Nelson Weekly - 19 April 2023

Locally Owned and Operated

App reduces food waste

Luxon backs Southern Link

ANDREW BOARD

The Southern Link would firmly be back on the table if National is elected to government later this year, says National Party leader Chris Luxon.

Luxon was in Nelson on Monday, spending the day with Nelson’s National Party candidate Blair Cameron. In a sit-down interview with Nelson Weekly, Luxon says building the Southern Link would be on the agenda for his government. “Suffice to say, we think it’s an important project.”

In the lead-up to the 2017 general election, then-Prime Minister Bill English promised the road would be built if his party was re-elected. Waka Kotahi have since undertaken a strategy for the region’s roading infrastructure which does not include any addition to the existing roads.

Luxon says he’d like to see hydrogen and electric-powered vehicles operating on well-maintained roads around the country

SEE PAGE 2

Wednesday 19 April 2023

Giants search for first win

Jai’s ‘last rodeo’

Jai Regan is no stranger to shaving her head, but at nearly 75 she says this is her “last rodeo”. Jai first shaved her hair off at the age of 16. She was newly married and when she walked out of the hairdresser her husband walked past her in the street. Last Thursday, Jai once again shaved her hair, this time to raise money for the Cancer Society. It was six and a half years of growth - roughly 60cm long, and she says this will be her last time shaving her head, although she plans to keep her hair shorter from now on.

On Thursday she sat in front of her peers at Stoke Seniors at Pūtangitangi Greenmeadows Centre as Chillies Hair Studio’s thirdyear apprentice, Jade Tunnicliff, manned her clippers. It was Jade’s first time shaving someone’s hair off and although she was nervous she was excited to support the cause. Jai last shaved her hair in October 2016 – it was her first time doing it to raise funds for cancer. This time, Jai opted for a number four clipper attachment, which left her with just 13mm of hair.

To donate visit cancernelson.org.nz/donate

SARA HOLLYMAN

Jade Tunnicliff puts the finishing touches on Jai Regan’s number four haircut to raise money for cancer. Photo: Sara Hollyman.

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Luxon backs Southern Link

FROM PAGE 1

and that includes on a new State Highway in Nelson.

“It’s fair to say that we were big supporters of it in 2017, and also in 2020, so we’ve got a huge appetite for it. I’ve experienced the road congestion [here] myself, and you sit there and go ‘man, this is a town you should be able to move around in pretty easily’. If we could take some of that traffic pressure off, I’m sure that would be helpful.”

Labour MP Rachel Boyack says talk of the Southern Link “gets trotted out every election [by National]”.

“The National Party have promised the Southern Link for 30 years and have never delivered it for Nelson. As far as I’m concerned it’s an empty promise.”

She says the most pressing transport issue for Nelson is an upgrade of the lights at Lower Queen Street in Richmond, not the Southern Link.

Luxon’s visit came on the heels of another controversy surrounding a National candidate when Taieri candidate Stephen Jack was forced to apologise after posting a “offensive” joke on social media.

But he says Nelson has got it right with its choice, calling Cameron a “rockstar”.

“I got to meet Blair when I first became an MP and he had just come home from overseas, and I was just so impressed by him. I mean, you’ve got a real rockstar, I think. He’s been to Brown and Princeton [universities in the United States] and then working at the IMF and world bank.

“I’m super excited that he’s become a candidate here, he can be a great contributor to the caucus and the team that we have in government.”

Deputy PM talks cost of living: Cost of living relief and the arts sector were some of Deputy Prime Minister Carmel Sepuloni’s priorities during her visit to Nelson last week.

She held a meeting with local seniors alongside MP Rachel Boyack to discuss some of the measures the Government introduced on 1 April to help ease cost-of-living pains, such as the boost to superannuation which will see superannuitants receive an extra $52 a fortnight if they’re single and $80 if couples.

“It’s been really tough lately,” Carmel said. “The whole idea [of

the benefit increases] is that you are able to continue to afford the things that you need to buy on a regular basis.”

Penny Molnar attended the meeting and said she was glad to see superannuation boosted.

“It’s essential to at least try and keep up with the expenses that everyone’s facing now.”

Carmel Sepuloni, who is the Minister for Social Development and Employment, said it was good to meet with local superannuitants to discuss the 1 April changes, but adds it was also helpful to hear about other challenges that the community is facing.

“It’s important for us to be able to take some of that away and to see whether or not we can do something with some of the insights that they gave to us.”

Maria Busching “Spending

Byrne “Chill

RSA urges action on Stoke hall

MAX FRETHEY Local Democracy Reporter

Three years after the closure of the Stoke Memorial Hall, the Nelson Returned and Services Association (RSA) is urging Nelson City Council to act on the fate of the beleaguered building.

“The hall remains there being unused,” says local RSA committee member Ian Barker. “The community of Stoke would like to see it used again.” Ian says that the hall was subsidised dollar for dollar by the government when it was built on the condition that it be kept “before us and the generations to follow us”.

“The Nelson RSA believes that there was a commitment, virtually a social ongoing contract, to keep the hall for the use of Stoke residents in perpetuity.”

The hall was closed in March 2020 after a detailed seismic assessment founds the building to only be at 17 per cent of the New Building Standard (NBS). Council officers were directed to carry out design work to get the hall strengthened to 67 per cent of NBS and report back on the cost. But in 2021, the detailed strengthening design showed that the work required to strengthen the building to 67 per cent of NBS would be

much more extensive than previously expected.

“Nearly every component of the building would need to be removed and replaced for strengthening to occur,” says Martin Croft, council’s acting group manager community services. “The project was now essentially a rebuild and the cost increased to over $4.3 million.”

That cost is more than double the $2 million council had originally allocated in its 2021-31 Long-Term Plan for strengthening, and so a detailed business case has been commenced and options will be brought to council for discussion and direction this year.

With a rebuild potentially coming in cheaper than strengthening, all Nelson RSA president Zoe Norquay asks is that the council “keep the name” at the very least. “We’re concerned about the protection of the heritage of Stoke,” Ian adds. “The name, the Stoke Memorial Hall, that’s the name that commemorates [the fallen soldiers].”

The Building Act requires the seismic hazards identified at the hall to be addressed by 26 September 2029.

Nelson RSA member Ian Barker and president Zoe Norquay want to see the Stoke Memorial Hall re-opened for the community. Photo: Max Frethey.

Tornado trees ‘become missiles’

MAX FRETHEY Local Democracy Reporter

Clean-up and repairs are on the mind of affected residents after a tornado tore across the Moutere Hills on Easter Monday.

The tornado – which is reckoned to have formed somewhere in Gardener Valley – knocked out power by throwing a shed into a power line before it wreaked havoc along Petra Way, just off Old Coach Road.

Cathie and Andrew Gould have an olive orchard along Petra Way where about 200 trees – just six weeks from harvest – were uprooted with many thrown dozens of metres away and some even landing on roofs.

“They just became missiles,” Cathie says.

Since last Tuesday, the couple have been working hard with the help of many of their friends, on the advice of an arborist friend, to save as many of the trees as they can by pruning the branches to conserve their water and replanting those without major root damage as quickly as possible.

“That’s the plan, to try and rescue them,” Cathie says. “They’ve been in the ground 15-18 years, so we don’t want to lose them.”

During the clean-up, Andrew says he’s found “the oddest things” in the debris which he suspects came from someone’s

garage: screwdrivers, sprinklers, a bicycle, a kayak paddle, and, unfortunately, many birds which had been caught in the vortex.

A ride-on lawn mower was also thrown around in the tornado and one of their trees caught a neighbour’s mangled trampoline.

They also found the extremely localised damage from the tornado interesting to see first-hand.

“You’ve got houses right next to all this [damage] completely untouched,” Andrew says.

Kenny Cripps’ house, however, was not so lucky.

No one was home when the tor-

nado came by Kenny’s house, though that might have been fortunate.

The tornado tore up the tarseal on the road outside which then battered his house and cars with the chunks of rock, smashing windows and leaving damage that he describes as similar to that left by machine gun fire.

