The Local Rag

RAGLAN NEWS AND VISITOR GUIDE

MULLETS MATTER

The Local Rag chats to Jack Bellerby about his mullet and how it can help raise awareness for mental health.

WEAVING A FUTURE IN CHOCOLATE

We chat to Raglan Chocolate about their new partnership and the process of taking bean to bar.

FEIJOA OBSESSION

We hear from Kate Evans about her new book, FEIJOA: A story of Obsession and Belonging.

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MULLETS MATTER

It’sthe return of The Mullet Matters, a fundraising campaign in support of the Mental Health Foundation of New Zealand.

Last year’s inaugural event saw mullet-loving souls take up the challenge and set their mullets loose around Aotearoa, starting important conversations about mental health and raising over $130,000 for the mental health promotion charity.

Those involved say the power of the mullet is in its ability to spark important conversations about mental health.

“You don’t have to walk up to someone and say, ‘do you want to talk about mental health?’, but someone’s going to come up to you and be like, ‘what’s up with the mullet?’ That’s your in.”

Jack Bellerby kindly agreed to draw attention to Mullet Matters in our community.

Why did you agree to get involved with Mullet Matters Month?

I was definitely a little nervous accepting this offer but it’s for such

a great cause; if I can help in any way possible for this cause, I'm in.

Everyone has a relationship with their mental health. How do you personally look after yours?

I personally look after mine by spending time outdoors, which involves surfing, fishing, road tripping. Anything with a little adventure and nature really helps me through my low times.

When I talked to you, you mentioned you were having a 'Jack day' after a super busy work period. I really liked that idea in relation to this topic. It's being kind to yourself, right? What does the perfect 'Jack day ' look like?

Totally, you have to be kind to yourself and don't be too hard on yourself. There's no right or wrong way to live our lives so just try and do what makes you happy, whatever that may be. But for myself a perfect "Jack Day" would probably involve a really nice breakfast and coffee then I'd head up the coast for an uncrowded surf with my two brothers, then drop a line and catch a couple gurnards on the way home. Then probably just take it easy for the arvo and spend time with my partner, friends and family.

In your mind what are the important things for men to do to support each other?

Us men sometimes find it hard to open up to each other so it's ok to open up and be vulnerable. We need to support each other and understand we all go through hard times. We can't judge one another or ourselves as we are all different which makes us all so special. We all have to make an effort to be there for each other, it's really easy to overlook our mates needing help so make an effort to be there for them and to get them talking or doing something they love.

What's something in 2024 you are going to do more of that you think will enhance your health and wellbeing?

This year I'll be doing more overseas travelling, adventuring and exploring with my beautiful partner. We also will be building a small home together in Te Akau which will bring me a lot of happiness to create something with my hands.

Your mullet is a goodie. Is it staying around?

Most definitely!!! the mullet is here to stay for many years to come!

MAKE YOUR MULLET MATTER

One in five of us will experience mental distress this year.

you and your mullet raise will help keep vital mental health resources free for the one in five who will need them, and those who love and support them.

These resources are clinically sound, based on lived experience, and created for all. Sign up at

MULLET MATTERS, A FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN IN SUPPORT OF THE MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION OF NEW ZEALAND.

Jack Bellerby shares his mullet and talks mental health. Images / Geraldine Burns.

WEAVING A FUTURE IN CHOCOLATE

WITH RAGLAN CHOCOLATE

Whenyou buy your bog standard bar of choccy, you don’t often think about where it all comes from and what goes into it.

Basically - aside from a few small importers of cacao beans - about 200 tonnes of little chocolate buttons are shipped in from Europe each year and get turned into bars, bon bons, baking and a whole range of other choclatey goodness.

The buttons are about the same size as a mini Hersheys Kiss and come in a range of qualities, from couverture –the high end stuff – to compound, which has the minimum amount of cacao seed in it and still be called chocolate.

It’s the couverture end of the market that interests Mike Renfree and Simone Downey from Raglan Chocolate, along with their colleagues at their new venture Weave Cacao.

It’s an idea Mike and Christchurch-based Oonagh Browne from The Cacao Ambassador came up with after meeting a cacao farmer at a trade show a couple of years ago.

“That show was the catalyst,” Mike says.

“There was a farmer from Papua New Guinea, Kingston Kamuri. It was the first time he’d ever dealt with anyone who had taken the beans that he grows and turned it into chocolate. And then he was able to taste the chocolate. It was just one of those moments.”

Kingston was keen to export container loads of cacao beans, but at Raglan Chocolate, Mike only needed a couple of sacks, but was keen to do something.

“Oonagh and I started talking about this idea of sourcing cacao and building a relationship with the farmers, right the way through to the end user. The farmer’s got to be paid properly so that he’s inspired to do a good job and everyone gets paid the whole way through. So that was sort of the genesis of the idea and it’s slowly come together. We set up a trust so 26 percent of the profits out of the company go directly back to supporting the famers.”

The initial plan had them importing container loads of beans and setting up a factory to produce the couverture chocolate locally, but that all changed when Oonagh found a chocolate factory in Port Moresby, the Papua New Guinea capital.

“It’s called Queen Emma and it’s connected to a biscuit factory, so they purely wanted to make chocolate to put on the foot of a biscuit,” Mike says.

“We found out they had all the equipment we needed. They could grind the chocolate, they could temper it, turn it into little buttons, pack it for us, put it in a container and ship it over here. So the business model changed from us making it to us buying it and more of those western dollars were staying in PNG.”

He says the couverture chocolate they’re trialling is as good as - if not better - than what’s on the market.

“We think it’s much better and all the feedback we get is that it blows it out of the water.”

Now it remains to get the Weave Cacao couverture chocolate in front of the right people. Chocolatiers, bakeries, restaurants and cafes, along with supermarkets, anyone who uses high quality chocolate.

“It’s got be people with an expectation of a good quality,” Mike says.

Small chocolate manufacturers or a bean to bar manufactuers are willing to pay a premium for good product, so “we’re trying to help these guys produce that quality.”

They’ve been able to price their couverture chocolate similarly to the higher quality products already available, provide valuable support to the farmers and source their product from a lot closer than West Africa. It’s a model that just makes sense, Mike says.

“With the West African chocolate, the farmer sees it off, it goes to a trader. Trader sells it to the corporate buyer, corporate buyer puts it in a warehouse with a million other sacks. Eventually it gets sold and goes to Europe into a huge factory where it’s turned into different things, then it’s shipped all over the world. How can that be economical? We’ve got to be able to do this better.”

It’s a lot of work on top of his Raglan Chocolate commitments, but it’s something he’s enjoying.

“We’re busy enough just with Raglan Chocolate, and I’m trying to put in a day or two a week doing Weave stuff but it’s like this isn’t work. When we started Raglan Chocolate it was just for me to get out of the corporate world and set up my own little thing, but running a little busines like this is really tough. So now we’ve sort of got one foot in that camp and one foot in this other camp and it’s looking really positive.”

“And it’s chocolate. You can eat it and it tastes good, it makes everyone smile.”

Mike Renfree and Simone Downey from Raglan Chocolate.

Jacqui chats to local Kate Evans about the launch of her first book.

Tell us about FEIJOA: A story of Obsession and Belonging

FEIJOA is the wild true story of how feijoas became the unofficial national fruit of New Zealand, despite hailing from South America, an ocean and a continent away. You'll meet feijoa obsessives in Colombia, California, France and Golden Bay, and learn about all the different kinds of relationships people have with plants. There are recipes, songs, stories, science and indigenous knowledge from Brazil, Uruguay and Aotearoa.

What propelled you to write about the subject?

I lived overseas for 12 years, mainly in Australia, but other countries too. Whenever I managed to get my hands on a feijoa, it seemed to magically transport me to my parents' orchard in Leigh, where I grew up. When my Aussie partner and I moved to Auckland right before I turned 30, I was super excited for feijoa season. But having spent a lot of time in South America, I thought, "that's funny... Why do we think they're such a New Zealand thing, when they're not even from here?"

The American writer and biochemist Isaac Asimov wrote that the most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not “Eureka” but “That’s funny...” Though I'm not a scientist, that question was

certainly the catalyst for a whole bunch of new discoveries for me, too.

The other thing that separates feijoas from other fruits is the way they are so often gifted--among friends, work colleagues, neighbours and strangers. They forge relationships in a way few other foods do. In the book I tried to get to the bottom of why that is, what they mean to us, how they've changed us-and how we've changed them.

Can you describe the process? How long have you spent on the project?

The book basically took my entire thirties to complete. I got pregnant with my first child (Amalia) the same year I started researching the book and then we had another one (Indigo) two years later. Because my day job as a freelance journalist is so similar to the process of book-writing, I found I couldn't work on it in the evenings after writing all day (and I'm a troll in the mornings so that was out, too.) I ended up taking a month or two off work each year to do research trips and write a few chapters--none of which I could have done without my partner Sam!

At various stages I pitched the book to different publishers and received many rejections. But I couldn't let go of the idea, and in 2019 I got funding from the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust and Creative New Zealand which paid for the field trips to South America and Europe. Finally, in 2022, after I'd written a draft of almost the entire book, I got an offer from Moa Press, a new NZ imprint

of international publishers Hachette. They've been amazing. We spent about a year polishing the manuscript and working on the cover, design, and other things...and now I'm 40 and it's here at last, a real book!

Have you included your Raglan connection?

One of the things the publishers wanted me to do was make the book more personal, so there is a little of me, my family and our lives here in Whāingaroa in the book. Karioi is in there, and the pīpīwharauroa that arrive each year in our garden. The epic feijoa tree behind the HQ co-working space also gets a special mention.

This is your first book. Is it something you have always wanted to do? What is your background with writing ?

I've always wanted to be a writer but for a long time I don't think I allowed myself to believe that a whole book was something I could pull off! I started out working in TV which is quite a different sort of writing. But then I shifted over to magazines and science writing and have been working as a professional print journalist for nearly a decade now. I'm glad the book took so long, because I'm a much better writer now than I was when I began it!

When is it out and how can locals pick one up?

