The Weekend Lifestyler, July 21st 2023

Beauty therapist Charlotte Scott discovered her passion for looking after people’s skin health after living in the USA for 10 years. Now living in Mangawhai, she loves meeting people at her little haven located at Magnolia Farm, where she shares space with a florist

and hairdresser. With a love of the outdoors, Charlotte also enjoys fishing and spending time with her twin sons. Her passion is to help everyone who goes to Bliss Beauty Therapy to feel better about themselves.

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

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Journalists: Ann van Engelen | Liz Clark

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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.

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NORTHPOWER ELECTRIC POWER TRUST (NEPT) NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING

The Annual General Meeting of beneficiaries is to be held at the Northland Events Centre, 51 Okara Drive, Whangārei at 1pm on Wednesday 26 July, 2023. A light lunch will be served at 12.30pm.

Agenda

1 Minutes of last year’s Annual Meeting in July 2022

2 Matters Arising

3 Presentation of the Trust’s Annual Report to Beneficiaries for the year ending 31 March 2023

4 Appointment of an Auditor for the 2023/2024 Financial Year

5 Report on Code of Practice

6 General Business

In accordance with S100 of the Electricity Industry Act 2010 the Consolidated Financial Statements of the Trust for the year ended 31 March 2023 and the Auditors Report on those financial statements will be available for inspection, Monday to Friday, between 9.00am and 4.30pm at the office of the secretary (details below) and at www.northpower.com

Plus Chartered Accountants

22 John Street Whangarei

Phone 09 438 3322

In accordance with S102 of the Electricity Industry Act 2010 — s(2) every beneficiary has one vote — s(3) The quorum for the annual meeting is 20 beneficiaries.

All people in the Kaipara and Whangārei Districts who are connected to the Northpower electricity network are encouraged to attend.

Brent Martin CA, Trust Secretary

Encounter on the seas

u by Amy Fifita

The Waipū Lions Club paper collection campaign has helped two Bream Bay College students participate in the Spirit of Adventure sailing expeditions.

“We are getting newspapers dropped to us from Mangawhai, Wellsford and elsewhere for the campaign to help raise funds for extra activities,” says Waipū Lions Club spokesperson Dave Bell.

“Newspapers and newsprint gets dropped to us at 13 Inverness Lane, Waipū, and we sort it from there. The Lions has been sponsoring sailing trips and things for many years, but the newspaper collection gives us that extra cash that we didn’t have.

“So far, we have collected $2,000 worth of newspapers, of which $1,800 was used to sponsor two students to go on the Spirit of New Zealand. It is great for the youth because they learn a bit of discipline, cooking, cleaning and navigational skills.”

a ship, but we got to go out and do many challenges. It taught me team building and learning to sail.

“I encourage people to go on it and experience it. Many of my friends wanted to go on the Spirit of Adventure but didn’t because of the storms in the morning. Thank you to the Lions for giving me the opportunity to sail on the ship.”

Adara Lunjevich was the other recipient who enjoyed her time on the Spirit of New Zealand.

“It was amazing and definitely an encounter I will remember for a long time. We sailed from Auckland to the Coromandel, stopping off at various islands,” says Adara.

Benjamin Porter was one of the grateful recipients of the funding that allowed them to partake in a Spirit of Adventure voyage.

“My brother Noah had enjoyed it, so I wanted to see what it was like for me. It taught me team building and sailing. It was a great experience to remember,” Benjamin says.

“It was fun. My favourite moments were going on the rafts and paddling to islands, and I enjoyed sailing and helping the crew with the ship.

“I expected some of it, but it was more exciting than I thought it would be. I assumed it would be just being on

“The crew and other children were nice, and going for swims in the morning was incredibly refreshing. We learnt how to use the sails, the ship calls, how to row properly, and to take opportunities when I can. It was a great experience and I’m glad I didn’t miss out on it.

“I am so appreciative of the Lions for their incredible kindness in funding my trip.”

Applications to go on the Spirit of Adventure and the R Tucker Thompson can come from the Bream Bay region. Waipū Lions welcome paper from anywhere and everywhere and can be dropped off at 13 Inverness Lane, Waipū, anytime.

p Adara Lunjevich and her friend Aria on board the Spirit of Adventure amid their journey

“It was amazing and definitely an encounter I will remember for a long time”

Celebrating as a community

u by Amy Fifita

Te Whai Community Trust put on a Matariki event last week after months of planning and collaborating with various people to make it a success.

