The Weekend Lifestyler, September 1st 2023

A heart for art

Life changed for Mangawhai Artists Inc member John Ecuyer and his wife Anne when he was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer two years ago. Now, after a year of good health, John is again focussing on his art and creating carved fish as a

result of redecorating their 1960s-era property. During his treatment, a big joy was discovering Nelson pounamu which he continues to create jade beads from for his signature necklaces.

continued on page 12 …

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Golfers support Te Whai

u by Ann van Engelen

After unprecedented rain on the Mangawhai Golf Course, a warm, sunny day recently welcomed a full field of golfers for a one-off special charity fundraising tournament for Te Whai Community Trust.

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“Te Whai Community Trust Mangawhai is a charitable trust working since 2015 to bring social services that are lacking into the Mangawhai area,” said charity golf event organiser Mary-Anne Boyd.

“Te Whai aims to improve strength, resilience and safety, provide opportunities for social connection, and reduce barriers for access to support and participation.

“For the charity golf day, we had local beverages and hospitality and gourmet items in hand-woven harakeke kete like those used for Te Whai’s Christmas Aroha Baskets, which are presented to more than 100 families in the area each year.

connect with mentors and youth leaders is important.”

The Te Whai Rangatahi (Youth) Zone in the red shed at MAZ, Mangawhai Community Park, has pilot programmes for 11 to 18 years.

“Te Whai manager Kiri Eriwata and specialist occupational therapist Susi King have been connecting with youth programmes in other contexts, and surveys invited teenagers to design what would work for them.

“They have shown that participants benefit from learning tools for managing stress and conflict, building relationships and concepts of wellbeing, where to turn when they or a friend have low

“There’s an increase in youth mental health problems and lots of anxiety around school, Covid and the security of where things are heading. Mangawhai youth in 2021–22 said: ‘a lot of the time we’re bored — we want to feel safe, there’s nothing to do if you’re not into skateboarding, surfing or other sport’.

“Requests to Te Whai confirm the need for teens and young adults to connect with others in safe contexts to build a sense of identity and wellbeing. As well as home and a learning environment, they need a teen/ rangatahi space they can decorate, care for and engage in creative, conservation and other activities together, and

wellbeing or suicidal ideas. Young people involved reported increased empathy, compassion and satisfaction in meeting challenges. They value the conversations they had, the increased acceptance of self and the diversity of others. They experienced reduced depression and anxiety, have better regulation of emotions and found pleasure in items they created and in the food they shared.

“Sue Poynter, chair of Te Whai, says ‘Te Whai Community Trust is very grateful for the support and participation in the golf tournament. It will help develop relevant social services where these are lacking. We especially hope this will enable us to work with others to strengthen local services for rangatahi’.”

Auckland Home Show giveaway winners

Congratulations to Corralie Betts, Graeme Ware, and Ken and Linda, all of whom can attend the huge Auckland Home Show next week, thanks to

a ticket giveaway in conjunction with the show’s organisers and this publication. Enjoy all the colour, style and inspiration of this massive event.

p The golf course had a full house playing on the day

“Te Whai aims to improve strength, resilience and safety”

Plantings help environment

u by Ann van Engelen

The Waipū Waters Community Nursery has grown since its creation last year thanks to the volunteers who now have 10,000 plants ready to be planted in waterways and other areas.

“Our group are volunteers, and the nursery plants have a 97 per cent survival rate,” says spokesperson Paul Grace.

“We have had a couple of grants to help us, which have come via the assistance of the Piroa Community Trust, as we have come under their umbrella. They look after flora, fauna, pests and water in the greater Waipū catchment area and have around 30 groups that dovetail into them.

“Water is our main focus, and with the PCT’s help, we can concentrate on growing our plants and then riparian planting around the Waipū waterways. We recently supplied plants for the Goddard farm. This was after the Whitebait Connection programme’s people discovered massive spawning inanga on the farm. They estimate more than a quarter of a million in the area, and inanga are the food Fairy Tern thrives on.

