What better way to celebrate Spring than coming together to dance! At the end of September, folk dancers throughout Aotearoa will be gathering in Gisborne to do just that. Run by Folk Dance New Zealand and hosted by Gisborne’s recreational folk dance group, Good Folk, the weekend of dance workshops features both visiting and local tutors and is open to everyone. Good Folk director and former president of Folk Dance New Zealand, Gisborne resident Jane Luiten is hoping the weekend will whet local appetites for community dance, both from dancers and local musicians. ‘Dance is the shortcut to connection and joy, regardless of age or background or skill’, says Luiten, ‘There is no quicker way of bringing people together.’ Such occasions, she adds, spring fully into life with live musicians on board, who equally enjoy playing for live dancers. With so much musical talent in Gisborne, the hope is that the event will be the springboard for future community dancing. ‘Dancing together is in our DNA – just look at the district dance halls throughout Te Tairāwhiti and beyond. We just need reminding how.’ The feature act of the weekend, from which the event takes its name, are the Balfolk dance and musician workshops held on Saturday, to be followed by an evening Bal, or Folk Ball. Balfolk is a lively and participatory dance genre originating from European folk traditions. It encompasses various partner dances, group dances, line dances and circle dances, with each dance having plenty of room for individual expression and improvisation. The dances range from fast-paced and dynamic to slow and graceful, catering to dancers of all skill levels. Balfolk gatherings feature live music, creating a communal atmosphere and a vibrant dance experience. The musician workshop run concurrently on Saturday is aimed at local amateur musicians who want to be part of the fun. Sheet music for the tunes can be obtained prior to the event, the idea being that after a day of directed workshopping, dancers and musicians can come together in the evening, when the magic begins. The inspiration for the Tūranga Bal is largely the collaboration of two seasoned dancers on a mission to grow the Balfolk community in Aotearoa. Renowned dancer, teacher and choreographer Michael Parmenter, of Auckland, brings to the floor a lifetime of knowledge and experience in dance. Michael recently completed a fellowship in community dance at the University of Otago. Kate Grace of Dunedin, also a community dance teacher, brings a cultural perspective. Kate grew up in France immersed in the rich tradition of Balfolk and has an innate understanding of its significance within the community. Like Jane Luiten, their efforts to create a ripple effect that touches enthusiasts across the country stems from a deep belief in the transformative power of dance in bringing people together and enriching lives. On Sunday, the Appalachian clogging workshop draws on local dance enthusiast Elizabeth Raines, whose clogging team in her USA homeland has toured extensively internationally. Clogging is distinctly American as it blends dancing elements from the British Isles, Africa and pre-Columbian America. The workshop will focus on beginning/intermediate clogging steps and then integrate them into mountain-style square dance figures. In the afternoon, international folk dance favourites are revised by Jane. The dance party on Sunday evening features simple folk dances accessible for all. Over the weekend, Folk Dance New Zealand members will also be learning a song specifically composed for them, in waiata-a-ringa workshops led by Paraone Luiten-Apirana. Folk Dance New Zealand is a national organisation that seeks to support all forms of folk dance. The Tūranga Bal is the annual gathering for members but, Jane stresses, the weekend is for everyone. The musician aspect of the event is supported by funding from the Creative Communities Scheme. From complete beginners to seasoned enthusiasts, everyone is warmly encouraged to join. ‘Folk Dance, by definition, is inclusive: ‘People Dance’, which doesn’t require partners, experience, or skill particularly. Bring your smile! The Tūranga Bal runs from 30 September – 1 October 2023. For further details and registration visit www.folkdance.nz

A couple of generous locals are putting on a Benefit Art Sale at St Andrews Hall next month and are putting the call out for donations of artworks from other artists, students and collectors to add to the pieces already up for sale. With a weekend of rain ahead, we’re thinking it’s as good a time as ever for a little declutter?! Diana is herself an artist who has been making art since her university days at UCLA. She and husband Norm have also collected works from local artists over the years. Their Art Sale project was originally conceived as a way for them to sell some of the art they had collected over the years, which after moving into a tiny home, they no longer had room to store. Since then, the idea has morphed from the humble garage sale they’d originally conceived of, to a fundraiser for the local charities, Gizzy Kai Rescue, SuperGrans and the Mayoral Relief Fund to help flood victims and other locals in need. As interest has grown, Diana and Norman are now inviting others to donate works of art to the cause. Details: Community ART SALE to be held 19 August 2 - 5pm at St. Andrews Hall. If you have Art to donate, please drop it off at the Tairawhiti Environment Centre on Palmerston Rd. or phone 867 2790 for a pick up. *Accepting Paintings, Prints, Pottery, Drawings, Weaving, Glass, Crafts, and other lovely items.