“It was the third Matariki event we have held. It is important for the community creates more recognition for the maramataka (Māori calendar),” says Kiri.

“The celebration is a way of remembering those that have passed on and to bring closure for those we have lost.

“It is a way of educating around maramataka and the different traditions from various areas of Aotearoa — some celebrate seven stars and others nine.

Kiri says in Taranaki, where she comes from, the Māori New Year is celebrated at the rising of Puanga (the star Rigel).

“All of the cooks scrubbed potatoes for the hāngī so that it could be lit at

THERE

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.

7am. There were 18 chickens, a huge ham, multiple kilograms of neck chops and 10 oven trays of stuffing. It was enough to feed 200 people.

“Between 300 to 350 people arrived to celebrate with us on the day. There were performers like MAJIC who sang beautiful waiata in Māori. There were massive queues for the hāngī, and everyone brought their own plates and utensils to eat with.

“We had Northland Face Painting, who painted stunning artwork on people’s faces, which was a highlight, and Kirituhi, who had tattoos of beautiful Māori designs. We finished the event early, at 4pm, because there was a downpour of rain.

“There are so many passionate and caring people who go above and beyond. We have over 45 community volunteers at Te Whai; that’s not including our volunteer board of trustees. I have got to know these wonderful people and feel very lucky to be a part of this community.”

“I started working at Te Whai in 2019, initially just a few hours, which built into my role of projects manager, where I developed our Te Whai Sages programme where community volunteers provide companionship for seniors and

whānau in the area, then promoted to general manager as of last July.

“Te Whai has been operating since 2015 — every year brings huge growth and new developments. It is always a new beast to figure out, a new challenge, and I’m always up for that.”

Since 2019, Kiri has overseen various Matariki events and has worked closely in the Mangawhai community.

“It felt great to celebrate Matariki and mark the significant moment in time as a community,” says local Jess Holdaway. ¢

Gardens of Beauty

p Te Awanui Matthews, Tipene Matthews (back), Kiri Eriwata, Damon Brown and Melanie Gallo enjoying the garden area at Te Whai

p There were various performances at the event by children and adults on the day

Tan slice

u by Jessica Keesing

INGREDIENTS

Base

170g softened butter

85g sugar

285g flour

1 tsp vanilla

Filling

2 cans condensed milk

4 tbsp golden syrup

225g butter

Topping

½ cup of dark chocolate or milk chunks

METHOD

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy; add vanilla and flour and mix with your hands until everything comes together.

Press two-thirds of the mixture into a sponge roll tin and put it in the fridge while making the filling.

In a medium pot, add all filling ingredients and mix until the butter has melted; don’t let it boil as it catches really easily. Once combined — let cool.

Once cool, pour over the base, then crumble over the remaining base mixture. Cook for 45 minutes at 160C or until there is no jiggle in the filling.

Once removed, immediately add chocolate. Best served cold. ¢

Creating a northern wonderland

u by Amy Fifita

Aaron Millar began with a block of leased block of land that was a former quarry processing site and turned it into a haven for fruiting banana trees in Ruakākā.

“I was born in Whangārei and grew up in Australia with pineapples, sugar cane, bananas and other tropically grown fruit that were locally grown and consumed,” Aaron said.

“Once I discovered I could grow plants, I fused all my teaching, marketing and sales skills for the banana industry. I didn’t appreciate the tropical fruits when I was growing, but as an adult, I am getting into it and have a connection to the fruit I now grow.

“As I started to get into the banana industry, I wanted to start playing around and do something myself. I was sick of looking at all the pampas, tobacco

leaves and gorse on the leased old quarry processing land.

“A few years ago, I was doing backyard gardening with people and working in hospitality. I slowly worked myself out of hospitality into full-time backyard vegetable growing for people.

“My guru Hugh Rose, the original Tallyman, encouraged me to not worry about what ground I’m growing on and to ensure that the bananas are fed so they will do well. He was right. It’s clay and blue rock on the site because the land is an old quarry processing site.

“I can’t dig a hole with a spade and have to use a big blue metal pry bar and

find the rocks and open up the clay. I planted in the holes and put mulch around them so it could break down and feed the soil and the bananas. With time, that creates healthy soil, and now there are heaps of microbes, fungi, worms and all sorts of organisms living in it.”

Aaron recently joined the committee for the Tropical Fruit Growers of New Zealand, which focusses on educating people about growing tropical fruits.

