Waimea Weekly - 9 August 2023

Wednesday 9 August 2023

MS Ford Celebrating MS Ford Celebrating The travelling kayak

Wrestling hits Richmond

Giant phallus prank stuns locals

the sky above Golden Bay.

Aviation enthusiasts across the region were left baffled last Thursday night when the flight path of a Cessna 172 plane drew out the shape of a 30ft penis in

A 25-year-old from Tākaka was responsible for the stunt and says it was just something he thought up out of the blue while clocking up his night flying hours.

“I went out the previous night

Horror intersection strikes

SARA HOLLYMAN and KATE RUSSELL

A two-car crash in Richmond on Monday has raised further concern about drivers running red lights.

The driver of one of the vehicles alleges the other vehicle ran a “very” red light just before lunchtime on Monday, crashing into her vehicle and flipping it on its side.

The driver, who asked not to be named, was taken to hospital with glass injuries to her wrist and arm which required stitches.

A St John spokesperson says there were three people injured; one moderately and two who received minor injuries.

Queen St was blocked for a time, as was one lane of SH6, leaving traffic backed up

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and my mate said to draw a dick, and then the Alternative Comedy Collective (ACC) radio station posted a screenshot of it on Facebook. So I went up the next night with a mate and we wondered what we could do while flying

around,” he says. They came up with the idea of plotting out a sideways penis with the initials ‘ACC’ on the top, but this time it was just over 30ft long.

“It’s actually something a lot of

Design & Build - Free Quotes

pilots do during their night flying hours, but they aren’t usually quite as big, so people don’t really notice,” he says.

“I spent a while live-plotting the

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JO KENT

A two-car crash at the intersection of SH6 and Queen St has raised further concern about drivers running red lights. Photo: Supplied.

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“I would go to Port Douglas, my husband and I spent 10 days in Port Douglas when we found out he was terminally ill. That was a trip of a lifetime and I would love to do that again.”

“A road trip around North America.”

Horror intersection strikes

in all directions.

“There’s just no excuse for running a red light at any intersection, but at this intersection it has become more of a problem. It wasn’t just red it was really red,” the driver says.

She says she was heading home from a work commitment on Lower Queen St, while the other driver was heading to Brightwater from Nelson.

Her passenger door took the full impact which spun the car and flipped it on its side.

““I felt the car about to flip so I put my hand up to stop the impact on the driver’s side, but the window shattered leaving a gash in my wrist. I was showered in glass when the car flipped because the passenger window shattered

on impact and as it turned over, broken glass rained down on me, filling my boots with glass.”

She then had to cut herself out of her seatbelt, with a tool she carries for that exact purpose.

“I was worried the car might catch fire and I just couldn’t get out, luckily I had that tool.”

The red-light running at the notorious intersection made headlines in June, with several elderly residents saying the problem was getting worse.

Retirement village resident Julie Ivory described the intersection as “worse as hell”.

She said more drivers are running red lights at the intersection and had experienced “a lot of near misses” when negotiating her mobility scooter across the road.

Another resident who had been pushing a wheelchair across the

road had to stop suddenly as a car came through on a red light. Calls have also been made for a red-light camera at the intersection, however there are currently none of these in the South Island. In the year to the end of March, police statistics show there were 10 incidences at the lights due to people failing to comply with orange or red lights. However, the authorities involved all say it’s “not their responsibility”.

Police told Waimea Weekly that cameras are owned by the council or Waka Kotahi, while the council says Waka Kotahi is the agency that operates the cameras and Waka Kotahi says it is the police. It says the responsibility for road safety cameras is going to be transferred from the police to Waka Kotahi.

“I’d go on a world trip travelling the Formula 1 circuit with my family.”

If you could go on an epic adventure, what would you like to do and where?

However, a Waka Kotahi spokesperson says this has not happened yet and there is “no date” set for the transfer.

In the meantime, a police spokesperson says people who take the risk to run a red light put themselves and the lives of innocent members of the community at risk. They also said police regu-

“Epic adventure would be probably fishing up north, a week-long trip up there or anywhere around New Zealand I could drop a line in.”

larly carry out operations targeting red-light runners.

The woman who was crashed into says her car is a write-off and she is now off work for at least a week. “It could’ve been so much worse. I’m just sad and disappointed that somebody’s careless decision has caused such an impact to my life when I was just driving home.”

Sue McNabb Riwaka

Rebecca Ellis Wakefield

Steve Fox Richmond

Nic Sparks Māpua

Giant phallus prank stuns locals

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route out on the iPad as the constant line behind you means you can’t just stop and start.

“So I had to think about how to do it without cocking it up,” he says.

“It took me over an hour to do the whole thing.”

A mother and son from Pakawau watched the event unfold as it happened on live flight tracker website Flightradar24. com just before 10pm.

“Normally we get the rescue

helicopter flying over, but I hit mute on the TV and thought, ‘No, that’s a plane’, and wondered what they were doing at that time of the night.

“My son loves the flight radar and has the app on his phone, so we were watching it move on the radar as it was flying nearby. Reggie was loving it as it’s right up his alley.”

The pair were highly amused to see the shape of the penis slowly getting mapped out on the radar.

“We were laying in bed try -

ing to figure out what the pilot was trying to spell. It was neat watching a penis being drawn in the night sky right outside.

“The moment when the pilot went back to draw pee from the end was the best final touch,” she says.

The plane is owned by a Tākaka syndicate, and a fellow pilot says that whoever flew the plane must have been “bloody good to do that and keep the lines dead straight as it was a windy night.” With 10 years of flying experience, the sky artist says drawing

the phallus wasn’t as hard as it looks.

“Once I’d plotted out my route, it wasn’t really that hard to do,” he says.

“I’ve been flying since I was 15 as my dad was in aviation.

“He thinks it’s hilarious that I’m getting so much attention over this.”

The plane landed at Nelson airport on Thursday night after he’d spent most of the day flying around the region, stopping off at Motueka, Tākaka and Blenheim before heading back to

Nelson at 10.47pm, after drawing the comedy sketch.

“Most people didn’t understand the ACC part and it sparked up a lot of politic bulls**t about people not getting paid compensation and then it turned into a Labour versus National debate as well,” he says. But despite that, he says the ACC were “stoked” with the stunt and are sending him some free merchandise.

“They contacted me to say they are sending me some free hats so it was totally worth it.”

Gardening tips for August

Late Winter is upon us and Spring will be here before we know it. Now is the perfect time to plant lily bulbs. We have Christmas, Oriental and Asiatic varieties in-store now. These gorgeous flowers come in a myriad of colours and are wonderful for cutting. Planting different varieties will extend their flowering period. Christmas lilies flower in December, Asiatics in November/December and Orientals from January to March. Christmas lilies are highly sought after. Their fragrance is glorious, filling the air with a spicy, warm scent. Lilium ‘Regale’ is one of the most fragrant, especially at night. Robust 1.5m stems are topped with clusters of pure white trumpets with maroon markings on the outside. All lilies thrive in full sun or semi-shade and humus-rich, free-draining soil. Preparing the ground before planting will ensure your lily bulbs form solid clumps that will flower for years. Lilies detest lime and any form of manure. Our fish compost is ideal, mixed into the soil before planting. Plant your lilies approximately 15cm deep. Oriental lilies have very large fragrant flowers and the double varieties are beautiful. If you suffer from allergies, Asiatic lilies are the ones to go for be-

cause they have no fragrance. All lilies also do very well in containers and thrive in our Premium Potting Mix. We have a good range of seed potatoes in-store now in 1 kg bags for $8. Varieties include Agria, Jersey Benne, Lisetta, Rocket, Swift and Heather. Place them in boxes or trays somewhere light but out of direct sun to ‘chit’ (sprout). Get in quickly as many varieties sell out fast. If you have raised vegetable or flower beds, our Garden Mix is perfect for filling them. It is a mix of screened topsoil and our fabulous fish compost. Bill has ensured it has the perfect balance of both so everything you plant will thrive. Green crops sown in Autumn such as mustard, oats or blue lupin may be starting to form flower buds now. It is important to cut them down before they flower. Once in flower their stems become tough and take a lot longer to break down. Cut your green crops down with hedge clippers and dig them through your soil. Your entire garden will benefit from a top dressing of fish compost, sheep manure pellets or Kinpak sheep manure now. We’d love you to pop in and visit our team for honest, expert advice plus everything you need for a fabulous home garden.

