Nobody knows who I am or why I'm here but when I walk into the warmth of Tauawhi Men's Centre I'm greeted with smiles and offered a cup of tea and a biscuit. There are a variety of people in the spacious lounge-like space and I can tell it's the kind of place that invites you to tell your story, to people who are ready to hear it, with no judgment. I'm here to speak with Dee Kahukoti about the new safe house for men. Te Whare Ahuru at 78 Huxley Rd has been refurbished after fire damage and is now a safe house for men to take themselves if they feel like they're going to be violent, or, after a family harm incident for support. Rather than removing the women and children from the home, which inevitably causes more trauma, Te Whare Ahuru flips the script and allows the perpetrator to take himself to a safe space to cool down and take time out with support. It is respite care for the perpetrator rather than the victim. There are only a few other houses of its kind in Aotearoa so it's a reasonably new concept, and it makes absolute sense. There is stigma attached to perpetrators of violence against women, so the men's safe house and Tauawhi Men's Centre are there to reduce barriers for men seeking help. "Men from all ethnicities and socioeconomic backgrounds have popped into Tauawhi when they're going through stuff." Dee tells me. "There are mainly male staff, so it's men helping men." She says success is different for everyone. For men with unspoken trauma, sometimes just engagement is success. The concept of a safe house for men in Tairawhiti has existed for many years but with limited funding and constrained contracts, it wasn’t possible to act on the idea. Project manager Kim Torres was integral in working with Kainga Ora and other agencies to get it over the line. And it works. I'm given an example of a man who had been arrested for at least 10 family harm incidents the previous year. When provided with a safe house he got through his first year without being arrested, increasing his mana and ability to cope, with flow on effects to his family to reduce their overall trauma. The OG and heart of Tauawhi, Tim Marshall, says staff numbers have doubled in the last couple of years. He remembers being the one and only staff member 13 years ago when Tauawhi first opened, and now there are seventeen. The dedicated team at Tauawhi's main offices 71-73 Peel St are there for anyone to pop in during working hours, and Te Whare Ahuru at 78 Huxley Rd will have a full time kaitiaki tāne (caretaker) living at the premises, but they won't be accepting referrals until August. To start with they are only taking referrals from existing clients, with the intention to open it up to everyone in future. In the meantime, men who want to connect with other men can drop in to the Mana Tāne support group at 73 Peel St, every Wednesday from 6pm to 8pm. Dee says the group numbers grow and decline depending on how things are in the community. With extra pressures during tough times it's easy to feel alone, so it's important for men to know there are other men feeling the same, whether it's addictions, trauma or general life stresses. Tauawhi isn’t the only place to access mental health support for men in Tairawhiti, says Tim, but if we haven’t got what you’re looking for, we can at least point you in the right direction. "We might not be everyone's cup of tea, but we've got a cup of tea for everyone." Story by Aimee Milne Photograph by Tom Teutenberg

Standing in front of a charming house on Clifford Street, you might not guess at the treasure trove within: an expert dressmaker, fabric shop, and legendary sewing pattern collection. Helen May, who is quite likely Gisborne’s most experienced Creative behind a sewing machine, was born and raised in this very house. Now in her 80’s, she’s been sewing since she was 16 years old. Her sewing room was formerly the drawing room, a formal space with beautiful carpet and a china cabinet where “you weren’t allowed unless there were visitors.” Looking around, she laughs, “Now look at it!” It’s a room buzzing with industriousness, with long work tables, multiple sewing machines, and numerous works in progress. Weaving among it all are boxes and boxes of sewing patterns, a very special collection developed over a lifetime. On one wall hangs a “Paulette” pattern of an elegant dress, and this is where it all started for Helen. Certain from an early age that school was not for her, she told her mother on her 15th birthday that she planned to leave school and be a hairdresser. Her mum was not happy with that plan, and instead got her a job at Paulette Patterns, a factory at the bottom of Gladstone Road. Paulette made sewing patterns, which as Helen explains, “is like a recipe for a dress.” At the age of 16 she made her first dress for a friend, and a life-long passion was born, although it