“We get to learn from each other and teach each other how to grow the best fruit possible and work out the infrastructure of logistics with this new industry.

“People are blown away by it to the point where they do not want to buy the locally grown Cavendish because it is too similar to what they are used to. Everyone is eager to taste something different.”

Aaron is running a two-hour banana workshop on Saturday, July 29, with the location disclosed upon booking. To express your interest go to facebook. com/tallymanbananas.

“I love sharing it with other people who get inspired by it. My personality trait finds joy in learning and putting it into practice. The information is there, you have to put the time in and it all comes together.” ¢

p Aaron Millar began with a site without good soil and developed the land into a banana plantation p Before the land was repurposed to be a banana plantation, it was a former quarry processing site

Eyecatchers for the summer garden

u by Liz Clark

Choosing plants for the garden is always a matter of choice; with the warmth of summer around the corner, salvias are an excellent option.

Part of the mint family, salvias come in many varieties ranging in height from a few centimetres to two metres. These plants are sun lovers, and the more sun, the better. They thrive in dry conditions, making them ideal for regions where long, hot, dry summers require conserving water when rainfall is minimal.

Salvias have brittle stems, requiring shelter from strong winds to prevent them from being damaged. Frost is another threat the plants won’t tolerate — plant after the danger of frost has passed.

While their attractive foliage is an eyecatcher, with a great scent if crushed, it’s the flowers that make them so desirable for the summer garden. The fragrant blooms range in colour from bright red to white and very deep blue shades, making excellent fodder for bees and other beneficial pollinators. Salvias are so versatile that they can be planted in pots or large containers, used as focal points or mass planted in borders. Colour is up to personal preference. While good soil is preferable, not every garden has that ideal situation.

If you have clay, build up the soil with plenty of compost and other organic matter to improve drainage. It’s far better to prepare the planting area for salvias well in advance. However, caution is also required to ensure the planting bed does not hold too much moisture — salvias do best in dry conditions. Liquid feed the plants during the growing season to maintain healthy growth and continuous blooming.

Pruning should be done to remove spent flowers and dead foliage. Trim spent flower stems back to the base of the plant and remove to encourage

repeat blooming. Annual varieties should be removed once the flowers and foliage are spent. Prune perennial salvias hard back after flowering has finished — reduce by half or more depending on the cultivar. Herbaceous varieties should be pruned to ground level after blooming has ended. Always ensure your pruning equipment is sharp and clean before use to discourage disease from afflicting the plants.

Talk to your local nursery professional about options for your garden, or look online for more information. ¢

Big board gathers momentum

u by Amy Fifita

The world’s largest skateboard project at the Mangawhai Activity Zone is one step further in being ready to be displayed with help from Ryan Lusty.

“We were gifted the world’s largest skateboard. It was created by the New Zealand Olympic Committee to celebrate skateboarding at the Tokyo Olympics,” MAZ trustee Simon Bennett said.

“The board is 12 metres long and three metres wide and has a full set of skate wheels that are the size that you would put on a vehicle. The rims on it were rusty and only designed to last a few months, and we are making it so we can mount it at the activity zone as a sculpture and can last for at least 20 years.

“I asked Ryan from Engtech Engineering if he was interested in sandblasting and painting the rims to

look amazing. He offered to do it for nothing and coated it with a wonderful red enamel.

“I am incredibly happy with it and grateful for their contribution. They have a sandblaster and could tidy it up because it was quite rusty from sitting out in the weather for a while.

“We have more work to do on the board and are waiting for grants to come through for the frames to hold it up. We should know if we are receiving the grants at the beginning of August.

“We are doing some immediate waterproofing work on the board. It will be an iconic display for the district and the town.”

Simon says the project has also had assistance from other companies, such as RS Engineering and Mangawhai Engineering and Marine, which are building the structure and storing the board.

“I came from Atlas Concrete, and I built a new concrete plant in Warkworth for them. I met Ryan by living locally and he and Tracey offered me a role as manager,” Engtech Engineering manager Troy Rolfe-Vyson said.

“Ryan did most of the work in his spare time. We reached out to the Whangārei Paint Centre to see if they were interested in donating the paint. We are grateful to Keith McGregor, who

organised and had the paint donated for the project.

“The wheels were sandblasted, and then media blasted with garnet, sealed around the joins and painted red. We put three coats on the wheels so they were ready to have tyres put on.”