FEIJOA comes out on February 27, just in time for feijoa season (though it seems to be running later this year than the last few!) Locals can pick up a copy at Zinnia -- which has an amazing range of books -- or online.

INTRODUCING: SIDEKICK SANDWICH SHOP

THE LOCAL RAG BRINGS YOU A SPACE TO INTRODUCE NEW BUSINESS START UPS IN WHĀINGAROA. WE TALK TO LOCALS ABOUT LAUNCHING THEIR BUSINESSES, THEIR IDEAS, ACHIEVEMENTS AND CHALLENGES.

This month, Jacqui chats to Conor and Josh from Sidekick - the new sandwich shop in the Indi's courtyard (access from Wi Neera St).

Exciting news Conor and Josh. You have opened Sidekick and locals are loving it. Can you describe what you offer?

We offer freshly made, conceptual and delicious sandwiches. There’s always gonna be great music and a nice little vibe down in the courtyard.

Has the concept been bubbling away for long? What made you decide to start the business?

The idea of starting our own thing has been rising to the surface for a while after years of working in hospo and wanting to call the shots. It felt like more of a five year plan kind of thing, but then the space came up last year and we thought, “Why the hell not?! Let’s get it together in time for summer.”

Have you always had an interest in food? Did your parents owning cafes in the past influence your decision?

Me and mum pretty much only talk about food.

When we go into Hamilton, we don’t go to the supermarket, we go to the supermark-ETS; Vetro and NewSave, to name a few. We just love food and all the flavours the world has to offer. But if I was influenced by my parents owning Molasses back in the day, I probably would have thought Sidekick was a terrible idea!

What are you enjoying about the experience of running your own business?

We love being able to combine so many of our passions and channel them into an experience for the community. From the flavours and finesse of the sandwiches to the conceptual nature of the menu, we have created the world of Sidekick. And I will cram as many pop culture references as I can into one A5 piece of paper!

Of course there are challenges. What have been some that you have learnt from?

I forgot to order bread the other day! That’s a pretty big part of a sandwich! But love that we can only get in trouble with ourselves. We are just adapting to the challenges and learning to set daily reminders in our phones.

What do you think is the ethos of your venture?

We believe that in Raglan, lunch is the most important meal of the day. It’s when we are all in town together and it can really make your day go one way or another. We aim to create everyday

sandwiches that can be enjoyed again and again. We wanted to have lore, conversation and fun around all of our sandwiches so we named them after pop culture icons in the hopes that they live forever, as icons do.

Do you have further vision or goals for the business?

With the amazing job that Ariel Hughes is doing on our graphics and branding, we could go international! It’s giving franchise. It's giving bougie foodcourt. It’s giving drive thru. I’m lovin’ it! But in all seriousness, we could very happily just continue to feed Whāingaroa, until gluten intolerance has taken over humanity.

Where do people find you and how do people get in touch?

We are tucked away in the Indi’s courtyard, down Wi Neera St with a brand new entrance opposite the library. You’ll see our big red Sidekick sandwich board. And follow us on Instagram @sidekickraglan for some unhinged social media content.

When you are not working in the business what do you love to do? What other aspects of the community are you involved in ?

I’m also a DJ, you can catch me at Isobar on Thursday nights. Josh has a jewellery business called Lucid and was a part of the Hatch Exhibition at last year's Raglan Arts Weekend.

The Sidekick crew, Josh and Conor.

TALKING ABOUT MENTAL HEALTH

WITH RUBY GIBBS - CREATOR OF THE MENTAL HEALTH TOOLBOX

Conor McCabe is a singer, a DJ, a sandwich shop owner, a star about town, and also my best friend of thirty years. This month we sat down to talk about his mental health journey, or as he kept referring to it, his exposé.

What is your relationship like with your mental health? Is it something that you think about every day?

I definitely used to think about it every day but now not so much. I've found quite a sweet balance. I can just go forth and conquer! I got there by trusting myself and my intuition and the important voices around me. I do check in when I experience big points of exhaustion. That's definitely when I'm like “OK, how are we going?” But at those points I also have a sense of fulfilment, so it never really feels like burning the candle at both ends like it used to. It's more like self-affirmation. “You’re doing good babe!”

What has your relationship been like with your mental health in the past?

I have definitely had an interesting relationship with it in the past. There was a lot more going on to tip the scales. I can be prone to low lows and high highs, but not so much anymore. I was operating in a vulnerable space of unknowns; not being good enough, not being chosen, being pulled this way and that. I kind of kept myself in that space, thinking it would make for good art, but it wasn't necessarily healthy. I realised that when you go into situations fearlessly, you have more to work with artistically. I felt like I needed to allow myself every opportunity for real emotions to create the best work I could.

Why did you transition out of the music world?

I was over being so vulnerable. I think initially the vulnerability was really celebrated and is what got me to where I ended up being. But then the more people that get involved, the more ideas they have for you and they are not always the ideas that you have for yourself. Sometimes I would write what I thought was my best work and then not get much of a response from the people that were working for me. It just wasn't right for me at the time. I wasn't around the right people. In lots of ways not doing music has helped my mental health. Writing about personal things and then having to sing them repeatedly and relive them has always been hard. Or less that it's hard and more that it's hard to let go. When you're trying to be in a creative flow it's easy to put yourself into positions where you find inspiration but those places are sometimes not very good for you. The music industry can be draining and confusing.

How has moving home to Raglan impacted your mental health?

Coming home was a complete change of pace and then, after time, a complete change of pace again. That was all about my mind frame and understanding my own potential and the potential of the place that I’m in. It was lots of letting go of my old life and figuring out where I can fit in here, or where I can stand out. I made myself surrender to the lifestyle. Coming home can feel like giving up. But, I think there's giving up and then there’s giving in to what was always meant to be. When you're always pushing forward, going home can feel like a step backwards but it can also be a step inwards. Home is a purposeful place to put my energy rather than in the city where a lot of your efforts can just float away into nothing. It's reciprocal here. It's lasting and it's historical. You could call it a smaller life but it's way fuller, busier and bigger than any of my other lives.

How did growing up in a small town and being queer impact your mental health?

I always knew I was a bit different but I didn’t really understand how. It was confusing in lots of ways but I always had so many other things going on so it’s never been the main thing about me. Sure, I probably was a little bullied, but I was never really that bully-able! I’ve always been fab and felt understood by many so those who didn’t get it didn’t really faze me. There weren’t many examples of queer adults around me when I was growing up so it was hard to see what my future could look like. In ways this was good, because I really got to do it my way.

Do you feel a responsibility to the younger queer people in this community now that you're back?

Yes, I feel that it's important for me to just do me and be seen. I think being authentic is what it is all about. It doesn't necessarily have to be queer expression, just a genuine expression of who you are. I think for me it's important to just be however I feel and to show that that is all good.

When you've been at your lowest point what is it that's gotten you through?

Talking to my close people. Taking a bit of a step back and doing what I know makes me feel better. That's lots of things; just lying down sometimes but also stopping lying down! I just try to feel what I need. I go dancing. I listen to music. I try to laugh a lot. I will wallow for a minute, then

stop wallowing. Sometimes you need to be a depresso bitch for a second; that's required some of the time. I need alone time but I have to be wary not to take too much time to myself.

You have a big personality and that is how a lot of people know you. I know you to have a much more serious side as well. How do you consolidate those two sides of yourself?

I think a lot of it is being well thought out and doing the work so that I have the means to be free in the moment. I am really fun but I am quite serious about fun. The conditions need to be just right and a lot of what I’ve learned in my life helps me create these spaces where I can be myself and allow others to do the same. I love that people feel comfortable to be big with me. I think it makes for a more vibrant community. The flip side of that is me lying on my bed binge watching Survivor, so that I too can survive!

What are some of the tools in your toolbox?

First would be a hammer to hammer it all home. To bang it out and just keep going. Is the wrench the twisty one? Yup, there's a wrench in my toolbox. Twisting and flipping the narrative. Sometimes you just need to reframe things and put a new door on the mind-frame, or maybe it needs to be a window! Also, in the toolbox are nails, so you can nail it. There's also a laser level in the toolbox, for balance. You don't wanna be all wonky and off centre. You need to hang that art up nice and level and straight so that everyone can appreciate its true beauty.

Conor at his sandwich shop, Sidekick.

WHĀINGAROA YOUTH COLLECTIVE TE WHAKARURUHAU MAHURI

INTERVIEW BY JOSEPH RAJARAM RAO

This page is exclusively dedicated to the youth of Whāingaroa. Each month, you will discover interviews, events, and other valuable information tailored for local rangatahi to foster connections and actively participate in our community.

Summer Morgan

For this edition of the Whāingaroa Youthworker Collective - Te Whakaruruhau Mahuri Rangatahi Page we interviewed Summer Morgan.

Tell us about life growing up in Raglan.

Raglan life growing up was small and really intimate; you know everyone, it’s nice. It has its pros and cons - sometimes you like to walk down the street without having to see someone you know and have a conversation. I did all my education at RAS. I made really good friendships, getting to know people for 13 years. It was great.

What are you doing now?

I am working at the Raglan Medical Centre in Raglan. I am training for a marathon in May.

I really wanted to complete a marathon before I leave Raglan as I don't know if I will get a chance to do it again so it’s kind of like a bucket list thing. I am also fundraising for mental health. I feel like everyone goes through struggles, so I want to fundraise for mental health. I got into running as I got bored of the gym. I find it quite enjoyable. It’s good for my wellbeing to get outside; you live in that moment and just think about how you are in your body to keep going.

While working I am also saving to go travelling. I have lived my whole life in Raglan and want to see the world. I'm going to Bali for a month to catch up with friends and then I will be off on my own traveling through Turkey and Europe.

What is some advice you would give to young people growing up now in Whāingaroa?

Well, now looking back, I have realized that no one is actually watching what you are doing. At school you feel like people are judging you all the time because you have to see them every day, but you should never really worry about what other people think if they are judging you. If you like what you are doing, no one’s opinion should matter.

You should just do what you want, get out of your comfort zone, do things that scare you as that’s how you grow as a person.

What do you think the community can do to help young people?