“The Fairy Tern eggs are sometimes taken to Auckland to be hatched. Inanga being their favourite food makes them conditional to the survival of the Fairy Tern, so it’s essential that the inanga survive. On the Goddard Farm, they were able to plant the banks of the area

straight away using our plants, and the local school helped.

“Lately, it’s been too wet to do riparian planting, so we have focussed on potting and creating plants. We want to assist farmers and lifestyle block owners who require riparian planting around their fenced waterways.

“Lifestyle block owners are a big part of the local environment, too. To participate in our riparian planting plans, their waterways must be fenced, or stock will eat our delectable, bakerystyle plants in a heartbeat. We also have Darren Clooney onboard, who does site

assessments and creates planting plans. He’s excellent, super professional and does superb sketches. He works with our nursery manager, Coralie Roberts, and they plan what areas need and tailor our plantings for each project.

“Spring is near and the plants at Waipū Waters Community Nursery are thriving. Many of them will soon be planted around the local area, and we are on a mission to keep the supply up. Our volunteers meet every Thursday to pot the plants and do other chores.

“This year, we received the Achievement Award at the Piroa Conservation Trusts annual awards

night. It was with special thanks to Coralie Roberts, Liz Grace, Valerie Hazel, Kathryn Clark and Annie Newell, who turn up every Thursday, and a very special thanks to David Brown, whose land the nursery is on.

“Volunteers are always welcome at our potting half-days at the

and at one of our riparian planting days. Our nursery manager and contact is Coralie Roberts on 027 432 0293.”

For riparian planting days, contact Paul Grace at 021 159 8521 or Peter Grant at 021 686 820. 

Waipū Waters Community Nursery

p Keith Jacobs, Tim and Coralie Roberts erecting shade cloth above the Waipū Waters Community Nursery

“The Fairy Tern eggs are sometimes taken to Auckland to be hatched”

Inspiring rural opportunities

u by Amy Fifita

Hauora Taiwhenua is sending 14 medical student volunteers to Northland schools this month to encourage youth into a healthcare profession in farming communities. recovering from accidents or injuries. It is a small place with a large rural community in the surrounding areas. I worked alongside them to achieve their personal goals.

“I am a second-year physiotherapy student,” said volunteer Abigail Joyce.

“My family’s marae is in Kāeo and I have connected with many iwi and family networks. I grew up in Hamilton and in a Māori family who were supportive. When I was 21 years old, I moved to Alexandra.

“I lived in Alexandra, in the South Island, for a few years working as a support worker mainly with elderly clients

“The experience made me passionate about reaching rural areas because while I was there I realised how many access limitations there were for people.

“There are teams of different healthcare professionals working together to help you along the way. After I have earned experience, I want to move to the North to provide support to the small communities there. I can make a positive impact on many people’s lives.

“There is a vast array of opportunities available in rural areas and I am motivated to reduce the inequalities that exist in healthcare.”

Brooklyn Wilson is volunteering with Abigail and 12 other medical students. She was born in Dargaville and grew up in Ruawai and Mangawhai, and is in her second year of study to become a doctor.

“It was special growing up rurally and I am very excited to go back to where I came from and plant seeds,” Brooklyn says.

“Becoming a doctor wasn’t on my radar. I took a gap year and then studied biochemistry and marine science. My love

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for people and communities led me towards medicine. By making friends who were doing medical school, it humanised the profession and it made it an attainable goal.

“There are many opportunities rurally that you don’t get in bigger areas. You know everyone and their families and you get a real sense of community. That is what has fostered my desire to go back.

“I want to tell the students what I didn’t know when I was in high school. It puts a face to the job and shows them that it is not out of reach — there are rural programmes and entrants schemes and we are well supported.

