Waimea Weekly

Locally Owned and Operated

Wednesday 29 January 2025

Short-sightedness rising in Tasman kids

SARA HOLLYMAN

Local children are increasingly being diagnosed with short-sightedness, with more screen time and lack of outdoor time thought to be major contributing factors.

New research by Specsavers shows that, of the respondents, 100 per cent of Tasman parents said their children had more than the recommended daily screen time of two hours, while in Nelson it was 67 per cent.

Dahlias set to make a splash at flower show

ANNE HARDIE

Arch Crerar used to have a lawn beside his home in a Stoke retirement village, but now it’s filled with a kaleidoscope of dahlias, from giants the size of your face to spherical pompoms.

There isn’t a weed in sight and not even a flower past its best. It’s a garden of show flowers in most people’s books, which is why he will have flowers at the Brightwater Horticultural Society’s Summer Show in February, as he has done for the past umpteen years.

The 84-year-old used to sell dahlia flowers at the gate of his previous home in Stoke where most of the 1500 section was planted in dahlias. When he moved into the Ernest Rutherford Retirement Village four years ago, he just had to transform his lawn

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Their children were aged 1-5 years old.

Specsavers co-owner and optometrist, Bridget Rutledge, says she is not surprised by the results and she’s one of many around the country who has seen a “dra-

matic increase” in myopia – or short-sightedness, in children. Bridget, who is in her eighth year of optometry, explains myopia in simple terms as “children struggling to see things in the distance”.

It’s projected that, by 2050, myopia could be a leading cause of permanent blindness.

“Kids would have trouble seeing things far away, its actually really

Arch Crerar and lead gardener Jo Robinson have transformed his lawn into dahlias, with blooms heading to this year’s summer flower show in Brightwater. Photo: Anne Hardie.

Waimea Weekly

If you held a ministerial position, which one would it be and why?

“Education, to encourage more people to homeschool their children for families to be more focused on working on their character and values.”

“Environment Minister, to make sure there was a real focus on environmental protections and seriously oppose anything Fast Track related.”

“Health, especially for the elderly, we don’t know how vulnerable people are in the community, they’re staying home longer, and I’d like to address that.”

“Minister of Education, there’s room for some restructuring around where the budget is placed in schools.”

Short-sightedness increasing in Tasman children

FROM PAGE 1

tricky sometimes. Kids don’t know, they think that everyone sees things blurry, and that’s how it should be.”

The impact of myopia in children can cause delays in reading and other academic skills, lead to poor self-esteem and confidence, as well as mood disturbances due to frequent headaches and eyestrain. Once someone has been diagnosed with short-sightedness, they can’t get that sight back, only slow the rate of deterioration.

“Once you’ve got myopia you can’t undo it. This is why it’s become a big issue. Later in life you’re reliant on glasses or contacts and there are some eye diseases that can be associated with it.”

Bridget says that screen time

of myopia. The World Health Organisation recommends two hours of outside time a day.

“There has been a lot more children needing glasses, which has been tied back to more screen time,” Bridget says. “I’ve definitely noticed it’s increasing. “Give your eyes a break, it sounds simple but it’s so important.” She says optometrists use a recommendation that they deem the 20/20/20 rule.

Co-owner of Specsavers, Bridget Rutledge, says she has seen an increase in children needing glasses. Photo: Sara Hollyman.

and lack of outdoor time play a “huge” factor in the increase.

“The younger the child, the more their eyes are developing, so there’s a really critical time when parents need to be aware of the recommendations.”

She says getting children outdoors allows their eyes to get used to seeing things that are further away. Sunlight has also been shown to slow the progression

“We live in a world where we have to be on screens, but for every 20 minutes on the screen, look at something 20 feet away, for 20 seconds.”

Bridget adds that it is hard for parents to know if their child is struggling.

“I get a lot of referrals where they hadn’t noticed, but the child failed the before-school screening.”

Andy Black Richmond

Bridget Cheong Upper Moutere

Kieran Levett Richmond

Nicole Flett Richmond

Tasman’s most stolen car

The most stolen car in Tasman in 2024 was the Ford Ranger, according to AMI’s new insurance data. In Nelson, it was the Mazda Demio. The data - sourced from the largest general insurance dataset in the country - reported almost 12,000 vehicle theft claims nationwide last year, including claims relating to attempted vehicle theft. AMI executive general manager claims, Wayne Tippet, says that stolen vehicle claims have begun to decrease for the first time in four years, with claims related to ram raids down by 50 per cent compared to 2023. Nelson ranked 13th in the claims frequency list, while Tasman came in 14th.

Fruit and veg box programme ends

The Hapori Fruit and Veg box programme is not continuing in 2025 due to a lack of funding. The Nelson Environment Centre, which has provided the $15 boxes at various hubs around the region since 2021, say they have had to make the “tough decision” to end the programme. “We wish to thank our partners, hubs and custom-

ers for making the Hapori Fruit and Veg Box a worthwhile programme.” There were hubs at Helping Families in Richmond and St Paul’s in Brightwater, as well as Stoke School, Nelson Cathedral, Nightingale Library, and the Victory Community Centre.

Police seek crash witnesses

Nelson Police investigating a crash on the Coastal Highway earlier this month would like to speak to witnesses. At around 3:10pm on Tuesday, 7 January, emergency services responded to a two-vehicle crash near the O’Conner Creek Bridge by the turnoff to Rabbit Island. One person was seriously injured in the crash and died in hospital on 10 January. Police have spoken to a number of witnesses already but would still like to hear from anyone who witnessed the crash, or saw a silver Toyota hatchback travelling towards Richmond on or around the Coastal Highway between 2:50pm and 3:10pm on 7 January. If you have any information, call 105 using the reference number 250113/2691. Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.

Dahlias set to make a splash at flower show

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into garden beds for the dahlias.

“You’ve got to try and keep active and the gardeners have given me a hand digging up a patch of lawn,” he says.

“Every day I’m pottering around between cups of tea and sitting on my backside!”

Horticulture has been a constant through life, beginning with tobacco crops in Dovedale and moving into growing flowers as a hobby, including daffodils and gladioli before concentrating solely on dahlias.

He’s “forever buying fish bark” and spends many months tending plants and blooms, followed by a winter digging up tubers, so is rarely short of work in the garden.

Lead gardener Jo Robinson has been a helping hand and a big fan of Arch’s dahlia garden, which she says brings a lot of joy to people. Dahlias were becoming old fash-

ioned, but recently he has noticed a younger generation enthused with the rainbow of colours and their different shapes and sizes.

“We had a whole lot of tubers for sale at the spring sale and they went like hotcakes.

“They’re popular again; everyone wants to grow dahlias. I imagine there will be quite a few first-time entries at the show.”

Arch was the society’s president for a decade and says the show has been going for more than a century. It was one of the reasons he wanted to keep it going when he was in the role.

“All of those people before me had put a lot of work into it. I owed them something.

“It’s very countrified and they make good scones!”

The summer flower show is being held in the Brightwater Hall on Saturday 8 February between 9am and 4pm.

Quinn Larner, 8, of Hope, Eddy Hellesoe, 13, of Wakefield, and Frankie Larner, 11, of Hope, took turns jumping into the deep and deliciously clear waters of the Aniseed Valley near Busch Reserve last week as the summer weather warmed up again. Photo: Elise Vollweiler.

Rural firie kindles 25 years

GORDON PREECE

When Dean Millar’s washing machine caught fire at his new Tapawera residence in 1999, he thanked the brigade’s response with beer, and a position was swiftly sparked.

