25 January Wainuiomata News

Queen Street ‘amazing’

By

The Queen Street upgrade is now virtually complete, with the final laying of ashphalt on the roadway finished this week.

That means that the third stage of the $8.5 million Wainuiomata Town Centre Upgrade needs only some minor work, due to be carried out next week.

Continued on page 2.

Part of the newly paved Queen Street, taken on Monday 23 January. Photo: Frank Neill.

Frank Neill

The best is yet to come

Continued from page 1

Work has now begun on the final stage of the town centre upgrade.

This stage will see work outside the Wainuiomata Community Hub, the Wainuiomata Library and the reserve.

“It’s great to see the Queen Street Upgrade coming together,” Wainuiomata Ward Councillor Keri Brown says.

“The final stage outside the Hub, hall and reserve is exciting and will bring the project together to achieve our town centre that is vibrant, safe and accessible.

“I am really looking forward

to the final stage being completed. It’s the best part of the whole project the final stage,” Cr Brown says.

A half size basketball court and artwork will feature in the final stage of the upgrade.

It will also include a decked area outside the community hub, new paving in the pedestrian zone and a kioskthat can be used as a café or food outlet.

“It is going to be amazing,” Cr Brown says.

“This upgrade brings to life the aspirations of the community.

“We have worked alongside local businesses to help inform the work, and our goal is to enhance the area and encourage people to

shop and play local.”

Works outside of the businesses on Queen Street are now mostly finished. All paving is complete, lighting installed, and garden beds are in place, Cr Brown says.

The main works left to complete outside of the businesses includes:

planned for the next week.

The completion of the Queen Street paving came just over one year after a blessing ceremony for the town centre upgrade.

On 18 February 2022 Konga Reriti, along with other representatives from Te ti Awa Taranaki Wh nui, led the Te Huringa o Papat nuku to bless the space before work began.

the Te Ara Raukura intersection, with some final electrical connection works and bollard visibility works taking place to allow this.

Road marking is still needed on Queen Street, and this is

Hutt City Council approved the plan for the Wainuiomata Town Centre Upgrade in 2016.

Work was planned to start in late March last year but Covid-19 and global supply chain issues caused delays to deliveries of paving which meant a delayed start on 26April.

An artist’s impression of the Queen Street upgrade, as it will look when complete. Image: Supplied

I wasn’t surprised because the job has been such pressure. I totally understand where she is coming from.

I’m really sad about it. She has been doing the job for a long time under duress. I think it’s her time to spend with her family.

I think she did a good job but it is time for someone else to step in.

It’s her choice. She’s had a hard few years.

Good and bad. I think it’s good because she is not doing what she said she would do in terms of the housing crisis and people living on the street. But bad as she did do her best on the whole Covid situation.

I think she needs a break.

More restaurants and cafés needed

By Frank Neill

Queen Street needs a good quality restaurant and a coffee shop near a play area, according to the report “Queen Street Retail Strategy” produced by First Retail Group for Hutt City Council and Love Wainuiomata.

Among the 38 recommendations in the report is one highlighting the need for a high quality restaurant and coffee shop.

“Encourage and enable the establishment of modern, artisan coffee and family-orientated dining options across the [Queen Street] precinct to build relevance and appeal for the area,” the recommendation says.

“Wainuiomata's outlier position through its lack of coffee and contemporary hospitality venues creates a vulnerability for the area, with significant spending and goodwill attrition to neighbouring suburbs.

“Better choices locally will help keep spending in the valley with resulting benefit to surrounding

businesses.”

The report also mentions a recommendation for existing food outlets – there are 12 fast food takeaways in Queen Street currently.

The report recommends that the current food outlets “improve their propositions and experience through broader menu choices, and service, environment and presentation initiatives.

“The existing hospitality offer has become tired and will face intensifying competition as newer operators establish nearby.”

The report also recommends that Queen Street businesses collectively develop a quality street dining experience where people meet, socialise and enjoy the local offer in a vibrant, activated public realm.

The need for quality eating places was also reflected in the community feedback the report writers received.

“Wainuiomata needs more decent cafes and restaurants, with good atmosphere and also an indoor/ outdoor seating area,” was one insight from the community that the

report quoted.

Other community feedback included:

The “need to make Queen Street more friendly for our rangatahi.

“More cultural options! Would love a shop to sell Samoan or Hispanic foods.

“More shops - so we don't have to shop over the hill.

