15 February Wainuiomata News

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Frank Neill wainui@wsn.co.nz

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An invaluable community service

Continued from page 1

“Our main aim is to deter crime – deterring and preventing things before they happen,” says Tracey Mansfield, the Co-ordinator of the Wainuiomata Community Patrol.

The patrol does this by being visible and highly present.

“Although we can’t measure it we know that we do deter crime.

“You are not going to break into somebody’s house if you are going to be seen by the community patrol,” she says.

The community patrols provide an “invaluable service” to the community, says Sergeant Patrick Tangipo, Officer in Charge of the Wainuiomata Police.

examples of where the community patrol had helped the Police.

During last year’s spate of burglaries of constructions sites, the community patrol alerted Police a number of times when they observed people on building sites.

One person did not have authority to be on the building site.

“Having the community patrol around also provided extra security for these construction sites,”

Sergeant Tangipo says.

Following the spate of construction site burglaries, the Police arrested some alleged offenders.

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The service “works really well as the eyes and ears of the Police, to see what is going on in the community and to work towards making Wainuiomata a safe place.

“When something happens they are often in the right place at the right time and can pass the information on to us.

The second example was that the community patrol alerted Police to a person who was rifling through the dumpsters behind the hospice.

Every Friday and Saturday, as well as other random days during the week, the patrol is out and about, keeping an eye on Wainuiomata.

“It would be great to get more days out,” Tracey says.

Tracey says.

The time commitment is not big either. People who can volunteer for four hours a month would be welcome. If they want to, people can also volunteer to serve for longer.

Following the Wainuiomata Police Station reopening to the public last year, the community patrol now has access to the station “which is a huge milestone because it’s been a long time coming.” Tracey says.

The patrol is also involved in a range of other initiatives.

valley – for example providing traffic control at fireworks on the Petone Esplanade.

One very important regular role involves having positive interactions with the community – stopping and talking to people, and stopping and having a chat with kids.

The community patrol also provides people with anti-theft screws they can use to lessen the risk of vehicle number plates being stolen.

People interested in having anti-theft screws fitted can contact Tracey.

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“They are a good source of intelligence and can alert us to something we need to look at.

“Having Tracey [Mansfield] and Rich [Nixon, the patrol’s Deputy Co-ordinator] around has been great. They are out every Friday and Saturday night rain or shine, which is excellent.

“With their intelligence and ringing us, they help us build a picture of who’s out and about.

“I think they are a great asset to have out there in the community.”

Sergeant Tangipo gives two

To do that, the patrol needs more volunteers. Ideally, they need enough people so they can patrol every day of the week.

“Help keep your neighbourhood safe while making new friends and learning new skills,” Tracey says.

“With flexible hours and support from the team, you can volunteer at a time that works best for you.

“Contact Tracey Mansfield, the Wainuiomata Community Patrol Co-ordinator, at wainuipatrol@ gmail.com to learn more about how you can get involved.

“Together, we can create a safer and stronger Wainuiomata,”

One is assisting Civil Defence. The patrol was involved during heavy rains and the threat of a tsunami a few years ago, assisting Civil Defence by directing people to safe places they could go.

It also becomes involved in traffic control – for example at the Wainuiomata ANZAC Day parade and during large tangi at the Wainuiomata Marae.

Helping M ori Wardens is yet another area where the patrol is involved, along with keeping an eye on building sites.

The patrol even becomes involved in assisting outside the

And on top of that, the team is involved in fund-raising – as the community patrol is not funded at all by government or local government, and relies completely on fund-raising and sponsorship.

“We have a new sponsor – Team Harcourts,” Tracey says.

The other sponsors are: Clive’s Chemist, Paul Butcher and Valerii Kuznetsov.

“That’s great because without our sponsors we wouldn’t exist. We are completely reliant on them.

“We are always looking for support and sponsorship from the community,” Tracey says.

Putting the cost of living front and centre

A lot has happened recently and I wanted to make sure that you’d heard about the measures we’re putting in place to help people here in the Hutt South with the cost of living.

Labour is focused on the bread and butter issues that matter most to New Zealanders –and that’s why we’ve signalled a new direction for our Government and our priorities this year.

To make sure that we can do more to support families in the here and now, we’ve announced we’re cancelling or delaying a suite of programmes to free up funding and resources for where they’re needed most.

