The Weekend Lifestyler, August 18th 2023

A journey of understanding

Mikal Nielsen moved to New Zealand from Denmark after meeting his wife Kathy Menzies, while originally travelling through Africa. The couple met up again while separately travelling to different countries. They both have a passion for helping

people in relationships learn to cope with the differences in their personalities. As they say, two people could not be more different than they are. Mikal is also on a mission to help others discover the art of breathing correctly

continued on page 12 …

THE WEEKEND LIFESTYLER IS PUBLISHED WITH PRIDE BY INTEGRITY COMMUNITY MEDIA, A PRIVATELY OWNED NORTHLAND COMPANY.

Phone: 09 439 6933 or 0800 466 793 Email: info@integrity.nz

Postal Address: PO Box 474, Dargaville Physical Address: 107 River Road, Dargaville

Editor: Deb Wright 021 639 696 deb.wright@integrity.nz

Journalists: Ann van Engelen | Amy Fifita | Liz Clark

Advertising: Joanne Lowe 027 525 9172 | Olivia Green 027 525 8197

Production: Gavin Bainbridge | Anna Fredericksen | Kelsey Harrison | Liz Clark

Accounts: accounts@integrity.nz

Distribution:

7,100 copies, distributed on Friday to every residential and rural home throughout the district including Whangārei, One Tree Point, Ruakākā, Waipū, Mangawhai, Kaiwaka and Wellsford.

A spirit of generosity

u by Amy Fifita Jay and Tom Padden moved to Mangawhai in September last year and are organising Mangawhai’s collections for Daffodil Day this year.

“Giving back to the community and doing something for a charity is always what I have wanted to do,” said volunteer collection area coordinator Jay.

“My husband, Tom and I lived in Auckland for 20 years and then moved to Hawke’s Bay for three and a half years before moving to Mangawhai.

“Tom was fully retired, and I was still working and decided it was time to slow down. I had a big corporate role in human resources. I didn’t want to go back to Auckland and so I came here.

“Going from a full-time job to being semi-retired, I have thrown myself into

On Saturday there will be volunteers collecting at two different locations — Mangawhai Tavern Markets and the Mangawhai Community Market.

“We went out to talk to local businesses to place donation boxes, and we have them in 15 locations. We will replenish the daffodils and collect, and I am looking for 10 more volunteers.

“This year, we have EFTPOS machines because people don’t always carry cash. Mangawhai is a town that runs on volunteers. I know that from working

art groups, and I still do HR consulting. I have a small part-time job coordinating the volunteers for the museum.

“One of my friend’s friends contacted me asking if I wanted to help out. I thought I would be collecting, but I’m became the volunteer collection area coordinator. They didn’t have a coordinator in Mangawhai, and this area has expanded. It plays into my background of people and organising, and Tom is backing me up with some activities.

“We will be collecting at New World, Mangawhai Heads Shops and the village shops on Friday, August 25 and Saturday, August 26.”

at the museum with 80 volunteers and minimal paid staff, and it doesn’t receive any funding. Local people want to do things for the community, and they are supportive too.

“The word of mouth here and desire to do community-spirited tasks is amazing. The Cancer Society NZ is a charity that touches everybody, and they do amazing work in supporting people going through their journey.

“Mangawhai is one of the friendliest places I’ve lived in, and they are so welcoming to new people. Many people currently living here weren’t born here and know what it is like to assimilate into a new place.”

p Jay and Tom Padden with Sky, their canine supporter

“Mangawhai is one of the friendliest places I’ve lived in, and they are so welcoming to new people”

New centre foundations laid

u by Amy Fifita

Ruakākā Recreation Centre manager Christine Thirling has been overseeing the creation of a new $5.2 million wellness centre, answering a call for more exercise facilities in the area.

“I was born and raised in Germany,” says Christine. “My husband, our two children and I immigrated to New Zealand in 1994. We found our home in Ruakākā and have lived here ever since. I became a New Zealand citizen in 2011.

“Ruakākā is a great place to raise your children because the neighbourhood is full of friendly, helpful and caring people. I love the countryside and the beach.”

Christine runs the Ruakākā Recreation Centre, while at the same time, she is involved with establishing a new community wellness centre.

