8 December Independent Herald

Christmas cheer returns

On Saturday, Johnsonville residents welcomed back their annual Christmas Parade after a two-year-break for its 23rd edition.

Spectators gave participants a warm welcome, lining both sides of the route, the crowds two and three deep.

The weather held good as the varied floats and cultural groups paraded through the streets before

the grand finale of Santa in his sleigh.

The various floats and displays were led by Police and fire service vehicles, followed by a Pipe band and Ohariu MP Greg O’Connor

Fortunately the weather held, and crowds two and three deep in some places lined both sides of the route.

More photos on page 8.

For Boys and Girls

From Preschool to Year 8 Some places still available for 2023 www.st-marks.school.nz

Santa always signals the Johnsonville Christmas Parade is at its end.

Karori Town Centre upgrade complete

The Karori Town Centre upgrade completion has been celebrated on Saturday.

The upgrade includes the remodelling of the Library Square space for the public to enjoy, a lighting upgrade, more planting and greater accessibility around the space.

The Library Square upgrade has a ground-based artwork showing the Karori stream network, new seating areas, multiple gardens with new trees and a native insect ‘hotel’ habitat.

At the rear of the site the upgrades have included renewed accessibility parking, a new accessible ramp and improved walking connections between England Lane and the existing community facilities in the rear car park.

England Lane now has better access to the Community Centre, the Arts and Craft Centre and the Recreation Centre, and safer pedestrian connections across the car park.

Karori’s name derives from the phrase ‘the rope of bird snares’ in Te Reo M ori. It refers to the hunting of birds in the area before farming and urbanisation started in the 1840s.

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau says the space tells the stories of significance for the

Karori community.

“It’s great to see both the original Te Reo M ri name of Karori - ‘te kaha-o-ngarore’ - and its direct translation showcased in the upgrade, as well as seeing a reflection of the Karori Stream through the paving artwork.

“It’s the small details in the design that make this space special and unique to this community, and now we get to celebrate this space with Karori’s residents.”

Wellington City Council’s Chief Planning Officer, Liam Hodgetts, says the upgrades are a

testament to the great collaboration with the Karori community. “We worked closely with the whole community, where we created these designs based on their feedback and conversations with Karori residents and a working group.

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I recently hosted a meeting which included local property developers and representatives from the City and Regional Councils. The background for the meeting was the need to ensure all people involved in providing more housing in our electorate, whether it be those building them or those regulating and permitting that building, understand the issues which govern the ability to build the houses everyone agrees we need.

There are essentially two types of development; greenfields and brownfields. Greenfields means building on currently undeveloped land, typically ex farmland on the edges of current urban areas, where infrastructure like sewers, water supply and other essential services don’t exist are usually built by the developer.

As I marched in the Johnsonville and Tawa Christmas Parades over the weekend, both of which attracted big crowds, I reflected on how drab our world would be without the volunteers who spend hours and hours planning ways they can make communities more vibrant and interesting. The worry is that many of them are older citizens who are extremely concerned there is not a generation coming behind them to keep these events going. They are all looking for volunteers. If you want to be one of the next generation of helpers, go directly to them or come through my office and I will put you in touch.

Brownfields development means rebuilding on existing sites, and there has been considerable discussion in recent times around how much intensification should be allowed in existing suburbs, especially changing of height limits to allow for more apartments.

Both have their advantages and disadvantages; the Regional Council in particular see their role to prevent more

Parliament is pretty interesting these days; I enjoy being part of a government which continues to fix long-term problems ignored by successive governments, even though we are being criticised for what we are doing. Everyone agrees something needs to be done about our collapsing

water infrastructure, especially in Wellington, but those criticising our plans to fix the three waters have no solutions, just criticism. No one is taking anyone’s assets, only their liabilities. The cost of living is a problem here and everywhere else in the world, as is inflation and labour shortages. This week I hosted a Vietnamese delegation at Parliament and even they have labour shortages; unbelievable. We just have to use all the tools available to us to reduce these impacts on New Zealanders, and we are.

runoff and other material ending up in our harbours, especially the Porirua harbour in the case of development north of Johnsonville and Newlands. The Wellington City Council are concerned that the existing infrastructure cannot handle the pressure it comes under when new housing areas are developed. Existing infrastructure is aging and needs upgrading across our city, as evidenced by recent pipe failures. An advantage of intensification of existing areas means more people, therefore more ratepayers to pay for those upgrades.

Developers of course need to make a profit, and wish to keep their compliance costs as low as possible. Many believe the Resource Management Act is too cumbersome. We as government for our part have undertaken to rewrite that act.

The feedback was good, but the success will be when there are sufficient affordable houses to meetdemand. That is certainly my goal as your MP.

That, and of course having a vibrant and functioning Johnsonville Shopping Centre we can all be proud of.

There’s plenty to be getting on with.

And a big shout-out to local police who have arrested a couple who have been buying up hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of stolen property from thieves, and storing it in garages, warehouses and lockups in Newlands and elsewhere. We hear about the crimes, but are not told how many people my old police colleagues catch and prosecute daily.

The completion of the Karori Town Centre upgrade has been celebrated over the weekend.

Len’s smile and wave a constant in Karori

By Jacob Page

Len Vincent was a regular, smiling face on the streets of Karori.

Chances are, you have given him a toot from your car as he walked to the shops and he gave you a wave in return.

Len died in September at the age of 89, having lived in Karori since 1955.