This includes cancelling the TVNZ/RNZ public media entity and biofuels mandate, and delaying the social insurance scheme. We’re also considering the Three Waters programme - although, as we’ve seen in Auckland recently, it’s simply not an option to stick with the status quo.

These policy changes will help to provide greater bandwidth for the Government to ensure we’re doing all we can to support families with the cost of living in Hutt South and across the country.

You might have heard that we’re extending the fuel tax cut, discounted road user charges and half price public transport until 30 June 2023. Transport is one of the biggest expenses for households and this extension will help to ease the pressure, cutting the cost of filling up a 60 litre tank of petrol by around $17.25 and helping to reduce fuel costs that are pushing up food prices.

We’re also further increasing the minimum wage, lifting it in line with inflation from 1 April. In tough times, it’s critical to support

those who struggle most to make ends meet, and right now, low income families in our community need this support more than ever. At the same time, we’re putting in place a range of support for businesses that were hit particularly hard by the recent severe weather. This includes funding for discretionary flood recovery payments, small business advice, as well as wellbeing support. On top of that, Inland Revenue will waive penalties for late payments for Auckland, Northland, the Bay of Plenty, Thames/Coromandel and Waikato. All of these decisions show the new direction our Government is taking, as we deliver on our commitment to focus on the issues that matter most to New Zealanders in the here and now.

I remember at primary school and the pies and frozen yoghurts. At high school it was the cream filled jam donut and asking mates, ‘got 10 cents bro?’

Wainuiomata needs day time firefighters

By Frank Neill

Wainuiomata needs firefighters who can respond to calls during the working day.

During normal work hours there were usually only enough volunteers to make up one crew, Wainuiomata’s Chief Fire Officer Ewen Heron says.

That is not ideal, as a rapid response makes a big difference when fighting fires.

Speed can, for example, allow the fire brigade to save a house that would otherwise burn down.

It’s not just property that can be saved by a fast response. It can also save lives.

With just one crew available to respond it means that the Wainuiomata Volunteer Fire Brigade is

relying on the Seaview Fire Brigade to provide backup.

It takes significantly longer for a fire engine from Seaview to attend a fire in Wainuiomata than it does for the local brigade to reach the scene.

“Our goal is to have two crews during normal work hours,” CFO Heron says.

“Three or four [new staff] would be a good number to start out. That would give us two crews.

“If we could get a few more, that would be good too,” he says.

“If you’re a team player, would like to learn new skills and make your community safer, we would love to hear from you.”

As well as firefighting, volunteers attend medical incidents, motor vehicle accidents, severe weather events and other requests for help.

“Volunteering is rewarding,” Fire and Emergency New Zealand says on its website.

“As a volunteer you will become part of a team, learn new skills, serve your community and have access to special benefits that recognise your commitment.”

Volunteers also install and check smoke alarms and help to improve fire safety in the Wainuiomata community.

People interested in finding out more can contact Mr Heron on 021 483 111 or visit the volunteering page on Fire and Emergency’s website, https://www.fireandemergency.nz/volunteering/.

The Wainuiomata Volunteer Fire Brigade currently has plenty of staff who can respond at night and during weekends.

Meeting to look at iwi rep

Wainuiomata High School is holding a community evening at 7pm tomorrow (16 February) to look at including an iwi representative on the school’s Board of Trustees.

The school says it would like to appoint an iwi representative from Te Ati Awa to the school board and the evening is being held to discuss this.

Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting, which will be held in the school Staff Room.

“Please feel free to bring along wh nau and anyone who has an interest in Wainuiomata High School. The Board of Trustees looks forward to seeing you,” the school says.

The school is also currently looking for

kind, caring host families who would like to experience hosting an international student.

Both short-term and long-term placements are available.

Students will need their own room, all meals plus snacks, Wi-Fi and laundry services.

Wainuiomata High School’s homestays are remunerated at $300 a week.

Family members and anyone else living in the house over 18 will need to be Police vetted.

For more information or to answer questions, contact the International Student Homestay Co-ordinator Victoria Child, 021 531 5581, victoriac@wainuiomatahigh.school.nz.

Definitely a mince and cheese pie.