“Too many fast food providers, we need more healthy options.

“Safe spaces which families can use. Fenced in playground on Strand road would be ideal, somewhere dogs won't be roaming.

“Encourage food trucks in the summer – it would be fantastic to have a meal outdoors in the sun.

“More community facilities to attract people. The old Warehouse could be used for an indoor sports facility, that would bring people into Wainuiomata.

“A monthly market or a fair would be great for the town, could bring food trucks and a vegetable or craft market.

“Safe spaces for families to

go to: A splash pad would be perfect to use over summer, even better if there is a picnic area equipped with a barbecue or even a cafe close by so parents can dine while their child is enjoying themselves safely.

“Mini regular events and a playground for children.”

A refreshment of shop facades is another of the report’s recommendations.

“Develop a facade improvement initiative to lift building presentation aligned with the refreshed streetscape and existing exemplars,” the report says.

“While public realm improvements are refreshing the precinct and nearby park, some buildings

have dated or neglected facades – creating a poor impression for visitors and prospective businesses looking to establish.”

Scheduling community events is also recommended.

“Encourage, facilitate and maintain regular scheduled activities –such as community group fundraising barbeques, food-truck evenings, entertainment, exercise sessions and social events.”

Cultural alignment of the Queen Street town centre is another recommendation.

“Create a Town Centre environment and visitor experience that is reflective of Wainuiomata's proud Tikanga M ori heritage and values,” the report says.

Anne Webster

Justin Smith

Chris Wallace

Jak Aberdein-Taouai

Robyn Carthew

Tania Collings

An artist’s impression of Queen Street once the upgrade currently under way is completed. Image: Supplied.

Stationery drive to help with back-to-school costs

By Frank Neill

By Frank Neill

Families facing back-toschool costs will be able to benefit from a new initiative organised by Nicky Smith and Love Wainuiomata.

From now until mid February they will be collecting stationery and will provide it to local schools – all the primary schools in the valley plus Wainuiomata Intermediate and Wainuiomata High Schools.

They are keen to receive donations of items such as exercise books, note books, pads, pencils, pens, highlighters, glue sticks, rubbers, pencil sharpeners or any other items on school stationery lists.

The items may have been bought but not used during a recent school year, or people may choose to donate an item or items by adding them to their shopping basket.

Items can be dropped off at the Wainuiomata Community Hub (at the library), the Salvation Army on Queen Street or at CK & Co Realty, 97 Victoria Street Alicetown.

Nicky Smith, who is on the Wainuiomata Primary School Board of Trustees, came up with the idea of setting up a school stationery drive.

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

Nicky enrolled on the course to futher support her son, Joshua, who is neuro diverse and has to deal with being on the Autism spectrum. Being a teach aide allows her to help both Joshua and also other students on their journey.

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.

She had the idea of helping out by organising a school stationery drive.

“I popped into the library and asked the library team if it would be a suitable place for people to drop things off.

“They suggested I get in touch with Anaru.” Anaru Ryall is Love Wainuiomata’s Coordinator.

She did, and the result is Wainuiomata’s school stationery drive.

Nicky has also approached a number of businesses, and two have already come on board –CK & Co Realty and NXP.

“I have got enquiries all over the place to see what our friends in the commercial community can do for us,” she says.

The aim of the project is to be able to provide the school students with the “basic supplies that every kid needs – to get the basic things sorted for as many kids as possible.”

The idea is to provide for all families – not just families who are struggling financially.

“I want it to be for all kids.

“I don’t want to single out families and say they are struggling.

“Education is for everyone,” Nicky says.

The aim of the drive, therefore, is to provide stationery for all the 2,000 or so students at Wainuiomata’s six primary schools as well as the intermediate and high school.

“Nicky has been able to see first-hand the affects and struggles that kids without proper stationary have had to face,”

Love Wainuiomata says.

“This initiative is very important to Nicky. She is hopeful that with all the help and generosity we have here in Wainuiomata we will be able to relieve some pressure from wh nau and help give our tamariki a strong start to the school year.

“Please support the kaupapa by donating items from our list to give a child a head start to their education this year.

“With your generosity we will be able to ease the transition to school for many wh nau, especially when [they have] more than one child in school,”

Love Wainuiomata says.

More information about the school stationery drive is on the Love Wainuiomata Facebook page, at https://www.facebook. com/LoveWainuiomata.

