12 July 2024, Issue 1218
Sometimes a visit from a four-legged friend can be just what the doctor ordered Pets Aid Therapy BOP is a dedicated charitable foundation taking pets of all shapes and sizes to those who could use a
ds Therapeutic friends
The foundation takes their animals to kindergartens, schools, care homes and dementia wards and they’ve seen the transformative magic of the visits
f
From donkeys to horses, chickens and guinea pigs, the Pets Aid Therapy foundation has seen the impact animals have on people of all ages.
Founder Helen Davis says she took a
donkey to a dementia unit one day and the most incredible thing happened
“The caregivers were all in tears, ” she says Read more on page 19.
Photo supplied
“It’s just that ”
She’s fumbling for words because I’ve upset and offended her Wee nose upturned, lips twitching “It’s just morally wrong ”
It was always going to be a difficult idea to pitch But we love a challenge
So, lances and sabres drawn, and into the valley of death we charge literally “How can you reduce someone you love to the consistency of soup and then tip them down the sink It’s just morally wrong ”
But is it?
Picture this Standing at the kitchen sink is a priest, all censor and smoke, and chanting to the gathered sad and sobby
“Ear th to ear th, ashes to ashes, dust to dust
Now tip him down the sink And in a blink, We’ll be shot of him I think Amen, hallelujah,
And pass the sausage rolls ”
The ‘it’ she suggests is ‘morally wrong ’ is the tipping of the dearly y depar ted down the sink, tipping whhat’s left of the human body after alkaline hydrolysis, water cremation, or aqua-mmation
A water cremation is a ne e w-fangled, more environmentally susttainable alternative to burials and fl flames Not an option for humans in N Ne w Zealand at the moment But the idea’s been floated so to speak
To satisfy the ghouls, a w water cremation goes something like this. Pop the dearly depar ted into a stainless steel pressure cooker full of water, add an alkali, potassium hydroxide or lyee, turn on high-ish - 90o to 150o for six to twenty hours
Mild acid can then be added to raise the pH level of the soup, like your hot tub, and then Uncle Alber t ’ s environmentally clean and safe enough to pour down the sink or dunny depending on your feelings for the man Or the soup, with all its peptides, sugars, amino acid and captured carbon could be re-purposed as fer tilizer
Uncle Alber t could continue to contribute to nature in the garden
All that’s left is a pile of gloriously white bones to be put through a cremulator – a high speed blender –smashed to dust and returned, in an urn, to the f family to sit on the mantle piece
ar t installation Maxilla and mandible, clavicle and scapula, femur and fibula, all 206 bones in an emotion-evoking ar twork at the front door I would be a real conversation piece I could constantly evolve – just swap my bones around as the mood and desire dictates As they say: “if you can ’ t get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance”
So open the door, say: “bone-jour” and make me dance
The body slowly dissolves, liquifies under pressure, and voila! Bones and soup Water cremation done “ Yecch! A whole bunch of sludge ”
The offended one still isn’t sold on this But, apar t from the fact you can ’ t have a “bunch” of sludge, Uncle Alber t wouldn’t be whatever the collective noun for sludge is, he would be a lovely green-brown tinted liquid with a just a gentle whiff of clean ear th Delicious!
Don’t like all that mawkish nonssense
Plenty of upsides with water cremation? Gentler, more environmentally friendly, less energy intensive, fe wer emissions, a carbon footprint 1/10th that of a flame job
But what of the other sustainable options for disposing of 89 kilos of expired humanity once the Grim Reaper comes recr uiting in my corner of the paddock?
We had a cat whose remains sat on a shelf in a bookcase for years, defying my repeated suggestions it was time for him to be s-cat-tered Even in death that damned cat cost me – something like $320 for cremation and inscripted rimu ashes box “Scamp - beloved pet of de-dum-de-dah ” I didn’t par ticularly care for it in the first place
When the time comes, I want my alkaline hydrolysis bones to make a statement I want them worked into an
I was always impressed by a wealthy and wise woman I kne w who could have bought h herself a marble mausoleum of Taj Mahal l propor tions Uh-uh! She went t for a rough and ready obblong crate of pallet wood d and flames A loud connser vation statement even as they carried her off It m made me laugh and love Then I learned of natural conser vation cemeteries wheere I might give back, even after poppping off They drop you in a shaallow grave filled with an u uncommpacted compost soil mix to allow aerattion for the decomposition work of aerobic bacteria
No chemicals, no treated timber, no inorganic fittings, nails scre ws, no granite, marble or sandstone monoliths You return to the ear th the way you came into it Naturally
Plots are over-planted with native trees or shr ubs and the kahikatea over my plot will one day burst through the canopy and reach for the heavens
A beautiful, peaceful spiritual place, not a graveyard but native bush, a forest. What a noble thing I can hardly wait
Another protest against SH2 barriers
Rain or shine, State Highway 2 residents are ready to protest once again for their right to turn into the side roads.
Median barriers are being installed as part of the SH2 Waihī to Ōmokoroa safety improvements pro-ject for the NZ Transport Agency
A spokesperson for the roading agency says the aim of the barriers is to prevent head-on crashes, save lives and prevent serious, life-long debilitating injuries. “ We acknowledge these barriers can make life a little bit more challenging for some road users, however we believe the risk of not making it home altogether is much worse, ” says NZTA in a statement provided to SunLive.
“Research shows where they are installed, median barriers typically reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured in crashes by 75 per cent. ”
Despite this, residents opposed to the barriers are planning to protest on SH2 on Tuesday, July 16.
From 8am they will protest along Sharp Rd and the SH2 intersection no matter the weather, they say via a group chat on Facebook.