The house has been yellow-stickered – the tree that went through the roof is to blame for that, Kenny says. Fixing it was his first priority the day after the tornado hit. “Luckily that’s what I do for a living.”

He also had a timber gazebo that was concreted to the ground, which has disappeared.

“I don’t know where it is at this stage,” he says. “Can’t find it, even the bits of it.”

After tearing through Petra Way, the tornado made its way down to the Coastal Highway/State Highway 60 where it threw some larges pines across the road before it hit Westdale Road.

Glenys Robertson lives on the northern end of Westdale Road. She saw the tornado come down through her garden, though it left her house alone.

“I didn’t know what to think,” she says. “I was just sort of watching it thinking ‘what’s going to happen next?’”

The answer to that question was a lightning strike which hit her driveway.

“It was like a big fireball.”

Luckily, the lightning didn’t damage anything, but the tornado knocked over dozens of trees in her garden, and destroyed her pump shed which temporarily left her without water.

She left the cleaning up until after Friday, when her partner got back from down south and her son got his chainsaw fixed to help deal with the trees that came down across her driveway and around her property.

The tornado, which struck around 1.20pm during Easter Monday’s extreme weather event, affected about 50 properties, according to Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ).

FENZ also reports that a tree had fallen onto a car with a person inside in Māpua, but they escaped the vehicle without requiring assistance and reported only minor abrasions.

No other serious injuries have been reported.

Kenny Cripps’s house and cars were battered by chunks of tarseal which the tornado ripped up from the road outside. Photo: Max Frethey.

Senior sergeant Mike Wardle is given some hands-on pole dancing tuition from Natsumi Nishikawa as Top of the South Pride kicked off over the weekend with a GayLa on Halifax St. For more events, see the Nelson Pride Facebook page. Photo: Jack Malcolm.

Drink driver pinged after driving too slowly

TRACY NEAL Open Justice Reporter

Driving his black BMW at five kilometres an hour down Weka Street, with traffic backed up behind, was enough of a clue all was not right with Devon Wayne Blackbourn.

He’d been drinking - a lot - before driving his mother home, prompting a judge to ask why his mother hadn’t driven instead.

The 23-year-old has been sentenced to six months of supervision, 80 hours of community

work and is now subject to an interlock licence order after admitting in the Nelson District Court on Friday a charge of driving with excess breath alcohol.

Blackbourn had been driving while almost four times the limit on the morning of 25 February this year.

His BMW was seen on Weka Street travelling at about 5kph in a 50kph zone with “multiple vehicles” backed up behind him. The police were alerted and stopped him.

A subsequent evidential breath

test showed Blackbourn had a breath alcohol level of 998 micrograms of alcohol per litre of breath.

The police summary said he had been on his way to collect his two-year-old-child, but he told the court today he had been driving his mother home, which was where his child was.

“Why didn’t Mum drive?” Judge Richard Russell asked, to which defence lawyer Rob Ord said it was not something he’d asked, but that Blackbourn had taken responsibility by pleading guilty early on.

Judge Russell said the “very high” alcohol level coupled with it being his second drink drive offence - the first in 2019 - was concerning.

“It’s concerning also, your use of alcohol and motor vehicles,” he told Blackbourn.

Having regard to the previous offence, Judge Russell convicted and sentenced him to supervision and community work, of which 20 per cent was to be focused on him completing work and living skills training.

Judge Russell also said if he failed to comply with the alcohol

interlock licence order, which could cost between $2000 and $3000, and was found driving again he faced losing his licence as a disqualified driver.

“My very strong advice to you is that if you’re going to drive, don’t drink at all, otherwise the maximum penalty will ramp up even more.”

Eclectic expands antiques with op-shop

JACK MALCOLM

Eclectic Antiques is expanding its repertoire of pre-loved desirable curiosities by opening a permanent op-shop.

“It’s a shop within a shop,” says Eclectic Antique Centre’s Maria Henare when she describes their newly-opened op-shop. After running the store as a temporary pop-up for several years in a row, she says it just made sense to move it inhouse.

“Leases aren’t cheap in Nelson ... and we’ve got the space.”

Once the idea was formulated, Maria and the team turned to the task of clearing out the store ready for the grand opening.

“It took a while. It was chocka-block to the ceiling and then I’d go out and buy more.”

She says the op-shop is designed to be a “completely different” space than downstairs,

where would-be bargain hunters can find all the bounty they could ever want.

“There’s stuff never seen before, it’s not all just surplus to me,” says Maria.

“I provide the space and the stock and have the other girls running it. It’s not me.”

With new stock added every day, she envisages the store as a place people will want to continue coming back to.

Maria says this is the natural progression after people loved the store across the road, which started on the back of successful trips to open a popup in Wellington.

“What we originally used to do is, my husband and I would take a truck load to Wellington ... and people would line up from 4am in the morning for the ‘Great Eclectic Jumble Sale’.”

With over 30 years’ experience in the antiques business, Ma-

ria says they’ve become quite a destination store.

They want to get the word out about the op-shop that “we’re open and we’re permanent now”.

Eclectic Antique Centre is the second-highest-rated antique store in the South Island, according to TripAdvisor.

Christine Ross, the op-shop’s manager, says there’s something for everyone in the new store.

“It’s vintage everything, furniture, china, bric-a-brac, tools, you name it.

“There’s lots of items to upcycle or repurpose ... some items are done and some are a work in progress.”

She says people have already come into the store, excited that the op-shop is now permanent.

“A lady came in this morning and said ‘thank god you’re back’.”

Eclectic Antique Centre owner Maria Henare and manager Christine Ross are excited for the potential of their newly-opened op-shop store. Photo: Jack Malcolm.

Three Waters changes ‘very significant’

MAX FRETHEY Local Democracy Reporter

The government announced major changes to its Three Waters reforms last week and the feedback from the Nelson City Council chamber is mixed.

Nelson would have joined Entity C in the original proposal, alongside Wellington and the east coast of the North Island, with Tasman and Marlborough being split along the boundaries of the Ngāi Tahu takiwā. Nelson, Tasman, and Marlborough are now proposed to constitute their own Te Tauihu entity – Entity H, though the border along the takiwā boundary through Tasman and Marlborough remain.

Mayor Nick Smith describes the change as “very significant” and provides a “real opportunity” to continue building and strengthening council’s relationship with local iwi. He also applauds the decision to defer the implementation of the reform for two years until 1 July 2026.

“I think that is a very wise

judgement,” he says.

“Particularly for our staff and the amount of work that is involved. I think that’s going to provide a far more realistic timetable given the scale of the reform.”

However, Nick says he is “disappointed” that the councils’ stormwater management is still planned to be separated from catchment management by the reforms.

“Having said that… coordinating that work between council and the water entity is far easier with a Te Tauihu entity that it would have been with [the former] Entity C.”

He also confirmed that he hasn’t received any reassurances on the fate of Nelmac, whose water assets are proposed to pass to the water entity.

Councillor Mel Courtney called the changes “a huge flipflop”.

“The whole premise and promise of this reform was based on a megastructure, and it was the only answer. And now we’ve gone from four to ten, so the whole premise… has been di-

Quiet electric vehicles a safety problem

ANNE HARDIE

luted.”

However, Nelson MP Rachel Boyack says households across the Top of the South will still make “big savings,” projected between $1,520 - $5,780 a year by 2054, despite the smaller water service entities.

“These reforms are absolutely essential. Leaving things as they are will mean unaffordable rate bills and infrastructure that isn’t up to the task of dealing with extreme weather events like last year’s Nelson floods,” she says.

Rachel also thanked local mayors and councils for their constructive engagement as the Government reviewed the reforms over the past weeks.

However, Nelson’s National Party candidate Blair Cameron says “a new coat of paint” for the reforms hasn’t addressed the core concerns of Nelsonians.

Gordon Oldfield relies on his guide dog and his ears to cross the road, but quiet electric vehicles make no noise and he wants them all fitted with sound-emitting devices. He has profound vision impairment and needs his guide dog Ernie to cross the road. He says the quietness of electric vehicles and hybrids leads to confusion because his dog sees the car and stops. But Gordon cannot hear the car and is left guessing at why Ernie will not cross.

