Far North news in brief: Farah Palmer Cup game; Blood Service visiting and warm spring

The Northland Kauri Farah Palmer Cup team, here facing Hawkes Bay Tui recently, will play Canterbury in Kaitāia on Saturday

Northland Kauri in Kaitāia

The Northland Kauri Farah Palmer Cup team will be in the Far Far North on Saturday to take on the might of Canterbury women.

The match against Canterbury is at Arnold Rae Park, Kaitāia, with the game set to kick off at 12pm. Kaitāia Black Fern Crystal Murray will be leading the side onto the paddock. Northland have been unable to replicate past seasons’ success in the cup this year, with three losses and one win so far. The Kauri are seventh, and last, in the FPC Premiership table, Canterbury are one place above them.

Blood service in town

The NZ Blood Service will be in the Far North next week, taking donations of the life-saving fluid.

Donations can be made at the Turner Centre, Kerikeri, Monday from 1pm to 6pm and from 12pm to 6pm the following day. It will be at Te Ahu, in Kaitāia, from 12pm to 6pm on Wednesday, then from 8.30am to 2.30pm on Thursday. The service will be at the Kaikohe War Memorial from 8.30am to 12.30pm on Friday.

Older people expo

Alzheimer’s Northland is celebrating The International Day of Older People with a brain seminar and expo at Cornerstone Community Centre, Kerikeri, on October 1, from 1pm to 4pm. The brain seminar with speakers Dr Kathy Peri ‚ senior lecturer University of Auckland, and Sam Anil, audiologist MNZAS, Bay Audiology, is from 1pm-2:30pm with the expo, featuring 50 stalls, from 2.30pm to 4pm.

Sustainability recognition

Two Northland outfits have been recognised at the country’s premier sustainable energy event Seanz 2024 | Tomorrow’s Energy Today.

The Seanz Industry Awards recognise the country’s best and most innovative solar energy projects and businesses. While no Northlanders won awards, Hubands Energy was runner up in the Entelar Energy Best Medium Business Award, while Tū Mai Rā with Te Runanga o Ngāti Hine, was runner up in the Seanz Best Community Project category.

Warm spring expected

The experts are predicting spring in Northland will be warmer than normal, with Niwa releasing its climate summary for the September to November period. It predicted spring temperatures were most likely to be above average in the north and east of the North Island and east of the South Island, as the effect of a minor Sudden Stratospheric Warming event in July-August is expected to contribute to lower-than-normal air pressure south of the country during September.

In Northland, Niwa said, temperatures were most likely to be above average - a 55% chance - while rainfall totals were most likely to be near normal (a 45% chance). Regular fronts were expected to impact southern parts of the region during September, although a trend toward high pressure in mid-to-late spring could see rainfall turn less frequent. Soil moisture levels were most likely to be near normal (45% chance) while river flows were equally likely to be near normal or below normal (40% chance each)