Look at that detail! is is Bahlee Ellis wearing her self-crafted ensemble – called ‘ e Latest Print’ – that won her the Most Innovative Use of Materials Award at the Showquest Wearable Arts competition at Baypark this week.
In fact, this is the second year in a row the 12-year-old Mount Maunganui Intermediate student has clinched the award!
Bahlee, who made the dress from about 400 pages of e Weekend Sun and two
months of her time, actually lost count of how many editions of e Sun she used for the layered out t. She even made accessories, including a bow, sunglasses, shoes and an umbrella.
“I was pretty proud of it,” says Bahlee,
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I love rugby league. ere! –I have said it. Bald, bold and brassy. I feel liberated – like I have just ‘come out’.
But then my lovely gay brother always said I should nd myself a nice truck driver and settle down. For the record, he watches union.
uality. ere were signs.
en there will be many not surprised by the self-disclosure of my true orientation, my sportuality. ere were signs.
“He was always a closet leaguey” they will say.
Supping Lion Red, reserve seats in the South Stand at Mt Smart, buying Mad Butcher sausages, and having on loop that clip of Kevin Tamati belting the crap out of Greg Dowling in the legendary transtasman brawl of ‘85. Who remembers the score? Doesn’t matter because 40 years later, we’re still jabbing and hooking with Tamati. It was football, but it was also deliciously primal. Not like the unseen, bottom of the ruck eye-gouging and earbiting of the other code.
Code ‘swing’
change
Clark beat the Lions at Carisbrook in ‘59, thought I was going to die in the crazy our bombing of Eden Park during the disgraceful ‘81 tour that never should have been. I’ve had a haggis, neeps and single malt entre to a Murray eld test, boot-partied at Twickenham. And I was tempted to change passports when the crowd around me at Stade de France thrust its best chauvinist breast and burst into La Marseillaise.
burst into La Marseillaise.
A sound to make a foreigner cry.
Pāpāmoa Bulldogs, and the Whalers. Why not? But as rugby scrambles to discover what it is, who it belongs to and where it’s headed, and the Super Rugby sputters to an underwhelming close, Rugby League surges ahead.
I met Tamati a couple of times later on – he was delightful, engaging and gentil –but with a hidden and vicious right cross which he reserved for Australians who crossed him on the eld.
Anyhow why did I code ‘swing’? I wonder too, because rugby league gave me some good reasons not to.
Like the rugby league boss who told me to: “F*** o and nd something you know something about if you want to write a story”. Ouch! Leaguies can be a sensitive and defensive bunch.
But I haven’t forsaken rugby, because I was born into it – and it’s delivered me moments. I had a Junior All Black cousin, played rst XV, watched Don
But nowadays give me the reworks, the smoke, the waiata (song), the light show, the baying loyal, as e Wahs prepare to wow. Where did that exhortation come from?
reworks, the smoke, the waiata (song), the light show, the baying e
No one knows, but “Up the Wahs” has become a national call to arms, a national declaration of one-ness.
I once asked a bloke why he loved the Wahs. “Family,” he said. I was impressed. Did he have a brother or cousin who’s a Warrior? He just smirked. “Nuh – they’re all my family mate.”
It must make rugby’s marketing people squirm – because “Up the Wahs” out-emotes the sheer ordinariness of “Go the Blues” or “Black, Black, Black”, or even sad cow bells as the fog descends on FMG Stadium.
the Wahs” out-emotes the sheer ordinariness of “Go the
And nothing compares to waking up in March knowing every weekend for the next six months there will be a smorgasbord of supreme athleticism and ball skills – NRL ursday through Sunday – fast, clean, technically pure, easily understood, and unsullied by god-awful rolling mauls, pushover scrums, re-setting scrums, and lineouts. ey may set rugby apart, but perhaps I’ve just had my ll of them.
e NRL is 204 games across 27 rounds, all building to the play-o s in September in an intravenous feed of frenzy, passion, pride, rage, thrill, triumph and heartbreak.
Mind you, in between times I will pop along to the Domain, where Tauranga deserves to have a showcase, built-forpurpose stadium, to watch the Steamers.
And perhaps our local league teams; the
And that’s the way it is. e Mt Smart crowd love their game and then they love the Warriors. ey’d probably turn up even if there was no game because to sit in the South Stand is a sense of belonging. You are here so are one of us. en its two hours of hooting, yelling, cheering and booing for the whole ‘famdamily’. e South Stand is a show in itself. It’s a football match but it’s a bash. A family bash.
Rugby league administrators must gaze out on match day and chuckle with delight. Another 20,000 bums on seats – give ‘em what they want and they will turn up.
I know a ‘Kati’ woman who 15 years ago stopped for a cup of tea and a pie in Townsville and has been a hot-blooded Cowboys supporter ever since. She’s just won a $20 million jackpot – of sorts –scoring four tickets to the Wahs game against the Storm. She’ll pick up hubby from Auckland airport when he arrives home from the second Origin game and whisk him o to Mt Smart with two daughters for the game. at’s love. Not for each other – for rugby league, for the Wahs.
Want to know how to niggle a union fan – in the middle of a serious rugby discussion just drop in “Up the Wahs”, then settle back and feel the loathing.
Lower speed limits will be introduced around some schools in Tauranga.
A speed limit of 40km/hr during drop o and pick up will be introduced outside 21 schools across the city. ese will be in addition to the 16 schools that already have a variable limit in place.
e 40km limit will begin 30 minutes before school starts then revert to the street’s normal limit, and begin again resume for 20 minutes after school ends.
e speed limit changes for the schools will be rolled out as funding allows and was prioritised based on risk. Arataki School is the highest priority followed by Mount Maunganui College then Omanu School.
e changes are part of Tauranga City Council’s speed management plan that was adopted at a meeting on Monday.
TCC city centre infrastructure lead Shawn Geard says council completed a risk assessment of the schools based on their road frontages and key access points. TCC used community feedback and police crash data from the areas around the city’s 45 schools. A 2020 New Zealand Transport Agency risk assessment was also used to decide which schools to add the variable limits to and prioritise timing of the rollout.
e temporary 30km/hr speed limit in Tauranga’s CBD between McLean St and Second Ave will also become permanent.
TCC head of transport Nic Johansson says
the desire to manage speed limits at high risk locations is about improving safety on local roads.
“Our local schools have told us that increased tra c and people driving vehicles at high speeds is a signi cant risk to student safety,” he says in a statement. “While pedestrian fatalities aren’t a common occurrence, accidents do happen, and speed is a factor in the likelihood and outcome.
“Lower speeds allow for shorter sight and braking distances which is important in complex, busy situations such as school pick-up and drop-o times.”
e speed management plan was a requirement of the previous government; the Coalition Government made it optional but council opted to continue developing the plan. In April, council consulted with the community to gauge support for a reduction in speed limits outside schools, some marae, and in the city centre.
More than 1000 people surveyed had more than 71 per cent in favour of reduced speed limits outside schools. More than 52 per cent were in favour of making the temporary 30km/hr limit in the city centre permanent. e reduced speed limits, with signs showing when the speed limits are operational, will be introduced in coming months.
Twenty one schools will get a variable speed limit. See the full list on: sunlive.co.nz
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A selection of local breaking stories featured this week on...
The only local daily news source you need, constantly updated, seven days a week www.sunlive.co.nz
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Biofuel shipping trial
Mount Maunganui Intermediate student Bahlee Ellis lost count of how many of e Weekend Sun newspapers she used for her Wearable Arts out t.
e 12-year-old attended Showquest, where she competed in the Wearable Arts competition at Baypark on Monday, June 10. She won the Most Innovative Use of Materials Award.
“ ey thought it was amazing.
“Everyone thought I was going to win, and they were really angry when I didn’t.” is year her wearable art project used about 400 pages of e Sun and took two months to complete.