“We can bring more from understanding the rural lifestyle and that is valuable to bring to a health career. I

am at the beginning of my journey and I am open to possibilities, but I know what I want and love.” 

In the July 28 edition of The Weekend Lifestyler we erroneously captioned a photo for the article, Pioneering teacher of Waipū, about Aeneas Morrison. The former Central School building was moved to the Waipū Scottish Migration Museum’s Heritage Centre in 2017, nor was it ever at One Tree Point. We thank you for bringing this to our attention.

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p Abigail Joyce became passionate about creating access for rural communities after witnessing the need firsthand during her time as a support worker at Alexandra

Trackies restore boardwalk

u by Ann van Engelen

The Mangawhai community are voicing their thanks to the Mangawhai Trackies for restoring the much loved Back Bay track and boardwalk after it was damaged during cyclone Gabrielle.

“The Back Bay boardwalk was half destroyed during the cyclone,” says trackie Gordon Hosking.

“We had lots of feedback from the community asking when it would be fixed so it was important to us to get it restored. We put in around 800 volunteer hours of work getting it back into the same shape it was before the storm.

“We purchased $30k worth of materials and did a bunch of extra work to try and ensure it doesn’t get destroyed like that again.”

The team added ground anchors and braced the poles to help keep the structure sturdy and secure.

“Part of the funding came from the Opportunity Factory fund which was very generous to us, and we had our

own resources along with funding from last year’s Walking Weekend. We are also grateful to Mangawhai Bunnings for sponsoring the boardwalk rebuild.

“We are very pleased with the result and are pretty confident it won’t suffer from the same type of event again. It has been popular since it opened, with 20,000 people across it in the first year. I live in Back Bay and look down on the track. Since opening the new shared path there has been a continuous stream of people on the walkway.

“Our next job is to do work on the walkway itself as it floods down one end with the spring tides and it needs draining. We have applied to the council for funding and will make little low boardwalks and another short

boardwalk. We have cleared the debris from the storm but want to make it so you can walk it every tide. We are now working toward the Tanekaha tracks which need restoration work with slips and trees coming down.”

The Trackies are also working at the Lincoln Downs Farm bush block which has been designated as a park by the council.

“We are currently building the walking tracks and talking with the council to finalise public access and parking for the future. Our group love doing what we do, it keeps us off the streets. When

we finish these projects we are so delighted. Our biggest reward is seeing people using them. We enjoy being together as a group, it’s a social thing. Trackies like practical work because they are practical people who see solutions to problems.

“Anyone can join us, we are always looking for younger helpers as we are all pretty old — most of us are retired. We work mostly on Friday mornings. They are a very talented mob who enjoy doing things for the community.”

For more information go to mangawhaitracks.com. 

p The Mangawhai Trackies gather annually at the Tanekaha Tracks

p Rebuilding the Back Bay boardwalk took the Trackies 800 plus hours of volunteer work

Tangy tamarillos

u by Liz Clark

It used to be an adventure waiting for the neighbour’s ‘tomato tree’ to ripen its luscious fruit from autumn, winter and into early spring. The buckets would come out, and several young children would be merrily picking the red treasures from the groaning tree. Versatile, delicious and tart — tamarillos are closely related to the guava family. Introduced to New Zealand in the 1880s, the fruiting species was further developed in the 1920s into the red variety we are so familiar with today.

Commercial cultivation was established in Northland, the Bay of Plenty and Hawke’s Bay where they are still grown. Still, you don’t need a plantation to enjoy the taste of

tamarillos — they can be easily grown in the garden. The only drawback is that these small trees can be damaged by frosts, especially when young. Site choice is important; it must be warm, sunny and sheltered from strong winds. The trees are shallow-rooted and will need staking, so plan carefully. Planting time is during spring and early summer, depending on the region.