A quarter-century later, Dean Millar is Tapawera Volunteer Fire Brigade’s chief fire officer and has lauded the camaraderie and public support during his 25-year service to the town of 380.

“The guys and girls that we work with, everyone gets along, and we’ve got married couples, mother and sons, and my partner [Emma Bannister] is also in the fire brigade, so it’s all a big family,” he says.

“There’s a heap of time given up by all these people and no one wants to be paid for it, they’re happy to do it just to help out.

“What I also like about the fire brigade is everyone has got employers that let them have time to respond to emergencies, and you can’t do it in a small community without having those people around.”

Dean had moved to Tapawera for a lifestyle change from Nelson, where he worked as a postie, and is a current Clayton Hops

employee based at its Blue Rock Hop Farm. He was put through his firefighting paces to take on station officer and deputy chief roles, before progressing to chief fire officer, which he’s held for 13 years following the death of its former chief, Tony Norris, who was just 44.

“It was hard to start with after Tony died because [a new chief] was something that no one thought would happen for a long time,” he says.

“But you get a lot of guidance, we’ve got some good guys in Nelson that look after the local brigades, and we’ve only got to ring

them any time of the day or night and they’ve got all the information we can use.”

Dean says rural house fires stuck in his memory, since most of its occupants were people known to brigade members.

“It’s devastating to see people lose their whole house… because it

could be half an hour before we can get there, and half-hour fires destroy a house,” he says.

“That’s the worst part that sticks out in the job.”

The 54-year-old plans to continue in the role, but would be stoked to pass on the torch to one of Tapawera brigade’s 18 members.

Ngātīmoti farmer wins NZ TUX champs

ELOISE MARTYN

Ngātīmoti sheep farmer Alistair Eggers, alongside his dog Moss, claimed the title of TUX NZ Maiden Yarding Challenge Champion, shining a spotlight on Tasman in the world of dog trials at the recent event in Taupō.

The TUX NZ Finals saw Alistair face off against the North Island finalist in an intense dog trial competition. Alistair and his wife Emma became involved in dog trials two years ago

Remembering Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming

On New Year’s Day the Nelson Tasman community was rocked with the tragic death of Senior Sergeant Lyn Fleming, who was killed while working the New Year’s Eve shift to keep people safe in Nelson CBD.

Every person who goes to work should come home safely to their family, and this includes our police and other first responders who work to keep our community safe. The outpouring of grief and support from the community shows how much Nelson values the work of our police and first responders. They and their families make enormous sacrifices to protect our communities, and they deserve our utmost respect.

The Nelson community has come together in the most remarkable way to support Lyn’s family and friends, her police family, and one other during this tragic time. The laying of flowers and notes at the Central City Police Station, the thousands who have signed condolence books, and the beautiful community vigil held on the church steps were incredible examples of Nelson’s love and support for Lyn’s family, our local police, and those who witnessed this tragic incident.

I thank Nelsonians for the compassion they have shown to those affected by this senseless tragedy and ask our community to continue keeping Lyn’s family and our local police in their thoughts over the coming weeks and months. We also send our best wishes to Senior Sergeant Adam Ramsay in his recovery.

My best wishes to all Nelsonians in 2025 following such a tragic beginning to the new year.

when the Waimea Dog Trial Club underwent a revamp. Alistair compares the challenge to playing the lottery.

“If you get the right numbers, you’re away. The way my dog has been performing, I knew that if we got the right sheep, we’d be off. It really comes down to understanding and reading the sheep and getting the right ones.”

Despite the hot and windy conditions, Alistair was glad he committed to the four-day competition, which saw 248 contestants compete between 17-20 January. There were only eight

competitors from the South Island, including Alistair.

“Winning was definitely an achievement; I was pleased I went,” he says. Two-and-a-half-year-old Border collie Moss played a key role in their success.

The three other champions at this year’s Tux event were Reef Hicks and Pip for the Maiden Handy Dog Champion; Andy Clark and Max for the Open Handy Dog Champion; and Shaun Haynes and Sue for the Open Yarding Challenge.

Tapawera chief fire officer Dean Millar has stoked up a quarter-century. Photo: Gordon Preece.

Ngātīmoti farmer Alistair Eggers and dog Moss have won the TUX NZ Maiden Yarding Challenge Championship. Photo: Helen@TheShepherd.

Locals Le Gumbo Combo and Trudi Wilson will be performing at this weekend’s Blues on the Point Festival. Pictured from left are Steve Mitchell, Paul Denny, Trudi Wilson, Alan Burden and Jak Karaitiana. Photo: Supplied.

Blues fest tunes into Nelson

The very best of New Zealand blues is coming to Nelson this weekend.

The Tasman Bay Blues Club is bringing the Blues on the Point Festival to The Honest Lawyer gardens on Saturday for eight hours of music.

The festival is being headlined by The Flaming Mudcats, who are celebrating 15 years of success both in New Zealand and the USA with a special show for their Nelson fans and a new ‘best of’ album, Black Limousine.

Christchurch’s sixteen-year-old rising blues guitar sensation, Lachlan Platt, will be making his first appearance in Nelson and his first at a festival, playing original songs with his band The New Generation.

The best Tasman Bay Blues performers complete the line-up with

Le Gumbo Combo and Trudi Wilson, Rich and The Poor Boys, Rinholio, The Rubber Biscuit Band and The West Coast Blues Band.

Ian Thomson from The Flaming Mudcats says they have close connections to the local music scene.

“It’s fantastic to be headlining the festival and we’re totally committed to putting on a memorable show. It’s over three years since we played in Nelson and we’ve always been really well received.”

Ian is a keen supporter of the Tasman Bay Blues Club and was one of its original members when the club formed in October 2021.

Gates open at 12 noon with music from 1-8pm. Tickets are available from www.events.humanitix.com/ blues-on-the-point-festival

DNA test reveals biological father at 83

ANNE HARDIE

Getting a DNA test can throw a few surprises, as 83-yearold Mike Rodwell discovered when a “gift” of a test revealed his biological father.

Now he has half-sisters in Canada that he never knew about, and a photo of his biological father, who happened to be in the same air crew in World War II as the father who raised him.

Ironically, he now has photos of his biological father and members of the air crew in England, plus a photo of his mother during the war years, whereas all of the early photos of both his parents who raised him were lost decades ago.

“It was mind-blowing seeing photos of my (biological) father in Canada when I had never seen him. And to see a photo of my mother during the war years in England.”

Mike’s daughter and son-inlaw paid for the DNA test, so they received the unexpected results that a woman in Canada shared the same father.

“They said they didn’t want to tell me the results on the phone, so they came down from the North Island to talk to me.”

The name of his biological father was familiar because he was good mates with his “adoptive” father during the war, and Mike even got to wear his biological father’s flying jacket as a youngster because it was given to his father.

Though Mike does not know whether the father who raised him ever knew he was not the biological father, there is a good chance he did, as the Canadian family has revealed they knew there was another child and the family had a photo of him as a baby.

Regardless of whether his father knew or not, Mike says he was raised as his father’s son with his mother and he had a good upbringing.

He was born in a bombing raid in England and, at four, remembers sitting on his mother’s lap on a stopped train, crammed with people, as bombs dropped on both sides, realising he had nowhere to run.

Seeking a more peaceful life beyond the air force and potential conflict, his parents headed to New Zealand in 1958 when Mike was 16, and it was enroute that their family photos went missing.

“I’ve got no photos and yet people I haven’t met have photos of a family I don’t know.” Mike is hopeful his two daughters and three grandchildren will get to meet his other family and get to know more about the relatives they didn’t know they had.