GDC are looking for a Gardener to join their team! If you are keen on working outdoors, care about the way our city looks and feels, and enjoy working in a team, this might just be you! You’ll be carrying out a variety of general maintenance planting, gardening, improvement and cleaning activities of a manual labouring nature. Reporting to the Open Space and Amenity Leader your role will be field based, across various garden sites, working in the greater team of five people. You’ll recognise the importance of the role as a Treaty partner and understand how that underpins Gisborne District Council’s work. Duties Include garden maintenance including weeding, and weed control; planting and plant husbandry tasks including trimming, pruning, and plant health measures and traffic management. You need a full NZ Drivers Licence and need to be able to drive manual vehicles. You need to have an understanding of Health and Safety responsibilities and practices and ideally you’ll be physically fit and able, and be willing to work outdoors in all weather conditions, including working on the road corridor. To apply and find out more information head to https://www.gdc.govt.nz/council/careers Click APPLY or contact Oriana Rojas - Open Space and Amenity Leader (06 867 2049) for a confidential discussion.

Mānawatia a Matariki. As we head into our second year of marking Matariki with a public holiday, it’s great to see and hear about the different ways we are celebrating te Mātahi o te Tau, the Māori New Year. Some of us have grown up with Matariki purakau and traditions that call us to pause, to remember our ancestors, celebrate the present, and make plans for the future. For some of us, Matariki is quite new. As someone who’s in that latter camp, Matariki feels like such a gift in these dark depths of winter, and especially this year it’s got to be said! I love it that the kōrero around Matariki says absolutely nothing about shopping (except perhaps for some ingredients for our Matariki feast), instead we are encouraged to bundle up and attune our eyes to the early morning skies to search out the constellation for ourselves… We’re learning that this is a time to pause, to reflect, to celebrate the here and now, and who we’re with, and cast our own intentions for the next year… all practices that feel not only appropriate, but especially potent in these months of hibernation. Thanks to all of you who have been asking, we’ve had our feelers out and have gathered together some of the things going on around the rohe celebrating Matariki here in Te Tairāwhiti this year. On Friday 14 you can head out to Eastwoodhill Arboretum for ‘Houpapa, an Indigenous Sculpture Symposium’. This is a kaupapa driven by Te Whānau a Kai, Eastwoodhill and Toihoukura. Nine local artists and one international artist are carving pou from trees that have fallen on the land. The Arboretum is open 8:30am - 4:30pm. Entry is free and from 1.30 - 3.30pm there are also Artist Talks, Matariki Presentation and a Botanical Mono-printing Workshop. A sausage sizzle is also available. ‘Tātaitia Rā - Matariki Festival’ is going on in Uawa, from 11am-2pm. A celebration where good music, good kai and good company come together as a family-friendly event for all ages. Pack up the van and head to Uawa! Get ready for some great music including Chad Chambers, The Tuari Brothers and Three Houses Down. Te Runanga o Turanganui A Kiwa and E Tu Whānau are holding ‘Mānawaitia Matariki - Matariki for our Rangatahi’ at Marina Park tomorrow, Friday 14 July, 1-5pm with a silent disco, food vendors and games. And for something a little bit different, 98 Cents are holding dance workshops at Musical Theatre Gisborne,101 Innes St, tomorrow, Friday July 14. Check out the timetable for different age groups. For all local event information head to the Gizzy Local Events Calendar here.