Residents have also been in contact with Coromandel MP Scott Simpson in the hope he can help with their plight.
In response to an email from protestor and side road resident Lisa Anderton, Simpson says he simply does not “understand NZTA’s decision to proceed”. “They are the decision maker, so it is NZTA we have to convince.”
Lund Rd resident Gino de Graaf and former W Western B Bay of f Plenty Distriict counciillor and d Work Rd resident Mike Williams spoke on Breakfast with Paul Brennan on Reality Check
Radio to talk about the installation of median barriers on SH2, and how the inability to make right turns is likely to cause havoc for local road users “ We’re not opposed to a centre barrier - we have been, for years, asking NZTA to be sensible and allow right-hand turns into the side roads that they are cutting off,” says Mike. “ We have at least eight side roads that will be closed, and those roads will have near on 1000 households on them
“The argument that NZTA have pitched is that we must have no gaps to save lives. But in reality, the gaps have ver y little affect on the outcome of saving lives,” says Mike, in his opinion
The NZTA spokesperson says: “ To achieve the greatest safety benefit - there needs to be as few gaps between the median barriers as possible.
“However, to ensure the road remains fit for purpose for residents we have given careful consideration to the placement of turnaround bays, ensuring the distance between them is reasonable and enables the community to remain connected.”
For more information, visit the ‘Flexible road safety barriers’ page on the NZTA website: www.nzta.govt.nz/roads-and-rail/roadengineering/road-safety-inter ventions/flexibleroad-safety-barriers.
Read this story in full at: www.sunlive.co.nz
Ayla Yeoman
Protests have been ongoing for weeks
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 News tips ph 0800 SUNLIVE
More toll roads suggested Transport Minister
Simeon Brown says the seven new roads of significance, which are being fast-tracked, may be tolled to help pay for them
On Friday, it was announced NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi expects to start procurement and construction on the seven roads within the next three years
The projects are Belfast to Pegasus (including the Woodend Bypass), the Hawke’s Bay Expressway, SH1 Cambridge to Piarere, State Highway 29 Tauriko, Takitimu North Link Stage 2, Mill Road, and Warkworth to Wellsford Brown says the timeframes for completion and final cost are not yet known, but NZTA will have more information by the end of September
Black ice warning
Police are warning motorists to be aware of black ice after multiple crashes in the Bay of Plenty A police spokesperson says four crashes mentioned black ice across the region “Drivers throughout the wider Bay of Plenty region are being urged to watch for black ice, following several crashes Take care, increase your following distances, and keep your speed down, especially in shaded patches of road If a patch of road looks wet or damp, assume it’s black ice; let your car slow down on its own, and brake gently before you get to a curve ”
Fatality confirmed in SH2 crash
One person is dead following a crash on State Highway 2, near Pukehina Emergency services were called to the two-vehicle crash just before 2pm on Monday The driver of the other vehicle is in hospital with serious injuries, says a police spokesperson “The road was closed while the Serious Crash Unit conducted a scene examination
“Enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are ongoing ” A witness at the scene says a car and truck appeared to be involved He says the car was “crushed” and there was a trail of debris on the road The overturned truck was on the railway side
New security measures
Assaults in Woolworths stores are up significantly on the previous year with team members being threatened and abused in broad daylight, particularly by repeat offenders, according to new data being shared from Woolworths In the last year there have been 925 acts of violence and aggression in Woolworths stores, up from 848 in the previous year - a 9 per cent increase Physical assaults have had a particularly notable increase with a 50 per cent jump to 329 incidents in the last 12 months, compared to 219 in the previous year Woolworths New Zealand’s director of stores Jason Stockill says what they’re seeing from offenders coming into stores is unacceptable and while new security measures are having a positive effect, more needs to be done.
Fe r r y s e r v i c e t r i a
Mount residents and visitors alike are welcoming a new ferr y ser vice between Mount Maunganui and Tauranga which could be on the way in 2025.
Ne ws recently broke that Auckland water taxi company Hauraki Express is prepared to build two ferries for the ser vice if two local councils will subsidise it
The ser vice would begin as a twoyear trial with the goal of becoming a permanent ser vice that could expand to include ne w routes in time, says Hauraki Express director Peter Bourke
The ferries would r un from Salisbur y Whar f in downtown Mount Maunganui to Tauranga city centre Tauranga City Council agreed to fund half of the costs of a ferr y trial for passengers at a lateMay meeting But their agreement is contingent on Bay of Plenty Regional Council paying the other half
The maximum cost for each council would be $1 4m over the two years
Peter estimates the fare will cost about $ $6 and the trip between Tauranga and Mount Maunganui will take about 17 minutes each way And, if both councils agree to subsidise fares, Peter says they aim to have the ser vice r unning by Easter 2025
So T h e We e
Rosemar y Watson hasn’t used ferr y a ser vice before “but I think it would be a good idea” “I think I would [use it] because I’m not driving now so I could go over [to Tauranga] in a boat ”
Helen Hawkins had occasionally used the former ferr y ser vice
“I’d use it for a Sunday ride, for leisure I think they should definitely put one back on because it sor t of adds to the character when all the holidaymakers are here too ”
Br uce Hare says he’d only use the touted ferr y ser vice if he didn’t have a form of private transpor t He currently owns a motorbike “I’ve been here since the 1950s, I’m a Mountie so yeah, it would be good thing for the rest of the public I might use it and see how it goes ”
Kenny McCallum says a ne w ferr y ser vice is a great idea because it would get people out of their cars “ You wouldn’t need to travel all the way through the cones [on the roads]
“Definitely a great idea because it’s not t that expensive either “ T h e c o s t [ o f $ 6 e a c
Kenny says it’s the best thing councils could be doing to get people off the road –“ even just for someone during the day”
“ With the trip being 17 minutes, it’s a great idea because you’d save 40 minutes in traffic We lived here for 40 years “ We now live in Rotor ua and one of the reasons we left is the traffic ” Elizabeth Oram used to take the old ferr y and was disappointed when it stopped “I’d take family that was visiting for a ride I’d definitely use it [the ne w ser vice] I live in a high-rise at the Mount so to board would be just across the road And I always get lots of family coming over during summer
“I’d use it myself or with guests With the traffic now, I always get stuck on the bridge I think if they do regular – ever y half an hour rides – that would be good
“It would save a lot of traffic.”