GARDENING THIS WEEK

Brambles : By Wally Richards

Brambles is the general term used to cover a range of thorny berry fruit from the Rubus family such as black berries, raspberries, logan berries, boysenberries etc.

Bramble bushes send up long, arching canes that flower and set fruit in the second year of growth.

Thus the current new shoots (canes) in a season from spring to autumn will be the canes that will fruit the following season.

After fruiting these old canes should be removed at the base. This would normally be done late autumn or early winter as some brambles will provide a second autumn crop.

This is the only pruning needed but if canes get too tall they can be tipped by cutting the ends off. This can be done at any time.

If you are not sure what has fruited and what is new then tie a little length of coloured wool to all canes that bear fruit in a season, which makes it easy to identify them later on.

Some brambles have nasty recurved thorns that dig into clothing and flesh when you try to pull away from them, where others are near thorn-less only having hair-like thorns.

Raspberry, blackberry and dewberry are taken as originals and the likes of loganberry, boysenberry, tayberry, youngberry and marionberry are hybrids which were developed from the originals.

Some of these are available through garden centres for the home garden market.

The later are usually berries that can be grown successfully in most locations through out NZ.

One of the problems with most of the berry fruits is they do not keep well and thus you only find them occasionally in supermarkets for sale in a fresh state. They normally are fairly expensive also.

Commercially they are grown for canning, juicing, freezing and pick your own.

Frozen berries are very reasonable in price and are ideal for making your own jams or desert toppings.

Blackberries are often seen on the side of country roads where they have escaped and become a wild thorny menace but producing good crops of berries for the more adventurous food gatherers.

Likewise in the home garden berry fruit can easily become a problem if allowed to get away on you.

If planting out into open ground make sure you are planting into an area that is not anywhere near existing gardens.

Planted against a fence that has a good buried footing and lawn up to the fence is normally ideal as you can cut off new shoots as they appear in the lawn area.

I prefer to keep my berry fruit well under control by growing them in 45 litre containers in a rich compost mix.

Berry fruit are subject to two main diseases, downy mildew called dryberry and botrytis.

Perkfection is ideal as a protection against Botrytis and Downy mildew (Dry Berry) It is also a good idea to add Mycorrcin and Magic Botanic Liquid to the sprays to assist the natural biological control.

Two weekly sprays of Mycorrcin during the season will assist in better yields and all sprays above can be mixed together.

Berry fruit have a fibrous root system that grows near the soil surface and from this new shoots will appear (hence the spread capabilities)

Mulches of animal manure based compost over the soil are ideal for feeding.

Also you can apply sheep manure pellets, blood & bone, Fruit and Flower Power before covering them with the compost.

Rust can be controlled with a solution of potassium permanganate.

Powdery Mildew with a spray of Wallys Super Neem Tree Oil.

Brambles are sensitive to chlorine and so they should be watered with non-chlorinated water and do not use chloride fertilisers including potassium chloride.

Avoid excessive applications of phosphate. High levels of soil phosphorus have been associated with zinc deficiency in brambles.

Gardens using poultry manure as a maintenance fertilizer should take care, since poultry wastes are especially high in phosphates.

Insect pests can be controlled with sprays of Wallys Super Neem Tree Oil (5 mils per Litre) and Wallys Super Pyrethrum (1-2 mils per litre) sprayed late in the day just prior to

sunset.

If borer attack the canes then apply Wallys Neem Tree Granules onto the soil on the root system.

This same method can be used to assist in the control of pests in the foliage with Neem Tree Granules added to the mulch as well.

Birds love the fruit when it ripens so you need to place Bird repel Ribbon strips on the canes once fruit has formed before ripening.

Another way would be to cover the canes with Crop Cover which has to be placed in such a manner that birds cannot enter the fruiting area.

Bird Netting or small gauge wire netting can be use by making a wooden frame that encloses all the canes inside it and then place the netting over the frame and secured at soil level..

Small gauge wire netting is best for this as it is more permanent and a hinged entrance can be on one side for access to the plants and fruit.

Container growing the brambles can be supported with four stakes placed at the cardinal points then garden twine wound around the outside of the stakes in a upward spiral.

This should keep the canes inside the stakes and still allow good access to pick and care for the plant.

The leaves of brambles are often used to feed stick insects in captivity.

Some of the brambles available to the home gardener from garden centres grown by Incredible Edibles are Blackberry, Black Satin; Boysenberry, Burlee; Loganberry, Waimate; Orange Berry (Amazing ground cover but difficult to get to fruit well); Raspberries, Aspiring, Ebony, Ivory & Waiau.