“I really enjoyed it. It makes me happy because I like doing art.”
When asked if she wants to be in fashion when she’s older, she says: “Yes, I have wanted to be since I was little”.
stage at about 9pm.” Bahlee enjoyed the modelling side of the show, where she walked down the catwalk in her out t she named ‘ e Latest Print’.
“It was so colourful this year.” e wearable arts project had to be at least 75 per cent recycled. “I went op shopping with my mum Sandra,” says Baylee. “I got a huge roll of black fabric and then we got a dress pattern.
FCC, one of the international shipping partners of Zespri, has successfully completed a trial using biofuel in a charter vessel operating between Hong Kong and New Zealand. e trial’s purpose was to test the performance of the ship’s engines when burning biofuel. e vessel Kakariki bunkered the biofuel in Hong Kong at the end of May before starting its voyage south, arriving at the Port of Tauranga last weekend. e vessel was powered by a blend of biofuel made from used cooking oil. e Kakariki bunkered the biofuel in Hong Kong because there is none available in NZ. If and when biofuel does become available in Aotearoa it will present more opportunities for Zespri’s chartered ships to burn this low-emission fuel.
Robotic revolution
“I was pretty proud of it,” says Bahlee. is is her second time entering the event and the second time she’s received the Most Innovative Use of Materials Award. Her rst entry, ‘Drowning in the Blue’, was made from a second-hand dress and ocean litter.
“I was creating dresses for my dolls when I was little.”
At the Showquest event, Bahlee represented her school, which she is proud of because she received lots of support from her teachers and peers.
“Loads, actually.” She got to the event at about 11am. “Everyone was getting dressed and doing their makeup. en we got photoshoots.
“At 1pm, we had a brie ng, and then at 1.30pm we had a dress rehearsal. en at 5pm we had dinner, and we were on
“ e whole top is made from e Weekend Sun newspapers and with the fabric, we made these little tubes and stapled them on.”
Bahlee made fans out of the newspapers, which she layered onto the out t. “ ey go all the way down the train, and then there are tubes across the shirt. We made the shirt with a dress pattern, and it goes all the way around, and then at the back, we tied it up with shoelaces like a corset.
“I wanted it to be big and pu y, like a Disney princess.”
To achieve the “pu y” look, Bahlee used a tutu for half of it: “It looks really cool.”
Besides the dress, Bahlee also made accessories, including a bow, sunglasses, shoes and an umbrella.
“My auntie entered wearable arts when she was 13 and she won it. She made an umbrella out of Lotto tickets.
“I took inspo [inspiration] for the umbrella from there.”
On the umbrella, she painted words in red and green in a form of activism.
A new robot is expected to revolutionise sports elds and free up volunteers. e New Zealand Community Trust has granted $67,014 to the Eastern Bay of Plenty Rugby Sub Union for the purchase of an automated line-marking robot. e new technology will make eld marking much faster and easier, freeing up valuable time for their volunteers, who previously had to dedicate substantial hours to this manual task. It represents an investment in modernising EBOPRSU’s operations, helping them work more e ciently to better support their community of rugby players and enthusiasts.
Matariki Dawn Service
A dawn service to re ect on the past, celebrate the present and prepare for the future is being planned for Katikati. Te Rūnanga o Ngai Tamawhariua, Katch Katikati, Katikati Community Centre, Project Parore, Western Bay Museum Te Rereatukahia Marae, Katikati Red Cross and Katikati Rotary Club are hosting the Matariki event on June 28.
Matariki marks the start of the Māori New Year, signi ed by the Matariki cluster of stars reappearing in the night sky. Community members will be able to gather along Park Rd on June 28 before dawn breaks and proceed along the reserve footpath to a marquee with seating and heating.
Ram raids down Ram raids are down more than 80 per cent for the month of April compared with last year, according to provisional police data. Police identi ed 12 ram raids in April 2024, compared with 64 in April 2023.
Provisional police data from April 2017 to April 2024 shows a downward trend since the peak in August 2022, when there were 86. ere were 433 ram raids in 2022, 288 in 2023, and 67 in the rst four months of 2024. Legislation to introduce a new ram raid o ence passed its rst reading in Parliament in August.
“My Hungahungatoroa marae at Matapihi is getting moved to higher grounds because of air pollution and global warming.
“ at’s why we included the [ e Weekend Sun] logos on the umbrella.”
Bahlee’s mum helped her make the dress, and when asked if Sandra was into fashion, she jokes: “I think she is after this”.
Bahlee will receive her Most Innovative Use of Materials award at her school’s assembly today, June 14.
e Weekend Sun and SunLive bid farewell to their long-held home at No 1 e Strand this week to relocate to the NZME building on Cameron Rd.
But readers and the Tauranga and Western Bay of Plenty communities can rest assure – it is business as usual at the new site from today, Friday, June 14.
e Weekend Sun editor Merle Cave says all Sun sta will relocate to Tauranga’s NZME building by June 14 – and will continue to deliver top quality, community-focused news via the newspaper and online at sunlive.co.nz as usual.
“Nothing is changing apart from the place we are operating out of. At 405 Cameron Rd, e Weekend Sun and SunLive team will have a dedicated o ce within the NZME building.
“Businesses and the community can still contact our advertising team and newsroom through the same channels.
“To contact the team for your advertising needs or news tips, or to get hold of a journalist, please continue to phone our main line: 07 578 0030.
“If you have urgent, breaking news, please continue to phone: 0800 SUNLIVE (0800 786
5483).” For those who prefer to email, advertising enquiries can still be sent to: ads@thesun.co.nz.
Meanwhile, news tips and enquiries should continue to be sent to: newsroom@thesun.co.nz
Merle says the move – which will see SunLive, e Weekend Sun, Coast & Country News and New Farm Dairies operate from 405 Cameron Rd – is part of NZME’s recent acquisition of Sun Media.
“We would like to thank the NZME team for kindly welcoming us into the fold and accommodating our needs so we can continue to produce fresh, informative, up-to-date news that our communities respect us for.
“ e Weekend Sun and SunLive team is very excited to be working from the NZME building from today – so please get in touch for your advertising and news needs.”
For those who send Letters to the Editor via post, the new address is Private Bag 12002, Tauranga Mail Centre, Tauranga 3143.
“And for readers who used to pick up a copy of e Weekend Sun from our o ce – there’s a new stand for our newspaper in the foyer of the NZME building at 405 Cameron Rd from today.”
Western Bay of Plenty District Council’s Long Term Plan 20242034 is now open for feedback e consultation document –which can be viewed at www. haveyoursay.westernbay.govt.nz/ LTP – steers all council activities and services and how these will be paid for over the next 10 years.
It is reviewed every three years, setting out key areas of focus and what rates may look like for the
next 10 years.
Submissions on the plan are open until 5pm Monday, June 17.
In a rst for council, social media comments on council’s Facebook page – at: facebook. com/westernbaycouncil – will be considered informal feedback.
Give feedback at: www.haveyoursay. westernbay.govt.nz/LTP
Or grab a feedback form at any of the library and service centres.
Two Tauranga women have been selected to join a nationwide team formed to help para athletes and coaches transition from representative level to highperformance sport.
Tauranga’s Tarryn Espitalier has been selected for the Para Sport Collective as a para badminton coach while Tauriko’s Jodie orne is a para equestrian athlete who has been earmarked with potential to qualify for the 2028 Paralympics in Los Angeles. A further Bay of Plenty resident, Henk Greupink from Rotorua, a para swimming coach, has made it into the collective.
Created by Paralympics New Zealand and supported by ACC, the Para Sport Collective brings together groups of pre-high-performance para athletes and coaches from a variety of sports.
