After three decades handling freight for Qantas in Sydney, Tom Griffiths is ready to pamper Wanganui cats at his new business Just Cats Cattery.
Last year the Australian moved to the River City with wife Veronica, who's originally from Wanganui. They had come to visit for a school reunion. "I feel in love with the place," Mr Griffiths said. "I said this is where I've got to retire."
Mr Griffiths said it was his passion since he was 15 to work with animals. When he was little he'd always want to hang around cats and dogs and visit the zoo a lot ? cats were his favourite.
"This is my life-long passion and my dream to get this and I've finally got it. So I'm really over the moon about it." Part of his job at Qantas involved looking after animals that were being transported.
He's designed the cattery himself, which is in Mannington Rd, off Great North Rd. There's room for 20 cats and nearly all have their own room, complete with sleeping box, cleaning perch and under floor heating.
There's an isolation unit for unwell cats and a play room for the cats when their own rooms are being cleaned out. Mr Griffiths said the tradespeople who worked on the cattery were impressed, saying "strike a light, this is going to be the Hilton of Wanganui".
The Griffiths have two Russian Blues, Smokey and Bandit, which they brought with them from Australia.
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Mother and daughter Beryl Erni and Noelene Lane are the new owners of Wanganui's New Look Clinic.
The weight loss business was launched in Wanganui in 1991 and now has clinics throughout New Zealand and a head office in Tauranga.
Mrs Lane, who worked at Castlecliff School for nine years, was living in Hamilton when her partner started going to the New Look Clinic there. It was through that clinic's owner she learnt the Wanganui clinic was for sale.
"Every time we went to the meeting for him, we'd talk a bit more about it. (The owner) made the phone call and here I am."
Clients attend weekly meetings for weighing, support and encouragement and there's four books with 120 recipes in each. Mrs Lane said the food was yummy and easy to prepare, "because it's just the food that you already have in the cupboard".
Mrs Erni had been working in an orchard and got sick of climbing ladders. "This just seemed a change in lifestyle."
As an opening special, it doesn't cost anything to join the clinic this month.
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Wanganui man Roger Blair says he has spent two years developing magnetic belts and pads used to relieve the pain of problems like arthritis, back injury, period pain and headaches.
The belts and pads were being tested by about 1000 people, about half in Wanganui, and Mr Blair said there had been no dissatisfied customers. They could be either worn, sat on or slept on.
There were two people working part-time for Mr Blair, sewing the belts or pads holding magnetic products imported from China. He hoped to set up a factory employing up to 40 people to machine the belts and pads, which were sold under the name Supamag.
Mr Blair was looking for financial support to grow the business.
His is not the only business manufacturing magnetic products said to allay pain and improve health, but he said he could introduce some improvements.
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Melva and Verne Knapp are looking forward to spending time in the garden.
After almost 10 years at the Fordell Hotel, the couple have sold it to Duncan and Rosalie Matthews, of Melbourne.
Mr Matthews is originally from Kauangaroa and the hotel will be managed by Earl Matthews.
The Knapps have bought a lifestyle block in Wanganui and are retiring.
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Aydie Holland and Tracey Eades-Worsfold want to provide you with some tender loving care.
They're the therapeutic massage practitioners at new Wanganui business TLC Health and Massage. It's owned by Barbara Briant, who also operates the Great Kiwi Back-Rub Company in Wanganui.
TLC offered full body relaxation massages and the therapists were certified and qualified, with four years' experience each, Miss Briant said.
A range of treatment clinics, such as Bowen technique and postural alignment, would also be offered. The clinic was about helping people to prevent disease, not just treating it, she said.
"There's a lot of room for improvement in health and lifestyle habits. We see ourselves as part of that."
The Back-Rub Company provided workplace chair massage and TLC extended the level of treatment that could be provided. TLC is in the same Wicksteed St premises as the Polyclinic Dental Centre, owned by Adam Durning.
Mr Durning said a range of health professionals working from one premise in a health spa concept was the future of health and wellbeing in New Zealand.
<i>Business Briefs:</i> Purr-fect place to retire
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