More opportunities, group opportunities so we can connect with different people who we wouldn't normally connect with. Also, opportunities to learn new things and if young people have ideas we need to be listened to; I feel like often you don't get the chance to be listened to.

It would be great for young people to have more group events and fun events. Youth was so cool and you would hang out with people you didn't usually and you would all get along!

You have a cool tattoo.

I have the word gratitude tattooed as I’m always grateful for everything - for being here - and gratitude is a great thing to come back to. To ground myself for being grateful for where I am and what’s to come.

WHAT IS SOME ADVICE YOU WOULD GIVE TO YOUNG PEOPLE GROWING UP NOW IN WHĀINGAROA?

Well, now looking back, I have realized that no one is actually watching what you are doing. At school you feel like people are judging you all the time because you have to see them every day, but you should never really worry about what other people think if they are judging you. If you like what you are doing, no one’s opinion should matter.

You should just do what you want, get out of your comfort zone, do things that scare you as that’s how you grow as a person.

THIS CONTENT WAS MADE POSSIBLE THANKS TO SPONSORSHIP FROM RAGLAN NATURALLY

WHAT'S ON FOR YOUTH

TO THE FRONT KIRIKIRIROAWHĀINGAROA FUNDRAISER (ALL AGES)

The Yard, Raglan, March 14, Doors open 6pm - Tickets are on the door only - $10 entry or $15 with a raffle ticket.

Soulti (Whāingaroa)

Holly Dove (Whāingaroa)

Kyla Greening (Kirikiriroa)

raglannaturally.co.nz | info@raglannaturally.co.nz

This show is for ALL AGES: Under 18s must be accompanied by their parent or legal guardian. (Please note: Due to licensed premises laws, anyone under 18 years old must be accompanied by their own parent or legal guardian - this means a designated adult or friend’s parent will not suffice).

RAGLAN FOOD CO

LOCAL CREATORS OF DELICIOUS PLANT-BASED PRODUCTS

nothing brings people together like good food

|

Images

Raglan Food Co was first established in 2014 by co-founders Seb & Tesh, and has been produced in beautiful Whа̄ingaroa ever since.

Our plant-based product range has grown recently to include a lunch box friendly Snackable pottle option, available in 6 flavours.

We’re a Certified B Corporation and Carbon Positive Certified company, with a fun loving crew of 30 - our team is all about lifting the vibe!

The Raglan community were our first supporters, which is why we’ve doubled our Raglan Community Fund and donate products to the local food bank on a weekly basis. You can check out our yoghurts & kefir at the local Four Square, SuperValue or at The Herbal Dispensary.

W: raglanfoodco.com

E: hello@raglanfoodco.com

IG: @raglanfoodco

FB: @RaglanFoodCo

If you would like to be included in the next FOODIES feature please contact Geraldine geb@g-design.co.nz

RAGLAN ARTISAN BREAD RAGLAN CLUB MADE FRESH WITH GOODNESS

While there’s a lot of history at the Raglan Club, we aren’t a secret society or an RSA, our members are made up of locals and visitors alike.

Our restaurant has some of the best food and prices in town and that’s saying something in a place like Raglan. We are is open from 10am Tuesday to Sunday offering great coffee and amazing meals.

We cater for carnivores, herbivores, veges, vegans, GF and everything in between.

We welcome individuals and functions. Our covered front deck is great for watching Karioi with coffee and brunch, the fully fenced garden bar is great for kids with pizza.

You don’t have to be a member to eat. If you want an alcoholic bevvy it’s affordable to join at $10 for 3 months or $40 for full membership. Join and sign your mates in to try us out.

22 Bow Street , Raglan

E: info@raglanclub.co.nz

P: 07 825 8288

W: raglanclub.co.nz

From our Tiny Shop beginnings in 2019 we have expanded and continue to grow our products.

Customer appreciation is so positive, making what we do feel really wholesome. Following the smell of freshly baked bread and seeing the breadmaking process brings people real joy.

At the heart of it all are our hand-crafted sourdough loaves.

Sourdough’s characteristic flavours, texture and aroma come from an ancient form of grain fermentation. This allows the nutrients to become easily digestible and available to our bodies, lowering the GI, and breaking down the gluten while improving the nutritional value. All our Sourdough is naturally fermented with wild yeasts, using no preservatives, additives or commercial yeast.

Vegan, Dairy, Nut or Gluten free we have plenty on offer for most dietary requirements.

Our daily lunch options include Toasties, Scrolls, Pizza Breads and Sweets all made with whole nutritious ingredients.

3 Wainui Rd (behind Surf Emporium)

Open 7 Days 8am-3.30pm

W: www.raglanartisanbread.co.nz

RAGLAN FOOD JOURNEYS

EXPLORING THE RICH TAPESTRY OF STORIES WOVEN INTO THE FABRIC OF OUR COMMUNITY, ALL THROUGH THE LENS OF FOOD.

Raglan Food Journeys is a celebration of the diverse and vibrant voices that make our local food scene so unique. Delving into the kitchens of passionate home cooks, chatting with local food artisans, and exploring the creations of our local foodies.

S HARING THELOVE ...afewtips fromourMarchfoo d

Maree Harris is a familiar face to many in Raglan. You may have been lucky enough to sample her Dizzy Block ice blocks or one of her coffees back in the day at the Raglan Roast hole in the wall. You may have met her on the street covered in clay from working at Tony Sly Pottery. Or, you may have met her during her time at the school canteen with a cause dear to her heart; the aim of serving up affordable and healthy options for our kids. Maree is still at the school—a community she loves being part of—working in various roles supporting teachers and students.

- My best cooking advice would be keep it simple, don’t overcomplicate it, and be realistic with the time that you have. Always make extra and put it in the freezer for future meals.

- Add beans and pulses to bulk out your savoury dishes. Because our family is growing it stretches a lot of our meals. e.g. adding green lentils to a bolognaise, cannellini beans to a pasta sauce, or roasted butter beans and/or chickpeas to soups or salads. This also adds extra protein to your meals and increases the nutritional value for you and your kids.

- When choosing a cookbook, look for one that is ingredient or seasonally focused. They are great for ideas even if you stray from the recipe; sometimes it’s enough to get you cooking.

In Season - Peaches

QUICK IDEAS

Make a peach salsa by combining diced peaches with red onion, coriander, lime juice and a chilli for a sweet and tangy salsa; perfect for a dip or as a topping for grilled chicken, fish or pork.

Grill your peaches in the oven or on the BBQ until they caramelise. Serve them with ice cream or yoghurt or add them to a savoury salad with your choice of ingredients.

Freeze your peaches when ripe but not too soft. Peel the peaches, slice them into wedges, then freeze them on a baking sheet or plate before transferring them to a freezer bag. They’ll keep well for months, retaining flavour and colour. Defrost them as needed for anything from smoothies, cakes, pies, to crumbles.

Make a peach hot sauce. Check out @raglanfoodjourneys Instagram for this recipe.

PEACH FACTS

• Peaches are arguably one of the most nutritious fruits and are an incredible source of minerals, vitamins, and fibre. A rich source of vitamins A, C, and E.

• Peaches are part of the rose family; hence their aromatic nature.

• Only one gene separates peaches and nectarines. The mutation causes nectarines to have smooth skin instead of peaches’ distinct fuzzy texture.

• Peaches are one of the most ancient domesticated fruits, with their origins leading back 6,000 years to China, where they are seen as a symbol of good luck and longevity.

RAGLAN CREATIVE MARKET

March 9, 10am - 2pm, Old School Art Centre

A great opportunity to sample locally made food and food products.

Maree is a foodie through and through, and I’ve been lucky enough to eat at her table. She is a generous cook, thrifty with ingredients, and great at making meals stretch for her family. When asked what makes Raglan a special place to live, Maree says, “It has to be the people”, and regarding the local Raglan food scene, she thinks the food “reflects the diverse community that lives here. It’s not about being super fancy or overly convenient - we like things that are fresh, local, quirky, imperfect, handmade, and fun”.

Maree’s personal food journey is relatable. “I remember my mum catching and cooking the freshest of fish. I don’t really remember who taught me to cook - I think I just gradually figured some things out. I learned from mum, school, friends, books, and picked up a few things working in hospitality for many years. My partner Liam is also a great cook and probably my best taste tester, critic, mover of heavy fridges, and trailer backer extraordinaire for Dizzy Blocks.”

Dizzy Blocks is a true homegrown grass roots business. “There is a part of me that is a maker. Dizzy Blocks are a way that I can be a little bit creative, and take advantage of some

FOOD FEATURE WITH SHANNON DARBYSHIRE

of the great produce I come across. I make things that I think will taste good and are full of flavour. I’m not aiming for something that is perfectly smooth and precise, I’m more into wobbly layers, the odd sneaky seed, the occasional crooked stick. Ideally, I’d like every single stick and wrapper to end up in the compost, not in landfill, and I’m counting on my kids taking over the business one day. As it is a side hustle business, I choose events that are close by and fit in with our plans as a family.

As Maree has a young family and juggles many different balls, I asked her what advice she would give to families cooking on a budget. “Plan your meals. Let your kids get involved in cooking so they are invested in what they are eating, but don’t take them to the supermarket! If you are lucky enough to have a garden, swap seedlings and produce with your neighbours. Don’t buy too much fresh produce that can go to waste over a week. Use your freezer! Food is expensive, and not everyone has the same access to healthy food, or a garden, or to be able to go fishing. We do need to find ways of looking after each other in our community”.

MAREES VERSATILE CAKE WITH FRUIT

Having a go to cake recipe in your back pocket is a must. This is a truly adaptable recipe to use any seasonal, canned, or frozen fruit. It can be portioned up for lunch box treats and freezes easily for moments when you are short on time. You can also switch out a few ingredients to make it more budget friendly. This makes 12 slices.

Ingredients

250g cottage cheese (or ricotta cheese)

240g raw sugar

zest of a lemon (or orange)

140g butter (melted)

3 eggs

180g plain flour

2 tsp baking powder

A pinch of salt

Your choice of fruit for the top (any kind of soft fresh fruit, canned fruit, or frozen berry)

A sprinkle of raw sugar for the top (optional)

1. Pre-heat your oven to 180°C. Grease and line the bottom of the tin with baking paper - I like to use a loose bottom flan tin - but a 20cm round cake tin works too.