Tarryn, Jodie and Henk are three of 25 athletes
and 12 coaches who are part of the second intake of the Para Sport Collective, which begins this month and runs for 12 months, o ering three national in-person camps and bi-monthly virtual connections. e purpose is to learn from each other and high-performance sport experts.
“ e course is going to be awesome,” says Jodie.
“Before it was created, each athlete had to get their own support crew and gure out what they needed but this is like joining a paralympic team. It will give me more tools and connections, including learning from paralympians. It’s a great initiative.” e nationwide support network was formed last year.
is is the second intake of participants who represent New Zealand’s future talent across 11 of the 29 recognised Paralympic sports. ey’ll receive training in nutrition, physiotherapy, media
interviews, personal brand and sponsorship, strength training and conditioning.
“It’s learning how, as coaches, we can help the athletes become the best that they can be,” says Tarryn. “It means that if someone with a disability comes to me saying they’d like to go to the next Paralympics, I’ll have the tools to help them do that.”
Jodie has been riding competitively with her current horse Ira Hayes for ve years. She was diagnosed with degenerative muscle wasting condition FacioScapularHumeral Muscular Dystrophy when she was 12.
“I was on a marching team and had to throw a baton as part of the routine. I found I couldn’t hold my arms in the air and would fall over when I
tried to run in the school beep test.
“At rst, it didn’t a ect me much but now I’m in a motorised wheelchair.”
e 42-year-old is determined to continue riding and competing in dressage events for as long as possible. “FSHD a ects everything from my eyelids down. My core is weak, so I need a lot of equipment to hold me in the saddle. My team and I try to mitigate the risks as much as we can, but there’s an inherent risk for anyone horse riding and there’s always a risk of falling o .”
e athletes chosen for the collective are those with the best chance of qualifying for the next Paralympics.
to compete at Paris 2024, so that’s a good indication that it’s a good course. It’s exciting to be part of it,” says Jodie.
Para Sport Collective manager
Dale MacDonald says those in the collective become part of a community with such a strong sense of belonging.
“ is experience shows them how to make the most of those connections, and about the
ingredients involved in becoming successful high-performance coaches and para athletes.”
ACC chief executive Megan Main is pleased to see the Para Sport Collective enter its second year.
“We want to generate opportunities for disabled New Zealanders – many of our clients included – to participate and compete in Para sport.
“We’re thrilled to be a part of the transformation that’s happening in the Para Sport Collective. I wish the second intake well.”
“The journey looks di erent for every para athlete, but the para equestrian athlete who was in last year’s intake, Louise Duncan, is now on her way
Para equestrian athlete Jodie orne is looking forward to the Para Sport Collective.
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It’s possibly the world’s most desirable role, yet it’s proving tough to ll.
Oropi Playgroup needs a new facilitator whose job would involve organising fun, imaginative activities for pre-schoolers and their caregivers.
“It’s just 10 hours a week, so would possibly suit someone who’s semi-retired,” says Oropi Playgroup co-president Abby Haycock.
“We have all the resources; puzzles, games and a big outdoor space. We need someone who wants to spend time creating opportunities for the kids to learn, play and socialise.”
One of the longest-serving facilitators retired
several years ago after more than 30 years at play. “Brenda would come along with pastry and stewed apples for the kids to make apple turnovers for morning tea,” says Abby.
“It was really special. She genuinely had the kids’ interests at heart and we’re hoping to nd someone who enjoyed the role as much as she did.”
Abby says it’s quite a niche role with the limited hours. “I think that’s why it’s so hard to nd the right person. It would suit someone with experience in an early education role who’s keen to hang out with kids and their parents.”
For more information about the facilitator role at Oropi Playgroup, email: oropiplaygroup@gmail.com Debbie Griffiths
Poor Valerie and her four siblings were found as tiny puppies in a box at a park. e babies should still have been under the comfort and care of their mum but luckily a caring member of the public found them and brought them to the SPCA.
Since then they’ve thrived, gaining weight and becoming lovely, lively puppies that are now ready to be adopted. Valerie is a sweetie inside and out, she loves a cuddle and playing with her toys. Con dent and friendly, she loves to meet new people and learn new things. Aged eight weeks, Valerie will need a home where someone is home at least part of the day. ese puppies will be medium-large breeds, so need a secure fenced section. Phone the SPCA on: 07 578 0245. Ref: 608990.
Bupa Greerton Oaks Retirement Village
Enquiries over $514,000^
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5 stars overall satisfaction
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A retirement village that feels like a village, not a retirement city.
Greerton Oaks Retirement Village is located in a friendly suburb of sunny Tauranga, within walking distance of some of the area’s best amenities.
With 22 two bedroom villas, Greerton Oaks is designed to give you the independence you want and the freedom you desire. Our modern villas sit amongst attractive gardens, providing easy care living without the maintenance.
• Fixed weekly fees
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Contact Debbie on 07 245 1728 or visit bupa.co.nz/greertonoaks
108 Greerton Road, Gate Pa, Tauranga, 3112
^Price is for a licence to occupy under an Occupation Right Agreement.
A Matariki sculpture trail in the city – an Aotearoa exhibition rst using augmented reality technology to breathe life into digital artworks by renowned Kiwi artists – is now open to the public at two sites until June 30.
Presented by Te Tauranga Toi, the matARiki Sculpture Trail – which launched on Monday at both e Strand Reserve in Tauranga and at Te Papa o ngā Manu Porotakataka at Mount Maunganui – o ers a unique and interactive experience for families and art enthusiasts alike, says exhibition creator and curator
Kereama Taepa. “ ere are seven artists’ work in the sculpture trail, which are Jared Wikeepa, Chris Bailey, Reweti Arapere, Rangituhia Hollis, River Jayden, Julie Paama-Pengelly and myself,” says Kereama following Monday’s launch.
“ is rst-of-its-kind exhibition event for Aotearoa provides an opportunity for our digital artists to showcase their mahi in a way that is more in tune with their medium as it uses digital technology to present their digital artwork,” says Kereama.
Waitī and Waitā
“Overseas there are a multitude of opportunities like this for digital artists, however, here in Aotearoa they are non-existent… so it’s really about opening up that space and creating that opportunity… and creating that exposure for our digital artists that are actually quite accomplished in this space.”
With the theme of Matariki – speci cally focusing on the twin stars Waitī (freshwater)
and Waitā (saltwater) – the trail invites visitors to embark on a journey through augmented reality sculptures.
Scan codes
Trail-goers simply scan QR codes with a smart device and watch as digital artworks come to life before their eyes.
Kereama hopes people will interact with the sculptures, learn about their meaning and the stories behind them, “and immerse yourself in the vibrant world of contemporary Māori art”.
e matARiki Sculpture Trail is a collaborative e ort supported by Te Tauranga Toi, Toi Hourua, Tauranga City Council’s Creative Communities Scheme and Te Tuhi Mareikura Trust – a local arts organisation dedicated to nurturing artistic talent in Tauranga Moana.
Kereama encourages people not to miss this groundbreaking
opportunity to experience Matariki in a whole new way. “Join the matARiki Sculpture Trail and discover the magic of augmented-reality art.” e free matARiki Sculpture Trail is at Te Papa o Ngā Manu Porotakataka, Mount Maunganui, and e Strand Reserve, Tauranga CBD, until June 30.
Or follow the trail on Instagram at: www.instagram. com/matarikisculpturetrail
e year was 1924 and ‘Babe’ Ruth batted them out of the park. J. Edgar Hoover became boss of the FBI. And Clarence Birdseye introduced frozen food to the masses.
And Colleen Carter was born. She was special in her own right before she landed on this planet. Because her heavily pregnant mother had
to endure a 22km bump-and-bash ride on a horse-drawn sled from the family farm to Morrinsville Nursing Home to have her baby – Colleen –on May 13, 1924.
en today, like the previous 36,532 or so days of her long life, the centenarian Colleen was up and about, her bed made and her pillows twirled, because that’s her habit.
