News in brief 9 September
Tourism businesses guarantee great prize for rescue helicopter raffle
One lucky person is set to win an irresistible array of Golden Bay attractions while helping out a crucial lifeline between our community and the outside world.
The GB Promotions Association and the Gnome Away From Home festival have put together a raffle to support the Summit Rescue helicopter. Tickets are $10 and though there is just one prize, what a beauty the winning package is: nine nights’ accommodation at various Bay venues, meals at four eating establishments, six activities and some distinctive art from artists in our community. To top it off, the winner will also receive a “welcome pack” of Golden Bay goodies.
Raffle organiser Paddy Gillooly said that he knew only too well how crucial the rescue helicopter can be in emergencies. The rest of the local tourism community is well aware of the importance of the service too, if the prize pack is any indication.
“We were blown away by the response. We sent out an email asking for support and the generous offers came flooding in,” says Paddy.
Tickets are on sale in Nelson and in Golden Bay, and the raffle closes on 31 October. Only 500 tickets will be sold. Local outlets for tickets include Farewell Spit Tours, the Collingwood Tavern, Collingwood Post and Gifts, Golden Bay i-Site, Feel Good Food and Pohara General Store.
Summit Helicopter Trust spokesperson Paula Muddle said that the helicopter was definitely an important part of the community infrastructure in the Bay.
“It flies about 300 missions a year and we’re in Golden Bay pretty often. We were there three times last month alone. When you see that some of the missions involve mothers giving birth, you realise how important our work is. The raffle is an absolutely fantastic idea. The lucky person who wins it could spend half the summer working their way through the prize package.”
Neil Wilson
Wedding planner service for the Bay
The increasing use of Golden Bay as a wedding destination has prompted Tukurua resident Melanie Walker to start a full wedding planning service.
Melanie, who has helped to cook and cater at weddings here for the last five years, says she has seen how fraught it can be for couples and families organising everything from a distance, including finding places for guests to stay.
“It’s surprising the number of couples who come here from afar to get married, seeking out special places like the beach, a community hall or lodge, or some other magic spot they know. They may have family connections here of course, but for most couples it’s the first time they have ever organised a wedding or any social event like it. I’ve heard so many couples say afterwards: ‘If I had known how much work it was going to be I would never have done it myself.’”
Believe it or not, the average wedding in New Zealand currently costs $32,000, though that average is boosted by the most expensive weddings. “I believe most people want to do it far cheaper, and that’s where I can help.”
Through her Golden Bay Wedding Planner service, Melanie offers to arrange everything from invites to venue, catering to flowers, accommodation to transport, even the perfect celebrant.
“I’ve lived here for nearly 30 years now, so I not only know the special places, but the businesspeople as well. Hiring me may well save a couple money as well as stress.”
Melanie’s initial consultation is free and obligation free. After that she is available either on an hourly basis or for fixed wedding plans – a “Kick-Start Plan” for those needing help to get started, to a “Perfect Day Plan” and “Complete Co-ordination” for those who want everything taken care of.
Melanie’s website is <www.goldenbayweddingplanner.co.nz>.
Submitted
Combined orchestra and Zing choir concert sure to raise the roof
The combined talents of the Golden Bay Orchestra and Zing, Golden Bay’s world music choir, will help raise funds for the re-roofing of The Playhouse theatre.
Concert director Jochen Maurer says the two groups have performed together in the past and thought it would be fun to do so again.
The orchestra, comprising about 20 members, will be playing the best of The Magic Flute and The Nutcracker, along with a Mahler symphony and several other pieces.
Zing, well known for its linguistic prowess, will impress the audience in 14 languages, including South African, Polish, Latin, Maori, Cuban, Sudanese, Hebrew, Samoan, and Czech.
The choir and orchestra will come together for three offerings, including a piece by Ketelbey called In A Monastery Garden, which Jochen says is a gentle piece “that would make a good soundtrack for a black-and-white movie.”
He feels confident about the group’s ability to pull off a performance of high standards.
“We’re a casual bunch of people and we’d love to have you just come out and join us and give us a go. After the concert would be a good time to join, because we’ll start a new repertoire then.”
