20 March Wainuiomata News

By Frank Neill

A big turnout of people descended on Arakura School on 18 March for its “Saving the Ka Ora, Ka Ako – Healthy School Lunches” event.

Community leaders and education leaders, leaders of the education union

NZEI Te Riu Roa and the Health Coalition Aotearoa, as well as the school’s staff and students and members of the Wainuiomata community were all united in their opposition to any government cuts to the Healthy School Lunches programme.

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Just some of the people at the Save School Lunches event, along with their sign. Photo: Frank Neill.

Phone

Standing up for what is right

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Any suggestion to cut the programme was “absolutely ludicrous,” Arakura School’s Tumuaki, Tute Mila, told the gathering.

The programme, she said “means so much to all of our whānau ... who are all standing up for what is right for our tamariki.”

New Zealand has a “real issue” with poverty.

“How can we allow any child in Aotearoa to go hungry.

“It’s not okay,” Ms Mila said.

Providing free school lunches is “critical,” NZEI’s President, Mark Potter said.

“We cannot afford to lose it.

“It is a basic human right that everyone has access to food.

“Every child has the right to food ... and we need to stick to that.

“Every child in our country is precious.

“However the fact is that not everyone in our country shares the same advantages,” Mr Potter said.

“We expect the Minister to do the right thing,” he added.

Currently the Associate Minister of Education, David Seymour, is reviewing the school lunches programme.

He has been quoted as saying that he believes the programme is a waste of taxpayer money.

“Kids having good, healthy food is really important,” Lisa Morenga from the Health Coalition Aotearoa said.

“We are on a mission to stop this programme from getting cut any further.”

Rather than cuts, the Health Coalition would like to see all of New Zealand benefit from the healthy school lunches programme.

“There are many benefits for everyone from school lunches,” Ms Morenga said.

During the event the school brought out a big poster, with the words “Stop the cuts” in red lettering and the words “protect our school lunches” in blue lettering.

Members of the school community signed their names on the poster, which Arakura School will post to the Prime Minister.

The event ended with those attending having lunch with the junior school and the student council.

While waiting for lunch to be served the “Wainuiomata News” spoke with two year 5 students, Cara Barclay and Catherine Quickfall.

The government shouldn’t cut the free school lunches, Catherine said.

“What about the people who don’t have much money?

“They’ll just starve.

“I don’t know why they would want to take it away from us.

“It’s not right. It’s not fair.

“It doesn’t make sense,” Catherine said.

“I think we should keep the school lunches,” Cara said.

“Kids don’t have very much money and food is so expensive now.”

Without the free school lunches some kids didn’t have any food, and she saw that before the school lunches programme was started, Cara said.

The “Wainuiomata News” also spoke to Keelan Renata, who is the student representative on the Wainuiomata High School Board.

“All we are seeing coming from it [the school lunches programme] is positive outcomes,” he said.

“Taking it away isn’t going to benefit kids in any way.

“If the government take it away there are going to be so many more kids starving,” Keelan said.

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No need to book - just pop in for a coffee and a chat about any issue, concern or idea.

Arakura School students lining up for their healthy school lunch.

Photo: Frank Neill.

Louana Fruean adding her signature to the “Stop the cuts” sign.

Photo: Frank Neill.

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The Health Coalition Aotearoa, in association with Action Station, has launched a petition to the government, asking it to stop the cuts and to protect the school lunch programme.

The petition had attracted nearly 21,000 signatures when the “Wainuionata News” went to print.

The petition is at https://our.actionstation. org.nz/petitions/save-healthy-free-schoollunches.

“Schools are a place where kids go to learn, connect, and grow. But they can’t do this if they are hungry,” the petition says.

“In Aotearoa, one in five children live with food poverty.

“And poor nutrition is not limited to kids in

food poverty, with only 5% of children aged 0-14 years getting the recommended amount of fruit and vegetables per day.

“Nutritious food is essential for learning but many kids are missing out on this.

“This is why Ka Ora, Ka Ako – the school lunch programme was created.

“It currently offers 230,000 students in about 1,000 of the least advantaged schools lunches, and is a major safety net against food poverty and poor nutrition.