“I make my bed as soon as I get up – then I’m not tempted to get back
in.” Because she likes her bed. en she gets on with her day, because that’s her habit too.
nonsense
She’s all coi ed, poised, immaculate and elegant. And no nonsense. “Please don’t get up,” I insist when I walk in on the 100-year-old Tauranga resident.
“I certainly will get up!” Colleen’s retort is as short, sharp and strong as her handshake.
“A rm handshake says something about someone,” I
suggest – small talk to warm up for an interview. “Yes and no.”
Colleen politely, but rmly, corrects me. Again.
“ e Queen didn’t have a strong handshake,” says Colleen. How would she know? “I met her in 1970 when Britannia visited Whitianga.”
Anyhow, my hand has now shaken hands with the hand that shook hands with Queen Elizabeth II. at’s a takeaway.
Colleen’s son, Noel, jokingly lets slip that his mother has all
her marbles “except a few that are a bit chipped”.
“How dare he,” says Colleen, who moments later is reeling o all ve British monarchies she’s lived through.
“Come closer,” she demands when we meet at Bethlehem Views in Cambridge Rd. She grabs my arm, draws me nearer.
“I like to see who I am talking to.” Because where someone might wear a name badge, Colleen wears an advisory. “I am partially blind.”
Te Manaaki Care Centre allows Pacific Coast Village to offer a full continuum of care – from independent living, serviced apartments to residential aged care. Te Manaaki is a continuation of this considered design, crafted to provide residents with luxury living as well as elevated care and with it an added sense of security in their later years. The Care Centre offers rest home, hospital level and dementia care.
is year Tauranga City Council will have drop-o locations across the city where dog owners can drop o their old yellow tags for recycling.
TCC animal services team leader Brent Lincoln says this new initiative is a small but great way to get plastic out of the waste as it will go towards a service of being repurposed into a new product. “ e dog registration tag is too small to be eligible to be put into
“Do you like what you see Colleen?” “Not bad I suppose.”
Hole-in-one
It was those dicky eyes that forced her to pack away her favourite four iron – the one used to “sweetly strike” a Top Flite 1 on to the green of the par three sixth at Pakuranga.
A hole-in-one. “Perfect.” She replays the moment in the mind’s eye, and jiggles and giggles with delight. A ashbulb moment. “August 1997 – same month and year Princess Di was killed.” P.G. Wodehouse wrote “golf eats into the soul
like a malignant growth”. So it was with Colleen Carter in 1948. “I didn’t really want to chase a silly little ball around a paddock.”
But she did, with some old borrowed clubs.
“My rst ever shot – I whacked it beautifully. I was sold.” Sold for 70 or so years.
“I will be modest, I was a natural.”
Colleen remained “sold” on golf into her 90s, until those damned eyes meddled with her great love. She couldn’t follow the ball, so the four iron went back in the bag.
A beautiful relationship was lost. Like the rst marriage.
“I didn’t lose him, I quit him.”
It was fail and try again.
She remarried, raising four stepchildren along with her own son. “It wasn’t easy.”
“She supported us in a stalwart way,” says Noel. “Strength through necessity. She taught us to be resolute.”
Colleen can’t understand all this fuss. But it’s a fascinating,
revealing chat about 100 years of experiences, observations and accumulated wisdom.
“Plenty of people reach 100.” But she is special, and erudite, and funny, and sharp and bossy. She also endures 30 minutes of “look this way”, “turn your head”, “smile”, from cameraman John Borren. She enjoys the attention, but will hate me for saying so. Colleen’s not preachy about her longevity.
“I just lived carefully.” No alcohol. “Only stu that tastes nice.” And no fags. e refrigerator en that Clarence Birdseye re-inserts himself indirectly.
Because Colleen suggests the refrigerator was the most signi cant invention of her 100 years. No, not the internet.
“Until the fridge, we put butter and meat in a wooden safe hanging from a tree on the shady side of the house.”
With the arrival of the fridge came home-made icecream, and Clarence’s frozen sh llets peas. People who have lived 100 years are a treasure trove.
It’s worth taking the time to stop and listen to their stories.
our kerbside recycling service, but we are hoping that people will embrace this new initiative and help do their part in sending less plastic to land ll.”
Dog owners wanting to recycle their old yellow tags can head to a collection point across the city. Drop-o locations are Envirohub Bay of Plenty, all TCC libraries at Tauranga, Pāpāmoa, Greerton and Mount Maunganui, plus the Mount Hub at 9 Prince Ave.
Villas and Apartments available now
Come visit us every Monday – Friday, 10am – 4pm. Arvida Ocean Shores, 80 Maranui Street, Mount Maunganui.
White sand beaches, walking tracks and waterfalls – the Mount really is a dream location for the next chapter of your life. And at Arvida Ocean Shores, you’ll enjoy relaxed retirement living unlike anywhere else, with wide-open streets, big backyards, and a lush sub-tropical landscape.
We have a small selection of homes to view right now, including an apartment priced at $585,000 (licence to occupy) with views of Papamoa Hills and the Kaimai Ranges. There is lots to see, so come and join us for a tour and explore our extensive grounds and beautiful resort-style facilities.
Call Jennifer on 021 796 323 or find out more at arvida.co.nz/oceanshores
e Tauranga City Council Commission’s term will come to an end next month, following the election of a mayor and nine Councillors on July 20.
We know opinions have varied on the temporary removal of democratic local governance, but the overwhelming message we have received from the community is that most people understood why the Minister of Local Government needed to step in back in late-2020. And most also appreciate that positive change was needed to address a decades-long under-investment in the infrastructure our growing city needs.
all residents, while acknowledging you can never please everyone.
Ivan is a friendly, relaxed fourmonth-old masti -cross-sta y which RRR expects to grow to become a medium-sized dog. He loves to explore outside but is also happy to follow you around with his little tail wagging. He loves people, dogs and is ne with cats. He is housetrained, crate-trained and sleeps throughout the night.
Ivan would thrive in a home where he gets to go on little
During the past three-and-a-half years, the commissioners have engaged with thousands of individuals and organisations about the things required to ensure Tauranga remains a great place for present and future residents to live, work, learn and play in. We’ve used that feedback to guide our e orts to make good decisions on behalf of
On behalf of the commissioners, I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to meet with us, write to us and make submissions to the many consultation processes the council has undertaken during our tenure. While we couldn’t satisfy all your expectations, it has been enormously useful to have a clear picture of what the community’s priorities are.
We leave our roles knowing that work programmes have been, or will be, put in place to address the city’s dire housing shortage, tra c network congestion and community facility needs.
We have also adopted policies that will help deliver better outcomes for the city in the coming decades – again with the bene t of substantial community consultation.
So thank you everyone – we’ve greatly enjoyed working with and for you and appreciate the many messages of support we have received.
From 1 July 2024 fees will apply for trailer parking in the designated areas at Sulphur Point, Pilot Bay and Whareroa boat ramps.
In a coastal city like Tauranga boat ramps are important for our communities to access the harbour and ocean. These facilities are currently funded by general rates.
To help keep rates rises low, it's important people pay their fair share towards maintaining facilities and services they use the most. Introducing a fee for boat trailer parking will help do this, with fees going towards the maintenance of our boat ramps.
The fee is $20 for 24 hours or $200 per year for a Tauranga resident permit. A resident permit can be applied for online or we can assist with your application at one of our customer service centres.
Your trailer and vehicle must be road legal with a current warrant of fitness and licence and your trailer’s licence plate must be attached and visible.
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pro le/2477
Pay by day with PayMyPark app or use cash or card at the new parking machines near the boat ramps.
