Te Tairāwhiti Arts Festival is back in February with its Whiti Season, running from February 2-11.  Seth Haapu, the brilliant Māori and Tahitian musician who is making waves with his sound of “Pacific Soul” will open the season with his Tairāwhiti debut and exclusive summer performance.  Haapu is a prolific songwriter and producer who has worked behind the scenes, both creating songs and producing for artists such as Sons of Zion, Stan Walker, Maisey Rika, and Teeks. His work extends into film and television, with a catalogue that has surpassed 40 million streams on Spotify alone.  In 2018, Haapu received the ‘Kaitito Waiata Māori Autaia’ (Best Māori Songwriter) award at the 11th annual Waiata Māori Music Awards. His collaboration with Maisey Rika earned him the 2021 APRA Maioha Award. He has shared the bill with Crowded House and supported John Legend, played WOMAD Aotearoa and Chile in 2018 and took part in the Finest of Aotearoa tours in Hawaii, Las Vegas and his ancestral home of Tahiti.  In 2023, ‘Rongoā’ from his latest album 'Whai Ora' earned him Te Tohu Manu Tioriori Tāne Autaia (Best Māori Male Solo Artist) at the Waiata Māori Music Awards and it is this album that Seth Haapu will perform at Lawson Field Theatre on February 2.  Described as a sonic journey of healing, reconnection and aroha, blending taonga pūoro with digital magic, audiences are invited to immerse themselves in a coastal cruise, where liquid velvet meets R&B rhythms.  Find Seth Haapu’s music on YouTube or Spotify, gather a crew and some tickets for a night of oranga and connection. Tickets can be found here: https://tetairawhitiartsfestival.nz/events/seth-haapu/

I'd like to wax sentimental about a little community who make an unlikely and yet wonderful thing happen: most Friday mornings, I meet a motley group of runners and walkers at the wee hour of 5:55 am in the lower car park of Titirangi to climb stairs. It’s a little bit punishing and a lot rewarding and I love that it exists, making Gizzy a little more of a heartthrob each week. (Me mihi ka tika ki te Mana Whenua Ngāti Oneone, te kaitiaki o Titirangi Maunga.) Let me step back a bit so you don’t discount this as being “for serious runners only.” Yes, I’m a runner in that it’s my preferred method of fitness and wellness. But I’ve never done a serious thing in my life, running included and even I do Friday Stairs! I’m the chatty runner near the back of almost any pack. I often “just want to finish” a run. Lots of my body jiggles when I run. I don’t have time goals for races; instead, I want to “be the happiest one out there.” And that’s a challenge for sure, because like anything physically demanding, sometimes I find myself falling into a blackhole somewhere in my brain or heart, along with every ounce of energy or motivation I’ve ever had or will ever have in the future. Sucked into that cosmic vacuum goes the desire to run whatever stupid race I’m stupidly registered to run later in the year. Suddenly I don’t even want to run to the next driveway. And surely you’ll be able to substitute your challenging thing in here, but running with people – even people faster than me, and there’s no shortage of those – has a power much stronger than the blackhole. The Friday Stairs smiles greet me and suddenly I’m as weightless as a bobbing pool toy, ready to blow away by even a suggestion of a breeze. I am alarmingly out of breath when I arrive at the lower carpark from shuffling up the hill, but the Friday Stairs peeps would never call attention to that. We might talk about the near miss with the alarm clock, still yawning with the sleep we haven’t quite shaken. With about a minute to go, we greet the new-comers (there’s always a fresh face), and we give everyone the lowdown about what’s about to happen. We also might have some news, like “Hey good luck to the people who are doing [insert thing] this weekend!” or “there are a group of us who are going to do a walk/run/whatever out at [insert place] so if you want to tag along…” The wonderful thing about Friday Stairs is it’s a gateway drug to the cool kids who know what’s up and where to go for free outdoorsy adventures. And there’s always room for one more. Now it’s 6:01 and we head off to the first set of stairs. And while we’re all doing this together, it’s easy for walkers and runners of all speeds and fitness to join in because we all do our own thing. Think you’re too slow. Guess what? Nope. It’s less about keeping up with anyone and all about letting them be your buoys, even if it’s a “well done, Sarah” as they fly past. The speedsters might get 5 climbs in while the walkers might get 2. You know who’s counting? No one! After about 10-12 minutes, we regroup at the lookout, whoops going out to each of us as we drag ourselves up those last two flights. Once everyone is together, we start off again, this time to the very top, either by trail or along the road. Are you pushing yourself this morning? Off you go, then. Feel like giving yourself a little break? Guess who’s judging you? You get it – no one. We do that top staircase for another 10 or so minutes and then it’s time for our 6-7 minutes of core exercises. Again, everything is scaled so we do what we can, grunting and hanging on. I can practically hear the others saying, “Don’t you go in