Duke of Marlborough owners Anton Haagh and Riki Kinnaird with their wives Bridget Haagh and Jayne Shirley. The men have written to MP Kelvin Davis.
Sir Peter Blake Award Bay of Islands winners
Six students from the Bay of Islands area have each won the Sir Peter Blake Award which is presented to students around the country who "show great leadership in making a positive change towards a better future for our communities and for Planet Earth."
They are Arya Tanner-Buchanan from Kaikohe West School, Kahukura Haunui-Tipene from Kawakawa Primary School, Arran Grant from Bay of Islands International Academy Kerikeri, Cameron Podbury from Kerikeri Primary School, Ronan Leung from Springbank School and Mia Rumble from Okaihau Primary School.
Sir Peter Blake was a sailor, adventurer and environmentalist who competed in five round-the-world yacht races, winning on his fifth attempt. In his time at sea he noticed a decline in sea birds and marine life which prompted him to launch a series of expeditions to highlight the causes and to campaign for change. He was killed in the Amazon in 2001.
The classmates of Year 8 student, Ronan Leung, at Springbank School wrote out the reasons why he deserved the award. It said, in part:
"We think Ronan is the best leader because he never asks people to do the things that he is not willing to do himself. He is enthusiastic, fair-minded and hard work is an understatement."
He was presented with his award pack which includes a certificate, a medal, a T-shirt, a Blake pin and some red socks at assembly last week.
Bay of Islands Singers in concert
Having cancelled an organ recital and postponed singing Messiah, the Bay of Islands Singers have scheduled a concert for December.
All That Jazz was originally planned for August but will now be at the Turner Centre on December 4 at 3.30pm. Chairwoman Sylvia Burch said it's "like balancing a Rubik's Cube trying to line everything up".
All That Jazz is a quirky, fun piece about the bicycle. It was originally commissioned to mark the grand depart of the 2014 Tour de France in Yorkshire, England. It contains a wide variety of musical styles including jazz, musical theatre, barbershop, pastiche, Victorian Music Hall and folk.
The rest of the programme will include a selection of jazz standards, world folk songs and popular hits.
turnercentre.co.nz
Northlanders surveyed for their natural environment.
An initiative to survey Northlanders on the health and wellbeing of their backyard is under way and is endorsed by the Minister of Conservation, Hon Kiritapu Allan.
The survey is looking for Northlanders to share their views so that a community voice can be clearly articulated to local leaders and central government.
Te Rūnanga Papa Atawhai O Te Tai Tokerau/Northland Conservation Board is championing the survey, which will run in two stages. The first is an online survey, which takes about 10 minutes and asks people to share their views.
In the new year, focus groups will what they call "drill down" on the findings. A draft report is due in March 2022 with a final report to be signed off in April 2022.
Businessmen pen an open letter to Minister
A group of Far North-Bay of Islands businessmen have penned an open letter to Hon Kelvin Davis as MP for Northland pleading with him and other Cabinet Ministers to open the border between Auckland and Northland. This despite Northland not reaching 90 per cent double-vaccination.
Riki Kinnaird and Anton Haugh from the Duke of Marlborough Hotel, Andrew Ritchie (Ritchies Transport), Shane Lloydd (Manea Footprints of Kupe) and Greg McManus (Waitangi Treaty Grounds) were joined by Jeroen Jongejans of Dive! Tutukaka and Ajit Balasingham, (Director). They said if Northland is kept closed it will miss the December-January peak summer trading months and the result will be that "tourism and its eco-system will collapse and not recover for a very long time."
They suggest the Covid Protection Framework, the so-called "traffic light system" be introduced by December 10 and offered up a three-point plan to adopt to get Northland connected back to the rest of New Zealand and the world.
• Open up Northland by removing the border control that has kept Northland separated from the rest of the country since Auckland went into lockdown. Northland has effectively been 'islanded' for all this time, isolated from the rest of the country.
• Provide an ability for people and businesses to plan by announcing now a 'Reuniting Northland' date of December 10, 2021. Crucially, this will give people time to plan their summer breaks in our region. Otherwise, they will go elsewhere which will be devastating - and we do not use this term lightly - for our tourism sector and our regional economy.
• Introduce the Covid Protection Framework in Northland at the same time as the rest of New Zealand. Ensure that businesses who support the 'My Vaccine Pass' are rewarded with being able to trade in a less inhibited way.
"We do not exaggerate when we warn that Northland's tourism sector is in dire straits despite the financial assistance that has been forthcoming from government. Covid has decimated the tourism, retail and hospitality industries in Northland. In some areas there has been 70 to 90 per cent reduction in customers and revenue.
"We desperately need the domestic market. Our grim reality, we believe, is that inbound international leisure travel will not recover to any significant extent for between two and five years from now.
"The summer peak trade is absolutely vital to Northland's travel and hospitality industry and the plethora of services and businesses it supports. If it is allowed to fail the economic and social fall-out across the region will be vast."
They said most businesses are ready to trade under the Covid Protection Framework and are ready and able to manage their sites safely.
New recycling centre opens
The new Community Recycling Centre was officially opened to the public at Tahuna Rd in Waitangi last week.
Te Tii (Waitangi) B3 Trust operates its own recycling facility at the site but is now opening it up to the public three days a week following an agreement with Far North District Council. The Community Recycling Centre will accept clean, separated recyclables free of charge between 8am and 1pm on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. The facility will be operated under contract by Waste Management.
Te Tii Waitangi B3 Trust Operations Manager, Whati Rameka, says the new facility will make it easier for visitors to recycle, reduce litter and help to ensure Waitangi maintains its reputation as a premier cultural and tourism destination.
Far North District Council operates 16 Refuse Transfer Stations in the Far North, 11 permanent Community Recycling Centres and three seasonal Community Recycling Centres. Most recyclables are accepted at Council facilities free of charge.
• Email Sandy Myhre at mywordmedia@yahoo.com if you have any news you'd like to see in Bay News.
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