To pay with the MyPark app
1.Download the MyPark app
2.Register your details
3.Select your car park
Find out more and apply for a resident permit at tauranga.govt.nz/boat-trailer-parking
Call me for your free, no obligation Market Appraisal
No pressure, and it’s good to know the value of your property.
I’ll keep you updated from time to time as the market changes.
Phone 0800 RACH 4 U
No.1 Agent Papamoa Office 2020-2024
Marketing Consultant
Advantage Realty Ltd MREINZ
Licensed Agent REAA 2008 M 027 232 1535 | DD 07 542 2550 E rachel.cole@harcourts.co.nz
For new manager Catherine Fletcher, working in the Citizens Advice Bureau is in her blood.
“My mother was a volunteer in South Auckland [CAB] for 30 years, so we grew up hearing about issues that everyday people deal with,” says Catherine, who has recently taken the helm of Tauranga’s CAB.
“It feels good to follow in her footsteps. Mum wrote the training manual, served on the national committee, and was awarded a Queen’s Service Medal for her work.” e manual has been updated, but the issues remain the same, says Catherine.
“People needing food parcels,
struggling to pay high rent, not being able to nd a rental property, domestic violence and employment exploitation. ose problems aren’t going away.”
At Tauranga CAB Catherine manages a team of 55 volunteers who range in profession from lawyers to physiotherapists, and undergo rigorous training.
“When you talk to us, you’re getting accurate information from dedicated people with a great wealth of knowledge.
“We collaborate with organisations like the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, Multicultural New Zealand and Women’s Refuge so that our advice is up-to-date and more relevant than if you searched online yourself.”
Ask God to provide – he is good at this!
I think the modern world is profoundly a mixed blessing.
We are wealthier, more educated, more aware, and yet more fragile and broken than any previous generation. Mental health, addiction, escapism, isolation are the unbearable weight of a world that asks much and gives less than we need to ourish and nd joy. I’ve been struck by how joyless life is for many – we try to x ourselves,
Top 5 Greater Tauranga Area 2020-2024 You are
while discovering who we are, overwhelmed by a world that seems un xable.
So I o er a brief re ection on the Lord’s Prayer…
“Our father, who is in heaven, Hallowed be your name, Your kingdom come, Your will be done, And give us this day our daily bread…” Prayer is resistance. e refusal to accept things as they are. A belief that there is a God who surrounds. is God can be trusted and is able to help,
and so we pray ‘your kingdom come, your will be done’. I am putting my hope in the greatness of God and owning that I am limited and weak –unable to carry the mess and brokenness of the world. e present is the focus of ‘give us this day…” It’s asking God will carry us through this day, that he will give us what we need.
As you face your challenges ask God to provide – he is good at this! Prayer is a careful rejection of the pressure to be self-su cient, it is trusting the God who is su cient for whatever we face. So pray –you just might be surprised!
BETH - EL la tyb
e Citizens Advice Bureau isn’t government funded – so it relies heavily on community support and donations.
“We have ve outreach clinics; Welcome Bay, Pāpāmoa, Te Puke, Greerton and Ōmokoroa and we’d like to stretch out to Katikati, so we need more volunteers to make that happen,” says Catherine.
“One of the new tools on the website is designed for youth, so we’re hoping to attract younger volunteers as well as people from di erent cultures.”
Find out more about Tauranga CAB in Catherine’s monthly column in e Weekend Sun. Turn to page 28 for her rst instalment.
ALL WELCOME SHALOM
Joel
021 768 043
021 768 043
SABBATH 10AM OTUMOETAI PRIMARY
Joel & Sharon van Ameringen
info@bethel.org.nz
Messianic Family bethel.org.nz
Messianic Family bethel.org.nz
info@bethel.org.nz
Spring has just come an end over in Japan, which means the sakura – or cherry blossoms –have just nished blooming.
Just about everybody has seen a photo of an old Japanese castle framed with the beautiful pink owers and likely wished they
could be there to experience it for themselves.
In April-May last year, my husband and I were in Nagoya, Japan, sitting in a park outside Nagoya Castle and enjoying a picnic and the cherry blossoms; like thousands of other tourists and locals alike.
Picnicking in spring seems to be a popular pastime in Japan.
People grab their tarpaulins or picnic mats, pack a lunch or pick one up from the local convenience store, and head to the local park or castle – which often has a park surrounding it – to enjoy the delicate petals oating in the wind.
One of our favourite memories from our trip was this day in Nagoya. We could see the castle and watched as the
sakura dripped from the trees above us. We’d bought a small
Nagoya Castle.
tarpaulin and snacks from a ‘konbini’ (convenience store) on our way to the castle’s park and sat for hours surrounded by other people enjoying good food, gorgeous scenery and a relaxed atmosphere.
In the evening, lanterns hanging in the cherry blossom trees were turned on and the trees had an amazing glow. We stayed until after dark to really soak up all the sakura time we could – both in daylight and at night time.
Nagoya Castle itself is worth a visit – whether it’s in springtime or not. e castle grounds have a reconstructed palace that visitors can walk through and it’s certainly an eye-opening experience. Everything is decked out in gold and looks very ornate.
Cayla-Fay EuintonBay of Plenty people have a golden opportunity to combine the romance of rail travel with the chance to see the North Island from a unique perspective.
Glenbrook Vintage Railway’s East and West Rail Tour 2024 is a 10-day experience from November 5-14, departing either Auckland or Hamilton.
“ ere’s something special about travelling by train,” says tour leader Sean Heenan.
“We travel on some of the least travelled railway lines across parts of the country that only see freight trains and include some of New Zealand’s most beautiful natural features and mountains like Taranaki and Ruapehu.
“We also experience some of our most impressive engineering feats like the Raurimu Spiral, the Makatote and
Rangitikei viaducts, as well as a series of tunnels.” e tour coincides with the iconic Taranaki Garden Festival and continues across to the art deco city of Napier where passengers visit a winery and see the gannet colony, before heading down to Masterton.
“ ere are little towns along the way that you’d never appreciate by road.
“We really do experience some of the best of the North Island’s scenic railways.”
Passengers enjoy overnight stays in Ohakune, New Plymouth, Napier, Masterton and Palmerston North, with handpicked activities and exclusive tours.
“ is is a fully escorted by exclusive train that includes commentary on board,” says Sean. “Our heritage diesel locomotive and carriages have been restored by our volunteers, so they’re warm and comfortable with plenty of space to spread out.”
For more information, see: www.gvr.org.nz, email: railtours@gvr.org.nz or phone: 09 236 3546.
East & West Rail Tour - 5 to 14 November 2024
Embark on an extraordinary journey with the Glenbrook Vintage Railway as we traverse the North Island, immersing ourselves in history, breathtaking scenery, and the charm of lesser-travelled railway lines. Our fully escorted rail tour will take you to captivating locations such as Napier, New Plymouth, Ohakune and through the Wairarapa. Our exclusive tour train offers unparalleled views of iconic locations and scenery not seen by any other means of travel.
Highlights include: The award winning Taranaki Garden Festival, Napier’s famous Gannet Colony & the stunning Cape Sanctuary, and travel through historic towns like Martinborough and Greytown.
Budget 2024 delivers overdue tax relief to 3.5 million New Zealanders so they can keep more of what they earn.
We are delivering on a key commitment made during the 2023 election campaign.
On July 31 this year, New Zealanders will experience tax relief for the rst time in 14 years. is relief is well overdue and will help hardworking Kiwis who have endured a prolonged cost of living crisis.
From July 31 this year, average income households receive tax relief of up to $102 a fortnight and eligible families receive a FamilyBoost childcare payment of up to $150 per fortnight.
Households with children will bene t on average by $78 per fortnight – or $2028 a year.