“If the Government chooses to remove the programme from schools it would rob students of their potential and then we all lose from the missed contribution they can make to our communities.

“Research from the PISA (Program for International Student Achievement) shows

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that students who miss meals due to lack of money are two to four years behind their peers who never miss meals in educational achievement.

“Prime Minister Christopher Luxon has said his Government is focused on enhancing school achievement. Cutting school lunches goes against this and will instead reduce school achievement.

“Parents of children at schools with free lunches told researchers the lunches helped reduce their grocery bill, increased financial security and helped change their child’s food choices - towards healthier options.

“Principals at schools receiving Ka Ora, Ka Ako say the programme has made a huge and lasting impact on students and losing it would be a tragedy,” the petition says.

inbrief news

New phone rules

Wainuiomata High School has introduced new rules for mobile phones. This means that students must either not take cell phones to school or must switch them off and keep them in their bags during school time from term two.

The new rules are available on the school’s Facebook page.

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Healthy lunch time for Arakura School students. Photo: Frank Neill.

Arakura School’s Tumuaki Tute Mila addressing the hui on saving the Healthy School Lunches event. Photo: Frank Neill.

The A Rocha team at Waiu Park has started the year with two productive working bees.

They have been releasing last year's planting and removing blackberry, broom and gorse up near the path to the BMX track.

They plan to plant this area in June and July.

Rubbish is still being removed from the site as it has been used as a dumping ground in the past for tyres and car parts.

There is also evidence of deer roaming into the wetland and feeding on some young plants, but the flax, cabbage trees and toetoe are thriving.

The next working bee is on 13 April, but they are usually on the third Saturday of each month from 10am to 12noon..

Morning tea is provided and new volunteers are always welcome.

For more information contact Richard Rhoades at randjrhoades@gmail.com.

A Rocha is a Christian organisation working across the world in research and nature conservation.

Volunteers at work during a working bee at Waiu Park. Photo: Supplied.

Anna geremia-young. Photo Supplied.

Wainui well placed in final match

By Frank Neill

Wainuiomata’s first Cricket XI is well placed following day one of its two-day match against North City on 16 March.

Batting first on their home ground of Bryan Heath Park, Wainuiomata declared its first innings at 232 for the loss of seven wickets.

They then took four Norths wickets for just 84 runs by stumps.

It was a great start to the match, which saw the team’s Captain, Callum Mackaness play his 100th premier match for his club.

Callum has been playing for the Wainuiomata Cricket Club since he was in the junior ranks.

Ben Coddington once again starred with the bat for Wainuiomata, scoring 86 runs.

Ryan Jackson was also in the runs, notching up his half century and going on to make 55.

Yesh Prashanth displayed great form, finishing on 39 not out while Jordon Rangikauhata was the other not out batsman on 16.

Liam Macgee snared all four Norths wickets to fall and he conceded just 27 runs.

With just one day left to play in the season, Wainuiomata is second on Cricket Wellington’s second division two-day match table.

The club’s second XI secured a good victory over Naenae Little

Masters on 16 March ensuring they held their second spot on Cricket Wellington’s division 6 table.

Batting first on Bryan Heath Park Wainuiomata was all out for 140.

They then bowled Naenae out for 117, giving them a 23 run win.

Alex Newton was the home team’s top scorer with 40.

The team Captain, Scott Babot, took five wickets at a cost of 40 runs, Jason Logan took one wicket for 24 runs and Chris Ingram also took one wicket, at a cost of 28 runs.

The second XI’s final match of the 2023-24 season will see them play Eastern Suburbs Bulldogs at Bryan Heath Park next

Saturday.

The Wainuiomata women’s team had a dominant victory over Taita in their T20 match at Fraser Park on 17 March.

Taita won the toss, batted first and scored 137 for the loss of six wickets in their 20 overs.

Wainuiomata did not lose a wicket in overtaking the Taita total and they took just 15 overs and three balls to do so.

This saw them climb up to third on the division three table.

The team has qualified for the finals of the comptition, and will play City Suburbs Lionesses and Wildcats at Pinkerton Park on 23 March.