“The increasing number of electric vehicles is really good for the climate and one of the distinct advantages is it’s a much quieter vehicle. But for those of us who live with profound vision impairment, it does pose a challenge,” Gordon says.

“We rely on our ears. We hear vehicles slowing down, but with electric

vehicles it’s a different story. “It can make you very nervous about crossing roads. I find you have to be very cautious and you can never lower your guard.”

He says there was an understanding among those with vision impairment that all electric vehicles would be fitted with sound-emitting devices, but that has not happened yet.

“I think electric vehicles have grown quicker in the last year or two than anticipated and the safety issue has not caught up with them.”

Head of Blind Low Vision New Zealand Guide Dog Services

Jessica Nelipovich lsays the best thing drivers can do to make it safer for vision-impaired people to cross the road is to stop and wait at pedestrian crossings.

“Modern electric vehicles are silent, so for a dog handler crossing the street, there’s no sound.”

Gordon Oldfield and his guide dog Ernie find electric vehicles a challenge.

Photo: Anne Hardie.

Historic homes open their doors

JO KENT

Seven privately-owned historic houses in the region will be opening their doors to the public next weekend as part of the Historical Homes Tour 2023, which showcases the beautiful architecture of days gone by and celebrates their history.

One of the featured homes on Ellis Street in Brightwater dates back to 1856, making it one of the oldest still inhabitable cottages in the area.

Owners Andy and Simone Cardwell bought ‘Longfield’ cob cottage in 2018 after moving from Auckland to Nelson with three of their children.

“We saw the property on TradeMe and flew down from Auckland to view it. The minute we walked through the door, I knew it was for us. We adore old homes and it’s such a beautiful property to own. It was an honour to be asked to be included on the tour.”

Centre manager at Cancer Society Nelson Tasman, Michelle Hunt, who is organising the tour, says it’s a popular annual fundraiser that coincides with

Nelson Heritage Month.

“It’s a lovely day out for people and, as well as our Brightwater cottage, we have one house in Appleby, one in Stoke and four in Nelson for ticket holders to look around.”

Included in the ticket price is a Devonshire tea at Broadgreen House in Stoke, which is the eighth historic house on the tour.

“It’s a self-drive tour, so people can decide which house they visit and when to enjoy their tea.”

As well as each building’s architecture, tour goers will also learn the history behind each house.

Simone says Longfield was originally built by Peter Kerr, son of John Kerr, who ploughed the first furrow in Nelson.

“Peter immigrated to New Zealand from Scotland as a young man, with his family in 1842 and lived in the cottage with his wife Ann and their large family until 1868 when he sold it to another family member.”

Subsequently, the cottage was eventually sold out of the fam-

ily and has been home to many different families since.

“The house began as a fourroomed, two-storey dwelling, with dormer windows and a shingle roof which was later replaced by iron. The original kitchen was housed in what is now one of the downstairs bedrooms.”

Mrs William Jones, the fourth owner of Longfield in 1874, used to cook her dinners in a camp oven over the open fire and often invited children from the school across the road to watch.

There have been two alterations during its lifespan. In 1975, the cottage, which was starting to deteriorate, was bought by the McGlashen family and was lovingly restored over a period of three years.

Simone says she sees herself as a caretaker of Longfield and is currently writing a book about the history of the cottage, which she calls her forever home.

Tickets cost $60 each and can be purchased from the Cancer Society Nelson Tasman office at 102 Hardy Street or online at www.cancernelson.org.nz

Simone Cardwell’s 167-year-old cottage is part of the Cancer Society’s Historical Homes Tour next weekend. Photo: Jo Kent.

Whooping cough case confirmed

A case of whooping cough has been confirmed in the Nelson Marlborough region, and health officials are warning of community transmission. Te Whatu Ora Nelson and Marlborough announced the case on social media on Friday evening. “Although there is only one case confirmed, this case has caught the illness from another case, and it is therefore very likely to be spreading in the community and it is crucial for people to be vigilant,” the post stated.

New visitor map for region

Nelson Regional Development Agency, (NRDA) in collaboration with local businesses, has launched a new map to attract visitors to the region. Formatted to guide visitors through the region by 60 points of interest, the map is designed to give a sense of what Nelson Tasman has to offer. Three themed journeys; Makers, Creators & Curators, Light Footprint, and Wellness & Trails, highlight places, businesses and operators offering experiences in specific categories.

Credit card spending and mortgage demand slides

Recent data from Equifax shows demand for credit card use in the Nelson region has declined significantly (-11.7 per cent) in the March 2023 quarter. Only Gisborne experienced a bigger decline (-14.8 per cent), which was attributed to the recent severe weather events. Nelson also saw the largest decline in mortgage demand, down 29.5 per cent while the national average has reached its lowest point since the index began in 2019, down 19.6 per cent year-on-year.

App used to rescue leftover food

ANNE HARDIE

Leftover food at Greenmeadows Café in Stoke is now going on the food rescue app ‘Foodprint’ at discounted prices to reduce food waste and benefit the community.

The app has been launched in the region as part of its expansion around the country and about 20 local eateries have already partnered with it to sell surplus food that would otherwise be wasted.

Customers ‘rescue’ food by purchasing it within the app at discounted prices and collect it from the eatery, with the goal of reducing food waste and its associated emissions when it goes to landfill.

Greenmeadows Café owner

Lynley Gilchrist says she has already had a good response from customers who want to champion the cause to help the environment and also those wanting to save money due to the cost of living. She says the launch of the app in the region is timely, given the rising cost of living. Many of those using the app are young families, which is partly because they are app savvy and early adopters, but also

financing larger mortgages. Some of the food is destined for customers’ freezers and she says a lot of it is for lunches to reduce costs. Though the café does not have a lot of waste at the end of the day, Lynley says it is good to find a home for any that is left over such as fresh baking that cannot be sold the next day, as well as some cabinet food.

“I just see it as a community effort – the community working together. It’s food that is

local and it saves people buying something else. It stops cost leakage for everyone.

“Plus, it’s a way of giving back to our regulars and they get the benefit rather than throwing it in the bin.”

Each day, the café lists leftover food on the app with its discounted prices which is usually at least 50 percent off its usual price. Customers purchase it on the app and then collect it from the eatery.

“The aim of the game is less

waste.”

Finding a home for food that would otherwise end up as waste is also helping to reduce carbon emissions and Lynley says the app shows her how much is being saved. On one day, if 8kg of food waste is saved, that reduces carbon emissions by 22kg.

The app makers say cafes, restaurants and supermarkets waste almost 50,000 tonnes of food each year and more than half of that is still edible.

Greenmeadows Café owner Lynley Gilchrist is using the ‘Foodprint’ app. Photo: Anne Hardie.

Remembering the life of Nelsonian Dick Jones

PETER GIBBS

One of Nelson’s most experienced and respected builders, Dick Jones, died suddenly in his home last Wednesday.

He’d got up early for his regular swim session at Riverside Pool. His wife Janet found him sitting in one of his favourite armchairs, where he’d apparently paused before heading out the door.

Born in Greymouth to a strong Roman Catholic family, Dick lived in a number of different towns on the coast as his policeman father was transferred at regular intervals. When the family moved to Christchurch, Dick went to school at Our Lady Star of the Sea school in Christchurch, then later to St Bede’s College. Janet was literally the girl next door when she and her family moved in next door to the Jones family in South Brighton.

The pair were married at Labour weekend in 1965. Dick was 21 and Janet was 19. In those early days, Dick was training as a carpenter and joiner during the day for Christchurch company Smiths.

At night he studied for the formal part of his qualification.

He had another possible string to his bow when he was awarded a flying scholarship by The Press newspaper. He went on to get his pilot’s licence. He was then confronted with the dilemma of pursuing a career in flying or in carpentry.

Dick always had a strong sense of right and wrong and took great care with making the correct decisions. With a family to support he decided there was more security to be found on the ground.