that blackhole!” Maybe they’re talking to me? Maybe to themselves. We’re all in it together and we’ll get out of it together, too. Just another twenty seconds… And then comes my favourite part of the week, the effortless victory run (jog) down the hill. Man, I never feel so gazelle-like as at 6:45 on Friday morning and Stairs are done. Nowhere do I feel more accepted as a “runner,” as heroic as Roger Bannister, despite being ridiculously underqualified and lacking all required heroism or toughness as when I’m flying (plodding) down that hill. It simply doesn’t matter that my friend, a literal gazelle, and I, a literal penguin, ran a significantly different amount of stairs this morning. We both got up and got here and did our literal best. The glorious Gizzy morning sky is shining down on both of us in the same way. We fought off the blackhole and are laughing about something, Friday Stairs done for another week, a whole week away until next Friday. We ride that runners high all the way to Raglan Roast and with the tail ends of those endorphins mixed with caffeine coursing through our veins, we head into our separate mornings all over Gisborne, as light as pool toys being carried away on the wind. So that’s my love letter to Friday Stairs. And like objects of a love letter, you love them because they make you feel deserving and heroic and seen. I hope you’ll pop by and get to know the Friday Stairs, and the weekly sunrise that greets us on the maunga. And as beautiful as the sky’s pastel colours are, or the wintertime shimmer-bright constellations, so are the happy faces. We’re happy because you’re there. Friday Stairs are free and open to walkers and runners of all speeds. We meet at 5:55 am at the lower car park every Friday, rain, hail or shine (barring dangerous weather). Photos by Mike and Harry Roe.

If you’ve got any kind of penchant for old stuff, local history, kitchen appliances, automobiles or machinery; if you’ve been haunted by visions of iron lung machines, dreamt of becoming an inventory, are a boy racer, photographer, typographer or have any imagination whatsoever, you will probably find something to tickle your fancy at ECMOT, our very own Museum of Technology here in Te Tairāwhiti. The museum is kept going by a group of dedicated volunteers, and while they’d swear they aren’t artists, there’s a strange sculptural beauty in the forms of piled and sorted exhibits. Need to entertain the parents? Need to entertain the kids? Need to entertain yourself? East Coast Museum of TechnologyOpen Saturdays and Sundays during summer. And on Sunday 28 January head along to their Live Day to see the technologies of the past come to life with exhibits like stationary engines, Amateur Radio, Computers & Games, vintage cars, Firetrucks and more! At 67 Main Road, Makaraka, Gisborne10am - 4pm Cost - $2 - $10

Council has launched a campaign called “For Tairāwhiti With Aroha” to bring some positive support to our region as we near the 1-year anniversary of Cyclone Gabrielle. Impacts from the cyclone are still being felt today, along with continued vulnerability of individuals, communities and infrastructure.   The campaign encourages people from Tairāwhiti to share their stories about what happened in the cyclone as well as to share their messages of support for others in the region. We’d also love it if people from across the country  shared messages of love and support.   The campaign is also looking for Tairāwhiti Superheroes. These could be people who went above and beyond during the storm and afterwards, people who supported individuals or communities or those who are still supporting people affected by the cyclone. Nominations close on Tuesday 16 January.   You can help share the aroha in the following ways: Send your messages of aroha and support - visit gdc.nz/sendyourlove , scroll down to 'post your story' and share. Tell a story or share a memory about your experience during and after Cyclone Gabrielle. Nominate a local superhero  who stood out for you or your community during and following Cyclone Gabrielle. Encourage someone you know to share their love and support/stories.  Council is also producing a keepsake booklet that will include stories and photos with a timeline of the event we all went through. A copy will be delivered to every household in Te Tairāwhiti by 14 February 2024. Council is looking for volunteers to help with the delivery of the booklet. To register your interest please contact Sophie Rishworth at sophie.rishworth@gdc.govt.nz  or call 0800 653 800  LINKS  Superhero Awards | Send your aroha | Participate ( gdc.govt.nz ) Send your aroha | Participate ( gdc.govt.nz )