was some time before it became her full-time occupation. As a young woman she had various jobs in Gisborne and Hawkes Bay, working in the cosmetics department at chemist shops, and running a labeling machine for Wattie’s. She met Seymour, her husband of over 50 years, at Club 44, where she was selling coffees and he was on the door taking money. In those days there was dancing at the Club, which she loved. Helen still loves to dance and emphatically credits it with keeping her young. Seymour was a dairy farmer and they spent the next several decades in the country, raising four daughters. And she kept on sewing, making garments for friends, which led to a steadily growing business. The teaching side started with her daughters, whom she taught to sew. “They went to school in the dresses they made and all their mates wanted to learn how to sew too.” A children’s sewing class soon started around her kitchen table, and eventually she taught all ages, including adults at the Bernina shop. When the couple were ready to transition from the farm back to town, Helen didn’t expect to return to the family home, but no other options appealed and her mum was ready to downsize. “So we bought this and moved back!” It’s also home to Seymour’s pottery shop featuring his Mayfire pottery, a kiln, and a space where he teaches as well. “It’s never dull here! We call it ‘Mays Mad House.’” For our local sewing community, Helen’s pattern collection, or “library” as she calls it, is a considerable resource. The total number of patterns is unknown, but it has to be in the thousands. The collection is “organised loosely” in that she has a vague idea of what she has. There are groupings of particular garments, and she has her favorites at the ready. Often at night if she’s not sewing, she’ll take a box and look through them, just for the pleasure and curiosity of reviewing what’s there. For those who want to hire patterns, she charges the hefty sum of a dollar a week, and encourages people to take 2-3 boxes at a time to go through at home. Helen recognizes the collection as the treasure it is. “I just love patterns. It’s such fun, you never get bored.” She points at a skirt pattern, remembering fondly, “you won’t believe it but I made this in blue silk chiffon, and with a top I used it as a ball gown!” That’s the beauty of patterns, the potential for endless adaptation. She is still working 8-12 hours a day, 6 days a week, including a lot of hand sewing and altering done in front of the TV at night. She continues to make a bit of everything, but she stopped making wedding dresses and ball gowns. “There are not enough hours in the day for that! I’m a one man band.” Helen also cleans, oils, and maintains all her own machines, which she learned to do at Bernina. For a time she went up the Coast to help fix machines, but now she’s simply too busy. “I’ve got more work than I can handle. But I’d far rather be in here than anywhere else.” She adds confidently, “I’ll keep going another 25 years at least.” Every Tuesday a “wonderful neighbour” comes over and helps Helen with “computer work.” They post a photo to Facebook of a recent creation dubbed “dress of the week,” which often leads to more orders. A couple years ago, Helen realized she had an abundance of fabric left over from her made-to-order work. Once she gathered it all together, there was enough to sell, and the fabric shop was born in a room at the front of the house. She’s ordered from many sources and countries over the years, building up a highly varied stock including woollens, cord velvets, linens, cottons and stretch knits. “It’s of a quality you don’t get today.” Brought up in the days “when you didn’t waste,” she hates the idea of discarding what could be useful. She no longer orders new fabric given how much she already has. And that’s why the pattern library is so valuable. Style is cyclical, and Helen reckons each pattern will have its moment again at some point. Helen’s unbridled enthusiasm for working with patterns is contagious. In an age where we tend toward YouTube, it’s refreshing to turn back to paper and the art of teaching oneself. “Spread out a pattern and it’s so detailed and good, you can teach yourself. You learn to follow a process and it shows you just what to do, step by step. And then you’ll think ‘ooh I made this!’ and it just makes you want to do more.” And if you get stuck, Helen is here to help. She is happy to consult when makers who are struggling with a project come to her for advice. Indeed, she considers it her “community service.” Whether she’s sewing, advising, or helping a customer find the perfect fabric, she’s grateful to have found her element and still be enjoying it so thoroughly. “When I get out of bed I can’t wait to start work, even after 60+ years of doing the same thing. What more can you want?” To hire a pattern, shop fabric, or consult with Helen, check the hours in the Individual Dressmaker's listing on the Gizzy Local Business Directory. Story by Victoria Williams Photos Tom Teutenberg