A chain of musicians, across generations, contributed to the incredible talent at the Tairāwhiti / East Coast Smokefree Rockquest last weekend. One of those musicians is Owen Vickers. When I first saw him play at The Cabana in Napier, I quickly realised he was a real-deal rock star. He played with ease, like the guitar was fluid in his hands. His talent was plain to see. Hundreds of thousands of others could see it too. Owen was teaching guitar for one of the top international online guitar schools. His online guitar lessons were popular and accessible to people from all over the world. Long story short, I married him. He moved to Gisborne where he didn't know anyone, but sometimes we go out and his former students recognise him. Simon Mallet recognised Owen as the Auckland guitar teacher he had when he was 15. He says that "one of Owen's lessons back in the day was jamming on a pentatonic scale and making up melodies” and it was his encouragement and compliments on this exercise that got him interested in composition. Which in turn led to Simon going on to get a Bachelor of Music with PG dip in composition. Simon then passed that encouragement on to local rangatahi, when he was teaching music at The Band School in Gisborne. The line of knowledge turned full circle when Simon referred two of his talented guitar students, Dan Walters and Curtis Wylie to Owen for more intensive lessons. Owen has semi-retired from music and only plays in the Absolute Bowie tribute band, playing at the Dome in August. But he agreed to take the two boys as they had the talent and commitment to take their skills to the next level. The imprints that musicians like Simon, Owen and many other locals pass on to these rangatahi, will be passed on to future generations. And what an amazing imprint that will be. I attended my first Rockquest, where both of Owen's guitar students shone on a stage that was dripping with talent. Jane Egan is the lower north island events manager for Rockquest and also helps look after Smokefree Tangata Beats Nationally. She covers Gizzy, Hawkes Bay, Wairarapa, Wellington, Manawatu, Whanganui and Taranaki. She's also on the team that runs the National finals events. "I've been involved with Rockquest since 1991 when I was a contestant and loved the kaupapa so much that I stuck with them covering all sorts of roles till I am where I am now. “There were 12 Bands narrowed down from 44 acts originally entered in the Gizzy region. We have a really diverse range of bands and I think that's the thing I love the most about Rockquest is that students get to express themselves however they want. They can put any combo of instruments together, they can explore any style and they can have their say about how they see their world. “I have always held the belief that Gizzy is the talent capital of NZ (or possibly the world) and I definitely think that success breeds success, which has helped dispel that mindset that we're just from little old Gizzy so we're not going to be as good as the big centres. We definitely punch above our weight here. Last year 3 of the top 10 Tangata Beats finalists were from here". Dan has played guitar since he was 8 and plays in the well-established band The Rabbits. His Rockquest band was Fire Hydrant Water Hose. He reckons the Gisborne music community provides everything you need to start learning, or, to reach whatever level of success you want. He acknowledges Darryl Monteith from Smash Palace as a key member of our music community, who’s helping it to thrive, providing a safe space for new or young bands to practice on stage. Curtis, from the band CLCS (pronounced Celsius), tells me he started playing guitar at a holiday program run by Ricky Boyd at The Band School at the age of 7 and decided to stick with it. Guitar lessons with Owen have improved his ability to shred. He's only 13 and his guitar playing speed is outstanding. Dan and Curtis agree that we have the resources and talent in Tairāwhiti to go far. Dan's next goal is to play at RnV with his band, and I'm confident he will. We will be seeing some of these kids on the international stage one day. The East Coast / Tairāwhiti Smokefree Rockquest was a celebration of young musicians like Salem, who plays funk, and sings like Stevie Wonder, Grace who channels Etta James like an old soul, and Roy on drums is a future Taylor Hawkins. (I wish I had room to mention all the rangatahi involved. You were all amazing). Tyna Keelan, another legend of Aotearoa’s music scene, who now runs the Music Production course at the Whirikoka campus of Te Wānanga o Aotearoa, was one of the judges at this year’s Rockquest, “I had a great time judging the Gizzy Rockquest...Such an eclectic and talented bunch of kids, I thought they were awesome! “Gizzy’s future musical landscape is in good hands... Meke!” Rockquest is an impressive reminder that in 'little old Gizzy', we have everything we need to succeed. Story by Aimee Vickers Photographs by Leanne McIntyre