My name is Haley Maxwell and I was born in Tūranganui ā Kiwa back in May 1981. From my name alone you would probably picture someone who looks the opposite to me. So growing up I never felt like my name and my soul ever truly connected. So Hailz is what most people call me and what I prefer to be called. When I was born I was the third child to Henry Maxwell and Christine Boyd, and in 1982 our parents married and moved us all to South Auckland for dad to pursue his passion playing rugby. My siblings and I returned to Gizzy every holiday to stay with our grandparents under the shelter of Titirangi Maunga, on Ranfurly Road, in Kaiti. We were sometimes labelled ‘city slickers’ by some whānau but Nan and Pāpā’s whare was a safe haven, a kōhanga reo and a place where we were fortunate to hear Te Reo Māori and able to see our culture. The view from their whare was Te Poho o Rawiri Marae and sitting out front under the Pohutukawa tree with our Pāpā, looking over the road at the marae and maunga with the thick smell of the works in the air, is one of my fondest memories. The rest of our world however, was very different. We attended kindergarten and mainstream schools, like the majority of other kids that looked like us and sounded like us. I remember feeling like I never belonged and always felt like something was missing, I was a bit lost! I was 11 years old when I realised it was my Māoritanga that I was missing. Thankfully our oldest sister chose to enrol into an intermediate with a Māori bilingual unit, Te Whānau o Tupuranga. She unknowingly paved the way for all of us, opening our everyday lives to our culture, reconnecting us to our Māori world. It was in this precious space that I learned of the Te Tiriti o Waitangi, it was also here that the seed was planted and the feeling of belonging and fulfilment grew.  The whakatauki, or motto for our learning space said “Ka ruia te kākāno ki te rangatahi kia tipu ai te hua whangaia ki ngā tipuranga.”  Plant the seed in the young and it will grow and flourish for future generations.  We are now an embodiment of this whakatauki, instilled in us from the very beginning of our journey. Because of this experience, at 14 years old I made the decision to relocate to Tūranganui ā Kiwa to reconnect and learn more about who I am as a descendant of Ngāti Porou. From a lost little girl to now, a 42 year old mother of 6 beautiful children and one precious mokopuna, and a very proud advocate of our reo and culture. It has not been easy, nor perfect, but the journey of reclamation has been worth it for the wellbeing of my children and now my mokopuna. Te Tiriti o Waitangi to me, is an agreement between tangata whenua and the crown, a partnership that promises to look after and protect the wellbeing and prosperity of all things that are precious to me as a Māori.  It is a legal agreement that our partners have breached and abused for 183 years now, and I fear for the future of my mokopuna as the current government threatens again to strip us of the little bit of taonga, wealth and health that we cling to. Early last December, Kiri Waititi put a call out via social media to all Māori influencers to help activate a movement called Toitu Te Tiriti. A movement that is Tipuna inspired, Tiriti led, Mana Motuhake driven and Mokopuna focussed. Giving those who heard this call only a few days to activate a hikoi to take place on the 5th of December across Aotearoa. Myself and another local māmā heeded to this call as we both saw that Te Tairāwhiti had not responded and within 18 hours to go we managed to organise and activate our Tairāwhiti Toitū Te Tiriti movement and community. Now, I don't consider myself a Māori influencer at all, nor am I an expert on Te Tiriti. But when your head, heart and puku align with a kaupapa that you truly believe in, all you need to do is have courage, stand up, put your hand up, show up and speak up. The next event will be held at Te Poho o Rawiri Marae on Waitangi day, Feb 6th 2024. Aunty Charlotte Gibson has extended the invitation for all to attend this kaupapa. Toitū Te Tiriti is not a political movement, it is an activation to educate, learn, and read; to unite to stand and speak for a better partnership, for a better relationship between tangata whenua and tangata Tiriti. For all manuhiri or guests who our tipuna welcomed and happily agreed to share what they treasured and had looked after for generations, it is time to be better partners, it is time to meet us halfway, it is time to stand with us in our time of need. Just recently I visited the newly amended art piece in Te Papa Wellington. Some call it vandalism but for me it is a powerful statement that has created an awareness, discussion, debate and knowledge about Te Tiriti o Waitangi and the many injustices we have endured as a people. I sat there amongst many non-Māori who had no idea that the Treaty existed, as well as people who weren’t aware that the English translation did not reflect the Māori version that over 500 Māori chiefs had supported and signed. The Toitū Te Tiriti movement is open for anyone to be a part of, whether you are Māori or non Māori. It’s about us learning together, supporting each other, and getting out and talking about it with our friends and whānau. Find like minded people and BE about it together. We all have to be willing to learn, and know that it’s an emotional journey that may take you to places that make you feel angry, sad and a little bit mad. Sit with it and know that the only way forward is to first go back, to reflect and feel as humans. Starting to learn te reo Māori might be as simple as learning how to pronounce words properly and some of the rich history of the town that we live in. Together we can honour this agreement, united we can create an Aotearoa Hou that looks and feels more uniquely like US, as the treaty intended. Toitū Te Tiriti! By Haley Maxwell Toitū Te Tiriti Hikoi photo by Lara Mua.