He had a brief sojourn in the army. Those were the days of Compulsory Military Training. Each year, a ballot would be held

and Dick’s birth date was chosen. He was proud to do what he saw as his duty and excelled as a soldier. All his life he kept the shell trophy he won during that time, as well as his army hat. In April 1966, encouraged by his parents, Dick and Janet moved to Nelson.

They lived in a variety of houses around Nelson, including a couple of years at 21 Ngatitama St, which Dick built for the family. Their four children, Jim, Diana, Nicki and Andrew went to St Joseph’s School. The family moved when a local real estate company, knowing quality when they saw it, made Dick and Janet an offer they couldn’t refuse.

More than 30 years ago, the family moved into the house on Whitby Rd that they still occupy.

Tragedy struck in 1993 when Andrew, by then one of the top teen triathletes in the country, died in a training acident while out on his bike. The regional secondary schools triathlon was then renamed the Andrew Jones Memorial Triathlon and for the next 20 years or more Dick and Janet would be found supporting the race. Over the following years Dick took up swimming. Always

fit because of his building job, he added swimming to his repertoire, joining a training squad at Riverside Pool at 6am several days a week. With his friend Chris Hawkes, he became an integral part of the lane six group, entertaining his fellow swimmers with comments and advice, often to the detriment of the distance being swum. In recent years, the lane six pace picked up and the pair formed a breakaway group, shouting advice across the pool and always ready with a joke.

Dick loved the camaraderie of the whole swimming experience, and when his children bought him a wetsuit in 2016 he joined the regular weekly competition in the Port Nelson Sea Swim series.

Dick is survived by his wife Janet, his children Jim, Diana and Nicki, sons and daughters-in-law Garth, Mac and Samatha, and by the couple’s seven grandchildren.

Slipway upgrade in Port Nelson’s sights

MAX FRETHEY

Local Democracy Reporter

The resource consent application to upgrade the Nelson Slipway has been lodged, with construction expected to begin in June.

Port Nelson has completed the preliminary design for the slipway upgrade, which will see the slip able to cater to vessels up to 550 tonnes, up from the current 120-tonne limit.

The upgrade is expected to cost $20 million, $9.8 million of which is being contributed by central government through a combination of equity, grant and debt.

Nelson City Council and engineering business Aimex Limited are also supporting funders of the project. Currently, the port is home to two slipways, the Calwell Slipway and the Nelson Slipway.

The Calwell Slipway currently caters to ships between 200 tonnes and 2,400 tonnes. By bringing the Nelson Slipway up to a limit of 550 tonnes, Port Nelson aims to provide a greater rate of vehicle lifting between the two facilities.

The Nelson Slipway is expected

Affordable Water Reforms

to end its operations at the end of May, for construction, including the removal of contaminated material from the seabed, to commence in June. Construction is expected to take a year, with the new travel lift assembled in April and the slipway restarting opera-

Last week we announced major changes to our affordable water reforms, to deliver big cost savings to Nelson households while also making sure that the work is now led and delivered at a regional level

Every New Zealander deserves safe, reliable and affordable water services that keep families and our environment healthy But after years of neglect our water services – our drinking water wastewater and stormwater networks – are facing a crisis

Without reform, households will face rates rising by over $4,000 - $9,000 per year in the future

Our plan will save families across the Top of the South thousands of dollars with projected savings of around $1,520 - $5,780 a year by 2054

The Top of the South will now have its own publicly owned, locally led water entity That means our councils and our local community will have a say over how our local water services entity is governed and operated

These are once in a generation reforms and it’s so important that we strike the right balance Our plan strengthens the links between the water entities and the local communities they serve, while also making sure that New Zealanders, no matter where they live, can access safe, reliable and affordable drinking water now, and into the future

tion in May 2024. The new travel lift will be highly customisable, with repositionable slings to cater to a wide range of different vessels including lighter wooden ships and tugs.

Aside from Orams Marine Village in Auckland, there are no

other hoists that will be capable of lifting New Zealand’s midsized tug fleet. Vessels will be able to be placed anywhere on the hardstand by the travel lift, allowing for a customisable layout of ships to meet a variety of needs. The hardstand itself will also be upgraded to better catch contaminated materials and stormwater. During the upgrade of the Nelson Slipway, the Calwell Slipway will be operating as normal and some slots for the construction period are still open.

The Nelson Marina, operated by Nelson City Council, also has a travel lift that can accommodate vessels up to 44 tonnes.

Construction on the Nelson Slipway’s upgrade is expected to start in June.

Photo: Port Nelson.

Dick Jones 6/2/1944 - 12/4/2023

This great price is all inclusive - it covers all $5 prescription charges for the year plus the monthly sachet packing. It also allows you to spread your costs over the year by for you and for your husband/wife/partner who is included even if they do not have their medicines sachet packed.

Nelson Matters

Stoke buses

I wonder what has happened to the old adage of ‘measure twice and cut once’. How did we come to own buses too big for using? Sell them to Auckland and buy what is needed, not what is impressive. Shifting the bus stop to Main Rd Stoke by the Stoke Youth Park would work well as suggested by Karl, there’s a stop not far from the fire station for folk at that end. Also, a five-floor carpark building on site would be great. Those up our valleys and Monaco could park and ride. Let’s get real and face the facts, you can’t please all, but don’t kill off Stoke businesses. They have been burnt once already.

Judy Burke

Luigi the cat burglar

Look at his gorgeous face! And that cute moustache.

Janine Sargent

Oh my, he even has a mischievous moustache, which makes him look deviously dashing.

Jemma Cook

Best story ever... What a beautiful boy.. So much personality I love it.

Teressa Obrien

Appropriate undercover moustache for his activities.

Jess Szentpeteri

Named and shamed, haha.

Clint Warwood

Omg, we were Luigi’s/Magnum’s owners when you adopted him!

Lovely to see he is happy and healthy, even though a bit naughty. So funny, thanks for sharing.

Ko Allanya Ahau

Love his mo lol, cute as.

Rachel Dawn Mcrae

Love your moustache, Luigi.

Heather Bates

Less spent on food as costs bite

It’s just the beginning, strangling the lower and middle income people who make NZ.

Al Tideswell

Every time I go to the supermarket, and am only buying for myself, my heart sinks thinking of how expensive food, necessities are and how are families affording to feed their children, pay mortgages, rent, power. The struggle is real.

Michelle Ashby

We were in Australia recently and you don’t pay GST on fruit and veg and basic dairy products and

pay higher tax on fizzy drinks and chips. Brilliant thinking cause at least with higher mortgage, rates, power etc. you know that at the very least you’re eating proper food not processed crap. It is so hard for a lot of people; we saw a lady walk out of the supermarket with a full trolley of groceries the other week and didn’t pay. Wasn’t running out, she calmly just walked past everyone and off she went. Yes, people are desperate and need to have food, the struggle for many is very real. Kylee

Oldroyd-rangi

Top of the South Gymnastics

Friday 21 – Sunday 23 April, from 3pm Friday Trafalgar Centre, Nelson Gymnastics Nelson is hosting the Top of the South Gymnastics Competition. Over 500 athletes competing from Auckland through to Invercargill. Come down and watch the best gymnasts in the country compete.

Nelson Bays Roller Derby & friends presents “Black vs White”

Saturday 22 April, 18.30 – 20.30pm Skate Nelson Come and check out our home teams in action for our first game of the season! Bring a picnic, bring the family! Ticket sales are on the door only. $2 children, $5 adults, $10 for a family (2 adults, 2 kids).

ANZAC Day Concert 2023

Tuesday 25 April, 2.30pm Nelson Christ Church Cathedral

The Choir will perform this concert under the baton of renowned conductor, Nigel Weeks QSM on Anzac Day, Tuesday, 25th April. The brilliant young pianist, Louis Lucas-Perry will support the Choir. Adults $25, under 18 $5. Pay at the door.

Hon Dr Nick Smith

WATERED-DOWN CHANGES STILL PROBLEMATIC

The Government’s Three Waters changes are a big deal for Nelson. They are about who controls the water infrastructure built and paid for by ratepayers over 150 years. They are also about who is best able to manage our drinking water, wastewater and stormwater into the future and who decides how much we pay for these services.