Working-age New Zealanders bene t on average by $32 a fortnight – or $832 a year.
is is a scally neutral package meaning the Government is not borrowing to fund this tax relief and it won’t add to in ationary pressure.
e Government’s tax package targets relief to low and middle-income households. Families with young children are set to bene t most.
Our Government was elected to give a fairer deal to hardworking New Zealanders and the tax package we are con rming today delivers on that promise.
Our Government will raise income tax thresholds to help compensate for wage growth, expand eligibility for the independent earner tax credit, introduce the FamilyBoost childcare payment and increase the in-work tax credit for low to middleincome working families.
Budget 2024 supports families to deal with rising costs and makes our tax system fairer.
Leisure marchers Diane Athtur, Kaye Webster, Marlene Marx and Joyce Campbell want more ladies to join the Paci c Guards for fun, tness, and friendship. Photo: John Borren.
Are you a lady aged 50-plus?
Are you looking for a new adventure, a chance to get t, and a sense of belonging?
If so, Tauranga resident Robyn Brewer has just the thing for you – join her Paci c Guards Leisure Marching Team! Robyn, who is the team’s coach, says the Paci c Guards has a rich history, starting in Mount Maunganui more than 20 years ago.
“We are a group of passionate and dedicated women who share a love for leisure marching. Since the beginning we’ve grown and evolved – but our core
values of fun, tness, and friendship have remained the same.”
Robyn says Paci c Guards helps keep ladies’ personal legacies of marching going – but the team also welcomes newcomers with no experience.
“Many of our team members have a lifelong passion for marching, having started at a young age and progressed through the grades.
“We’ve kept the tradition alive as we’ve aged, and now we’re looking for like-minded women to join us on this journey.”
Robyn says the team camaraderie is next level. “We’re more than just a team – we’re a family. We support each
other, encourage each other, and have a blast together. Whether we’re practising, performing, or just socialising, we always have fun.”
And there’s many more bene ts on o er.
“You can improve your physical tness, meet new friends, perform at exciting events and displays, travel locally and nationally, enjoy a sense of achievement – and be part of a co-ordinated team working together in perfect harmony,” says Robyn.
“Come meet the team – we can’t wait to meet you!”
For more details or to join, contact Robyn on: 021 309 021.
What started as his wife fancying a homemade cocktail or two has turned into three decades of a hobby involving patience, botanicals – and booze!
Tauranga man Dennis Mathews has been a home distiller for the past 30 years – from brewing gin infusions, scotch whiskey and everything in between. He was originally crafting his own beer, but when home distilling was made legal in New Zealand in the mid-1990s, Dennis’ wife Rose saw an opportunity.
Pick your poison
Dennis says Rose encouraged him to buy some distilling equipment. “Her original intention was for me to make all the cocktails that she likes to drink because once you’ve got all the spirits, you can then combine them to make cocktails,” says Dennis. “So I had to buy a cocktail book after that and learn how to mix them!”
His spirit of choice is scotch whiskey, which Dennis makes the “proper way” from the grain. “I’m more of the old school-type of guy who distils the original way. So I’m making whiskey by mashing barley. I buy malted barley, then I mash it up into a beer and then I throw in some yeast and ferment that. After it’s all been fermented after about a week. I then put it into the still, distil it and get a low alcohol level. en I re-distil it and get a high alcohol level,
ere are probably other things we’d rather be doing in June – but gardens still need a bit of attention.
Weeds are still making a nuisance of themselves, many perennials need a good haircut and something always requires staking. It’s still too early to prune roses. Mid-July is the optimum time to give roses a short back and sides, and a spray with lime sulphur – both pruned bushes and the ground beneath. Even if you have a small garden you may be able to nd room for a fruit tree or two. Try an espalier along a suitable fence or the popular narrow, column-shaped apples. ese will be in garden centres now. Every garden can have a citrus tree or two with some varieties of lemons and mandarins
spot
doing well in large pots.
process. “I can make that up on the spot. It’s actually drinkable straight away. It doesn’t have to be aged so I’m making a heck of a lot of gin at the moment. I can make all the di erent types. It’s just a matter of balancing the botanical avourings that go into it. Most gins have got at least four di erent botanicals.”
You have to handle a bit of pressure when it comes to home distilling too
– literally. “It took me three months to run the still for the very rst time because I was scared it was going to blow up or something,” says Dennis. “I started my rst brew and guess what? It didn’t blow up but it blew the top o the still. I was about to the head for the hills, then I realised it had just sort of fallen o with a little bit of pressure.”
Dennis runs a home distillers group, where members meet at a member’s home once-a-month. ey’re on the lookout for more budding brewers.
To learn techniques and procedures from other distillers phone Dennis on: 027 733 4041.
and then I combine it with oak wood. at’s where the colour and avour comes from.”
Dennis says if you want true scotch whiskey, it needs to mature in barrels for a minimum of three years. “So it’s a hobby for the long term, however if you go by the other route and buy avourings – three years suddenly becomes about three weeks.”
Making gin is a much speedier
Just remember they’ll need extra fertiliser and plenty of watering late-spring and summer.
Hellebores will come into their own from now on, hence the common name ‘Winter Rose’. New varieties have striking foliage and the beautiful blooms are held well above the ground. Feed periodically with a liquid foliar feed. While some double varieties are available the single cups have a lovely simplicity. e Hellebores family prefers shade from afternoon sun or dappled shade under deciduous trees.
e old adage that garlic should be planted on the shortest day of the year and harvested on the longest still holds good. With the shortest day on June 21 it’s time to get the soil prepared and to purchase certi ed bulbs.
Van Dyk’s Furnishers –which has large BedsRus showrooms at Mount Maunganui and Tauriko –is celebrating 50 years of turning houses into homes by giving away a dream home makeover worth $50,000!
e Waikato-born business –which showcases leading brands of homewares and much more – invites customers to enjoy amazing deals and weekly prizes when they shop at Van Dyk’s stores in Bay of Plenty and the Waikato from June 1 to August 31.
Van Dyk’s is a local family business that began when Dutch immigrants Joe and Ali Van Dyk made the Waikato their home.
e family opened a seven-day dairy/grocery in Putaruru.
Working hard, their ventures grew into what’s known as Van Dyks Furnishers, encompassing beds, ooring, furniture, appliances, and bikes.
Today their BedRus stores showcase the complete Sleepyhead range with large showrooms in Cambridge, Te Rapa, Mount Maunganui, Putaruru, Rotorua, Tauriko and Taupō.
“More than mattresses, we provide complete solutions –from bed frames, bedding and pillows to doorstep delivery and professional set-up,” says Daniel Van Dyk.
“We know home is where the heart is, which is why we stock quality products from wellknown brands. We’re your go-to spot for dining, living, kitchen and bedroom furniture, ooring and appliances.”
Van Dyk’s Living showrooms o er curated selections of designer furniture from brands Furniture by Design,
Sleepyhead, EJP, Coastwood, La Z Boy, Hawthorne and more.
“Our Cambridge, Rotorua and Putaruru showrooms showcase the renowned La-ZBoy range. And our Flooring Xtra showrooms in Cambridge, Hamilton, Te Rapa, Putaruru and Rotorua boast an extensive selection of carpets, vinyl, laminate, and timber ooring options. We’re your all-in-one destination – we’ll even handle the installation!”
As part of Van Dyk’s commitment to service they deliver free across the Waikato and BOP.
“We’re famous for our free delivery services – we use our own trucks and sta who can set up and take rubbish away!”
To enter the dream home makeover competition, customers must shop with Van Dyk’s between June 1 - August 31, 2024, and then join Club
Van Dyks and complete a purchase, online or in-store. A customer can enter the competition with each purchase.
in volunteering. ey contribute a total of around 159 million hours of formal volunteer labour each year.”
Volunteering Services is the volunteer hub for Western BOP and surrounds, and works with more than 160 local organisations looking for volunteer help.
