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!

I thought this was a story about zero waste school lunches. What I quickly realised is that the transformations at Te Kura Reo Rua O Waikirikiri are much bigger than waste minimisation (although that is definitely happening). This is indeed a story about zero waste…of people. Wind back to 2020 and the chaos of the covid pandemic. Staff noticed an increase of issues amongst the tamariki, including self-harm and depression. While the wellbeing plan was already in formation, two new personnel were added to the team to put the vision into action. Experienced Teacher, Koka Megan Windybank has focused on supporting students and teachers social and emotional learning for the past three years. Koka Tui Keenan initially focused on whānau and now works as the school counsellor. Alongside the school social worker Koka Rangi Houia, the special education needs coordinator and Principal Koka Yolanda Julies, they form the school wellbeing team. All teachers and schools across Aotearoa are aware of Sir Mason Durie’s Te Whare Tapa Wha Model. This is a model where the person is symbolised by a wharenui (meeting house) with four walls. The wharenui walls are made up of: ● Taha tinana – physical wellbeing ● Taha hinengaro – mental wellbeing ● Taha whānau – family, community, and social wellbeing ● Taha wairua – spiritual wellbeing. The whenua (land) forms the foundation. Te Kura Reo Rua o Waikirikiri has an intimate appreciation and understanding, that if those four walls of the whare are not strong or nurtured, the house will not stand. That is, the child is unwell and not prepared for learning. So how does this school address wellbeing? They have resourced a wellbeing team to provide wrap-around support, provide focused professional development around brain development, especially children’s brains and emotional intelligence. Trauma-informed care. Mindfulness and Yoga. Play therapy. Healthy kai and mahinga kai (collection and harvesting). Physical exercise and repetitive movements such as Mau Rakau. Other schools often have a counsellor that flies in for the day from another region. This school has a counsellor that is connected to the children and the whānau and approaches health through connection to Papatūānuku. A sensory garden is under development, especially for tamariki on the Autism Spectrum. Native nursery and fruit trees. Learning through play. The list is extensive and impressive and the school is often requested to share their approach with other teaching and health professionals. It is hard to encapsulate how profound the wellbeing programme is at Te Kura Reo Rua O Waikirikiri and to include the many strands that are in play. But perhaps a spotlight on their kai-based initiatives can give some insight. Previously, 180 school lunches were delivered each day from a Gisborne-based catering provider. There were high volumes of packaging waste and meals that weren’t eaten. At the same time, through the whānau wellbeing programme, parents were engaged in cooking classes, home gardens and hunting programmes and the school knew they had a group of mamas with the skills to deliver the school lunch programme. The cooking tech space was easily upgraded to become a commercial kitchen and 12 months ago three mamas were employed. The Mamas understand what the children like to eat and can gently expand their taste buds with new foods that the whānau are also learning to include in home meals through cooking classes at the school and online. Tamariki deliver these meals to pakeke (elders) in the community. There’s an effortless connection between the kitchen and kids as it is some of the students’ mamas who are making the meals. The children know the mamas, see them everyday when they collect the meals, and can even pop in and ask for seconds. Sometimes children help prepare the lunches too. They grow the lettuces for their sandwiches and are responsible for food waste (one pig bucket each week) to become compost and worm food in the school gardens. Beyond the school lunches there is an exciting new initiative ‘Kete’, a ‘My Food Bag’ type subscription based at Waikirikiri School using local veges and venison. The seniors help to pack three healthy meals into reusable chilly bags every Wednesday and are often involved in cooking the meals at home. Back to the waste, the caretaker was animated as he spoke of massive reductions. There are no uneaten meals. The reusable containers are easily collected up onsite and take only half an hour to wash after lunch. And yes there is still small amounts of plastic waste and packaging. I didn’t get into the details of how much because it doesn’t really matter. As zero waste chef Anne Marie Bonneau said, “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly”. Rick Thorpe is a zero waste guru in Aotearoa and his view is that waste is a social issue rather than an engineering one. I could feel his words resonating as my time at Waikirikiri unfolded. An engineering approach might have looked in the bins and seen high volumes of divertable materials, focused on processes, bins and signage. A social approach focuses on the connection between the children, the school and the lunches, which is the pathway Wairikikiri have undertaken. As Koka Megan explained, “We’ve seen huge shifts because we have changed our approach and our response. We don’t have school yard fighting, children were throwing chairs around the room, all that carry on…..we just don’t see that now” What I did see was children hugging teachers, a joyful staffroom, mamas singing as they prepared meals, planting, colour, growth and health…..all wrapped up by physical, emotional, spiritual and whānau wellbeing. Zero waste… of people. Story by Jo McKay Photograph by Tom Teutenberg