From Diacks mail order on the Internet the following: Bramble Blackberry Black Satin, Bramble Boysenberry Brulee, Bramble Boysenberry, Bramble Karaka Black, Bramble Loganberry, Bramble Ranui Berries, Bramble Tayberry, Bramble Thornless.

Garden Centres will likely have other name types and these are normally available in the winter when the nurseries lift their stock for sale.

Potted plants maybe available anytime of the year dependent on stocks. Problems ring me at 0800 466464 Email wallyjr@gardenews.co.nz Web site www.gardenews.co.nz

Nicky Smith and her two children – Harper (on the left) and Joshua – outside the Wainuiomata Community Hub, where people can drop off donations of school stationery.

Photo: Frank Neill

Bus drivers coming from overseas

An influx of bus drivers from overseas is likely to help reduce future disruptions to bus services in the region.

“NZ Bus, one of our largest operators, has agreed employment offers with 100 overseas drivers,” Thomas Nash, Chair of Greater Wellington’s Transport Committee, says.

Eight of these new drivers are already in the country with approved visas, undergoing training and the necessary licence requirements.

“Without delay from Waka Kotahi’s licence processing, they should be on the road in the next six to eight weeks,” Mr Nash says.

“A further 29 overseas drivers are awaiting visa approval and if successful will arrive in Wellington over the coming weeks to start their induction programme.”

NZ Bus hopes to have two cohorts of overseas drivers in training every month for the next three months. This is subject to satisfactory and timely visa application preparation, processing, and approvals.

Both NZ Bus and Tranzurban, the two largest

operators in Wellington, are in the process of increasing international and domestic recruitment activities for the region.

Free barbecue

By Frank Neill

Love Wainuiomata is hosting a free community barbecue, along with a series of fun activities and sports games for the whole community, at Ngaturi Park from noon to 3pm on Sunday 29 January.

The reason Love Wainuiomata is holding the event is that “often that part of Wainuiomata gets missed out,” says Anaru Ryall, Love Wainuiomata’s

Co-ordinator.

“Come join us for an afternoon full of positive vibes.”

As well as the free sausage sizzle there will be fresh water, sack races, fun activity play, plenty of toys for young tamariki and even some fun rugby games.

Ngaturi Park is located in Homedale Village, at the end of Ngaturi Grove – a small cul de sac that runs off Parenga Street.

Love Local. Shop Local.

Top finish for local firefighters

Moohan St, Bull Ave, Petrie St - 280 papers

Area 2: Isobel Gr, Wright St, part of Moohan etc - 270 papers

Area 3: Karaka St, Kowhai St, Puriri St, part of Wainuiomata Rd - 295 papers

Area 4: Hamstead St, Kendal Gr, Enfield St, part of Wellington Rd - 220 papers

Area 5: Peel Place, Wood St, Faulke Ave, Burden Ave - 255 papers

Area 6: Hair St, Rowe Parade, Gawler Gr, Gibbs Cres - 280 papers

The Wainuiomata team has finished third in the 2023 North Island Waterway Challenge for firefighters.

The team of Mati Soi, Trent Holden, Alex Cade and Ngarue Tukaki performed outstandingly at the event, hosted by the Havelock North Volunteer Fire Brigade on 21 November.

They are now looking forward to raising their performances even higher at the National Waterway Challenge, which will take place in Methven on 17 and 18 February.

The United Fire Brigade Association’s Waterway Challenge has helped firefighters put their hose-running and pump-operating skills to the test in a fun, safe, and competitive environment since 1885.

The track has 19 different setups covering

rural and urban approaches to firefighting. Each year 20,000 fires threaten precious homes, businesses, the natural environment and lives across New Zealand.

All require one thing – lots of water and brave people to put it there!

Firefighting relies on timing, technical expertise, and teamwork to save lives and property; the branch on the hose, hose to the pump, the standpipe to the hydrant, and each person playing their part.

The Waterway Challenge provides a series of contests that test the expertise of firefighters in various areas that are vital in successfully fighting fires.

As well as the Wainuiomata team, teams from Thames, Morrinsville, Te Aroha, Wellsford, Tairua, Havelock North, Mayor View, Silverdale and Carterton took part in the North Island event.

Pets

Photo: Supplied.

Photo: Supplied.