Have you had an unexpected twist in your family tree? Contact anne@waimeaweekly. co.nz

Mike Rodwell has a photo of his biological father after finding out about him through a DNA test. Photo: Anne Hardie.

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Local History

Angora goats used for plant control

ROBYN PARKES

As English settlers took up land in the district, they planted varieties of seedlings that reminded them of the Old Country. It was not long however, before the disadvantages of importing and growing such plants became clear as they quickly became invasive.

Gorse was used as an impervious fence and grew well in stony ground, bearing prolific yellow flowers in summer.

Initially the first seedlings were carefully looked after and protected from being chocked by fern or rooted out by pigs, but the gorse began to self-seed and grow rapidly, becoming a problem on the roads and land in the country districts. In 1861, the Nelson Provincial Council passed an Act to prevent the planting of gorse hedges.

Another pest plant, described by some as the greatest scourge on

the country, was the introduction of the blackberry. Like gorse, the plant quickly spread and became a noxious weed. Various solutions to control the blackberry were tried and failed, until the 1940’s when a hormone spray was developed to control the plant.

In 1908, Mr Higgins of Belgrove believed he found the answer to the problem of noxious weeds, using Angora-cross goats.

Around 1899, Higgins, having heard a great deal about the goats, decided to try them, importing one buck and three does, all pure bred Angoras from Taylor White of Hawkes Bay.

He also ran 12 common does, this being the foundation of a herd of 100 goats. For around two years he used the herd on land where blackberry, briar, and gorse had become rampant.

Higgins had some 1,300 acres of land and, after having grazed them for a time, the plants were

coming under control.

Higgins, before acquiring the goats, spent about three months every year cutting out blackberries and other noxious growth, but the cutting seemed to stimulate the growth and the following year there was more to cut out. With the use of the goats, cutting out was reduced to three weeks a year instead of three months.

The longer they were on the land, it appeared that the time needed on cutting out was reduced, with hope it could be eliminated. An advantage for farmers was that the goats got no wages, they worked long hours and did not take a day of rest, and on the top of that, provided their owner with a crop of mohair worth good money.

In July 1908, Mr A. Blundell, (Inspector) observed two paddocks where the results of the goats were seen with the land being studded with dead blackberry bushes, or bushes on their last legs, and gorse bushes that were not healthy, having been chewed. The paddocks were developing a good growing of grass. When questioned on his methods, Higgins was able to state that, even when he had turned the goats onto a grass paddock in which gorse and blackberries were growing, the goats went first for these plants.

In a gully of around 40 acres, there was scarcely a blackberry to be seen. Higgins ran 70 goats on the gully land for a year and was then able to put sheep in to feed on the grass. The results witnessed by the inspector gave sufficient evidence to support the claim that Angora goats could be used to eliminate noxious weeds.

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Weed control goats. Photo: Nelson Provincial Museum, Guy Collection.

Our Waste Plan in a Nutshell

Why does this Plan matter to you?

We are preparing a new Nelson Tasman Waste Management and Minimisation Plan which affects something we all deal with every day – waste!

The direction of this plan could make a difference to you – it looks at areas like recycling; supporting everyone to reduce waste (and greenhouse gas emissions); how we use our landfill, recovering more resources like construction waste, what to do with waste during a natural disaster, and many other things. We’re excited about the opportunities to do more!

Nelson City Council and Tasman District Council share this plan, and this summary will give you an overview of what the new plan is all about, how you can help us become ‘Waste free together’ and how you can have a say.

Our Goals and Objectives

Goal 1

Reduce resource consumption and prevent waste being generated in the first place

• The councils, iwi, business, government and the wider community support building a low-emissions, low waste, circular economy.

• Community-wide actions are supported to reduce resource use and design out waste.

• Reliable data is available to inform decision-making.

Goal 2

Our Vision: Waste Free Together

By 2050, Nelson Tasman is a low waste, low emissions society, built upon a circular economy and a resilient waste system. Being good ancestors, we cherish our inseparable connection with the natural environment and look after the planet’s finite resources with care and responsibility.

Goal 3

Keep resources in use as long as possible and recover value

• Producer responsibility is extended, leading to more resources being recovered and valued.

• Accessible resource recovery infrastructure and services exist in the region.

• The types and quality of materials recovered for beneficial reuse and recycling are continuously improving.

Our Targets We are proposing three targets to measure our progress:

Target #1

Protect people and the natural environment from the harmful impacts of waste

• Our communities ensure waste is managed to minimise adverse impacts.

• Evidence-based decision-making includes a focus on reducing waste-related greenhouse gas emissions.

• Regional waste systems are resilient to the impacts of climate change, disasters and natural hazards.

• Disaster waste is managed in ways that keep communities safe and, where possible, materials get recovered for beneficial reuse.

Target #2 Reduce waste disposal

Target #3 Avoid waste generation

• Reduce waste generation by 10% per person by 2035 from current levels.

• Reduce waste disposed to landfill by 30% per person by 2035 from 2017/18 levels.

Minimise waste emissions

• Reduce landfill biogenic methane gas emissions (greater than 85% on 2017 baseline); and utilise at least 75% of the captured landfill gas for beneficial use by 2035.

In addition to the proposed regional target measures we have a range of regional progress indicators that will help us monitor progress along the way.

Our Councils’ Regional Action Plan

This is a summary of our five focus areas, and examples of the actions we are considering (either jointly or individually depending on each district’s priorities). Some of these actions are already happening. Any new actions will depend on factors such as available funding, affordability and would need to be approved through our long term plan.

Below are summarised actions, for the full set of 28 actions read our plan at shape.nelson.govt.nz/rethink-waste

Focus area one:Focus area two:Focus area three: Focus area four:Focus area five:

Strengthen partnerships and collaborative efforts

• Strengthen partnerships with Te Tauihu iwi.

• Improve data collection and reporting.

• Strengthen and develop relationships to build a shared regional approach.

Prioritise waste prevention, reuse, repair and repurpose activities

• Maintain and expand waste minimisation programmes.

• Support waste minimisation in councils’ activities and operations.

• Continue to provide grants that enable our community to avoid, reduce, reuse and repair.

Address the impacts of climate change & natural hazards on the region’s waste and resource recovery systems

• Investigate and implement where appropriate ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with waste activities and infrastructure.

• Develop a joint approach to disaster waste management and planning.

• Improve our ability to respond and recover from waste- related climate change impacts.

Enhance efforts to recover and divert resources from being disposed to landfill

• Investigate, and implement if appropriate, new methods to increase recovery rates for key waste streams.

• Support mandatory and voluntary product stewardship programmes.

• Investigate, and implement if appropriate, methods to reduce soils and other inert materials disposed to landfills.

Enable waste solutions that take care of people and the environment

• Manage the landfills to ensure long term provision of services and provide safe and equitable access to waste management services and facilities.

• Regularly review the provision and cost of waste management services.

• Implement where appropriate activities to increase the region’s capacity to recover and treat hazardous waste.

• Implement if appropriate, strategies to reduce the impacts and occurrences of inappropriate waste disposal practices.

Jayne

Sheryl

Sean

LOCALLY OWNED & OPERATED

The funeral industry is changing, with more and more businesses now being acquired by offshore companies, Shone & Shirley remains steadfast in its commitment to the community it has served for generations. Owned and operated locally, Shone & Shirley is one of the region’s oldest funeral homes and proudly upholds its tradition of compassionate, professional care. Recently, a Nelson funeral home purchased by an American company highlights the growing trend of global influence within the industry. In contrast, Shone & Shirley stays true to its roots, valuing independence and the ability to tailor services to meet the needs of local families.