David Spreadbur y had read about the plans for a ne w ser vice but says he wouldn’t use it as he lives in Pāpāmoa
“For a leisure trip I might use it once or twice So from a tourism point of v vie w it’s s a good option – especially in summer a lot of people will use it to simply get across to the other side ” But he does question whether it will work as a commuter-focused ser vice
“And we heard the council will subsidise it – so will it be added to our
favour on the streets
rates? Because they have gone up considerably
“ Taking away the water front parking in Tauranga CBD has made such a difference so I can understand from that point of vie w, people who want to go to restaurants along The Strand from here [at the Mount] it would be quite good But it would depend on hours of operation
“In summer time it would have to operate up ‘til midnight and I’m not sure the operations will want to do that with operating and compliance costs ” The Sun asked BOPRC when it will make a
decision in regards to a subsiding ferr y ser vice from Salisbur y Whar f to Tauranga city centre BOPRC public transpor t director Ollie Haycock says his council is aware Tauranga City Council has committed to par t-fund the ferr y trail “Financial suppor t has also been requested from BOPRC which will be considered by the regional council
“ We are committed to exploring all viable options to enhance regional transpor t ser vices, weighing up how they deliver against regional priorities We will keep the public informed of any significant developments ”
Rosemar y Watson. Helen Hawkins.
Bruce Hare.
Kenny McCallum.
Elizabeth Oram
David Spreadbur y.
Prices drop at Tauranga parking buildings What’s your famous last words?
From the start of this month, it now costs less to use the parking buildings in Tauranga’s city centre.
From July 1, the Elizabeth St and Spring St parking buildings are free from 5pm-6am on weekdays and remain free all weekend and on public holidays, according to Tauranga City Council.
The hourly weekday rates have also dropped to $2 per hour for the first two hours; and a maximum of $2.50 for each additional hour, making parking for more than two hours cheaper than on-street.
According to TCC, the building rate change is being introduced following consistent availability in
the parking buildings which have only been reaching 65-75 per cent capacity at the busiest times.
TCC parking manager Reece Wilkinson says introducing free evening parking and free weekend parking is unusual for a big city, and council “hopes it will encourage more people to come into the city centre, tr y out the parking buildings, and support local businesses in the process”. To help make the parking buildings more inviting they’re getting a spruce up with colourful stair wells, better wayfinding signage, additional lighting, easier pedestrian access, and more CCTV cameras.
For more, see the council’s website.
Nominations are open for anyone who has “learned the hard way ” , to tell their own ‘famous last words’ stor y to a live Tauranga audience.
After paying tribute to Dawn Picken last year with the theme ‘Legacy’, public stor ytelling event Tell Me Tauranga/ Kōrerohia Mai is changing tack this year with a ne w theme –‘Famous Last Words’ – encouraging people to “fess up ” to the things that have gone wrong in their lives and how they have bounced back from adversity
Tell Me Tauranga will come alive at 16th Avenue Theatre on October 23, with tr ue stories told by people who lived and experienced them
“It was originally Dawn’s idea, based on a concept she saw in the USA,” says organiser Stan Gregec “ We adapted it and named it Tell Me Tauranga Each year we pick a theme and put it out there asking for people to come for ward with tr ue stories that fit ”
Famous Last Words will showcase stor ytellers who are united by stories of dreams dashed, ambitions thwar ted and how it helped shape their lives
“Candid stories of where you have stumbled or gone aske w in life make the best kind of stor y to tell, because they grab people’s attention, and ever yone can relate to similar events in their own lives ”
Stan says people can nominate themselves or someone they know
“ You’ll be on stage, telling your stor y for seven minutes – without notes or prompts It’s not a TED Talk or anecdote – it’s authentic, real-life engagement with a live audience ”
The first pitch/training night is at Basestation on Durham St from 5 30pm, July 31, where
potential speakers will share their ideas with the team
Stan says previous speakers such as Syed Qadri talking about reconnecting with his homeland of Pakistan, to Wiremu Mathe ws talking about the impact of his iwi background on his personal development are power ful examples of stories that capture significant moments and aspects of people’s lives
“ We’re now welcoming nominations, so if you have a suitable stor y to tell that fits the theme of ‘Famous Last Words’, come and pitch it – even if it’s only an idea ”
To be par t of the event organising team, audience or a speaker, phone Stan on: 022 390 2216, find them on Facebook at: www facebook com/tellmetauranga or email: stan@marketdrive co nz
Rosalie Liddle Crawford
Tell Me Tauranga organiser Stan Gregec
Funding cuts impact local disability programme
Funding cuts for disability support will stop children attending support programmes, says Teacher in the Paddock founder Kevin Powell
“ What it means is that parents are either having to forego attending the programme or come up with the cash themselves, which in a lot of those instances is just not going to happen simply because of the other pressures that are on these families.” Kevin and his wife Jane of Toi Toi Charity run ‘ Teacher in the Paddock’ for students to learn through connecting with nature. Here, students of various ages grow and prepare their own food, one of the ways connections ‘ to self ’ is fostered, he says.