The team is looking forward to seeing the skateboard finished and displayed at the MAZ.

“It is great to be able to give back to the community as we get a lot of work and support from the local community. My kids love using the MAZ park and I’m happy that I could help out for such a fantastic project,” Ryan says. ¢

p John Grundy, Troy Rolfe-Vyson and Kyle McLeod proudly showing off the finished skateboard rims p Simon Bennett, Mangawhai Activity Zone trustee, said the original rims on the board were rusty and only designed to last a few months

Carers of trees

u by Amy Fifita

An arborist’s work scope is vast; the job entails more than just cutting branches and pruning shrubs.

Often people know who to call if a snapped tree branch is hanging above their roof or there’s a fallen tree. Arborists do much more than wield a powerful chainsaw and adorn themselves with safety gear. They are horticultural specialists and soil health experts; some people even refer to them as tree doctors.

They are also a wealth of soil health knowledge. If you have concerns for your plants, getting a soil test is a useful idea.

Once the results are back, an arborist can assist. Arborists can recommend or apply fertilisers and other methods to restore nutrients and life to your soil.

If you are proud of your garden, at some point, an arborist will be required to come in to prune and restore your greenery to health. If new trees are desirable to brighten the space or want

advice on deciding what shrubs to plant for the next season, they can help.

Another good time to engage an arborist is if you have relocated to a new property and are uncertain about tree safety there. They can assess and identify potential risks and create an action plan to achieve them. An arborist also thinks ahead and has the know-how to prevent or minimise risks of trees and

branches. Pest and disease control is also within their field of expertise.

The signs can be as minor as small holes in tree bark or more obvious, like leaf discolouration. An arborist can monitor what is happening and inform you if your greenery has a disease or infection.

They can then tend your trees and plants back to health. An arborist can be called for many horticultural concerns and have a healthy, well-maintained garden once they have finished their tree care. Once the work is complete, it will be a natural haven for humans and birdlife to enjoy. ¢

p Arborists can help tend to various horticultural needs to restore and optimise tree health

Once the work is complete, it will be a natural haven for humans and birdlife to enjoy

Your local health and safety provider

Annette Pull from Total Business Compliance Ltd has helped multiple farmers, contractors and businesses with Worksafe incidents and accidents investigation.

“Our clients are very pleased with the outcomes, having everything in place for health and safety and our support when it comes to these times,” she says.

Annette would like to take this opportunity to thank all her clients. “We are so grateful for your continued support and are certain we are meeting your expectations. This is what our clients say about us. Thank you for your kind words.”

1. “Lugtigheid Contracting has been with Annette for the company’s health and safety for many years now. We recently had an on-farm accident, to which Annette responded INSTANTLY. Helping us from start to finish and was always there for us and our employee. Annette was professional, compassionate, and extremely helpful. Annette’s communication was outstanding! Thank you so much Annette.”

2. “Kaipara Refuse has worked alongside Annette at Total Business Compliance since 2018. Over this time, Annette has offered her professional advice and services to us, which has been invaluable to the smooth running of our company and the everchanging health and safety and employment environment. We love working with Annette, and would highly recommend her and Total Business Compliance.”

3. “Annette from Total Business Compliance is a great asset to our farming business. Annette’s knowledge, support and understanding of our business throughout the years have been outstanding. She is always there when you need that bit of extra knowledge and is only a phone call away. We have purchased the signs, and these are well-made and done up with all the information you need them to have. Total Business Compliance Ltd offers a wide range of health and safety, including hazards identification, staff training, signage, policies and procedures, staff house inspections and staff performance reviews. I would like to thank Annette for her help over the years.” — Kylie

4. “Annette has been very helpful at getting our farm’s health and safety programme up and running. She continues to work with us and keep our programme updated with the everchanging requirements — all with a smile on her face. Definitely recommended if you’re a busy farm or just need a helping hand.”

Annette Pull can be contacted on 027 286 2329 for all your health and safety needs. ¢

CALL IN THE EXPERTS

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He says this allows them to have an odour free septic tank with low maintenance costs. He also says that his service person is amazed at how well Septi-CureTM works, keeping their tank in very good condition. *Results may vary

Breakthrough

Call in the bug busters

u by Andy Bryenton

There are few jobs which come with such a high threshold for the creepy and crawly, and a strong resistance to frights, but when you need a pest problem resolved, there’s only one profession to turn to.