Crepes are a blank canvas, you can do anything with them. So, Leslynne Jackson and her team at Petals Café have created sweet and savoury works of art on crepe canvases, beautifully presented on delicate China plates, served with your choice of coffee, fragrant tea, or wine if you prefer. Tucked away, almost secretly, there are two rooms upstairs with comfy Victorian settees that make one feel like a Queen having high tea. And that's just what Leslynne wants, for people to feel like they're being treated, to great service and fresh seasonal, local produce. With Covid and cyclones, Gisborne has been hard hit. Lives, homes and businesses have been lost. It's easy to give in to that feeling of defeat, but as Leslynne says, we all want a vibrant community.  Somehow we have to hold this paradise of ours together and find solutions. We so often travel out of town to get that city fix, but we need to remind ourselves that we don't actually need to leave town for great food and wine experiences. We really do have it all here on our doorstep. Petals Café has been Leslynne’s way of connecting more with her own whānau. She and her husband Hamish owned the Brunton Road Winery for 10 years and loved it.  But with their daughter living so far in the opposite direction, up in Kaiaua, it was a long way to travel in between visits. So Leslynne and Hamish sold the vineyard, and moved into town to start a new family business. They haven’t given up on producing their own wine however and Petals rosè, chardonnay and merlot are all served up at Petals Café. ‘Petal’ is Leslynne’s daughter Sarah's nickname. Between being a mum and farm life, Sarah takes care of Petals Café’s web design and social media. You can follow Petals on Facebook and Instagram. Leslynne works at Petals part time, as the “general dog’s body” she says, as she sings her staff’s praises. Kerry Ellis and Ella Chrisp Nichols are the chefs, and Jerome Haenga and Stewart Lloyd the baristas. Son, Dylan works as the kitchenhand after schoold, and I even saw Hamish on vacuuming duty when I went in for my second round of pancakes. (I couldn’t try the savoury without following with the sweet, of course!) Leslynne gets huge enjoyment in witnessing the joy and connection between friends and family in the café.  It's a nice escape from her 9 to 5 job as the programme lead at Manaaki Tairāwhiti. Having worked in the social sector for 30 years, in both government and community, Leslynne notes that Petals Café is just another form of community caring. It's all manaaki really… Manaaki Tairāwhiti is a collective governance group who look for opportunities to improve social outcomes. This is unique to Te Tairāwhiti as an Iwi-led, place based initiative. While it's not easy to summarise the Manaaki Tairāwhiti kaupapa nor the impact they have on our community into a paragraph, the purpose behind their mahi is to enable all whānau to flourish. Their approach to doing this is to find the barriers in systems and then pass that on to the relevant local leaders and funders in order to improve those services.  To change systems is often to reduce bureaucracy and helping whānau navigate complex systems to get what they need. Leslynne credits Ron Nepe, Moira Brown and Judy Campbell for enabling her team to do what they do. Having worked with the team myself in a previous life, I can tell you first-hand that what they are doing is incredible, often thankless and unseen. In these last days of another big year in Te Tairāwhiti, we want to say Kia ora to the wider team at Manaaki Tairāwhiti, and you, Leslynne who do so much in our community. I highly recommend you gather your friends, your whānau, and head down to Petals Café for some crepes, a delicious drink, and a good helping of manaaki. Story by Aimee Vickers Photographs by Tom Teutenberg

As we get ready to truly sink into long summer days of lying around and letting our thoughts transform from sense and sensibility into day dreams / heat-fuelled delusion, we want to let you creatives know that NOise VACANCY is coming back to Tūranganui-a-Kiwa, Gisborne in 2024! The sound-centric, site-specific, one-night-only, live art event will be taking over the CBD in Autumn next year and its going to be another like no other… The NOise VACANCY curators will be calling out for proposals from creatives wanting to take part in early February. Participating artists will create installations that: - explore the many layers of vacant space in our central business district. - occupy a nook in the CBD area, whether it is inside, outside, hidden or displayed, mobile or static. - include sound-centric concepts and site specific responses that explore ideas of vacant space in our central city. So find your spot in the sun and let your imaginations run crazy (yet achievable!) Follow @noisevacancy on Instagram to keep up with updates and to get an idea of the wider project and kōrero, but be warned - as above - the 2024 edition will be another like no other!