“Children connect with our animals, whether it’s horses, cows, chickens through engaging in daily farm life. There’s conser vation work we do like rat trapping. The latest thing at the moment is skinning the rats. In the afternoons, the day’s catch is taken to our small stream and fed to the eels. “They’re learning all about the cycles of life. “ We’re outdoors all the time. It doesn’t matter what the weather’s like.”
Kevin says it’s about giving children a space to learn, away from the noise and the bustle, and where they can feel comfortable.
“There are still boundaries. There are still expectations around behaviour but the pressure ’ s off. It’s all about relationship and connection and just providing opportunities for them and encouraging them ”
This programme is loved by many who will be affected by these funding cuts and may no longer be able to attend the programme.
“ We’ve had a child that’s been coming to us for a couple of years now, ” he says Kevin explains that
for weeks, the child had been out of sorts, and no one could figure out what was going on.
The child had picked up on the funding being cut; “and was devastated by the thought they wouldn’t be able to come anymore ”
“It wasn ’ t until one day, two or three weeks down the track the child just happened to be in a space where they could have a conversation with one of the staff members and mentioned: ‘I don’t think I’m going to be coming anymore because of the funding cuts’. You see the positive impact that this programme is having on these children’s lives.
“It’s just heartbreaking to see the anxiety this is causing some of these children and their families.”
Kevin says funding cuts “affect probably many of the families that come to us, in some way or another”. “ We’ve got parents that are already making alternate arrangements for funds elsewhere. Some can manage, some can ’ t.
“I believe that the impact is going to be long term and it’s not going to be good It’s hard because it’s not just the ones that we have coming already, but the ones that could be coming ” Teacher in the Paddock holds sessions of 10-12 students, capped at 15.
“ We keep numbers lower for the simple reason smaller groups is where these children thrive.”
Teacher in the Paddock is a charity model.
“It’s about profit for purpose. The profit goes back into making sure children can come to this programme.
” Kevin says the profits that the company generates, enables some sponsorship
“If it was up to us, these children could attend without paying; if we could do that way sustainably The biggest struggle of all of this, is that we ’ re seeing schools increasingly exclude children from attending, yet funds to provide alternative programmes is inadequate. So, these
kids are caught in the middle.”
Kevin speaks about his teaching degree where he learnt about the ‘beautiful philosophy’ of Inclusive Education. “It’s a beautiful philosophy, but that’s all it is
“It’s underfunded, undermanaged, under resourced, under ever ything.
“The long-term effect on the Bay will be a huge drain on resources going for ward. In terms of how this is going to look in the community going for ward. We’re going to see a lot more teachers in schools quitting because they can ’ t handle these children in class because
the classroom is not suited for all children’s learning needs
“Programmes like ours have such a great impact that is contributing to the wellbeing of families, the communities and local businesses.
“One solution we see is for local business and community members to support local solutions to local issues.
“ We know the Bay of Plenty has many generous people with the capacity to give, and we would like to challenge them to support programmes that may be impacted by the coming funding changes ”
Ayla Yeoman
Students of Teacher in the Paddock. Photo: John Borren.
Freedom from Ar thritis Pain
y g
that surger y becomes your only option?
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g o l f, eve n wo r ki n g i n t h e g a r d e n . I t
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m o r n i n g – w i t h o u t fo o t p a i n .
Do you have any of these Ar thritic foot problems?
• O s te o a r t h r i t i s • To p o f fo o t p a i n • B u n i o n s
• Cl awe d o r h a m m e r to e s • B i g to e j o i nt p a i n
Fo o t a r t h r i t i s i s n o t j u s t o l d a g e. No q u e s t i o n , i f yo u’re h av i n g fo o t p a i n t h e n s o m e t h i n g i s w ro n g
I t ’s n o t n o r m a l a g e i n g to h u r t a l l t h e t i m e Pa i n i n
yo u r fo o t i s n o t a s i g n o f o l d a g e I f t h at wa s t ru e, a l l
3 6 0 j o i nt s i n yo u r b o d y wo u l d h u r t s i n ce yo u r w h o l e b o d y i s t h e s a m e a g e.
“ I o n l y w i s h I h a d fo u n d yo u so o n e r ”
J u s t c a l l b e t we e n 1 2 t h - 2
• A n i n - d e p t h co n s u l t at i o n a b o u t yo u r f o o t p a i n
• Co m p l e te h a n d s - o n j o i nt ex a m
• We w i l l a n s we r a l l yo u r q u e s t i o n s
Homeschoolers brave elements for 40-Hour challenge
Jack Turner hugging a tree for the 40 hour challenge.
Four Bay of Plenty teenagers are feeling immense pride after pushing their physical limits during a fundraising weekend
As the shortest days of the year cast early darkness over the world, the four resilient homeschoolers embarked on a unique survival challenge
For the World Vision 40-Hour Challenge, 13-yearolds Malachi Steel and Jack Turner with 14-year-olds Harry Turner and Daisy Cooper designed an adventure that took the ‘Regreen Our Future’ theme to the next level
They split into two teams - Malachi and Jack, dubbed the ‘Tree Huggers’, aimed to raise awareness of deforestation by hugging a tree for 40 hours, while Daisy and Harry set out to experience life after a major environmental event, surviving in the wild with only a basic kit
Their social impact project was overseen by Kylie DellaBarca Steel, a parent and teacher who has firsthand experience with the devastating impact of
cyclones in the Pacific, having survived Cyclone Pam in Vanuatu in 2015 and helped rebuild communities on Tanna Island.