Cricket club’s 75th Jubilee

By Frank Neill

The Wainuiomata Cricket Club will celebrate its 75th Jubilee on Waitangi weekend.

The celebration will begin at the Wainuiomata Bowling Club at 1pm on Friday 3 February with social bowls and drinks.

This will be followed with a “meet and greet” at the Cricket Club at 4pm, with light snacks at 6pm. The club will then be open until late.

Day one of the Hazlett Trophy competition will start at 11am at Bryan Heath Park on Saturday 4 February, while Wainuiomata’s

second eleven will begin their match, also at Bryan Heath Park at noon.

Following food at the Cricket Club at 5pm, there will be speeches from the club President and Captain at 6pm, and then live entertainment. Day two of the Hazlett Trophy will begin at 11am on 5 February,

Young footballer features at international

By Frank Neill

Young Wainuiomata footballer Riley Campbell hit the field when the Football Ferns played the world champion USA women’s team at Wellington’s Sky Stadium on 18 January.

Riley was given a dual role – flag bearer and ball girl – for the match, which the USA won 4-0. The 13-year-old was rewarded for her flag bearing and ball girl duties with a special shirt to remember the occasion.

Riley is a junior footballer who plays for the Wainuiomata Celtics during the winter season, and also plays in the summer league. This season will be Riley’s fourth playing at the Wainuiomata Football Club.

A defender, Riley shows great promise. This was underlined when she was named the Most Improved Player of the Year in 2020.

The Wainuiomata Football Club Facebook page also rates Riley as a future prospect. The page has a post that describes Riley as “a young football fern from our club”.

As a flag bearer and ball girl Riley was able to watch first hand as the Football Ferns kept the world champions scoreless in the first half.

However Mallory Swanson scored twice for the USA and both Alex Morgan and Lynn Williams also found the back of the net for the USA in the second half.

followed by a T20 past players’ match, also at Bryan Heath Park, beginning at noon.

The doors will open at 5:30pm for the final part of the weekend at the Wainuiomata Bowling Club. Following a three course meal, there will be Baggy Cap presentations then a time of reminiscing 75 years

of the club.

The celebrations will conclude with a question and answer session with Evan Grey and Ewan Chatfield.

People can register for the jubilee at the Wainuiomata Cricket Club’s Facebook page, and the cost of the weekend is $75.

Cricketers notch up first win

By Frank Neill

Wainuiomata’s top cricket team recorded their first victory of the season in a two-day match at Brian Heath Park on 21 and 22 January.

The home team defeated PetoneRiverside by 65 runs, playing in the Hutt Valley B grade competition.

Wainuiomata’s visiting English cricketer Waqar Ali Ahmed ensured Wainuiomata established what proved to be a winning total when he scored 93

runs in the second innings. This meant Petone-Riverside needed 170 runs to win.

Although that was definitely an achievable total, Wainuiomata bowled them out for 105.

Three Wainuiomata bowlers took three wickets each in steering their team to victory – Callum Mackaness, Craig Foster and Brett Bransfield.

“It was a pretty big win for us,” Wainuiomata’s captain Callum Mackaness said. “Hopefully we can go on to a couple more.”

Your support changed lives at Christmas…

From

Thank you New Zealand, for

Riley Campbell holding the USA flag while the national anthems are sung. Photo: Imray’s Snaps.

In control on defence – Riley Campbell in action for Wainuiomata. Photo: Imray’s Snaps.

Wainuiomata cricketers celebrating their first victory of the season. Photo: Supplied.

Riley Campbell walking to her spot to be ball girl for the Football Ferns match against the USA. Photo: Imray’s Snaps.

Helping make Wainui streets safer

A special visitor – Jack the K k – will come to Queen St on Tuesday 31 January.

He is coming to help find out what changes locals think would make it safer and more inviting for residents of all ages to walk, bike or scooter on their trips to the town centre and surrounding schools.

Your ideas will help develop some pop-up trials of new road layouts as part of the Waka Kotahi and Hutt City Council Maru: Streets for People project in central Wainuiomata.

In March, as well as seeing lots of local students travelling more actively as part of Greater Wellington’s Movin’ March, the road trials will test some of the community’s ideas for improving access and safety on journeys between nearby schools and the project centre.

They could include things like:

removal of barriers or installation of ramps to enable people using mobility aids to travel with ease;

of road crossings near schools by improving visibility of pedestrians and slowing traffic; -

making – addition of seating, artwork and amenities to improve comfort and accessibility of active modes and enable all people to enjoy public spaces;

reducing use by through-traffic.