If you're anything like me, you know the good stuff that will make your life better, but struggle to consistently add them into your life. The irony is not lost on me that I was once a teen who couldn't abide being told what to do, and am now an adult who wishes I had a benevolent but unyielding minder who would hand me my drink bottle and command: "drink" or take the phone from my hands and guide me by my shoulders to the rug and order: "stretch." Thankfully we have benevolent support by way of a wonderful project led by Sandra Groves and Charles Barrie. As we head into summer, the new year brings with it time to prioritise our wellbeing and implement positive habits. So it couldn't be more timely that a collective of local wellness and environmental champions have put together a resource that helps us get out onto our local tracks and soak up that natural good stuff. Charles Barrie writes about this choice new resource. Pick up or download a copy and we'll see you out on the trails! -- Sarah Pocock Ways to Wellness - Tairāwhiti | He Ara Taiao ki te Ora - Tairāwhiti guide available now For many of us who call Te Tairāwhiti home, the rugged beauty of our local environment is a big part of the appeal, and likely part of our own way to wellbeing. Building on the understanding that connection with nature, whether alone or with others, supports mental, physical and spiritual wellness, a network of Tairawhiti environmental and health organisations have worked together to release a new health promotion resource Ways to Wellness  - He Ara Taiao ki te Ora, Tairāwhiti. The guide is intended to be accessible and available to the general public, and also distributed by health and disability support sector staff to clients and whānau who could benefit from restorative or active time in nature as part of a ‘green prescription’. Ways to Wellness - He Ara Taiao ki te Ora identifies a range of suggestions and ideas for healthy outside activity and deepening your connection with nature, including lots of family-friendly and wheelchair accessible options. In addition to information about volunteering, how to access all-terrain wheelchairs and ways you can get started with learning more about the histories of the whenua around us, the guide also contains information about a range of short walks and what you can expect to find there so you can plan your trip. Regarding volunteering, the guide suggests that for the socially minded, or those who want to get out and about with others, getting involved in a local environmental project is a great option. It also identifies opportunities to support others to engage with nature, who might be less able or otherwise find it difficult to do so on their own. For example through loaning one of the previously mentioned all-terrain wheelchairs available in our community, guiding them on a local walk, or supporting them to take part in a volunteering event. Finding its origin a number of years ago in a (now concluded) Department of Conservation programme called Healthy Nature Healthy People, the guide was developed by a collaborative team from the Tairāwhiti health, environment, recreation, volunteering, disability, whanau wellbeing and community development sectors including Sports Gisborne Tairāwhiti, Parafed Tairāwhiti, Strive Rehab, Tairawhiti Environment Centre and others. Supported by kaumatua, tangata whenua health providers and medical professionals the project was coordinated by Sandra Groves (First Chapter) and Charles Barrie (Taiao Huru Huri). You can find more about this project and the team that worked on it here. With summer approaching, people can start their Ways to Wellness journey by picking up or downloading a copy of the guide. The guide will be distributed by doctors, mental health advocates, disability sector staff, and partner organisations. It is also available from the Department of Conservation, Tairawhiti Environment Centre, Sports Gisborne Tairawhiti, Gisborne Volunteer Centre, Gizzy Local's HQ (64 Lowe St.) and online here.