Mean Mahi is on fire with roles for community-minded people this week! Have you heard of Taupua Tairāwhiti? It sits within Sports Gisborne Tairāwhiti and was set up to support local Not for Profit and Marae operations that wish to strengthen their systems for long term sustainability.. They provide accounting, administrative, communications and marketing support as well as funding advice to their clients. Taupua Tairāwhiti are looking for a Coordinator and Accounts person - someone with a heart for helping and the skills to deliver accounting support to their clients. In this full time role you’d be the glue that binds the Taupua Tairāwhiti team together, and lead point of contact for clients. You’d be applying your financial and organisational skills, administration and book-keeping knowledge and managing client relationships for the organisation. This diverse role will suit a strong and organised administrator with intermediate level accounting knowledge who enjoys intellectually challenging work - work that will ultimately help hundreds of local people and strengthen the Not-For-Profit and Marae sectors in the Tairāwhiti Region. Sports Gisborne Tairāwhiti is well-known for being a great workplace for people with families - they take the wellbeing of their staff seriously, and have some great initiatives to make the work-juggle easier for parents. Applications close August 20, 5pm. Find the full job description below: Taupua Tairāwhiti Position Description Ingoa Tūranga - Position Title: Taupua Co-ordinator and Accounts Haora Mahi - Working Hours: 40 hours p.w. M enetia - Reports to: Chief Executive Officer K aupapa Tuunga - Position Purpose: To be the over-arching support for our Taupua Tairāwhiti team and apply your top-notch financial and organisational skills, administration and book-keeping knowledge, and client relationship management and ultimately strengthen the Not-For-Profit and Marae sectors in the Tairāwhiti Region. Hon onga Mahi - Functional Relationships: Internal Chief Executive Officer Taupua Tairāwhiti Senior Accountant Taupua Tairāwhiti Communications Advisor External SGT Board Client groups and other stakeholders Ko wai mātou? – Who are we? Taupua Tairāwhiti exists within Sports Gisborne Tairāwhiti to strengthen Not for Profit and Marae operations in Tairāwhiti. There is widespread demand for a local support system for our sector and we are looking for a special someone with a heart for helping and the skills to deliver accounting support. Taupua Tairāwhiti is managed by a small team and works to provide the following key services: Financial Management and basic accounting support Administration assistance and compliance Communications and Marketing Support Funding Application advice and assistance Central Point of Contact for Not-For-Profit support in the region. Te āhua o Te Tūrunga – The nature of the position This is a unique opportunity to be part of a team who deliver fit-for-purpose support services that can meet the needs of Not-For-Profit groups who wish to strengthen their systems, compliance and financial management for long term sustainability. It is a diverse role that will suit an ‘out of the box’ thinker, who is a strong and organised administrator with intermediate level accounting knowledge and enjoys intellectually challenging work that will ultimately help hundreds of people. There will be regular task-based work such as Xero file management, GST return preparation and filing, membership database management and troubleshooting financial management work; you will be the lead Point of contact for clients and be the glue that binds the team together. The position has three primary focus areas: Client relationship management for Taupua Tairāwhiti Financial & accounting support for our clients. Identifying and engaging with local groups who will benefit from Taupua Tairawhiti’ shared services support. Tohu Mātauranga, Pūkenga, Mātauranga, Wheako - Skills, Knowledge and Experience Qualifications: Relevant tertiary qualifications (Accounting, Business administration or financial management) or senior experience in similar roles. Xero Certification would be ideal but not imperative. Experience & Skills Exceptionally organised, reliable and systematic by nature Highly competent in Xero processing as well as across Microsoft systems (in particular Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook) and agile with new cloud-based technologies Experience in managing multiple clients, senior administration or accounts management position and/or operational role Ability to mentor and train others as they learn new systems Strong relationship management experience and inter-personal