“The new centre will provide access to a wellbeing space of suitable size. There is a strong community desire to have more activities facilitated at the centre, especially with a fast-growing community,” she says.

The new centre is now a hive of activity, with the foundations laid and the next phase of construction, erecting the steel structure, due to begin shortly. Christine said the day leading up towards its opening can’t come soon enough.

“The day the doors open on the new centre can’t come soon enough after many years of planning, fundraising, community and council engagement. We are an organisation that depends on funding and the goodwill and support of the community we serve to grow and meet future needs.

“The Community Wellbeing Project will provide space for the increasing demand from locals who cannot afford or have nowhere to carry out their activities and programmes.”

Funding for the project came from a series of grant applications made to several entities towards financing the centre’s construction. The centre has also had significant support from the community at large.

“We applied for and received approved grants from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, the Whangārei District Council and Foundation North. The centre has great community support. Everyone is excited to use it, and we have more than 1,000 letters of support.

Christine said several local and Northland contracting organisations and businesses have been involved with the construction project.

“We have hired many local businesses, including Trigg Construction, Evatt Martin Architects, Atlas Concrete, Three 60 Electrical and Security, Earthworx and Grit Engineering and Hubands Energy for HVAC from Whangārei.

“The local people appreciate the work we do at the recreation centre, which makes our work worthwhile and us, incredibly happy.” ¢

p Local businesses were employed for the Community Wellness Centre project, which reached a milestone in the building process when the foundations were laid

BRAND NEW TRANSPORTABLE HOME

Brand new transportable 94m2 home currently being built in Dargaville by Inspirational Homes.

The finished home is completed to a very high standard, with floor coverings, appliances and professionally painted, with expected completion date October 2023.

Easy flow floor plan of two bedrooms, two bathrooms (one being an ensuite), and central open plan living area, designed for optimum indoor/outdoor flow. This is the perfect solution for a beach house, farm dwelling, or retirement home.

INSPIRED TO INNOVATE.

A quiet and much-needed housing innovation by local company TL Build Ltd is taking shape in a modest yard behind a former panel beater’s workshop in Dargaville. TL Build Ltd’s new project, Inspirational Homes, specialises in constructing transportable houses. Tim Pratt and his wife Leah O’Driscoll are the driving force behind the family-run project. Tim started the highly-successful Dargaville High School Building Academy more than 11 years ago. Joining them on the building site is leading hand Phil Crawford, another experienced building local. While TL Build offers one, two, three and four-bedroom professionally designed and architecturally approved homes, this first build is a 94 square metre, two bedroom home, with bathroom and ensuite, a mono-pitched roof. Tim says the turnaround time for each build will be approximately 12 weeks.

“Whereas at Dargaville High School, I was training students to build very similar houses, the progress was much slower, as none of the students had any experience, so I was teaching while we built. This way, all of us have experience at some level, so the work moves much faster.” While the houses are built to plan, Tim says there is scope for some customisation. “Our whole approach is innovation. For example, we are using ply for internal lining and ceilings that not only provides a nice internal ambience, but ply delivers superior bracing, which means little or no risk of damage during transportation compared to conventional linings.” Built for high wind zones is another feature that stands out in the design of these innovative homes, Tim says. “With winds like so much of the whole area experiences, these homes are ideal for coastal living.” Tim says they work with their clients at every step. “Our product is affordable and high quality, and we will always fit in with client’s design preferences.”

Supportive hearts for patients

u by Amy Fitita

Louise Bell and her family came to New Zealand from England in 2004 to continue her nursing career, and she is currently the nurse coordinator at the Cancer Society Northland.

“I have been in nursing since 1995 and have done many leadership roles in the medical field,” says Louise.

“For a while, I looked after the oncology services too. I was a nurse manager at the Whangārei Hospital for 13 years, and I moved on to work with the Cancer Society Northland (CSN).

“My two girls have grown up and have families of their own and one daughter has followed in my footsteps and is a nurse specialist at the hospital. We moved to Bream Bay seven years ago.”

Louise helps coordinate the Ruakākā area for Daffodil Day for CSN and makes pillows for mastectomy patients.

