Improve your computer skills for free
Did you know, at your local Ara community computing hub you can gain computer skills for work, study and everyday life and it won’t cost you a cent!
It’s easy too. You can learn at your own pace and at times that fit around work, family and other commitments. If you’re working, you could even arrange with your employer to study during work time, as part of your professional development.
Courses include beginner, intermediate and advanced-level study in Word, Excel and Powerpoint. You can also learn how to touch-type, use the internet or make a website.
Ara’s friendly tutors will help you gain the skills you need to improve your job opportunities, become more productive at work or just get the most out of all the digital tools available to us these days.
There are five Computing For Free hubs in Christchurch and one each in Timaru and Oamaru. To get started, simply drop into your nearest hub (for locations see
ara.ac.nz/computing) or call 0800 24 24 76.
Paddy Gower seeks ‘bloody great Cantab’
The Kiwi journalist drilling deep into the country’s biggest issues is on a mission to find the local greats.
Paddy Gower is looking for the Good Kiwi in every region to feature in his show, The F@#$ing News - Paddy Gower Live on Tour.
To nominate a Good Kiwi, email reporters@press.co.nz with the name and a description of why your nominee should win. You an also share the local issues you think Paddy needs to tackle in the comments below.
It could be the woman whose knitting circle has made 3800 items for victims of domestic violence, the guy running the length of Aotearoa for mental health, or the woman with terminal cancer who spends her time campaigning to raise awareness and save lives.
“Basically I am looking for ... a bloody great Cantab who just gets on and gets things done. The criteria is somebody who has a positive attitude and makes the community a better place," Gower said.
“I will give this person the 'Big Ups' they deserve, and the community can celebrate them with me.”
A Good Kiwi will feature in each of Gower’s live shows in 14 centres through November and December. He will name the Cantabrian Good Kiwi at his Christchurch show on the evening of Friday, November 22, at St Margaret’s College.
The F@#$ing News - Paddy Gower Live on Tour is a sort of book tour, sort of stand-up comedy, some journalistic yarns and memoir, and some motivational speaking - with a fair bit of local in each show.
Gower also wants to know about topics of interest in the region.
“I’m ... going to be taking on a big issue facing Canterbury and offering up solutions.”
A stinky suburb, a neighbourhood needing a round-about or a cathedral in disrepair - “I will make your views count”, he said.
“I'm touring the nation to spread positivity, optimism and good vibes.”
*For tickets to the The F@#$ing News - Paddy Gower Live on Tour visit paddygower.co.nz
What's your favourite recipe for gooseberry?
Love gooseberries? Share your favourite way to enjoy them. We're looking for our readers' favourite family recipes for this delicious crop. Send yours to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the magazine, you will receive a free copy of our December 2024 issue.
Canterbury beach community ‘thrilled’ with new flood protection plans
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
A North Canterbury beach community is set to get an early Christmas present to help in the fight against rising sea levels.
The Hurunui District Council has confirmed its plans to build a $750,000 coastal bund to protect the Amberley Beach village from the sea, with work to begin this month.
Amberley Beach Residents’ and Ratepayers’ Community Association spokesperson Paula Le Compte said the announcement is good news for residents.
‘‘I know the entire beach community will be thrilled that it is going ahead.’’
A bund is a type of embankment which protects against the sea.
Le Compte said the area was important for fishing and recreation, while the village of 109 properties included a mix of home owners, rentals and holiday homes.
Chief executive Hamish Dobbie said he expected the new bund to be completed by Christmas.
The existing bund is owned by the community and was built in 1993, with the council acting as ‘‘a collector of funds’’.
The council was granted a consent by Environment Canterbury in March last year to build a new bund.
An Amberley Beach Coastal Adaptation Plan was adopted by the council in July last year, following extensive engagement with the community over three years.
The plan identified a number of options for the community to respond to coastal erosion, flooding and sea level rise.
These included a new, relocatable bund, while in the longer term other coastal protection measures or managed retreat will be considered.
The new bund was designed by the residents’ association and approved in August, after being peer reviewed.
It is expected to have a lifespan of 30 years.
The council voted in April to approve the use of debt funding to pay for the new $750,000 bund, with Amberley Beach residents paying for it through a combination of funds already saved and a targeted rate.
Residents approached the council earlier this year with a proposal to increase their targeted rate from $252 to $304 a year, which was included in the Long Term Plan.
The coastal adaptation plan has a clause where residents would need to consider another option, such as ‘‘proactive relocation’’, if the targeted rate for the bund exceeds $750 per household per year.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
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