His daughter, Linda Hatten says he was well-known for his cherry disposition.

“He was well known in that he was always walking the streets, whether it be into the city and back or in much later years just locally as his

mobility decreased,” she says. “People would initially stop to offer him a lift until they realised that he preferred to walk.

“They then just tooted him as they drove by and Len would automatically raise his arm in a wave, even though he didn’t know who was tooting him.”

In his younger years, he could be seen jogging around the block, and entering the Run For Fun event.

He was a life member of Karori Lawn Tennis Club, “He joined the tennis club in 1963 and held every possible position in the club between

then and 2002 when he resigned from the committee.

“He was made a life member in 1985 and just loved the people.

“He was competitive but he enjoyed the friendships.

“He won numerous men’s club and doubles titles.”

He played table tennis as a founding member of the Karori Table Tennis Club in 1981 and President until 1995.

“I think a lot of people would have had an interaction with my Dad not knowing who he was,” Linda says.

“He loved Karori and just loved being out-andabout.”

Celebrating inspiring citizenship in primary school students

The eighth-year students from Wellington North Primary Schools were honoured for being amazing citizens and contributing to the life of their school.

Nine schools from Johnsonville, Churton Park and Newlands participated in the awards which celebrate the success and efforts of students in school life.

It was the first time mayor Tory Whanau had been involved and she was “stoked” by the achievements of the winners.

“These are our future leaders,” she says.

This year the Rotary Club of Johnsonville picked up sponsorship and organisation of the Awards.

“The club is very proud to do this as these young people are inspiring and the ceremony recognises the fantastic contributions made by these students in the presence of their whanau and teachers,” says club president, Neil Haydon.

To recognise their achievement, each student received a trophy, certificate and a photo, as well as a book token provided by the Newlands Paparangi Progressive Association.

Every school has a shield on which all the winner’s names are engraved.

Nine schools from Johnsonville, Churton Park and Newlands participated in the citizenship awards. It was the first time mayor Tory Whanau had been involved and she was “stoked” by the achievements of the winners.

Khandallah Pool open Khandallah Fair back for 2022

The Khandallah Community Pool has opened for the summer season. The pool, which is set to receive a multi-million dollar upgrade in the coming years is open from 11am to 7pm all summer long.

The Rotary Khandallah Fair is on this Sunday from 10am to 2pm.

The Khandallah Fair is the Rotary Club of Wellington North’s annual fundraising event. Proceeds will go to supporting projects within our local community.

There will be entertainment taking place in the Khandallah Town Hall throughout the day.

Ganges Road will be closed from 6.00am until 6.00pm to accommodate the fair.

New Year’s Eve celebrations

Save the date for a free, fun evening of great music to bring in the New Year on Saturday December 31, in one of Wellington’s iconic locations - Whairepo Lagoon. Covers band Zephyr will entertain from 8pm, followed by a kids’ countdown at 9.30pm. Orchestra Wellington will fill the air with tunes of a ‘Royal’ theme from 10pm, followed by the New Year’s countdown and a blast of fireworks to bring in 2023.

Len Vincent is being remembered as a man who loved Karori and being active in the community for almost 70 years.

Wellington hospo venues to become smoke and vape free

All hospitality venues in Wellington with outdoor dining on Council land will become smokefree and vapefree from 1 March 2023.

In support of Smokefree Aotearoa 2025, Council is asking Wellingtonians to clear the air in their favourite pubs, bars, restaurants and other venues.

From 1 March 2023, businesses with an outdoor dining area that extends onto the footpath will become smoke and vape free.

This change does not affect smoking areas on private land like balconies, backyard dining areas, rooftops or outdoor dining that is not on Council-owned land.

These changes to hospitality venues add to the list of areas already smoke and vape free in Wellington City, which includes beaches, playgrounds, skate parks, sportsfields,

bus stops, Waitangi, Midland and Truby King parks, the Botanic Garden, Otari-Wilton’s Bush, Bolton Street Cemetery, Te Ng kau Civic Square, Grey Street, Wellington Zoo and Zealandia, and entrances to all Council buildings including libraries and swimming pools.

In Aotearoa, about 8 percent of the population smokes and another 8 percent vapes – the goal is to reduce this to less than 5 percent of the population.

Manager of Wellington City Council Public Health Group Helen Jones says this change is showing Wellington’s contribution to a nationwide movement.

“Wellingtonians are considerate people who respect the smokefree and vapefree areas, and these changes to dining and hospo areas reaffirms the Council’s commit-

ment to Smokefree Aotearoa 2025.

“Our approach is always about positively encouraging smokefree and vapefree areas, rather than punishing people for smoking or vaping. We will continue to take an educational approach about the physical, social and environmental benefits of going smokefree and vapefree.

“We understand this is a big change for both businesses and their customers, so we are providing them with any support or resources they may need to prepare for this change in March 2023.”

“This change was originally set to start in July 2022, but with businesses still recovering from the aftermath of COVID-19, Council decided to hold off enforcing this change until 1 March 2023. This campaign over the busy summer

From 1 March 2023, businesses with an outdoor dining area that extends onto the footpath will become smoke and vape free.

months will help prepare businesses and Wellingtonians for this behaviour change,” adds Helen. These changes are part of the Trading and Events in Public

Places Policy, which was passed by Council in November 2021. Check out Smokefree Aotearoa 2025 for free resources to help go smokefree and vapefree.

