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It’s book week at the Red Cross shop this week. Buy 2 and get the 3rd FREE.
We have also been stocking the shop with the left over items from the Fashion Fundraiser held on Sunday. They raised $22,000 for the Red Cross NZ Disaster Fund, helping those affected by cyclone Gabriel and the Auckland … View moreIt’s book week at the Red Cross shop this week. Buy 2 and get the 3rd FREE.
We have also been stocking the shop with the left over items from the Fashion Fundraiser held on Sunday. They raised $22,000 for the Red Cross NZ Disaster Fund, helping those affected by cyclone Gabriel and the Auckland floods. Amazing ✨✨✨
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Since 1999, our residents and team members have raised more than $5.1 million for charities across New Zealand and Australia.
Supporting fellow pioneers isn’t new. It’s in our DNA. Learn more about becoming our charity partner for 2022/23.
From reporter Olivia Caldwell:
When Peter Murphy stood at the starting line of Queenstown’s Motatapu mountain bike race on Saturday, he had just buried his son three weeks earlier.
The cause of the 58-year-old’s own unexpected death, 10 minutes into the 47km race, is unknown, with an … View moreFrom reporter Olivia Caldwell:
When Peter Murphy stood at the starting line of Queenstown’s Motatapu mountain bike race on Saturday, he had just buried his son three weeks earlier.
The cause of the 58-year-old’s own unexpected death, 10 minutes into the 47km race, is unknown, with an autopsy on Monday coming back inconclusive.
On February 10, Murphy’s 23-year-old son, Daniel, died from a rare cancer – a malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumour.
Doctors had said his leg would need to be amputated, ending his professional dancing career. The cancer spread too quickly for radiation therapy to keep on top of it.
Jo Fuller said Murphy was heartbroken about losing his son.
The couple had been looking forward to a lot in 2023 – moving into their dream home in Wānaka in five weeks, and enjoying life as newlyweds.
They had been together eight years and married in Wānaka on December 22.
The sun shone for the ceremony, but just as Murphy was about to deliver his “off the cuff speech” a loud crack of thunder filled the air, lightning hit the sky and a downpour of torrential rain followed.
“It was an amazing day. We had the absolute time of our lives.”
Murphy and his brother-in-law, Jim Fuller, planned to do the Motatapu race in 2020 before it was cancelled because of Covid-19. Murphy had completed the race five times before.
The mates started the race together on Saturday.
“I thought he will catch me up because he’s fitter, so I went off, and then I slowed down and ... I kept looking back for him,” Jim Fuller said.
When he reached the finish line, he was told Murphy had died.
His death was a shock to those who knew him. He took medication for a heart arrhythmia, but was fit.
Jo Fuller said she snuck a hug, kiss and reluctant photo of her new husband in his lycra when she dropped him off at the start line on Saturday.
Murphy, too, snuck in one last romantic act – one he’d been doing since their first car ride together.
“He was a gentleman. I used to go and open the door to the car, and he would open it ... it took me probably six months to stop opening it myself. He did it right up until Saturday.”
The race began 9am. At 10am, Fuller was called and told there had been an “incident”.
A doctor was one of the first to find Murphy on the gravel road and attempted over 45 minutes of CPR until an ambulance arrived.
“I just thought Pete was going to be in one of the ambulances, so I ran and there was no-one in it,” Fuller said.
“I came around the corner and there was Pete lying on the road with a white cloth over him ... I just stood there and collapsed.”
Murphy and Fuller first met 30 years ago at an antenatal group – both attending with their partners of the time.
In 2014, after both relationships had ended, they ran into each other at a friend’s party.
“He said ‘look we've got 20 years of stuff to catch up on’.”
They caught up as friends, Fuller said, though Murphy had other plans.
Murphy invited himself to meet her in Singapore on her way home from running the Paris Marathon, so she couldn’t really turn him down, she said.
“That’s how he weaselled himself into my life when I made it very clear I was not interested.”
Murphy, who had a big smile, was kind, easygoing, welcoming, and a bit cheeky, Fuller said.
It would have been Murphy’s 59th birthday on Sunday. The couple were going to go to their favourite restaurant Francesca’s for pizza.
Murphy has two other children, Georgia and William. His ex-wife Robyn Murphy is based in Christchurch.
On Monday, police said they wanted to hear from anyone who saw Murphy before the race, or saw what happened.
“We know that there would have been competitors and supporters in the bike race who had travelled to Wānaka from all parts of the country,” Senior Sergeant Chris Brooks said.
“So we are asking anyone – whether you are currently in the Wānaka area or have since returned home – who may have information to please let us know, so we can help get some answers for this man’s family.”
Anyone with information is asked to call police on 105 or fill out a report online at 105.police.govt.nz/ using 'Update Report' and the file number 230304/1913.