“The pillows are heartshaped and simple to make. When someone has had a mastectomy, the pillow sits nice and snug under their arm so it is not pressing on the surgery site.

“Sometimes we put a ribbon on the top so they can be tied to save it slipping off. They can be used under seatbelts while driving, and the pillow gives comfort and protection.

“I meet people during their most vulnerable and difficult times, but I also get to see them overcome obstacles. I also get to celebrate the good moments too and have some fun and laughter with

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the patients. It is a fantastic role, and I feel privileged to work with many great people.

“My team of experienced nurses do home visits, offer support, reassurance and advice and liaise with the patient’s clinical team. We fund local counselling and have a social worker who assists with housing issues, food parcels and whatever we can ease the burden.

“We also have a fantastic team of volunteer drivers who support getting people to and from treatment in Northland and accommodation at Domain Lodge when patients need longer treatment at Auckland Hospital. We do our best and welcome anyone with cancer to contact us for support.

“Our role is to look after people going through various parts of their journey from diagnosis to the treatment stages. We care for their supporters, too, like family members who are having a tough time. It is a great part

of the job because you are supporting people at a difficult time.

“I am grateful to our many donors and volunteers; Jim Carney Cancer Centre, drivers, Oncology hosts who support patients having treatment, cushion makers and many more. Anyone is welcome to make a heart-shaped pillow, and they can contact us at Daffodil House in Kamo, Whangārei.” ¢

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Such as troublesome bleeding; menopause concerns; abnormal smears; pelvic pain; pain or irritation ‘down there’; fertility issues; non–surgery options for prolapse and bladder problems. Many of the common problems can be treated with simple minor procedures done either at the clinic or at Kensington Hospital.

The emphasis at the clinic is on making sure women have as much information as possible about their own health on which to base their decisions as to the type of treatment that is best for them.

Dr. Rachel Moss, the specialist gynaecologist, can see you to make a thorough gynaecological assessment and discuss options for treatment.

A GP referral can be helpful but is not essential.

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p Louise Bell works at the Cancer Society Northland as a nurse coordinator and makes heart-shaped pillows for patients who have had a mastectomy

Dreams of daisy delights

u by Liz Clark

Not everyone loves the daisy family, and neither did this writer until one of my children decided to get into small-scale floriculture and grew rudbeckia for bouquets.

Despite being sceptical about these plants, they were quietly accepted as the seed trays were filled up by a diligent budding flower farmer and watched over with tender loving care. Rudbeckias are best grown as a seasonal annual to retain strong, bright blooms during the growing season.

Native to North America, these members of the daisy family have 25 species that are annual or biennial, with cultivars developed from two of them. All are easily grown from commercially available seeds in a range of colours, including the common yellow with a twist.

If you’re a wildflower lover, rudbeckias are often included in the seed mixes used to sow in difficult-to-garden areas

such as banks and rough terrain. They grow anywhere and will happily self-seed once flowering is complete.

Rudbeckias range in height from dwarf varieties to tall-growing types that can be included in a bouquet for home decor. Whatever the preference, there’s a bright flowering star for the garden to spice things up. Of course, they love the sun, so choose a warm, sunny site with plenty of organic matter and reasonably free-draining soil to set up your new growing beds. Preparation and planning go hand in hand for a great look when your plants bloom in late summer.

Sow your seeds into trays using a goodquality seed-raising mix indoors. Keep

the soil moist but not wet. Otherwise, the new seedlings will die from dampening off. Depending on the cultivar, prick out the seedlings when they are large enough to handle and transfer them into punnets. Use potting mix and liquid feed with a weak fertiliser solution.

Gradually harden off the plants by placing them outdoors in the early morning under the eaves to prevent any frost damage. Young plants will need plenty of light to ensure solid stems and prevent uneven, spindly growth. Follow the seed merchant’s instructions on the packaging for the correct spacings when planting in the garden. Look online or visit your local garden centre for options on available cultivars. ¢

The thrill of miniature

u by Amy Fifita

Based in Waipū, miniature war gamer William Browning has honed his skills and has a YouTube channel where he paints and shows his modelling technique.

“I was originally here in 2008 and went back to the UK in 2013 and joined the military until 2019,” William says.