The future is now. We're thrilled to share with you the latest and greatest in Gizzy Local technology... the "Submit your event!" button! Do you have an event or series that you want to put on the Gizzy Local website? Now you can make that happen straight from the website! And it's free! Just wander over to the Events page on our website www.gizzylocal.com/local-events and click on the yellow "Submit your event!" button. From there, you just complete the form... Easy! We've included in the form all the details that we need to know. Complete the form, hit "submit" and you're almost there! We'll give it a once over and then let you know once it's up and live. If what you're after is a listing on our website, a mention in our weekly newsletter, and if your event happens on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, a spot in our weekend reel on social media, then you're good to go. Your event will go out to the cool and diverse community who come to Gizzy Local to find out the haps. If you're after a bigger boost from Gizzy Local, for $25 you get what's above plus we'll give it a featured spot in our newsletter and give your event a push on our social media 24-hour stories. Just drop us a line at events@gizzylocal.com or reply when we let you know your event is "live" and let us know that you'd like a little extra promotion. For events with a real community focus/drive and bit more of a budget ($150), a story might be what you'd like. If you think this is the right fit for you, sing out and we can chat. We look forward to making it easy for all of us to connect with other local people and activities. Come on in and make yourself at home. Our event platform is your event platform. Nau mai.

Tōnui Collab 3 weeks of 1-day workshops, 9am - 3pm each day. Their workshops encourage children to explore the diversity of STEMM - science, technology, engineering, mathematics and mātauranga Māori through the experimentation and creation of animation, engineering, game development, robotics, coding, virtual reality and more! Tuesday 19th - Thursday 21st December Tuesday 16th - Thursday 18th January Tuesday 23rd - Thursday 25th January Caters for 7-13 year-olds. Location is Lawson Field Theatre, next to GDC. For more info, contact admin@tonuicollab.com or by phone 0800 886684 Book here: https://www.tonuicollab.com/holiday-workshops Arty Farty School Holiday Programme Nurture children’s self-expression through art, music, dance and drama held at Te Hapara School Hall, 31 Mill Rd. Caters to 5-10 year-olds. Options for $30 half day or $50 full day bookings. Book via Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/kidscreationstationz For more info, contact: kidscreationstationz@gmail.com or 021 045 8113 The Y Oscar Summer Holiday Programme A variety of fun activities every day, from 18th Dec 2023 to 26th of Jan 2024 at YMCA Oscar House on Disraeli Street. Caters for 5-13 year-olds and costs are from $45 per day. For more info, contact: 06 8679259 Ext: 03 https://ymcagisborne.org.nz/ Find registration form here. The Band School | Busking Holiday Programme Become part of a musical ensemble, master some tunes, and join us for a week filled with the joy of learning and street performance. Participants get to keep the earnings and carry the experience with them always. These sessions are based out of Gisborne Intermediate. Everyday from 18th -22nd December, $50 a day or $225 for the week. Caters to ages 6 to 15 year olds. For more information and to book: http://www.thebandschool.co.nz/holiday-programme Ocean Rhythms Surf Camp A summertime, kids surf camp that will get them stoked to surf and spend time in the water. Located at Waikanae or Northern Makorori (depending on weather). If you need a wetsuit and board, they’ve got you covered with an add-on rental option ($30 for the December camp and $60 for the January camps). If you are looking to buy a wetsuit check out Sequence Surf Shop and their variety of suits! December 18-20th ($260) January 8-12th ($410) January 15-19th ($410) Caters to 6-13 year olds. For more information and to book, email oceanrhythmscoaching@gmail.com. Gisborne Gymnastics Club Holiday Programme During the school holidays, the Gym Club offer Free-Play sessions, Free-Play + Activities, Preschool Open Gym, and Competitive Holiday Gymnastics times. Cost is $10 for Preschool Open Gym and $20 for all other sessions. See timetable for offerings. 