Christmas can be a stressful time, especially for those who are doing it tough financially. With the cost-of-living crisis, this year will be particularly challenging for many. Dulce Piacentini of Citizens Advice Bureau Johnsonville has some no-cost and low-cost ideas for giving joy to family and friends this Christmas.

“For gifts, people with younger kids can set up toy swaps with other families, and use small Santa stockings, not pillowcases, on Christmas Eve”, says Dulce.

“Vouchers offering to do chores or gardening, or homemade items, can make lovely, personalised gifts. Of course, there’s the second-hand stores too, selling pre-loved goods at low prices.”

“For family gatherings, doing Secret Santa where people bring a gift for just one person, and everyone brings food to share, are ways to keep costs down”, Dulce suggests. “It could also be a simple picnic lunch at a park or beach, where the

focus is more on spending time with each other and enjoying nature, rather than on fancy food and gifts.”

Dulce adds that if you live far away from your family and can’t afford to travel home for Christmas, a shared meal or picnic with friends in a similar situation can be a great way to spend an “orphans’ Christmas”.

“There’s also the free Christmas meals that charitable organisations all around New Zealand provide on Christmas Day”, says Dulce. “They ensure everyone who wants to can join in the festivities, regardless of their circumstances.”

Here in Wellington, every year the not-for-profit organisation Room at the Inn offers a free lunch on the 25th of December. This year, because the Aro Valley Community Centre is going through renovations, they’re offering a take-away meal from 12.30pm (pick-up at the centre). It’s also always worth it

checking out the Salvation Army near you. The one in Johnsonville is having their Community Christmas Lunch on the 14th of December, 11.30am to 1pm.

Dulce notes anyone who would like some help or advice in the lead-up to Christmas is welcome to contact the CAB. “Our trained CAB volunteers are here to help you – whatever your question or issue may be. If you are having financial problems, we can assist with that too. We can help you find out your entitlements, and if you need it, link you with budget advice. If we can’t help you directly ourselves, we will find you someone who can.”

Johnsonville CAB, located at 1 Frankmoore Avenue, is open six days a week (please see opening hours on our website – cab.org.nz) until the 21st of December, and will re-open to the community on 9th of January 2023, with summer holiday hours from 9am to 2pm.

Wellington Citizen’s Advice Bureau service manager Dulce Piacentini.

Four Metlink public transport infrastructure projects valued at $9m have been awarded indicative funding from the Government’s $350m Transport Choices programme.

Part of the Climate Emergency Response Fund, the programme enables local councils to progress strategic cycle networks, create walkable neighbourhoods and make public transport more reliable and easier to use.

Metlink, Greater Wellington’s public transport arm, applied to Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency for the funding. The four projects are:

Porirua bus hub - $5m

To improve the public transport experience of the community that uses the region’s second busiest bus/rail interchange, development will include new bus shelters, canopy structures and Real Time Information signage.

Johnsonville Stop D development$2.8m

To improve bus connections for rail customers and the Johnsonville CBD, a new bus stop will be installed on Moorefield Road with bus shelters and Real Time Information signage.

Bus stop accessibility improvements - $1m

To support accessibility customers, targeted improvements at selected Lower Hutt bus stops will include kerb reconfigurations, new shelters and signage.

Masterton and Solway Bike Parking improvements - $240,000

To encourage bike-rail integrated travel, cycle racks at both stations will be replaced with purpose-built bike shelters for up to 16

bicycles. The shelters will have lighting and CCTV cameras and be positioned for good passive surveillance.

Greater Wellington Transport Committee Chair Cr Thomas Nash said the regional council’s projects would make public transport more attractive for people getting around the region.

“Improving connections between buses and trains makes it more likely that people will choose public transport over driving a car and that means safer and easier to use roads and lower emissions,” Cr Nash said.

“We are working hard to make public transport more convenient for people and these projects will help us do that as well as helping us build a more connected region and reducing emissions. This will make our communities safer, more vibrant places to live, study and work.”

Waka Kotahi’s Urban Mobility Manager, Kathryn King, said she was pleased Metlink had received funding.

“The Transport Choices programme supports councils to give people more options in the way they travel. The aim is to open up streets so everyone can get where they need to go in ways that are good for their health and the planet,” Ms King said.

Metlink General Manager Samantha Gain said she was looking forward to working with Waka Kotahi to finalise the details and get the projects off the ground.

“We’re grateful to be considered and look forward to refining our proposals. While there’s more investment that can be me made in our network, these projects will make public transport in our region safer, more accessible, and easier to use.”

Q: How are you going to celebrate Christmas this year?

With family, and that’s how it should be.

With my family. We will have a hangi.

Easy access to e-bikes being considered

Wellingtonians and visitors to the city looking for low-carbon ways to get around may soon be able to hire e-bikes as easily as e-scooters.

Today, Wellington City Council’s K T papa | Environment and Infrastructure Committee will consider whether to trial a public e-bike share scheme.

If Councillors give the go-ahead, e-bikes could be on the streets from early in the new year, allowing people to give them a try over summer. They would be hireable, locked and unlocked via apps just like the share e-scooters are.

Council staff are recommending the city’s existing e-scooter

operators Beam and Flamingo be permitted to trial up to 50 e-bikes each initially, rising to a maximum of 150 each if things go well.

Operators and users will need to demonstrate they are prepared to leave bikes in safe, or designated spots and use the bikes in a way that keeps Wellington streets and footpaths as safe as possible.