“I spent most of my time in the household cavalry. I was in the Life Guards, rode horses in London, and was involved in state events and ceremonial activities. I did trooping the colour, the state opening at parliament and investitures at the palace — it was a lot of work but fun.

“After that, I moved into the signals and became an installation technician doing fibre optic and copper cables, getting the communications working. I returned to New Zealand in 2020.”

William’s father collected miniature war models.

“He had a huge collection and gave me my first miniatures when I was three years old. Eventually, I began playing Warhammer 30,000, a science fiction game with super soldiers, orcs and things flying around blowing each other up. I stopped in 2010 when life got busy but I continued collecting models.

“Last year, my interest moved to historical. I love the second world war period. That’s an area I do a lot of gaming in now. I paint many second world war miniatures and have a collection for most periods. Dad and I also have a passion for the Napoleonic, American Civil, medieval and ancient wars.

“Some models are multiple parts, and you assemble them with glue and paint them. The smaller ones often come in a single pose cast in metal or plastic.

You do a base coat before colouring them how you want, or you can buy prepainted models.

“I enjoy listening to music and relaxing as I lose myself in painting which is half the fun. It can be stressful when you need white belts because one belt can ruin the whole look.

“It’s a hobby that doesn’t require technology, but to do the scenery you need a good table. Crafting the scene is fun; you have to design buildings, trees and rivers. When we had blackouts from

the storms earlier this year, I still happily painted by daylight and played the game.

“I’m a history buff and research the historical aspects of regiments and replicate that. It’s fun to see how a battle played out in reality and see whether it could’ve worked differently and made a difference.

“My channel is @bigbattleslittleworlds on YouTube. I try to get as close to reality as I can and enjoy making rules. For me, it’s about having as accurate a game as possible whilst not taking long.

“That is another side of the hobby that some people like.” ¢

to Earth are your local property maintenance specialists. We pride ourselves on our Down to Earth attitude, taking on all manner of jobs to get your property in tip top shape!

“The smaller ones often come in a single pose cast in metal or plastic”

p William Browning received his first war models when he was three years old from his father, who is also an enthusiast

p This alien creature is a hormagaunt used in the Warhammer table games

p William has vast collections of military models and enjoys playing fast-paced historically accurate games with them

Home show inspiration giveaway

u by Andy Bryenton

The Auckland Home Show is back on September 7, offering three days of inspiration, innovation and hot trends in design and living, and we’re giving away free tickets.

Simply browsing the aisles at this, the biggest show of its kind in the country, is a revelation for those looking to give their home a fresh look or those planning a new build for spring. Beneath the surface of this massive event — there’s even more to take in.

The Auckland Home Show has become famous for its free seminars, in which industry leaders and influencing trendsetters talk to you directly about what’s hot and how to achieve the latest look within the framework of your own home. This year will be no different, with specialist symposia on everything from bathroom and kitchen design to colour palettes, making the most of small spaces, navigating resource consenting and compliance, and even the best way to budget for an affordable build.

That is all valuable information that comes free with the ticket price — but there’s more. Workshops allow patrons to get hands-on with new technology and techniques, including

tutorials on decking, house plants, wallpaper, and even cocktail mixing and home craft brewing. Ryobi power tools offer the opportunity to test its range out and build yourself a handy spice rack you can keep for your kitchen.

Aside from these ways to engage and learn, there are also major show hubs focussed on bathrooms, kitchens, outdoor areas and interior decorating. These are packed with information and the chance to get advice and tips from hundreds of experts representing every big name in building and design.

p Auckland’s massive Home Show is coming soon, and you could win a double pass right here

Add in super specials, delicious food, a barbecue competition, and plenty for the younger family members to enjoy while you plan your grand design. The Auckland Home Show is well worth visiting when it opens in Greenlane in September.

Want to be there? We’re giving away tickets! Search out and spot the little ‘show home’ icons scattered through the pages of this week’s special building and renovation issue, and email the page numbers they are placed on back to us. There are five icons to find. Email your entry to comp@integrity.nz by Tuesday, August 29, to be in to win. Three lucky winners will receive a double pass to the home show, valid for the whole September 7–10 show weekend. ¢

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BARRELL’S

The

u by Amy Fifita

In the age of sustainability, reclaiming and recycling old materials is the done thing; the same goes for building projects.