“We remain committed to staying in local hands,” says owner Alastair Hebbard. “Our structure allows us the autonomy to dictate our services, establish locally sensitive pricing, and focus entirely on providing exceptional support to the families who trust us. Our reputation is the cornerstone of our success.” This local focus enables Shone & Shirley to provide personalised and empathetic care, ensuring that every family receives the attention and respect they deserve during life’s most challenging times.

Wakefield Homestead has provided a home with a village feel, for over 30 years. It is small and privately owned, catering to a range of people of varying ages, living with chronic conditions through to palliative care. Owner and manager Hilary Bird says Wakefield Homestead is a home because of the staff and the team of people who keep it running.

“The staff are locals and often there may be a connection through family to the people they are caring for, it’s intimate and close. As a family business, this is my driving passion. Making a difference in people’s lives, giving people something good to look forward to each day. Everyone is as important as each other, no one person is more valuable than the next. We try to keep the place as homely as possible as it’s not a hospital, the people here aren’t sick, they are aging or have disabilities that have required them to enter the Home.

We have a passion for the care of vulnerable and elderly people. Here our residents walk to the local shops, they go to the park, and interact with local people.”

Discover excellence in electrical services with Tasman Sparkies – your trusted partner for all things electrical in Nelson Tasman since 2011. The locally owned business is backed by a team of registered electricians, with over 25 years of combined experience, who take pride in delivering the highest quality work on new builds, repairs, installations, and replacements. They go beyond the basics, offering expertise in wiser automation, solar solutions, test tagging of electrical equipment, complete fit-outs for shops, offices, showrooms, and warehouses, as well as bespoke lighting and power design. “We understand that electrical problems require immediate attention," says Donna Lindqvist. "Come talk to Tasman Sparkies any time you need electrical services. We are a local company committed to being there when you require our service. Rest assured that our electricians will get the job done promptly and properly.” As members of Master Electricians and ECANZ, they adhere to rigorous safety standards, exceeding expectations with each project. Trust Tasman Sparkies for reliable and professional electrical services – where safety and satisfaction are their top priorities. “We can guarantee electrical work that will exceed your expectations.”

Bridget and Bevan, owner-operators of Day’s Funeral Services, are dedicated to providing compassionate and professional care to families across the region. Their service encompasses Marsden House Funeral Services, Waimea Richmond Funeral Services, Golden Bay Motueka Funeral Services, and the Hope Gardens of Remembrance & Crematorium. Bridget and Bevan both grew up in Nelson and come from early settler families. Bridget is a fourth-generation funeral director, continuing a proud legacy of service through her family's stewardship of Day’s Funeral Services. Bevan's family history is equally rich, with his ancestors settling in Wai-iti, where the iconic Hoult Homestead, often photographed for its historical charm, still stands today. Their shared connection to the region forms their approach, blending tradition with personal care to ensure every farewell reflects the unique life being celebrated. With decades of experience, they are committed to guiding families with empathy and understanding during life’s most difficult times. Whether arranging traditional funerals or modern memorials, Bridget and Bevan are proud to support their community with integrity, professionalism, and a deep respect for the legacy of those they serve.

End of an era for second-hand books

We love you, Brett! You’re absolutely amazing and I have absolutely loved buying books from you since I was 13! I hope you enjoy some well-deserved time off.

Sarah Forsyth

Oh no, best I try to stock up on puzzles before he closes.

Lisa Campbëll

Such a loss to the community, for there is nothing like browsing a bookshop; especially Brett’s that had something for everyone! Enjoy your well-earned retirement!

Christine Boswijk

That’s so sad. I have gotten many books from you.

Lisa Waters

This place will be sadly missed

Jeanette Pauling

You deserve your retirement, Brett. Thanks for your help with our brother and the time we spend with the books.

Daphne Mckay

Enjoy your retirement, Brett. Your place will be sorely missed.

Grace Catley

Well done, Brett. Happy retirement.

Maddy King

All the best for a long and happy retirement, Brett. I’ve had many great reads from your shop over the years. Regards, Lynley (Davidson).

Lyn Cotton

Good luck in your retirement, but very sad to see you go. Best shop in Richmond!

Sally Quickfall

I’ve been going to his shops the entire time. So many great books. All the best, Brett!

Joe Kelly

Will miss Brett very much - his wonderful book exchange and always a smile and chat, but you now deserve time for you and your family. Happy retirement.

Wendy Anne Cornish

We will miss Brett and his shop. Happy retirement, Brett.

Christine van Hoppe

Just love your shop, could spend hours browsing… the smell, the wonderful finds, and you.

Caro Dalton

All the best, Brett, in your retirement.

Bevan Dixon

Lovely write up now I’ll be able to sit and have a coffee with you.Happy retirement.

Noeline Riordan

Seniors urged to give bus a go

It would help if we could take our bikes with us. As they do in more sophisticated countries.

Robin Whalley

I’m not steady on my feet, but worse when drivers take off before I have sat down. Maybe drivers need to understand that we need to sit before they drive off.

Allison Walker Neilson

I’ve been on the bus when elderly get on with the bus driver sometimes not waiting until they are seated to start moving again,

be looking at some acc claims if they’re not careful.

Kaz Tuatini

We used to use the bus a lot until they took them away from our area with the new big buses.

Glenis Shaw

Sea lice warning after ‘horrific’ bites

We had this for years in southeast Auckland. As soon as the sea warmed up, many kiddies getting rashes all over their bodies. They thought the lice were getting caught inside their togs and when the children

Have your say:

came of the water and played in the sand, without changing, they continued to get stung.

Trish Reynolds

Poor lad, hope he is ok now.

Neil Geeza Harding

Happened to me at Sandspit. Sitting with my feet in the water. Ouch.

Kayleen Macadam

Calamine lotion should help a lot, poor boy, looks so itchy.

Lisa Maree Christie

Put rolled oats in a clean cotton sock or pillowcase, wet it, squeeze out till not dripping then use as a cold compress.

Works a treat.

Dot Schwass

Horse racing could make a mid-year comeback

That would be awesome.

Daniel Boa

Go for it. The track needs action. The road to the track needs attention - pot holes, grrr.

Jackie Pedersen

What a great idea!!!

Heather Davidson

Yes please, it’s nice to have something to look forward to in the winter.

Donna Dunn

We need this, as it’s just a waste of a track otherwise. Bring back winter harness racing, it is good for Nelson to have summer races as well as winter races.

Jonathan Davidson

Yes, yes, yes.

next Motueka Talking Café: Motueka Library, 32 Wallace Street Wednesday, 19th June, 10-11.30am Wednesday, 17th July, 10-11.30am

Jody Wilson

Need to attract more horses for January meeting before they look to hold another.

Ken Eyles

Artist ‘paints’ with her sewing machine

Remember both Susan and her husband Brian teaching at Nayland College when I was there years ago. Lovely work, Susan. Elizabeth Ann Beech

Absolutely beautiful, Susan, what a treasure!

Russ Martin

Both taught me at Nayland College. Good teachers and people. Good to see.

Dave Roberts

I have fond memories of both teachers. Pauline Failes

Gloria Kelly and her Pekingese pet Alby rejoiced with ribbons at a weekend dog show which has been a mainstay for the Brightwater resident for around 35 years. The Nelson District Kennel Association Championship and Benefit Show at the Richmond A&P Showgrounds saw several breeds strut their stuff in the rings with their owners keeping the fur coats fiercely in order. Gloria was thrown the individual Reserve Best in Show award for her dog's efforts, which she says were translated through her dogged pursuit. “Good breeding is number one, a lot of hard work, lots of love, lead training, and then off they go,” she says. Gloria says patience and nibbles have also never gone astray for the Pekingese breed which she’s used in the dog show for the past 13 years. “I just love the breed, they're lovely, quiet, and placid little dogs,” she says.