Your new tree will need nutrient-rich, free-draining soil to have a good start. If you have clay soil, it’s advisable to build up a raised mound, topped with compost and a mixture of potting mix to

provide a good base. If the base soil is free-draining and friable, dig a square hole rather than a round one twice the width and depth of the pot. Fill the base with a mixture of compost and soil until it fills half of the planting hole. Water the tree before removing it from the planting bag and leave the roots undisturbed. The roots will find their way into the soil. Place the tree in the centre of the hole, then fill and firm down. Ensure stakes are set in well clear of the root ball and secure.

Once your tamarillo is established, it will produce fruit around 18 months after

planting. Fruiting occurs between May and September and sometimes into October, depending on the variety. All tamarillos are self-fertile and will not need a pollinator.

Once the tree grows to one metre tall, pinch out the central growing tip to encourage branching. Remove any dead and old damaged growth from the tree if frost damage occurs. Regular applications of a balanced NPK fertiliser will keep your tree strong and healthy. Talk to your local nursery professional about available varieties. 

An exchange student experience

u by Ann van Engelen

“Like a lot of voluntary organisations nowadays, a lot of older people are in Rotary,” says Mark.

“Kathy and I still have kids going to school so we offered to have Lars and it has been a great experience so far. All of us are learning things on both sides about our different places and cultures. Our daughter Charlotte is the same age and very outgoing so it’s been very good for her to introduce him to her circle of friends at Otamatea High School.

“Mangawhai Rotary is currently raising funds to send local girl Taylor to Switzerland for 12 months starting in January with a total cost of around $25,000. Lars is in New Zealand for 12 months. Anyone who would like to help sponsor the project to send Taylor to Switzerland can contact us at Mangawhai Rotary. It would be very much appreciated.”

Lars says he has always wanted to visit New Zealand.

“My father was born in Auckland but I had never been to New Zealand. I am enjoying the school, it is very different to Switzerland. At home,

every day is different and some days we have lunch at 11am. There is no set timetable and we can’t choose the subjects.

“The food is similar but here there is more countryside. I am used to cities and villages — within 10 minutes on a bicycle, I am at the next village. I go to school by train and public transport, which in general is very frequent so we go everywhere that way.

“Overall I want to speak better English and get to know the country and am enjoying seeing the different things in nature here. I joined the Whangarei Youth Orchestra, because I have played the French Horn for around eight years now and I brought it with me so I can keep practising. The orchestra is a very good opportunity for me to continue with my music.

“I am enjoying being a part of the Youth Exchange Programme and highly recommend other people look at doing it. I think it’s a good opportunity for young people because it gives you a good chance to get to know something different.

“One thing that has been good is I get to get up an hour later than usual, because at home school starts at 7.45am, with the first lesson. It’s a challenge to learn another language and culture. While I’m here, I’m going to do a South Island trip for three weeks with other exchange students and I am

looking forward to going sailing with the school.

“I appreciate the opportunity to be here and think that Taylor will have a great time in Switzerland next year. You learn so much about different cultures and ways of life that you might not otherwise get to do.” 

Mangawhai Rotary member Mark Bygrave and his wife Kathy are hosting Rotary Youth Exchange student Lars Leu from Flurlingen, Switzerland.

p Lars Leu with Mark and Charlotte Bygrave visiting the Kauri Museum in Matakohe

“My father was born in Auckland but I had never been to New Zealand”

Hybridised in style

u by Amy Fifita

When creating the lifestyle you want with a new build, there is more to consider than which builder to use, such as how to approach the project sustainably.

There has been a growing interest in hybridised homes. The construction uses custom methods of your house’s structure and it provides a blend of traditional and modern themes adding an extra element of style.

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Hybrid homes add flexibility and you can arrange room designs to suit your lifestyle. One benefit is being able to use newer and more durable materials in hightraffic and tougher treated areas. You can be inspired by aged houses and find ways to create that in your new build.

If you are an eager entertainer, you might opt to have a spacious dining room with beautiful wood floors and a high

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The kitchen is another space that people like to feature the old-world charm. The presence of wood or stone will add interest to the room and you can showcase part of what you love about older structures.

