A message from Dr Shane Massey and the Team Matariki with the Whāingaroa Youthworkers Collective from

Whāingaroa Youthworkers Collective

The Whāingaroa Youthworkers Collective hosted a community gathering for Matariki on Saturday, July 15, at Papahua Reserve.

A patch of fine weather encouraged the community to come out and join in the evening. They brought along the kids to skate under the lights, be fed with hearty soups and bbq and be entertained with juggling and fire spinning. Sometimes the simple things in life are the best!

Many thanks to the community for joining in, to Raglan Naturally for funding this event, to the Youthworker Volunteers for organising and hosting, Raglan Butcher and Raglan Artisan Bread for good local kai, Raglan Light and Sound, Jair from Freedom to Fly and Damian from Circus Aotearoa.

A Note From Dr Shane Massey:

Hello Raglan Community,

It's Shane here from the Vet Clinic. After 28 years of working as a mixed practice vet in Raglan, I am soon going to be significantly reducing my veterinary workload. About 4 years ago I developed some health issues which prompted me to make some lifestyle changes, the predominant one being a healthier work/life balance. At this time, I reduced to a three-day working week comprised of Monday and Tuesday in clinic and Wednesday on-farm, plus being on-call afterhours. At the end of July, I am going to Indonesia for a month on holiday, and when I return, I will be cutting back further to a one day working week. My usual day of work will be Wednesday, and my responsibilities will be primarily production animal and some equine work in the Te Akau and wider Raglan areas. It is likely that I will also be providing cover from time to time in the clinic or on-farm when other staff are away on leave.

It has been a great privilege and a pleasure getting to know the eclectic mix of people who make up our community, while tending to the health needs of their animals. Although I will not be performing companion animal work on a regular/ rostered basis, I am still happy to provide support and advice to our pet owners and owners of working/hunting dogs where I can.

My heartfelt thanks,

Shane Massey

A note from the Raglan Anexa team:

Shane, we do not have the word-count to express all our gratitude, but we will do our best to summarise just some of the many amazing qualities you have.

We are so grateful for your wealth of knowledge and expertise - from the smallest of companion animals right through to the biggest of Large/Production animals. You have the biggest heart and always go the extra mile for your patients and our clients, and are so well loved amongst our community. You’re a voice for all animals and you give them all of your heart each and every day.

Thank you for all your love, kindness, and dedication you have given every day for 28 years; you’re one of a kind and your absence in the clinic will be felt by the team and the community.

Enjoy the well deserved you-time and we are extremely grateful that we will continue to see you on Wednesdays.

Thank you for everything the OG, we appreciate you!

With love from all your work mates xx