The question everyone asks FreshBake

ANNE HARDIE

FreshBake’s owner Shelley Sims has been asked a hundred times a day whether her business is closing down because it’s for sale, but her answer is emphatically “no”.

She has whisked, rolled and shaped her creations in the popular bakery at the edge of Brightwater for nine years and run the business for 18 years, so she says it’s simply time to hand over the reins to someone new and take some time out.

“I’d love to spend more time with my daughter. And probably not pick up a whisk or spatula for a few years. I’d like to go and bathe on a Greek Island!”

The business has been on the market for a couple of years and, though there has been offers, nothing has prompted her to sign the dotted line.

“I had to take the ‘for sale’ sign down in the window because every single customer asked: ‘are you closing down?’ We’d get that 100 times a day. Then they would ask: ‘what are you going to do?’

“We even made a little sign to answer all the questions.” Even with the sign down, the team of two are still asked multiple times a day if the business is closing. Shelley has just one employee, Sarah French, and together, she says

they “run like a well-oiled machine”. “Sarah tells me what to do and I just do it. I’m the owner, but she’s the boss! “It will be a sad day when I sell. I love my job, but a change is in the air and FreshBake will go on.”

Sarah French, left, and Shelley Sim get asked multiple times a day whether the business is closing. Photo: Anne Hardie.

A New Hub for Fitness and Community

MIKI D’S GYM RICHMOND

Richmond’s fitness scene has welcomed an exciting new addition with the opening of Miki D’s Gym, located in the Woolworths complex on Champion Road.

Locally owned and operated by Gavin, this branch builds on the success of the founding Nelson gym, with a mission to make fitness more accessible and enjoyable for the growing Richmond community.

The journey to opening Miki D’s Richmond started with a simple yet compelling demand from the Nelson gym’s loyal members.

Gavin explains, “Over the past eight years, many members who moved to Richmond would ask to open a branch closer to them. They found it difficult to navigate

the traffic and other commitments to visit our Nelson location regularly. We wanted and needed to make Miki D’s more accessible to everyone who loved what we offered. So, when Miki offered me the opportunity to own my own gym using his brand, I jumped at it. The location is perfect, has beautiful views, ample parking, and convenient access to groceries or a sushi spot after a workout.”

At the heart of Miki D’s is a commitment to breaking down barriers to health and fitness. Unlike many gyms, Miki D’s offers no sign-up fees, no contracts, and no expensive cancellation fees. Memberships are affordable at $12.90 per week and come with

added perks like a complimentary personal training session, the ability to pause memberships for up to three months, and a

refer-a-friend programme where members can earn a free month’s membership. “Our motto is simple,” says Gavin. “We keep you by

keeping you happy! We focus on creating an inspirational, motivational, and community-centred environment that our members love to be a part of.” With state-of-the-art facilities, personalised support, and full amenities – including full fresh air and air conditioning system, and plenty of showers - the new site boasts the largest floorspace for a gym in Richmond and their dedication to its members is evident in every aspect of its operation, from the design of the space to the services offered.

“A lot of time was spent creating equipment floor plans with a lovely flow and plenty of space, with only the best equipment purchased and customised to suit our needs. The vibe of our gyms, as members agree, is unmatched.”

Miki D’s Richmond is designed to cater to both seasoned gymgoers and newcomers and membership allows access to both the Richmond and Nelson facilities. Members have 24/7 access, free fitness classes, and professional personal trainers who also staff the front desk.

“Totally Dependable”

Strength is in Numbers

Let us help you understand those numbers and find your strengths

From left; Sam, Leah, Clay and Rosie. The personal trainers at Miki D’s are all professional and highly trained, going the extra mile by walking the gym floor and offering tips on form and function when needed, ensuring members train safely and effectively.

“We understand that gyms can be intimidating for those unfamiliar with them. That’s why every member gets a free personal training session to help them feel confident and comfortable using our facilities.” The Personal Trainers at Miki D’s are all professional and highly trained, going the extra mile by walking the gym floor and offering tips on form and function when needed, ensuring members train safely and effectively.

Proving that Miki D’s Gym Richmond is more than just a place to work out, Miki and Gavin have partnered with several local

businesses to provide members with special discounts and offers.

These partnerships include Uplift Float Centre, Pole Artistry, Perky Peche, Benjamin Barkers Barber, East Street Cafe, Burger Culture, Hattie's Cafe, Dollar Save Auto, Subway, Tank Juice, and the list goes on. “We want to build a sense of community, both within the gym and in Richmond as a whole,” says Gavin. This commitment extends to sponsorships, such as supporting the summer football series in the area and ongoing efforts to connect with more local businesses.

The opening of Miki D’s Rich-

mond wouldn’t have been possible without the support of many local businesses and individuals, says Gavin, who expresses his gratitude to the Richmond community, Miki D members, Craig from Rout Milner Fitchette, Paul from Ray White Real Estate, Jason from Laser Electrical, Ash from O'Malley Build, Jed from Tuffnells, Taryn and Cam from Hubbers Flooring, Steve and Pete from Procolour Painting, Nathan at Best and West, Dan from Audiofile, Jade from Woolworths, and Darren from Nelson Bays Security. “Their support has been overwhelming and greatly

appreciated.”

To celebrate and introduce more people to the Miki D’s experience, both the Richmond and Nelson gyms will host an open week this February.

“During staffed hours, the gyms will be free for everyone to explore and try out,” Gavin explains.

“This is a chance for people to see what we offer and experience the unique vibe of Miki D’s firsthand.” With its affordable, flexible memberships, top-tier facilities, and a focus on creating a welcoming and supportive environment, Miki D’s in Richmond is an excellent choice for anyone

looking to prioritise their fitness journey. Whether you’re new to working out or a seasoned athlete, Miki D’s Richmond provides a space where you can achieve your goals, build confidence, and become part of a thriving fitness community.

Visit Miki D’s Gym Richmond in the Woolworths complex on Champion Road or check out their website to learn more about memberships and upcoming events. For those ready to jump in, the gym is open 24/7 and waiting to welcome you!

www.mikidgym.co.nz

CLUB WAIMEA

Sun City Rockers - Lessons 2025

TUESDAY NIGHTS

Beginner Lessons

Tuesday evenings 6:30-7:30pm Club Waimea Hall

4th March – 8th April (6 wks)

5th August – 9th Sep (6 wks)

This is a 6-week block course learning the basic steps of rock’n’roll with a range of basic moves.

• Please arrive at 6:15 pm on the first night of beginners and beginners plus for enrolment so we don’t cut into lesson time

• Please wear flat heeled shoes for Rock’n’Roll dancing. $30 per adult $15 per school student. (If you have already done a beginner’s course but would like to attend the beginner’s class again it will be half price).

Beginner Plus Lessons

Tuesday evenings 6:30-7:30pm Club Waimea Hall

15th April – 13th May (5wks)

16th Sep – 14th Oct (5 wks)

5-week block course where we expand on more of the basics including leading your partner, style, and more advanced moves. $20 per person. Current club members all lessons are free.

Improver Lessons

Tuesday evenings 6:30-7:30pm Club Waimea Hall

27th May – 24th June (5 wks)

21st Oct – 18th Nov (5 wks)

$20 per person. Current club members all lessons are free.

MEMBERSHIP: If you are interested in becoming a member at any stage, there are membership forms at the front desk. You MUST also be a current member of Waimea Club to be a member of Sun City Rockers.