The choir meets on Wednesdays at 7.30pm at the Octagon at Patons Rock. Members carpool from Takaka and Collingwood. Contact Jochen at 744 4104 or Robyn Holloway at 525 9064.
The recital will be held on Saturday evening at The Playhouse, beginning at 7pm. Admission is by koha.
Em Hofstede
Time to introduce 20kmh school bus signs says Rural Women New Zealand
Rural Women New Zealand applauds Transport Minister Steven Joyce’s decision to accept our recommendation and extend the 20kmph speed limit past school buses to 20 seconds before and after a school bus has stopped if the bus is displaying a flashing sign.
However Rural Women New Zealand now urges the Government to take the next step and approve an active school bus sign that includes the 20kmph speed limit.
“Our research shows that many New Zealand drivers, as well as tourists, are unaware of the 20kmph limit and are failing to slow down, making our children very vulnerable, especially on rural roads where there are no footpaths,” says RWNZ health spokesperson Kerry Maw.
Current approved school bus signs include one of children crossing with flashing “wig wag” lights, but there is no approved sign that includes the 20kmph speed limit.
Rural Women New Zealand has worked extensively with traffic engineering researchers who have developed an active 20kmph school bus sign, but the sign awaits approval from the NZ Transport Agency.
Testing of the prototype sign has shown it to be very effective in slowing drivers. Overseas research also supports the use of clear speed limit signage.
Rural communities have begun to raise funds for active 20kmph signs for their local school buses, and keenly await their approval and production.
“The number of children killed and injured after getting off school buses has not improved for 30 years, and behind every statistic is a devastated family,” says Mrs Maw.
“It is time we focused on every possible solution to ensure our school children are kept safe.”
Submitted by Rural Women New Zealand
Police launch new campaign to reduce road trauma
Tasman Police has launched a new long-term road safety campaign.
Operation Sustain is aimed at reducing road trauma by implementing high visibility policing and positive intervention.
Tasman District road policing manager Inspector Jenni Richardson said all motorists can expect to be stopped anywhere, at any time.
“Anyone who exceeds the posted speed limit will be stopped, but we will also be doing wide ranging random checks. Young drivers, learners and people driving unkempt vehicles will be a priority, but we’re not excluding any road users from this campaign.”
Inspector Richardson said all Police staff would be adhering to a requirement to stop a vehicle every 15 minutes.
“That doesn’t have to be someone who is breaking the law at the time.”
She said vehicles would be checked for roadworthiness and all drivers would be breath tested, in line with a national alcohol harm reduction policy.
In the year to date in Tasman Police District 14 people have been killed on the roads. The District covers Marlborough, Nelson and the West Coast.
ACC injury prevention consultant Mark Preston-Thomas said 631 people were significantly injured in the Nelson region over the past five years, costing ACC more than $13 million.
“Young people are over-represented in these figures,” he said.
Inspector Richardson said the district also faced a significant increase in risk on the roads with the Rugby World Cup.
“We know there will be international tourists here. Many will be from countries that drive on the right-hand side of the road and lots of those will be in campervans. Our plan is to be highly visible and we will be stopping for roadside chats with lots of people.
“One of the messages we want people to grasp is that the speed limit is not a target. We want people to drive to the conditions, be considerate to other road users and for everyone to get home safely,” Inspector Richardson said.
Submitted by Tasman Police
Takaka Memorial Library
Display of the Month – Photography: the world in pictures
Non-fiction
Art: From cave painting to street art. Editor – Stephen Farthing. A perfect introduction to art history and the art world.
Dinghy to Daimler and Beyond: A history of Tennyson Inlet and the Archer family by Betty Archer and family.
With the Kisses of his Mouth: A memoir by Monique Roffey. “…a fresh look at love, lust and longing in the 21st century. And it’s funny too.”
Inside Outside by Brian Turner. A new collection of poetry from this well known New Zealand author.
Bounce: How champions are made by Matthew Syed. Just what does it take to become the very best? Winners aren’t born they are made.
The History of the World in 100 Objects by Neil MacGregor. Based on the BBC Radio 4 series.