You stand in front of a portal, with an ancient man called Drazhar the Unclean, who carries an odour on his trench coat, and an Elf, of indeterminate age. The portal leads to a research facility ship, on a faraway planet, where something has gone terribly wrong. The planet is known to be bitterly cold. What do you do? I'm faced with this challenge at my first Dungeons and Dragons night. I’ve been wanting to try D&D since Stranger Things made it cool again. Eddy fighting bats while shredding the Master of Puppets guitar solo...That was the clincher. So, when I heard that Artemis Games run D & D nights, not just for seasoned players but for beginners, I jumped at the chance to have a go. I’m at Adventure League night, at Artemis Games in Treble Court. Samsara Dowsing is our Dungeon Master. She is a masterful storyteller who has me engrossed in the world we are entering. I’m apprehensive because I’m the newb, and I'm trying not to annoy them with too many questions but the Dungeon Master puts me at ease when she winks, and whispers, "Basically you can do anything you want." There are no mistakes in a game of D&D. Each person describes their character so we are collectively visualising our journey together. This is collaborative storytelling and you can be as theatrical as you like. It's role playing with dice. The characters are as diverse as the people around the table who are all beautifully quirky and welcoming. Owners Colin and Alia Duffy, tell me that a lot of the local game playing community are neurodiverse. Alia herself is on the Autism Spectrum. It's a safe space for neurodiverse kids too. Some struggle at first with the social aspect. Small talk can be tough for some of us. Learning social rules within a new culture is hard for anyone, but Alia has seen growth amongst their regulars who had social difficulty at the start and have become some of their most dedicated members. She says "Historically there hasn't been much of an area for people who love games to do stuff in Gisborne. There's a bit of cross-over with the theatre scene, which is great. Theatre nerds make great Dungeon Masters! Learning the rules of the game is of secondary importance. The first good trait Alia looks for in a DM is the ability to improv and spin a yarn." But Artemis isn't just Dungeons and Dragons, the shop itself is full of board games, table-top games and a few Rubik’s cubes. Bringing the kids in to buy a family board game seems a great way to get them away from the screen and enjoy some family time. Alia says they opened the business in 2019 which in hindsight was not the best timing. "We've had a bit of a rough time with the pandemic and cyclone, but we're going to keep holding on until we can't. I haven't drawn a wage in two years, to me the community is more important than the business side of things and I want to see it thrive!" At $10 a game Adventure League is cheap entertainment. About ten people sign up for a game once a month, and anyone is welcome. Don't be overwhelmed by the character stats and dice maths. Just immerse yourself in a story and have a bit of fun. Embrace your inner geek. So, as an acrobatic cat woman, the size of a basketball player, I somersaulted through that portal, followed by an Elf with two cross-bows. (He wouldn’t sell his second crossbow because you never know when you might need it). We found a blood-soaked note in the hands of a decomposing body, which we couldn't decipher it until I rolled a dice and bought a potion for a few gold coins. When the three day journey back to the portal was questioned, the DM soothed nerves by saying, "don't worry we'll be travelling at the speed of plot." Story by Aimee Vickers Photographs by Owen Vickers

2023 Winter School Holiday Programmes HB Williams Memorial Library: Poetry competition in celebration of Matariki. July 11 Open Mic night for rangatahi, 11-18 years old Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival at Lawson Field Theatre: July 6, 10am & 12pm Pīpī Paopao is a performance for tamariki aged three to five years old - and their adults - which adopts the unique characteristics of our Manu Rangatira (noble birdlife) through waiata and play. July 9, 10-2pm Children’s Day event at Stand Tū Māia, BBQ, music & entertainment. July 10, 4:30-6pm Taiki e! Nextgen's Rangatahi Night Market at Treble Court Events4All at Awapuni School: Week 1: Mask & clock making, board game challenge, movie & fish n chip days Week 2: Krypton Factor, balloon fun, crafts & lego. Gisborne Gymnastics Club Monday - Friday both weeks. Gymnastics, tumbling, crafts, parkour and circus skills! Gizzy Local Youth Market Thursday 13 July. Arty Farty - KidsCreatioNZ at Te Hapara School Hall Nurturing children’s self-expression through art, music, dance and drama - full days of a range of varied and engaging creative activities. Week 1 schedule & Week 2 Comet Swimming Club: Boost your child's swimming ability or introduce new swimmers to Learn to Swim running for both weeks of the holidays. The Bush Kura Holiday Camp July 5 to 7, for tamariki aged 9 - 13, in Ruatoria. Oscar at YMCA: Fun activities for ages 5-13 year olds Including cooking, sports, games & arts & crafts. Week 1 & Week 2 schedules Tairāwhiti Museum: Week 1 only - Art with Wool & Clay workshops PB Hockey Junior: July 4 & 5 Skills, Drills and understanding of the Junior game. Bubble Wrap Fun Days at Gisborne Showgrounds: July 6 & 7 bouncy castles, soft play area, pony go rides, competitions & a cafe. The Band School Winter Holiday Programme at Gisborne Intermediate Week 2 only. Beginners/young musicians option - try drums, guitars, keyboards, ukulele, boomwhackers and make music with new friends. Experienced musicians, age 8-15 improve your skills, join a band & put on a concert! Tōnui Collab @ Lawson Field Theatre: July 11: Virtual Reality July 12: Game Development July 13 : Digital Animation Riverview Treks & Pinehollow Riding School: July 3rd to 13th: horseriding programme