Animal control experts and pest exterminators deal with the raging, rabid, wriggly and recalcitrant insects and critters we’d rather not share a home with. In New Zealand, this often means taking pre-emptive measures to ward off flies, cockroaches, wasps and ants or removing possums and rodents that have set up home next to humans. However, some pest wranglers around the world have bigger tasks to tackle.

Perhaps the most legendary pest control pro of all time was Edward ‘Teddy’ May, a man who was short of stature but encyclopaedic in his knowledge of New York’s sewers. Tales of alligators in those pipes come from his own accounts of having to deal with them, retrieving jewellery, battling rats, exterminating snakes and being the last living person to have a complete map of the underworld beneath the Big Apple.

It was one of his latter-day colleagues who responded to the worst insect infestation outside of the book of Exodus. In June of 1979, a city official went to a home in Schenectady, New York, to investigate complaints of a barking dog and discovered a scene from a horror movie. Police were called when the

animal control man noticed that the street in front of the house was covered in living cockroaches. They spilt out the windows, and officers reported that they were ‘ankle deep’ inside. To eradicate the infestation, houses within a three-block radius were fumigated, and the home where the megaswarm was hatched had to be demolished. While New York had alligator and cockroach issues, the modern city of Dubai has its own plague. Feral pigeons are a real problem for the city of skyscrapers, and their droppings can become a toxic hazard in the dry and windy conditions there. The pest control solution comes from Arabic history, the use of falconers. Hunting using these trained predatory birds is traditionally a noble sport in Arab culture, so there was a strong tradition to draw on when the local Emir called for a pigeon-busting flying squad.

BIO LOO

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It’s unlikely that you’ll ever need Teddy May’s ‘gator gun’, the Emir’s air force of falcons, or a wrecking ball to deal with pests at your place. Still, it’s good to know that there are local professionals with just as much courage and innovation ready to help if they are needed.

Toilet building at your cost. These toilets are the good looking, sensible answer to human organic waste management. Environmentally friendly, they are economical easy to install and require little maintenance

Toilets are vented so there are no unpleasant odours, no need for toilet cleaners or room deodoriser. They meet all required NZ Standards and building codes and are in use by DOC and regional councils. Cheaper to purchase and install compared to other systems, right from the start. You can leave the system to work for you and in the end will have safe, composted material that can be used in your gardens

Great for you and Better for the planet!

CALL US NOW ON 0800 246 566 WWW.BIOLOO.CO.NZ

p In the history of pest control and sanitation, Edward May is perhaps the greatest legend; the man who is reputed to have fought alligators, snakes and ‘rats as big as dogs’ under New York

The modalities of beauty

u by Ann van Engelen Beauty therapist

Charlotte Scott lived in Los Angeles, USA, for 10 years upon leaving school before returning to New Zealand and finding her way into a beauty therapy career.

“I grew up in Devonport from 10 years old and had a very outdoorsy lifestyle,” says Charlotte.

“Every school holiday, my family would go to Great Barrier Island, and, eventually, my parents built a house and moved there while I was overseas. My sister has a place there now and I try to visit as often as possible. I love the laid-back lifestyle that is on the island, getting back to basics and all the outdoor activities it has to offer.

“I’ve always had a passion for beauty therapy and looking after yourself. When I was living in LA, I worked with a fabulous bunch of girlfriends who were getting into the beauty business. This inspired me to explore the industry more.

“When I returned to New Zealand, I married and had identical twin boys.

I decided to get into the industry myself and worked part-time and studied beauty therapy part-time for a year and a half at House of Camille when the boys were seven years old.

“I qualified in 2000 and started my own business Bliss Beauty Therapy. I worked from home as I wanted to be a hands-on mum and have the flexibility to be involved with the boy’s activities and schooling.

“We moved to Mangawhai 18 years ago, and until last year, I continued working in both locations. I loved my Auckland clients, they became family, and I had looked after some for 22 years. It was with a heavy heart that I closed my Auckland clinic to concentrate on my clinic here.

“I love to walk, fish, dive, eat fabulous food, travel and spend time with my twins, who are 31 years old now. I belong to Fit 365 gym and love the master classes. I also enjoy creating things and recently started doing ceramics.”

Charlotte has continued to evolve over time, constantly training and upskilling herself.

“I recently moved Bliss to Magnolia Farm at 110 Moir Street, Mangawhai and work next to Kim at Magnolia Hair and Vanessa at Miss Botanicals floral studio. We have an amazing set-up and offer the best we can to our clients.