The Government had proposed taking our Nelson City Council water assets, worth $750 million or $30,000 per household, and putting them in a new, large entity covering the East Coast of the North Island, wider Wellington and the top of the South Island. The new entity would have been co-governed with iwi, and the Nelson, Marlborough and Tasman councils would, together, have got just one representative out of 18.

I have long opposed these radical changes and it was one of the reasons I stood for Mayor. Since being elected, I have been working hard to get a better deal for Nelson. A major concern was being lumped in with Wellington. Our water infrastructure is in good shape due to major investments such as the Maitai Dam and Tantragee Water Treatment Plant. Wellington has badly neglected their infrastructure and we should not have to pay for their problems.

I am sceptical of the claims about huge savings from centralisation. The Government promised that centralisation of house building with KiwiBuild and the megamerger of polytechnics would deliver big efficiencies. Neither have worked. The $57 million spent on Three Waters consultants shows extravagance not savings. The costs for water services are going up and not down.

The Government announced last week that our water services are now to be in an entity of just Nelson, Tasman and Marlborough. I thank Councillors who have supported me in advocating for this change to Ministers and Parliament. Nelson will now get more say. We have much more in common with these neighbouring Councils. There are still big problems over dismembering Council’s contracting business, Nelmac, boundaries that exclude Murchison and Seddon and how we manage stormwater. More change is needed if these reforms are to deliver better water management for Nelson.

Nick Smith MAYOR OF NELSON

Commemorating fallen heroes and supporting our local veterans

On April 25, 1915, New Zealand and Australian troops stood side by side as allies set out to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey, during the First World War. Their aim was to secure the Dardanelles, the gateway to the Bosphorus and the Black Sea. These volunteer troops proudly became known as ANZACS – Australian New Zealand Army Corps –and the soldiers who fought during the campaign were known throughout the army camps as courageous and brave comrades, with good-humoured and honourable souls. The date marks the anniversary of the Gallipoli landings but we, as a nation, commemorate the contributions of all

those who have served in the armed forces, those who were injured in combat, and those who sacrificed their lives for our country.

ANZAC Day ceremonies are held at war memorials both nationwide and overseas and continue to be steeped in tradition and rituals ‘befitting a military funeral’. The first Dawn Service was held in 1923 and the ‘Last Post’, which was typically played during the war to signal the soldiers that the day’s fighting had come to an end, is now played at memorial services to indicate their duty is fulfilled and they can rest in peace. An important part of remembering our armed service people is to ensure

ongoing care and support for those are still involved with the organisations today.

Over 100 years since the Poppy appeal first began, this year the Royal Zealand Returned and Services Associations (RSA) hope it will be their biggest campaign yet.

red Flanders Poppy was one of first flowers to grow in the mud of World War 1 battlefields in Flanders, Belgium. This poppy became a symbol regeneration and growth in a landscape of blood and destruction and now an international emblem of war remembrance that in New Zealand is usually worn on ANZAC Day, the

25th of April each year. In France, 1920, ‘The Poppy Lady of France’ Madame Guérin, conceived the idea of ‘Inter-Allied Poppy Day’ to remember the fallen.

She approached veterans’ groups in other countries, urging them to take up the practice.

However, the shipment of over 375,000 handmade poppies did not arrive in time for the NZ Armistice celebrations and the NZRSA decided to incorporate the significant gesture on ANZAC Day 1922, where it has remained a tradition ever since. The Flanders Poppy became an international symbol of remembrance.

NELSON RSA

Barry Pont is the key organiser of Nelsons Poppy Day, is a Vietnam veteran and has served on the Nelson RSA committee for 35 years. He says the volunteer teams will be out in force in the Nelson Tasman region on Friday, April 21, appealing to the public for support of its RSA members and their dependents.

Zoe Norquay, the president of Nelson RSA says, “This year, as every year, Veterans and Friends of RSA Members line Trafalgar Street, find patches of sun in carparks, and welcome supporters in the lobbies of businesses, in order to give all of you a chance to make a

donation and receive a poppy. People wear their poppies with pride as they remember those who served. We are happy to report that we are moving with the times and have acquired a QR code. It will be displayed on our posters and poppy boxes. Keep an eye out for donation boxes all around town in shops and at the museum.”

Zoe would like to thank everyone for their kind donations last year. “We assisted many local veterans with glasses, hearing aids, medical and dental costs and other practical help. We'd like to continue to support all our Nelson-based veterans, whether they served with NZ, Australia, Canada, Britain

or other allied forces. We are proud to reveal that the Patron of the Nelson RSA, John Beeching, is a veteran of the British WW11 Bomber Command and is still actively supporting us at 99 years of age, celebrating his 100th birthday in November this year.

We would like to continue to support all our Nelson-based Veterans and would really appreciate any donations for our local RSA. If you wish to do this, please use the following information:

Poppy Trust account Nelson RSA: 03 1354 0386910 00

LEST WE

APRIL 25, SCHEDULING FOR PUBLIC NELSON ANZAC SERVICES ARE AS FOLLOWS:

NELSON: 5:30 Parade stepping off from Millers Acres Parking lot

6:00 ANZAC commemoration in ANZAC Park

8:00 Wakapuaka - Wreath laying and small commemoration

8:30 Queen’s Gardens - wreath laying and small commemoration at the Boer War memorial

9:00 Pikimai (Cathedral steps) - wreath laying and small commemoration

STOKE: 10:00 Marsden Valley cemetery - full commemoration

11:00 Stoke civic service at Nayland College - full commemoration Parade to college

New Horizons for former Knapps’ Partners

On 1 May 2023 Atkinson Crehan Law will commence operating. Our new firm will combine the expertise of former Partners from Knapps Lawyers, Jacintha Atkinson-Manson and Amanda Crehan, with the ongoing expertise of Christine Allison, Kirsty Goodall, Nick Moore, Merv Huston, Marie Austin, Alison Macbeth, and Sarah Clements. We will continue to be situated at 22 Oxford Street, Richmond. We will also continue our presence in Motueka with the expertise of Hamish Kennedy (former Partner of Knapps and Kennedy & Associates), leading the team out there. It’s a privilege to maintain our working relationship with our legal and office staff, to continue to offer a great level of service to our clients, existing and new.

We will continue to offer the following services: Wills, Power of Attorney, Estate Administration, Buying & Selling Residential,

Commercial, Rural or Industrial Property, Family Trusts & Asset Planning, Relationship Contracting Out Agreements, Buying & Selling Businesses, Developments & Subdivisions and Business.

What will you get with Atkinson Crehan?

We believe in making your experience with us as easy as possible. You'll get expert, friendly advice from our qualified legal staff who know what they are doing. We are in the business of Law because we love what we do, we enjoy helping our clients, and we believe in making a positive difference. Atkinson Crehan Law - Where expertise and empathy go hand in hand.

Here’s a little bit about our Partners:

Amanda Crehan Estates & Trusts Team

Amanda emigrated to Nelson in 2014 after 15 years as a partner

in a large regional law firm in the UK and is qualified to practice both in the UK and New Zealand. She has successfully crossed the bridge from Litigator to Advisor and is able to resolve disputes as well as give pragmatic advice designed to avoid them. As head of our large Trusts and Estates practice, Amanda routinely advises clients on Inheritance Planning, complex Estate Administration, capacity issues, validity of Wills and all aspects of Elder Law, including Retirement Villages purchases in which she is an expert along with Jacintha Atkinson-Manson. She and Jacintha frequently give talks to community groups on this very topical issue. She also manages disputes under the Family Protection and Testamentary Promises Acts.

Jacintha Atkinson Property Team

Jacintha graduated in Decem-

ber 2009 from the University of Otago having completed a double degree in Law and Arts (majoring in Psychology). She then landed her very first legal position as a solicitor with Bannerman’s Lawyers, a local firm in Gore. After 4 years gaining a raft of general legal experience, Jacintha followed the sunshine to the Top of the South, relocating to sunny Nelson in 2013 to work locally.

