Coastguard's Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade will be in Northland early December. Photo / supplied
Coastguard's Old4New Lifejacket Upgrade is back, motivating Kiwis to check and upgrade their most important piece of boating safety equipment.
Boaties will have the opportunity to bring their old, damaged or ill-fitting lifejackets to one of the 63 Old4New van locations and upgrade them for brand new, heavily discounted Hutchwilco models from November 30 to February 2.
The van will be at Marsden Boat Ramp in Ruakaka on December 7, Houhora Sport and Game Fishing Club and Whangaroa Sport Fishing Club on December 8, Mangonui Boat Club on December 9 and the Old Packhouse Market in Kerikeri on December 14.
READ MORE:
• Campaign to trade old lifejackets for new a success in Northland over summer
• Trading Old4New lifejackets to save lives this summer
• Kawakawa's Te Hononga community hub taking shape
• First contact, 250 years on - Tuia flotilla arrives at Waitangi
More than 13,500 old lifejackets have been upgraded since the initiative started five years ago, helping thousands of Kiwis be safer on the water.
Old4New community ambassador Sue Tucker is keen to increase the figures over the 2019-2020 summer season.
"Lifejackets, including inflatable versions, need to be checked each year to make sure they are in a good condition," she said.
"If you know your lifejacket is no good, or if you just want some peace of mind, bring it to the Old4New van to get it checked."
Over time, exposure to the elements and general wear and tear heavily effect a lifejacket's ability to keep you afloat. Even if an old lifejacket looks good to the eye, there is a chance that its effectiveness has reduced with time.
"We continue to see lifejackets in all shapes and sizes, some even 50 years old, and what a lot of them have in common is that in an emergency they won't keep you safe, Tucker said. "We need to be out in the community reminding Kiwis that lifejackets don't last a lifetime."
To see the full location schedule visit www.old4new.nz or contact Coastguard on 0800 262 843.
Want to get hands-on with a significant place-making project in the heart of Kawakawa this summer?
The Kawakawa Hundertwasser Memorial Park Charitable Trust is calling for volunteers to help with numerous projects at the Te Hononga community hub, a $6.4 million Hundertwasser-inspired building which is taking shape on what used to be a carpark behind the town's famous toilets.
This mahi is on a voluntary basis and provides the opportunity to work alongside the landscape architect, Christine Hawthorne and leading artists Theresa Reihana and Te Warihi Hetaraka on the ātea-town square.
Volunteers are needed for paving, mosaic, planting, painting, land shaping, building, plastering and working alongside contractors, as well as project administration and organisation.
The work may be on weekends or evenings.
The project is expected to be completed around March to April 2020.
If you would like to help email tehononga@hundertwasserpark.com or check out Facebook.
Treat your taste buds to a Taste of the North at the Copthorne Hotel and Resort lawn on November 30.
The Tastes of the North Garden Party is back with live music, cooking demonstrations, garden party attire and a fantastic selection of Northland craft beer and wine from local vineyards from 11am-6pm.
Located on a grassy area perfect for lawn games, drinking wine and dancing, the entertainment ranges from jazz through to Auckland band Coachella, who play a wide range of styles from modern indie/folk to country classics, pop hits to old school rock and roll.
Far North chef Anna Valentine will be doing cooking demonstrations during the day including spring rice rolls, strawberry salsa filled avocado's and blueberry hotcakes.
Valentine said she's passionate about seasonal, locally grown produce.
"It's the corner stone of everything I create in my kitchen," she said.
"We are so lucky in Northland to have a long growing season and an abundance of dedicated growers at our finger-tips."
Tickets cost $40 from Eventfinda: eventfinda.co.nz
Artist Mark Graver will present a free talk about his latest work which is being exhibited at Art at Wharepuke in Kerikeri.
The talk is on November 21 from 5.30pm to around 6.30pm, and refreshments will be provided.
The exhibition called Mark Graver, Richard Parker Duet, features prints by the two artists and will be on show at the Art at Wharepuke gallery 190 Kerikeri Rd, until December 1.
The gallery is open seven days from 10am- 5pm.
Head along to the Turner Centre to give the priceless gift of blood next Monday and Tuesday.
The New Zealand Blood Service's blood drive is on November 25 from 1pm-6pm and on November 26 from 9am-3pm.
Giving blood is a lifesaver - even the best trained medical personnel, using the most advanced equipment can become helpless in the event a patient needs blood.
Yet figures show that less than 4 per cent of all possible donors in New Zealand actually roll their sleeves up and give each year.
To book an appointment visit nzblood.co.nz or phone 0800 448 325.
Three new short films made in the Far North will be screened in Kerikeri thanks to the Kerikeri Theatre Company.
The first screening of all three films is at Cathay Cinemas on November 26 at 5pm followed by a second screening at 6pm.
Proceeds from the event will go towards future productions - both on stage and on-screen - and will help maintain the company's rehearsal and performance space at Sammaree Place.
The 40-minute programme will feature Joey's Film, a 12-minute student horror film written, directed and acted by students from Kerikeri High School and Springbank School.
The second film features a premier of music clip of Kiwi singer/songwriter Jan Hellriegel's song High Maintenance Man directed by 16-year old Casey Roberts and featuring Kerikeri and Kaikohe locals.
The third film is an encore screening of Midriff, a 20-minute comedy/drama starring Makareta Umbers, Willi Henley and Adam Parmenter.
Visit iticket.co.nz for tickets.
The Turner Centre Jazz Club is proud to present The John Leigh Calder Quartet on November 29.
Direct from the jazz clubs of London, the talented international jazz musician will be joined by Rob Galley, Matt Watson and Neil Williamson.
Doors open at 5pm and live music starts at 6pm.
The cost is $10 at the door and food and drinks are available.
Visit turnercentre.co.nz or phone 09 407 0260 for more information.
Kiwi chef, gourmet traveller and author Peta Mathias will be sharing stories from her latest book Eat Your Heart Out at Kerikeri's Turner Centre on December 7 — and we're giving away a double pass worth $90 to one lucky reader.
To be in to win all you have to do is email baynews@northernadvocate.co.nz with your full name, address and a contact phone number by 5pm on Sunday. We'll draw one entry at random and notify the winner by phone.
As the name suggests, Eat Your Heart Out celebrates the connection between love and food. Among the many stories Mathias is expected to tell is one about a flourless almond and chocolate torte she served at her restaurant in Paris, and how it very nearly led to marriage.
When not cooking or presenting TV shows Mathias leads gastronomic tours to France, Morocco, Spain, Vietnam, Italy and India.
• If you have an upcoming event or a snippet of news you'd like to share, email jenny.ling@nzme.co.nz along with your contact details.
The Endeavour replica in the Bay of Islands with waka nearby during the Tuia 250 visit earlier this month.
And waka on the beach and moored on the beach in the Bay of Islands. Photographer Stephen Western digitally removed houses in the background of both photos.
Nadia Lehmann, of Opua, took this photo of the Endeavour replica and the Spirit of New Zealand at Opua Wharf during Tuia 250.
The latest news bites from around the region.