Set up in Paengaroa’s Redwood Valley Farm, the teams faced cold, hunger, boredom, and, on the final night, torrential rain
The 40 hours
Here’s how their 40 hours unfolded:
At the end of a loud countdown from the support team, Malachi and Jack began their long embrace with two tī kōuka (cabbage) trees
Meanwhile, Daisy and Harry, with only two hours of daylight left from their 3pm start, rushed to build their shelters and start a fire Daisy quickly rigged a simple A-frame tent with a tarpaulin over a rope strung between two trees Harry, having forgotten his rope, ingeniously used a kawakawa plant to secure his tarpaulin in an inverted triangle, providing a view of the stars Unfortunately, their first attempt at lighting a fire failed, and they went hungry on the first night, while the Tree Huggers
enjoyed hot spaghetti bolognese and toasted marshmallows delivered by their support team
Tired but optimistic
The dawn of the second day found both teams stiff and tired but optimistic, until they received a weather report predicting heavy rain for the night With only flint and steel and damp leaves and wood, the survival team struggled to start a fire, finally succeeding on their third attempt Harry spent most of the
day building a bamboo teepee and covering it with leaves, using tī kōuka leaves to seal his tarpaulin As the rain came early, everyone scurried for shelter The Tree Huggers zipped up the sides of their E-Z Up shelter but were concerned about water trickling down the tree trunks
Finally, 7am arrived, and the challengers compared notes on their night They hope people will celebrate and support them by donating at: my worldvision org nz/ss/FBsNWZ/ red-barn
Vote 1 Chudleigh Haggett for Mayor and for Te Papa Ward
Ratepayers need to elect people who are experienced in Local Politics, people with good skills in management, and economics, those experienced in Business.
Te
Rosalie Liddle Crawford
Authorised by Chudleigh Haggett chudleigh@xtra co nz
Have your say on representation Locals gear up to compete in Cyclocross championship
With Toi Moana Bay of Plenty Regional Council working through the final stages of a representation review, it is inviting the community to have a say on the topic
All councils are legally required to undertake a review every six years to ensure the constituencies, or areas, the region is divided in to and the number of councillors reflect any changes across the communities they represent, such as population fluctuations
BOPRC governance manager Steve Groom says community consultation
earlier this year informed a decision by regional council in May on a preferred option The regional council is expected to make a final decision on the review at a public meeting on September 12
This decision, and information on the public’s right to appeal it, will be communicated through local newspapers and on the regional council’s website The decision will apply to local government elections in 2025 and 2028
Residents can have their say at: www boprc govt nz/rep-review-2024
While most people enjoy simply riding their bikes, four Tauranga cyclocross racers prefer to carr y them
Hamish Boyt from Matua, Oona Hepburn from Pyes Pa, Lexie Knight from Maungatapu and Mayson Snow from Mount Maunganui are all gearing up for the much-anticipated Nor th Island Cyclocross event being held for the first time in Tauranga
Summerhill MTB Park is preparing to host the event on July 21 where 67 riders are expected to compete in the Nor th Island school event, as well as another 50 riders in the community event Dir tCraft head coach Tristan Haycock says there are more than 30 local kids racing and another 50 or so adults in the community event.
Hepburn “The Tauranga MTB club and Dir tCraft have such a great community and they are ver y welcoming to any ne wbies ”
“I like the challenge of it,” says 14-year-old Maungatapu rider Lexie Knight, from Tauranga Girls’ College
“There is always something ne w on ever y track and terrain and weather so you can always improve and tr y ne w things.”
To aspiring cyclocross riders, 12-year-old Mount Maunganui Intermediate’s Mayson Snow says: “Give it a go, especially if you like an adventure and a challenge in the outdoors ” He enjoys cyclocross because “it’s a little bit crazy ”
“ We’re keen to bring more nationally recognised events to our beautiful spot in the Bay to provide more racing oppor tunities for our local kiddos,” says head coach Tristan
My priorities are:
• Realistic and Sustainable Economic Outcomes
• Rightful access to Air, Sun, Water and Amenities
• Accountable with practical Governance
• Upgrade and Maintain Infrastructure
• Population Growth / Intensification
• Easing Traffic Congestion
I believe in “Sun, Air, Water and Amenities”. This means, we understand and make provision for people’s environmental / living space and not have buildings and associated infrastructure placed in such a way as to create undesirable environments / surroundings
Write ‘ 1’ next to Abraham van Berkel (Bram) when voting.
Authorised by by Bram van Berkel
abrahamvanberkel@gmail com, 0272 818 021
“Cyclocross is a form of bicycle racing which incorporates mixed terrain, different sur faces and obstacles in a shor t circuit completed multiple times Riders can dismount and push, lift or even r un with their bikes It tests all aspects of the rider’s physiology with spectators close to the action in a par ty-like atmosphere It is a heap of fun,” he says
“I enjoy cyclocross because it is often really muddy, and you ’ ve just got to get stuck in and have a smile on your face,” says 17-year-old Matua rider Hamish Boyt
He says there is no cost for the public to watch the event, and that this competition can lead to various other oppor tunities “This can be the star t of a whole ne w career path for some athletes
“CX is so young in Ne w Zealand Thus, there are plenty of oppor tunities for local riders And, from Dir tCraft and MTB Tauranga’s perspective, this can open the door to us hosting larger events
“ We have two prizegivings One for the school race and one for the community race, MyRide Mount Maunganui are providing some spot prizes and first, second and third prizes for the event.