Membership costs

Sun City Rockers $20 Adult $10 Junior $40 Family Club Waimea $46 Single $81 Couple

Please contact suncityrockerstreasurer@gmail.com for any further information about classes or simply come along at 6:15 on the 4th March and have a look. We would love to see you.

CLUBS & ACTIVITIES

Bunnings NPC Competition Prizegiving

On Sunday, 24th November, the Rugby section of Club Waimea had their presentation for the Bunnings NPC and Rugby Championship 2024 competition. An Excellent turnout for the section saw convenor Gary Brown announce the winners and award the trophies and sponsored prizes for the two competitions.

New Members

We are always looking for new members to join us. We are all about having fun, competing on paper (we don’t actually take the field) – and just general oneupmanship! We run competitions throughout the year, Bunnings NPC, Rugby Championship and Super Rugby as well as social events. So to all you budding armchair refs, come along and enjoy the fun by selecting the weekly

team winners.

If you want to know more, just ask at the club.

Final Results

1st Place 374 points Tony Satherley

2nd Place 364 points Rob Griffith

3rd Place 362 points Chris Satherley

4th Place 360 points Bill McCallum

1st Place (Ladies)

347 points Erin Fox

Brownies Max Points Trophy Paul Holland

Rugby Championship

1st Place (Equal) Craig Burnett, John Llewellin

2nd Place (Equal) Rod Penn, Alan Snowden

1st Place Tony Satherley, presented by Gary Brown.

Ladies overall winner Erin Fox, presented by Gary Brown.

Rugby Championship Joint 1st Place Winners, Craig Burnett and John Llewellin, presented by Gary Brown.

CLUB WAIMEA

Kaikoura Fishing Charter

Sixteen members of the Club Waimea Fishing Section spent three days fishing on the Kaikoura Coast, departing on Wednesday 20th November using the Club 10-seater van, two cars and a trailer, and arrived midafternoon at our accommodation, Canterbury Underwater Club’s lodge. The Lodge is very suited to our group’s needs with a mix of dormitory style and couples’ rooms, a large well-equipped kitchen and living area and good facilities for processing and storing the catch. We shared an evening meal at the Lobster Inn.

Thursday dawned with forecast doubtful sea conditions and 10 members embarked on Sea Mist Charters’ boat “Hotspur” at 5.30am anticipating a short fishing trip. We returned to the marina at South Bay about 10.00am with a good catch of sea perch, a small number of goodsized blue cod, and 10 crayfish caught in Sea Mist’s pots with members participating in rebaiting the pots and trimming the crayfish tails, signifying noncommercial capture. Skipper Mike and deck-hand Tyson filleted and bagged the catch which we brought back to the lodge to vacuum pack and freeze. Section president, Robin Ashley, caught the largest cod which measured 54 cm and was not bettered in the following two outings. Those who stayed behind at the lodge prepared a BBQ dinner which was enjoyed by us all. We were entertained by member David Miller who related the tragic story of Irish lovers separated by the constabulary due to protest action when Britain took control of Ireland’s postal service in the early 1900s.

They were allowed to marry, and the groom was subsequently taken out and shot. Dave followed this with the story retold in a song. There were some damp eyes.

Overnight, the southerly front which had limited our day on the water, dumped a coating of snow on the seaward Kaikoura Range and we were greeted by spectacular scenery on Friday as a backdrop to our day on the water. All 16 members were onboard at 6.00am and Mike headed south beyond Conway River, intending to get us onto blue nose on a shoal which had recently been fishing well.

Tyson set up four rods with electric reels and they were soon plumbing the depths to about 350 metres. But there were no blue nose to be had. We then moved to shallower structures and some magnificent blue cod started to fill the ice bin. A sea anchor was deployed to help

keep us on station over shoals. John Burrowes landed the catch of the day, a 95cm kingfish, which Mike said was only the second 'kingy' landed on Hotspur. John’s smile says it all.

Mike was keen to have a snap for his album. The day produced a good catch of blue cod, John’s kingy, plenty of sea perch and some crayfish. That night we dined at Donegal House Irish Restaurant which is set in parklike surroundings.

On Saturday, with the expectation of deteriorating conditions, we departed at 6.00am heading north toward Waipapa Bay, again picking up crays on the way out. Sea conditions were moderate with a strong current flowing. With Mike working hard to keep us over blue cod structures, at the end of the day we were only two short of our blue cod baglimit, with many nearing the sizetarget set by Robin. John Calder unexpectedly caught a small (55cm) groper (hapuka) among the cod. The weather and sea conditions remained moderate. At the dock we watched as the crew made short work of filleting the catch. Having expressed our gratitude to Mike and Tyson for the excellent service delivered with a sense of humour, we took our leave and returned to the lodge. We dined again at the Lobster Inn that evening.

We returned home on Sunday having cleaned the lodge and packed our catch and baggage. Twenty-six crayfish were shared among the team and approximately 3 kg of fillets each. The charter was declared a great success.

John Burrowes

Swimmer fulfils childhood dream

STEPHEN STUART

When Wakefield swimmer Mya Ketel was 12, she dreamt of swimming and studying in the United States.

Six years on, the breaststroker has signed up to go to Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan.

“I just want to be there now,” declares Mya, who has to wait until the fall, August, to take up the four-year scholarship and join the Cardinals swim team.

She will also do a degree in kinesiology, the study of movement.

Last year, Platform Sports Management approached half a dozen US schools on Mya’s behalf and they settled on Saginaw, which is about 160 kilometres from Detroit.

Her agent is former champion New Zealand breaststroker Natasha Lloyd, who went to Auburn University in Alabama and now lives in Colorado where she acts as a college swimming recruiter.

“I got to speak to several students there and was given a virtual real-

Breaststroker Mya Ketel started the new season in winning form at the Hampden Street pool. Photo: Shuttersport/Evan Barnes.

ity tour of the complex. It was the best option,” enthuses Mya, after finishing her shift at the Front Runner sport and clothing store in Richmond where she is a per-

manent part-time worker. What also helped convince her to follow her American dream was catching up with another Nelson swimmer, Sam Wilson, who has

spent the past year with the UIC Flames in Chicago.

“Sam is loving it there and couldn’t recommend the college system more,” says the former

Garin College student, who has been swimming competitively since she was eight.

She thought about giving the sport away last year but a switch to the Nelson South Swim School, under the tutelage of top local coach Glen Findlay, saw her form go to a new level “I travel in from Wakefield for seven or eight swim sessions a week, and also do yoga and gym work.”

Mya was a three-time finalist in the national secondary school championships last year and has also opened the new season unbeaten.

She took out the 50, 100 and 200 metres breaststroke events at the Swim Nelson Marlborough Country and Town meeting at Hampden Street pool earlier this month.

Glen rates her in the top five female breaststrokers in the country.

This weekend she will be in action again at the SNM long course champs at Nayland Pool.

Ed’s epic fundraising run - five marathons over 45 hours

STEPHEN STUART

Try telling Ed Shuttleworth that tackling a marathon is a hard slog.

The Sport Tasman chief executive is preparing to run five of them back-to-back within two days to raise money for Nelson Tasman Hospice.

Do the math, and his “210 Reasons to Run” cover 210 kilometres, or five marathons - 50kms more than Ed has ever managed before.

The significance of 210 is the number of patients the hospice sees every month from right across the region.

“I was mentally and physically broken when I competed up to 160kms, but the four months of training for the 210 has gone well,” confirms Ed, as he eases his mileage ahead of this Saturday’s early start.