Life can be fraught with grey areas, especially when it comes to ‘doing the right thing’. Each decision we make can be weighed against a range of factors, and for every perceived plus, there always seems to be a corresponding negative, somewhere along the line.. When it comes to putting (non-invasive) plants in the ground however, there is a blessed absence of murkiness. Flowers to feed the bees or to pick for friends, vegetables and fruit to feed ourselves, trees to help us breathe easier, give us shelter, prevent erosion and cool the planet. Lisa and Nik House are the “New Owners Of Touchstone Garden Centre”, that is, they took over the business two years ago now. But Gisborne being the sort of place that it is, they still find themselves welcoming new faces every week, and say they’re happy to be in a position to help younger generations locate, or nurture their green fingers into being. While it’s been a crazy few years for local business owners, with so many challenges to their mere survival, Nik and Lisa note that both the Covid pandemic and the recent cyclones have precipitated a real comeback for the home garden. “We’ve definitely seen an increase in people planting edibles, from seedlings through to fruit trees” notes Nick. As people realised that our country’s food basket was decimated virtually overnight in Cyclone Gabrielle, domestic suppliers have experienced unprecedented sales as people sought to get vegetables in the ground in preparation for even crazier prices at the supermarkets. Which makes excellent sense. You can pick up a pack of six cauliflower seedlings for about $4.99 from a garden centre, while a cauli from the supermarket will set you back a treacherous 8 bucks or so. Lisa and Nick’s own home garden is entirely edible. Lisa says that for her, she gets her true joy in gardening from the harvest; the food that ends up on the table, that they then get to enjoy. Their home garden also features a lot of pots and Lisa shares a pot formula that a customer once shared and which has become a blueprint for her own potted garden. That is, every pot needs a thriller, a filler and a spiller. The ‘thriller’ being the main event - think a blueberry bush or dwarf fruit tree. The ‘filler’ might be a layer of annuals, flowers that will attract the pollinators, and the ‘spiller’ is the ground cover, which provides a mulch to keep the weeds at bay. Lisa suggests something like a cascading Rosemary plant, which not only looks good and keeps the weeds at bay, but also provides another edible in your pot and some joy for the bees. They’re quite passionate about the potted garden, which allows you to grow your own food even if you are renting or nomadic. Pots can be anything from a bucket with drainage holes poked in the bottom to a beautiful ceramic pot, of which Touchstone have an impressive range. As we discussed the strange summer we’ve had, and the effect it had on the growing season, with many fruit trees just not fruiting, they noted that the dwarf varieties in their own garden had done a lot better than the full sized versions, both in pots and in the ground. Nik and Lisa themselves have led rather nomadic lives since meeting in Rotorua a few moons back, and they’ve packed a lot in since then, including a couple of degrees (teaching and accounting respectively), four children, a good few moves with house and garden renovations thrown in the mix. Nik got his first school principal role at Matawai School, where they are grateful to have been able to live the rural life for five years. Matawai was followed by Tauranga, which turned from a sleepy town to a miniature Auckland in the seven years that they lived there. They were ready to get back to Gizzy. Nik was the school principal at Awapuni School and Lisa was working at BDO when the pair lost family members within a short space of time. They had often talked about embarking on a venture together, “you spend most of your lives working, rather than with your favourite person” Lisa says. The passing of the family members brought an “awareness of the timeline” to the fore. “We thought what are we waiting for? Let’s do something”. They were driving home from a visit out of town when they saw the For Sale sign outside Touchstone and six months later they had taken the business over. Lisa is big on sustainability and simplicity and our recent big weather events have given the pair the impetus to move on many of the improvements they had