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p Hybrid homes allow you to use traditional building styles with modern necessities and conveniences to cater to the way you live

Changing rooms, changing names

u by Andy Bryenton

The more things change, the more they stay the same, or so it’s said. This is very true about the language we use to describe the rooms in our homes.

Modern homes are unlikely to have rooms like the ‘spinster’s garret’, an attic apartment for unmarried aunts, or a ‘bootblack’s kennel’, a tiny room for a servant who polished shoes. Rooms, and the needs of homes, have changed with the times.

In olden times, the drawing room, parlour and kitchen were all areas of social interaction. Kitchens were not just the preserve of cookery, but also the informal heart of the home, where family could relax at the table and let down the mask of prim respectability.

Instead, the parlour was for entertaining formal guests, and the drawing room (short for withdrawing) was a social space for friends and neighbours. To give some idea of the level of formality attached, if you were meeting someone in the parlour, the very best china would be laid out and you’d wear your Sunday best. The drawing room was slightly more casual, though a tie was not optional!

Today, many homes have a formal dining room and a family kitchen, or a living room for adult guests and a family room for toys and video games, reflecting a mellowing of this old-fashioned design

trend. Even more informal was the billiard room, which was the vintage version of the ‘man cave’; a place where gentlemen could talk sports, politics and scandals while having a drink and playing games.

The home office is a big part of modern life, but in olden times it was often known as a closet. Both men and women kept small, separate bedrooms adjoining the master bedroom, which contained books and equipment for their business and hobbies. These were called master’s closets. Bigger

homes had libraries and studies, too, or a conservatory; not a place for ferns and suntans, but a room just for music, which we’d call a listening room today.

Butler’s pantries and sculleries are back in many modern homes, though without the servants. They hide away wine racks, foodstuffs, washing and cleaning equipment and products to make the kitchen seem bigger and more streamlined. Our modern walk-

in wardrobes would have been called robing or corseting suites long ago, where servants helped the homeowner put on elaborate formal dress. One room we’re glad has gone away is the garderobe; a combination of the toilet and walk-in wardrobe which thankfully was ‘cancelled’ after mediaeval times! 

p The Victorian-era parlour was the formal face of the home, filled with patriotic ornamentation and displays of status

Spring Spruce Up

The ultimate cover up

u by Amy Fifita

Add a stylish and personal touch with some stunning curtains or blinds to deter light and dust and set the atmosphere for your home.

Curtains and blinds help set the ambience of your rooms and can be used to express your personal style.

Refresh your space with vibrant colours and make a statement with your curtains or blinds. Colour blocking is in vogue, as are jewel tones and blues, pinks, yellows and greens. For a bolder effect, opt for some courageous patterns and geometric shapes.

Embrace nature by choosing warm earthy shades for your drapes and radiate your space with a terracotta tone. It will add a wholesome touch and spice of colour. Natural greens are also a stylish choice to hang from your walls.

Sustainably-sourced fabrics are another increasingly popular choice. Low-impact curtain fabrics are often created from linen, wool, hemp and other organic materials. Another option is to find pre-loved curtains and make alterations to fit your windows.

A mixture of old and new styles is trending at the moment. Take time to select old-world styles from the art deco curtains and match them to your modern surroundings, or the other way around.

Find a balance that sits right with you with antique trinkets.

The classic styles of roller, Venetian, Roman and vertical blinds remain a favoured option for many buyers. Use the opportunity to choose colour trends or patterns as a guide for what design you want on them.

Automated blinds are growing interest too. You will have the

convenience of having the blinds drawn for you with the touch of a remote or mobile application.