The Committee will make the decision on whether to allow a trial, when it could start and how long it would run, but it is suggested one could get under way in January and be evaluated towards the end of next year ahead of the existing licences to operate on our streets

Walking for Diabetes

The normal walkers and strollers on the 1km circuit around Karori Park were boosted by a number of people of all ages joining the Karori Lions ‘Lap the Map’ event on Monday evening last week.

This was part of a nationwide initiative of New Zealand Lions to create awareness of diabetes, and get people

out walking. In numerous events across the country, the individual distances walked are being aggregated and the goal is to walk more than the perimeter of New Zealand, a total of 15,000km!

For Karori walkers, the distance covered was from Karori to Foxton Beach! The friendly Lions BBQ was on hand, and many of the walk-

coming up for renewal in March 2024.

Wellington Mayor Tory Whanau is keen to see share e-bikes trialled.

“Share schemes like this are great because they make e-bike use possible for more people as we create a city where climate-positive lifestyles are more affordable and accessible.

“There is good evidence from other cities on how share e-bikes are used. Testing them here would highlight the local potential and allow more permanent arrangements to be tailored specifically for Te Whanganui-a-Tara.

“For those who enjoy the experi-

ence, and can afford it, share hire can also be a catalyst to buying an e-bike of their own.”

Mayor Whanau says she was proud when the city was recently awarded an A score for environmental action by global non-profit CDP.

“But we must continue to build momentum to further reduce emissions. Share e-bikes will play their part in that,” adds the Mayor.

Auckland, Christchurch and Hamilton already have e-scooters and e-bikes available.

Experience in New Zealand and elsewhere shows that e-bikes are often used by people who don’t

use e-scooters. They can be a more appealing option for longer trips, and relatively low complaint levels indicate most people use them in a responsible way.

Like e-scooters, they would be available from suburban locations in the morning so people could pick one up and come into the city. They would also be available outside the railway station so people who have commuted in by train or bus have more options about how they make the next leg of their journey.

In the central city, e-bike users would be encouraged and offered a discount to leave bikes in designated spots.

ers made generous donations, all of which will be forwarded to Diabetes New Zealand.

Some walkers sped around a single lap, another completed ten laps, and Noel Scherp, a well-known member of the Wellington Host Lions Club, confined to temporarily using a walking frame, courageously managed two full laps.

Marc Priebee

We are going to have everyone over to our house for a family meal.

Javin Bridgeman

With a secret Santa. As a family we do this every year.

Te Awa Rangi Leat

Sylvia Carter

At my son’s and daughter-inlaw’s place in Wainuiomata with my family.

Max Bell

Robert Fiddes

We will have Christmas dinner on Christmas Eve this year.

Lions’ hospitality gazebo and the ‘world famous in Karori’ Lions BBQ trailer.

Skylight Specialists have been specialising in skylights for 25+ years. We have yet to come across a brand/make/type or configuration of skylight that we do not know everything about.

Skylight Specialists is LBP (Government approved licensed building and roofing practitioners) , with 30+ years in the building industry and employ a highly skilled team which consists of trade qualified glaziers, roofers and builders.

When we come and assess your skylight/s we will provide you with a free, no

obligation quotation. We will also provide you with a detailed report including photos that will include our findings and recommendations whether it be for general maintenance, repairs or replacement.

At this time of year everyone is concerned about insulation of their homes, trying to keep warm and retain heat. Unfortunately, skylights are often overlooked, even when they can be sometimes the main factor of heat loss. Older skylights are sometimes full-time venting without the homeowner even being aware of this, which is no

different from leaving a window open 24/7. Others are only single glazed or just plastic. By upgrading to double glazing you can retain up to 70% more of your heat. A lot of skylights we come across is simply a piece of glass glued to the roof structure of your home – This is by far inadequate for many reasons including thermal properties and condensation issues, as the moisture has no where to go but get absorbed by the structure of your home. We will assess the entire skylight including the flashings (roof flashings

are what connects the skylight to your roof and keeps all watertight). This will cover if you have adequate condensation channels, drainage, seals, condition of flashings, thermal properties and of course longevity of the skylight/s and the surrounding areas.

So if you’d like to add A LOT more light into your home and want the job done well, contact them on 0800 85 86 87, 04 938 0721 or 027 595 4448.

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Johnsonville

front of the Johnsonville Christmas Parade.

It

wasn't called the swinging

Ever popular - Batman is always an instantly-recognisable winner in any parade.

There was a proud display of cultural identity from Challenge 2000 participants. Domestic Small Group Tours for the Over 50’s 1 - 24 June 2023 Captivating Croatia and Slovenia 24 August - 25 September 2023 Rustic Charm of England Top to Bottom 1 - 25 September 2023 Treasures of Turkey 5 - 28 October 2023 Breathtaking Vietnam and Cambodia 1 - 15 November 2023 Amazing Thailand FULLY ESCORTED INTERNATIONAL TOURS Contact us for a free info pack Phone: 03 312 7050 Email: info@thirdagetours.co.nz www.thirdagetours.co.nz See our website for more information DOMESTIC TOUR Arrowtown Autumn Festival @ Stunning Dunedin Domestic Small Group Tours for the Over 50’s Captivating Croatia and Slovenia 1- 24 June 2023 Rustic Charm of England Top to Bottom 24 August - 25 September 2023 *Filling up Fast* Treasures of Turkey 5 1 - 25 September 2023 Breathtaking Vietnam and Cambodia 28 October 2023 Amazing Thailand 1 - 15 November 2023 DOMESTIC TOUR Arrowtown Autumn Festival @ Stunning Dunedin 16 - 23 April 2023

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Applications are being invited from artists working in or across any of the traditional mediums of painting, printmaking, sculpture, photography or design to become Samuel Marsden Collegiate School’s 2023 Artist in Residence.

