Covid 19 coronavirus: Life in lockdown, well-known Northlanders give peek inside their lives

Sue Bradford and her husband Bill are enjoying life in lockdown in Taipa - but Zoom business meetings aren't going so well. Photo / supplied

Sue Bradford Social issues activist

Locking down in: Taipa

Who's in my bubble: Husband Bill Bradford

How passing the time: I'm lucky enough to still have paid work I can do online. I work for the education trust Kotare Research and Education for Social Change. While I can't do regular work running workshops face-to-face, I'm fortunate I can do other projects in lockdown.

We're doing fine, we feel very grateful to have a decent, modest house to live in. I'm aware of some people in Northland who don't have good accommodation, who are living in garages, sheds and overcrowded conditions.

We're able to go for a walk every day and read books. It's important to keep in touch with people by phone and internet. We have four children and three grandkids in Auckland and made the decision to be here and be away from them which was really hard.

Biggest challenge: Using Zoom for work meetings. Our broadband is so unstable. We had a recent one where I was the presenter and the embarrassment of having people join a call to hear me speak, and then not be able to...we had to postpone until improvements can be made.

First thing I'm going to do post lockdown: See our family. It would be lovely to have them all come up North. The other thing we're hanging out to do is go fishing again.

Message for others: Take it easy, try to stay calm and make the most of the new things that we find in this unusual situation.

Northland All Black Jack Goodhue, who is in lockdown with new wife Sophia in Christchurch, is making sure he's getting plenty of exercise. Photo / file

Jack Goodhue Northland All Black

Locking down in: Christchurch

Who's in my bubble: My wife Sophia

How passing the time: We're playing lots of games like Backgammon, Yahtzee and PlayStation. We're also going for walks and cooking.

It's pretty cruisy. We're keeping to a routine; we don't want to sleep in too much or go to bed too late. I'm getting plenty of exercise like running, getting on the exercycle in the garage, and doing a few weights to maintain muscle mass.

We're reading a lot and using the opportunity to grow our minds and learn new things. I'm trying to play the keyboard.

Biggest challenge: We're in a blessed situation where it's just the two of us, we're lucky. But my heart goes out to people who've lost their jobs or who have uncertainty about how their future looks. Especially those in hospitality and tourism, that's going to be really difficult.

First thing I'm going to do post lockdown: Play a bit of tennis and have a swim at the beach – even if it's winter and I have to wear a wetsuit.

Message for others: It's important to make the effort to contact family and friends. Connect with loved ones every day through Facetime or Zoom and be aware of neighbours, friends and family and look after them.

Labour MP Willow-Jean Prime [left] and her whānau- husband Dion, daughters Heeni and Hihana, mum Nandy and sister Season-Mary Downs - have come up with a whānau roster. Photo / supplied

Willow-Jean Prime Labour MP

Locking down in: Pakaraka

Who's in my bubble: Husband Dion, daughters Heeni and Hihana, mum Adrieanne Downs aka Nandy and sister Season-Mary Downs.

How passing the time: Dion and I are still required to work but from home, but the two girls are usually at day care when we're at work. Dion, a teacher at Bay of Islands College, is getting ready to teach online after the school holidays. I am continuing to provide support for people with issues and challenges both constituents and Covid-19 issues. We have a "whānau roster" to keep on top of things at home. Dion and mum take care of the garden and animals and Season and I share the inside work like cleaning, washing and dishes. Plus, there's a roster for cooking. Because no-one would eat Dion's food, I do his as well. But I haven't done much cooking in the last couple of years, so it's a shock to my system. Before the lockdown mum panic-bought live chickens; we've now got nine laying hens and a rooster, and the feijoas are in season and the apples are coming on.

Biggest challenge: Having to continue working and look after the girls, but we have shifts in three-hour blocks so while one works the other looks after them.

First thing I'm going to do post lockdown: Go for a drive as a whānau; we'll probably shoot up to Hihi where we have a whānau bach. And as Dion and the girls and Season like shopping, we'll do a bit of retail therapy.

Message for others: Please play your part to save lives. Follow the rules, stay home and be kind. Kia kaha tātou!

Matt King [right]is in lockdown with wife Sara and their three children Jake, Robbie and Jasmine, who are all helping on the family farm. Photo / supplied

Matt King Northland MP

Locking down in: Okaihau

Who's in my bubble: Wife Sara, our three adult children Jake, Robbie and Jasmine, and parents Joe and Jenny who live in the neighbouring house.

How passing the time: I'm fulltime on the phone and email with political stuff. I'm as busy as I've ever been. I've been inundated with people trying to get answers and work out where to from here. We've got a 285ha beef farm and the kids are helping with that. I'm also part of crew of volunteers who go shopping for the elderly and those with health issues who can't get out to the supermarket. I'm doing as much as needed. There are a lot of people out there who are suffering.

Biggest challenge: The biggest challenge is staying on top of the phone calls and farm work. In between political and community work and the farm I have no down time. But I'm grateful for the rural country setting with space around me. I can move about and not be in contact with anyone.