There’s a difference between reclaimed and recycled wood. Reclaimed wood is reused for the same purpose, while recycling is repurposing the material. Many New Zealand companies offer recycled timber for sale.

Reclaiming doesn’t mean it can’t be a standout feature in a modern setting. Old timber could even be used for bare studs to add character to a new build.

Add new life and a vintage style to your property with discarded railway sleepers or reusable timber. It could be a countertop for your bar or kitchen, framing for a hideaway cabin or a striking landscape feature.

Depending on the timber’s use, it can provide a unique feature to your home as a vintage display in a modern house. It could also be used as an outdoor feature, giving your home a more unique feel

and focal point for entertaining friends and family.

Recycled wood options are broad. It can be used it for mulch in the garden or repurposed for a home project such as handmade furniture. Old timber, such as former fence battens, can create long-lasting garden planters. If you have children, old wood can be used for building a playground to entice them to go outdoors.

Shelving is another option for repurposed wood. You can craft furniture like tables or chairs too for a bespoke style. You can also explore your creative side and sculpt a masterpiece for the garden or as a gift to a friend or family member.

Whatever you decide to do with the timber you already have or sourced will be yours to craft or delegate to your intended purpose. Enjoy exploring the uses of and getting creative with pre-loved wood. ¢

p Some people prefer to keep the original style of the wood they are using for items such as plant shelves

OUTSIDE MANGAWHAI VILLAGE HALL.

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The Cow Shed brand has always had a strong environmental ethos. So when the brand changed focus to grow the pie side of the business it was important to uphold the environmental values already held.

Coffee cups are notorious for clogging up landfill. The Cow Shed offers a 50 cent discount for BYO cups. Disposable coffee cups are recycled through sustainable Kaipara which “is money well spent.” Grinds are added to the garden as fertiliser while the pies are sold in paper bags. Kitchen scraps are fed to the chickens and worms while cardboard packaging goes straight on the garden to help prevent weeds. Road miles are kept at a minimum with pies made locally. Being Sustainability focussed is important to Amy, Sam and their young family. The new business shift is also providing time for them to spend with the children in the garden and exploring the local area.

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A journey of understanding

u by Ann van Engelen

After years of working out their personal differences, Mikal Nielsen and his wife, Kathy Menzies, are passionate about supporting people to live their best lives and make the most of their relationships.

“We are more than 30 years down the track with our relationship, still in love and thriving together,” says Mikal.

“I’m from Denmark, and Kathy is a Kiwi. Kathy’s a ‘do-er’, and I’m a ‘be-er’. She’s an outdoor person — I’m an indoor one. Kathy rides horses, and I don’t, but I do Sudokus and she doesn’t. She likes tramping while I enjoy jigsaw puzzles. She’s a socialiser, and I’m not. I avoid conflict, while she likes having control of situations.

“As a teacher, Kathy aims to inspire students to look at the world in a way that empowers them to be the best versions of themselves. I’m a life and business coach and strive to help people be their best.

“I got into awareness training in my late 20s, about 38 years ago. I had no confidence until a colleague invited me to a course that opened up my mind and

passion for personal growth. I’ve been teaching and facilitating it ever since.

“I came to New Zealand 30 years ago after originally meeting Kathy in Africa. We then met up in Africa again and Europe before she dragged me to New Zealand. In my first year here, I attended a voice training course in Australia because I play guitar and wanted to sing but couldn’t.

they understand and become aware of why they struggle to breathe.

“That course opened the door to becoming a voice and singing teacher through a guy called Chris James at a course in Wellington. I discovered how bad my breathing was. After three months practising, it was in order, and I learned some wonderful tricks making it easier for people to understand.

“Some people say, ‘just take a deep breath’, but very few can, and now I enjoy explaining how to. It’s wonderful seeing their facial expressions when

“Lots of people shallow breath as I did. I have been on television and radio and spent 10 years travelling the country teaching people to breathe. As a life business coach at Mikal.NZ, I recently wanted to give back to the community. Kathy suggested starting MAB — Movement, Awareness and Breathing classes to help others because breathing is so important. We are having a good turnout with lots of laughter.