There has been a movement to have a layered look to cover your windows too. You can achieve that with a collaboration of blinds and curtains in your house. It can help add depth to your room. Alternatively, you could use double blinds or curtains for a stratified style.

p Layered looks are in vogue for window treatments currently, and it helps add depth to the room

Spring Spruce Up

Replenished with soil

u by Amy Fifita

With the time for spring cleaning upon us, it is not only your home and

be repotted.

Of course, there are general rules surrounding greenery. If you have treated yourself to new houseplants, wait at least two weeks before repotting them. That allows the flora to get used to its latest environment and reduces the risk of root damage and stress.

Different rules apply to bonsai trees, although if you are repotting one, spring is an ideal time to do that. Young bonsai trees should be transferred to new containers every two or three years,

while older specimens need to be done every three to five years.

Many other plants require annual repotting. Nutrient-rich soil is vital to having a healthy plant. You can either use the current pot it is in or, if necessary, get a more suitable pot, depending on the growth that year.

There are several ways to identify if your houseplants need a larger pot. One is if roots are growing through the drainage hole, you discover them

poking through the top of the soil or they are tightly packed at the bottom of the container.

Once you have organised which plant needs attention, you can collect your materials and tools. You will need fresh potting mix, a planter, gloves, water and a drop sheet. Ensure the new container has several drainage holes. After watering, gently remove the plant from its current location and loosen

the roots, allowing it to release the old potting mix.

Pour new soil into the planter and place your shrub in it while keeping the potting mix evenly spread. Now, all you need to do is give the plant water and witness it thrive in its new and nutritious soil. With that task finished, your plants will put on fresh growth and brighten your home for the spring and summer periods.

p Spring is a great time to replace your house plants’ soil house to maintain plant health and good growth

A heart for art

u by Ann van Engelen

With an array of talent, John Ecuyer has been a member of Mangawhai Artists for five years and has enjoyed working on a variety of projects over the years, particularly his recent pounamu beads, which he began creating when he had ill health.

“One of the best moves I made was joining the Mangawhai Artists group,” says John.

“They were absolutely amazing in helping me get out of the mental thing I had of not joining groups. I liked working alone and joined because they had the Kaipara Art Awards, and I was quite competitive in art, not to win, but to give myself a deadline and remain focussed.

technician when valve technology was being phased out. Electronics were being established with fibre optics getting laid. When you’re in a technical field, you’re aware of where things are heading, and I saw the writing on the wall of redundancy coming.

John started looking for something creative and got into woodworking.

and Aaron has just got his dream job of coffee roasting, which, to me, is also an art.

“No matter what people tell you, it’s a struggle, earning a living through art. Some people do well, but they work hard and are very business and people-minded. If you don’t have the full package, it’s a struggle.

“They made the rule of having to belong to a society, so I grumbled and reluctantly joined Mangawhai Artists. There were some amazing committee members and a real energy happening. I could’ve joined the Dargaville art group, but my wife Anne and I lived near Kaiwaka and often walked our dogs at Mangawhai beach.”

John originally worked in telecommunications.

“I was born and bred in Whangārei and trained as a telecommunications

“Eventually, redundancy came in a huge way, and technicians lost their jobs en masse because they were no longer needed, so I transferred into the arts. I met Anne when I tried to call someone in Hamilton to discuss what was involved in being made redundant.

“Anne was on the phone working for the technicians. We chatted, and I suggested she visit me in Whangārei. She did, and we got on very well, and when she was made redundant, she moved north.

“We had our son Aaron and daughter Trista. Trista is big into photography,

“Anne and I lived in Kaipara for 10 years before returning to Whangārei last year after I was diagnosed with stage four bowel cancer two years ago. I’m still a member of Mangawhai Artists. When you’re sick, you look at the world differently, and it’s strange because childhood memories of places came back to me — it’s been quite an experience.

“I think I’m clear now, but at stage four, they don’t tell you anything. My treatment ended, and I’ve had a year of pretty good health — it took a good year to recover from the chemo.”

“No matter what people tell you, it’s a struggle, earning a living through art”

p Feather shields showed the talent John has with his woodworking skills

John says many in his family were artistic.