18 - 21 December: Morning sessions only 9am - 12pm 15 Jan - 26 Jan: Morning 9am - 12pm and Afternoon 12pm - 3pm sessions 30 Jan - 2 Feb: Morning sessions only 9am - 12pm 15 Jan - 2 Feb: Squad-specific sessions for Competitive Gymnastics in the afternoon Caters to ages: 5-13 (preschool ages for the Preschool times). Book in or find more information here: https://gisbornegymnastics.com/holiday-program Comet Swimming Club Holiday Programmes 30-min swimming lessons with an instructor held at either Elgin School Pool or Kiwa Pools. Monday through Friday all summer at $60 (for all 5 lessons per week). 18 - 22nd Dec at Elgin School Pool 8 - 12th Jan at Elgin School Pool and Kiwa Pools 15 - 19th Jan at Elgin School Pool and Kiwa Pools 20 - 24 Jan at Elgin School Pool and Kiwa Pools Caters to 3+ years. Book or find more information via the website www.cometswimmingclub.com by email: cometswimming@gmail.com PM on www.facebook.com/CometSwimmingClub East Coast Museum of Technology ECMoT are home to technologies of the past, like stationary engines, amateur radio, computers & games, vintage cars, firetrucks and much more! They’re located at 67 Main Road, Makaraka, Gisborne, and open Saturday and Sundays 10am to 4 pm. Entry is $10 per person and they welcome people of all ages. Summer closure between 23rd Dec - 6th Jan. East Coast Museum of Technology Live Day Sunday – 28 January 2024. Come see the technologies of the past come to life! 10am-4pm with a cost of $2-10. Reach out for more information by email enquiries@ecmot.org.nz. HB Williams Memorial Library (all events are free) Kiwiana Summer Reading Challenge: Read for two hours in ten minute time slots and go in the draw to win one of four mystery prizes. The Great Kiwiana hunt: Find the hidden kiwiana items, solve the riddle and go into the draw to win a prize. For children up to the age of 18 years. December 18 – January 21 Courtyard games: This holidays Kahui Whetū|Constellation Courtyard will be set up with giant classic games for families to enjoy. Weather permitting. December 11 – January 20 Christmas-themed Events: December 11 Monday & December 12 Tuesday 10.30am Christmas Story Time: Join Santa's little helpers for Christmas story time in the children’s area December 13, Wednesday 10.30am - 11.30am Kids Christmas Crafts: Christmas card making for the family December 14, Thursday 10.30am - 11.30am Kids Christmas Crafts: Gift bag making - design your own gift bag for Christmas December 15, Friday 10.30am Christmas Carols: Join the library team for Christmas Carols in the Kāhui Whetū Constellation Courtyard December 18, Monday 10.30am - 11.30am Kids Christmas Crafts: DIY Christmas tree ornaments December 19, Tuesday 10.30am - 11.30am Kids Christmas Crafts: Fun candy cane Christmas crafts December 20, Wednesday 10.30am - 11.30am Kids Christmas Crafts: Christmas table centrepieces December 21, Thursday 10.30am - 11.30am Kids Christmas Crafts: Come and make some fun Christmas crafts that you can use to decorate the house or give to someone for Christmas. Summer-themed Events: December 28, Thursday 10.30am - 11.30am Diy Pot Planter: Make a pot planter using recycled materials December 29, Friday 10.30am - 11.30am Upcycle shirt day: Bring an old shirt and turn it into a bag using only a pair of scissors. Make as many as you like depending on how many shirts you have. January 3, Wednesday 10.30am - 11.30am Kids Tie Dye: Come and give tie dyeing a go with the childrens team. Bring something white to dye. January 4, Thursday 10.30am - 11.30am The great paint day: It’s all about the paint and we’re painting rocks, shells, boxes and whatever else we can find. January 5, Friday 10.30am - 11.30am Origami for kids: Join Liam for some origami fun. Young children may need help from an adult for this activity. January 8, Monday 10.30am - 11.30am Craft a raft: See how well you can build a raft that floats out of recycled items. January 9, Tuesday 10.30am - 11.30am Egg drop and paper planes: Can you drop an egg from the top of a ladder without it cracking? Join the children’s team and give it a go. January 10, Wednesday 10.30am - 11.30am Kids solar oven: Build a solar oven and see how long it takes to bake smores. January 11, Thursday 10.30am - 11.30am Marble run obstacle: Come and build a marble obstacle and see how long you can keep your marble rolling. January 15, Monday 10.30am - 11.30am Amazing puzzle race: Race to complete a puzzle the fastest. Do it as an individual or in a team of up to 3 people. We will also have other riddles and puzzles to try and complete. January 16, Tuesday 10.30am - 11.30am Classic birthday party games: Bring the kids down for a game of musical chairs, pass the parcel and other classic birthday party games. January 17, Wednesday 10.30am - 11.30am Classic family games, from Monopoly to Chess to Cards. January 18, Thursday 10.30am - 11.30am Dress up summer picnic: Dress up in your favourite costume and join us in Te Kāhui Whetū Constellation Courtyard for a story, bubbles and a picnic.