known they wanted to make to the business they inherited but which had been often subsumed by the everyday realities of running a business. They have installed water tanks, and changed their watering systems to bottom feeding for some of the plants not on the irrigation system. This not only is better for the plants’ root systems but also means that they don’t need to travel into work on their days off during summer to water plants. They are also installing a compost system to make use of the prunings and other green waste. They’ll be able to use that compost to boost the soil when they bag up bare rooted stock that comes in. The other changes they’ve made relate more to their becoming a part of the Ballance Street Village community. Installing a coffee machine, and the complement of freshly roasted Far East coffee has added vibe and energy to the business as well as their days. There’s nothing like a coffee to sip on while you get down to the nitty gritty on the best variety of plum tree to plant. The pair are also proud of their beautiful range of gardening accompaniments and accessories. A stunning pair of antique doors are leaned up beside a fabulous array of quality pots in all shapes and sizes. Touchstone is a great place to source interesting pieces of furniture that have lived interesting lives already, for gardening books, and other garden-y gifts - the kinds of things that you’re not likely to find anywhere else in town. To bring a smile and some vitamin-filled goodness into these rain drenched days, Touchstone and Gizzy Local would like to gift 2 dwarf fruit trees to a couple of lucky Gizzy locals. Email us with your favourite fruit to go into the draw! We'll draw the winners on Wednesday 28 June, 2023. Thanks Lisa and Nik, so grateful for what you’ve brought to the Ballance Street Village vibe! Story by Sarah Cleave Photographs by Tom Teutenberg

There’s sometimes a bit to complain about here in Te Tairāwhiti, and we’re often ready to oblige. It can feel good to unleash our frustrations about this and that. This pot-hole… that sewage…Well, my friend, today is your chance to turn those complaints into action. The Ministry for the Environment is currently seeking public input through a consultation on the redesigned Permanent Forest Category in the Emission Trading Scheme. This consultation tackles critical questions about the types of trees eligible for the permanent forest category, the management of transition forests, and the sustainable practices for permanent forests. For me, it boils down to a simple question: Do we want more pine trees or fewer? Today, I encourage you to channel your innate ability to complain into a force for positive change. For those who possess a poetic spirit, craft a lyrical opus spanning ten pages on the topic of forestry. For the less inclined, simply tick the box that advocates for "allowing only native trees in the Permanent Forest Category" and consider it a day's work. I confess I took the latter route before writing this article. Why should you have a say? Because decisions about the management of our land and forests are far too crucial to be left solely to politicians. As residents of Tairāwhiti, a region profoundly affected by forestry practices, it is imperative that our voices are heard. The land we inhabit is a shared resource, and it is our responsibility to contribute to the decision-making process actively. Silence may impede progress, but when we engage actively, we can drive real change. Tairāwhiti's expansive pine tree plantations have proven to be a double-edged sword. While exotic pine trees offer rapid growth and economic opportunities through overseas sales, they also present environmental challenges. Recent extreme weather events have starkly revealed the negative consequences of these plantations, with slash wreaking havoc and causing substantial devastation to our region. Your voice holds significance, and by actively participating in the decision-making process, we can shape a more sustainable and environmentally conscious future for Tairāwhiti. To ensure your opinions are considered, visit the official consultation website at https://consult.environment.govt.nz/.../nz-ets-permanent.../. Because if you’re going to complain, at least let your voice be heard. By Jack Marshall Photo credit Matt Palmer

Winter is a great time to geek out on your interests, make new friends, and find reasons to get out of your house in the evenings! We noticed that Gisborne Camera Club are holding an event this weekend, bringing renowned nature photographer, writer, lecture and marine scientist Kim Westerskov to town for a workshop and presentation, so jumped on the opportunity to find out why people might want to get involved in this little club that’s been trucking for more than a hundred years here in Gizzy. We met the current president of the camera club, Julia Rae, who gave us the lowdown: Club members meet once monthly to hone their skills, share their recent photographic exploits and supper. The monthly sessions set off with a demonstration or presentation by a visiting photographer or club member. These might