Bill’s been busy perfecting his fish fertiliser.

Gardening Column by Bay Landscapes & Garden Centre’s Philippa Foes-Lamb

Christie Sagar, right, and her son Reggie watched the stunt unfold as it happened.

Photo: Supplied. Right: The flight path created by the Cessna 172.

Mike’s crusade against young people vaping

ANNE HARDIE

At 81 and dependent on his mobility scooter, Mike Rodwell is on a new crusade to protect young people from the dangers of vaping.

The Arvida Oakwood’s resident has presented a short report on the dangers of vaping to the Tasman District Council and is heading to the Nelson City Council to do the same because he says young people need an advocate to stop them heading down an addictive path.

In his report, he points to a 2021 World Health report that states children using vapes double their chances of taking up cigarette smoking and he says the chemicals in vapes are still being evaluated, while no-one knows how vaping will affect respiratory health long term.

One of the reports he read on vaping referred to the breakdown of chemicals to produce formaldehyde and that spurred him into action.

“I’m a grandfather and I find this situation frightening. It’s only over a long period of time while children smoke these things that information emerges, and it’s too late by then. I feel the Minister of

St Arnaud fatal accident

Health has let us down.”

The Government has introduced new regulations around vaping in an attempt to keep vapes out of the hands of young people, but Mike says it does not go far enough.

He says New Zealand should have followed the Australian path where vapes are only available through prescription. Instead, he says it has been open season in New Zealand with vape shops popping up everywhere.

“I don’t know where we’re heading, but it’s not looking good for our young people.”

He has witnessed the dangers of addiction. His brother died of throat cancer and was still smoking the day he died because he was so addicted.

“We’re now getting children who say they’re addicted to vaping and they can’t get off it.”

Mike has long been a crusader for community issues, which led to a term as a Nelson City Council councillor back in the early 80s, then leading the petition for the Stoke bypass. Now he feels it is time for grandparents to fight vaping because parents are busy with work and life, while school principals are busy running schools.

One person died following a crash in St Arnaud on Tuesday last week. The crash involved a single farm vehicle on a property near Korere-Tophouse Rd. A police spokesperson said that emergency services attended after receiving a report at around 7.20pm. Police confirmed the sole occupant of the vehicle died at the scene. Worksafe are investigating alongside the Police Serious Crash Unit, and the matter will be referred to the Coroner.

Body found in Marina

A body was found at the Nelson Marina on

“It’s the grandparents in the community who might be the group with the time and life experience to fight this. I personally think vapes are a danger to public health

Monday afternoon. According to a police spokesperson, the person was located deceased in the water and has been recovered by the Police Dive Squad. Police were called to the marina earlier in the day after receiving reports of a body in the water. A police cordon was set up and the National Dive Squad were assisting in the search.

The body is believed to be that of a man who did not return home on Sunday night.

Celebrating Tasman diversity

Tasman District Council will host a Welcoming Week between September 1 and 10

and many of the young ones don’t have the maturity to make the right decisions about vaping.”

He realises the local councils are unlikely to be able to do much

to celebrate its community which is made up of more than 100 different ethnic backgrounds.

Council says the event creates an avenue for newcomers to the area to grow relationships with their new neighbours and colleagues, and encourages the community to put together events for those connections to grow. Contact birte.becker-steel@tasman.govt. nz to arrange an event.

Global art competition

Tasman Mayor Tim King is encouraging local budding Picassos aged between six

about vaping but hopes to encourage communities to speak out more against vaping and protect young people from longterm problems.

and 15 to take part in a global art competition by creating drawings or paintings which resemble their interpretation of peace.

The artwork that wins the Mayors for Peace President’s Award International competition will be used to promote awareness of the importance of peace education. Artworks must be submitted by August 31 and the winners will be announced at a special art exhibition opening in September. S elected works are planned to be sent to the Mayors for Peace Secretariat in Japan. For more information, contact ana.vivian@tasman.govt.nz

Mike Rodwell wants to protect young people from vaping.

Photo: Anne Hardie.

Fossil Creek asking community to ‘step up’

SARA HOLLYMAN

A provider of animal-assisted therapy is asking the community to step-up after the loss of funding has left many unable to afford their service.

Jude Robb owns and operates Fossil Creek Farm – a space that is home to more than 100 animals and provides animal-assisted therapy sessions for both adults and children.

Set on 100 acres of farmland in the Wairoa Valley, Jude has been running the therapy sessions with animals for the past three years.

Four months after starting the sessions she found herself fully-booked and now runs with four social workers fully-booked most weeks.

“The saddest thing for me is how busy we are… it’s hard, some days you wake up and think ‘I know that we’re flat stick and there’s other people waiting’,” she says. Until recently, Fossil Creek has had access to funding from I AM HOPE, a charity that aims to normalize mental health discussion by funding free counselling sessions for young people.

Jude says because she noticed the growing need of their service,

she would often offer four free sessions.

“If we had multiple people apply, we’d put them through I AM HOPE or we’d fund it ourselves – we have a small pool that we’re trying to grow as a trust.”

But a change in the way I AM HOPE funds services has meant that Fossil Creek can no longer

access the funding.

I AM HOPE chief executive Troy Elliott says they have noticed an “overwhelming huge increase” in people under the age of 25 needing mental health support.

“We’ve grown in the last two years from spending $78,000 a month on practitioners or counsellors to spending over $500,000 a month

- over a 400 per cent increase,” he says. “We are a charity that’s unfunded by central government, so it’s put a massive pressure on our foundation.”

Troy says this meant they had to make some hard decisions to focus more on intervention funding, by prioritizing client-driven funding – the young people who come directly to them.

“We’re there for all children, they’re all our children, but the reality is we need to really focus on that intervention.

We need to get the best return on our donors’ dollars becasue we need to remember: all our money that we spend is donations.”

He says, unfortunately this has meant practitioners who have previously been able to register their own clients to receive funding can no longer do so.

“Trust me, it breaks my heart having to turn down any health practitioner,” Troy says.

But with over 550 counsellors on the platform, he says young people in the region still have a good choice of who they would like to talk with.

“We absolutely believe that therapy anywhere out there is brilliant, we absolutely appreciate all therapists.”

Jude says the changes simply mean that they will need to “step up” to keep helping the community’s young people.

Recently she offered four free sessions and within days had 30 people asking to take up the offer.

“We can’t cover the cost of that many people, so we are asking the community to step up to support their community.”

“They’re our people, they’re going to be our future community leaders and people, we need to support them, so, I’m putting the call out hoping that small and large businesses will see it as a good way to reinvest in the community.”

She says it’s a nerve-wracking thing asking for help via social media and although some people say the one-hour session for $80 is expensive, she believes it is money well spent.

“We can’t run on just the session price - I pay staff, plus there’s a 100-acre farm with animals to feed. Hay for a year for us is $17,000, that’s just hay. There’s hard feed for all the horses and vet care alone we’d be looking at $15,000 a year.”

To support Fossil Creek Farm visit their website.

Get on board Nelson Tasman!

Jude Robb is asking the community to step up to support their community after Fossil Creek, among others, lost funding from the I AM HOPE charity. Photo: Sara Hollyman.

Rachel Boyack for Nelson

Kayaking over baby sharks and turtles

Richmond couple Nora Flight and Bevan Walker took their foldable double kayak with them when they headed to northwest Australia where they camped on beaches, drifted over turtles and floated by shark nurseries.

Over many years people in Nelson have told me they would use public transport in Nelson if the buses went to more places and ran more frequently Alongside our free fares for under 13s, and half-price fares for under 26-year-olds, the new eBus service will make it easier and more affordable for many Nelsonians to use public transport I’ve been delighted to see so many people trying out the bus for the first time

Last week the Labour Government took further steps to support first home buyers to access the housing market Our First Home Partner scheme allows eligible first home buyers to co-purchase a home with Kāinga Ora, helping to overcome the deposit barrier The household income cap has increased from $130,000 to $150,000 and the scheme now includes existing homes My vision is for everyone in Nelson to live in a warm, dry, affordable home, and these changes will help first home buyers to achieve that

I was delighted to launch the region’s new eBus service last week, alongside our region’s mayors and my colleague, West Coast Tasman MP Damien O’Connor I’m proud to have delivered on my promise for better public transport in Nelson. 0800 4 RACHEL rachel boyack@labour org nz www labour org nz/rachelboyack

Their recent adventure took them to the Dampier Archipelago, a cluster of 42 islands, and then the world-heritage site of Shark Bay. During the two-week trip they never saw another kayaker – apart from their friend in a single kayak. Around the Dampier Archipelago are major shipping lanes for iron ore though, so they did have to keep that in mind.