Established in 1999, Marsden’s Artist in Residence programme continues to build a legacy of strong associations with professional artists and designers.

The purpose of the residency is to allow Visual Art students and students in the wider school (Preschool to Year 13) the opportunity of working alongside practising artists and sharing in their art-making practice.

The programme also extends to primary schools in the local community, whose students are invited each year to attend a workshop run by Marsden’s Artist in Residence.

A professional practising artist spends the equivalent of five weeks mentoring and instructing students in a wide range of themes.

This culminates in an exhibition of a body of work by the artist at a Wellington

The ultimate creative masterclass awaits Big Brothers Big Sisters look to spread the love

gallery. Marsden offers for the duration of the residency, a modest stipend, a studio workspace and contact with both junior and senior students through formal masterclass sessions and critiques.

A prestigious list of artists is testimony to the standing of Marsden’s Artist in Residence programme. Candidates from a range of artistic disciplines have engaged with Visual Art students, bringing to the learning environment a continually changing view of art and the methods and processes by which it is created.

This year’s Artist in Residence was New Zealand painter, Monique Barnett. Her work with students involved creating 3D dioramas, photographing them, and then using those photographs to create unique paintings.

‘It was rewarding to observe the students enjoy the experience of tactile making.

Building a diorama is a playful experiment that can develop into new, surprising and unexpected work. It was a great pleasure to share this process of creative discovery.

Big Brothers Big Sisters are seeking girls aged six to 12 in Wellington who need a supportive adult role model in their lives, says Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wellington Programme Manager Ashleigh Stallard.

“We currently have female mentors available who are willing and able to support girls through a friendship-based relationship on a regular basis.

Big Brothers Big Sisters match mentors

and young people based on several factors, including gender, interests, personalities, and where they live.

It’s really important that girls are able to make weekly outings with a mentor and have a parent or caregiver who actively supports the match.

Some criteria will first need to be met for a young person to have a Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor. Mentors complete a screening

and training process and receive ongoing supervision for the duration of the match.

“Big Brothers Big Sisters of Wellington recruits, trains and supports adult volunteer mentors across Hutt Valley and Wellington, matching them with children aged between six and 12 who are in need of a little extra support,” Ashleigh says.

“Through quality training, we equip mentors with the ability to build resilience in young people and support positive relationships that are critical to childhood development.”

For one hour, once a week our ‘Bigs’ and ‘Littles’ spend time together sharing hobbies

and interests. By simply showing up each week and being themselves, our mentors provide encouragement, promote confidence and build self-belief in young people. For some of the children in our programme, the weekly interaction with their mentor may be the only time they are afforded the undivided attention of an adult.

Studies show that 98 percent of the youth Big Brothers Big Sisters mentor believe they now make better life choices as a result of the relationship with their mentor.

If you would like to find out more, please visit: https://www.bigbrothersbigsisters.org. nz/refer-your-young-person-in-wellington

Isabella Price and Laura Finlay know the benefits of Big Brothers Big Sisters.

Marsden’s 2022 Artist in Residence, Monique Barnett with students.

For forty years, the Kāpiti Women’s Triathlon events have encouraged women to inspire, motivate and participate. From a 5km fun run/walk to a long-distance triathlon, the Kāpiti Women’s Triathlon truly offers events for every ability – you choose your own level of challenge!

The bike and run component offers mostly flat terrain while giving you the best of Kāpiti’s coastal scenery.

Enter with your daughters, mothers and friends, either as individuals or in a team, and be made to feel completely welcome by other like-minded wāhine.

There are plenty of spot prizes, including a special spot prize draw for any mothers and daughters who enter (either as a team or for individual options).

Because it’s the 40th year of the triathlon, organisers are celebrating with medals, cake and a commemorative drink bottle for

Discover Kapiti Heritage Tour 21-23 January

every participant. The bottles and medals are sustainably made.

If you’d like to get involved as a volunteer, KWT can find a role for you. It’s a great chance to support a participant, or just to get volunteer experience.

Sign up now for the 2023 triathlon – they’d love to see you! Click www.kwt.org.nz

Paekakariki Station Museum

Festival of Pots and Garden Art

GARDENING THIS WEEK

Wallys Cold Pressed Super Neem Tree Oil: By Wally Richards

Now after 9 long months we have finally being allowed to import and sell our Cold Pressed Neem Oil again.

Why could we not sell it you may ask?

Well our beloved Environment Protection Agency (EPA) discovered that it could be hazardous to Aquatic Life and our Safety Data Sheet and labels did not reflect this.

We were operating on a study from America that proved it was non hazardous. See http://www.gardenews. co.nz/neem%20safety.pdf

EPA being very cautious these days, likely because of the cock up allowing Kiwi fruit pollen from overseas into NZ which devastated our Kiwi fruit growers and cost millions in losses.

Thus erring on the side of caution we had to submit an application for a new hazardous rating which we were assured would be treated under urgency.

It has taken a good nine months to process our application to have a new Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and what the label requirements needed to be.