involve someone sharing a series of their own works, or debriefing on a course or workshop they’ve done recently. It might involve everyone getting their cameras out and giving something a go, or it might be a case of sitting back and enjoying the show. The second part of each meeting involves a competition of sorts. Each month members enter their prints or digital images, which are sent to an out of town judge, who gives feedback on each of the images. Each of the images are shown and the feedback read out, which might sound intimidating, but it’s all anonymous (except for the top scoring images), and Julia says that the camaraderie and opportunity to learn from each other ensures it's a positive experience. The club also holds photography field trips and workshops, which she says are as good for developing friendships as they are skills… She says theres a real range of photographic interests amongst the existing members, from street, still life, nature and black & white photography, or portraiture, to digital art and forms such as ‘intentional camera movement’. There’s heaps of diversity to inspire and cross pollinate your own interests with. The Gisborne Camera Club meets on the third Thursday of every month between February and November, at the Senior Citizens Hall, from 7:30pm. All ages and abilities are welcome! Membership costs $50 per person or $90 for a pair, per annum. If you’re interested in learning more, get in touch via their public Facebook page and anyone can head along to this Friday’s presentation by Kim Westerskov. It’s $5 on the door at Senior Citizens Hall, 30 Grey St at 7pm.

An iceberg or an onion. Those are the two analogies that come to mind when I interview Jordan Walker. On the surface they present as youthful and artsy, with a relaxed and easy-going manner that immediately puts me at ease. But as we get further into the interview it becomes clear that there is more to Jordan than meets the eye. Like an iceberg. Jordan (Ngāi Tūhoe, Ngāti Kahungunu ki Wairoa, Ngāti Porou and Ngāi Te Rangi) lives with their partner who has recently had successful IVF treatment and the happy couple are expecting their first baby this year. They’ve adopted a few chooks too, and they were pleased to announce they collected three eggs this morning. Jordan is the new local candidate for the Greens party, so one would assume they care for community and the environment, and they do, but there is more to them than that. Jordan is multi-layered (that’s where I slide in the onion analogy) They work in the arts sector and have a background in anthropology. Jordan has undertaken research into the value of artists and art for community well-being, culture, and connection, which is partly why Jordan has an affiliation with the Greens and their policy to reinstate an income support scheme for the arts and cultural employment.. Jordan tells me that the median income for artists in Aotearoa is $19,500 per annum. Creativity and ideas can only come to life when people have everything they need to survive, says Jordan. We need to place more value on artists. However, that’s not really what drew them into politics. Jordan was raised by a single mum who escaped an abusive relationship with four children in tow. It was tough going financially. Jordan’s whānau were touched by tragedy when at the age of 13, their brother died of suicide. Grief impacted their whānau in different ways, but it forced Jordan to grow up, Jordan says, pushing their own grief to the side to support their whānau. But as with any trauma, Jordan acknowledges it can take a lifetime to unpack. And that’s what led them down this political path. Jordan has experienced life scenarios where they felt vulnerable, or needed advocacy, and as a result they’ve naturally gravitated to becoming an advocate for other people. They put their hand up to run for council last year, and found it exhausting. It was a big learning curve and although cradled within the Māori candidate caucus, Jordan found it an isolating experience for a newbie, whereas being a Greens candidate has been less of a gauntlet. It’s nice to feel part of a big team, says Jordan, with plenty of resources and support provided. First things first, just party vote Green at election time. After that, thinking long term, there is a pathway to parliament and eventually Jordan would like to be there. They’ve taken on this role, not as a one off candidate but as a long term potential, which is good news for us. The local Green Party branches main campaign points are around the climate crisis and a Just Transition, focusing on regenerative agriculture and better forestry practice. With Jordan particularly keen in redistributing wealth by introducing a capital gains tax and placing people and whenua over profit. “We have 50% Māori here on the East Coast, and 80% of our people are living in poverty. We need to redistribute wealth so that people don’t have to struggle” - Te Tiriti o Waitangi is at the centre of the Greens charter and that’s something Jordan always comes back to. Jordan is also a proponent of resilient infrastructure and bringing rail back to