“What I love most about beauty therapy is looking after my clients and making them feel good and look fabulous. It is so rewarding to help someone feel good about themselves,

“What I love most about beauty therapy is looking after my clients and making them feel good and look fabulous”

p The team at Magnolia Farm — Charlotte, Kim and Vanessa

whether it is an eyebrow tidy, tint, a facial or helping them with make-up.

“I like to source natural products as much as possible and stay away from chemicals and ingredients that aren’t beneficial to you. Recently I welcomed Bridget, a new therapist, to the clinic who brings 18 years of experience and loves everything to do with skin. Her facial and skincare knowledge is sublime, and her amazing hands will leave you floating.”

Charlotte believes to have beautiful skin, you need to look at your gut health as they are related.

“It’s not just about skin — it’s the whole psyche of your body. Your gut has to be happy because it rules everything, and if something is out of balance, it shows in your skin. A happy gut means a happy body and healthy skin.

“If someone has skin concerns, I look at their whole lifestyle and diet and recommend changes they could make. We have partnered with some

specialised practitioners who can also help where we can’t.

“I like my facials to be intuitive and full of integrity. You pick up the energy flow, and this can guide you to give an amazing facial. I carry the Environ range, which is South African, vitamin A based and has incredible results.

“We offer some amazing modalities, including LED Light Technology, the Exceed for collagen induction therapy and the Environ DF machine, which is patented to Environ, and there is no other machine like it in the world. Environ creates scientifically researched and developed skin care products that make a lasting difference to the appearance of the skin so you can have beautiful skin for a lifetime.

“The formula of Environ is entirely based on the need to help replenish all the nutrients lost by exposure to the sun and environmental factors. I also have my own skincare range called Lottie’s Skincare. This range is small

but offers some amazing products, including Vitamin C, hyaluronic serum, moisturising foam cleanser and moisturisers along with other products like a beautiful gel exfoliator that won’t scratch your skin.

“I believe it is just as important for men to have facials and grooming because they need to feel good about themselves and like how they look and feel too. It is more accepted now for men to have regular facials, back or chest waxing and their nose or ear hair taken care of.

“Men and women often don’t realise that a hairy chin, upper lip, ears or nose hair can be taken care of, and they are often nervous about asking, but for us, it is totally normal to help them.

“After being in the industry for so long, I have a wide network of fabulous professionals who can manage hormones or offer appearance medicine. We love working alongside Dr Michele McVie. I do electrolysis for hair removal,

and, as an example, I had an older lady who had been getting electrolysis for years, and it never worked.

“She came to me, and we decided to wax the area because she had endured years of painful electrolysis. It was expensive and clearly wasn’t working. Now she comes in monthly for waxing, and life is so much easier.

“I like to create a safe, relaxing atmosphere where my clients can unwind and take time out for themselves. It is rewarding knowing you are making someone feel special, cared for and making them feel the best no matter what treatment they are having.

“We belong to the Beauty Therapy Association, so people know that they are in safe hands. Bridget and myself are fully qualified beauty therapists and take pride that we can offer our clients treatments with the confidence that we are fully trained in every aspect of the skin, waxing and all modalities that go along with beauty.” ¢

“I believe it is just as important for men to have facials and grooming because they need to feel good about themselves and like how they look and feel too”

p Family time with her twin sons is something Charlotte treasures

p Charlotte studied beauty therapy when her sons were young so she could have a career that worked around family life

p Charlotte enjoys that her clients relax as she takes care of their skin needs

p Being out of the water fishing is one of Charlotte’s favourite pastimes

p Charlotte enjoys spending time in the outdoors with friends and family

A plunge for fun

u by Amy Fifita

Waipū Cove Surf Lifesaving Club is warmly inviting the community to join them for its annual

Swim on Sunday, July 23, at noon.

“I began surf lifesaving after my children were doing the Junior Surf Nippers and started coaching,” WCSLC captain Kath Manning said.

“I have taken on a few roles in the club and love coaching, instructing and the development that the search and rescue training has given me.

“The club has been doing this event on and off for about 20 years and consistently for the last five years. I have been running the event for the last few years.”

“Normally, when we are watching people swim between the flags, everyone is choosing to get in and enjoying being

on their bodyboards. This swim is different, and it is a fun community day.

“Everyone starts on the shore, and all of them get in at once, and they are screaming and having fun. People dress up in tartan and all manner of fun costumes like the Loch Ness Monster.