I stand for accountability, common sense, innovation and realistic and sustainable economic outcomes
I will promote your interests and make decisions that benefit all our people and city now and for the future while keeping costs in the limits of reasonable expenditure
“I would love to see more girls out there giving it a go, ” says 12-year-old Pyes Pa rider from Tauranga Intermediate, Oona
“ We have one of the most beautiful venues in the countr y and we want to show it off Get up to Summerhill and tr y our ‘Give it a Go’ categor y or race hard in our competitive categories
“School entries have shut, but the community race has entries open until July 13 ”
Read this stor y in full at: www sunlive co nz
Ayla Yeoman
Lexie Knight is preparing for the upcoming race.
Photo: John Borren. THE WEEKEND
Advertisement Placed by Abraham Van Berkel (Bram)
Voting is now open in the Tauranga City Council elections for the ten most important roles in the city.
Check your mailbox for your voting packs.
Post your voting paper by Wednesday 17 July or drop it in an orange voting bin at Tauranga supermarkets, Tauranga City Council libraries, or the Mount Hub by midday, Saturday 20 July.
Find out who wants to represent you, and much more at tauranga.govt.nz/elections
This July, you decide. Voting closes midday 20 July.
ote nz
d you are voting in? Check our ow tauranga.govt.nz/your-ward
u’ ll need to rank your candidate ot put a tick in the box You can of the candidates as you like
You can still vote!
You do need to be enrolled with the Electoral Commission and then you just need to cast a special vote
Special vote
Cast a special vote at one of our four handy locations – check here for locations and times: tauranga.govt. nz/special-voting
Post your voting paper before Wednesday 17 July or drop it off at one of orange voting bins before midday on Saturday 20 July. Find out where at tauranga.govt.nz/orange-bins your voting papers /elections to watch their videos
atch the didates videos read their bios
Learn about your candidates Rank your candidates
Saturday 13 July: Historic Village Hall, 9am–1pm
Sunday 14 July: Tauranga Crossing, L1, 10am–2pm
Fabulous Fluttershy
Once upon a time a litter of magical puppies were found in a box at a gate, they were taken in and given the TLC they desperately needed. They all had enchanting personalities and quickly settled in to their cosy kennel kingdom
They needed equally magical names so introducing our ‘My Little Pony’s’!
Fluttershy is super sweet and snuggly
She is two months old. She just loves people and all she wants is a cuddle. She’
clever and enjoys playing with puzzle toys and even mastered going over tiny puppy-jumps! If you ’ re looking for a loyal, loving best friend then look no further than Fluttershy Gentle and calm, Flutter will be a great fit with many families. She can ’ t wait to go adventures with you to the park and the beach! Sure to flutter into your heart, come her or any of her four litter mates today! Ref 611331. Phone the SPCA on: 07 578 0245
What are your obligations as a flatmate?
This question ver y much depends on the agreement you ’ ve made with your flatmates, and whether or not you are a tenant. If you are a tenant, you have obligations to your landlord/ property manager
If you are a flatmate but not a tenant, then you will have obligations to your flatmate or flatmates who are tenants
These obligations are likely to include that you will pay a share of the bond when you move in, that you will pay your share of the rent and utility bills as required, and that you will give an agreed amount of notice if you want to leave the flat. Your obligations as a flatmate
should be recorded in a w written agreement.
However, even if you do o not have a written agreemment, you still have any obligatiions that you ’ ve agreed to verbbally, for example contributing towwards shared flat expenses and giving reasonable nottice before you leave.
You can find a template for a flat or house-sharing agreement on the Tenancy Ser vices w website, alongside general advice f for firsttime flatters. Information n is also available at: www.cab.org nz
After three decades of ser vice to the Tauranga Moana community, Te Tuinga Whānau Suppor t Ser vices has announced its closure.
In a statement on Monday afternoon, chair woman Donna Gardiner says the decision had come after much consideration.
“Closing our doors is a bittersweet moment for us, ” she says
“Our dedicated team has worked tirelessly to support our whānau, and we have seen countless lives transformed through our programmes and ser vices.”
Founded in 1994, Te Tuinga Whānau Support Ser vices has provided a wide range of essential ser vices to individuals and families in need.
Over the years, the Trust has been committed to improving the well-being and quality of life for the community, offering support in areas such as housing, family violence prevention, supporting
the community during the Covid-19 pandemic, budgeting advice, support and mentoring ser vices for at risk youth, advocacy and much more.
In her statement about the closure, Donna says: “ Te Tuinga Whānau Support Ser vices will focus on ensuring a smooth transition for its clients “The organisation is working closely with its funding agencies to facilitate continuity of care and support for those in need.”
Working for better mental health
Reflecting the Government’s priority to improve the public ser vices
Kiwis rely on, including mental health care, the National-led government has announced five mental health and addiction targets.
The targets reflect our priorities to increase access to mental health and addiction support, grow the mental health and addiction workforce, strengthen the focus on prevention and early inter vention and improve the effectiveness of mental health and addiction support.
The targets will drive:
Faster access to specialist mental health and addiction services: target of 80 per cent of people accessing specialist mental
health and addiction services are seen within three weeks
Faster access to primar y mental health and addiction ser vices: target of 80 per cent of people accessing primar y mental health and addiction ser vices through the Access and Choice programme are seen within one week
Shorter mental health and addiction-related stays in emergency departments: target of 95 per cent of mental health and addiction-related emergency department presentations are admitted, discharged, or transferred from an emergency
depar tment within six hours
Increased mental health and addiction workforce development: target of training 500 mental health and addiction professionals each year
Strengthened focus on prevention and early inter vention: target of 25 per cent of mental health and addiction investment is allocated towards prevention and early inter vention.
Timely access to ser vices is crucial to support people’s recover y, help them to live and prevent deterioration their mental health and ov quality of life.