“Our mission is to futureproof volunteering because we know volunteers are the heart and soul of our forpurpose organisations and communities.”
FACT: Every 3 seconds, someone in the world develops dementia.
ACTIVITY GROUPS
WALKING GROUPS
WALKING GROUPS
COMPANION
COMPANION GROUPS
BOOK CLUBS
FUNDRAISING
Volunteering Services works in three ways.
Did you know that most community groups, clubs and initiatives only get o the ground and thrive with the help of volunteers?
“Nearly 90 per cent of New Zealand’s community organisations are entirely run by volunteers,” says Angela Wallace, who heads Volunteering Services which is part of SociaLink Western BOP.
And this National Volunteer Week – Te Wiki Tūao ā-Motu – from June 16-22, she’d like people to take the time to recognise, thank and celebrate volunteers in our region. “ ey are our unsung heroes who often don’t ask for recognition but deserve our thanks.”
Angela says Aotearoa thrives on the dedication of volunteers. “More than half of all Kiwis are involved
“We champion, grow and sustain local volunteering by connecting people with volunteer roles; we help organisations nd and look after volunteers; and we promote volunteering and the diversity of participants,” says Angela, who with support and engagement advisor Nicki Turner, a nd database manager Lalangi Deniya, work as a division of SociaLink.
“If you are keen to volunteer we can help you nd a role to suit your skills and availability. Our volunteer matching database has a wide range of roles from local organisations,” says Angela. “If you’re an organisation looking for volunteers we can promote your volunteer opportunities and help you to grow your volunteer team. We also provide professional development and networking opportunities for leaders of volunteers.”
Angela says volunteering has so many bene ts. “You get to make a di erence in your community and boost your happiness along the way. You’ll make new friends, learn new skills and feel more connected to your community.
“It’s a great way to improve your mental health and can even lead to employment.” Find out more at: www.volunteeringservices.org.nz
Good Neighbour has been able to keep up its work supporting our community and meeting people’s needs with help from Zespri’s digital operations team.
Taking a di erent approach with the resources at hand, the digital operations team refurbished older phones and hardware and then asked fellow Zespri sta to donate a nominated amount to Good Neighbour.
Not only was Zespri able to reduce electronic waste but it also raised an impressive $46,000 throughout 2023 and the start of 2024.
Good Neighbour general manager Renee Hanna has expressed gratitude for the donation.
“ e donation from Zespri is crucial to the ongoing support of operations at Good Neighbour.
“It enables us to continue our mission of supporting the community’s needs. Zespri is a great example of how businesses can make a signi cant impact on their communities with minimal expense.
“Every company has unique resources and talents that can be harnessed to support charitable initiatives. :Whether through employee volunteer programmes, in-kind donations, or innovative fundraising e orts, businesses can make a tangible di erence in the lives of others. We’d love to hear from any business that has an idea or wants to explore collaboration opportunities.”
If your business has an idea or wants to explore collaboration opportunities, email Angela at: angela@goodneighbour.co.nz
Have you ever thought of volunteering a part of your time?
Maybe you know someone –family or friend – who would gladly spend time talking and supporting patients and whānau?
Or someone who simply appreciates our doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, and other health workers, and the care they provide for those in need?
After a period of inactivity due to Covid, Health New Zealand
Te Whatu Ora - Hauora ā Toi/ Bay of Plenty is re-establishing the opportunity for members of the public to volunteer at Tauranga and Whakatāne hospitals.
Volunteers provide a crucial service to the care of patients and the support of their families, says Health NZ Bay of Plenty volunteer co-ordinator David McLeod.
“Our volunteers strive to provide a positive experience for our patients, whānau and sta and recognise diversity by
treating all people with dignity and respect,” says David.
He also believes that volunteering strengthens community values and fosters
caring and sharing through collaboration. “Our volunteers know the value of contribution and are recognised and acknowledged as part of a ‘team’
During the last 30 years, approximately 29,975 volunteers have given nearly 66,880 hours to helping protect and restore some of the country’s most iconic beaches through the Coast Care programme.
Coast Care is a partnership programme between regional council, the four coastal district and city councils – Western Bay of Plenty, Tauranga, Ōpōtiki and Whakatāne – and Department of Conservation to ensure the Bay of Plenty coastline can continue to thrive.
Powered by local volunteers, the programme includes regular community events, such as planting native dune plants, managing the spread of weeds and pests, collecting native seeds and more.
Coast Care regional coordinator Rusty Knutson says it’s through the e orts of the Coast Care volunteers that we can collectively help keep the dunes in good condition, and continue supporting the lives and livelihoods of Bay of Plenty communities.
“We’re incredibly grateful for the collective volunteer hours that have been invested into this programme to help make it the success it is today.
“As well as digging in and doing something good for your local beach, there’s a feel good social element that comes from these events with like-minded people getting together.”
To celebrate 30 years, Coast Care is hosting a series of events during Volunteer Week to say a big ‘thank you’ and ngā mihi to the communities and volunteers who have given their time and energy over the years to help protect and
dedicated to wellbeing.
“Training with orientation will be provided for all volunteers. “ e minimum length of service
as a volunteer is six months and our minimum age is 18 years.”
If you want to join this team, visit: www.bopdhb.health.nz
restore the Bay of Plenty coastline. All are welcome! To nd an event near you, visit the Coast Care Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ CoastCareBayofPlenty/ events
Every year, for the past 30 years, thousands of volunteers have given their time to help maintain our coastal dunes through planting, weeding and general care.
Dunes are the backbone of our beaches –these unique ecosystems are important as they provide habitat for native flora and fauna, and act as the first line of defence against the impacts of a changing climate (like sea level rise and storm surge).
Are you a handy repairer, tinkerer or passionate recycler? Do you like xing things?
e Tauranga Repair Cafe need you!
Tauranga Repair Cafe has been successfully repairing and xing items for nearly two years. Due to popular demand they need more volunteers to join Tauranga’s Repair Café volunteer team.
Tauranga Repair Café is a volunteer driven initiative as part of STEM WanaTrust/Tinkd Makerspace, a registered charity, that aims to reduce waste and over consumption.
ey gather on the last Saturday of each month for a lively and busy morning o ering their services, free of charge.
If you would like to volunteer, or you have questions or an interest in meeting other volunteers to hear how it works head along to Tinkd Makerspace on Monday, June 17 at 5pm at Basestation, 148 Durham Street, Tauranga. For more information, visit: repaircafeaotearoa.co.nz
I’m looking at two new local albums today, very di erent from each other but with one big similarity.
One is from Irish band e Whittakers, the other from singer-songwriter Ben Lloyd. I’ve heard the band live and their previous albums but Ben is new to me. He recorded an album about a decade ago but his live playing has been mostly corporate events, weddings and the like.
e Whittakers o ering is grounded in acoustic Irish music though incorporates a dizzying array of world music genres.
Ben’s is mainstream rock. What unites the two albums is that while each has one songwriter, the songs are arranged and mainly played by another person.
e Whittakers recorded ‘My Songs’ at Whakamārama’s Boatshed Studio.
Bassist Dave Williams, now retired from the band, is still here, with singers Richard Grautstuck – writer of the songs – and Mitz Amores, who also
contributes mandolin. But, musically, it’s primarily Robbie Laven. Robbie co-wrote some songs, arranged them all, and plays violin, Transylvanian phono ddle, acoustic and electric guitars, bass, octave mandolin, ute, clarinet, penny whistle, ve-string banjo and percussion. Often all at the same time. Well, not literally at the same time, but several tracks feature massed overdubbed Robbies, with ddles, ute, guitars and more. Richard and Mitz – who makes a nice job of the only nonoriginal, the Filipino folk song ‘Sarung Banggi’ – are slightly shaky singers but are surrounded by some of the most extravagant arrangements you can wave a tambourine at.
