GENERAL GROUPS

BLENHEIM ROWING CLUB Rowing on the Wairau River from the boatshed at 259 Jones Rd, Grovetown. Every Sun from 8.45am. Tues & Thurs from 4.45pm. Novice & experienced rowers welcome, any age. Learn to Row programme. Full details at blenheimrowing.co.nz or contact 027487622.

WEEKLY STEADY AS YOU GO CLASSES Mon 10.3011.30am The Foundry, John St. Tues 1.30– 2.30pm, Union Parish, 40 Broadway, Picton. (2 doors down from Police Station). Tues 11.30am-12.30 St Christophers Hall, Redwoodtown. Wed 1.30-2.30pm, Marlborough Community Centre, 25 Alfred St, Blenheim. For more information call the Age Concern office 5793457. Cost Blenheim $2 per class. Picton $3 per class.

MARLBOROUGH COMMUNITY VEHICLE TRUST

Have difficulty getting to medical appointments in NELSON? This trust was created to carry people to Nelson for medical appointments. Ph 574 1311 or email soundsvehicle@gmail.com.

AA MEETINGS Marlborough area. Ring alcoholics anonymous for help to stop drinking. Ph 0800 229 6757. www.aa.org.nz.

PICTON MEN’S COMMUNITY SHED 2 Market St. Wed 8.30am-2.30pm. Sat 8.30am-12noon. Ph Bill Rogers 5735507 or Rex 021469191. A place of welcome for Picton’s menfolk.

BLENHEIM MENZ SHED 4 Dillons Point Rd, Bright Centre Complex. Where men of all ages meet to just chill out or do projects for themselves or the community. We provide equipment, tools & workspace for most woodwork & metalwork projects. Open Sat 9am12noon. Mon & Thurs 1-4pm. Ph Dave 0212340057.

SENIORNET MARLBOROUGH SOUNDS Linkwater Hall, Queen Charlotte Drive. Our tutors are available for people 50+ who need assistance with their computer or smart phone. Contact Secretary Ian Cameron (03) 574 2558 to arrange.

BROOKLYN CROQUET CLUB Tues, Thurs, Sat, 1pm Golf Croquet, Whitehead Park grounds, Brooklyn Dr. Mallets supplied.

MARLBOROUGH TRAMPING CLUB A very active club. Mid-week & Sunday trips, plus overnight & extended trips. Find info at http://www.marlboroughtrampingclub.co.nz or marlboroughtrampingclub@gmail.com

COMMUNITY NOTICES ARE FREE TO COMMUNITY GROUPS, SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, GOLD COIN DONATION EVENTS & FUNDRAISING ONLY. DEADLINE: 10AM FRIDAY. 50 WORDS OR LESS. TO ADD A COMMUNITY NOTICE PLEASE CALL 928 4121 OR EMAIL HELLOMARLBOROUGH@TOPSOUTHMEDIA.CO.NZ . DUE TO THE POPULARITY OF THIS COLUMN, WHILE EVERY EFFORT WILL BE MADE, INCLUSION CANNOT BE GUARANTEED FOR FREE ADS.

Come

If you have a passion for furniture, experience in sales, great attention to detail, and value going the extra mile for customers, then this is the job for you!

This full-time position includes regular weekend work. Further details at www.seek.co.nz/job/59831101.

Come join our great team; we’re locally owned and pride ourselves in offering quality furniture and incredible customer service for over 25 years.

To apply, please send your cover letter and CV to accounts@lynfords.co.nz by Sunday 19 February.

Carpenters / Contract Carpenters

T&D Construction are a local Commercial Building Company in Blenheim, with over 50 years experience in the Building Industry.

We are currently looking for experienced Carpenters or Contract Carpenters to join our team in Blenheim. A minimum of 44 hours per week and great remuneration will be supplied to the right applicant.

To be successful you must:

• Be trade qualified (Carpenters only)

• Have a clean drivers licence

• Ability to work with no supervision

• Use of all power tools

• Applicants should have NZ Residency or valid work visa

• Great work ethic

If this sounds like you please email your CV to info@td-construction.co.nz or call our Office on 03 578 8821

2023 Grape Harvest Tractor & Harvester Drivers

Vintage

Maataa Waka Ki Te Tau Ihu Trust is based in Blenheim and delivers the Animal Control service for the Marlborough region. We are looking for an energetic, motivated, and fit person to join the team as an Animal control officer.

This is a full-time position and will involve dealing with the public investigating complaints about dog nuisances and attacks, and working within the community to promote positive dog ownership ensuring dog owners are abiding by the relevant acts and bylaws. As this service is 24/7 you will be required to be on call and work a weekend on a 3 or 4 weekly rotation.

To be considered you will need the following skills and attributes:

▪ Ability to work within regulatory compliance constraints ▪ An ability to handle and identify dog breeds ▪ Competency with stock handling ▪ Understanding of dog behaviour and welfare issues ▪ Excellent communication and customer relation skills (both written & oral) ▪ Work well as part of a team ▪ Calm temperament ▪ Excellent computer skills ▪ A clean full driver’s licence ▪ Be familiar with the principles of Te Tiriti O Waitangi

We offer a supportive team environment with professional development opportunities. If you think you have the right skills and experience for this role and would like to relocate to sunny Marlborough, then we would love to hear from you. Applicants must have NZ residency.

If you are interested in this position please contact Marie; email Marie@maataawaka. co.nz or phone 03 5779256 to request a job description and an application form. Applications close 5pm Friday 3rd March 2023. Completed applications together with covering letter and CV can be sent to the above email or PO Box 1016, Blenheim.

CLEANER WANTED

Great communication skills, attention to detail, proactive, work with compassion, can-do attitude, honest, flexibility.

See the Marlborough App for more details.

Contact Malcolm 027 5551840 or email admin@maid2u.co.nz