Achieving better mental outcomes for New Zealand will have this government relentless attention.
Chapel St-Maxwells Rd crossing upgrad
The pedestrian crossing near the Chapel St and Maxxwells Rd intersection is being upgraded by Tauranga City Council to enhance safety for all road users by improoving visibility and reducing vehicle entr y speeds.
The upgraded pedestrian crossing will be a staggered d signalised crossing where pedestrians cross in two staages, with a waiting area in between
Works will also widen a section of connecting pathwway in Chapel St up to 2.4m for shared pedestrian and cycliist use Traffic management will be in place to improve traffiffic flow According to the city council, the work will beggin Sunday, July 7, with construction to take eight weeks s to complete, and is weather dependent.
Loveable Nevada
Meet our lovely y Nevada, a 10 month old Sharpei x Staffy male He has grown into a medium to large sized boy and thhe last of his litter to find a home
Nevada absolutely loves the beach and playing fetch, his recall t training is improving, especially if you have treats!
New environmments can make him ner vous and can struggle with h some separation anxiety, but happy to spend time in his crate when alone He would suit a family with older children, couple or single person who is willing to put the time into this beeautiful boy and continue his training In return you will get a super loving and loyal companion n To find out more about this love bug, visit: myhooman/animals/profile/2227
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Shelter a gamechanger for children’s therapy garden
r g anger childr s gar
A shelter installed by a local kitset assembly business is being hailed a gamechanger for a Tauranga children’s therapy garden at the Historic Village.
The shelter - a pre-Covid gift from Good Neighbour that’s been in storage for more than four years - was recently installed at the therapy garden by two Tauranga franchisee holders of Kitset Assembly Services
Jess Hubbard and Jo Easterby, who lead Your Garden: Children’s Therapy Garden, say they’ve had to cancel sessions on rainy days in the four years they’ve r un the programme “So the shelter is a gamechanger for us, especially during winter terms ”
The duo r un the garden via volunteers, charity and koha
“ We provide the garden to local primar y schools for their neurodivergent tamariki (children) to develop key skills which are needed to be a good classroom learner. The lack of these skills often leads to a cycle of failure at school
Your Garden, Nick says it was difficult not to be sold on the idea of helping
“It’s a great project, so giving time back to support the community seemed a ‘ no brainer’
“The shelter was previously a structure in a community garden We’re just putting it back together in a different location The support posts had already been put in place, so it’s really just a case of fixing the roof and wall in place,” says Nick “It will hugely benefit the work being done by Your Garden as now the children will have somewhere to protect them against the elements meaning less classes have to be cancelled ” Dave found out about the project from Nick.
“ We mainly work with primar y children that are neurodivergent and receive no regular funding from learning support, and who struggle to be successful in a modern classroom.”
The shelter was disassembled from Good Neighbour’s Welcome Bay site four years ago by Toi Ohomai students who’d erected it for that charity as part of their building studies.
“For a variety of reasons, four years later the shelter was still in pieces at the polytech,” says Jess
“The biggest reason has been getting the right help, as tutors have changed there The tutor who originally led the project, Dirk de Vires, kept the shelter pieces safe for these four years, despite now being semi-retired ” Jess approached building firms for help but none were willing to sponsor the half-day build required to re-erect the shelter
Enter Nick Pidgeon and Dave Behrent - two Tauranga franchisee holders from Kitset Assembly Services who offered to help free of charge Nick says the garden is hugely underutilised
“My wife and I visited the historic village and sat in the garden for a while,” says Nick “It was slightly overgrown and there were a few posts sticking out of the ground Very tongue in cheek, I left a business card on the picnic table and a couple of days later got a phone call from Jess ” Meeting Jess and hearing her enthusiasm around
“Once I talked to Jess and found out what her and Jo do for neurodiverse children, it was a pleasure to get behind them and support them in this way as they struggle to get funding and it’s great to be able to support people who do this kind of work.
"The site can now be used in all weathers to r un the programme ” Dave is involved in volunteering via Welcome Bay Baptist Church
“I find I’m always encouraged to help people in the community, so it was great to be able to help Jess and Jo from Your Garden and see the great work they do and meet others who were helping ” Next, they plan to attach a removable side to the shelter and have started a Givealittle page for fundraising
To donate, see: tinyurl com/ysaaps9f
Ayla Yeoman
KitSet Assembly Ser vices Dave Behrent and Nick Pidgeon, and ‘ Your Garden’ founder Jess Hubbard. Photo: John Borren.
Merivale Tamariki. Photo: Jess Hubbard.
Visits from a four-legged friend can make a big difference to the wellbeing of those in need.