“I’ve been privileged to learn very simple, powerful tools to get people breathing correctly in a very short time. The sessions are $5 per person and held at the Waipū Coronation Hall every Monday at 9.15am. It’s not a moneymaking project — it’s something I love doing and a chance to practise myself. We often don’t breathe properly due to

“I see very few teenagers today breathing properly, and it’s causing all kinds of mental problems”

p Mikal Nielsen and his wife Kathy are passionate about helping other people to live positive, fulfilling lives

things like the imagery of our culture and pulling our stomachs in to look fit and slim. That’s the first major mistake.”

Mikal says if you look at a baby or toddler, you never see them with pulled in tummies.

“Pulling your tummy in makes you look slimmer but it’s physically impossible to breathe properly. Another reason we don’t breathe properly is because most of our unpleasant emotions take place in our belly, like the butterflies or ‘knot’ we get in our stomach.

“Our breathing muscle is in the diaphragm. When we don’t feel confident and hold back, like me in my youth, we create emotional tension in the abdomen. Emotions are physiological, and tension builds over years holding in the abdomen area.

“In order to breathe, the air has to move in the gut area. It’s like eating a massive meal and trying to take a deep breath — you struggle, but once digestion happens, there’s space to breathe again.

“I see very few teenagers today breathing properly, and it’s causing all

kinds of mental problems, compromising physical and mental health because the brain is two per cent of our body weight but takes 10 per cent of our oxygen.

“The brain can’t get the oxygen it needs when we shallow breathe. We can’t focus well, or think clearly, so we make mistakes and stress. Our brain doesn’t operate at full level because our breathing isn’t full and complete. We worry, get anxious and find ourselves in a cycle.

“Giving people tools to become more ‘Aware’ of themself when they get into anxious moments is also important. Learning options like pausing and taking a deep breath as you reevaluate things help. The strategies are valuable ways to tackle critical situations whether it’s business, kids or dealing with a migraine.”

The M in MAB stands for movement.

“I love movement and getting people into their bodies because we spend most of our days in our heads, often with a to-do list longer than our day. It gets intense as we have to get kids to school,

get to work and think about dinner. Movement’s a good tool to get us out of our mind by taking simple, everyday moments and repeating them, like considering how we get out of a chair. What do we do to get from sitting, to up standing. There are five or six different movements. It’s about awareness of how you do things.

“We are also recording a short video relationship coaching series. It’s tied to a book we wrote from a his and hers perspective. Kathy and I are different in almost every way imaginable, and that’s caused us so much conflict and trouble. The fact we are together is a miracle, but we decided we want to be together as we’re right for each other.

“We found what we have in common to build our relationship on. Over the years, we discovered positive ways to work with our differences without trying to change each other. It’s important not to try and change your partner because you can’t, but you, and they, can change.

“We have examples of what we do, and although we don’t counsel, we

coach and support couples to deal with conflict to help them to fulfilment. It’s wonderful to see people truly want to make a difference in their relationship. We have had plenty of challenges and moments to split, but we considered how to improve things. At times we did it alone, and at times, we had help.

“We all enter relationships with baggage. The question is, ‘how do we deal with that’ and have baggage without ruining the relationship. Kathy and I know it is possible, and we are testimony to success.

“I’ve been coaching for 30 years, mainly working with stressed business owners who have a to-do list longer than their day, with no time for their kids or partner. I help them create time for their business and family.

“MAB is our gift to the community but business coaching is my passion because I was such an unhealthy human being, and that has completely changed. It’s my duty to pass on the knowledge I have so others can have the transformation that I experienced.” ¢

“I love movement and getting people into their bodies because we spend most of our days in our heads, often with a to-do list longer than our day”

p Kathy and Mikal met some 30 years ago and have worked hard to understand their different personalities

p Mikal discovered the techniques he uses today when he attended a seminar while in his 20s and had no confidence himself

p Kathy is involved in a variety of outdoor activities including tramping and horse riding

p Mikal enjoys helping people to understand how to breathe easier and eliminate shallow breathing

Celebrating literacy together

u by Amy Fifita

Students, parents and staff at Kaiwaka School enjoyed exploring literacy recently with books, character dress ups and cake.

