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Tuesday 8 March 2011
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Houses vie for most colourful Screaming Whangamoa House students silenced their peers at the Nelson College for Girls house athletics day last week, with a well choreographed chanting performance. Multiples of bright colours swept through the Saxton Field athletics track, with every one of the 1000 students dressing up in the most incredible way. Maungatapu House, whose members wear blue, were the eventual winners on the day, though Whangamoa stood out when the school congregated in the middle of the field for its chanting competition. Students got the day off academic studies to compete in a number of athletics events and participation was at an enormous high with all students competing, even one on crutches. Costumes varied from superheroes to lions, even a Maitai hotdog made an appearance. The day was also a fundraiser for the Christchurch earthquake appeal, with the sale of sausages and house-coloured armbands raising money. Including a mufti day held earlier in the week, A BIT OF COLOUR: Julia Thompsett, Ellie Bell, Rebecca Scholfield, Megan Hogarth, Nicole Drummond, Maise O’Donnell, Isabella the total amount raised by the school Castle, Caroline Fergusson, Laurien Hemm, Harriet Williamson, Libby Gray, Kayleigh Inglis and Nicole Cant at the Nelson College for Girls house sports day last week. Photo: Phillip Rollo. for the appeal is $3000.
Quake victims provide boost to Nelson economy Fleeing Cantabrians have injected a shot in the arm to Nelson’s economy. The number of people travelling north from earthquake-ravished Christchurch has seen the region’s population swell and that is having a positive impact on Nelson businesses says Uniquely Nelson manager Rowena Richards. “I’m afraid it is very good for us, we don’t like to gain from somebody else’s misfortune but yes, there are quite a few Canta-
brians up here at the moment and a lot of from other parts of the South Island and them are shopping.” international visitors who had planned a trip to Christchurch before The boost in sales is making up for a sluggish summer the quake are spending more for some retailers, ironically time in the top of the south. hindered by the Boxing Day I’m afraid it is very Rowena says she expects Nelquake which forced many son to remain busy for the rest good for us. of the week at least. Cantab’s to cancel holiday – Rowena Richards. plans to Nelson in January. “Town was packed on Friday The Crusaders game in Nelson last Friday and we are expecting the same this week. night also saw visitors travel to the region A lot of people had come over from Blen-
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heim and up from Murchison as well, so the game was very good for Nelson and I expect it to be the same this week.” Nicola Dolan, manager of Fashion Island, says retailers in the complex have noticed a jump in sales, particularly cafes. “Our cafes have been really busy but we have also had people that came up to Nelson with only what they had on, so some of our stores have had people coming in to replace those clothes.”