I thought this was a story about zero waste school lunches. What I quickly realised is that the transformations at Te Kura Reo Rua O Waikirikiri are much bigger than waste minimisation (although that is definitely happening). This is indeed a story about zero waste…of people. Wind back to 2020 and the chaos of the covid pandemic. Staff noticed an increase of issues amongst the tamariki, including self-harm and depression. While the wellbeing plan was already in formation, two new personnel were added to the team to put the vision into action. Experienced Teacher, Koka Megan Windybank has focused on supporting students and teachers social and emotional learning for the past three years. Koka Tui Keenan initially focused on whānau and now works as the school counsellor. Alongside the school social worker Koka Rangi Houia, the special education needs coordinator (SENCO) and Principal Koka Yolanda Julies, they form the school wellbeing team. All teachers and schools across Aotearoa are aware of Sir Mason Durie’s Te Whare Tapa Wha Model. This is a model where the person is symbolised by a wharenui (meeting house) with four walls. The wharenui walls are made up of: -Taha tinana – physical wellbeing -Taha hinengaro – mental wellbeing -Taha whānau – family, community, and social wellbeing -Taha wairua – spiritual wellbeing. The whenua (land) forms the foundation. Te Kura Reo Rua o Waikirikiri has an intimate appreciation and understanding, that if those four walls of the whare are not strong or nurtured, the house will not stand. That is, the child is unwell and not prepared for learning. So how does this school address wellbeing? They have resourced a wellbeing team to provide wrap-around support, provide focused professional development around brain development, especially children’s brains and emotional intelligence. Trauma-informed care. Mindfulness and Yoga. Play therapy. Healthy kai and mahinga kai (collection and harvesting). Physical exercise and repetitive movements such as Mau Rakau. Other schools often have a counsellor that flies in for the day from another region. This school has a counsellor that is connected to the children and the whānau and approaches health through connection to Papatūānuku. A sensory garden is under development, especially for tamariki on the Autism Spectrum. Native nursery and fruit trees. Learning through play. The list is extensive and impressive and the school is often requested to share their approach with other teaching and health professionals. It is hard to encapsulate how profound the wellbeing programme is at Te Kura Reo Rua O Waikirikiri and to include the many strands that are in play. But perhaps a spotlight on their kai-based initiatives can give some insight. Previously, 180 school lunches were delivered each day from a Gisborne-based catering provider. There were high volumes of packaging waste and meals that weren’t eaten. At the same time, through the whānau wellbeing programme, parents were engaged in cooking classes, home gardens and hunting programmes and the school knew they had a group of mamas with the skills to deliver the school lunch programme. The cooking tech space was easily upgraded to become a commercial kitchen and 12 months ago three mamas were employed. The Mamas understand what the children like to eat and can gently expand their taste buds with new foods that the whānau are also learning to include in home meals through cooking classes at the school and online. Tamariki deliver these meals to pakeke (elders) in the community. There’s an effortless connection between the kitchen and kai as it’s the students’ mamas who are making the meals. The children know the mamas, see them everyday when they collect the meals, and can even pop in and ask for seconds. Sometimes children help prepare the lunches too. They grow the lettuces for their sandwiches and are responsible for food waste (one pig bucket each week) to become compost and worm food in the school gardens. Beyond the school lunches there is an exciting new initiative ‘Kete’, a ‘My Food Bag’ type subscription based at Waikirikiri School using local veges and venison. The seniors help to pack three healthy meals into reusable chilly bags every Wednesday and are often involved in cooking the meals at home. Back to the waste, the caretaker was animated as he spoke of massive reductions. There are no uneaten meals. The reusable containers are easily collected up onsite and take only half an hour to wash after lunch. And yes there is still small amounts of plastic waste and packaging. I didn’t get into the details of how much because it doesn’t really matter. As zero waste chef Anne Marie Bonneau said, “We don’t need a handful of people doing zero waste perfectly. We need millions of people doing it imperfectly”. Rick Thorpe is a zero waste guru in Aotearoa and his view is that waste is a social issue rather than an engineering one. I could feel his words resonating as my time at Waikirikiri unfolded. An engineering approach might have looked in the bins and seen high volumes of divertable materials, focused on processes, bins and signage. A social approach focuses on the connection between the children, the school and the lunches, which is the pathway Wairikikiri have undertaken. As Koka Megan explained, “We’ve seen huge shifts because we have changed our approach and our response. We don’t have school yard fighting, children were throwing chairs around the room, all that carry on…..we just don’t see that now” What I did see was children hugging teachers, a joyful staffroom, mamas singing as they prepared meals, planting, colour, growth and health…..all wrapped up by physical, emotional, spiritual and whānau wellbeing. Zero waste… of people. Story by Jo McKay Photograph by Tom Teutenberg

