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A welcome return to the rodding calendar in October was the Trouble Bound Side Show supporting West Auckland Hospice. Brilliant weather gave a taste of the summer season on its way and the no location filled to capacity. This year the Glenora Rugby League Club in Glen Eden was the perfect new venue for this ever-popular West Auckland show. "We tripled the size of the venue and it looks like we tripled the turnout", said Shane Adlington of…

I recently met the team from Henderson Budget Service who provide free advice for those who are struggling with financial hardship. There are many such organisations like this within our communities and they play a vital role in helping people to manage debt and get back to a semblance of financial stability. · FinCap (the National Building Financial Capability Charitable Trust) is the umbrella organisation that supports these financial…

Not since the Cuban missile crisis exactly 60 years ago has the world been in such danger. · And that’s not just my own view: early in October, US President Joe Biden said that the risk of nuclear Armageddon is at the highest level since the Cuban missile crisis. He was right. · As I write, Russia’s conventional military forces are being forced to retreat on many fronts and Ukrainian forces have destroyed a key bridge linking Russia to Crimea.…

November 26th 1961 – The Drug Thalidomide is withdrawn from the market after affecting over 10,000 babies worldwide Thalidomide changed our relationship with new medicines for ever. It took five years for the connection between thalidomide taken by pregnant women and the impact on their children to be made. Not only did thalidomide change people’s lives, but it resulted in tighter drug testing and reporting of side-effects. · Thalidomide is…

They are dying in the drift of chemical crop sprays. Where are the birds? Declining in numbers in the toxic wind with more dead from eating toxic seeds. How will the world cope without them? Where in this scenario does the agenda of feeding the world fit in? It really is incredulous that these chemicals applied to crops were produced without a complete scientific analysis of the environmental impact upon nature and our complex waterways. · So…

The biennial Garden Ramble supported by Barfoot and Thompson is the largest fundraising event that the Franklin Hospice runs. It helps to provide much needed funds that are needed to to offer hospice care to the Franklin community. · Ticket holders get the opportunity to wander around 17 unique gardens, and enjoy the delightful masterpieces created by each of our wonderful garden hosts. The 2022 Ramble will take place over the weekend of 12th…

The Reserve Bank of NZ delivered another 0.5% increase in the official cash rate (OCR), taking it to 3.5% – the highest level since June 2015 when they lowered it from 3.5% to 3.25%. In terms of mortgage rate implications floating loans may see increases but there might not necessarily be much change in fixed rates as a direct result of this increase. From a borrower’s perspective, clearly the increases in mortgage rates over the past year or…

If it’s not beginning to look a lot like Christmas yet, it will soon enough. This year, we’re looking forward to a host of events to help lift those – Christmas Spirit. CAROLS IN THE PARK – Dec 2, from 6pm, Central Park: Pack a picnic for a fun filled, family-focused, free evening, featuring carols as well as other Christmas songs. · PAPAKURA ROTARY SANTA PARADE – Dec 4, from 3pm: From Central Park, the parade marches down Great…

elocal returned to the Cutting Edge Plastic Surgery building at 11-13 Roulston Street to talk about skin checks as summer approaches. e This must be your busiest time of year? Things do get busy as the Summer approaches. Shirts come off, bits of skin that have been covered up all winter start to see the light of day and changing moles get noticed. We’ve already been busy with patients who are thinking about beach bodies too. They’ve been…

We were delighted to host National Deputy Leader Nicola Willis in the electorate on Monday 29 August. We took advantage of Nicola’s business acumen by inviting her to join the panel for our Women Who Are Leaders / He Wāhine Rangatira event in the afternoon. · A free community event open to all businesswomen from commercial and not-for-profit organisations, the afternoon was successfully MC’d by Rachael Speedy of BPW Franklin, and Nicola was…