life. Rather than pouring money into fixing the roads destroyed by logging trucks, investing in rail makes more sense. As a final question I think it’s important to ask if the Greens have been affected by online misinformation. Jordan says yes, at a recent meeting they heard a rumour that the Greens did not support burning slash and that it was illegal. Not true, says Jordan, the Greens are an evidence based party, and it pays to fact check in the age of misinformation. A vote for Greens means no more band aid approaches. Jordan wants to see real, sustainable improvement in our community as we head into unprecedented times. Kotahitanga. Everyone should have what they need to survive, and maybe then, we can allow ourselves a little creativity, for our own, and everyone’s well-being. Story by Aimee Milne Image supplied Sponsored Content Authorised by Miriam Ross, Level 5, 108 The Terrace, Wellington

This story is about a local woman, Theresa Zame and her journey of building awareness around the Therapeutic Products Bill, which is currently being reviewed in parliament. Theresa has stage four lung cancer. She was told that her cancer is terminal, and was given 9 months to live when she received her diagnosis. ? months have passed since that prognosis due to the medication she is taking. This medication is called Tagrix, suggested to her by her oncologist as my first line of medication. It is imported via a humanitarian business - Hope Pharma Connections Ltd. Her oncologist writes a prescription, and Hope Pharma Connections sends that prescription to a reputable pharmacy – Beacon Pharmaceuticals Limited, which then mails the medication to Theresa. Hope Pharma Connections has helped hundreds of vulnerable people since establishing its distribution network in NZ in July 2020. Tagrix is produced by Beacon Pharmaceuticals Ltd is a Bangladeshi pharmaceutical company that develops generic versions of medications. They manufacture more than 200 generic drugs and 65 oncology medications, which cost 8 - 10% of the originator’s brand. As of her last CT in February, Theresa discovered that the cancer mets she had in her bones and liver were gone, the tumour in her left lung had shrunk and the cancer throughout her lungs had significantly thinned - the cancer is now localised in her lungs. Her CT showed that there had been no progression, that the Tagrix is working effectively - delaying the onset of the cancer, relieving her symptoms and preventing complications. This medication, her lifeline, the thing that has given her a better quality of life and extra time would no longer be available to Theresa if the Therapeutic Products Bill is passed in its current form by parliament. There is an FDA approved medication called Tagrisso, but Theresa would only qualify and be prescribed it would be if her lung cancer had metastasised and reached her brain - an ambulance at the bottom of the cliff type of approach, which Theresa says desperately needs to be reassessed. This FDA approved medication costs $10,000 a month compared to the $1000 a month that the generic medication that Theresa currently accesses. Tagrisso is funded in the bulk of OECD countries including Australia but not here in New Zealand. Under the new bill Theresa would no longer be able to receive Tagrix by mail as it is an unfunded medicine. The only way she would be able to access Tagrix would be by travelling to Bangladesh and purchasing it herself. Nor would she be able to raise money to purchase Tagrix via a Givealittle page or have open conversations around funded medicines, as talking about it publicly is deemed to be communication under the advertisement clause of the new bill. There are a huge number of concerns about this Therapeutics Bill currently under Review in Parliament. Many come from Rongoā practitioners, importers and users of natural therapies around the country. Theresa’s concern is around the consultation process for the bill, which opened and closed before most New Zealanders were even aware of it and implications that it will have on our ability to care for our own health if it passes. “Having a terminal illness is confronting and it makes you feel vulnerable as you become acutely aware that you’re not going to live as long as you had thought you would. “It can also make you strong and want to fight for your life” says Theresa. Theresa has started a petition to parliament that is open for signatures until May 26 2023. The petition asks that the House of Representatives amend the Therapeutic Products Bill to enable patients to import prescription meds, reflect how clinical trials operate through SCOTT Committee, change the definition of “advertisement” so it does not risk criminalising patients, advocates & media, and incorporate s 29 of the Medicines Act 1981. You can find it here: tinyurl.com/3svc6amr Theresa has also organised a couple of events, one in Gisborne and another in Wellington to create awareness around these issues with the Bill as it stands. You can find the event details here: https://fb.me/e/314JtaZxH We encourage you to do your own research, and if you are concerned, use your voice!