Tuesday 29 November 2011
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Passion for gardening Page 11
Attack never happened, say police Andrew Board Nelson police are furious a severely disabled man has been taken advantage of in a blaze of media hype, after an alleged “youth attack” has turned out to be not true. Last week the Australianowned Nelson Mail reported that a group of youths had attacked a disabled man, leaving him on the street in a distressed state. They reported that passersby ignored the man and then that police left the scene after the alleged attack and while the man was still on the ground. None of it was true. The man was not attacked but instead sat down and started crying, something that his caregivers say has happened before. A member of the public darted into the police base in Victory Square and alerted a police volunteer. The two women then ran to his aid along with other neighbours, including business
owners. The volunteer says when they got there a victim support worker and another woman, who featured in the Nelson Mail article, were also helping the man, who is so disabled he struggles to communicate. Police communications manager Barbara Dunn says police are upset that the story has grabbed national headlines and it appeared no fact-checking was done by the newspaper. “The woman who featured in the Nelson Mail did the right thing in assisting a man who was clearly in need of help and she should be commended for that. However, if she had witnessed an attack by a group of youths the appropriate thing to do would be to take her concerns to the police for investigation. The reports to date suggest she did not see an attack. “Instead she jumped to a lot
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Ernest Rutherford resident Alf Crisp makes his way through the Wearable Art parade at the village last week. Photo: Andrew Board.
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Eldery parade art
It may not be the quickest parade in town, but the colourful and creative costumes, along with a fair bit of fun between models and spectators, made it one of the most fun. Ernest Rutherford Retirement Village held its annual Wearable Art parade last week before around 100 spectators, thrilling them with a range of creative and clever costumes. Organiser Deborah McIvor says 24 residents took part in the show but the audience got just as much out of it as them. “Everyone just loves it and it has become a real highlight.” Participants spent about a month creating their outfits with ideas derived from their life says Deborah. “One man had glasses all over him because he was an eye surgeon before he retired.” She says the creating process is a team effort with everyone working on each other’s costumes before the big day. “We all help each other and work together so we all end up with great looking costumes on the day,” says Deborah. The show was the third the retirement village has run over as many years and Deborah says they hope to run it again next year.