Jacintha manages our property team and has a fast-growing reputation as the person to see to advise on occupational right agreements for all of the Retirement & Lifestyle Villages located across the region.

Jacintha is also very familiar with all the new property development happening in the region and enjoys assisting clients with the purchase of land and subsequent building of their new homes. Keep an eye out for our new website which will go live on 1 May 2023.

You’ll find on there useful information about current topics along with who you can talk to should you need our help. We look forward to seeing you.

Amanda Crehan Jacintha Atkinson

A family-owned business offering the very best signage solutions

Fiercely passionate about their business, Fermin and Nicola Padilla, the owners of Speedy Signs, can manage any project anywhere in the country, from start to finish. A ‘people-person who gets on with everyone’, Argentinian born, and raised in Brazil Fermin will help each customer in any way he can, says Nicola. Whether it be dropping signs to them, discussing details or suggesting what he thinks would work best on site, he is always greeting customers with a smile when they pop in to talk to him. “Also dealing with electricians, builders and painters, the fact that Fermin understands exactly what the customer wants is

key to meeting their needs.”

The couple met in Brazil, married in 2008, and after having their three children in Brazil’s largest city, São Paulo, moved back to Nicola’s home country in 2015, purchasing Speedy Signs Nelson in 2016. “Having owned and run hospitality businesses in Brazil, we were looking for a business to buy in Nelson. Something more ‘family-friendly’ which would give us the weekends free to explore the countryside. Nelson was a particularly attractive destination being so safe and with so many outdoor activities on our doorstep.”

What initially attracted Fermin

to the signage business was his love for brands and marketing. The business allowed him to help others thrive by giving them the best signage solutions for their industry. Fermin and Nicola also liked the fact that Speedy Signs is part of a franchise which meant they would have support and expert advice anytime they need it.

“There are 27 Speedy Signs stores throughout New Zealand and they are all there to help each other do the best they can. Fermin has a degree in business management, and he thrives in his role as Business Manager. He has a passion for creating solutions for companies to market themselves the best they can, he enjoys thinking outside the box and using his experience alongside his very talented team of designers and installers, a total of seven staff members, who have an awesome can-do attitude and love being creative.” Nicola is a busy mother and works part time in the business, tak-

ing care of the administrative and financial side of the business.

“By moving to our new, larger premises at 87 Vanguard Street,in early 2020, we were able to buy a new CNC router and a lasercutting machine. The business has grown exponentially since, we are now able to attend multiple big jobs simultaneously. With 27 known and trusted Speedy Signs stores dotted throughout the country, we are able to attend to anyone’s sign-writing needs, no matter where they are based.”

Fermin is insistent that he and his team go above and beyond to meet their customer’s needs, every time. “Service and quality are key and the team never compromise on mastering details.”

“There is a lot to think about

when choosing signs; size, material, position, visibility, price, installation, not to mention what your competition is doing! With more than a few years of experience in this game, we can talk you through your options and create signs that suit your business and leave a lasting impression. Whether you’re after a couple of signs for a seasonal promotion or signs for multiple buildings and a full fleet of vehicles, we can take care of your project from first conversation to final installation.” The signage industry is huge, and is constantly growing bigger and more diverse, say the couple. “Every month there are more products on offer to meet differing signage needs in the market. Speedy Signs only deal with

Nicola and Fermin Padilla, owners of Speedy Signs Nelson.

creative,” says Nicola. “It is an honour to help any company come across in the best way they can, and to be a part of this very important step is so exciting as there are plenty of options in how to do this.”

Celebrating the company's overall 25 years in business, Nicola says the Nelson team shared a special and very delicious cake. “Also, we enjoyed a super fun day of bowls at the Nelson Bowling Club which was a new experience for most of us and we are keen to do it again. Speedy Signs owners will also celebrate later in the year with their annual conference being held in an extra special location, Fiji!”

leaders in the market who provide only the best quality materials. Nationwide, Speedy Signs stores have developed excellent working relationships with their suppliers meaning that better prices can be negotiated and bulk purchases made. Every day we manage to conquer new customers, both big and small, and this keeps us con-

tinuously evolving.”

Speedy Signs began life as a family business in Auckland 25 years ago. In Nelson the Padillas have done the same and are proud to say that all their family is involved in differing ways, including their three boys, now aged 8, 11 and 13. “The Speedy Signs franchise is progressive, forward-thinking and

The fantastic Speedy Signs team, from left: Marika Prinsloo, Frans Rynvos, Nicola Padilla, Paul Hassan, Fermin Padilla and Amy Swanson.

Based at 87 Vanguard St, Nelson, Speedy Signs will help with your project from start to finish.

Pair dominate heptathlon podium

JACK MALCOLM

Two local aspiring heptathletes have returned from their first-ever competition with gold and silver medals around their necks.

Ellie Beever and Maia Fowler started the sport less than a year ago, having no idea what to expect when they flew to Auckland for the Auckland and North Island Combined Events Championships. Having done athletics since they were young, they say they were confident in their abilities after training hard.

“I’m training, in the athletics season, about four-to-five times a week,” says Ellie.

While Maia says she trains a little bit less, she splits her time with volleyball in the summer. With seven events across two days in the heptathlon, the pair say it’s been a sharp learning curve for some of the events. Both of them say shotput is their weakest discipline, while the high jump is where they excel.

“It’s hard when you don’t have the

body for it ... like Valerie Adams,” says Maia. Athletes compete for points

across all the events, with a complex algebraic calculation done to determine how many are

awarded for each discipline. Each discipline also has a minimum recordable performance level

(0.75 m for the high jump), that rewards zero points. The qualification standard for the World Athletics U20 Championships was 5300 points, with 14-yearold Maia picking up 3116 points and 15-year-old Ellie notching up 4106 points.

“Dad said ‘try to get over 4000 points’ and I didn’t know what that meant,” laughed Ellie.

She says her immediate goal is to break the 4200 point mark, with ambitions to compete in Australia in the next few years as she continues to improve.

It was her father, Mike, who had the idea to compete in the heptathlon, which doesn’t have a big presence in New Zealand. He encouraged both girls to give it a go and they found they took to it like ducks to water.

“You can be good at lots of different things instead of just one thing,” says Ellie.

She says it’s a brutal event, with the 800m at the end of the seven disciplines being a brutal way to finish off.

Ellie Beever (15) and Maia Fowler (14) surprised themselves with a gold and silver medal respectively, in the U16 division of the Auckland and North Island Combined Events in their first time competing in the heptathlon. Photo: Jack Malcolm.

Fight for Rangatahi brings boxing events back to Top of the South

SARA HOLLYMAN

Young boxers will have a chance to show what they’ve got in front of a home crowd at Nelson’s first largescale boxing event in four years.

Fight for Rangatahi, organised by Dixon’s Boxing, will see 24 mainly local boxers match up for both amateur and corporate fights.

Organiser Randall Dixon says after running a successful Legends of Boxing event in 2019, he originally planned for it to be a yearly event, but Covid had other plans.

Now that the environment is returning to normal for large events, Randall says it’s the right time to bring the event back to the region.

“There’s so many more people and kids who want a chance to compete in their hometown. When I set up Dixon’s Boxing, it was all about creating opportunities, so I’ve got to start giving some of these kids an opportunity to compete, that’s why we’re bringing it back.”

He says nominations flowed in, and with pairings in the initial stages match-ups will be finalised early next month.

“I’ve always known that the talent’s here, it’s left, right and centre but

they haven’t really had a good opportunity,” Randall says.

While there are other events around the country, a lot don’t have the means to travel to compete. He says it’s a mammoth task putting on an event of this scale so has teamed up with Hotel Motueka’s Vince Clayton to make it happen.

Randall hopes to see it become an annual event on the Top of the South calendar.

Fight for Rangatahi will be a night of entertainment for those who attend, with 12 fights throughout the evening – six corporate and six amateur fights.

Corporate tables are available for those who want to increase the entertainment, with a three-course meal and beverages provided.