I live in the past and to some extent, have always done so. Little wonder then that although I taught art and art history for many years, I have taught Classical Studies for longer. Ancient Greece and Rome are where I wander in my head and their imagery influence both my painting and printmaking as well as my writing. I’m very attracted to a quote from the great Roman statesman, Cicero who once wrote: If a man has a library and a garden that is all he needs. My garden is not a showplace being far from extensive in the domain of vegetables, but flowers and shrubs are important too. Being surrounded by growing things that need tending affords a great deal of satisfaction. I am completely contented when at home; never bored and never lonely. Last year’s lock-down was bliss in most respects since there was peace and quiet, time to devote to favourite pastimes including taking long walks, listening to music while painting, writing and reading at length, pottering in garden spaces. When it comes to contemporary culture, I’m largely clueless. I dislike fashionable anything: style is much more useful from and artistic point of view although visual are is bedevilled by fashionable trends. Perhaps that’s why my house quite often prompts visitors’ comments about its myriad images, memorabilia, extensive library and paintings: they reflect my own style, the way I think and live. Nothing fashionable in my house and there never will be! I have greatly enjoyed overseas travels but have decided that if jaunting away is now over because of Covid, I don’t much mind at all. The privilege of living in this country should never be taken for granted. Being retired has brought the realisation that life has never been better. I have no apprehensions about the future and find myself completely at ease with life in general. Words by Norman Maclean Photographs by Thomas Teutenberg: "Using a large format camera (Linhof Technika 4x5") is a very slow process. "I only take 6 shots for this camera for each shoot, I have to make every shot count. Firstly I need to load film into light tight holders, this is done in a dark bag which is done by feel. I unfold the camera, set it up on a tripod and peer through the back of the camera. The image it projects is backwards and upside down when framing, so it can take some getting used to. "To focus I use a loupe to make sure it's sharp, once focused the subject can't move. I then adjust my exposure settings and load the film. I remove the darkslide from the film holder and release the shutter. Once exposed I can reinsert the darkslide. "One photo done". Thomas Teutenberg, for the ONO Project.

This is an appreciation post for the Ballance Street Village, the bustling little grouping of businesses at the intersection of Ballance Street and Ormond Road. In these times when online shopping has become such a normal part of life, and when many parts of Gisborne's CBD are literally crumbling into the ground, it feels almost miraculous that the Ballance Street Village is not only fully occupied, but thriving! If you are a frequent visitor of the Village however, it’s probably not so mysterious at all.. Most businesses in the Ballance Street Village are not only locally owned, but independent and one-of-a-kind. This can transform a 'shopping experience' into a lovely moment in your day, in which you might be inspired by the creative, individual, and non-franchised decor of the space you're in, or you chat with the person that you're doing business with, as you would a friend... The other thing we appreciate about the Village is the downright convenience of it all! It's how we imagine a village might have been back in the day when the word was first coined.. The need to grab ‘that little something’ becomes an enjoyable part of our day if we decide to walk or bike, and with the enticement of ice cream, we can usually convince the kids it’s a good idea too! And once we're there, we can take care of any number of things.. Solve the question of what to make for dinner and pick up a lovely bottle of wine while you’re at it. Get something quick to eat, fill a prescription, post off a package. Browse for gifts, plants collectibles or homeware. You can even tick some of the big things off your list like buying or selling a house, looking for IT support, or have teeth that require attention. And with so many options for food and coffee, it’s a great place to come together to meet up with, or bump into friends, old and new. This Christmas season, the Ballance Village retailers are coming together to make things easier for locals who've got lots to do in these last few weeks of the year. - They’re creating a bit of a festive vibe with late night shopping on Thursdays throughout December until Christmas. The first one is this week! - And if you shop anywhere in the Ballance Street Village up until Christmas you go in the chance to win a $1,000 Village Voucher which can be spent at Ballance Street Village businesses. The draw will be held on the afternoon of 23rd of December So, Gizzy locals, make sure you dive into the friendly and laid back vibe of the Village, support our local retailers and enjoy everything that’s on offer at the Ballance Street Village - 42 years it's been going and it's still going strong..!