Gizzy Kai Rescue was launched almost one year ago to the day. The idea formed when two Gisborne women Michele Ferrere and Alena Swannell discovered they shared the same dream of rescuing perfectly good food from the waste stream and diverting it to people in need. Individually they had felt overwhelmed by the enormity of the proposition but together they decided, they might just be able to make it happen. The two enlisted the help of Sarah Punnet and started collecting intel on how best to carry out such an operation. Many of the systems and guiding principles that have gotten Gizzy Kai Rescue to where they are today were based on those of Wellington-based Kaibosh, New Zealand’s oldest food rescue organisation. Satisty, another food rescue operation based in North Canterbury was also a useful source of know-how and expertise. The group’s aims fitted well with the Gisborne District Council’s goals to reduce the amount of green waste going to landfill by 40 percent and funds they acquired through the Waste Minimisation Fund along with a grant from ECT’s community resilience fund saw the venture take flight on October 31 of last year. Further grants from Lotteries and COGS, generous donations from local and national groups and businesses have helped to keep them going. In their one year of operation Gizzy Food Rescue has rescued over 41 tonnes of food items and 700 kilos of non-food items from going to landfill. Today a rotation of 40 volunteers see items collected once or twice a day from Pak n Save and Countdown and then sorted, ready to be picked up by seven different recipient organisations, which are responsible for distributing the goods to their clients. Items include bread, eggs, vegetables, tinned food, cereals, baby products and non-food items, most of which are unable to be sold because of damaged packaging. One of the strengths of Gizzy Kai Rescue is a structure that ensures the rescued goods go to people in need. In partnering with organisations such as Supergrans and Te Hiringa Matua, which provide other wrap around services, there are existing relationships and more to the relationship than the provision of free food. These organisations know their clients, they can ensure aspects such as food safety, and there is less likelihood of issues such as on-selling or people not necessarily in need accessing the items, which can’t be guaranteed with other resources such as Food Pantries. As one of GKR’s volunteers Heather points out “not everyone has transport and people can be shy about asking for food. To have these organisations who know the people in need are, means we know that this food is getting to people who need it - that’s really important. We trust there’s accountability, and it’s all going through the right channels”. This accountability is important to anyone invested in the process, volunteers as well as donors. And as word has spread as to the tight ship Gizzy Kai Rescue have been running, so have wanna-be-donors been starting to knock at the door with offers of food to be rescued. With so much produce grown in the Tairawhiti you can imagine how much ends up being plowed back into paddocks, fed to animals or left to rot. Sitting at the other end of the operations is a list of about 20 potential recipient organisations with clients in massive need. Recent research carried out by the Auckland City Mission has found that one in ten New Zealanders lives with some form of food insecurity. With all of this capacity for growth at both ends of the Gizzy Kai Rescue equation, the organisation is at a crossroads. But while that it is usually an enviable position for a new enterprise to be in, Michele wishes there weren’t so many people struggling to put food on the table and there wasn’t so much food needing to be rescued. Catering to the increased demand at both ends represents a huge logistical exercise, which Gizzy Kai Rescue is unable to meet in their current model. They have secured funding through ECT to hire a Fulltime Manager for the next three years - someone who can help take the organisation to the next level. The Friday I was in at the GKR premises all of the volunteers in that day had been involved in GKR from the start. I was struck by the energy, laughter and enthusiasm that filled the space and floated out onto the street. Michele spoke of our “really giving community” which has enabled Gizzy Kai Rescue to be the success it is, as the volunteers themselves were all quick to speak about how their involvement with GKR actually feeds them. Carol Proudfoot who also volunteers at other local charities explained “I’m widowed now and I have no intention of sitting at home feeling sorry for myself. You meet all sorts of people..I think [GKR] is a bloody good thing and there must be a hang of a lot of people out there who need this.” Anne on the other hand, had gone out and got a casual paid job when she returned to Gisborne from Tauranga but hadn’t got any satisfaction from it “so I thought ‘stuff it, I’m going to resign and I’m going to do voluntary work’ and I love it. I feel, yeah..I’ve done something good, you know..” Anne is another prolific volunteer. Times are changing. France for example have brought in laws making it is illegal for supermarkets to dump food. But for now, Gizzy Kai Rescue are fulfilling a priceless gap, which benefits both our people and our environment.