When the trials are in place, Hutt City Council will be asking people what they think and what other changes they’d like to see.

This feedback will be used to design more permanent changes to road layouts that could be implemented later in 2023.

The community will have opportunities to provide feedback on any proposed changes before they become permanent.

“This work is part of a series of projects delivering on the vision that residents have told us they want for Wainuiomata and Te Awa Kairangi Lower Hutt, and that are reflected in our Integrated Transport Strategy,” says Kara Puketapu-Dentice, Director of Economy and Development at Hutt City Council.

“This includes lower speeds around schools, the Hiko Pilot Project, Bikes in Schools and more.

“We want to work with our growing city to make sure that as Te Awa Kairangi Lower Hutt becomes home to more people, we’re able to protect and improve on the things that make it a great place to live.

“We want a transport system that connects our communities and enables everyone from tamariki to kaumatua to move independently, safely and freely on their daily journeys.”

Throughout February, Jack the

K k will be visiting Wainuiomata on Tuesdays, at the Hub from 2 to 6pm and you may see him walking or wheeling around your neighbourhood.

Come talk to him or a project team member about any difficulties you or your wh nau have with walking or wheeling for your daily journeys, or any parts of local travel you particularly like.

Tell us what changes you’d like to see trialled so more parents and their children can feel comfortable joining Jack and walking, biking or scooting to school, this March and in the future.

Jack the K k is familiar to many as Greater Wellington’s Movin’ March icon.

This is an annual initiative delivered in partnership with local councils that encourages tamariki and their wh nau to walk or wheel to school. Last year, participants logged nearly 150,000 trips over 31 days.

“That’s huge, equating to nearly 82,000km, delivering great results for wellbeing and building awareness of the importance of reducing carbon emissions through limiting vehicle use,” says Maddy McVie, Travel Choice Advisor at Greater Wellington Regional Council.

Find out more about the Maru: Streets for people project: come to Queen Street on Tuesday 31 January between 2pm and 6pm.

Meet Jack, share your thoughts and enjoy a free ice block. More information is on the Hutt

City Council website, https://www. huttcity.govt.nz/council/our-projects/streets-for-people.

Great save by fire brigade

By Frank Neill

The Wainuiomata Volunteer Fire Brigade saved a house from burning down early on Saturday 14 January.

The brigade was called at 2:53am in the morning, just after the house caught alight, and the Wainuiomata fire fighters moved quickly to extinguish the flames before they created too much damage.

“It was a good save,” Wainuiomata’s Chief Fire Officer, Ewen Heron says.

“It was lucky the next door neighbour happened to be up at two o’clock in the morning and called us.”

The fire began after a barbecue had been left on outside the house. Flames from the barbecue caught the building paper behind the weatherboards alight and the fire then spread

into the ceiling.

On arriving at the house, the fire fighters moved rapidly and managed to extinguish the flames between the ceiling and the roof.

“They did a good job,” Mr Heron says.

As a result there was not too much damage – a little damage to the roof and the fire also got into the lounge area where it also caused a small amount of damage.

Two fire engines and the Operations Support Vehicle from the Wainuiomata Fire Brigade attended the fire.

The 2022-23 Christmas-New Year season was a quiet one compared with other years, Mr Heron says

During that time the brigade received only nine calls, which was a lot lower than they received most years over the Christmas-New Year period.

Overwhelmed by help offers

By Frank Neill

An excellent example of Wanuiomata’s community spirit was posted on Facebook on 19 January.

Four young men came and helped her when her sons’ motorbike could not start, Sharlee Tauroa posted on Nui Natter 2.

“Man I love Wainui,” Sharlee wrote. She had taken her boys on their motorbike to get an ice cream.

They turned the motorbike’s engine off and when they came to turn it back on the bike wouldn’t start.

“Thankfully four young boys saw me

struggling [and] came running over to offer to help.” Noting that she was flustered, Sharlee said that she didn’t catch their names.

“They were so polite, respectful to my kids and cracked a few jokes. I gave them $10 and said I really appreciated their help.

“If any of these boys were your sons they made my day,” Sharlee wrote.

“Also thank you to the man who pulled over offering a hand.

“I only live down the road but [I was] overwhelmed with the amount of help I was offered in the short amount of time the bike was flat.”

Jack the Kākā. Photo: Supplied.