2. Beat cottage cheese, sugar, and zest in a bowl with an electric beater for a few minutes. It won’t be completely smooth.

3. Gradually add slightly cooled melted butter, keep beating.

4. Add eggs one at a time, beating well in between.

5. Fold in all of the remaining dry ingredients.

6. Pour the batter into the tin, and spread it evenly.

7. Place the fruit over the top and arrange it how you like. Just make sure there is space between the pieces of fruit. Sprinkle over some sugar - if using.

8. Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until golden brown and a skewer poked into the centre comes out clean. It can take longer depending on the size of the fruit on top.

9. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the tin for 15 minutes or so. Take out of the tin, slice and serve. Store in an airtight container in the fridge or cool then freeze.

Notes

UPCOMING MARKETS>

RAGLAN GROWERS MARKET

Fridays, 5-7pm, 1 Stewart Street

This community stall is a cooperative initiative that offers backyard growers the opportunity to sell surplus produce on an occasional basis.

RAGLAN CROP SWAP

1st and 3rd Sunday of the month, Raglan Bowling Club

This is a cash free and community sharing event where people can share something and take something home from their kitchens and gardens.

How do I fold in ingredients? Pass your spatula through the middle of the mixture, across the side, and fold over the top. Think about it as if you are carving your spatula through the mixture and gently folding the bottom over the top. By doing this, you are incorporating all the ingredients together while trapping air into bubbles in the batter. Rotate the bowl and repeat until the ingredients are combined. This retains air in the batter for a lighter cake.

SURF SERIES

BROUGHT

TO YOU BY RAGLAN SURF CO

CATCHING UP WITH SURFING WĀHINE - THE DAMES

THE LOCAL RAG SURFING SERIES PROFILE FAMILIES AND GROUPS IN RAGLAN WHERE SURFING IS A PASSION.THIS MONTH WE CHAT TO THE DAMES (FORMERLY THE SURF DAMES) A NONPROFIT GROUP SUPPORTING WĀHINE SURFERS.

Jacqui caught up with Nina

from the surf community 'The Dames' formally known as the “Surf Dames” This non profit organisation continues to provide opportunities for local women to come together and spend more time on the water.

Tell us about the history of the Dames initiative.

Everything was started by the desire of bringing more women into surfing and for that the best is having a crew!

If you have a crew it’s harder to stay in bed in the morning and don’t go surfing, because you are letting them down! The crew gives you the push you need to spend more time in the water, and improve your skills!

I come from a sports family of both men and women, and everything we were involved with was 100%, not just one shot and go!! This is why I wanted to create something long term for women around here, and not just one surf lesson and nothing behind. Continuity, practice and patience are the key!

Maybe I can tell you why just women; not that I’m against gender diverse groups at all, I usually really like working with groups of men and women together, but this time was a test, really! I wanted to try and see how women react to being surrounded with women and no men, and it’s absolutely fantastic; less

competitiveness, more help, less ego, more sharing, less tensions, more perseverance!

What classes and opportunities to get together are on?

The plan is to give 3 hours of my free time per week to the dames surf club to keep it groove!! Just a nice community thing that makes you feel good and hope it makes the Girls as happy as I am!

The club annual membership fee is $100; the girls get a weekly surf session with coaching and fun, 1 t-shirt and sticker.

Is it just about surfing?

The main goal behind this club is to make women understand that they can do it! In and/or out of the water. We live in a world that can be quite hard and super judgmental, and with these sessions I want them to understand that we are all here together, helping each other out and respecting one another.

What benefits have you continued to notice and what feedback have you had from the women?

I think what’s most amazing is how they realise how strong they are, and capable of doing things they would never have done before. The ocean is such a wonderful environment for that; you show up shy, unsure, and you come out strong and way more patient with yourself; you give yourself more credit too!

The girls found a place to share, a place to laugh, a place without judgement or negativity.

Do women have to have some level of competence in the surf?

The Dames sessions are for women that have surfed before; everyone is quite independent, close to the shore or at the back, but we all have some basics. Some of the girls came last year after surfing for few days only and they are now fully independent out there catching their own waves, encouraging other women, enjoying the art of surfing as much as I do and that makes me feel so so happy!

What's happening in 2024? How do people get in touch?

2024 started strong!! We had such an amazing summer with nice gentle waves and warm water!

We gonna start on organising some land meet ups like last year, to talk about surf report, surf etiquette, surfboards, videos analysis, trips … we usually gather around at @indis and get those amazing @piace.pizzas and talk about surfing for hours !

Next plan will be to get enough mums and do some surfers / nannies swap! - to encourage and help mamas in their surfing journey and maybe teach them how to teach surfing to their children; it would be wonderful to see more mums teaching their kids surfing and less dads hahah !! Maybe that could bring a different vibe out there, who knows?!

You can easily find us on Instagram: @the.dames or email us here: thedamesraglan@gmail.com

Thanks so much to all the women that are making the sessions and the beautiful wave of change!

FIRST TIME CHAMPIONS AT THE BILLABONG GROM SERIES

The final event of the Billabong Grom Series presented by Oceanbridge has thrown up two new champions on day one of the event held at Piha Beach, Auckland (Saturday 24th February).

Copal Mateja (Rag) and Isla Mckay (Whangarei) surfed their way to victory after an action-packed day of surfing for participants in the Under 14 Boys and Girls Divisions.

Alani Morse also won the under 16 girls.

Mateja built momentum all day through to the final when he posted his highest heat score of the event – 12.60 points out of 20. It was enough for the Raglan surfer to edge past Vitor Bauermann (Mnt), Bauermann finishing second for the third time this season.

Mateja has had a tough season, today being his first time close to the finals but he managed to convert his opportunities into a well-deserved win.

The Dames wāhine. Photo credit : @sguixs

NEIGHBOURS MONTH COMES TO WHĀINGAROA

With “Neighbours Month” kickingoff nationwide in March, local Whāingaroa businesses are getting ready to help the community celebrate it – offering prizes as a way of encouraging local people to connect with their neighbourhood.

The month-long celebration is an initiative run by community organisers Neighbours Aotearoa and aims to get people from across Aotearoa to organise activities or events with their neighbours.

Whāingaroa-based connector Julia Cardwell is supporting neighbourhood connections across the Waikato and says she is looking forward to seeing how Raglan locals come together to celebrate their community over the month.

“I live in Whāingaroa so I really want to activate this kaupapa here,”

“Even though we already have an amazing culture of community connection and civic engagement, there is always more that can be done,” she says.

“This year the theme for Neighbours Aotearoa is “Growing Together” and one way to think about it is growing or nurturing existing relationships within our neighbourhoods, and planting seeds for new connections to flourish. “

“Whether it’s a friendly wave, sharing tea or hosting a neighbourhood party, there are many ways, big and small, to get involved,” Julia says.

Local businesses already have strong connections and relationships within Whāingaroa and want to give back to the community that enables them to grow and thrive, says Julia.

“When I approached these businesses and asked if they would donate a voucher to support Neighbours Whāingaroa they were excited about an opportunity to give back to their community.”

“While we are so grateful for the support of these local businesses, we also know the benefits of nurturing relationships within neighbourhoods go beyond winning a gift voucher,” says Julia.

“When our new neighbours Luisa and Gabe first moved in next door, they came over and introduced themselves and since then we have shared food, cups of tea, and baby clothes.

“The other neighbours around us have also shared their delicious home grown fruit with us as well as tools.”

With loneliness and isolation on the rise, Julia says it’s never been more important to connect with people that live nearby.

“Connecting with neighbours is free and can lead to multiple benefits including improved health and wellbeing and neighbourhood

with your neighbours

Neighbours Aotearoa 1–31 March 2024

cohesion, which can, in turn, lead to neighbourhoods having more agency to affect the things that matter to them.”

“This March do something to get to know your neighbours and let us know about it on our Facebook event page or by getting in touch via our website – and be in to win great prizes from awesome local businesses,” Julia says.

WANT TO KNOW MORE?

To learn more about Neighbours Month and hear more about prizes, you can check out the event on Facebook; Neighbours Whāingaroa (Raglan) 1st31st March or look up the official website neighboursaotearoa.nz.

Neighbours Aotearoa want to give a big thank you to local Raglan businesses for supporting this important kaupapa by donating prizes. We would like to thank Topcut Butchery Raglan, La La Land, Aroha Sushi, The Herbal Dispensary, Trade Aid, Chai Wallah and Raglan Food Company for their generosity and support.

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Residential

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Julia Cardwell alongside her family and neighbours.

COMMUNITY RESILIENCE: SHARING LOCAL STORIES

WITH LISA THOMSON

Jessie and Nathan, alongside their two growing boys, live on their lifestyle block affectionately known as the 'Croft' on the northern side of Aotea Harbour. I was lucky to spend some time at their special place on an overcast Sunday morning.

Ilove the stories of how people meet their lovers, fall in love (or not fall in love!) and how different couples hook-up prior to this melting pot of school-playground connection.

Many parents struggle with identity change, firstly in the wilderness of physiological change in pregnancy, followed by practical changes in our life-style, this means that maintaining our adult friendships gets tested when we raise our kids.

How long have you lived here? Was there anything special that drew you to this place?

Jessie: After living in Western Australia for a few years, we returned home to New Zealand. We spent time woofing around the Waikato and fell into Raglan’s arms so to speak. Everything was easy; finding jobs, meeting people, finding a house to share. It just felt like it was meant to be and we had found somewhere that had a sense of community.

Just before Christmas last year Jess’s husband Jair asked if I could collect their son from school for a few days while he was away, as Jess would be teaching dance and they could see a calendar crisis ahead.

“Of course,” I said, “Where are you off to?” (knowing that they are both still connected to the national and international performance world).

“Oh, I will be in Wellington, I am a flying Elf next week”. At this point I was sure that I needed to make better efforts maintaining these adult friendships. Who wouldn’t want to be friends with a flying elf?!