They have owned their Feathercraft folding kayak for 31 years and it has been on many trips with them in New Zealand and overseas, including with their two children when they were still at school. This trip was chosen for its isolation and wildlife, mixing sandy beaches with crystal-clear water beneath mangroves and rocky islands featuring Aboriginal rock art.

Paddling around islands, they watched pelicans steal fish from surfacing shags, harmless blacktip reef sharks swimming beneath them and turtles passing gracefully by. Nora says their only worry was the possibility of a crocodile.

“The crocs are moving down to the Dampier islands and we knew there was a male croc that had been seen, so we kept out of the water. A

local told us it was a placid croc, though, that kept to itself!”

Nora says they always allow a couple of days before a kayak trip to talk to locals and learn about the best places to go and anything to watch out for. The best part about the trip was the wilderness areas and the surprise wildlife experiences.

“There was one day when we could see these little sandspits and the water was frothing with little shark fins. They were shark nurseries with all these baby sharks about a metre in length.” The couple are now in their 60s and 70s, so Nora says they took little deck chairs to sit on beaches which added to the already substantial amount of gear they had to stash into the kayak. She says the kayak sits low in the wa-

ter without gear and during the Dampier Archipelago leg of their trip they carried water for eight days because there was no water on the islands.

Being foldable, Nora says the kayak is a little harder to paddle because there is more friction and most days they averaged 18 to 20kms, while at Shark Bay they paddled 112km in four days. The other difference with a foldable kayak is they are not the best to haul up the beach at low tide.

“You have to anchor them during the day because if you try and drag them up on to the beach, they bend.”

Shallow water around many of islands meant they sometimes had to wait offshore for the tide to rise before paddling into a beach. But it was in the shallows that

they could watch the blacktip sharks and turtles flitting through the water.

The couple had decades of kayaking experience before heading off into wilderness areas such as their latest trip. Bevan has even kayaked around the South Island in the past over several trips, mostly by himself, including a stretch between Jackson Bay and Mapua in two weeks. During that trip he kayaked 85km in 14 hours between the Okarito Lagoon and Hokitika. On another trip he kayaked with a friend from Dunedin to Kaikoura in three weeks during August and paddled through falling snow.

Their next kayak trip is with friends to Stewart Island in February, though Bevan also heads off on solo kayak trips periodically.

/RachelBoyackNelson /rachelboyack

ANNE HARDIE

Bevan Walker and Nora Flight took their foldable kayak to the northwest coast of Australia. Photo: Anne Hardie.

Richmond’s first edible walk gets legs

JO KENT

A 74-year-old retiree from Richmond has taken on the enormous task of creating Richmond’s very first edible walk along the Great Taste Trail, starting at Three Brothers Corner.

Roger Jones says he came up with the idea over a year ago after seeing the edible walk by the railway reserve in Stoke.

“I just wondered why there was nothing like it in Richmond and thought if no one else is going to make it happen, then I’d do it myself.”

Twelve months later and his vision has been realised with the first fruit tree going in the ground last week.

“It’s taken a while to get to this point. I’ve been growing plants myself and four local nurseries have already donated 200 trees to the project - that’s about a third of what will be put in when it’s complete.”

The walk spans 536 metres of the Great Taste Trail starting by the bridge on Three Brothers Corner heading out towards Brightwater.

“The only issue with that space is that there are power wires covering most of it, so I’m limited to

height which is why we are putting fruit trees in.

“On the end nearer the Appleby Highway bridge there are no wires for the first 100 metres, so I will be planting 10 liquid ambers and two Pohutukawa.”

The walk will feature different varieties of fruits, including peach, nectarine and apple, with figs, feijoas, blackcurrants and redcurrants being planted at appropriate times during the year.

He says that as most properties are built on smaller sections these days, it makes sense to do something for the area where people can help themselves once the trees start to produce.

“All we have out here is a big area with grass and gorse. I’ve already got rid of some of the gorse and I’ve started spraying around the perimeter of the grass, too.

“I’ve been doing everything myself so far, but two friends have volunteered to help me now the project has progressed.”

Since he came up with the concept, he’s liaised with many different organisations to get it signed off.

“I’ve had Network Tasman involved over the power wires; Delta, as they mow the grass;

and Tasman District Council because they lease the land from NZ Transport Agency.”

Despite the scale of the project, Roger says it’s not costing anything.

“There’s no expense to anybody. It’s not costing council anything, and all the plants are being do-

nated. I’m doing everything else myself with the mates I’ve roped in to help me.”

Every day there are close to 60 or 70 cyclists who ride through the area, and during summer the path is in full sun.

“To have a little bit of shade from the trees and may be a couple of

seats for walkers would be a welcome addition too.”

Waimea Nurseries, Frank’s Trees, Thirkettle Nurseries and Nelmac have donated to Roger’s project, with Greenwaste to Zero providing mulch. If you’d like to get involved, email Roger on rogerwe ka1960@gmail.com.

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Volunteers Roger Jones, Gordon Curnow, Brian Johnson and Bill Rait are singlehandedly planting over 200 trees on the Great Taste Trail. Photo: Jo Kent.

Tasman cafe owner re-stands for Greens

GORDON PREECE

Steve Richards may own a hospitality venue named after a royal fool but is re-standing for the Green Party at the upcoming election to prove it’s no fool’s errand.

The Tasman resident and owner of Jester House Cafe who lives by “green choices” will recontest the West Coast-Tasman seat in the 2023 General Election. Steve achieved 2341 votes in the

2020 election, 18,412 votes behind four-time winner, Damien O’Connor of the Labour Party. He says he’s standing for the same reasons he did three years ago, and that is for the electorate and Aotearoa to take “drastic action” on climate change and social issues such as resource depletion.

“I feel like I’m better equipped now to portray that message of the even greater importance of decarbonisation of the economy, of sorting health inequality in

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New Zealand and doing something about the general state of the environment,” he says.

“That stuff I can articulate much better now having had the experience from last time, so that’s the reason why I’m standing again apart from all the other green reasons which are more important than they were three years ago.”

Steve says while the new local eBus service was “brilliant”, the public and other political parties

still can’t identify that climate change is an “emergency”.

“We’ve shown already, with some incentives getting people on those eBuses… but making general consumers aware that their choice to go to Bali, or Europe, or wherever they choose to fly to is a climate choice and that they’re choosing themselves over climate,” he says.

“Transport is such a huge part of our carbon emissions, not just in New Zealand but in this district

as well, so trying to get people to embrace a different way of travelling is a very big one we can do. “Some of the major things I think the Green Party has done in the last few years is really keeping that climate stuff at the forefront,” he says.

Steve says he has taken part in plenty of Green Party initiatives, like the One Billion Trees planting programme to support banded rail birds in the Moutere catchment.

a loved one during the past year, and a tree is provided in partnership with Nelson City Council. Staff of the funeral businesses have found it is a way for those who have lost loved ones to feel supported and comforted in their grief. The planting was followed by

Steve Richards has bloomed his campaign again to contest the West Coast-Tasman seat in 2023. Photo: Gordon Preece.

A large group gathered at Isel Park last month for the annual Memorial Tree Planting Day. The event has been run by Marsden House, Waimea Richmond, and Golden Bay Motueka Funeral Services for many years as a way to remember loved ones. An open invitation is extended to those who have lost

morning tea at Waimea Richmond Funeral Home. Photo: Supplied.

Region to get first dedicated cannabis clinic

Increasing demand for medicinal cannabis in the region has seen the opening of a dedicated cannabis prescription clinic in Richmond. Cannabis Clinic already has two clinics in the North Island and also offers online consultations nationwide.

Lead doctor at the Richmond clinic, William Parkyn, says they are already seeing more than 250 patients in the Nelson Tasman region online, with a 57 per cent growth in patient numbers in the last six months.