“We love the opportunity to share our love of books,” said Kaiwaka School principal Sharlene McCormick.

“This year, most children dressed up, and many whānau came to watch the fun. They enjoyed marching around the court showing their costumes — families are getting used to the different options and participating more.

“It is great to see the time parents are spending with their children. You can imagine the rich language being spoken in the homes while they created cakes for the book cake competition and decide on dress-up characters.

“Our special needs children and their teacher aides also participated, and they even went to visit a digger and get photos for our door display. They dressed up as characters from the famous New Zealand book, Little Yellow Digger.

“The idea evolved from days of playing in the school sandpit with yellow diggers and was a fantastic opportunity to develop language and extend vocabulary.”

Literacy leader Hannah Taylor-Rose and librarian Sara McAulay planned a week of fun for students and families.

“Hannah brought in more interesting and innovative ways to acknowledge book week and celebrate reading.

“Most teachers are book crazy and value reading, and we want that love to filter through to our students. Reading books for enjoyment builds empathy, resilience and wellbeing.

“Staff were competitive with their character costumes, and we tried to create better ones each year. We also love seeing the different places people come up with to read for the photo competition.

“Reading is an important life skill. It supports communication and students to develop a richness of language which helps them express themselves. We believe developing a love of books equates to life-learning, which is one of our school goals, including teaching students to read well.

“We have a strong focus on learning reading and writing, and part of that is to have fun with books. Book Week is our highlight for the year, and all of our prizes during it are books.

“We love seeing the beautiful new books available for whānau to buy and

also choose ones for our amazing and full library. There is something special about the look of new books and their bright colours. Our teachers stayed after school in the library to make sure parents and grandparents could come in and choose books for their tamariki.

“The Ministry of Education come along to take photos to share the good happening in Northland schools with their colleagues. It is important to celebrate all the good that is happening in our schools and community.” ¢

p Sharlene McCormick, Kaiwaka School principal, shared her love for literacy with the year five and six students

PUZZLE TIME

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Sudoku

Fill

ACROSS: 1 Shape, 4 Pipped at the post, 14 Gross, 15 Small, 16 Conspiracy, 17 Gouda, 19 Gel, 20 Heading, 21 Cinematic, 22 Yields, 25 Knowledge, 27 Keeper, 28 Swarms, 33 Commercial, 35 Arc, 36 Evoked, 37 Step, 39 Kid, 41 Disrobe, 42 Stucco, 43 Mousetrap, 44 Feeds, 45 Smallest, 50 Of, 51 Offender, 55 Nomad, 58 Rearrange, 59 Opaque, 60 Midwife, 61 Tar, 63 Writ, 64 Stable, 65 Oar, 66 Frightened, 68 Ghetto, 69 Crates, 71 Harboured, 76 Cobweb, 77 Sanctuary, 79 Slacken, 81 Rye, 84 Error, 85 Formulated, 86 Tabby, 87 Eases, 88 The back of beyond, 89 Beret. DOWN: 2 Hamlet, 3 Paled, 5 Iron, 6 Pushing, 7 Drivel, 8 Tiara, 9 Haywire, 10 Pigs, 11 Studio, 12 Tongs, 13 Useless, 14 Gallows, 18 Answerable, 23 Debit, 24 Reforms, 26 Numeral, 27 Kickoff, 29 Retired, 30 Podium, 31 Lance, 32 Rebuff, 34 Lots, 36 Edges, 38 Paper, 40 Fete, 45 Strew, 46 Avarice, 47 Lure, 48 Sonata, 49 Smite, 50 Odorous, 52 Faithfully, 53 Nowhere, 54 Eiffel, 55 Newborn, 56 Sabre, 57 Gulf, 62 Limbs, 67 Stables, 68 Guarded, 70 Traffic, 72 Already, 73 Search, 74 Suburb, 75 Pebble, 76 Cease, 78 Curio, 80 Craze, 82 Crab, 83 Keen.

Insert the missing letters to complete ten words — five across the grid and five down. More than one solution may be possible.

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