The thing that drew me to the Croft was the ever changing landscape; the ebb and flow of the harbour, watching Karioi to the north, the changing weather patterns around her, looking west to Karewa Island, the night sky and the peaceful feeling here.

Nathan: We've lived in the Raglan area for 12 years now and have been here on the Croft for about 7 - 8 years. I enjoy the peacefulness, the expansive views of Karioi, Aotea and the moana, our friendly, helpful neighbours, so important in creating a sense of community especially when you live out here. I also like the carefree, relaxed, barefoot attitude of Raglan. I think people here genuinely care for nature, whether it's the ngahere or the moana.

Before long I found out how Jess and Jair met, and I couldn’t keep it to myself. I proudly present: a local love story, the foundation of the dream-teamsuper-couple that make up our local Dance and Circus company Freedom 2 Fly.

introduced (round of names and nationality sort of thing) it was a “Uuuuuuuuu!” from everyone else when I said ‘Jessica is an easy name to remember’.

Q: Tell me about what you thought when you saw this person? Was there a spark, or a mutual appreciation, or another emotion like anger? Passion? Intrigue? ... Throw

We were being introduced to our teams his cirque team and our dancing team and I said my name.. he said, “Oh that's an easy name to remember,” and everyone went, “OOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHH,” and I went bright red and was like.. what just happened? haha.. We were actually wing men for our roommates who were wanting to tap each other. Their thing went nowhere and we ended up together

The feeling was more like a challenge - Was she too pretty? Out of my league. So, what happened next? Well, she became a more and more interesting girl, she started to learn Spanish, she can dance (especially salsa), she is a super funny and fun person to be around. Within a couple of months, I thought she was the whole package!

Q: So, what happened next?

What do you think is key to building climate resilient communities?

Q: Tell me about when you first met? What was life like then?

What have been the biggest challenges living at the Croft and the most rewarding moments?

Jessie: Living further out in the country can be challenging. It's harder to be part of a wider community, but as Nathan mentioned we have great neighbours, which really helps. Creating our dream lifestyle that fits our values, building a house, growing kai and bringing up two children; challenging and incredibly rewarding all at the same time!

Nathan: For me the initial challenges were getting a tiny home established with enough facilities so that all of us could be happy, particularly as we had our first son by then. This was so we could live out here while we built the main house, then building our main house, whilst working full time and trying to be a Dad. And battling with the infamous kikuyu grass.

Jess: When we first met I was a dancer on a cruise ship, living the dream, haha.. I was traveling the world, doing what I love and getting paid for it, I couldn't have felt happier! Then I saw Jay and his team performing and practicing and I was like.. WOW.. NEXT LEVEL, I wanna do what they do! Also Jay was like this gorgeous tiny Tarzan with his long curly hair, flicking it around as he literally flew around the stage on the top deck and doing handstands as we sailed under the Sydney Harbour bridge. It was next level kinda stuff that blew my mind. I wasn't sold on him being for me, but he grew on me. I realised I actually really liked him one day when a member of his team fell during a show. My roommate and I ran upstairs (it was the first show we hadn’t watched) and we heard an alarm to get the medical team to the top deck, I was horrified Jay had hurt himself so we ran up in our pjs and saw him helping his team mate be wheeled off to the medical centre. It was pretty bad, but it wasn't Jay and that's when I realised I actually had feelings for this COLOMBIAN CIRCUS DUDE haha. I didn't want him to go home.

It is so rewarding to see the fruition of our hard work, the journey from paddock to paradise and watching our boys develop an innate passion for nature, learning essential skills to grow their own food, raising them to know how to garden and to grow from seeds or cuttings. This is priceless.

An important part of building resilient communities is knowing your neighbours, and of course that they know you, sharing knowledge and skills. It's all about relationships. We need the opportunity to produce power locally to minimise reliance on the grid in times of need. We need more safe cycle lanes, or cycle friendly roading where we can get out of our cars to ride or walk.

What do you think we are doing well as a community? What could we do better?

Jess: We almost broke up forever when we got off the contract and went our separate ways. I was like.. DAMN I LIKE HIM ALOT.. that was a sad goodbye. I was offered a world cruise contract as dance captain and also a contract on the same ship as him but around the pacific (which I had already done 4 times) and not as dance captain. I asked him what he thought I should do.. he said.. “I don't know” ( I just wanted him to come with me. He didn't, so I took the world cruise to spite him. Then we were both sad and he said, “What, Why did you choose that?” I said, “’Cos you didn’t say you wanted me to come on the cruise with you”, and he said, “But I do,”

There are so many amazing things happening for such a small community; crop swap, the local growers markets, the cool events hosted by WEC, local saving pools and our local bulk food co-operatives, to name a few.

As for what we could do better? I think we lack a community centre of sorts, I know we have parts of that spread around but it would be great to have an indoor place where many things happen.

inspirational is very exciting and everything we have set our minds on until now has happened. This one is a huge, terrifying, but a possible goal!

Jessie: We grow as much food as we can; we eat seasonally, which often means eating the same thing for a few weeks in different ways. We also store preserves for later in the year, which makes you really appreciate the changing of the seasons. We compost as well.

Jair: Too many big dreams ahead, to get a purpose build studio for F2F, keep performing internationally with our own produced shows, buy a house in Raglan, see our kids growing in a such a good environment to name a few. We feel super happy and privileged to live in a supportive community like Raglan, we started to feel like locals now (after 6 years living here) and the feeling of belonging to this town and this country, make us wake up every morning and feel blessed and inspired to keep doing our best and enjoying every single step of it.

The reality of living rurally is that we have to use cars - Nathan drives a full electric and I have a hybrid. We are vegetarian and try to be mindful about dairy products, and we are raising our kids to appreciate nature, creating a reciprocal relationship with the land. We have planted our steeper hillsides with mostly native trees to act as carbon sinks, plus they are beautiful and attract more birds. We try to do most of our holidaying or activities within the Waikato, which means we save money as well.

It just so happened the director of recruiting managed to fix it so I ended up not taking the world cruise and was on the next contract with him. This was one of those ‘meant to be moments’ that magically brought us together. I ended up meeting his family after our first contract. That was wild. I didn't speak much Spanish, had bright red hair and he didn't' live in the safest of places.

Your thoughts on climate change and what do you do to minimise your footprint?

Jair: After one year we were together I told my best friend "If I don't get married with this girl I won't ever be married”, it was a way to say she is ‘perfecta’.

Jessie: I'm worried that we haven't acted quickly enough; because of that I worry for our kids and I'm not sure what their future will look like.

Jair: We met in Singapore Nov 2009 on a cruise ship. It was super funny the fact we couldn't understand each other and had to use a mutual English friend to translate (she didn't speak any Spanish by the way). I was part of a 6 acrobats troupe, and Jess was part of the resident dancers cast, when we were officially

We also try to use climate friendly financial organisations as much as possible. For example, we use a bank with no fossil fuel investments. We also use a local savings pool for our loans to keep more money in the local economy.

Q: And did you think this person was going to be the person you started a family with?

What are some of your top tips that families can easily do in their day-to-day lives to support action on climate?

Jess: I didn't, but now I can't imagine life without him!

Nathan: I accept the science on the changing climate, for example that 2023 was the hottest year on record globally and that it was much hotter than scientists had anticipated from predicted modelling. This is extremely concerning.

Not only are these things good for the climate, they can also save you money:

• Compost your food waste.

Jair: Our life is the one I always dreamed of, having your soul mate by your side everyday is the best thing that can happen to a human being, you can even laugh in tough moments of life.

• Grow some greens, even in a pot.

• Reduce your meat & dairy consumption.

• Talk to your children about where waste goes.

• If you're a 2+ car household, why not make one of your cars an EV? There are great 2nd-hand options, and even with the upcoming road user charges, EVs will still be cheaper to run.

• Reduce buying things in packaging or buying new stuff, recycle and repurpose.

• Choose electrical companies that buy 100% renewable energy.

• Vote for people and political parties that take climate change seriously.

We are inspired by local leaders in this country, many of whom are in this community; the people who established Xtreme Zero Waste and their continued work, the Karioi Project, KASM, Toreparu Hūrepo Wetland restoration project and many others.

As far as we are concerned, we don't have the leadership/people skills or tertiary education to enact community/system wide change, but we think that at the very least being able to do something useful on a relatively small piece of land gives us some satisfaction that we might be helping in some small way.

Thanks so much to Jess and Jair for sharing their love story with us. On behalf of many of us in the community I want to say a big thank you to them!! Their energy, passion and exceptional skill brings an experience for us (kids and adults) that would be hard to match anywhere in the world.

Jessie and Nathan with their boys, Brodie and Alastair in the garden at ‘The Croft’

It might have been an overcast, rainy Sunday but the garden was still beautiful and you could see the moana in the distance.

Jessie and Nathan with their boys, Brodie and Alastair in the garden at ‘The Croft.’

WĀHINE CLIMBING DAY

WITH RAGLAN ROCK

Jacqui from the Local Rag chats to Ella and Julia from Raglan Rock to learn more about the Wāhine climbing day happening on March 10th.

Tell us about the event in March hosted by Raglan Rock.

Our Wāhine Only Climbing Day event is hosted by us (Ella & Julia). We are both passionate climbers and passionate about getting more women into the outdoors! As for the day itself, our Wāhine will meet us at our office in Raglan, where we will provide our Women with all the equipment they need for the day. We will then drive to our climbing site, which is about a 25-minute drive from Raglan township. This is where all the learning will begin. There will be two instructors — Ella teaching lead climbing for those ready for that progression, and Julia instructing top-rope climbing and the fundamentals of climbing. Our climbing day is open to complete beginners and those looking to progress to the next stage of their climbing journeys. Our Wāhine will be provided with a packed lunch for the day and an opportunity to connect with likeminded women.

Why are these days important and successful?

We feel that days like this provide women with an opportunity to network with other women interested in exploring the world of the outdoors, as well as a stress-free Wāhine-dominated environment, which is very rare for the climbing world. Climbing is usually a male-dominated sport, and our aim is to give women equal opportunity! We feel that climbing solely with other women gives us a more empowering and uplifting environment to learn in. We believe they are successful due to the lack of judgment and misogyny from other people, as well as the inspiration you get from watching other women overcome a new challenge or skill.

