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Wednesday 9 February 2011
Richmond man makes year-long difference P9
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Teacher to tackle tough terrain P 22
Miners Mum: Nouveau awards spring into drill hall ‘Why did they build us up?’ Andrew Board
a former student of Waimea College. Born-and-bred Nelson man Tracey first heard of the blast Riki Keane, 28, was due to at Pike River when her daughmarry the love of his life next ter called her: “She said she Saturday. Instead, his friends had just heard it on the radio and family will gather on Feb- but I didn’t think Riki would ruary 19 to remember the man be there because his shift he was, after he lost his life in should have finished earlier on the Pike River Mine tragedy Friday,” she says. Reality hit home just a few last November. minutes later His mother, Tracey though when her Keane-Harvey, lives husband walked in Richmond and through the door says the past few and told her Riki months have been was one of the 29 “hell on earth” for men trapped down her and her tightthe mine. knit family, inShe says the days cluding Riki’s five after the first exyounger brothers Pike River miner plosion were heartand sisters. Riki Keane. breaking as the Riki was born in Nelson, attended Hampden mining company told them St School and Nelson Inter- to hope, before that hope was mediate, before moving to dashed when the second blast Reefton as a teenager to live ripped through the mine, killwith his dad. He returned to ing off any chance of survival. Nelson as an adult, owned a Tracey was with other families roofing business in Richmond in a room when news hit. “It and played senior rugby with was like a war zone, people were collapsing, vomiting, Waimea Old Boys. His partner, and mother of his two sons, Olivia Krammer, is
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The Nouveau Design Awards promise glam, glitter and a great time. The awards have been running for six years and include a visual arts exhibition and a performance show this weekend. The performance show features young talent from the area and a costume design competition. “The show itself really inspires people into doing stuff they would never normally do,” says organiser Rose Shepard. The show has featured a range of young people from the area over the years that have now gone on to art school. “To their parents horror because they I’ve got them to the ‘other side’, they’re not doing accountancy and law, they’re off doing arty things. It makes them realise they can do anything,” says Rose. The people involved in the organisation of the show say they get a real “buzz” out of being involved. “There are a lot of older people involved as well that come along help as well. It’s such a broad section of the community. It’s one of those old fashioned things when you have four year-olds and 80 year-olds doing something together, it’s a great atmosphere,” she says. The art exhibition is open from 4pm tomorrow and the performance nights are held on Friday and Saturday at the Spring Grove Drill Hall on Lord Rutherford Rd ELIZA: Wakefield’s Amber Hampton, 12, models a costume designed South. Doors open at 7pm and by Nouveau Design Awards organiser Rose Shepard. The Wakefield tickets are $10 for an adult, $5 for resident made the costume out of things found at the Wakefield car a child and under four are free. boot sale and it took 80 hours to complete. Photo: Teresa Hattan.