Opinion: Paul Hickey - Fill the Bus generosity, summer fitness and giveaway

Rotorua Primary School pupils get behind the appeal and enjoy a visit from the Grinch. Photo / Andrew Warner

It has been an amazing week around Rotorua, as we have welcomed in the month of December and you really start to feel the festive spirit taking hold, with decorations in stores, the Christmas tree up at Te Manawa, not to mention at home.

But by far the biggest thing this week has been our big day out for The Hits Fill The Bus.

I'm still in awe of the response we got from the community as you all came out in droves as individuals, families, work colleagues, and schoolmates to donate to the Salvation Army Foodbank.

After the year we have had, we knew some people are doing it tough around our city, so we were unsure of just how this year's collection could go.

But it was another huge success which makes the hard work putting it together so worth it. It makes a difference in the community, and for that I thank you Rotorua.

I also really want to thank the dedicated crew we had on the bus right through the day, who worked amazingly hard to keep the bus stable and a workable space.

And to the BOP Regional Council and Ritchies for their support supplying the bus to help make it all possible.

As we've highlighted many times, please do continue to donate to the Rotorua Daily Post Appeal by dropping your goods to our NZME reception at 1143 Hinemoa St - it all helps.

Crawl to it
The warmer days are arriving, and if you are like me you are seeing and hearing plenty of talk about getting toned up and fitter for the summer months (or before we flag it all over the holidays).

If you have maybe left it a little late or are wanting to try something different, the latest hot fitness trend is … crawling!

Believe it or not, many fitness experts are getting aboard with the concept that crawling can be an important part of a fundamental fitness regimen.

Apparently, when you crawl, it's like "pressing reset" on your central nervous system and revisiting mobility patterns you learned as a baby.

But they say it helps to bring all of the parts involved in co-ordination, movement and reflexive stability into synchronisation.

It also forces you to work in order to be able to breathe, keep your head up and crawl at the same time.

Crawlers also have to contract their abdominal muscles, and use their back and other core muscles to maintain that position while propelling themselves forward.

I'm not quite sure whether I'm ready to give this a try, but I guess there may be plenty of people doing this form of exercise involuntarily after partaking in one too many festive moments?

Win cookbook
Next week on my radio show I'm giving you the chance to win the all new Volcanic Kitchens Cookbook featuring a whole lot of locals and their favourite recipes.

We're giving it away to celebrate their collaboration with Rotorua Community Hospice, aiming to raise more than $20,000 which can provide more than 100 patients with a trained healthcare assistant.

Volcanic Kitchens is a perfect gift for Christmas, so buy a copy now at the Hospice Shop on Eruera St, or selected businesses around town. There's more details at thehits.co.nz

Paul Hickey is the host of the locally based 9am-3pm show on The Hits Rotorua 97.5FM. Follow on Facebook The Hits Rotorua and on Twitter @paulhickeynz