What is your personal connection to climbing and how do you benefit from it?

Julia - While my climbing journey started several years ago, it was not until I found a welcoming space and community, where my drive to test my limits began. The meditative flow of climbing sparked my love for the sport but the constant relearning of your mental and physical capabilities pushes me forward. From solving bouldering problems to ascending a multi-pitch trad climbing,

the only thing that matters is you and the rock. Climbing forces you to push through fear and exhaustion to reach past what you ever thought you were capable of. The passion and encouragement found within the climbing community is like no other but finding a place as a woman to break into the sport is a daunting task. As a male dominated activity depending on physical and mental strength, it is an intimidating sport to learn in an environment that is often influenced by male ego and competition. Recreating with femaleidentifying individuals creates a space for women to learn to climb without the fear of judgment or underlying misogyny. I have found a passion in creating a welcoming environment for new female climbers and strive to inspire other women to push past limiting boundaries and climb to new heights.

Ella- I embarked on my vertical journey 5 years ago; I discovered a profound love for climbing that goes beyond just the physical act of climbing itself. Whether I am sport climbing or captivated by the timeless allure of trad climbing, each ascent represents a narrative of strength, perseverance, and connection with the rock. As a woman in the outdoors, it can be daunting in such a male dominated environment. I have found my passion in the vertical dance and I am on a mission to inspire other women to embrace the challenge and move past the fear. The wall is a personal sanctuary where I can disconnect from the business of the outside world, be in tune with my body and where size, strength and age holds no dominance. I would love nothing more than to help other women achieve this feeling. My message is that climbing is not about conforming to predefined Moulds but about cherishing the love for the ascent. I stand as a testament that the joy of climbing Transcends the societal pressures that often seep into the climbing culture. Whether scaling a rock face or mountain, the focus is not conforming to a specific physique but in the excitement of defying gravity. Climbing is for everyone and climbing knows no limits!

How do people get in touch and come onboard ?

If there are any Wāhine out there that would like to join, we would love to have them. Absolutely all levels and abilities are welcome. To join our Wāhine Only climbing day simply just email us at Info@raglanrock. com

Ella during a climb.

Julia climbing.

EMPLOYEE ABSENTEEISM: WHAT CAN EMPLOYERS DO?

BY JAIME LOMAS – DIRECTOR AND SPECIALIST EMPLOYMENT LAWYER, DTI LAWYERS

It might just be the time of year, but we are encountering many businesses that are dealing with excessive employee absences.

The reason for the absences varies, but the impact on businesses that are already trying to operate in hard economic times is being greatly felt. So what can be done when you have an employee who fails to turn up for work?

There are a few options for dealing with employee absences depending on what the reason is for the absence and whether it is genuine.

Sick Leave

Employees are entitled to 10 days of sick leave per year, which can be used for either themselves or a dependent. For employees with excessive sick leave it is critical that employers keep track of this and request medical certificates for absences of three days or more. A medical certificate can be requested earlier if there are good reasons to suspect the sick leave is not genuine and the employer covers the cost of getting the certificate.

If sick leave is genuine and supported by medical certificates, but an employee is unable to return to work for an extended period due to illness or injury,

there is the possibility of ending their employment due to medical incapacity. However, care must be taken when following such a process and we strongly recommend seeking legal advice first.

Personal Circumstances

Sometimes an employee’s personal circumstances may prevent them from attending work. While an employer may wish to provide some flexibility depending on the reasons for this, setting out in writing clear expectations regarding the requirement to attend work during the employee’s contractual hours is important. As is setting out the potential consequences (such as possible disciplinary action) if this requirement is not complied with.

Abandonment

Abandonment is when an employee does not attend work and fails to communicate with the employer. Most employment agreements will set out how many days must pass before an employer can rely on abandonment. Commonly this is between 2 to 3 days. It is critical that an employer in this situation makes attempts to contact the employee to find out why they are not at work. Employers should first seek legal advice before confirming abandonment to ensure legal obligations have been met.

Unauthorised Leave

Any request an employee makes for annual leave must be agreed to by their employer. If there are operational or other reasons why leave cannot be accommodated at the time requested, leave requests may be reasonably declined. When employees take leave without authorisation, this could justify commencing a disciplinary process.

The Local Rag caught up with Lucie from Raglan Curtains, Tracks and Blinds.

What business have you recently purchased and from whom?

I bought Raglan Curtains Tracks and Blinds three months ago from Murray Ricketts.

What was appealing about this type of business?

Raglan Curtains and Blinds unites many strong points that made it appealing and interesting to me. First this is a locally owned and operated business, and it is deeply rooted in the local community. This permits me to understand the unique needs and preferences of the customers, allowing me to offer tailored recommendations and personalised assistance to every customer.

The specialist employment law team at DTI Lawyers can assist businesses in relation to all employment matters, including advice on employee absences and the options employers can follow for addressing this issue. For any further information on employment law queries, please contact Jaime Lomas – jaime@ dtilawyers.co.nz

Secondly, this business has been built over years on strong values: quality, service, and honesty, laying a solid foundation for longterm success and customer trust.

Then, it combines various roles and responsibilities: measuring, quoting, installing, looking after our customers, and dealing with the suppliers. This offers a dynamic and enriching experience for both customers and the owner.

What services to you offer?

We measure, quote, supply and install curtains, tracks, and blinds. We endeavour to satisfy any customer’s needs.

How do people get in touch?

You can get in touch on the website through a contact form or by calling directly on the company’s phone numbe: 027 286 4141

Living legend and dub pioneer Mad Professor has announced his return to Aotearoa, with a string of intimate performances scheduled in Whanganui, Wellington and Raglan. He will be joined at all 3 shows by Misled Convoy, the alter ego of Pitch Black’s Mike Hodgson, providing a uniquely ambient take on the classic dub sound. Capacity at each event is strictly limited, so secure your place now and don't sleep on tickets while they're available!

You've got to earn a name like Mad Professor. And if anyone's done just that it is Neil Fraser, who was already dismantling home electronics and assembling his own radios aged 9, living in Guyana with his parents. Instrumental in bringing dub into the digital age, Mad Professor's influence cannot be overstated. In 1979, he hand-built his first mixing board, opened a four-track studio in his living room in

Thornton Heath and began recording artists for his "Ariwa" imprint, with a focus on roots music.

Since then he has released thousands of songs and over three hundred albums, working alongside some of the biggest names in the game, from original legends such as Yellowman, Pato Banton and Ranking Ann, through to 90s giants such as Massive Attack, Jamiroquai, Sade and the Beastie Boys. Few have covered so much sonic ground.

You would be remiss to talk about Mad Professor without mentioning Lee "Scratch" Perry, one of the very originators of the “dub” sound alongside King Tubby. The pair frequently worked together, and

Mad Professor was substantially inspired by Perry's work throughout the 70s, crediting him with producing 'some of the greatest reggae records ever made'. Their paths finally crossed in 1983, and between the pair they worked on numerous records and helped to build a framework for the modern dub and reggae sound.

Since 1995, Mad Professor has been on tour to Aotearoa regularly, and clearly has an affinity with the motu, having collaborated with artists such as Salmonella Dub, The Black Seeds and Katchafire. A fiercely peripatetic individual, Mad Professor is constantly touring, bringing his sound to new places all across the globe. It was actually a New Zealander (DJ Goosebump from the Roots Foundation) who first encouraged Fraser to bring his sound into the live sphere, debuting ‘Mad Professor Mixes Live’ at a small basement club in Brixton, London in 1993. The word spread, and the rest is history. Mad Professor is - simply put - a living legend.

Early birds are available for the sweet price of $25+bf from undertheradar.co.nz - secure yours now and lock in for an unforgettable evening of dub and roots reggae with a genuine musical icon.

Sunday 10th March - The Yot Club, Raglan

Early birds available from $25+bf from undertheradar.co.nz

OPEN HOME

RAGLAN

RAGLAN 209 Ohautira Road

RAGLAN 209 Ohautira Road

Lifestyler's Dream

Lifestyler's Dream

Lifestyler's Dream

FINAL NOTICE

FINAL NOTICE

FINAL NOTICE

RAGLAN 77 Wallis Street

RAGLAN 77 Wallis Street

RAGLAN 77 Wallis Street

Best Views in Raglan

Best Views in Raglan

Best Views in Raglan

With a stunning 200m waterfront boasting riparian rights, this 2ha property offers a unique New Zealand experience. The main dwelling has four bedrooms, two living areas and two kitchens, one up and one downstairs. A charming twobedroom second house offers even more flexibility. The native bush and wildlife, vibrant gardens, fruit trees and direct access to the harbour will delight nature lovers.

With a stunning 200m waterfront boasting riparian rights, this 2ha property offers a unique New Zealand experience. The main dwelling has four bedrooms, two living areas and two kitchens, one up and one downstairs. A charming twobedroom second house offers even more flexibility. The native bush and wildlife, vibrant gardens, fruit trees and direct access to the harbour will delight nature lovers.

With a stunning 200m waterfront boasting riparian rights, this 2ha property offers a unique New Zealand experience. The main dwelling has four bedrooms, two living areas and two kitchens, one up and one downstairs. A charming twobedroom second house offers even more flexibility. The native bush and wildlife, vibrant gardens, fruit trees and direct access to the harbour will delight nature lovers.

pggwre.co.nz/HAM38859

pggwre.co.nz/HAM38859

RAGLAN 162 Checkley Road

RAGLAN 162 Checkley Road

RAGLAN 162 Checkley Road

Richard

Richard Thomson

M 027 294 8625 E richard.thomson@pggwrightson.co.nz

By Appointment Only

Modern Country Living

Modern Country Living

Modern Country Living

Currently a cattle grazing block, but equally suitable for horses and horticulture, possibly creating multiple income opportunities. The land is flat with quality sandy loam soils, making it excellent for any farming use.

Situated down a no exit road, you immediately notice how quiet and peaceful this property is. Behind the tree lined boundary you'll find mature grounds with amazing fruit trees, gardens, entertaining areas and space for self-sustained living including veggies and chickens.