Whether the actual crunching of numbers sounds exciting or scary, celebrating World Maths Day can be oodles and oodles of fun! Maths is believed by many people to be one of the hardest subjects to achieve in because of its strictness in needing correct answers, its abstract concepts, and the … View moreWhether the actual crunching of numbers sounds exciting or scary, celebrating World Maths Day can be oodles and oodles of fun! Maths is believed by many people to be one of the hardest subjects to achieve in because of its strictness in needing correct answers, its abstract concepts, and the overall stress involved in succeeding. But don’t let that be intimidating!
World Maths Day is a chance to test your skills, practice maths, and get involved in a worldwide event that celebrates the history of maths to improve the lives of students, parents, and teachers everywhere.
Join Emile Donovan and Imogen Wells for your daily dose of exclusives, analysis and fresh perspectives on news.
The podcast drops each weekday from 6am on newsable.co.nz or listen on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your pods.
It's time to make their day in return! There's been hundreds of incredible nominations in this year's Prospa Local Business Hero Awards already - but have we got yours?
Give your favourite local business owner the recognition they deserve by nominating them in the … View moreIt's time to make their day in return! There's been hundreds of incredible nominations in this year's Prospa Local Business Hero Awards already - but have we got yours?
Give your favourite local business owner the recognition they deserve by nominating them in the 2023 Prospa Local Business Hero Awards including a incredible package worth $10,000. Just share a few words about why they make your community a better place to live.
Your favourite local will thank you!
With universities starting up last week, so brings first-time flatters trying their hand at cooking for the first time. In 2020, 27% of a household’s weekly budget was spent on takeaways so it’s no wonder that cooking is becoming a bit of a lost art.
Alongside sewing and knitting, what other … View moreWith universities starting up last week, so brings first-time flatters trying their hand at cooking for the first time. In 2020, 27% of a household’s weekly budget was spent on takeaways so it’s no wonder that cooking is becoming a bit of a lost art.
Alongside sewing and knitting, what other vital skills do you think are at risk of being lost?
Share your thoughts below for the We Say You Say column in the local paper - write NFP if you want your comments excluded.
Research Study on Domestic Violence
Have you ever been physically hurt, e.g., punched in the head or choked by a partner, family, or whānau member?
… View moreResearch Study on Domestic Violence
Have you ever been physically hurt, e.g., punched in the head or choked by a partner, family, or whānau member?
If you are aged over 18 years, we would like to hear from you.
Through listening to people’s experience(s), we hope to learn how we can improve access to support and health services in the future. This will take about one hour.
A $50 voucher will be given to you at the end of the interview as a thank you for your time.
If you would like to take part or want more information, please text 027 359 8651 or email ksj8600@autuni.ac.nz.
This study was approved by the Northern A Health and Disability Committee has approved this study (REF: 2022 EXP 12593
If you need more forms or accessibility formats,visit www. census.govt.nz, or call 0800 236 787 for help.
We have a collection of beautiful vintage lanterns ✨✨✨
You can also come in and donate to our NZ Disaster Fund Appeal to help those affected by Cyclone Gabriel and the Auckland floods. 💜 Thank-you.
Refresh drawers with an ombre paint effects using tonal Resene paint colours.
Find out how to paint your own with these easy instructions.
From reporter Hamish McNeilly:
Some of the hottest tickets in Dunedin are being snapped up at for after dark events inside one of the city’s oldest institutions – Otago Museum.
Gin and Collections, Wine and Design, Cocktails and Chemistry, Planet and Pints, and Love Island are just some … View moreFrom reporter Hamish McNeilly:
Some of the hottest tickets in Dunedin are being snapped up at for after dark events inside one of the city’s oldest institutions – Otago Museum.
Gin and Collections, Wine and Design, Cocktails and Chemistry, Planet and Pints, and Love Island are just some of the events recently held at the 155-year-old institution.
The latter resulted in people flying to Dunedin from as far away as Auckland to attend, with the event featuring entertainment, challenges similar to those on the popular TV show.
Another memorable event was themed around Friday the 13th, and featured a devil opening his jacket to each guest offering a choice of poison, a working tattooist and a fake priest.
“We do crazy things,” said Charlie Buchan, who started at the museum as marketing co-ordinator almost three years ago and is now assistant marketing manager.
Whatever the title, the unusual marketing strategy appears to be working.
Ticketing numbers for free and paid events at Tūhura Otago Museum have jumped from 11,527 in 2019-20, to 26,638 in 2021-22.
With Covid wiping out the international visitor industry, the museum had to get creative to make up for funding shortfalls.
“We have to do things differently,” Buchan said.
‘‘We had to pivot because we need repeat visitation, we couldn’t rely on people bringing their kids in because it is a rainy day.’’
That included partnering with small businesses hurting during Covid, and using the museum as a hub.
Local distilleries showcased their products as part of Gin and Collections, which also offered people a peak behind the scenes of some of the 1.5 million items in the museum’s collections.