He will set off from Farewell Spit at 3am.

Fortunately, the 45-year-old likes running in the dark with a headlight.

The opening leg of 50km to Tākaka is the only stretch on the main road, and Ed aims to reach the hospice shop there at 9.30am for a sausage sizzle, to connect with the public and urge them to sponsor a kilometre for $210.

“I will be probably taking one of

Kimberly a cut above at shearing competition

STEPHEN STUART

Emergency department nurse by night and a shearer by day, Kimberly Whalon had an action-packed weekend at the Golden Bay A&P Show in Tākaka earlier this month.

After completing the “graveyard shift” at Nelson Hospital at 7.30am, Kimberly headed for the hills to get to the Rec Park Centre to pick up the shears in the intermediate grade. The 23-year-old won her heat, shearing three cross-bred lambs, and then took out the final with five sheep. What if fatigue kicked in and she nicked one of the

40-kilogram lambs?

“At least I can sew them up if I need too,” quips the Richmond resident.

Kimberly grew up on the family farm near Tapawera and didn’t really enjoy being a roustabout, which involves moving sheep, picking up fleeces and sorting wool.

“Shearing was more fun than being a rousie, and it paid better. I like to challenge myself a little bit,” declares Kimberly, who has been competing on and off since her Motueka High School days.

Working as a shearer helped pay for her nursing studies.

If some of her male shearing rivals give her a hard time, she gives it right back.

“It is just good country fun at the A&P shows, and I hope to move up to the senior ranks at the end of the year,” comments Kimberly, or “Kimmy” as the commentator was calling her.

The former top junior shearer doesn’t know if she will graduate to the elite open ranks because she doesn’t shear full-time.

And how did the intermediate winner plan to celebrate?

“I will go home, have a sleep and then head back to work at the hospital tonight,” concluded one of the only two women shearers competing in Tākaka.

The shearing competition was one of the most popular attractions at the show which attracted up to 5,000 people.

those sausages with me as I head for the Rameka Track on the Tākaka Hill,” says Ed, who has outstanding ultra marathon runner Louis Schindler among his support crew.

As well as road and trail running shoes, Ed will be packing a bigger

Speedway

Former Waimea College student Jeremy Webb returns to the Milestone Homes Top of the South Speedway this weekend after winning his sixth NZ T.Q. title in Christchurch. The Meat Merchant NZ GP awaits as he has extended his record number

third pair in case his feet swell up. After knocking off the hill, he will hang a right at Riwaka and detour through Tapawera before another stop at the Wakefield Health Centre on his way to the finish line at the Nelson Tasman Hospice in Stoke.

of SNZ titles to 23, including 11 S.I. titles. A new car this season has had Jeremy still trying different things in the week leading up to the NZ title. Having won 2 NZ titles, 1 GP and 4 S.I. titles in Nelson, he sure knows the track well. He watched his father Dick Webb also win the

Ed used to be an investment banker so he is good with figures, and reckons his 210kms will take between 40 and 45 hours.

And if you see him lying near the side of the road along the route, don’t worry as he’s probably catching a quick rest as he is not planning a proper sleep.

“Runners call it a dirt nap, where you take a break for two or three minutes,” explains the Londoner. He has worked out that 100kms of his haul will be along the Great Taste Trail.

You can follow his progress on live tracker and he’s encouraging the public to join him on the final 2kms to the finish line late on Sunday night.

Also good timing is Nelson Anniversary Day falling on Monday, so Ed can rest and recover.

His “210 Reasons to Run” has already received more than $36,000 in pledges.

Of course, the target is $210,000! And Ed has revealed his trek is actually 211kms.

“That extra kilometre is like a bonus lap,” he concludes.

NZ T.Q. Championship on the Nelson track. The defending GP champion Aaron Humble will return, along with the new 2nz Regan Tyler and 3nz Peter Hunnibell. Local stars Morgan Frost and Jayden Corkill made the championship race in Christchurch and will also be back.

Ultra marathon runner Ed Shuttleworth in training for the ultimate challenge. Photo: Todd Starr.

The wool was flying at the Golden Bay A&P Show earlier this month. Pictured is Kimberly Whalon in the intermediate grade final.

Photo: Stephen Stuart.

Community Notices

MONDAY

ELYSIUM WIDOW AND WIDOWERS GROUP meet Mon, 10am, Ginger, Richmond Mall, for coffee & friendship. New faces always welcome. Ph: Margaret 0272600748.

LIGHTHOUSE SPIRITUAL AWARENESS Mon, 7.30pm. Talks, readings, healing. Trafalgar St Hall. Ph/Txt: Carolyn 0272474644.

PHILOSOPHY GROUP First meeting for 2025 is 10 Feb. New venue: Nelson Buddhist Centre, 11 Buxton Square, 2nd and 4th Mondays of each month at 9:20. All welcome. Text Zoe: 027-9741758.

DIVORCE CARE COURSE starting 3 Mar, 13 week course. For divorced or separated. Richmond New Life Church side Room 7pm - 9pm. 0274193035 Divorcecare.org Divorcecarenn@gmail.com

OSTEOACTIVE, Mon, 10am, Holy Trinity Hall, Richmond. Exercise class for participants with osteoarthritis. Seated and standing exercises. Exercise tips for osteoarthritis self-management. Ph: Nicola 0210788609. Koha $5-$8.

JUNIOR BADMINTON, Mon, 6-7.30pm, Badminton Hall. For School-aged kids. Racquets avail. Ph: Joe 0277834720 / e: joe@peak.co.nz.

SOCIAL EVENING BADMINTON, Mon, 7.30pm, Badminton Hall. Racquets avail. Bring indoor court shoes. Ph: Joe 0277834720. $5/night.

TUESDAY

RICHMOND SCOTTISH COUNTRY DANCING

Beginner classes, Stoke Methodist Church Hall, 11, 18, 25 Feb - 7.30pm. Contact 021 141 8989

WELLBY Talking Café: 10.35am – 11.45am, Tues 4 Feb, McCashin’s, Stoke. Wellby Talking Cafés are about social connection and finding out about groups, activities and services. www.wellby.org.nz 03 5467681

NELSON 50+ WALKING GROUP

Weekly walks average 10kms. Tues 4 Feb, Tahunanui beach walk. Meet at the back of Tahuna library at 9.45am. BYO lunch. Contact Noeline 021 0591667.

TUESDAY MUSIC Tues 4 Feb, 10am, Richmond Town Hall. Another exciting variety of recorded items plus a dash of musical humour to start our year. You are welcome! Ph Christine 0212486038

CAN YOU HOLD A TUNE? Tues, 7.15pm, Club Waimea. Four-part harmony chorus seeks new members, male or female from all voice ranges. e: Tasmonics@gmail.com or Ph: Philippa 0275497713.

HOPE TENNIS CLUB SOCIAL TENNIS, Tues, 9.30am, Hope Tennis Courts, Hope Domain. All abilities welcome. Info Ph: 0211729257.

WINTER CARDS, EUCHRE, Tues, 1-1.30pm, Stoke Bowling Club, 18a Ranui Rd. Warm & friendly atmosphere, afternoon tea provided. All welcome. Ph: Lesley 0210407768.

WEDNESDAY

RUMMIKUB, Richmond Town Hall Wed 5 Feb, 1pm – 3pm. Phone Linda 022 681 4129.