Randall says the live environment of a boxing event is unlike anything else.

“There’s good music between fights, a good meal, you’re sitting down with friends and family, it’s just a cool atmosphere when you’re there, it gets deafening sometimes, it’s crazy.”

He says a lot of work goes into putting on an event of this scale.

“It’s a great pathway. After our last event - Legends of Nelsona couple of the locals went on to win Golden Gloves and NZ titles after debuting at that event. “We have one who just went over to world champs in India, she debuted in our event. Another boy went on to become a pro, he’s in Australia, heading over to the US to compete.

“Off the top of my head I can see five or six boys and girls from this region who will go on to do what those other two have done.” The NZ Professional Boxing Association and NZ Amateur Boxing Association will each be sending judges for the event.

“This is not just about Dixon’s, this is about boxing in the Top of the South, there’s so much

talent here, I’m looking forward to giving some of these boxers a chance to show their hometown what they can do.”

Fight for Rangatahi is on Saturday 5 August at the Motueka Recreation Centre. To buy tickets or enquire about sponsorship visit the Dixon’s Boxing Facebook page.

Sunday 23rd April 1.50pm, Saxton Field

vs Match Day Sponsor:

Fight for Rangatahi organiser Randall Dixon is looking forward to giving local talent a chance to box in front of a home-crowd. Photo: Sara Hollyman.

Marist’s strong start continues

JACK MALCOLM

Marist have continued their strong start to their 2023 campaign with a convincing 55-33 win over Waimea Old Boys at Jubilee Park.

It was a similar story for the Marist women, who started their season with a 27-12 win over WOB, while TRS Wairau Wahine (Moutere and Renwick combined) made their debut with a 62-15 loss to Kahurangi, whose men weren’t able to make it an unbeaten weekend at Greenmeadows as Stoke kicked off their season with a 22-19 win. After a dominating first half at Jubilee Park by Marist, the visitors allowed WOB back

into the game through the help of their big forward pack.

However, the early damage was too much to come back from as Marist closed out the game with a try to winger Timoci Sauira after the hooter.

The first half performance from Marist was ruthless, scoring at nearly a point a minute, with some impressive tries.

Several well-worked set piece moves put players into space and they were clinical in their finishing to take a 38-12 lead into the sheds at half time.

WOB were left to pick up the scraps, capitalising on good field position for their first try on the back of several Marist penalties, before mauling over

their second try to end the half. Marist would come out in the second forty and get stuck straight back into their work, with halfback Wil Thornalley taking just two minutes to make an addition to the scoreboard. A try two-minutes later to big flanker Netani Baleisomosomo sealed WOB’s fate, with Marist seemingly taking their feet off the throttle. After scoring just 12 points in the first half, WOB were able to muster up 21 unanswered points as they showed signs of fight in the final half hour. Unfortunately, the damage had been done and they were left to lick their wounds after two first-up losses to start their season.

Giants still in search for maiden win

JACK MALCOLM

A sold-out crowd couldn’t lift the NBS Nelson Giants as they fell to the Franklin Bulls, 95-84. Despite a 34-point performance from import Darryl Woodson, the home side struggled from the floor against a much bigger side. With a field goal percentage of 39, making just 26 of the 66 shots, and being outrebounded 43-33, it was a long night for the home side.

When the Bulls star Jamaal Brant-

ley was sent to the bench with early foul trouble, with four in the first 15 minutes of play, it looked like the Giants had the upper hand. It wasn’t to be, however, as the two teams traded points but the Bulls were able to maintain their early lead.

After racing out to an early eightpoint lead, with back-to-back three-pointers to open the game, the visiting side was in control early and weren’t ready to let their lead go.

Darryl Woodson lit up the Trafalgar Centre with 34 points, but wasn’t able to find a scoring partner to get his team over the line against the Franklin Bulls.

Photo: Evan Barnes/Shuttersport.

Community Notices

MONDAY

STOKE SENIOR CITIZENS is a Friendship Club accepting all INDOOR BOWLING beginners and players. Mon & Fri 1:30-3:30pm. Annual $5 subscription and a $2 mat fee covers costs levied for the afternoon. Mats and bowls are provided by the club. Ph: 035479814 or 035473052.

TEA AND TALK – Mon, 10-1.30pm. Victory Community Centre. Join us for a cuppa tea and a wee treat. Meet new friends and enjoy morning tea served on vintage China with occasional entertainment and guest speakers. Ages 60+ COST: $2.

ACTIVE STRENGTH/BALANCE CLASS: Also seated options presented. Mon, 1pm. Tāhunanui Community Hub, Muritai St. ACC accredited provider. Get fitter to great music. Ph: Shirley 035471433 / 0211218023.

SENIOR 3D FLOW FITNESS WITH COACH D: Mon, 1pm. Come join in and improve your health and fitness, including strength, coordination, balance, mobility, and agility. Tāhunanui Community Hub. Ph: 021411700. $5 per session.

TUESDAY

PHILOSOPHY GROUP Meet 2nd & 4th Tues of the month, 10am. Trafalgar Hall, 67 Trafalgar St, Nelson. All welcome. TXT Zoe 0279741758.

NELSON CREATIVE FIBRE GROUP now meet at Nelson Golf Club Cafe 38 Bolt Road Tāhunanui, 9.30am in the cafe. NO MEETING Tues, 25 Apr- Anzac Day. Next Meeting 9 May.

NELSON 50+ WALKING GROUP Tues, 25 Apr. City Memorial Circuit. Meet 9.45am at Trafalgar Centre. BYO lunch. Ph: Gwen 0221638714.

THE ST JOHN'S ANGLICAN CHURCH in Hira ANZAC Day Commemoration. Tues, 25 Apr, 9am. Calls out to

the Wakapuaka communities to join us in commemorating ANZAC day at the Wakapuaka Memorial. A representative from RSA will attend and the Northern Club will be opened after for a cup of tea.

FRIENDLY SIXTY PLUS GROUP. Play Five Hundred and Rummikub. Tues, 1:30 -3:30pm. Victory Church, 238 Vanguard St. Ph: Tracey-Lynn on 0220996556 or 035469057. Gold Coin entry.

NELSON NEWBIES WALKING GROUP welcomes new people. Every Tues & Fri, 10am in Nelson, Stoke, Richmond. Ph: Karin 0221529963.

WEDNESDAY

SPIRITED CONVERSATIONS Wed, 26 Apr, 6pm, speaker 7.30pm. Yaza Café. Hannah Banks, Associate Principal, Nayland College. Hear from an expert working at the chalk-face! "What's working and what's not working in New Zealand high schools. Ph: 035486241. Koha.

WELLBY TALKING CAFÉ: Wed, 26 Apr, 1.30-3.00pm.

Halifax Café, Nelson. Wellby Talking Cafés are about social connection and finding out about groups, activities, and services. www.wellby.org.nz. Ph: 035467681.

ALZHEIMERS NELSON TASMAN monthly Library sessions provide opportunities for info, advice, and support around memory Loss. Nelson Library, every 4th Wed, 9.30-10.30 / Stoke Library every 4th Thurs, 9.30-10.30am.

LA LECHE LEAGUE NELSON Last Wed of the month 9.30-11.30am. Richmond Plunket, Oxford St. All welcome. Support and info also available by Ph/txt: Ruth 0272433469.

ISEL LADIES PROBUS CLUB Welcome to our friendly club, 4th Wed of the month, 10am. Baptist Church, Stoke (also coffee, lunch & book groups). Ph: Gill 035472134 or Sue 035486062.

RADIO CONTROL MODEL PLANES at the Wakapuaka

DEADLINE: 10AM FRIDAY 50 WORDS OR LESS BY EMAIL ONLY SEND TO: myevent@nelsonweekly.co.nz

flying site on Wed & Sun. From 10am. weather permitting. New members welcome. For Info Ph: Murray 021457663.

BETTER BREATHERS CLASS Wed, 1-2pm. Reformed Church, 15 Burrough Pl, Enner Glynn. Ph: Sue at Nelson Asthma Society 035441562. $5 per class.