Pets Aid Therapy BOP is a registered charitable foundation dedicated to enhancing lives by spreading the love and transformative magic of animals to those who could use a little extra happiness,” says founder Helen Davies. PAT offers essential services by bringing animals to kindergartens, schools, care homes and dementia wards to provide animal-assisted sessions to those with special needs “ We specialise in arranging visits for individuals or groups, such as residents of rest homes, inquisitive kindergartens, enthusiastic primar y school students, or special needs groups, ” says Helen, who has seen a lot in her career while working with animals From working with guide dogs and police dogs and being a SPCA inspector plus working at stables all over the world, Helen’s knowledge and experience led
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The transformative magic of animals
her to the idea of creating this charity back in 2018
She says when Covid hit it knocked everything over “It’s kind of all been on the back burner for the last few years It’s coming along leaps and bounds just this last year We are looking to open to the public come spring and have it all established so that we can have special needs people here ”
Helen says she has seen a lot, particularly in the dementia units where clients who haven’t spoken in years suddenly speak, some even sing. “The caregivers bring them out, they get them to put their hands often on a donkey or a pony and suddenly the people start to speak I was at one particular situation where the lady started to sing, and the caregivers were all in tears because they said she hadn’t made a sound for three years ”
Helen says animals can do incredible things “Probably my favourite animals at present doing what we do are the donkeys I find them absolutely amazing ” Donkeys are a part of the equine family, she says, “There’s all this science about equines and how they are ver y
susceptible to human emotion If you ’ re stressed or happy, animals usually will sense that and will react accordingly
“What we find is that they just quietly spend time, and they slow down It slows their heart rate, it slows their breathing, slows the whole nervous system ”
The charity has received endless positive reviews for its impactful work. Helen says the parents say the charity has an outstanding impact “They usually say we wish you could come every day “ We go to the special needs school in Tauranga. I tr y to get there about four times a year
“They said they would love me to visit ever y week if it was possible. Financially it’s not possible. We are low on volunteers, and we do desperately need more volunteers, particularly adults ”
Recently, the organisation suffered a huge loss that would impact their ability to feed their animals “We discovered that the shipping container we purchased just a few months ago has developed leaks in the roof
“As a result, the hay we had stored to get through the winter is now destroyed and mouldy
Reading a perfect hobby to inspire your garden
I think many people feel they have to be an expert to enjoy gardening – but all you really need is a little bit of enthusiasm and the wish to bring yourself pleasure from your little piece of Godzone!
Even here, in our favourable climate in Tauranga, we cannot expect our gardens to look good year-round but a few shrubs with strong evergreen foliage is a good place to start. Shrubs like Camellias and many natives – tr y compact varieties if space is limited – will give structure and background for seasonal planting such as bulbs, annuals, perennials, and small shrubs. If you have boundar y fences, make them earn their keep by
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seasons change.
To keep maintenance to a minimum use easy-care ground covers such as Ajuga and Vinca for shady areas, and Arctotis and Gazanias for spots with full sun. Plant bulbs in pots to allow foliage to die back fully, and out of sight, to feed next year ’ s young bulbs
Practical gardening at this time of year consists of occasional mowing of lawns, and hopefully less occasional weeding. Winter is a time for reading inspirational gardening books while sitting inside or in a sheltered spot in the garden on a warm, sunny day This is when you plan for spring!
I’ll end this column with a quote from Richardson Wright: “Begin now buying those intend giving away for meantime you can read them”.
“This has been a significant setback for us, but we are determined to overcome this challenge ” To anyone wanting to get involved Helen says, “Just come along and have a look at what we do and experience it for yourself ” For more information, visit: www facebook com/ PetsAidTherapyBoP
Ayla Yeoman
Satellite sessions singger songgwriters
It is regularly suggested that since Tauranga is a middle-of-the-road city therefore I should write about middle-of-theroad music
The problem is that my musical compass is now so irretrievably broken that I no longer recognise what middle-of-the-road music is Are the - now controversially lip-synching - Eagles middle-of-theroad? Is Georgia Lines?
What about L A B ?
How about Irish music?
There's a huge Irish show arriving at Baycourt, though looking more of a dance than musical extravaganza Irish music fell out of favour a while back, after a long love affair with every second bar Irishthemed and Christie Moore and Mary Black becoming regular visitors Mind you, it must still have a certain cachet since A Taste Of Ireland offers three shows: Tuesday 23 and twice on Wednesday 24
How about the country music on the last Sunday of every month at the Mount RSA, next one July 28?
Is that middle-of-theroad? Or the monthly jazz jam at The Mount Social Club, next one July 24?
It's also confusing writing
about indie bands Last week, I reviewed Crooked Finger's debut album - indie pop
But what does 'indie' even denote any more? It once meant independent as in 'not signed to a big record label', the thought being that signed bands made mainstream music while others produced more adventurous sounds. 'Indie' sounds.
But nearly all Kiwi music is 'indie' - ninety nine per cent of bands have to do it for themselves, like it or not, whether creating safe mainstream music or avant garde weirdness
I don't know where on the spectrum you'd place the acts at July's iteration of Satellite Sessions They sound pretty approachable to me They write good songs with proper words and tunes, perform well and don't do anything that will scare assembled horses It's not Fringe Fest experimentation; it's not even especially 'indie'
Except, as I mentioned, pretty much everything's 'indie'
This is next Saturday, July 20, at the 16 Ave Theatre, following a particularly successful Jam Factory bash in April Satellite Sessions have been running more of less regularly since 2021, spotlighting local songwriters; they are organised by the remarkable Nick Newman, a multi-instrumental musician and promoter It was Nick who arranged the recent Harmonic Resonators tour and was responsible for the Piaf: The Legend show
This month's concert is another winner with, as usual, four acts: there's Joseph Thomm from
Joseph Thomm
wonderful folk duo Joseph & Mia, regular European tourers and Spotify darlings; and Matt Bodman, one of Tauranga's finest, music boss at Otumoetai College, a splendid songwriter with an endearing penchant for Harry Nilsson, who sneaked out an excellent album last December He'll have a fivepiece band
Then there's Ravines,
essentially folky popster Alex Louise, whose latest delicately ravishing release is The Other Family The final performer is new to me, non-binary Mount Maunganui musician and live looper Wheriko, a high-flier with 2022 debut single Enby, who has since released two further sultry dancefloor tracks Hear them on this week's playlist...
Buy a Baguette in Paris?
• Connect with fellow Francophiles?
• Avoid Alzheimer’s? Oui? Alors… Learn French
Sessions in Tauranga, Te Puna, Mount & Katikati
Ravines
HAND-KNITTERS NEEDED
