Northland news in brief, Poppy Day appeal and Northland's coldest day of the year

Collectors will be out across Northland next Friday for the RSA Poppy Day appeal.

RSA volunteers will be exchanging distinctive red poppies for a donation to the RSA Poppy Day appeal across Northland next Friday in support of current and ex-service personnel, including the NZ Police, and their families. The poppy is a reminder of sacrifices made – both past and present. Poppies were the first flowers that grew in the battlefields of Flanders in Belgium during World War I and are a symbol of remembrance and hope. Poppy Day has been a part of the New Zealand calendar since 1922, making it one of the oldest nationwide appeals, and is usually held each year on the Friday before Anzac Day.

Coldest morning

Northland had its coldest morning of the year so far yesterday with Kerikeri getting down to a chilly 6.5C, Kaitaia at 7.7C and Whangarei not much better at 8.9C. The overnight temperature is not expected to get as low as that again for at least the next 10 days, with the MetService forecasting highs of up to 23C and lows of between 13C and 17C across the region. The coldest place in the country yesterday morning was Alexandra which recorded 0.2C.

Carpentry apprentices show skills

Northland carpentry apprentices can show off their skills and compete against their counterparts across the country for the coveted title of Registered Master Builders Carters 2018 Apprentice of the Year. The competition comes at a crucial time as New Zealand's building boom continues. With the carpentry workforce expected to grow by more than 17,000 workers by 2020 (21 per cent), there has never been a better time to build a career in the trades. Registered Master Builders CEO David Kelly said Apprentice of the Year supports the industry by showcasing the skills of its future leaders. Carpentry apprentices can enter the competition online at http://www.apprenticeoftheyear.co.nz/, with entries closing on June 4.

Lotto prize unclaimed

A Northlander who won $8.3 million on Lotto and Powerball first division more than a week ago has still not claimed their prize. The winning ticket, made up of $8m with Powerball and $333,333 with Lotto in the April 4 draw, was bought online at MyLotto and had not been claimed at edition time yesterday, a Lotto NZ spokeswoman said. As the winning ticket was purchased through MyLotto, the winner had been sent a notification that they had won a prize and should check their ticket. But they would only get the notification if they logged on to their account and Lotto NZ was unsure if the winner had done that yet.