“My dad was a sheet metal worker. I think we’re the privileged generation that had the opportunity to turn skills into art. Dad was very creative, but did it for a living and his dad was a photographer for a big engineering firm. My great-grandfather was a baker, and my great-great-grandfather moved from Switzerland to London to work with pianos.

“My great-great-great-grandmother was a dressmaker in the Queen Victoria court in London, so I see my family as very artistic. When I was young, I travelled the South Island doing photography following my dad but I didn’t see an opportunity for making a living unless you were doing portraiture and weddings.

“While there, I visited Akaroa, and a guy in a tiny shop was turning wood, and tourists off the boats were buying stuff left, right and centre. I thought, ‘gosh, there’s an opportunity’, and came home and set myself up to do woodturning. I made bowls and hollow forms following the American trend.

“I did more carving and painting and over time made big shields. The shields gave me the scope to use metals, paints, carving and staining. The bowl market dropped off, so I moved into one-off pieces for fine art galleries because craft artists were being accepted to those galleries, which was amazing.

“Even though the money wasn’t great, and I had to do part-time work, it was fantastic and very satisfying.

“I’ve dabbled in a lot of areas, including metal, wood, glass and stone. I took up stonework after I was diagnosed. I needed something to do without using power tools between treatments, and started making pounamu bead pieces. I hand-make every bead, which is quite time-intensive, but I could sit on a stool and didn’t have to think much. It was a saviour.

“For my jade, I did market research while getting radiation. The galleries were overloaded with pounamu work because there are hundreds of jade carvers in New Zealand, and I thought it’d be difficult to sell anything.

“Then I found Nelson pounamu, and it’s different to West Coast jade because it comes up out of the ground and back down again before returning to the surface, usually through being washed out after a storm.

“I thought ‘oh gosh, that’s me, it’s different and not competing with the tourist market’, and people have loved it. The stone is not Ngāi Tahu managed, and people go into the hills at a specific area with backpacks and bring it out after storms. You can’t use helicopters or trucks, and it’s amazing.

“I made my first necklace and then continued making more and will get back into it in the summer. It’s a tough career because your hands are continually in water. I realised I was totally spoiled doing woodwork, and even though it’s labour-intensive, drilling holes and shopping, I love my beadwork.

“At present, I’m making wooden fish. When I became ill, Anne and I bought a mid-century 60s modern house that hadn’t been decorated for years. We thought if I came right, we’d start decorating.

“I came right, and Anne found some amazing wallpaper, including a fish one for the bathroom. I then had to make a fish to go with it and realised I should have been making fish years ago — people love fish.”

John closed his business to simplify life due to his health issues.

“The responsibility caused me nearpanic attacks, but I’m slowly building up my collection and am going to have a show. If I keep my health, I’ll reopen my business, but I’m being cautious and slow.

“We have a totally different approach to life and my artwork, and I am enjoying what I’m doing. We’re finding more time for things we never found time for before. We’d always wanted a 1960s house with wooden floors and built-in furniture.

“We used to do up houses, and I’d take over, but this time I’ve stepped back, and let Anne do her style, and I’m absolutely amazed at her decorating. She’s very arty, and has an excellent sense of what she likes and her combining colours, wallpaper and furniture has been amazing to watch.”

“I did more carving and painting and over time made big shields. The shields gave me the scope to use metals, paints, carving and staining”

p The pounamu beads John began making with Nelson jade after his bowel cancer diagnosis p John has enjoyed making wooden shields and other items over the years

p Anne has been redecorating their home with bright wallpapers that tie in with their love of art

p John and Anne’s daughter Trista is a creative photographer and often has her dog at her side

Steel in the show

u by Amy Fifita

Bream Bay College band The Panimals released its latest EP this week and is embarking on a tour to Auckland to promote their new musical creations.