TASMAN TRACKIES CYCLING Saxton Velodrome. Track racing 5 Feb – 9 April, Wednesdays 10am – 11.30am. Track bikes available FOC, Road or mountain bikes can be used. Social coffee &

DEADLINE: 10AM FRIDAY - 30 WORDS OR LESS BY EMAIL ONLYPLEASE SEND TO: events@topsouthmedia.co.nz

chat after at local café - ZINK. Murray Cameron 0276450033 murray.r.cameron@xtra.co.nz

RICHMOND GARDEN CLUB (2019) meet 1st Wed of month, doors open 1pm, Whakatu Presbyterian Hall, Champion Rd. New members are welcome. Ph: Coral Ellis 0272262913.

SING YOUR LUNGS OUT: Wed, 10am, Club Waimea. A fun filled singing class for those with respiratory conditions. No singing experience is necessary. Ph: Jess 0275467675 – Respiratory Support Nelson.

THURSDAY

TAICHI Thursdays 9:30-11:00 during school term. Anglican Church community hall, Dorset Street. Learn qigong and taichi. Stillness, breath, movement. Contact Merrick, Ph:0210636620, email: taichi.internal.arts.aotearoa@gmail.com.

JUDO, Juniors, Thurs, 5-6pm, Seniors/ Competitive, Tues/Thurs, 6pm, Peewees, Thurs, 4.30pm, 20A Gladstone Rd (upstairs Waimea Old Boys Rugby). Ph: Michelle 0275422254.

DO YOU WANT TO MAKE NEW FRIENDS join a friendly group for coffee and a chat.1st & 3rd Thurs of month, Paragon Cafe Langdale Drive Richmond. Ansley/ Phillip 5410 350 or 0272212943

FRIDAY

SONGBIRDS LADIES CHOIR new members welcome, especially sopranos and altos. Reading music helpful. Practice Friday mornings in Stoke to sing and socialise then entertain in retirement homes locally. Ph: 0274745511

BETTER BREATHERS, Tues and Fri, 10am, Wed,

11.15am, Club Waimea. A series of guided exercises - seated or standing - to help those with breathing difficulties. Run by Respiratory Support Nelson. Ph: Jess 0275467675.

SATURDAY

NELSON ELECTRONIC ORGAN & KEYBOARD CLUB, meet 1st Sat of month, 1.30pm, Stoke Baptist Church Hall. If you enjoy music as either a listener or player, please come along. Ph: Yvonne 0276070050.

RICHMOND TENNIS CLUB SOCIAL TENNIS, Sat, 1.30-3pm. Open to club players, visitors & members of other clubs. $5 non-members. Ph: 0274872480.

FREE GUIDED MEDITATION, Sat, 3pm, under the white pergola of Washbourne Gardens. Relax, unwind, and enjoy inner peace & stillness. For info e: meditaterichmond@gmail.com. Free.

SUNDAY

HIGGINS HERITAGE PARK 222 Pigeon Valley Rd, Wakefield Steam Up and museums open day, Sun 2 Feb, 10am - 3pm. Bring a picnic & enjoy a pleasant relaxing day, jigger rides, children’s preloved books. Contact 027-6316786

RICHMOND OLD TIME DANCE, 2 Feb, Richmond Town Hall, Cambridge St, Richmond, 7:3011pm. Live Music, Raffles and Prizes. Programme for everyone, Entry $8 and a supper plate, please. Phone Richard, 5444 120

SUNDAY WORSHIP You are warmly invited to attend weekly worship. Sun, 10am, Nelson Tasman Methodist Parish Church, 94 Neale Ave Stoke.

Morning tea follows the service.

NELSON SPIRITUALIST CHURCH, weekly service, Sun 7-8pm, Cnr Tipahi and Motueka St. All welcome. Healing avail before and after service.

GENERAL GROUPS

GREYMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL HOSTEL GATHERING EASTER 2025. ghshostel.com Ph 03 768 5789. CANCER SOCIETY SUPPORT GROUPS for info Ph: 035391137.

TECHCONNECT at Richmond Library. Helping you navigate the digital world. Register for your topic of interest at the library. When we have enough people, we will be in-touch to schedule a session. U3A –Interest groups & social activities for the over-55s. Quiz mornings to walking groups, digital photography to wine appreciation. Meet like-minded inquisitive people who share your interests.

ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS - Is alcohol causing problems for you in your life? Want to stop drinking but can’t? Maybe we can help. Support meetings every day. Ph: 08002296757.

ASTHMA? COPD? Nelson Asthma Society offers Pulmonary Rehab Courses. Can help you improve your respiratory self-management skills & shor tness of breath. Ph: your medical centre for a “Pulmonary Rehab course referral” or e: asthma. nelson@xtra.co.nz.

NELSON BUDDHIST CENTRE: Discover the benefit, practicality, and relevance of Buddhist understanding and meditation. Full programme at nelsonbuddhistcentre.or,nz. 11 Buxton Square. Enquires: nbc@rigdzin.org

Community Notices are free to community groups, schools, churches, gold coin donation events and fundraising. Due to the popularity of this column,while every effort will be made, inclusion cannot be guaranteed for free ads. If you want to place a business advert or want to advertise a course you are running, please call classified ads and public notices on 544 9037.

NELSON TASMAN

Kitchen Benchtops

NEW YEAR NEW BENCHTOP STONE, ACRYLIC, CERAMIC Prices direct to you ZERO & LOW SILICA

Ph Murray 027 229 8494 LIVE KITCHENS & BENCHTOPS livekitchens.co.nz

We would like a lease of at least 5 years preferably re-newable and will pay all costs, including resource consent fee. Anywhere from Wai-iti Valley to Redwood Valley considered. References available.

Please phone: 0274 649 532 or 021 0240 9317

Combined Garage Sale. Saturday 1st Feb, 34 Otia Dr, Richmond. 8am start. Small chest freezer, dog kennel & run, large 10 person tent, push mower, duchess, HP printer as new, radio & record player (vintage), toys, household items etc and much, much more!

Vineyard Pest Controller/Bird Scarer. Part time, up to 30 hours per week. Would suit retired person who enjoys the outdoors. Must be physically fit. Starting immediately until grape harvest begins in early-March. Required for dawn and dusk patrols. Must have own transport, and valid gun license. Phone 0274 451 555 or 03 544 5599 (office hours)

Hunting and Fishing Books. Collected since the 1960’s there are books written by well known NZ authors as well as classics written by individual writers. For further information phone Ron 03-521-1155

Your wanted ad here. Phone 544 9037. Brightwater Horticultural Society. Summer Flower Show. Brightwater Hall, Doors open 9am Saturday, 8th February. Cafe, Sales Tables, Plant Sales. More info www. brightwaterhortsociety. co.nz

Quick tidy worker Call me now. ASTIN KNOWLES FENCING. ANYTIME ON 021-022-11068.

Thank You

The Grive family would like to say a huge thank you to all the first responders, especially to McKenzie Botica, the Wakefield brigade, the St. John’s ambulance and the police after a sudden medical incident, going above and beyond, working tirelessly in what was an incredibly traumatic time.

ROGERS

Reginald (George)

Died Saturday January 25th, 2025, surrounded by family. Loving husband of Sharon. Father of Gary, Chris, Carmen, Leanne, Chrissy and Vanessa (deceased.) Loving Grandad and great Grandad. Brother and brother-in-law of Glenys & Dave, Eileen & Alan (Australia), Alec & Dot, Neil & Laurel and Brian & Kaye (Australia)

In accordance with George’s request a private cremation has occurred with a memorial to be held at a later date. Messages to the Rogers family can be sent c/- Simplicity Funeral Nelson, PO Box 7103, Nelson 7040. Respectfully cared for by Simplicity Funerals Nelson Tasman.

Ph. 541-0820 / 021 120 1314

Trades&Services

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