I wasn’t a frequent user of the school tuck shop but I do recall Mum packing ‘Roll Ups’ in my lunchbox and making ‘witches fingers’ with them.

Q: With school returned for the year, what was the best thing at your school canteen/tuck shop?

Sarah Hill

Nick Price Ellison

Liz McKay

Mock cream and raspberry jam buns.

Daniel Sinclair

Had to be the good old frozen milk and the frozen juicies.

Anna Harper

That’s going back a long way. It was warm cinnamon donuts and hot dogs. Healthy eh?

Marcus Barnhorn

Wainuiomata’s Chief Fire Officer Ewen Heron. Photo: Frank Neill.

To the Editor

Letters on issues of community interest are welcomed. A maximum of 150 words please.

Please note that your name MUST be provided with emails. Letters/Opinions not necessarily those of the Wainuiomata News management.

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Free scooter lessons

By Frank Neill

Free scooter lessons have started at the Wainuiomata Skate Park. Thomas Peacock is volunteering his time to teach children, and held the first session on 8 February.

“All the tamariki learned many tricks and had a lot of fun,” says Anaru Ryall , Love Wainuiomata’s Co-ordinator.

The free lessons are being held every Wednesday evening, from 6 to 7pm. However the sessions are weather dependent.

Low crime in the valley

By Frank Neill

Not much crime has come to the attention of the Wainuiomata Police recently.

“We’ve been lucky there hasn’t been a lot going on crime-wise, which is good,”

Sergeant Patrick Tangipo, Officer in Charge of the Wainuiomata Police, told the “Wainuiomata News” on 13 February.

“Either nothing much is happening or people aren’t reporting it.”

Wainuiomata has, in fact, been a safer community since the Wainuiomata Police Station reopened on 4 October last year.

“The whole idea of bringing the Police

The little finger, often called the pinky in American English, pinkie in Scottish English (from the Dutch word pink, “little finger”), or fifth digit in medicine, is the most ulnar and usually smallest finger of the human hand, opposite the thumb, next to the ring finger.

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14. Blameless. (8)

17. Make difficult. (9)

18. Write (3)

20. Give out. (4)

22. Arrives at conclusion (by reasoning) (7)

24. Scattered rubish. (6)

26. Pounds,Shillings & Pence(abrev)(3)

28. Silly. (5)

29. Experience. (7)

32. Subject of a text. (5)

33. The Alphabet. (3)

34. Unit of measure. (3)

35. Maori dancing prop. (3)

36. Weeps. (5)

37. Tables ornamental centrepiece(7)

38. Overflow. (5)

39. Nevertheless. (3)

41. Sections of a year (6)

42. Cure for all ailments. (7)

44. Idiots. (4)

47. Right of Admission Reserved(Abr)(3)

49. Fineness. (10)

51. Artificially high-pitched voice (8)

over to Wainuiomata is working well,” Sergeant Tangipo said.

Last year saw the Police Station reopened after being closed for more than a decade.

Hutt South MP Ginny Andersen, who has done a lot of work towards getting the Police Station opened again, reopened the station.

The station then opened to the public at noon on 4 October and is now open for two days a week – Tuesdays and Wednesdays from noon to 4pm.

It is also now the base for the Wainuiomata Community Patrol.

55. Expel from country. (5)

56. Old fashioned portable fire extinguisher; pump. (7)

57. First public appearance. (5)

58. Interpret. (9)

59. Withdraws (5,4)

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1. Exterior (7)

2. Coach (5)

3. Attract (6)

4. Frequently. (5)

5. Simplicity. (4)

6. Couple. (7)

7. Not tidy. (6)

8. Orchestral player (woodwind section) (12)

9. Plant. (5)

10. Absurd. (11)

15. Make a choice. (3)

16. Finishes. (4)

19. Sweet dish; Ice cream (6)

21. Roman (7)

23. Brings out. (6)

25. Copy. (7)

26. Renters . (12)

27. He loved spinach. (6)

28. Useless. (11)

30. Do wrong. (3)

31. Jamaican-styled music. (6)

40. Nobleman. (4)

43. Collection of historical records (7)

44. Natural mineral. (3)

45. Abridge. (7)

46. Japanese hostess. (6)

48. Incidental remarks. (6)

50. Fine ceramic material. (5)

52. Savoury jelly. (5)

53. Socially prohibited. (5)

54. Dull. (4)

Solution

Last Week: 1 February 2023

Photo: Love Wainuiomata.

