Northland news in brief: Rev Up raises $15K and Volunteer Week starts

The Repco Rev Up car show in Whangārei's Cameron St Mall on April 27, above, raised more than $15,000 for charity.

A classic and custom car show in Whangārei has raised more than $15,000 for the district's youth. The Whangārei Rod & Custom Club held its Rev Up show in the Cameron St mall on April 27, which drew more than 300 custom cars, hot rods and muscle cars along with some interesting other vehicles, and 40 motorcycles. It was the third year the club has held the event and it just gets better each year. 2020 Rev Up is already in the planning stages. It's held in the city as part of the festival of motor sports month and is supported by Whangārei District, CBD retailers, and car and bike enthusiasts, some of whom travel from the Far North and from the Waikato. Around 6000 were at the event.
Profits of $15,140 from the event were donated to Whangārei Youth Space.

Cat rescued

The Ahipara Fire Brigade was called out about 1.30pm yesterday to rescue a cat which had somehow got stuck in a pensioner's hot water cupboard. When firefighters arrived, however, a neighbour had already broken through the gib board to rescue the trapped kitty. ''The cat was happy, the owner was happy, everyone was happy,'' fire chief Dave Ross said. When the call came in the brigade was on its way back from assisting at a medical emergency in remote Pawarenga.

National Volunteer Week

Tomorrow marks the start of National Volunteer Week 2019 where all around the country our 1.2 million volunteers are celebrated. National Volunteer Week 2019 runs from June 16-22 and this year's theme is "Whiria te tangata – weaving the people together". Volunteering, Mahi Aroha and social action weave people and communities together as we stand together in our differences and choose to connect. Volunteering is something Northland does very well at. Northland has the highest rate of volunteering in New Zealand. Around 37 per cent of the adult population volunteer about four hours per week on average, according to Volunteering Northland. More information, including how to volunteer, can be found at www.nationalvolunteerweek.nz.

Festival director sought

Upsurge Bay of Islands Arts Festival is looking for a new director. The arts event, held every second year in venues across the Mid North, folded in 2012 when it ran out of funding, then was revived and rebranded in 2015 with Sophie Kelly appointed as the external director. Kelly, who had previously directed the Nelson Arts Festival, is stepping down after running Bay of Islands festivals in 2015, 2017 and 2019 so a quest is under way to find a new director who is ''exceptional, inspirational and energetic''. Email Gail Richards at gail.taingariu.richards@gmail.com for more information. The next festival will take place in April 2021.

Consular services

The Philippine Embassy will provide consular services to Filipinos in Whangārei and surrounding areas from June 21 to 23. Services such as passport issuing, renewal and replacement, civil registration, and authentication of legal documents will be offered. The services will be held at the Distinction Hotel's Marina Room on Riverside Drive from 9am to 6pm each day. Appointments can be made online through philembassynzl.appointy.com.

Bridge closes for repairs

If the weather allows Te Matau a Pohe bridge will be closed on Sunday for repair works to be done. The bridge will be closed to road traffic and pedestrians from 8am until 8pm. It will still open for boats, but there could be a delay of up to 30 minutes while workmen get clear of the opening part of the bridge. It is recommended skippers planning on going through the bridge during these periods should book in with Bridge Control. Contacts for Bridge Control are: VHF Channel 18, mobile +64 (0)21 401 752 or Landline +64 (0)9 438 7261.

Fast on the uptake

Northland has two of the top 10 regional centres for ultra-fast broadband uptake.
The regions are leading the way in ultra-fast broadband uptake, Broadcasting, Communications and Digital Media Minister Kris Faafoi said. The latest Quarterly Connectivity Update shows that 75 per cent of New Zealand's population can now access faster, more reliable broadband – that's close to 1.5 million homes and businesses across the country. Waipū was fifth in the top 10 chart with 59.3 per cent of connections ,while Whangārei was 10th with 55.9 per cent uptake. The UFB programme is now 79 per cent complete and available in 70 towns and cities.