“I am the lead tenor and play the melody in most songs,” band member Connor Williams says.

“Being in the band is an awesome vibe and it gives me another reason to go to school. It creates a great sense of belonging and the band is filled with good people who have fun together. There is variety in our group because it is made up of students from years 9 to 13.

“Cohen Morgan-Webb is our drummer. Kaiser Jacoby plays the bass pan, which is made up of six big pans. Adara Lunjevich and Bailey Whitelaw are our two cellists in the alto range and they play the rhythm in our songs. The second players are Levi Williams and Harlyn Abraham and the three lead players are Gabriella Uphof and Larissa Tanuvasa.”

Connor has also played the classical piano for seven years and does competitions during the weekends. The band recently released its new album.

“Having our album released feels epic. We named our new EP Steel Soup

because of the mix of genres in it and have been waiting for a while to get our album up on Spotify.

“We set up a recording studio at school to record it. We went into the studio and supported everyone’s song ideas, added to it and arranged the sounds.

“Next week, we are going on tour in Auckland. We are playing at the Ponsonby Social Club to promote our new EP. It is a big gig for us and it is going to be amazing. One

highlight for us was playing with the Auckland Philharmonic Orchestra for a Christmas parade.”

In 2015, Bream Bay College had enough steelpans to start a band and The Panimals began. To find out more about the band go to facebook. com/thepanimalsband.

“We have bought more to develop the idea. We have made a connection with Australian steelpan maker Lennox Jordan, who composes songs for us too,” music teacher Scott Brown says.

“The Panimals started at Bream Bay College in 2015. The original band members have left the school, but they have passed on learnings to the group. The band develops in time and each new group puts their flair into it with different arrangements and what they are interested in.

“After Covid, we set out to achieve more of a presence because our students couldn’t perform anywhere during the lockdowns. Last year, The Panimals played at local primary schools and performed at least on 20 occasions to get the band warmed up.” 

p The band says that they draw inspiration from each other, their music teacher Scott Brown and composer and steelpan maker Lennox Jordan

“It is a big gig for us and it is going to be amazing”

PUZZLE TIME

Jumbo crossword

Sudoku

ACROSS: 1 Buoys, 4 Stamp collector, 11 Allow, 14 Trout, 15 Predecessor, 16 Trapdoor, 19 Bargain, 20 Scout, 21 Vibration, 24 Tsetse fly, 26 Manage, 27 Accent, 31 Tempo, 32 Trickier, 34 Staggering, 38 Impasse, 39 Alkali, 40 Winter, 41 Memo, 42 Indoors, 45 Worshipped, 50 Swarthy, 54 Pews, 55 Frothy, 56 Relays, 57 Feather, 60 Lifeguards, 61 Location, 62 Unwed, 65 Velcro, 66 Taints, 67 Appetiser, 72 Overtaken, 73 Dread, 74 Jugular, 79 Inviting, 80 Reservation, 81 Divot, 82 Honed, 83 Sticks out a mile, 84 By-law. DOWN: 2 Uproar, 3 Young, 5 Tart, 6 Medical, 7 Cactus, 8 Loss, 9 Emotions, 10 Rarity, 11 Approached, 12 Lion, 13 Warrant, 17 Diets, 18 Frightened, 22 Merry, 23 Sediment, 25 Soprano, 26 Martini, 28 German, 29 Rivals, 30 Agrees, 33 Cello, 35 Glory, 36 User, 37 Swap, 42 Impel, 43 Downfall, 44 Scream, 45 Withdrawal, 46 Rays, 47 Hurdles, 48 Palace, 49 Egypt, 51 Whey, 52 Retinue, 53 Heeded, 58 Aggravated, 59 Cover, 63 Kneejerk, 64 Minus, 65 Varnish, 68 Phantom, 69 Fronds, 70 Privet, 71 Pagoda, 75 Unity, 76 Oven, 77 Redo, 78 Foal. 5x5

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