The SDS can be seen on our web site at www.gardenews.co.nz

Fortunately I have a firm of Technical Compliance people that look after matters of this type and they really went into bat for us to get the matter resolved.

They also looked at the other brands of neem oil on the market and found that they also did not comply with the new regulations

and informed EPA of this fact.

Time went by and all the other brands were still being sold and when EPA was asked why?

They said they had not had time to look at them? (In my case it was only 19 days from first contact to be off the market?)

Now months later they are apparently starting to check and see if the other Neem Oils need to also put in new applications to met current requirements.

Likely they will disappear if found to need new hazardous applications and new label and SDS amendments.

It was an interesting learning curve in which I found there are some Neem sprays which are not neem oil at all?

Luckily they don’t mention neem oil on their labels or they would be in breech of the fair Trading Act.

These ones are actually vegetable oils such as soya with the active ingredient added which is Azadirachtin.

Azadirachtin is the most active component for repelling and killing pests and can be extracted from neem oil.

Neem oil comes from the seeds or kernels of the neem tree.

After the natural neem oil is removed from the seeds, it is treated with alcohol, which causes the azadirachtin and related substances to separate from the neem oil.

Neem oil and azadirachtin aren’t the same, but the two are closely related.

Both come from the neem tree, native to India but now grown in warm climates around the world.

Both substances are effective for repelling and killing insect pests and also interfere with feeding, mating, and egg laying.

Azadirachta indica L. (neem) shows therapeutic rols in health management due to its rich source of various types of ingredients.

The most important active constituent is azadirachtin and the others are nimbolinin, nimbin, nimbidin, nimbidol, sodium nimbinate, gedunin, salannin, and quercetin.

I have been told that in India, villages use the neem tree as the village pharmacy for various health aspects.

Organic neem oil contains an active ingredient called azadirachtin, which acts as a natural pesticide for organic gardening.

Gardeners use neem oil on their house plants and outdoor vegetable gardens as an insecticide, fungicide, and miticide.

I have noted that neem oil will turn the leaves of plants affected with powdery mildew back to green instantly.

Also very good for black spot and some rusts.

The fatty acids of Cold Pressed Neem Oil has the smoothing effect on some insect pets.

The taste of neem oil is very unpleasant as I found out one time when trying to siphon some out of a drum.

The horrible taste is great as it stops the likes of rabbits and pos-

sums from eating plants that have been sprayed with real neem oil.

I originally introduced home gardeners to the benefits of neem oil in my weekly garden articles about 25 years ago.

Back then there was some confusion as Cold Pressed Neem Oil is not a poison hence insects pests affected after feeding on plants, that have been sprayed with the oil, don’t suddenly drop dead as they would do with chemical posion sprays.

Back then popular sprays such as orthene insecticide would clean up the aphids etc in quick time till they became immune to the poison.

Neem oil on the other hand being an anti feedent would often take a few days for the pests to starve to death.

The active ingredient, azadirachtin is broken down by UV and will be gone in a few days unless protected longer by adding Raingard to the spray.

It is very important for neem oil as with pyrethrum to be in a light proof

bottle so that the products have a long shelf life.

If stored in a cool, dry place, neem oil has a shelf life of 1-3 years.

When making an insecticidal spray and mixing it with water and an emulsifier, neem oil will maintain peak effectiveness for just a few hours but remain viable for up to 3-4 days before its chemical compounds fully break down.

I note that one new neem oil brand made recently available has a clear bottle which means that even florescent light will be reducing its effectiveness let alone exposure to sunlight.

To sum up even though Cold Pressed Neem Oil is extracted from neem kernels and that the active ingredient can be extracted chemically from the oil it means that there are differences between brands and as a result some may be more effective than others.

I am just happy that ours is back available to help you in your gardens. Phone 0800 466464

Tip Shop celebrates being pick of the litter for 25 years

The Tip Shop will be celebrating 25 years of turning trash into treasure with a week of birthday specials that don’t cost the earth.

Started by a couple of locals in 1997, it became part of Wellington City Council’s tip operations after a couple of years where it was originally run by two staff but has expanded to a team of 20 today.

Over a quarter of a century the shop has sold countless weird and wonderful items including a coffin, a Helen Clark portrait on a plywood sheet recovered from the landfill and auctioned for charity, and over 5,000 working laptops.

More than 500 cars pass through the drop-off area on a busy weekend, the shop has stocked over 2000 TVs for recycling this year alone, and the team has supplied household items for 22 refugee background families.

The Tip Shop has its own Instagram and Facebook accounts and reaches a wide audience through Trade Me. The Trade Me site focuses on electronics and quirky, often vintage, items, one of which was a pair of 18th century Marten’s Margins spectacles which sold for an unprecedented $8,150 – and earned widespread media cover-

age.

The Tip Shop is as much a community hub as it is a centre for recycling, reusing and repurposing says Waste Minimisation Manager Jenny Elliott.

“We’re proud to offer a sense of community to customers from all walks of life – some of whom have been visiting the Tip Shop since the beginning, and many come in two or three times a week.

“We’re now diverting around 1,000 tonnes per year to reuse or recycle, and we’re going from strength to strength, diversifying our activities and focussing on repair and reuse whenever possible.

“These are just a few of our achievements – we have small wins everyday – so make sure to come visit us and pick up a pre-loved treasure for yourself or Christmas presents for the whole wh nau.”

Recycle Centre Manager Shelali Shetty is always on the lookout for other opportunities to support their goals.