Jazz: Essential Listening by Scott DeVeaux. This book explains what jazz is, where it came from, how it works, and who created it, all within the broader context of American life and culture.
Spiritual Teachings of the Avatar: Ancient wisdom for the new world by Jeffrey Armstrong.
Fiction
Killer Move by Michael Marshall. Psychological thriller.
Beyond the Storm by E.V. Thompson. Historical. Set in 19th century coastal Cornwall.
Elegy for April by Benjamin Black (John Banville) A Quirke Dublin mystery.
The Falafel King is Dead by Sara Shilo. The life of an Israeli family in a remote village over the course of an extraordinary day.
Stolen Lives by Jassy Mackenzie. Thriller.
Something from Tiffany’s by Melissa Hill. Chick lit. Two very different men shop for gifts for the women they love. The shopping bags get confused….!
Lottery by Patricia Wood. A windfall comes to Perry L. Cradall, a simple man who suddenly finds a family.
Backseat Saints by Joshilyn Jackson. Rose Mae, the perfect Texas housewife changes her ways after a gypsy’s tarot cards foretell her doom.
Top six in school tournament
The Golden Bay High School boys’ first XI returned from the Lynwood Cup tournament in Ashburton, with a top six finish, achieving their pre-tournament goal. The team achieved some great results against much bigger schools by playing a great standard of football and working well as a team.
We would like to thank all of our sponsors and all the people who helped in any way with our fund-raising effort, it is much appreciated and the trip would not have been possible without this input.
We would also like to thank our coach Rob Anderson for his contribution to Golden Bay High School football. There has been a noticeable improvement in our competition against other schools. This trip would not have been nearly as successful without all of your work.
Also we would like to thank Pete Mitchison, the manager of the team. Thank you for your time and effort; you made the trip easy for us players and always add a bit of humour. We hope that you will stick with the football team for many more tournaments to come.
We will be drawing the raffles this week and will post the results in next week’s Weekly.
Kent Barrett
Through to the finals
The Mussel Inn GBAFC 1st XI made club history on Saturday in Wakefield when they defeated last season’s 2nd Division champs Wakefield 2-0 to advance to the final of the Glen Stephens Trophy for the first time.
Playing on the rock hard Wakefield pitch with a strong wind running down the field, GB spent the first twenty minutes scrambling in defence as Wakefield launched attack after attack. Somehow the defence held strong and GB started to gain some midfield presence midway through the half. GB struggled to get near their opponents’ goal as the Wakefield defenders pressured the attackers. Willow Milligan went close with a half paced shot from outside the box as GB tried to capitalise on scraps of possession. Wakefield surged on the brink of half time but the GB defence held strong to go into half time scoreless. The second started similar to the first with a succession of Wakefield attacks, but with the wind at their backs, their shots went over the crossbar. A well-constructed midfield move required GB keeper Kent Barrett to block a bullet of a strike from Wakefield. With the clock ticking, it was GB striker Tommy Gross who broke the deadlock when he managed to get his toe to the ball as the Wakefield keeper came off his line and open the scoring for GB in the 70th minute. As Wakefield tried to reply it was Gross again who cemented the win, when on the 75th minute he received the ball inside the box, cut inside his defender and rocketed the ball past the keeper into the net to give GB the historic win.
The final vs Tahuna will be played on Saturday in Richmond at Jubilee Park, 1.15PM kick-off and the boys will be hoping for some local support on the sidelines.
Submitted
Rainfall for August
rainfall raindays heaviest fall
Upper Takaka 27mm -
Glenview Rd 27mm 8 18mm on the 11th
Rototai 34mm 4 18mm on the 12th
Anatoki 35mm -
Paynes Ford 36mm 5 19mm on the 11th
Onekaka 36mm 6 18mm on the 12th
Clifton 44mm 5 25mm on the 12th
Bainham 52mm 8 17.2mm on the 11th
Rockville 53mm 6 13mm on the 12th
Kaihoka 54mm 10 14mm on the 29th
Collingwood 57mm 8 25mm on the 11th
Te Hapu 61mm 8 16mm on the 29th
Pakawau 74mm 8 20mm on the 11th