The specialist general practitioner has been doing online consultations for nine months and says he is looking forward to offering a face-to-face service. He decided to make the leap to this line of medicine last year after being a GP for most of his career.

“I had patients that would be using cannabis with great success for a variety of things, and then coming in asking me about medicinal cannabis. I was using it in some capacity in general practice and having good results.”

He says medicinal cannabis is proving to be “life-changing” for some people and can help with pain, stress, anxiety, sleep issues, and sometimes seizures, fibromyalgia, and long-Covid.

“I recently had a patient who had chronic pain for years and problems with sleep and using sleeping tablets and opioid medication. Now they are no longer using the medications and reporting that they’re having the best sleep that they’ve had in 20 years.”

Medical cannabis has been legal for GPs to prescribe since 2020, but it is not subsidised so can cost hundreds. But William says for some people it is invaluable.

“There are people that haven’t been able to work because of their pain or their anxiety, so it’s well worth the investment for many.”

William says when people book an appointment, they’ll have a chat about what’s going on and then they have options of CBD or THC oils, which are used under the tongue, or some flower products.

He explains that we have what is called an ‘endocannabinoid system’ throughout our bodies.

“Its main role is maintaining homeostasis. If you’ve got something out of balance, your nervous system releases its own endocannabinoids and your body is always making them all the time, but they only last a short period of time.

“CBD decreases the speed you break them down and enhances your own endocannabinoid system, and THC activates those receptors.”

William says while there a still a lot of misconceptions about cannabis, it is slowly becoming more mainstream.

“It’s one of those taboo subjects, but now people can get it legally and know exactly what they are getting, the word is spreading.

“There’s a lot of people in their 60s through to their 90s who I’m seeing who have always been against recreational cannabis, but they are hearing through friends how helpful it is. I’m often hearing people say ‘Oh, my friend at the golf club has started using CBD and he’s saying it’s remarkable, so can I have a trial of it?’”

But William says he is seeing a “huge variety” of patients.

“From kids with significant autism up to palliative care patients.”

William believes medicinal cannabis will eventually become “another part of our health system”.

“There’s an pportunity for people to have a conversation about the safest way of using it, because, like anything, you want to use it in the right way. There are a lot of people out there using cannabis in the dark and often going to extreme or dodgy lengths to get it. But this is a completely legal.”

Dr William Parkyn is the lead doctor at the region’s first dedicated cannabis clinic.

Photo: Kate Russell.

Andy Gallagher and Geeza Harding Drew Chalmers and John McLoughlin Erin Mustey, Gabby Walton and Sian Davies Nick Chalmers and Jack Rennie Reuben Spori and Ben Kearns

Carter and Flynn Hunter and Cooper Mackenzie, Zoe and Laura Mrs Burke and Mrs Ewers Roxanne and Sailor

Nelson Suburbs Football Club Quiz Night

Proximity…

The Coastal View Lifestyle Village, off Bishopdale, in the Tāhunanui Hills, is in close proximity to the public hospital, the city, and the beach.

A wide range of exciting daily activities and events are arranged each day by Gina, our full-time Activities Coordinator.

The village is fully integrated, with a resthome/hospital care facility and a separate specialised dementia centre.

Open Days 10am to 2pm

Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th August

What’s On!

Open Mic Comedy @ Sprig and Fern The Meadows

Wednesday, 9 August, 7pm – 8.30pm

Sprig + Fern The Meadows

Open to everyone who wants to come and tell some jokes.

Community Garden and Orchard

Planting

Wednesday, August 16, 8am-5pm

Behind Headingly Centre, off Headingly Lane, Lower Queen St

Maara Kai Richmond are planting a community garden and orchard to provide local families with fruit and vegetables and are looking for volunteers to join.

Nelson Paint and Wine NightProtea Bloom

Tuesday, 15 August, 6-8pm

Eddyline Brewery

The concept is simple - take a brush in one hand, a drink in the other and let’s paint.

Buses making our world bigger and smaller at the same time

I’m still pinching myself. Blue buses ev erywhere, on the streets that didn’t have them, at weekends, and even to the air port. The world has suddenly got bigger and smaller at the same time, with more areas we can reach easily, and more and cheaper buses getting us there.

It’s also easier for thousands of people with new routes close to home. And, even better, for the first time, Motue ka and Wakefield have buses. At last, a bus service to be proud of - appealing to ride, and great for facing an energy and transport-challenged future. Well done councils! The electrification is an other thing I’m excited over. For years I’ve hammered at our councils to lift their climate game, and in this they have, cutting almost two per cent of our emissions.

Buses can expand other horizons too. Imagine a weekend service to Rabbit Island, making it easy to access without cars. And I’d love giving more priority to buses, say when they pull out from stops. It’s sensible to help them keep moving, and some passengers, by choosing not to drive, and are easing the traffic flow for everyone else by leaving their car at home. Councils could also establish priority lanes for buses, tradies and multi-occupancy cars. If people want to drive alone, fine, but they must give everybody else priority. Our buses have got our new travel era off to a great start, and it should get even better soon. “What I’m afraid of,” Nelson’s mayor Nick Smith said recently, “is they’ll be so popular we’ll soon need more buses.” Wouldn’t that be awesome! And as we discover how great, and inexpensive, our buses are, I can see us giving the mayor exactly that problem! Start lining up more buses, Mayor Nick!

Lindsay Wood

WIS students in world champs tiebreakers

They should be so proud of themselves…what an amazing achievement. Reading for the win!

The four students’ literature knowledge is UNBELIEVABLE! All year, I have been jaw-droppingly impressed with their knowledge of books, characters and authors - across all genres. In fact, one of the main challenges while training them was finding gaps in their knowledge! They totally deserve this international achievement, and we are all immensely proud of them at Waimea Intermediate.

Lucy Pritchard

Soo proud of you all. Should be so happy with yourself. And thank you Lucy for putting your time into the kids. From Che nana.

Sandy Pearce

Congratulations! What a magnificent effort to get there. You can all be very proud.

Elly Aleksich

Awesome work guys!

Janet Ellison

Students miss out in eBus timetable

Just good parents getting penalised for

child/children.

All at the same time the Ministry of Education will have no problem giving out fines to parents not sending kids to school. Such a real shame that school age kids are getting charged at all for getting to school. It shouldn’t matter where they are living, what matters is their education.

Rachel Pene’Whanga

National commit to H ope Bypass

Believe it when we actually see it.

Janineand Graham

Positive and common sense.

Sue Dahlberg

Lol, promises promises... it’s easy to promise.

Ian Betts

10-20 years, actually.

Liam Pomfret-brown

Tim King wins mayoral award

Congratulations, Tim.

Chris Bensemann

Practices for a more sustainable future

Household rubbish and recycling management play a crucial role in maintaining a sustainable and eco-friendly environment. With the global increase in population and consumption, the proper handling of waste has become more important than ever. By adopting mindful practices and following recycling tips, individuals can significantly contribute to reducing their ecological footprint and conserving valuable resources.

One of the first steps in effective waste management is understanding the difference between household rubbish and recyclables.

Household rubbish consists of nonrecyclable waste that is destined for the landfill. This includes items like used tissues, food-contaminated materials, and certain plastics that cannot be recycled. On the other hand, recyclables include materials such as paper, cardboard, glass, metals, and certain plastics that can be reprocessed into new products. To minimize household rubbish, individuals can adopt several strategies. One key approach is to practice responsible consumption by opting for products with minimal packaging or choosing items made from recyclable materials. Composting organic waste like food scraps and yard trimmings can also help divert a significant portion of waste from landfills, enriching the soil instead. Furthermore, repairing and reusing items instead of discarding them can extend their lifespan and reduce the

need for new purchases. Recycling, on the other hand, helps conserve resources and energy while reducing the strain on landfills. To make the most of recycling efforts, individuals should be aware of their local recycling guidelines. Not all materials are accepted in every recycling programme, so it's essential to know which items can be recycled in your area. Proper sorting is crucial; items should be clean and free of contaminants like food residue or grease to prevent contamination of the recycling stream.

Developing a habit of reducing, reusing, and recycling can have a significant impact on the environment. Reusing containers, such as glass jars or plastic containers, for storage purposes is a practical way to cut down on single-use packaging. Whenever possible, opt for products made from recycled materials to support the demand for such items in the market.