Cricket’s great 75th celebration

By Frank Neill

The Wainuiomata Cricket Club celebrated its 75th Jubilee in style during Waitangi weekend.

“It was a great weekend,” the Club Captain Callum Mackaness told the “Wainuiomata News”.

Around 180 people attended over the weekend and there was an excellent turnout of 140 people for the formal dinner, which was the climax of the 75th celebrations.

Black Caps Ewen Chatfield and Evan Grey were guest speakers at the formal dinner, and regaled those attending with stories of interesting times they have had with the New Zealand team.

Two people were presented with life membership of the club at the formal dinner, and a series of Baggy Cap presentations were made. Baggy Caps are presented to players who have chalked up 100 and then 200 games for the

club.

Three cricket matches featured during the weekend, an exhibition match featuring, among others, former All Black Piri Weepu, and two club competition games.

Wainuiomata’s second XI starred for the club during the weekend in their match against Northern Park at Brian Heath Park.

Batting first, Wainuiomata was all out for 146.

Dijo John was the top scorer for the home team. After reaching his half century, Dijo continued, scoring eight more runs before he was run out.

Wainuiomata then bowled Northern Park out for 43 runs, with only two players making double figures.

Jordan Carr bowled outstandingly for Wainuiomata, taking six wickets and conceding only 26 runs from his 11 overs. Wainuiomata then enforced

& Trades

At

the

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75th Jubilee (from left) Hutt Mayor Campbell Barry, MP Chris Bishop, Craig Foster, Cr Keri Brown, Tony Fitzgerald and Cr Gabriel Tupou. Photo: Love Wainuiomata.

So successful more are planned

By Frank Neill

The free community barbecue and fun day at Ngaturi Park was so successful Love Wainuiomata is now considering holding monthly wh nau days at parks around the valley.

Held on Waitangi Day, the event

was “awesome”, says Anaru Ryall, Love Wainuiomata’s Co-ordinator.

After having been postponed on 29 January, the event ended up being held in beautiful sunny weather and “heaps of wh nau came down for fun day out,” Anaru says.

As well as the free food, Kokiri Marae Health and Social services set up a vaccination tent at the park. They offered free Covid and MMR vaccinations, and all adults received a $50 Pak’nSave voucher while the children received tamariki packs.

The Wainuiomata Community

A great way to switch off

By Frank Neill

Ryan Imray is making a name for himself as a photographer.

The Wainuiomata resident takes photos, mainly of sports events, as a hobby to help him switch off from his work with Wellington Free Ambulance.

Ryan is an Emergency Medical Dispatcher with the ambulance. In that role he takes 111 calls, triages the patients and organises an ambulance for them.

“It’s a great job. I love the job,” Ryan says.

“I’m helping people every day and that’s all I wanted to do.

“But it has its moments when it can be quite difficult.”

Because of that, Ryan turns to his hobby – photography – to switch off. “It’s my happy place,” he says.

Ryan began his photography hobby in 2020, and it has grown rapidly. That can be seen from the figures for his two photography platforms, called Imray Snaps, on Facebook and Instagram.

“I currently have 3,014 followers and that’s just on Facebook.

“I also have 1,042 followers on Instagram and in January [this year] my work reached 3,032.”

Ryan’s photography, particularly his posts on the Wainuiomata Football Club’s Facebook page, was the main factor in the club winning a Capital Football Award in 2021. The club won the Social Media Account of the Year.

The next year Ryan featured as one of three finalists in Capital Football’s Photographer of the Year Award. In 2022 Ryan also won Volunteer of the Month from Capital Football. Football, in fact, was where Ryan’s photography had its genesis in 2020.

Ryan played football for the Wainuiomata club for 12 years.

While playing the game in 2019 Ryan suffered a serious knee injury, tearing the ACL ligament in his knee, along with other ligaments. He had surgery and was told that he would never play again.

Because he loves football, Ryan continued his association with the club, including coaching.

Wainuiomata won the Wellington competition in 2020 securing a Central League playoff against New

Plymouth – a two-game qualifier. That marked the beginning of Ryan’s photography career.