Ulalei Netball celebrates 20 years

Twenty years ago, Wainuiomata did not have a netball club.

Fauono Ken Laban knew there was a huge talent pool in Wainuiomata that was missing out due to that hill and travelling over it to train for the closest netball club.

Because of his forward thinking and with the help of former representative players Karen Sagaga (Hutt Valley) and Erica Campbell (Wellington and Samoa), Ulalei Wainuiomata Netball Club was established in April 2004.

The club began with one team that consisted of 12 players who were either related or friends.

That team won its grade in the first season and grew each year to form a successful club in the Hutt Valley netball competition.

Some of those successes are the Hutt Valley Premier One 2019 Champions and Hutt Valley Sports Award Team of the Year 2020.

However “our biggest success is that we have people travelling this way over the hill to Wainuiomata to be a member of the club,”

Club President Alannah Laban says.

Twenty seasons later, the club consists of nine teams, including two in the premier grades and a year 7-8 team with its Patron, Dame Luamanuvao Winnie Laban leading the way.

Ulalei Netball kicked off its 20th season with a successful mafutaga on Saturday 16 March at the Wainuiomata High School Gym.

“This is where it all started, where we first trained, where we held our first prizegiving and it just seemed right to start the celebration of

Locals win two Ki o Rahi titles

By Frank Neill

Two Wainuiomata High School KĪ o Rahi teams are Wellington champions.

The mixed team won the title at the Wellington Secondary Schools KĪ o Rahi Championships, held at Kāpiti College on 12 and 13 March.

Wainuiomata High School won the title when they defeated Mana College 29-23 in the final. The boys team won their title when they beat Tawa College 19-14 in the final.

Both teams were undefeated in the tournament. Wainuiomata High School’s girls team also put in some good performances and reached the quarter finals while the boys development team supported the kaupapa.

Wainuiomata High School players also featured in Wellington teams at the recent national KĪ o Rahi tournament.

Te Upoko o Te Ika under 19 team, coached by Mātauranga Te Rauna and managed by Carolyn Perry, both of whom are also from Wainuiomata, won the national title in its division.

This team is loaded with Wainuiomata players, and includes eight from the valley.

They are Reihana Te Rauna, Braddock Akuhata, Byron Taumata, Tiaki Nager-Ropitini, Kahukura Te Rauna, Amarni Clarke-Jones, Zerenity Mill-Simpson and Diamond Maas.

Te Upoko o Te Ika under 16 team also won the national title in its grade.

Four of the players are from Wainuiomata – Anahera Eru-Solomona, Lania Vaireka, BJ Walker and Niwa Purkis.

After a team pulled out of the event Mātauranga put together and coached an open team that went on to perform outstandingly, finishing as runners-up.

This team featured 10 members from Wainuiomata – Tiaki Nager-Ropitini, Kahukura Te Rauna, Reihana Te Rauna, Byron Taumata, Anahera Eru-Solomona, Lania Vaireka, Niwa Purkis, BJ Walker, Cahzra Mill-Simpson and Zerenity Mill-Simpson.

Te Upoko o Te Ika open team finished third in the national competition. Wainuiomata’s Trazel Moses-Wharepapa took to the field for this team.

a milestone here,” original club member Lagi Moananu comments.

“I must admit that we were worried not many would attend due to so many activities happening in the community at the same time including Waka Wars, however the turn out was amazing.”

The club has been through its challenges in the last twenty years however “whānau, aiga, family is the core of this club,” Komiti member Karina Sagaga says.

“It is what created it, what it thrives on and why it is successful.”

The club wishes to thank all

of the local businesses that have supported and continue to support Ulalei Wainuiomata Netball throughtout its journey.

The anniversary events include a Quiz Night on 5 April at 6pm at the Wainuiomata Rugby Clubrooms. The cost is $20 per player, with eight players per team.

The anniversary will end with an Exhibition Game (past and present players) and a Fiafia “Red Carpet” Night on 24 August. Details can be found on Ulalei Wainuiomata Facebook page.

Callum Mackaness, who is currently playing his 100th premier match for Wainuiomata. Photo: Supplied.

The champion Wainuiomata High School boys team. Photo: Supplied.