Another event, Planet and Pints, was the idea of museum event manager Rachel MacJeff, and involved people having a beer – brewed especially for the museum by students at Otago Polytechnic – inside the museum’s planetarium.
And the name of that pale ale? The world’s best museum (beer).
The events attracted a more diverse range of people to the museum, which led to increased partnerships with local brands.
‘‘We click the ticket a little bit,” Buchan said.
“We aren’t doing it to be profit-driven but the Government and council aren’t funding us to our capabilities at the moment.”
Other museums were interested in Otago’s approach, particularly how active it was across social media platforms, he said.
Upcoming events at the museum included Children’s Day, Yoga with the Butterflies, and Medieval Family Day, ffeaturing a screening of the Princess Bride.
Later this month the museum would host another After Dark event, Pride Party, which featured a cocktail bar, karaoke lip-sync, and drag queen bingo.
Buchan said the aim was to attract more people to the museum, particularly on quiet nights.
“I wanted to bring a bit of that New York, that London, back to town ... but at the museum.”
Other ideas included early morning events, such as a silent disco before people started work. The alcohol-free event would offer healthy smoothies and be pitched at corporates aiming to build culture.
Building culture and identity was important for an institution still wanting to be relevant 155 years after it opened its doors, Buchan said.
That was evident when he was at the Otago University Students’ Association’s tent city, on the museum reserve, for Orientation Week.
Among the deals on offer for students included free tickets to the planetarium, but that offer was countered by second-year students asking “where is the museum?”
That was the challenge, he said.
But it was changing, and part of that was appealing to a younger market who shared their experiences on social media.
From reporter Olivia Caldwell:
When is a jack russell terrier not a jack russell terrier?
As far as the 24-year-old Jack Russell Race at the Wānaka A&P Show, anything goes, but there is controversy around the size of one magnificent beast, Harry.
“We don’t have any rules,” says … View moreFrom reporter Olivia Caldwell:
When is a jack russell terrier not a jack russell terrier?
As far as the 24-year-old Jack Russell Race at the Wānaka A&P Show, anything goes, but there is controversy around the size of one magnificent beast, Harry.
“We don’t have any rules,” says show event manager Jane Stalker.
That’s not far off the truth. Richard Burdon, event judge and son of Jerry and Lesley Burdon, who created the race, says the only regulation is if the dog passes the “does it look like a jack russell?” test.
“It is still one of the highlights of the show. It has very limited rules, and we still have a lot of fun, and it’s all done in the best spirit.
“We have a few imposters every year, but we don't place them.”
The race, held this year on March 11, sees the terriers chase a dead rabbit towed by a horse around an oval field. The first dog to reach the rabbit, wins.
Harry, a 13-year-old jack russell fox terrier from Cromwell, has been winning the race since he started as a 1-year-old. He has six titles to his name, in seven starts.
“The one year that he didn't get it, the little dogs cut across and were chasing the horse and not the rabbit,” says owner Samara Buchanan.
Harry, whose mother was a fox terrier and father was a jack russell, has front legs likened to a greyhound.
”He’s more taken to the foxy side I think,” says Buchanan.
He is a big jack russell, but is still within the rules, she says.
”It’s a terrier race.
“There are fluffy ones, there’s everything in there.”
Friend of the race, Dominic Morrogh Bernard, has lived in Scotland for the past 30 years and says the races, born out of the United Kingdom, are popular back home.
It is not uncommon for mixed terriers to race in Scotland, and Wānaka’s loose rules were true to tradition, he says.
”I would start with terriers, but you can have mixed breeds and all sorts back in the UK.”
While there were whisperings about the size of Harry, Buchanan says she has never had a complaint that her dog is bigger than the other dogs.
Harry has a nemesis, Stella.
“The wee black and white one isn’t much smaller than him to be fair,” Buchanan says.
Stella is a jack russell crossed with a chihuahua, making her a speedy wee thing.
Stella’s owner Daniel Bogue is also aware of Harry.
“We’ve gone up against him quite a few times. In fact, the two or three years he hasn’t entered, we won.
“It is a real big dog for a jack russell. I have no qualms with it, it is a race and may the best dog win.”
Stalker says show organisers aren’t looking at changing the rules to make the race for only purebred jack russell terriers.
They ask owners to use their judgement of what qualifies as a jack russell.
“There are times we thought should we put rules around it, but it has taken a life of its own.”
No official complaints had been made, she says.
Stalker says the race is probably not well-named.
“It is probably a bit of tongue in cheek.
“You will get told to leave if you bring something that doesn't look like a jack russell terrier.”
Stalker says she knows of Harry.
“He is a bit big.”
While the race is fun by nature, there is dog roll and dog nuts on the line for the proud dog owners.
To prepare for the race Harry eats dog nuts, rabbits at times and walks regularly.
Buchanan says his last race was 2021, but he has come out of retirement before.
”Lots of people are trying to get me to bring him up, but I think it is time to hand the reins over to someone else.”
For Stella’s sake, let’s hope so.
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