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First thing I'm going to do post lockdown: Go out and get some takeaways. The fast food outlets will have to stock up because they're going to get hammered.

Message for others: If everyone does their bit, I'm confident we'll get through this. But please everybody, abide by the rules.

Smiley Campaign advocate Rawiri Love, pictured with his moko Mana, is always looking for ways to make people smile. Photo / supplied

Rawiri Love Smiley Campaign advocate

Locking down in: Auckland

Who's in my bubble: Myself and my moko Mana

How passing the time: I'm doing a lot of filming and posting videos on social media to encourage people who are in the self-isolation period, and writing about the Smiley Campaign to keep encouraging people.

The key is to reinvent yourself; since we can't go to the gym, what I'm doing is cycling. To start with I was wobbling everywhere because I wasn't used to it, I hadn't cycled for a number of years.

I also bought a juicer online so I could juice some carrots. The talk around the dining table has a lot more meaning to it. This is a real issue, therefore we're all discussing the home detention we're in. People need to be able to smile - fake it until you make it if you have to.

Biggest challenge: The feeling lockdown is a bit like home detention.

First thing I'm going to do post lockdown: I'm going to McDonalds just for the sake of it.

Message for others: The biggest purpose for everyone is to find a reason to smile, because that helps the immune system, it releases endorphins. There's a silver lining in everything.

Journalist and author Wendyl Nissen, her husband Paul Little and dad Cedric Nissen are finding plenty to do in the Hokianga during the lockdown. Photo / supplied

Wendyl Nissen Journalist and author

Locking down in: Hokianga

Who's in my bubble: Husband Paul Little and dad Cedric Nissen

How passing the time: It's pretty much life as normal for us. We lead a fairly isolated existence anyway. I'm working on a book and so is Paul and now we're being even more productive. We're also doing a lot of scouring of the property and neighbourhood for food.

We're doing a lot of gardening; our orchard has apples, pears and quinces so we're making cordials, chutneys and jams which we wouldn't normally as we'd be too busy.

Biggest challenge: Adjusting to the fact we won't see our children or grandchildren for a while. I'm used to popping to Auckland and seeing them. And just trying to be calm about the future of the world. Everyone is a bit scared about this and how suddenly it's happened.

First thing I'm going to do post lockdown: Catch up with our kids and have lots of hugs and cuddles.

Message for others: Look outside the window and see what can happen to the world when people stop driving cars and the air quality improves. I'm looking forward to seeing how much healthier everything is when people go inside for a while. Hopefully this will teach us that we can all band together and make a difference.

Marine wildlife expert Ingrid Visser has been busier than ever working on protocols for how to deal with marine mammal emergencies in the light of covid-19. Photo / file

Ingrid Visser Marine wildlife expert

Locking down in: Tutukaka

Who's in my bubble: My sister Monique, her dog Falco and our parents Frits and Chrissy

How passing the time: I've had a complete and total ramp-up with work because of Covid-19. I'm starting work at 5am and going through to 10pm working on protocols for how to deal with marine mammal emergencies in the light of Covid-19 and animal welfare concerns. This is on top of everything else like my normal research publications. As I can't get out on the water for sightings, I've had a number of people call in who've been walking at the beach or who have seen animals from home. One orca that was stranded in June 1997 was sighted a few days ago in Thames and Waiheke Island – that's 22 years and 9 months since he was rescued.

As a bubble we've been going great. Dad and I have been laying bricks in the front yard, and my sister works in human resources so she's frantic as well.

Biggest challenge: All this extra work on top of normal things we're dealing with. It's double the intensity.

First thing I'm going to do post lockdown: If the weather is nice, go out on my boat.

Message for others: Volunteer to help out online, there's plenty of people looking for help.

Former All Blacks captain Buck Shelford has been cutting back gorse and tidying up round his property during the lockdown. Photo / file

Buck Shelford Former All Blacks captain who whakapapas back to Mangakahia Valley

Locking down in: Auckland

Who's in my bubble: Wife Joanne and sister-in-law Robyn

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website
How passing the time: I'm just in my yard [1.25ha on the Hibiscus Coast], cutting and spraying gorse. I go out and get lost for a couple of hours and get away from the girls and do maintenance work on the property. I wander around and tidy up. We're also doing a lot of book work and GST, getting that up to date, and doing a bit of reading. We see the kids and grandkids every day on Facetime or WhatsApp.

Biggest challenge: This is what I do all the time anyway, I don't really have any [challenges]. I've always got plenty to do. It's a great time to do maintenance on the car wash business and I'll paint the shed in the next couple of weeks.

First thing I'm going to do post lockdown: Carry on. By the time I get through the month all the work will be caught up and I'll be maintaining. And one of my brothers will come up for a week.

Message for others: It's times like this that brings back what we had when we were kids. The shops were only open five days a week. People should get used to it. They [staff] should get two days off a week; they're getting burnt out. It still gives you five days for shopping. Family time is quality time and the more time you spend with your kids and grandkids the better. They'll never forget it.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website