Step inside the beautiful two-bedroom dwelling and enjoy the natural light that fills the spacious, open-plan living areas. The functional layout makes good use of space. This home is ideal for couples or families seeking rural tranquility. This 9,400m² property boasts a large shed and additional room for a workshop, garden storage and tack room as well as a solar-powered energy system.

Step inside the beautiful two-bedroom dwelling and enjoy the natural light that fills the spacious, open-plan living areas. The functional layout makes good use of space. This home is ideal for couples or families seeking rural tranquility. This 9,400m² property boasts a large shed and additional room for a workshop, garden storage and tack room as well as a solar-powered energy system.

Step inside the beautiful two-bedroom dwelling and enjoy the natural light that fills the spacious, open-plan living areas. The functional layout makes good use of space. This home is ideal for couples or families seeking rural tranquility. This 9,400m² property boasts a large shed and additional room for a workshop, garden storage and tack room as well as a solar-powered energy system.

pggwre.co.nz/HAM35300

pggwre.co.nz/HAM39009

pggwre.co.nz/HAM39009

pggwre.co.nz/HAM39009

M 027 294 8625

Richard

Richard Thomson

E richard.thomson@pggwrightson.co.nz

M 027 294 8625 E richard.thomson@pggwrightson.co.nz

RAGLAN 697 Maungatawhiri Road

RAGLAN 697 Maungatawhiri Road

RAGLAN 697 Maungatawhiri Road

Charming 1950's Home with Acreage

Charming 1950's Home with Acreage

Charming 1950's Home with Acreage

This charming 1950's weatherboard home has been recently relocated to this site with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an outdoor entertainment area and ample space for a small family or a couple. Be captivated by the amazing rural outlook. The rolling contour of the land is ideal for livestock, grazing, horses, and more. There is a round barn to store equipment, and a vast 16.34ha to bring your dreams to life.

This charming 1950's weatherboard home has been recently relocated to this site with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an outdoor entertainment area and ample space for a small family or a couple. Be captivated by the amazing rural outlook. The rolling contour of the land is ideal for livestock, grazing, horses, and more. There is a round barn to store equipment, and a vast 16.34ha to bring your dreams to life.

This charming 1950's weatherboard home has been recently relocated to this site with two bedrooms, two bathrooms, an outdoor entertainment area and ample space for a small family or a couple. Be captivated by the amazing rural outlook. The rolling contour of the land is ideal for livestock, grazing, horses, and more. There is a round barn to store equipment, and a vast 16.34ha to bring your dreams to life.

pggwre.co.nz/HAM38732

pggwre.co.nz/HAM38732

pggwre.co.nz/HAM38732

Up for grabs is a prime lifestyle section

Sections of this calibre are opportunity to build your dream home in such a

WAITETUNA 12B Bush View Drive

WAITETUNA 12B Bush View Drive

WAITETUNA 12B Bush View Drive

Solitude, Serenity and Space

Solitude, Serenity and Space

Solitude, Serenity and Space

VIEW By Appointment Only

VIEW By Appointment Only

VIEW By Appointment Only

Richard

Richard Thomson

M 027 294 8625 E richard.thomson@pggwrightson.co.nz

the

4 2 2

4 2 2

4 2 2

This section is 8025m2 (more or less), giving you space for a family lifestyle home and the landscaping to go with it. All rooms are sure to have fantastic views of either the ocean or the mountainous rural scenery. This truly is a breathtaking spot to be able to come home to.

PRICE BY NEGOTIATION

PRICE BY NEGOTIATION

PRICE BY NEGOTIATION

GST Inclusive

GST Inclusive

Great views, elevation and a sunny lifestyle on an approximately 2.41ha (more or less) section imbued with nature await you here, up a quiet lane mere minutes (3km) from the Waitetuna community. The 302m2 modern, open plan home has strong architectural lines, making a statement with its full height windows and sunken living areas at the heart of the home.

Great views, elevation and a sunny lifestyle on an approximately 2.41ha (more or less) section imbued with nature await you here, up a quiet lane mere minutes (3km) from the Waitetuna community. The 302m2 modern, open plan home has strong architectural lines, making a statement with its full height windows and sunken living areas at the heart of the home.

Great views, elevation and a sunny lifestyle on an approximately 2.41ha (more or less) section imbued with nature await you here, up a quiet lane mere minutes (3km) from the Waitetuna community. The 302m2 modern, open plan home has strong architectural lines, making a statement with its full height windows and sunken living areas at the heart of the home.

pggwre.co.nz/HAM32446

pggwre.co.nz/HAM36981

pggwre.co.nz/HAM36981

pggwre.co.nz/HAM36981

GST Inclusive

VIEW By Appointment Only

VIEW By Appointment Only

VIEW By Appointment Only

M 027 294 8625

E richard.thomson@pggwrightson.co.nz

This three-bedroom home offers an incredible opportunity to enjoy a holiday lifestyle all year. Two bathrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs offer convenience and comfort. The downstairs area is set up as a studio unit, complete with a lounge, kitchenette, and a bedroom.

The partially fenced section spans 794m² and has stunning water views as well as private access to the wharf.

This three-bedroom home offers an incredible opportunity to enjoy a holiday lifestyle all year. Two bathrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs offer convenience and comfort. The downstairs area is set up as a studio unit, complete with a lounge, kitchenette, and a bedroom. The partially fenced section spans 794m² and has stunning water views as well as private access to the wharf.

This three-bedroom home offers an incredible opportunity to enjoy a holiday lifestyle all year. Two bathrooms, one upstairs and one downstairs offer convenience and comfort. The downstairs area is set up as a studio unit, complete with a lounge, kitchenette, and a bedroom. The partially fenced section spans 794m² and has stunning water views as well as private access to the wharf.

This 27.09ha rural block is move in ready with wellestablished gardens, a comfortable home and handy

WAITETUNA 881b Old Mountain Road

Richard

Richard Thomson

M 027 294 8625 E richard.thomson@pggwrightson.co.nz

By Appointment Only

WAITETUNA 881b Old Mountain Road Spectacular Lifestyle

WAITETUNA 881b Old Mountain Road Spectacular Lifestyle

Spectacular Lifestyle

The farm is set up for sheep or beef with yards in place and a great water supply from the newly installed bore. The excellent condition 4-stand wool shed could be used as a calf shed, workshop, accommodation or storage.

PRICE BY NEGOTIATION

Set back from the road for privacy, the original homestead has four bedrooms including the master bedroom with ensuite. You will find the floorplan to be generous and laid out with family living in mind, and there is a swimming pool for the warmer months.

The layout of this modern, four bedroom, two bathroom family home is exceptional with multiple inside and outside areas and lovely rural views from each bedroom. Enjoy the ducted aircon, smart vent heating and multi-zone inbuilt sound system. The master bedroom has a generous walk-in wardrobe and ensuite with double head shower. The 1.235ha land is beautifully landscaped yet easy to maintain.

GST Inclusive

The layout of this modern, four bedroom, two bathroom family home is exceptional with multiple inside and outside areas and lovely rural views from each bedroom. Enjoy the ducted aircon, smart vent heating and multi-zone inbuilt sound system. The master bedroom has a generous walk-in wardrobe and ensuite with double head shower. The 1.235ha land is beautifully landscaped yet easy to maintain.

The layout of this modern, four bedroom, two bathroom family home is exceptional with multiple inside and outside areas and lovely rural views from each bedroom. Enjoy the ducted aircon, smart vent heating and multi-zone inbuilt sound system. The master bedroom has a generous walk-in wardrobe and ensuite with double head shower. The 1.235ha land is beautifully landscaped yet easy to maintain.

pggwre.co.nz/HAM36677

pggwre.co.nz/HAM37379

pggwre.co.nz/HAM37379

VIEW By Appointment Only

M 027 294 8625

Richard Thomson

E richard.thomson@pggwrightson.co.nz

M 027 294 8625 E richard.thomson@pggwrightson.co.nz

RAGLAN 154 Hills Road

RAGLAN 154 Hills Road

RAGLAN 154 Hills Road

Prepare to be Impressed

Prepare to be Impressed

Prepare to be Impressed

$2M

$2M

$2M

Plus GST (if any)

Plus GST (if any)

VIEW By Appointment Only

This 10.8ha block (more or less) of flat to rolling contour has a long road frontage and multiple breath-taking possible building sites all with impressive rural and ocean views. This property's location, size and setting is a cut above the usual lifestyle blocks or sections in the ever popular Raglan area.

This 10.8ha block (more or less) of flat to rolling contour has a long road frontage and multiple breath-taking possible building sites all with impressive rural and ocean views. This property's location, size and setting is a cut above the usual lifestyle blocks or sections in the ever popular Raglan area.

This 10.8ha block (more or less) of flat to rolling contour has a long road frontage and multiple breath-taking possible building sites all with impressive rural and ocean views. This property's location, size and setting is a cut above the usual lifestyle blocks or sections in the ever popular Raglan area.

pggwre.co.nz/HAM37806

pggwre.co.nz/HAM37806

pggwre.co.nz/HAM37806

RAGLAN 274 Ohautira Road

RAGLAN 274 Ohautira Road

RAGLAN 274 Ohautira Road

Stunning Views and Location

Stunning Views and Location

VIEW By Appointment Only

VIEW By Appointment Only

Richard

Stunning Views and Location 285ha sheep and beef blocks like this one don't often come to the market. Currently running a mix of sheep and beef with excellent tracks throughout. Front half

285ha sheep and beef blocks like this one don't often come to the market. Currently running a mix of sheep and beef with excellent tracks throughout. Front half of the farm is mostly Bull beef with 250 calves reared annually,

285ha sheep and beef blocks like this one don't often come to the market. Currently

Up for grabs is a prime lifestyle section overlooking the amazing Ruapuke beach. Secure this spot now and enjoy the best views for decades to come! The title has been issued- Get talking to your builder now! This section is 1.1007ha (more or less), giving you space for a family lifestyle home and the land to go with it. In one direction you have incredible and unique views of Ruapuke beach, and in the other you have spectacular mountains. The driveway has been constructed. Areas of covenanted and tracked native bush, habitat for abundant bird life, are all around you in this stunning location.

pggwre.co.nz/HAM34524

pggwre.co.nz/HAM38426

pggwre.co.nz/HAM38426

pggwre.co.nz/HAM38426

M

Richard Thomson

Richard Thomson

E richard.thomson@pggwrightson.co.nz

M 027 294 8625

Richard Thomson

Richard Thomson

Section Overlooking Spectacular Ruapuke Beach

overlooking

amazing Ruapuke beach.

beautiful location.