skills. Ability to build and maintain rapport, work collaboratively, with people of different ages, cultures and abilities Knowledge of, and commitment to, the Treaty of Waitangi Strong numeracy & data entry skills and previous exposure to financial or management accounting and administration Whāinga Matua – Key Objectives Your accounts management role and responsibilities may include: Creating financial reporting based on client needs Reviewing clients’ financial management and accounting systems, streamlining systems, converting to/setting clients up on Xero if required Contribute to the preparation of Taupua Annual Business Plans Contribute to the preparation of Taupua funding reports Facilitating regular weekly team meetings Organising, facilitating or presenting at workshops Supporting organisations to optimise structural and operational systems Completing accounting tasks such as Payroll, GST, Debtors & Creditors, assist coordinator with annual accounts preparation Assisting clients with compliance and other statutory requirements Te Tono – How to apply To apply, or to enquire further in confidence, contact Tamera Nelson for a confidential conversation now on 021711303 or email your up-dated CV and covering letter through to tameran@sportgisborne.org.nz . Applications close on 20 August at 5.00pm.

Job Title: Gizzy Local Events Coordinator Reports to : Sarah Cleave Key Relationships Internal: Sarah Cleave, Tom Tutenberg, Mel Donhauser External: Event organisers via email and Gizzy Local online community Hours: 10-12 hours per week Terms: Contractor / $25 - 28 per hour / Will need own laptop and phone. What is Gizzy Local: Walking into Gizzy Local on any given day you will find an assortment of passionate community advocates and creatives at work; creating, writing, dreaming and scheming. Our homebase is charming, old and a bit worse for wear, but the people that occupy it appreciate her character - the walls are pink, the floors covered in an array of second hand carpets, and mismatched furniture abounds. This space serves as a pretty good reflection of the Gizzy Local operation as a whole - resourceful, responsive, inclusive and creative. Our homebase serves as our office as well as a community space. We hold a diverse array of events that bring people together to create and connect, and also hire the space to community for their events. A lot of Gizzy Local exists online, on our social media platforms and website, where we share local stories as well as local event information. Our Purpose: To be an enabler of greater connection and understanding amongst our community through the sharing of uplifting and honest stories and local event information here in Te Tairāwhiti. We hope that in shining a light on ourselves we’ll all be able to see each other and hear each other a little more easily, and get a sense of the wealth and wisdom, creativity, knowledge and diversity that exists among us. The Role: We are looking for someone to coordinate our community events calendar and promote local events to our wider community. The purpose of this role is to encourage our community to get out and about to enjoy and benefit from all the good stuff that’s on offer in Te Tairāwhiti. Key Responsibilities Collating Events information from various online sources Uploading and managing event information to our website, social media and weekly newsletter Building and maintaining relationships with community members and businesses running local events Promoting events using social media stories, posts and reels Liaison with our accounts staff regarding invoicing and payments Skills Confident and warm communicator via phone, email and messaging services Comfortable using Social Media tools, Google Suite and Canva Minimum basic understanding of te reo Māori and tikanga Māori, or a desire to learn. We invite applicants that are confident navigating social media platforms; enjoy making new connections and helping people; are warm and effective communicators; have great time management skills; are passionate about the importance of a vibrant community and; enjoy both working in a team environment, as well as independently. What we can offer you A warm, fun, and welcoming work environment A team of creative, passionate humans, who are working for our community, social justice and the whenua. Flexible hours. Ongoing training and development on the job Potential for the role and responsibilities to evolve. The Gizzy Local calendar is part of a Wix website, and over the course of your role with us, you will learn how to use Wix with on-site training. If you are interested please send an email introduction with a bit about yourself, and any skills, experience or attributes you believe you could bring to this role and Gizzy Local, to Sarah at hello@gizzylocal.com.

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