In conclusion, effective household rubbish and recycling management requires a combination of awareness, responsible consumption, and adherence to local recycling guidelines. By making conscious choices about what we buy, how we use it, and how we dispose of it, we can significantly reduce our impact on the environment. It's essential to remember that small individual actions collectively contribute to a healthier planet, and adopting these practices can pave the way for a more sustainable future.

Nelson at your fingertips

Murchison’s first major fire

In the early hours of the 5 December 1914, Murchison’s first major fire broke out in the back of Moxey’s Hotel, also known as Downie’s Hotel.

Mr L. Frank, of Buxton and Co., Ltd, one of many staying in the hotel at the time, awakened at around 2.30am to the sound of falling glass.

On pulling up the window blind he saw the building was on fire.

After raising the alarm, he and the others staying in the hotel were able to make a hasty retreat downstairs and out onto the road.

The fire spread so quickly and was so intense that it was impossible to re-enter the building to get any of the personal possessions that had been left behind.

Two shops in the rear of the hotel, occupied by a tailor and a barber, were destroyed; but Keating’s stables were saved, though they had a narrow escape.

From the hotel the fire spread to Hodgson’s store, which was gutted, and then to the hall, which met a similar fate.

Those living on Mr Hodgson’s premises had more time at their disposal, and a large

quantity of produce was removed. Some of this was not removed to a sufficient enough distance and much of it was destroyed by the fire and water.

A huge effort by townspeople saved the surrounding buildings from destruction, however, they still showed the effects of the ferocity of the fire.

McNee’s store, Fowler’s blacksmith’s shop, and Clough’s wheelwright, were all scorched black, while Hodgson’s recently-new butcher’s shop and powerhouse on the same side of the street were only saved by the vigorous efforts of a bucket brigade.

Keating’s stables, at the rear of the hotel, also escaped with a scorching.

Those fighting the fire were hampered by a scarcity of water, but the fire was so fierce that it was said that little could have been done without a good fire brigade and an ample pressure of water. Fortunately, the wind was light, and during the progress of the fire it veered round to the south.

By morning all that remained was a mass of smoking ruins and the chimneys. However, being the hardy stock that they were, alterna-

tive arrangements were made to carry on their businesses.

William Moxey set up a temporary bar in Keating’s motor garage.

Herbert Hodgson set up his store in a hall for a time before organising temporary premises near the old site.

By February, the debris from the burnt sites was being cleared and new timber had arrived for the rebuilding of the stores.

Hodgson’s store was to be constructed entirely of ferro concrete along the same lines as the old one.

The new hotel was rebuilt to be a substantial structure, containing 25 bedrooms, all with electric lights.

The site of the old hall had been purchased from Mr Stockton by Herbert Hodgson and Co and the new hall was built in Waller St.

As a direct result of the fire the entire street was built up to the correct level and the new buildings were erected out to the street line, so that a footpath could be constructed by the County Council.

Murchison recovered reasonably quickly as the new buildings were completed and once again the small town was all hustle and bustle.

ROBYN PARKES

Hodgson’s Store was one of the stores that was gutted in the 1914 fire. Photo: Supplied.

LOCALS SUPPORTING LOCALS

LET’S BUILD YOUR DREAM HOME!

Building a new home can sometimes be a daunting prospect. At Gardiner Building Contractors, Darryl and his team help you achieve your dream of having a home that’s built and designed to your exact specifications, with as little stress as possible, ensuring your project is built on time and within budget.

With over 35 years of experience, their multi award-winning team can assist you at every stage of your project, from the initial design to obtaining approvals and delivering the complete construction.

Repeat business and referrals play a huge part in the success of Gardiner Building Contractors and Darryl and his team go above and beyond to ensure each client’s experience is a fantastic one. Darryl prides himself on listening to his clients and tailoring the process to meet their expectations, ensuring that every client is fully satisfied when the job is complete, and they receive their keys.

Working in partnership with locals to create dream homes

Bringing professionalism and a personal touch to every job, Total Decorating Nelson are proud to o er high-quality services to clients throughout the Nelson Tasman region. Owned and operated by Aaron Mallinson, the multi awardwinning team specialise in working with local contractors in new builds, but also support their clients to transform and modernise their existing homes. “We also work with small commercial operators, such as retail spaces, and are honoured to have worked with the majority of the region’s major building companies. Our team are e cient and experienced in all areas of painting.”

Located at 1/7 Saltmarsh Lane o Lower Queen Street, the Total Decorating Nelson team o er high quality interior and exterior painting, as well as plastering and wallpapering services. Their attention to detail will help breath new life into each and every project. “We will do thorough

prep work, complete the job to the highest standards, then leave your property clean and tidy when the job is completed.” For more information contact Total Decorating on 027 346 6305 or email info@totaldecorating.co.nz to discuss how they can bring out the best in your project. “Find out how we can help to create your dream home.”

MS Ford Celebrating years

Celebrating 85 years at MS Ford Nelson

Committed to providing exceptional service to its clients, MS Ford Nelson’s reputation in the region has long been admired. The team are cracking the champagne bottle on 85 years and say the success of the business can be attributed to a number of factors, including the quality of their product and services, and their experienced and knowledgeable staff for over eight decades.

Established in 1938 by Dick Stevenson and Bob McKegg, the business initially traded from a Victoria Ave site and quickly flourished from its humble beginnings, growing to incorporate the addition of a site on Halifax Street and a Richmond dealership later in the piece, in 1965. Dick Stevenson bought out Bob McKegg’s shares in 1957, after which three generations of Stevenson’s led the company forward. The Stevenson family was active in the business since 1938, initially with Dick, before his son Bernie became managing director for

many years, prior to grandson Rob taking over the reins. The Ford brand has always been their only franchise.

The business was sold in 1998 with Colonial Motor Company buying the trading company, plant and stock of MS Motors Ltd. Set up as MS Ford (1998) Ltd, John Flanagan was appointed Chief Executive. The company was located in Halifax St but was relocated to Haven Rd in 1998. To make the business more effective, John Flanagan set up outlying service points together with fuel. BP agreed to lease service

station sites to MS Ford at Haven Rd, Richmond, Washington Road and Blenheim. A vehicle sales and a specialised service operated from the Haven Rd dealership, next to one of the BP operations. Customer service has long been the driving force for the business, with standards and training high on the list of priorities. With this, the dealership has been awarded Ford’s highest acknowledgment, the

President’s award, multiple times. Dealer principal Alan Kirby has been at the helm since 2007 and says MS Ford Nelson has seen many changes since its inception, not only growing considerably in size but also

MS Ford Celebrating years

with the leaps in technology that is used in the automotive industry. However, one thing has remained the same - their commitment to providing quality products and services to their customers.

Reflecting this commitment to their customer, MS Ford have established Fordapproved servicing in Richmond (Richmond Service Lane) and Motueka (MS Service) to improve their service offering and enhance customers' Ford experience. In addition to selling Ford vehicles, MS Ford Nelson also own two Bridgestone retail shops, one in Richmond and the other in Motueka.

“We have had so many special moments over the years,” says Alan. “We have a reputation for developing our staff, and just the other month one of our young female apprentice technicians completed her apprenticeship training early by really applying herself. This is a great omen for the future of our business when we have such great young people coming through!”

“A business highlight was the launch of the all new PX1 Ranger series in 2011. It was such a step forward. It led to the Ranger series being NZ’s top selling ute and overall vehicle for the past few years. This was truly a game changer for our business!”

The business currently employs 39 staff,

many of whom have been with the company for over five years. The team at MS Ford Nelson does not compromise on customer satisfaction, with Alan saying “they are always willing to go the extra mile to ensure that customers are happy with their

Russe t Russe t

interesting new ways of looking at things.”

Continued supporters of the region, especially Nelson Tasman Hospice and our wider community, Alan conveys that MS Ford Nelson would like to thank all of their customers for their returned ongoing support over the past 85 years.

“Nelson is such a friendly place, and we are honoured to have enjoyed good community support. This was never more obvious than when our Service Department burnt down in 2020. We had so many offers of help from the community, even our competitors. It meant a lot to me and the team.”