“People love it and have a barrel of laughs, and it makes you feel alive and refreshed. It doesn’t last long, but some people stay on to challenge themselves to see how long they can stay in the water. Everyone comes into the club for a hot shower to warm up, and we have spot prizes and hot drinks available.”

Kath says the water is not as cold as when the surf lifesaving team got into the water in Dunedin last year for search and rescue training.

“I have also swum in Loch Ness when I was on my overseas experience doing a tour of Scotland and seeing the sights. We thought that we would only be there once and decided to jump off of the wharf and it was freezing when we took the plunge. We had not planned it in advance and were not prepared, so one of the local boatsmen gave us a towel so we could dry off at the end.”

Preseason training begins in September, and the club asks that

anyone interested make contact. For further information, go to waipucoveslsc. org.nz.

“I urge people to not swim alone, know their limits and swim to their ability. If you see someone in trouble in the water, call 111. The police have a direct line to the emergency lifesaving call-out squad.

“I love seeing the young lifeguards develop in lifesaving and their personal lives with life skills and becoming leaders. The service they are doing for the community is great. I have made many friends being part of the club and enjoy being involved in it.” ¢

p The community gathers at Waipū Cove annually for the Waipū Winter Festival Midwinter Swim organised by the Waipū Cove Surf Lifesaving Club

p Ava Pullan and Laura Manning, rookie lifeguards celebrate the fun event for the community

PUZZLE TIME

Jumbo crossword

Sudoku

Last week’s crossword solution

ACROSS: 1 Album, 4 Have a sixth sense, 14 Annoy, 15 Steel, 16 Crossroads, 17 Tired, 19 Tot, 20 Parsnip, 21 Realistic, 22 Aphids, 25 Demanding, 27 Sundae, 28 Sticky, 33 Accomplish, 35 Web, 36 Secure, 37 Brag, 39 Urn, 41 Deficit, 42 Pewter, 43 Laughable, 44 Brawl, 45 Magnetic, 50 Is, 51 Taciturn, 55 Fight, 58 Numerical, 59 Ashore, 60 Amounts, 61 Pal, 63 Axle, 64 Statue, 65 Inn, 66 Motherhood, 68 Ending, 69 Weapon, 71 Brilliant, 76 Threat, 77 Mausoleum, 79 Road hog, 81 Ash, 84 Stale, 85 Daydreamer, 86 Rainy, 87 Slows, 88 Tip of the iceberg, 89 Patch.

DOWN: 2 Lethal, 3 Users, 5 Airy, 6 Eastern, 7 Stroll, 8 X-rays, 9 Hessian, 10 Eats, 11 Script, 12 Knots, 13 Mystify, 14 Addicts, 18 Disappoint, 23 Admit, 24 Catcall, 26 Emotion, 27 Suburbs, 29 Caribou, 30 Eczema, 31 Swots, 32 Trauma, 34 Heed, 36 Sneak, 38 Green, 40 Thai, 45 Mania, 46 Gambled, 47 Ears, 48 Incite, 49 Agape, 50 Italian, 52 Competitor, 53 Toughen, 54 Ration, 55 Flatter, 56 Chant, 57 Grim, 62 Stall, 67 Undress, 68 Embassy, 70 Plaudit, 72 Rhubarb, 73 Malawi, 74 Cleric, 75 Cognac, 76 Throw, 78 Style, 80 Drama, 82 Veto, 83 Beer.

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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LUNCH

THE GALLERY

The Gallery has a wide-ranging collection of art by established and emerging New Zealand artists, many of which are Northland based – this includes contemporary Maori and Pacific artists. There is an outstanding selection of paintings, wood art, handmade furniture, sculpture, jewellery, glass and ceramics. Our catalogue changes frequently, so please make an enquiry and we’ll confirm with you.

GALLERY HOURS: OPEN SEVEN DAYS, 10AM TO 5PM

CONTACT PETER 09 433 9616 | PETE@GALLERYHELENABAY.CO.NZ

THE CAFE

Discover the Cafe on Helena Bay Hill, along the Secret Coast Route. We’re ready to serve fair-trade coffee and delicious snacks from our cabinet. Relax in the ambiance of spectacular ocean and bush views and a warm atmosphere with the camaraderie of attentive and personable staff. It’s not just another cafe, it’s an experience!

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THURSDAY - MONDAY FROM 10AM TO LATE AFTERNOON.

CONTACT CAFE 09 433 9934

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