Richard Thomson

Richard Thomson

Richard

LIVE & LOCAL MARCH

AT THE RAGLAN OLD SCHOOL ARTS CENTRE

We have a varied line-up for you this month, from folk musings to acoustic alternative to country/punk rock! Matt Kambic returns and Greta O’Leary and Vicki Greetis make their Live & Local debuts.

Matt Kambic’s acoustic compositions look to hold up a soft candle to the seasons in the heart, plying that middle

space between the shadows and the light, sharing tuneddown perspectives around life and love on a quiet guitar.

Folk and alternative artist Greta O’Leary writes confessional, poignant, and occasionally absurd songs that cut through the thickest of skins. Vocally led, accompanied by acoustic guitar and joined by Hannah Morrell on fiddle.

Vicki Greetis (of Five Girls’ fame) says she would best describe her music as a one-woman band playing her own

Endless summer on the peninsula

style of chaos, inspired by country storytelling and raw punk rock angst.

Live & Local is supported by Waikato District Creative Communities, Raglan Light & Sound and Mark Frost –Bayley’s Real Estate.

Doors open 7pm, Show 7.30

Koha entry

Old School Arts Centre, Fri March 8

Raglan 64A Greenslade Road

Two dwellings - expansive harbour views

If privacy is a pre-requisite, water views and nature a priority, this waterfront 7416sqm estate in Raglan will connect with your soul. The stunning architectural home sits elevated in pride of place, highlighting the breathtaking water views of the inner harbour and private native bush setting. The heart of this home is undoubtedly the well-appointed kitchen, equipped with modern appliances and complemented by a convenient butler's pantry. Whether you're a culinary enthusiast or enjoy casual family meals, this space is sure to inspire. The dining area seamlessly connects the living space.

Raglan 21 Point Street

Light and space

Designed by well-known Waikato architectural firm, Architecture Bureau, this remarkable property reflects the original vision of its owners. The vision was twofold: firstly, to create a serene and inviting two-bedroom holiday retreat for themselves, with an additional two-bedroom guest area versatile enough to accommodate both extended family and short-term guests. Secondly, they aimed to craft a home that would seamlessly embrace the breathtaking views of Raglan Harbour, the Rangitahi peninsula, and the majestic Sleeping Lady, Whaingaroa, Raglans very own Mt. Karioi.

Raglan 107 Rangitahi Road

Elevated living - unobstructed views

The vendors have discovered their perfect home, are highly motivated, and have set a definitive timeline - making it imperative to view this property at your earliest convenience! Crafted by the award-winning Anthem Homes and meticulously refined by its current owners, this one-year-old residence can be your forever home, a lock-and-leave haven, or a lucrative rental investment. Architecturally designed for seamless living, this quality home revolves around the 2.7m stud, open-plan living area and a wellappointed kitchen. An entertainer's paradise, it seamlessly connects with the outdoors.

23A Uenuku Avenue

4

Mark

Debbie

Westside gem

Welcome to 23A Uenuku Avenue, a well presented modern and tidy 2-bedroom home with an additional converted sleepout for extended family, teenager, or additional income stream.

•The roof on the home has recently been replaced.

•Converted garage has its own shower and toilet.

•Double glazed joinery.

•Large covered deck area ideal for entertaining and alfresco living.

•Outdoor bath set in a private wee nook.

•Consented garage is tenanted.

This tidy home is packed with mod-cons and should be top of your list.

3 2 1

Raglan

A slice of Whale Bay history!

Raglan

Raglan

We love seeing your images of our magazine on Instagram - please share the love & tag our mag... @local_rag #localragmag

ON OUR CALENDAR

MONTH

MAUI DOLPHIN DAY & RECYCLED RAFT RACE

A collaborative community festival which highlights the endangered Popoto/Māui Dolphin.

Saturday 2 Mar, 12 - 4pm @ Papahua Reserve

WILD WHAEA!

A showcase of 9 Women Comedians $15 admission.

Saturday 2 Mar, 8 - 10.15pm @ Raglan Club Inc.

IAN POOLEY - with DJ Chimpster German record producer & DJ, with local support.

Tix: undertheradar.co.nz

Saturday 8 Mar @ The YOT Club @theyotclub_raglan

NAPOLEON BABY LIVE - with Pocket Money

3 piece with an indie/alternative, raw, soulful sound.

Tix: undertheradar.co.nz

Saturday 8 Mar @ The Yard @the_yard_raglan

MAD PROFESSOR - with Cian & Misled Convoy UK dubwise champion Mad Professor is making his mighty return to Raglan for Sunday Sessions.

Tix: undertheradar.co.nz

Sunday 10 Mar @ The YOT Club @theyotclub_raglan @raglan_sunday_sessions

WHITE CHAPEL JAK

Live kiwi band. Tix: eventfinda.co.nz

Saturday 30 Mar @ Harbourview Hotel @whitechapeljak (IG) @harbourviewhotel (FB)

FEATURE IN OUR MAG...

to support LOCAL! We create regular features to showcase local businesses - if you are interested in featuring in one of these please contact Geraldine: geb@g-design.co.nz Our regular features include: Home, Women in Business, Health & Wellbeing, Art, Wharf & Foodies. For any other advertising or content for the mag, please contact Jacqui: info@raglanchronicle.co.nz

TENCEL

SKIRT by One Teaspoon $230

GRABSOME

@atamira @zinnia5 @pennyfoggodesign @_dark.faces_ @refinery.whaingaroa @lifted_pilates_raglan @thespaceraglan @raglangym @freedom2flynz @theshackraglan

Raglan Club, quilters group, Raglan Community House, Crop Swap, Raglan Community Gardens, attend local exhibitions and openings, pub quizes, volunteer work, head to the local markets.

Raglan iHub Community Information

Are you a local business provider and want to advertise with us? Call in and see us or sign up on website: www.raglanihub.nz We are open 7 days a week 10am–3pm supporting our Whaingaroa Community and visitors with information and local art for sale. 13 Wainui Road 07 825 0556

For Sale

QUALITY HORSE

HAY $8.00 per Conventional Bale Pickup behind baler Waingaro Location main tar sealed road Phone 078254843, or 021932431

Situations Vacant WE REQUIRE A GARDENER and a person who understands shrubs and flowers, it’s a part time regular position pay is negotiated and is paid weekly but tax will be deducted. Hours of work will vary to suit applicant We are situated half an hour from Raglan township for further details contact Barry 021932431 most mornings any message left will be returned.

For Sale

FIREWOOD DRY, DELIVERED. Phone 021 0771524. Trailer Load Pine $205, Oldman Pine $210, Gum - $215

Public Notices

CONTACT US TO LIST YOUR AD info@raglanchronicle.co.nz

WHAT’S ON

ART - EVENTS - COMMUNITY

CROP SWAP. First and third Sundays of the month. 9.30 -10.30am at Bowling Club, James Street. Bring anything from kitchen or garden to swap – seedlings, plants, produce, preserves, baking. It’s not direct swapping, we share abundance, and everyone gets a bit of everything! All welcome

YOGA BEGINNERS SERIES AT THE SPACE. Wednesdays 9:15am from March 13th 6 weeks $85 - 0211634644 - thespaceraglan@gmail.com

MAUI DOLPHIN DAY & RECYCLED

RAFT RACE - Sat March 2nd, 12-4pm Papahua Reserve.

THE YARD SALE - Raglan Vintage, Streetwear, Upcycled clothing market, March 9th at the Yard Raglan, 10am-3pm.

STONED COW: Sip & Paint 9th March 6.30pm - 9pm; Sip & Clay 16th March 6.30pm - 9pm.

WHAT’S ON @ THE OLD SCHOOL

5 STEWART STREET, RAGLAN

CHECK OUR WEBSITE FOR UPDATES

RAGLAN FILM FESTIVAL 2024 Final entries due Friday 1 March 2024. Enter online www.raglanfilmfestival.co.nz.

WHAINGAROA WRITERS WORLD POPUP BOOKSHOP – 23 FEB – 1 MAR Books for sale from local writers. Open daily 10am – 2pm.

WHAINGAROA WRITERS WORLD BOOK LAUNCH – FRI 1 MAR ‘Feijoa: A Story of Obsession & Belonging’ by local writer Kate Evans. 6pm, all welcome.

LIVE AND LOCAL – FRIDAY 8 MARCH

A showcase for local performers, from songwriters to comedy, this month featuring Matt Kambic, Greta O’Leary and Vicki Greetis. 7.30-9.30pm, doors open 7pm. Koha entry. Licensed bar and café open.

RAGLAN CREATIVE MARKET – SUNDAY

10 MARCH 10am – 2pm at the Old School, 5 Stewart Street. For more infowww.raglanmarket.com

EXHIBITION – 12 – 28 MARCH Toitū Te Tiriti - a Raglan Naturally initiative. Learn about the Treaty of Waitangi and Te Whakaputanga/Declaration of Independence. Discover the signatories from the Whāingaroa/Raglan Area. Open daily 10am – 2pm. School visit enquiries to Lisa Thomson, 0211 798 256.

REGULAR EVENTS

Ragtimers Ukulele Group weekly on Wed 4pm Clay Shed Members’ Night weekly on Wed 5-7pm

Karioi Quilts & Crafts Monthly on 2nd Thurs, 10am

Raglan Art Group Monthly on 1st Fri, 10am

Backgammon Club Monthly on last Fri, 5pm

Mens’ Group restarts Wed 21 Feb 7pm, then fortnightly

P 07 825 0023 | E info@raglanartscentre.co.nz