Looking forward to the future of the business, Alan says Ford has always been a major player and that will continue. “Ford have some amazing new products, mostly electric, here now and coming through in the near future. As a Ford Dealer that can only be good for us!”

purchase or service.” Keeping up with an ever-evolving industry can seem daunting for some, but this is exactly what continues to drive the team's passion for the business. “There’s so many changes in the vehicle scene, so much new technology and

In celebration of their 85th anniversary, MS Ford are offering fantastic deals on new and used vehicles throughout the month of August. In addition, every vehicle purchased qualifies an entry into a $5,000 travel voucher draw, and any retail service or retail repair gets a chance to win one of two $1,000 travel voucher draws. Terms and conditions apply. Visit www. msford.co.nz to learn more.

Based in Port Nelson, Aimex Service Group has a wide range of specialist machinery, 1300 square meters of workshop space and exploys over 100 staff and additional contractors.

Richmond gets ready to rumble as wrestling returns

JACK MALCOLM

For the first time in four years, professional wrestling returns to the region as some of the biggest and brawniest men in the country take to the ring.

The Valiant Pro All Star Wrestling will see two titles go on the line in a night of action at Club Waimea on 26 August.

With local and national stars of the scene scheduled to go headto-head, headlining wrestler Duncan “Brook Duncan” McDougall says it’s exciting to bring the big show back to his hometown.

He says it’s the first time wrestling has made an appearance in the region since 2019, and even longer since they’ve had an event hosted in Richmond.

With no real ring locally for them to fight, or even train, he says they’ve organised for a custombuilt ring to be shipped up from Christchurch for the event. Having wrestled for more than a decade, including stints in Mexico and Australia, Duncan says the local level is up there with some of the best in the business.

“We have guys coming from Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. . . guys who have been to the States, the UK, Mexico, and Japan, all of the top places to wrestle worldwide.

“This is a world class event. As Kiwis, we do punch above our

weight. But we’re not as well known.”

Duncan will take to the ring to fight for the New Zealand All Star Wrestling Championship, while the Wellington Heritage title will also be up for grabs on the night.

An over-the-top battle royal and a tag-team match is also on the cards, alongside an open invitation to try and body slam the hu-

man giant, Adam Avalanche. The challenge, to pick up and slam the 225kg man, is open to anyone and, if successful, will win the whole crowd free pizza, says Duncan.

“We encourage anyone on the fence to come along. I’ve never had anyone come along who hasn’t enjoyed it. It’s a damn good night out and it’s something dif-

ferent from going to the rugby or the basketball.”

Duncan, who also plays for the Marist Saints, defines his style as rugby inspired while also giving homage to the country man.

“I’m able to move bodies, while still managing to get around the ring.

“I’ve been a fan since I was young.

Kane, Shawn Michals and Brock

Lesnar were my favourites growing up.”

He also wanted to thank the local support for helping bring the sport back to the community, with many local businesses stepping up to get behind the event. A 20 per cent discount has been applied for all readers of the paper, using the code PAPER20 at checkout.

Duncan “Brook Duncan” McDougall cannot wait to get back into the ring and battle for the New Zealand All Star Wrestling Championship title when wrestling returns to the region later this month.

Photo: Jack Malcolm.

Midwifery: supporting women and whānau

Amy Darragh is a Core Midwife at Wairau Maternity and MERAS Marlborough regional representative. Here she shares with us what inspired her to do this important work and what being a midwife means to her.

Tell us about yourself

I find it hard to believe that I have now been a midwife for eleven years. During this time I have worked as a hospital based Midwife as well as a Lead Maternity Care Midwife in the community.

Two years ago I left Southland with my husband and teenage son. We were all ready for a change and Marlborough seemed to be the right fit for us. As a family we now feel integrated and part of the community. I am currently a Core Midwife at Wairau Maternity. The maternity team at Wairau were so welcoming and I feel very grateful to be part of an amazing team. I however, proudly continue to roll my R’s in Marlborough!

I am currently the MERAS (The Midwifery Employee Representation and Advisory Service) Marlborough regional representative. This role involves me supporting and advocating for my colleagues, encouraging positive changes in the workplace and keeping up to date with Regional and National Midwifery issues. Last year I completed union training and attended my first MERAS Conference. What inspired you to do this work?

After the birth of my son I discontinued my nursing training. There was something about midwifery that took my interest and after investigating I realised my desperately wanted to be a midwife. I started my degree when my son was two and I’ve never looked back!

What’s your philosophy about birth, pregnancy, midwifery?

Being part of an individual’s childbirth journey is a privilege. This journey involves a unique partnership between the midwife and the pregnant person, this needs to be tailored to the individual needs.

I believe care needs to be holistic, safe and culturally appropriate. I strongly support the decision-making process by encouraging those I care for to be active participants for the care of themselves and their

baby/ babies.

I also believe it is important to integrate partners and whānau in the childbearing process as defined by the woman or pregnant person. I follow the New Zealand College of Midwives Standards of Practice and the Tauranga Kaupapa cultural framework within my practice. What do you like about this work?

After eleven years, I still can’t decide which aspect of midwifery care I enjoy the most. At present, I am fortunate enough to work on the maternity ward at Wairau as a Core Midwife as well as doing casual cover for the hospital case loading team.

This gives me the opportunity to work in a team providing secondary care as well as being able to do antenatal, labour and birth and postnatal care on a casual basis. As a midwife, I value the privileged position I’m in, supporting women, people and whānau at such a special time in their lives. Despite national midwifery shortages it’s truly a rewarding career.

Are you interested in becoming a midwife?

Find out more at www.nmdhb.govt.nz/midwifery

Richmond’s rangatahi to benefit from boxing

SARA HOLLYMAN

Tasman fighters came up trumps in the Fight for Rangatahi boxing event on Saturday night, winning majority of their bouts.

Dovedale’s Tracy Rigby took to the ring for the first time in a match up with Michelle Schwass, both training out of Richmond gyms.

Tracy, who started training at Dixon’s Boxing two years ago to gain fitness for adventure racing says while it has never been on

the bucket list, stepping into the ring was a challenge she was happy to take up.

“I’ve never been so nervous in my life, but when I stepped into the ring I didn’t see past the ropes,” she says.

She says, while she wasn’t afraid of being in front of a crowd, it was the unknown of her opponent’s ability and technique that gave her nerves.

“At the club you’re sparring, and you get to know your partner and their techniques but once I

stepped in that ring I felt comfortable it was really wierd my nerves seemed to settle.”

Tracy knocked Michelle down in the first seconds of the fight which only saw her gain momentum.

“The first knockdown was a bit of a shock. It was a surprise.

“It did feel good but I’ll tell you what she is one strong lady she took some hits, I don’t think I could take those hits from someone.”

She says meeting her opponent in

the bathroom post-fight she was able to share with Michelle their links.

“I said to her, ‘you actually taught me technique, you were the first person to pad me on my first day at Dixon’s’, I thought it was a nice way to round it off.

Fight for Rangatahi co-organiser

Randall Dixon says he is proud of the event and noted that every person who stepped into the ring had “massive support”. The event saw 30 boxers take to the ring for both amateur and

corporate bouts.

“For these corporates it was their first time stepping into the ring and I think they can all look in the mirror and say they gave it their all,” Randall says.

He says the fundraiser means there will be big changes to the gym’s youth programmes, with new equipment and the ability to take young people away to more events.

“It couldn’t have gone any better, the night was just how I visualised it.”

Fight for Rangatahi boxers clockwise from top: Nelson’s Johno Orlowski takes the win over Motueka’s Liam Kennard; Tracy Rigby jabs Michelle Schwass in the face; Sam Cassidy (blue) throws punches with Sam Hedges; Jemma Gillon takes a jab to the face from Lana Wooley. Photos: Jason Oldfield.

Waimea Combined Barbarians pull together the winning formula

Waimea Combined Barbarians season has wrapped up with the team returning with a flashy piece of new silverware to put in the trophy cabinet.

The team walked away winners in their Championship plate final against St Bede’s second XV with a 15-10 scoreline in Christchurch over the weekend. Having been demoted from the premiership competition this season, the team found their feet after a slow start early on and started putting in some impressive performances to come away with their tails high to end the year. After losing their first three games of the season, despite getting close on a number of occasions, the team got their first win on the board with a dominant 45-21 performance over Roncalli to get the ball rolling.

That win buoyed the confidence to the point that they put on one of their best games of the season,

winning the following weekend against Hillmorton 67-0.