He asked the mother of one of the players he coached if he could borrow her camera, and she agreed.

He then travelled to New Plymouth and took photos of the match, which Wellington won 5-3. He also took photos at game two of the play-off, at Richard Prouse Park on 17 October, a match Wellington won 7-3. That experience, he says, “opened my eyes to photography.

“Someone I know on Facebook wanted to sell their camera. I couldn’t afford the camera so I went halves with a friend and we bought it.”

He quickly took photos at two matches – the Women’s National League match between Capital Football and Southern United, and Wellington Phoenix Academy versus Canterbury United in the men’s competition.

“I went home and put my photos on the laptop.

“I realised I didn’t have a platform, so I created my page – Imray Snaps.” Since then, his platform “has grown to a level that even I didn’t expect”.

Hub also contributed, bringing activities for the tamariki, while Hutt City Council chipped in by providing a bouncy castle.

There was music to entertain the hundred or so people as well, with local artist Araiyah performing.

“It was brilliant,” Anaru says.

As well as the great turnout by

wh nau, Mayor Campbell Barry, Hutt City Councillors Keri Brown and Gabriel Tupou and Wainuiomata Community Board members attended.

Planning is already under way for the next wh nau day at Arakura Park in March, with the date yet to be set.

That growth has seen Ryan move from “basically doing my club a favour” to covering Wellington Phoenix matches and the international fixture featuring the Football Ferns playing the United States on 17 January.

That is a big turnaround, too, from when he was at Rongotai College.

In year 10 he studied photography. Around halfway through term two he got bored and told his teacher that photography was not going to help in his life and he was not going to do it.

The college’s Principal then

Stationery drive a huge success

By Frank Neill

School students have been provided $5,200 worth of stationery thanks to the Wainuiomata School Stationery Drive organised by Nicky Smith and Love Wainuiomata.

Two schools in the valley – Arakura School and St Claudine Thévenet School – provide school stationery free to their students.

“We took 80 packs across the six remaining kura,” Nicky says. There was also quite a lot of stationery that was not able to be included in packs, and this was also

donated to the schools.

“We've made a positive difference and that's amazing.”

Taking the packs to the schools “was near tear inducing, because you could see on the teachers’ faces that this was making a huge difference to their kids.

“I was so humbled to be part of that process.”

Before she made the deliveries to the schools “I didn’t understand how great the need was,” she adds.

Nicky says that she would like to say “a big thank you” to everyone who supported this kaupapa.

“We really couldn't have done this without your support.

“I’m blown away by the generosity and the community spirit of Wainuiomata.

“From all those who donated at the Library and at CK [& Co Realty] and the businesses that also gave to us, your donations have done important work.”

The 2023 school stationery drive was a “brand new idea”.

And it has proved so successful that Nicky will be repeating it next year.

“I don’t want it to be a one-off,”

Nicky says.

There are no longer drop-off stations at the Wainuiomata Library, the Salvation Army on Queen Street or at CK & Co Realty, 97 Victoria Street Alicetown.

However if people have stationery items and contact Nicky [021 149 3997] she will collect them and keep them for the 2024 school stationery drive.

Nicky came up with the idea of running a school stationery drive as a result of working as a teacher aide at Wainuiomata Primary School for one day a week.

reached out and asked him to take photos of a football match between Rongotai and Wellington Colleges, which he did.

“The Principal said he’d heard I wasn’t interested in photography, so we had a good laugh about it.”

Although sports photography is Ryan’s specialty, he is also invited to take photographs of other happenings. In fact the day he spoke to the “Wainuiomata News” Ryan was also photographing a wedding.

Photography, he says, “is a real nice way to switch off. I thoroughly enjoy it.

She has been volunteering as a teacher aide at the school for the past year, as she needs the work experience for the teacher aide course she is studying at the Open Polytechnic.

As a result of working at the school “I got to know a lot of the kids and a lot of the families, and got to know some of the struggles they go through,” she says.

One of the areas where people struggle is during the time children are going back to school. “It can be an incredibly stressful time for families,” she says.

Photos: Love Wainuiomata.

One of Ryan’s sports photos – Clayton Lewis and Yan Sasse celebrate scoring for Wellington Phoenix. Photo: Ryan Imray, Imray’s Snaps.