Far North Mayor John Carter (right) discusses the new Kerikeri Men's Shed in Kapiro Rd with the organisation's chairman, Kevin Mahoney.
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Jacqui Knight speaks to the Russell Garden Club about butterflies and moths.
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The Honshu white admiral, brought into the country as biological control for honeysuckle.
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The Waitangi National Trust Fund has a new endowment trust to help sustain its future.
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Ajit Balasingham (left) and Richard Aston, the two new directors
of the Kerikeri Retirement Village.
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The new community barbecue installed at Ti Beach, Paihia.
There's a new shed in Kapiro Rd, Kerikeri. Not just any old shed but a Men's Shed, a place where men get together to share their skills, make things, repair things.
The organisation that runs the Kerikeri Men's Shed applied for financial support from the 2019-20 Infrastructure Grand Fund and was successful, with the result that the Kapiro Rd premises has been fitted with a large woodwork area, a separate engineering workshop and a communal area with a kitchen.
A $63,614 infrastructure grant helped to secure the 540 sq m building on a 12-year lease and replaces the group's former and much smaller premises on State Highway 10.
About 150 people, including Far North Mayor John Carter, turned out for the official opening of the new premises last month.
"It's about giving the men the chance to chat and develop new friendships," he said.
"As well as the practical side of the shed, it also helps with men's mental health by developing a sense of camaraderie and support, particularly once they retire and need to try a new purpose."
Kerikeri Men's Shed chairman Kevin Mahoney said the organisation has initially focused on woodworking projects.
"Some members drifted away because they were more interested in metalwork than wood so in the new shed we have developed an engineering section and members can move between the two as they wish, and in time we expect to open additional sections subject to sufficient support."
The organisation now has about 75 members and is involved in projects such as making park benches for a council contractor, building traps for the Department of Conservation as well as last year building Kerikeri Christmas Trees out of old pallets.
Technically, it's the only Men's Shed in the Mid North. But Paihia has a Repair Cafe at 195 Puketona Rd and there is a Men's Shed in Russell but that's a get-together place only and no repair work is carried out.
Jacqui Knight is a former Russell resident and when she was asked to speak to the Russell Gardening Club recently, she brought along five Honshu white admirals for emphasis.
She is something of a butterfly and moth expert. The Honshu white admiral is a relatively recent introduction to the country, brought in as a biological control for Japanese honeysuckle, which is smothering native plants and encroaching on farmland in many parts of the country.
She spoke to a packed hall who learned of the challenges that New Zealand butterfly and moth fauna face.
"Worldwide, our butterflies and moths are challenged by the use of pesticides and the loss of wild spaces," she said.
"And I am sure you have all heard the devastating reduction in numbers of the monarch butterflies in North America."
She said in New Zealand there was an even greater issue in that there is little awareness about our butterfly species.
"For example, the NZ red admiral is only found in this country yet it is virtually unknown. Then there's the exquisite forest ringlet, a species that is not only endemic but the only one in its family, and it is critically endangered, in serious decline."
She suggested if people aren't aware that such a butterfly exists, how can they know how to look after it? And she talked about the correlation between native plants and the many native moth species.
"We have the world's highest rate of endemism, with the majority of butterfly and moth species, 92 per cent, not found elsewhere," she said.
"There are almost 2000 species of moths that have been described but scientists say there are still more which have not yet been discovered or documented."
While Jacqui was speaking, a butterfly emerged from a chrysalis. That meant there were six Honshu white admirals returned to Jacqui's garden in Auckland where they will, hopefully, breed on Japanese honeysuckle.
The Waitangi National Trust and Northland Community Foundation have joined forces to create a new endowment fund.
The objective is to provide a sustainable source of income for the Waitangi site that includes the restored Treaty House, the Museum of the Price of Citizenship, the Museum of Waitangi, Te Whāre Rūnunga (the carved meeting house), Te Whāre Korowai ō Maikuku (the waka house) and the Waitangi Flagstaff.
Waitangi is heavily dependent on revenue from visitor admissions and receives no government funding for operating. Its primary responsibility is to manage the estate known as the "Birthplace of a Nation". The hope is the new fund will help create a sustainable future for Waitangi.
Donations received will be invested and the annual interest will support the conservation, maintenance and preservation of the heritage buildings at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds.
Funds will also support education programmes, especially those for children, and will help the conservation and preservation of the native wildlife on the Waitangi Estate.
The Waitangi Estate was purchased and put into trust in 1932 by the then Governor-General Lord Bledisloe. The Waitangi National Trust Board is made up of representatives from all regions of the country and various Māori and Pākeha families with historical connections to the original signing of the Treaty in 1840.
Two directors have been appointed to the board of Kerikeri Retirement Village to replace the outgoing director, Kevin Hall.
Richard Aston is a former chairman of Consumer NZ. His experience in the not-for-profit sector includes establishing and leading Big Buddy, a mentoring organisation for fatherless boys.
His governance experience includes the Ministry of Social Development Benefit Review and health regulator tribunals. He is also a lay member of the medical and osteopathic councils.
Ajit Balasingham is deputy chairman of the Board of Alzheimers Northland and the former chairman of Northland Rugby. He has run his own business consultancy since 2009 specialising in growth, turnarounds and exit strategies for shareholders.
He has experience in food manufacturing, sales and distribution, plus civil engineering and steel fabrication.
Kerikeri Retirement Village Ltd is owned jointly by the Kerikeri Village Community Trust and Presbyterian Support Northern. Directors are appointed to the seven-person board by the shareholders.
In a joint initiative between the Bay of Islands Rotary Club and Focus Paihia, a new community electric barbecue has been installed on Ti Beach, Paihia.
It is in the process of being commissioned and connected to the water supply to allow for effective cleaning. A stainless-steel lid will be fitted and once that's been done, it will be ready for active use.
Bay of Islands Rotary communities director Don Rushworth said Focus Paihia brought the idea to Rotary.
"We had the funds, it satisfied a demand and it was a good community project so we set about building it.".
Bay of Islands Rotary project managed the installation. Tools and materials were provided by Focus Paihia and various companies in and around Paihia.
The new communal barbecue joins the original "barbie" on the beach that was installed in 2018.
Business Paihia is to conduct a survey to find out how Covid-19 has affected the tourist- dependent town and to look at the survival of those business.
A report will be written based on the answers and that report is intended to create a greater awareness to the plight and the need for further assistance.
The objective is to present the report to influential people in government and the media on the hardships experienced.
Email steph@blahblahmarketing.co.nz before March 23.
Age Concern is offering a series of courses for older Northlanders. They are running free refresher courses for those who want to keep driving and a series of free workshops for those who no longer drive but want to stay mobile.
The courses for those who want to keep driving are called Staying Safe. They will be held in Paihia on March 18 at Paihia Memorial Hall in Williams Rd; in Whangārei on March 24 in lounge 1, McKay Stadium, Western Hills Dr; and in Kerikeri on April 14 in the Age Concern boardroom at Kingston House, Hone Heke Rd.
All courses start at 10am and are free with morning tea provided. Registration is required on (09) 407 4474 or info@acmn.org.nz
The courses for those who no longer drive are called Life Without a Car. They will be held in Whangārei on March 31, in Lounge 1, McKay Stadium, in Western Hills Dr; in Paihia on April 21, at Paihia Memorial Hall in Williams Rd; and in Kerikeri on May 5, in the Age Concern boardroom at Kingston House, Hone Heke Rd.
All courses are free and start at 10am. Registration is required by emailing info@acmn.org.nz or calling (09) 407 4474.
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