While they weren’t able to continue that winning energy as the season progressed in every game, they put in performances that saw every game played on a knife's edge.

And despite the slow start costing them the chance of playing for it all in the trophy finals, they put in a season to be proud of. It was a year of new beginnings for a lot of the team, with changes made throughout the squad and to their competition.

One of the biggest was Shayne

Huhu stepping up to head coach three games into the season, replacing Ryan Flowers who had to step away for personal reasons.

Alongside the new competition, was new learnings for the team, says Shayne, as he reflected on the season that was.

“We’re trying to build them as young gentlemen first before be-

ing a rugby player. . . we like to see them as students, and then young men, and rugby players is third.” While he had been involved with the team for several seasons, he says it was a big jump up personally as well to take on the head role with the team.

“It was a great learning curve personally and professionally. I thoroughly enjoyed it, working with a

new regime of coaches and some new players.

“Once we hit that groove, you’re right, we started to do well.

“That comes with the two assistant coaches too, Chris Roden and Don McLean were really helpful around that set play and around the field.”

While a lot had been said about the demotion for the team this season, Shayne says it made for

an exciting competition with close games throughout.

“This grade is great for this team. Moving forward I’d like to see us back in that premier grade, but first we have to build a new team.

“I’ve believed for the last three seasons we’ve put out teams that could win games and win championships. It’s just one last game that let us down and that’s rugby at the end of the day, it’s a game.”

Mako men grind out win, while women dominate

Friday night saw a double header of action, with the Mako’s men’s and women’s teams both coming away with wins.

The women made a notable 61-10 away win over Taranaki in the Farah Palmer Cup as they continued to show their improvement from last season, while the men kicked off their 2023 Bunnings NPC campaign with a win in front of home fans against Otago. Coming into the game as favourites, there will still be a lot to work on for the men as they ground out a 27-15 win.

Having a wealth of experience tied up with All Black duties and an already exten-

sive list of key players injured, like flanker Ethan Blackadder (calf injury) and co-captain Mitch Hunt (quad injury), it was a chance for new players to shine.

It was a scrappy start to the game under the lights at Trafalgar Park as both teams showed their nerves in the opening game of the season. The Mako started hot and looked like they were going to take first blood after a fantastic through-the-legs offload, only for the ball to be dropped with white-line fever after over 20 phases of attack.

Luckily the team didn’t have to wait long to find redemption, scoring minutes later as Macca Springer found himself

in the right place for a David Havilli offload.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t all silver linings for the home side

as Tom Marshall’s return to the red jersey and his 50th cap was cut short as he was helped from the field for an unsuc-

cessful head injury assessment.

The game had lost a bit of its structure as both teams looked to settle their early jitters, with the Mako having issues with ball retention while Otago had struggled with their discipline with a bleak penalty for and against. The second 40 saw a markedly different game, with both teams reacting positively to whatever the message was at halftime from the coaching staff.

In a game of tit-for-tat, the two teams traded points, but it was the Mako who got the better of it with a fantastic try from the team’s New Zealand under-20s teammates as Macca Springer used his pace to chase down a probing box kick from Noah Hotham with Otago lazily coming across in cover.

Having come into the game as favourites, while the Mako got the result they were looking for, there’s still a lot of work to be done as the season progresses.

See the full match report on

The long awaited return of David Havili, having not stripped up for the Mako in nearly 1000 days, paid immediate dividends as he played an instrumental role in the Mako’s first try. Photo: Barry Whitnall/ Shuttersport.

Community Notices

MONDAY

DIVORCECARE NN 2023. 13 week course starting Monday 4th Sept. 7 -9pm @ Richmond New Life Church side Room Cost $55 for Manual. Email: divorcecarenn@gmail.com or txt 0274193035 and we will contact contact you. Www.Divorcecare.org

PHILOSOPHY GROUP meets in Trafalgar Hall, 67 Trafalgar St., Nelson on the 2nd and 4th Monday each month at 10am. All welcome. Text Zoe: 027-974-1758

WAIMEA GARDEN GROUP St Paul’s Brightwater Meet 2nd Monday of each month at 6:45pm Speakers.Garden Visits etc. All Welcome. Ph. Ellen 5418955 or Donna 5423754.

ELYSIUM WIDOW AND WIDOWERS GROUP meet each Monday for coffee and friendship at Oxford St Cafe at 10am. New members welcome. Phone Margaret 027 2600 748

OSTEOACTIVE COMMUNITY FITNESS CLASS for participants with osteoarthritis. Exercise and education. Seated and standing options. Mondays 9.30am. Holy Trinity Hall, 27 Dorset Street, Richmond. Cost: koha. Nicola 021 0788609 or nicola@bfit4ever.nz

TUESDAY

RICHMOND PIPE BAND, welcome past players and new to join us for social playing of pipes and drums. Meet Richmond Town Hall, Tuesday nights 7-9pm. Contact Margaret 0275440460

RICHMOND LIBRARY AUTHOR TALK - Marg McCorkindale, 1.00pm-2.00pm, Tuesday 15 August. Marg’s humorous short stories are based around rural Southland in the 1980s. Free.

NELSON 50+ WALKING GROUP Tuesday August 15. Apple Tree Bay. Meet at 9.45 am at Marahau DOC carpark. BYO lunch. Contact Colin 027 4948315.

WELLBY TALKING CAFÉ: 10am-11.30am, Tuesday, 8th August 2023, Tapawera Community Centre. ALSO 1.30pm - 3pm, Richmond Library. Tuesday, 8th August 2023, Wellby Talking Cafés are about social connection and finding out about groups, activities and services. www.wellby.org.nz 03 5467681.

HOPE TENNIS CLUB. Tuesday morning Social Tennis from 9.30 am. Courts in Hope Domain, Main Road, Hope. All abilities most welcome. Queries 0211729257

RICHMOND TENNIS CLUB - Tuesday 10 - 11.30am POP Tennis. $3 non-members Contact pop@richmondtennisclub.co.nz. Come, enjoy and have a go. ALSO Tuesday from 6pm Social fun night. Lights and balls provided. Contact Trish 0274 872 480

‘500’ CARDS Players are invited to compete in our recently formed “No Trumps” Trophy competition. Venue: Waimea Lounge

A&P Showgrounds. Tues. & Thurs. 1.30 - 4pm. $2 entry fee covers organised games, prizes afternoon tea and spacious parking. Contact Kath ph 5445563

WEDNESDAY

TIPS & TRAPS FOR RETIREMENT VILLAGE LIVING With Lawyer

Amanda Crehan. Wednesday 30th August 1pm Richmond Church of Christ cnr Darcy/ Croucher St Richmond. Afternoon tea to follow.

HOPE INDOOR BOWLING CLUB Tuesday Nights 7pm at Hope Hall Main Rd Hope.Starts 7 pm. Everyone welcome. Soft soled shoes.. All bowls supplied. Great for families. Info Bill ph 5449273

FOREST & BIRD Wednesday 9 August. Evening talk by Alison Ballance about Takahe – bird of dreams. 7.30pm Tahunanui School Hall, Muritai Street, Tahunanui.

STOKE INDOOR BOWLS CLUB 2023 season has started, Warnes Stadium, Songer Street, Stoke. New members welcome. Please wear flat soled shoes. Enquiries ph Lynn 547 7112.

CAKE DECORATORS are inviting you to the next meeting on Wednesday 16 August. We are making an open yellow flower using edible flower paste. Contact Desiree 0276302359

CENTRAL GARDEN CLUB meet 2nd Wedn each month 1.30pm

Stoke Methodist church hall, Neale Ave Stoke. Guest speakers & afternoon tea new members welcome .Lynn or bob 5418468

U3A - Guest speakers and Study Groups keep us actively involved, challenged and stimulated. U3A is sociable, enlightening and fun. Join us at our bi-monthly open meeting at Elim Church,

DEADLINE: MIDDAY FRIDAY - 30 WORDS OR LESS BY EMAIL ONLYPLEASE SEND TO: events@waimeaweekly.co.nz

Main Rd, Stoke, 23rd August 10.00am Guest speaker: Author Emma Stevens. All welcome. www.u3anelson.org.nz

NELSON NEWBIES coffee morning every Wednesday 10:30 -

11.30 a.m. at Deville’s Cafe, 22 New St. Want to get out and meet people? Join us for coffee and chat. New people are always welcome. Ph: Clive 021 205 4731.