“We love to collaborate, and we encourage anyone who has an idea and they’re looking for resources to get in touch.

“We already work closely with Sustainability Trust, Hopper Refill,

Maker’s Space and several other like-minded organisations – and are always open to work with more.”

The Tip Shop will have some super 25th birthday specials up for grabs from 18-24 December, so don’t miss out, and grab some bargains that won’t cost the earth this Christmas.

A bit of Tip Shop history

The first Tip Shop initially started when a recycling officer from the

Council cleansing department came up with the idea to set one up in 1997.

A shed was sourced from the disused Council Wilton department and put up in place on the site of what was the old car pound along with another building which is now staff offices.

The Tip Shop continued with some locals managing it but closed about a year later.

Council’s Citilandfill’s team

then took it over and expanded the recycling bin station and site.

One of the two Council staff working at the shop was a member of the Capital trout club at the time, and he campaigned for the trout pond which was built by Landfill staff near the site shortly after.

When Citioperations planned to move to the landfill from its Torrens Terrace site the Tip Shop was moved to its current location in 2005.

Started by a couple of locals in 1997, Tip Shop became part of Wellington City Council’s tip operations after a couple of years where it was originally run by two staff but has expanded to a team of 20 today.

Sensational Severin blasts Jville to victory

A sensational century from Johnsonville’s Gareth Severin has lifted his team to a muchneeded 111-run win over Upper Hutt United in their Ewen Chatfield Trophy 50-over match on Saturday.

Severin scored 163 off 139 balls which included 20 fours and two sixes.

The victory was Johnsonville’s first of the season and will give them something to build on for the rest of the season.

He lifted Johnsonville from a precarious position 32 for 3 to 310 for eight at the end of their 50 overs.

After the top-order faltered around him, Severin found good support from Scott Edgecombe (40) and then captain Zac Ringrose (52 off 51).

In reply, Upper Hutt found the asking run-rate too much to keep up with despite their openers putting on 93 for the first wicket.

Edgecombe capped a strong allround game by claiming two wickets and golden arm spinner Raki Weerasundara taking three wickets as the middle-order put up little resistance as Upper Hutt were all out for 199 in the 48th over.

Ringrose says Gareth was able to take his time and build his innings as others faltered around him.

“I think some of the other guys got too excited when they saw a flat pitch.

“Gareth just worked his way into his innings and got good support from Scott and we were set.

“Scott has scored some tough runs for us over the years and he did that again on Saturday.”

Gareth Severin’s century helped Johnsonville to its first win of the season on Saturday.

What does ice mean on a cell phone? Adding ICE (“In Case of Emergency”) to your phone is a clever means by which emergency personnel can locate your next of kin when something goes wrong.

With Jacob Page

Finn in fashion and Guptill goes elsewhere

The Black Caps are in the Finn Allen business.

The talented, yet inconsistent Wellington opener is clearly the future in the position in coloured clothing but he is far from a finished product.

His half century in the final 50over encounter against India will have done him the world of good while also giving the fanbase some hope that he can produce meaningful innings’ on a regular basis.

The abrupt dumping of 36-year-

old Martin Guptill has had many questioning if team management and senior players have done the right thing by saying so long, farewell to one of New Zealand’s best ever limited-over batters.

Unlike Ross Taylor, who got a glorified farewell tour after more than 15 years of incredible service to cricket, there will be no such fanfare for Guptill.

Guptill, to his credit, has said he still hopes to play more interna-

tional cricket and force his way back into contention for next year’s 50-over World Cup in India.

He will look to earn favour by playing in Australia’s Big Bash League over the holiday period.

In reality, only a Finn Allen flop would get Guptill back in the team.

Finn, for his part, needs to take the confidence the team clearly has in him and turn it into runs, lots of runs because he has no one nipping at his heels trying to take his spot.

To me, that’s not an ideal situation for cricket in this country.

A young player should be made to earn his spot and Allen has got there by showing glimpses at international level.

Now, those glimpses have been spectacular and game-changing at times, but as has been pointed out, he needs to find a way to control his aggression.

That’s no small feat, Brendon McCullum struggled to find that

balance for roughly a decade.

The benefit for Allen is that he does not have to worry about wicket-keeping or leadership at this stage.

Like McCullum, Allen can be a match-winner with the bat and that’s always an alluring commodity in any team but Allen is not a made man, far from it and he has a challenging mental task in terms of being the next guy after a made man in Guptill.

An ‘extra special’ homecoming for KP Pannu

When Kiranpal Pannu was growing up in Wellington he only had two options when it came to weekday afternoons.

His mum was a coach at Vogelmorn Tennis Club in Brooklyn and so he and his sister could either go to after-school care, or to the courts.

And that’s where it all started for the 25-yearold Kiwi pro – thanks to his club coach mum.

“She was the reason that I first got into tennis,” he says, speaking over the phone from Atlanta in the United States, where he is based these days.

This summer, five minutes down the road from those courts where he spent his childhood afternoons, KP Pannu (as most people know him) will be coming home to New Zealand to hunt some world ranking points.

He will be playing in both the Wellington Open and the ITF World Tennis Tour: Wellington events at the Renouf Tennis Centre, as part of a huge two weeks of tennis in the capital.

“I think me and my family are first and foremost just excited to spend time together,” KP says.

“And then the bonus of me being able to play tennis and play in front of them just makes it extra special.”

KP has been living in the United States since he landed a tennis scholarship to Columbus State University after his high school years at Wellington College.