It was a sunny day when I drove up the Cook Hospital Hill, and quite surreal to see the difference in the landscape from when I had worked as a shorthand typist at the Cook Hospital in the 1980s. Here in Tairāwhiti, we have some of the most beautiful botanical gardens and arboretums in the country. I was stoked to be checking out one of the less known Tūranga gardens with Ray Gowland to learn more about this grassroots community project. The gardens are in a 1.85 hectare Council reserve close to where the old Cook Hospital had overlooked the city. You can access the tranquil little valley from either Diana Avenue at the top of Hospital Hill or Valley Road, opposite The Farmyard, in Mangapapa. It was interesting to note while I was digging around historical documents that the main hospital in the late 1800s had been in Aberdeen Road. The new hospital was built on the hill because new premises were needed for the increasing numbers of sick people with “Gisborne fever” and epidemics of typhoid, diphtheria, and influenza. Very relatable as we experience our own Covid-19 pandemic! The hospital was built on what had previously been farmland, at the top of the hill where the water reservoirs now stand and was opened in 1914. By the 1980s, the time had come to modernise again, but due to land movement, a new hospital facility was built in Ormond Road, opening in 1985. It was noted at the opening of the current Gisborne Hospital that there was no longer any need to have typhoid or tuberculosis wards. The old hospital was demolished in 1988 and residential housing popped up in the 1990s and 2000s. Ray Gowland recalls it was the Turanga Lions Club’s idea to create a “small Eastwoodhill” close to the city. Lions Club members began the garden project in 2001, and despite the club closing in 2011, Ray stayed on as Project Convenor to develop the gardens. The site had been left untouched for some time, so it took a massive effort to get it under control. “It was just a steep cliff. A complete jungle covered in honeysuckle and weeds. A dumping ground for rubbish and machinery. We put up fences and walls. Cleared it. And planted the full gambit of native trees, Rewarewa, Kauri, Manuka along with Rhododendrons, Camellias and other flowers. There’s an underground bunker, but we never found it.” Volunteers have been helping Ray with the mahi - developing, improving, and extending the gardens ever since. In addition to thousands of volunteer hours, donations from the Turanga Lions Club, Williams Family Trust and Gisborne District Council have contributed to the project. The Council staff and contractors continue to provide support with plants and advice. At the moment, four volunteers meet every Friday morning for three hours of weeding, planting, maintenance, some good banter and a cuppa. Two of them, Martin Cox and Graeme Miller, share similar stories as retirees wanting to give back to the land and the community. The camaraderie and putting the world right are top of their minds most days. Martin has been helping for eight years and Graeme, two. Martin asks anyone sitting at home, retired or at a loose end, not to be shy to lend a hand. He likes to meet and talk to people from different walks of life and have a bit of a laugh. While Graeme is a keen gardener, he also got involved to meet people and keep up his fitness, “It’s a big job with only the four of us.” Ray, Martin, Graeme and the other stalwart of support for the gardens, Gail Wadham, are doing awesome work. They are achieving lots for Papatūānuku and for the nature she provides. Like many other voluntary projects, there is more work than they can handle. We highly recommend you take your whānau to check this lovely little corner of Tūranganui-a-Kiwa out. They are peaceful and easy walking with heaps of different tracks for the kids to explore. Afternoons in the gardens are especially lovely with the golden sun filtering through the tall gums. If you’re interested in lending these guys a hand, or for any further information, you can contact Ray Gowland on rayandleonie@gmail.com or follow Turanga Gardens on Facebook. Story by Sandra Groves