Unusual
ere are time changes, Eastern harmonies, unexpected dynamics and more; it is an unusual record, constantly surprising with its musical inventiveness. However, it’s not on Spotify or YouTube – have a listen on Bandcamp.
Ben Lloyd, on the other hand, is on Spotify and YouTube and has a terri c, very commercial rock voice. He also writes a solid rock song, epitomised by the opening track on ‘Leap of Faith’, the mid-tempo and very catchy ‘Amy’.
Ben sings and plays rhythm guitars, with everything else supplied by main man at Welcome Bay’s Colour eld Studio, Tim Julian. Being a fairly conventional MOR album that means keyboards, bass, guitars and drums, on songs ranging from the heavy-rocking ‘Change’ to more acoustic ballads such as ‘Goodbye’.
Multi-instrumentalists e album has been on the go for just over a year now. Ben and Tim originally recorded 14 songs then cut it down to 12. e songs have a good variety and it makes for easy listening.
And it also makes for an interesting comparison with e Whittakers, each album essentially musically showcasing one multi-instrumentalist. In the case of e Whittakers it’s the totally unbridled and occasionally overpowering musicianship of Robbie Laven; in Ben’s the very tidy and rarely intrusive, if somewhat anonymous, backing of Tim Julian. I suspect people will have their own preferences.
Also out now, the debut album, ‘ e Rose of Jerico’, from Mount Maunganui’s Best Pop Artist Tui winner Georgia Lines, and the title track of Gary Harvey’s ‘Outta My Head’, the album’s second single.
Hear Winston’s latest Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/71V ugMBBjn3xd2cklc8pPz?si=d7056e348 bea4922
is coming Matariki weekend, Bay of Plenty Symphonia will join forces with Youth Philharmonic Tauranga for only the second time ever in ‘Young@Heart 2: Renewal’, a journey through classical music inspired by far- ung cultures, places, and times!’
Seventy of the orchestral – and in many cases literal – whanau will play together in this spectacular concert.
BOP Symphonia will take you to the streets of Naples, with Stravinsky’s brilliant ‘Pulcinella Suite’, where the colourful world of Commedia dell’Arte comes alive in music.
“Our combined forces will take you to vast grasslands and mixing of cultures in Borodin’s ‘In the Steppes of Central Asia’, to a world of rebellion and personal struggle under oppression, with Shostakovich’s hair-raising ‘Finale from Symphony 5’,” says BOP Symphonia’s music director William McElwee.
Meanwhile, Youth Philharmonic Tauranga will take you on a massive tour through space time to Ancient Greek comedy, in Ralph Vaughan Williams’ brilliant music for Aristophanes
‘ e Wasps’; to Austria, home of the classical symphony, for some of Anton Bruckner’s famous ‘7th Symphony’, one of the greatest ever written; to the fantastical universe of Japanese anime, with e Merry-go-round of life, from the wellknown animated lm ‘Howl’s Moving Castle’; and even an astrological visit to our solar system, with Holst’s ‘Jupiter, Bringer of Jollity’, wellknown as a hymn tune and the Rugby World Cup anthem!
‘Young@Heart 2: Renewal’ is on Saturday, June 29, from 3pm at Holy trinity Church, Devonport Rd. Tickets cost $15 for adults and under 18s watch for free.
Buy tickets at: www.eventfunda.co.nz phone: 0800 BUY TIX (289 849) or in-person at the isite on e Strand.
e Weekend Sun has two double passes to see ‘Young@Heart 2: Renewal’ for two lucky readers who can tell us how many members of the orchestra will be playing. Enter online at: sunlive.co.nz under the ‘Competitions’ section. Entries close Tuesday, June 18.
Motor Neurone Disease NZ will get a boost this weekend with Kiwis being asked to get behind a National Sausage Sizzle at all Bunnings stores in New Zealand on Saturday, June 15, from 9am-3pm. In Western Bay of Plenty, the Mount Bunnings store is participating in the National Sausage Sizzle – sausages are $2.50 and drinks are $2 with 100 per cent of funds raised from fundraiser going directly to MND NZ. Donations will be used to grow support, gain information
and advocacy to make time count for those living with MND today, as well as supporting research for a future free from MND. In addition to buying a sausage or drink, customers will have the option to donate via mobile payment on the day. For more information on MND NZ Action Month and to donate visit: mndactionmonth.org.nz
If you’re partial to some smoky bacon on a Sunday morning, or a ham sandwich for midweek lunch, now you can have your say on the best ham and bacon in Aotearoa. For the rst time, NZ Pork has opened the prestigious 100% NZ Bacon and Ham Awards up to public opinion with the introduction of a
People’s Choice Award. Butcheries across the country can apply to be a part of the awards, with Tauranga’s own Kiwi Fresh Meats in the running. For more information and to cast your vote, visit: www. pork.co.nz/bacon-and-ham-award
Tauranga’s Citizens Advice Bureau is here to help when you need us.
We provide free, con dential, independent information and advice to anyone, and help people know what their rights are and how to access services they need.
Using insights from our clients’ experiences, we can show when policies and laws or their implementation are having a negative impact on people.
As an independent community organisation whose service is delivered by more than
2000 committed and trained volunteers nationally, we work in the community for positive change.
As well as providing our core service of information, advice and support, many CABs provide a range of other services to meet community demand.
We are a nationwide, but locally based, community organisation. Our Tauranga o ce is located at 1/367
Cameron Rd, and you can visit us in-person Monday-Friday from 9.30am-3.30pm. ere’s no need to make an appointment, just turn up for a chat.
Our Tauranga phone number is: 07 578 1592 and our phone lines are open Monday-Friday from 9am-4pm.
You can also call freephone: 0800 FOR CAB, email us, chat with us online, or visit our website for more information. To nd us online, visit: www.cab.co.nz.
For more information on CAB Tauranga, visit: www.cab.org.nz/ location/cab-tauranga.
Consumer NZ is launching a petition calling on the Government to step in and force banks, digital platforms, and telcos to do more to stamp out scams.
During the past 12 months, 50 per cent of households reported being targeted by a scammer, totalling more than one million households in New Zealand. Consumer NZ’s research found all New Zealanders are at risk of being scammed, regardless of age, gender, ethnicity, income, or educational attainment.
“New Zealanders are not adequately protected against the growing threat posed by these invisible criminals who are constantly
looking for new ways to part them from their hard-earned dollars,” says Consumer NZ campaigns manager Jessica Walker.
According to Consumer NZ, about $200 million was stolen from scam victims in 2023. Consumer NZ’s petition is calling for banks to refund scam victims unless the victim has been grossly negligent; a national anti-scam framework requiring banks, telcos and digital platforms to take action against scams and outlining their liability if they fail to meet their obligations; and a centralised anti-scam centre where relevant organisations work together to keep us safe. For more information and to sign the petition, visit: campaigns.consumer.org.nz/stamp-out-scams
Pāpāmoa-based Cleaner Carpets has been building a reputation for great courteous service and astonishing results, even with tough stains and odours.
After four years cleaning carpets around London to fund having adventures, Marty Gibson started Cleaner Carpets in 2022 to fund having children.
After using rotary and extraction methods in London, he opted for a two-step process with an initial powerful dry extraction and low-moisture
clean that dries in an hour or two and smells fresh.
“I find it gives my clients a much better, quicker-drying and longer-lasting clean – especially if a carpet hasn’t been cleaned for a while.”
As well as carpet cleaning, Cleaner Carpets offers cleaning of upholstery and delicate rugs, and also has dehumidifiers, fans extractors and ozone generators available for flood restoration. A typical three-bedroom home with carpeted hall and lounge typically starts around $270 plus GST, depending on size and soiling. For more information, see his advertisement on this page.