THURSDAY

NELSON LIONESS - Seeking new members to join our service club. We are very social and active in our community. Meet 1st & 3rd Thurs of the month. Ph: Jillian 0272782743.

WAIMEA COMBINED FRIENDSHIP GROUP 3rd Thurs of the month, 9.45am. Hope Church, Ranzau Rd. For Friendship, Fellowship & Learning. Ph: Denise 027765000 or Rosalie 0272491080.

KEEP ACTIVE, STRENGTH, BALANCE, and general fitness. Thurs, 9.15am. Holy Trinity Hall, 27 Dorset St. All ages welcome. Standing and seated options, resistance bands, circuits. Ph: Nicola 0210788609 or E: nicola. rae.11@gmail.com.

FRIDAY

POPPY DAY – Fri, 21 Apr. Nelson RSA appreciates help in manning collection tables. Poppies both red and purple will be supplied for kind donations. People wear the poppy to remember those who died serving their country. If you can assist, please call into the office in the Stoke Community Centre between 9-12pm Mon to Thurs or Ph: 032656513.

COMMUNITY CHIROPRACTIC - 28 Apr & 26 May. 12.30-3pm. Victory Community Centre. Proper alignment, posture and movement reduces stress on the vital nervous system and allows for better health expression. 15-minute sessions available. Ph: 035468389 for appt. Cost: Sliding Scale - $5 - $40.

SUPER SENIORS AT ALL SAINTS Fri, 21 Apr, 10.3012.30pm. 30 Vanguard St. Enjoy musical masterpieces performed on piano and organ by the gifted Lee sisters - Amen and Taemen. Morning tea, followed by music in the church auditorium, and lunch. Newcomers Welcome. 65+. Suggested koha: $10.

SENIOR 3D FLOW FITNESS WITH COACH D Every Fri, 1pm. Come join in and improve your health and fitness, including strength, coordination, balance, mobility, and agility. Tāhunanui Community Hub. Ph: 021411700. $5 per session.

CULTURAL SOCIAL ACTIVITIES Fri, 10-11am. Come along and share morning tea & a cuppa with Victory’s friendly multicultural roopu. Volunteer opportunities for all people to participate.

SATURDAY / SUNDAY

COFFEE AND CHAT GROUP supporting people with Cardiovascular problems. We meet 3rd Sat each month, 10.30-noon. The Honest Lawyer. Ph: Lynne 0272603485.

NELSON DANCE ALONG, Sat 22 Apr, 7.30-11pm. Richmond Town Hall. Plate for Supper. Music by Warren Fenemor. Everyone Welcome. Ph: Rosalie Winter 035380133. Cost $6.00 per person.

EARLY SEAFARERS Wakapuaka Cemetery Tour. Sun, 23 Apr, 2-3pm. A cemetery tour will tell you about mariners and how they contributed to Nelson’s seafaring heritage. Meet at the main Cemetery gate, Atawhai Drive, at 1.50pm. Car-pooling to the start of the tour. Reasonable level of fitness required; sturdy footwear needed.

WAIMEA TRAMPING CLUB 50-Year Anniversary. Sat, 29 Apr. Easy local tramp in the morning, celebration dinner in the evening. Current and previous members welcome. For more info Ph: 0212671298 E: wtc.rich-

mond@gmail.com.

GENERAL GROUPS

COMPLETE HEALTH IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME (CHIP). A lifestyle medicine programme focused on exercise, eating, stress, rest & sleep. For more info come to the free information sessions at Putangitangi (Greenmeadows Centre) cnr Main Rd & Songer St, Stoke. 2 Sessions avail Sun 30, April, 7pm. Tues 2 May, 7pm.

SUTER ART SOCIETY 19 Apr – 7 May. Showing the wonderful artwork of Lisa Devries “THE FLORAL CHAIR” exhibition in the McKee gallery.

CAKE DECORATORS are inviting new members to join. You don't need any skills. Come and learn how to work with fondant, sugar paste and chocolate. Creating flowers, figurines and covering a cake. Ph: Desiree 0276302359.

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS to help support Nelson Hospital. A social opportunity for people to donate their time to a 3-4 hr shift during the week in a variety of roles. You’ll be supporting patients, visitors, whānau and staff while receiving sense of purpose, enjoyment and belonging to a group. Visit www.nmdhb.govt.nz and search ‘volunteering with us’.

THE NEW ZEALAND RED CROSS supports families of refugees as they settle into a new life in Nelson. We are looking for volunteers who would like to be part of the team and make a real difference in somebody’s life. Full training provided and time commitment is very flexible. TXT John 0272235972 or migration.volunteers@ redcross.org.nz.

BREAST CANCER SUPPORT GROUP. Cancer Society Nelson, 102 Hardy St. If you have or have had breast cancer, come along to this friendly atmosphere. Register Ph: 035391137 or info@cancernelson.org.nz.

Community notices are free to community groups, schools, churches, gold coin donation events and fundraising only. For classified ads and public notices please call 548 5900 Due to the popularity of this column, while every effort will be made, inclusion cannot be guaranteed for free ads.

Are you looking for a new career?

The best jobs aren’t always in the big cities!

Are you passionate about supporting your own community? If so, consider becoming a Support Worker in the Nelson/Blenheim region!

What does a Support Worker do?

• Home Management

• Medication administration

• Personal cares (getting clients ready for the day, showering and prepping for their evening routine)

What are the benefits?

• Upskill and get official NZQA qualifications (funded fully by HCNZ)

• Earning from $22.70-$28.25 per hour while caring for various clients in your community.

• Gain valuable experience for NZ’s largest community healthcare provider.

Contact us now at 0800 002 722 extension 89693.

Email: connor.mccrea@healthcarenz.co.nz

Or apply directly using link below. https://careers.healthcarenz.co.nz/?

unlistedjob=Mb7emNe&tracker

=347945724

NELSON

NOTICE OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE NELSON RSA SUNDAY 7th MAY 2023, AT 10AM, AT THE GREENMEADOWS CENTRE, STOKE.

AGENDA:

1. Last Post

2. Adoption of Annual Financial Report

3. Other Reports

4. Election of Committee Members

5. General Business

You must be a financial member to vote Zoe Norquay, President, Nelson RSA.

FOR HIRE

Mini Buses for Hire

8 to 12 seaters - Later Models

Clean • Tidy • Reliable • Long or short term

nelson Mini Bus Hire 0800 696 686

email: bookings@motorhomerentalsnz.co.nz

www.nelsonminibushire.co.nz

TINS, SIGNS

BOTTLES

NZ OR MAORI ITEMS

TOBACCO TINS

BRASS / COPPER

COLOURED GLASS

COINS BANKNOTES

General household bits

Plus much more

Large or Small lots or Estates & Downsizing

Ph 027 5380020 or 03 5380020

Ron Sharp

With aroha we announce the passing of Ron Sharp at the accomplished age of 87 years old. A loved and ever giving presence within the Motueka community he was surrounded by family at his time of passing. We invite those wishing to offer their presence and celebrate his life to attend a memorial service at 412 Main Road Riwaka on the 22nd of April at 10am. Please bring your favourite mug, and a plate of food to share for afterwards.

DEATH BLINCOE

Raymond Noel

25.05.38 - 07.04.2023

Passed away peacefully at home. Loved husband of Noelyn Blincoe (Milson) and treasured father of Dayle Thomas (Qld). Michelle Johnson and Tony Blincoe (Nelson). Leanne Lindner (Qld). Grandad and Great Grandad of Nathan and Ryan Thomas, Alana Johnson and Jackson Lewis. Kurt Johnson, Jemaja and Khalim Lindner. William Boyd, Maia and Mason Lewis. At Ray’s request a funeral service will not be held.

for FREE

SITUATIONS VACANT

DELIVERERS WANTED

Interested in fundraising for a club or social group?

THEN WE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOU!

We are looking for individuals or groups to deliver our award winning newspapers. Our runs can be done individually or shared amongst a group , as the famous saying goes. “Many hands make light work”

For further details please email: deliveries@thedeliveryguy.co.nz