He graduated with a business degree in 2019 and started chasing his tennis dream full time.

He played a handful of professional tournaments and picked up his first ATP points, but then Covid hit.

“With the lockdowns and stuff, I never really got to play and travel on tour. So this year’s been my first year where I’ve been able to play almost a full schedule. And it’s been great,” KP says.

He has played tournaments in Ecuador, Colombia, Mexico, Tunisia, as well as all over the US.

He has watched his ATP world ranking move from 1200 to 650.

“Just being able to travel and live that tour life has been a great experience,” he says.

“To experience new cultures and see different parts of the world, it’s definitely one of the most exciting things that we get to do. I just think I’m very blessed to be able to do that.”

The highlight of his career so far came in September when he was a member of the New Zealand Davis Cup team that travelled to Helsinki, Finland.

“That was something that I always kind of dreamt about and aspired to do since I was like a 12- or 14-year-old boy playing all the local tournaments around Wellington and New Zealand.”

KP’s first Davis Cup match was against Finnish number one Emil Ruusuvuori, who is currently ranked 40th in the world. Ruusuvuori won in straight sets – 6-1, 6-2.

“He was the highest ranked player I’ve ever played by a good bit,” KP says.

“It was an amazing experience. We played in front of about 3000 people, a packed-out stadium. I’ve never had anything more than probably 300 people.”

He says it was a “super motivating” opportunity.

“To play someone of that calibre, it was the first time that I’ve experienced and got to witness the quality that it requires. And it’s nothing that’s not possible to achieve.”

With that target firmly in mind, KP will head home to New Zealand in the next couple of weeks for a massive summer of tennis.

First on the agenda is the Wellington Open, followed by two ITF World Tennis Tour events in Wellington and Tauranga in the lead up to Christmas.

“I think it’s going to be a great summer and I think Tennis New Zealand’s taken great initiative, along with all the regions. The more people we get behind it, the better it will be for everyone, for future generations and the hype around tennis and all that good stuff,” KP says.

“It’s pretty exciting for Kiwi tennis.” The jewel in the crown this summer would

be a wildcard entry into the ASB Classic in Auckland, which is an ATP 250 event.

KP will have to fight extra hard for that one – it is the golden ticket every professional tennis player in New Zealand is seeking.

The ASB Classic has a history of catapulting tennis careers.

“Having some good results there can almost send you right into the big leagues,” KP says.

But first, Wellington. That’s his focus.

“I would just like to encourage Wellingtonians and the local tennis community to come out and support,” he says.

“Come get behind the Kiwis.”

This will be his second trip home since the

beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic. He has spent a lot of time away.

So, will KP still have home-court advantage in the capital?

“Oh, absolutely,” he says.

“I mean, you’ve just got to look at the wind. It’s the windiest city in the world and obviously I don’t really mind playing in the wind too much.

“Growing up in Wellington and then playing in Wellington, I think you have a unique advantage.”

Of course, KP will also have his mum and the rest of his family sitting courtside, cheering his every shot, as they have done in Wellington ever since he was a kid.

6 Underrated Welly Things To Do? YIP!

Hey Everyone! Hope you all had a great time at the Christmas Parade, we were so delighted to see all of you there and thank you to the hundreds of people afterwards that came to our Free Collective Community Hub to meet Elsa and Spiderman! This week, we are having our largest family/ extended family gathering and it is going to be BUSY at the house. The kids are going to camp out in the lounge and we’re going to have a great time! For most of them, it will be their first time in Wellington and here are 6 underrated things you should take your holiday visitors to!

1. Zealandia – Yes, we all know it is there, but when you ask around not many people have been. The place is beautiful! The half walk to the Dam is breath-taking. When you are all done with the sun, the museum is a cool place (literally) to explore. The on-site café makes some delicious salads as well.

2. Weta Cave Tours – Yes, their cave shop is very impressive, but if you are going to go all that way, sign up for a behind the scenes tour. It is fascinating to see the love and passion these artists have for their job and how much detail goes into making epic movies. Great timing with the new Avatar movie coming out soon.

3. Somes Island – Grab a ferry and head on over! Most locals haven’t been, and this is VERY easy trip out and a super easy hike to give you that sense of achievement & be rewarded with stunning panoramic views of the city. Keep your eyes out for wildlife!

4. Fruit Picking – With Transmission Gully stretching north, it is now a short roadtrip up to yummy fruits and veges! Take the family up and pick your own Strawberries

/ Blueberries, very fresh and they always have a yummy café making fruit ice cream nearby!

5. When it rains – Yes, you can go to Te Papa, everyone does that – I even worked there for a long time. But one little known place is ‘Counter Culture’ go google it, it is place that makes yummy coffees and you can sit and play almost a 1000 different board/table top games.

6. Chocolate Tour – As if those two words need any more explaining. The Wellington Chocolate Factory does some fun and amazing tours. The whole family loved seeing & smelling the process. Of course, at the end you get to taste the process too.

These are my favourite 6 things outside of the usual things EVERYONE does, we of course have some delicious eateries all over town and on most weekends, there is bound to be some fair, market, festival somewhere to check out.

Here at Team YIP, we are working right through Christmas / New Years to service the influx of out-of-town buyers arriving to buy houses. So, if you want to discuss the ideal strategy for your home, get in touch any time.

Have a great week everyone

Wellington tennis pro Kiranpal Pannu credits his Mum for being a major influence in his career.