THURSDAY

WAKEFIELD ART GROUP sessions Thursdays 9.30-12.00 at Wakefield Village Hall. $4 donation includes Morning Tea. All levels of interest welcome.

‘500’ CARDS Players are invited to compete in our recently formed “No Trumps” Trophy competition. At Waimea Lounge A&P Showgrounds. Tues. & Thurs. 1.30 - 4pm. $2 entry fee covers organised games, prizes afternoon tea & spacious parking. Kath ph 5445563

NELSON CITY PROBUS CLUB welcome both men & women. We meet 2nd Thursday each month (Feb-November) at 10 am, The Nelson Golf Club, 38 Bolt Rd, Tahunanui. Contact the Secretary on nelsoncitygroupgmail.com

WAIMEA COMBINED FRIENDSHIP GROUP meet monthly at 9.45am on 3rd Thursday of month in Hope Church, Ranzau Road for Friendship, Fellowship & Learning. Contact Denise on 027 765 000 or Rosalie on 027 249 1080.

TAICHI Thursdays, 10:30-12:30, Beginner & Regular tai chi & qigong. Stillness, breath, movement. Anglican Church community hall, Dorset Street. Donation. Contact Merrick, email quiet.heart. tai.chi@gmail.com Ph 021 063 6620

RICHMOND WELCOME GROUP: Want to make new friends join a friendly group for coffee & a chat.10am on the 1st & 3rd Thursday of each month at Paragon Cafe Langdale Drive Richmond . Ansley /Phillip 5410 350 0272212943.

FRIDAY

ELYSIUM WIDOW AND WIDOWERS GROUP meeting for lunch at The Wooden Spoon, Queen St, Friday 11th August at midday.

Phone Margaret 0272600748

WAIMEA LADIES FRIENDSHIP CLUB welcomes new members

Interesting speakers, morning tea, dining out, outings. 3rd Friday each month 9.45am. Richmond Church of Christ, corner Croucher and D’arcy Sts. Phone Bev 5441469

RICHMOND TENNIS CLUB - Friday 9.30 - 11.30am. Pickle ball$. $3 non-members. Contact pickleball@richmondtennisclub.co.nz Come, enjoy and have some fun.

TAI CHI Qigong All welcome, lasses at Tahunanui Community Hub, 55 Muritai Street, Tahunanui. Every Friday until 2nd June

9.30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Koha. Contact Jodie 021 259 5876.

SATURDAY

ART NELSON WINTER EXHIBITION SALE - 12 &13 August.

10am - 4pm Pūtangitangi Greenmeadows Centre. Corner of Main Road & Songer St Stoke. Free entry to view exciting original artwork. http://www.artgroupnelson.org.nz

THE NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY OF GENEALOGISTS /NELSON

Branch are celebrating their 50th anniversary with a lunch & presentations at The Tides restaurant, Collingwood St Saturday Sept. 9 at 12.30. All welcome contact nelson@genealogy.org.nz for info

NELSON PHILATELIC SOCIETY SPECIAL Meeting - Saturday

12th August. Starts 9.00 am – 3 pm At Stoke Baptist Church. Mitchener Cup – Letter “Z” Blenheim Visit. Contact Ross 03 5473554

VARITETY ENTERTAINMENT CLUB of Nelson Concert Saturday

12 August 2pm Whakatu Presbyterian Hall Songer Street Stoke

Admission Free All Welcome Phone Ken 5474301 Robyn 5473231

NELSON SOCIAL DANCE CLUB, dance to the Harmony Hunters. 12 Aug, Club Waimea 7.30 to 11pm. $12 members, $17 non-members, $5 Students & non dancers. Coronation theme. 0276478827 Bernard

SUNDAY

WAIMEA MUSIC CLUB meets at Methodist Church Hall, Neale Ave, Stoke on Sunday, 6 August at 1.15pm. All welcome. Ph Jim 5449446 or Clive 0211431138

CLASSIC AND COLLECTABLE CAR SHOW. Sun 3rd Sept 0900 onwards at Higgins Heritage Park, Wakefield. Sausage Sizzle, food and hot drinks available. Car and occupants $5

GENERAL GROUPS

WAIMEA MENZSHED - catering for the interests, health and well-being of men since 2010. The shed is open Monday - Friday at Richmond Park, 384 Lower Queen St. Inquiries: mens.shed. waimea@gmail.com 027 282 0185.

SENIOR MOBILITY CLASSES Tuesdays, Thursdays & Fridays from 10.30am at the Wanderers Community Gym 12 Charlotte Lane, Brightwater. $2 donation. Improving balance, mobility & independence among our aging populations (55+).Contact James Cooper for info: 021 044 1526.

SEEKING VOLUNTEERS TO HELP SUPPORT NELSON HOSPITAL. For info visit www.nmdhb.govt.nz and search ‘volunteering with us’. Social opportunity for people to donate their time to a 3-4 hour shift during the week in a variety of roles. Supporting our patients, visitors, whānau & staff while receiving sense of purpose.

JOIN CAKE DECORATORS You don’t need any skills. Come & learn how to work with fondant, sugar paste & chocolate. Creating flowers, figurines & covering a cake. Desiree 027 630 2359. NELSON WOODTURNING CLUB. Join us at our clubrooms for Turning, camaraderie & sharing of knowledge. Ph or txt Allan for more information 021543345.

HELP NEEDED. WAKEFIELD COMMUNITY BUS Nelson

Tasman Community Transport Trust dedicated to providing affordable community public transport in the areas where little is available. Contact: 020 4196 0553 Wakefield Bus is in need of some support – can you help? Contact - 020 4196 0553, marketing.ntctt@gmail.com / www.ntctt.org TO BOOK A SEAT on the Wakefield bus- call or txt 020 4195 8866.

FEELING SAD, STRESSED, DEPRESSED, OR STUCK? Identify & explore new ways to move forward with a Life Linc Counsellor. Up to 10 face to face counselling sessions available now for individuals & couples. 548 2400 lifelinc.co.nz

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.

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Creative specialises in creating brands for businesses, building websites, copywriting, photography, graphic design and launching marketing campaigns across digital and print.

Main Road, Stoke, New Zealand

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

SITS VACANT

Tutor Wanted

Kip McGrath, Nelson, is looking for a qualified Primary School Teacher. If you value building strong relationships with students and parents, blending humour and enthusiasm with focused, explicit teaching, this could be a rewarding job for you. Currently this role is for one day a week beginning at 3.30pm. To find out more information please contact Zoe 0275 267 741 Otherwise, submit a cover letter with a succinct CV and referee contact to nelson@kipmcgrath.co.nz

GARAGE SALE

12 Appaloosa Ave Richmond. Saturday 12th August at 8am. Everything to go.

Cash paid for old wristwatches. Scrap gold & Silver. Old coins & Jewellery. Vintage / quality tools. Military & Firearms items. General antiques. Also buying estate & shed items. Collection & downsizing. Ph Tim Gladstone. T&B Vintage 0800 653 935 or 548 5235.

THANK YOU

I wish to thank the lady and gentleman who came to my aid after a mishap at the carpark in Saxton Field near the milk vending machine on friday July 28. My sincere appreciation to all who assisted me. As contact is unknown, please accept this as a personal acknowledgment.

STACEY Cheryl Janine (nee Drogemuller)

1962-2013

10 years have passed, precious memories never do. Much love from husband Richard, dad Keith and sister Karen.

NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

The Wakefield School and Community Pool will be holding it’s AGM on Wednesday the 13th of September 2023 at 5.30pm in the School Library

Notice is hereby given that the ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING of Stoke Community Centre Incorporated (Stoke Seniors) to be held at the Greenmeadows Community Centre on Monday 28 August 2023 at 3pm

Business will be in accordance with Clause 22 of the Stoke Community Centre Incorporated rules. Copies of the agenda are available from the Stoke Community Centre Office, phone 547 2660 or email stokeseniors@xtra.co.nz.

DENTURES

Hope Tennis Club

AGM

Sunday 27th August at 3pm

Held at the Hope Tennis Club

All Welcome

The club is seeking a new President and Secretary, both roles are voluntary. If interested please apply to: info.hopetennis@gmail.com