Local artist Ruby Burke has taken first place at this year’s Wānaka Arts Labour Weekend Exhibition awards.The exhibition is running at the Lake Wānaka Centre until Sunday (October 24) and Ruby received her award at the exhibition’s opening night on Friday (October 22) alongside winners in other categories.Nineteen-year-old Ruby told the Wānaka App she was thrilled to receive the award - selected from more than 100 works from artists working in a range of disciplines - for her piece ‘The Lily Princess’. She said it was “just amazing” to be recognised in her hometown, especially given she had been exhibiting with Wānaka Arts since she was 12 or 13-years-old.Wānaka Arts’ representative Whitney Oliver said judges Marc Blake (Broker Gallery) and Stacey Butler (Milford Galleries) deliberated carefully to select this year's winners.Ruby is primarily a self taught artist, having discovered her love of art after a visit to her school from a local artist when she was just 10-years-old. She recently held a 20-piece exhibition locally, which aimed to bring beauty from around the world to Wānaka for people experiencing wanderlust during Covid-19.See also: ‘Exhibition brings beauty from around the world to Wānaka’ The exhibition, which took place in August, had “a lot of support which was amazing,” Ruby said.Following her win Ruby plans to continue with her art in 2020: “I hope to keep exhibiting and work on commissions and get into some galleries in Dunedin and further afield”.Ruby received $3,000 for the first prize overall award, and six other artists received awards.The Shona Johnstone Memorial overall runner-up went to Teresa Chin, who received $2,000 for her piece ‘Go to the Water’.Five highly commended certificates went to Anique Williams with ‘Cheeky Kea’, Max de Roy with ‘Flower Study’, Mehrdad Tahan with ‘Seize the Day’; Nic Cockram with ‘Bauhaus and Background’, and Sally-Mae Hudson with ‘Te Araroa o Te Waipounamu’ (Linocut Print).Wanaka Artist Nic Cockram with his highly commended artwork 'Bauhaus and Background' (top right)Whitney said there would also be a viewer’s choice award, worth $300, given at the end of the weekend. The Wānaka Arts Labour Weekend Exhibition continues today (Saturday October 23) and tomorrow (Sunday October 24), between 9am-5pm. Entry is $5.Previous: Biggest exhibition yet for Wānaka Arts PHOTOS: Wānaka App

Mount Aspiring College (MAC) announced its senior awards on Tuesday November 16 via a live stream event.Principal Nicola Jacobsen told the school community via a newsletter that the college would miss seeing the parents, caregivers, and whānau but it was nice to know that there was an opportunity to watch the awards ceremony.The 2021 dux award went to Jess Carswell for attaining academic excellence of the highest order in Economics, Mathematics with Calculus, Chemistry and Physics. Next year Jess will be attending the University of Canterbury.The proximae accessit is Emma Davies who attained academic excellence in Economics, Mathematics with Statistics, Psychology and Spanish. Next year Emma will be studying at the University of Canterbury.Lucy Fenton was named best all round student for her wholehearted contribution in all aspects of student life. Lucy was described as passionate, driven and unreservedly altruistic, the epitome of this award. Next year Lucy will be studying at the University of Otago. Awards list Year 11  Highest achievement: Jessie Winter (mathematics and science), Ajay Quirk (computing), Anataia White (Te Reo Maori), Annalise Millar (geography), Caity Curtis (art painting and photography), Emilie Nicholson (visual art), Freja Malmo (spatial and product design), Holly James (health), Jackson Duguid (English), Kalan Nichol (woodwork), Laura Watkins (outdoor pursuits), Lily Ashe (food and nutrition), Nina Lee Smith (Spanish), Nova Gillam (agriculture), Oscar Goodwin (music), Oscar Waddington (history), Paige Gawn (drama), Sara Jewell (economics and business), Thomas Benson (physical education), Zoe Antone (mechanical engineering).High achievement: Jessie Winter (physical education and economics and business), Jaleesa Webb (outdoor pursuits and science), Jackson Duguid (mathematics and science), Isabella Soper (mathematics and science), Nina Lee Smith (English and science), Caity Curtis (mathematics), Anataia White (English), Carter Titterton (woodwork), India Yule (english), Kate Bennie (English), Lucas Buick (science), Zoe Antone (English). Year 12  Highest achievement: Layton Osnabrugge (chemistry, psychology, biology and mathematics with calculus), Daisy Orbell (music, visual art photography, and mathematics with statistics), Hayden Watson (computing and physics), Kate Harry (Spanish and business), Tai Olley (geography), Aimee Harrold (food and nutrition), Hugo Smith (economics), Kahu Allan (history), Bailey Sharp (English), Cullen Meyer (music technology), Emma Palmer (mathematics and statistics), Evie Sinclair (tourism), Harry Gilbertson (outdoor pursuits), Luka van Maren (mechanical engineering), Matai Wells (spatial and product design), Nico Semeri (pathways), Olivia Jones (physical education), Penny Bowker-Napp (visual art design), Ryan Clements (gateway), Sam Johnson (woodwork), Sophia Perkins (visual art painting).High achievement: Matai Wells (biology, chemistry, physics and English), Hayden Watson (mathematics with calculus), Luka van Maren (outdoor pursuits), Emma Palmer (psychology), Isla Henderson (physical education), Millie Cranfield (mathematics and statistics), Scarlett Norman (English), Sophia Perkins (English). Year 13Highest Achievement: Jess Carswell (chemistry, physics and mathematics with calculus), Jack Willson (materials technology and computing), Annabel Hutchison (geography and psychology), Olive Blyth (drama and music), Annelise Wedgwood (performing arts and entertainment technology), Aleisha Turner (spatial and product design), Emma Davies (Spanish), Ethan Brady (English), Georgia Robertson (mathematics with statistics), Hannah Power (outdoor pursuits), Hannah Stephens (outdoor pursuits), Holly Gibson (physical education), Isla Gellatly (mathematics with statistics), Joel Morgan (tourism), Kiri Shibahara (biology), Letitia Haig (financial capability), Lucia Brown (visual art photography), Mackenzie Barnett (mathematics and statistics), Maddi Frazer (food and nutrition), Meg Thomas (business and enterprise), Oliver Prince (music technology), Ryan Young (woodwork), Summer Rasmussen (visual art painting), Tesoro Levy (visual art design).High achievement: Emma Davies (psychology and English), Tess Treadwell-Burke (business and enterprise and mathematics and statistics), Noah Newton (outdoor pursuits), Ashley Bates (biology), Georgia Robertson (economics), Isla Gellatly (physical education), Kahurangi Nepia (outdoor pursuits), Olivia Connolly (chemistry), Zoe Smith (physics). Special Academic Awards: Abigail Schaffer (historical records), Zoe Antone, Hayden Watson (science and technology scholarships), Jess Carswell (mathematics scholarship), Meg Thomas (senior language), Thomas Benson (outdoor pursuits scholarship). National Achievements Zoe Antone (archery), Oscar Georgalli (snowboarding), Bella Sarginson, Emily Findlay, Neve Faed (rowing), Flyn Coburn (lugeing). International Achievements  Gustav Legnavsky (skiing), Billie Willson (equestrian), Holly Gibson (dance). Premiere Sports Awards Zoe Smith (fairplay), Georgie Bruce and Abby Fisher (girls’ sports), Gustav Legnavsky (boys’ sports). Service AwardsHolly Gibson, Georgie Bruce, Aleisha Turner, Olive Blyth, Isla Gellatly, Lea McTavish, Ashley Bates, Zoe Smith, Lauren Rimmer, Flyn Coburn, Danielle Carney, Piper Cavanagh, Martha Toghill, Mackenzie Barnett, Nikita Sinclair, Whitney Bennett, Annabel Hutchison, Hannah Stephens, Meg Thomas, Tesoro Levy, Summer Rasmussen, Alice Howard, Hannah Power, Meg Kilbride, Maddi Frazer, Tess Treadwell-Burke, Lucy Fenton, Lucia Brown, Georgia Robertson, Neve Stalker, Emma Davies, Mackenzie Harvey, Abhishek Rameshanand, Nicole Meyer (students in the community with distinction). Duke of Edinburgh’s Hillary Award: Hazel Murray, Tai Olley, Lyla Chamberlain, Aneka Rossiter, Emma Patterson (bronze), Millie Cranfield, Angus Veitch (silver), Neve Stalker, Nic Battersby, Maddi Frazer, Benji Pujol (gold), Piper Cavanagh, Zoe Smith, Hadley Tamati, Tess Treadwell-Burke (house), Maddi Frazer, Jess Carswell, Flyn Coburn (whole-hearted contribution), Holly Gibson, Annabel Hutchison, Zac Scott (special recognition), Isla Gellatly (student council recognition). Cultural AwardsHadley Tamati (mana pounamu) Tawhiri Rupapera (te korowai o te maatauranga), Oliver Prince, Kahurangi Nepia (music), Lucia Brown (art), Ethan Brady (drama), Meg Thomas (speech), Tesoro Levy (writing). ScholarshipsHayden Watson, Amelia Mitchell (leadership), Anya Fearnside (medical), Zoe Smith, Jack Willson, Piper Cavanagh, Nikita Sinclair, Meg Thomas, Meg Kilbride, Maddi Frazer, Tess Treadwell-Burke, Lucia Brown, Anna Barrett, Hadley Tamati (leadership and role-model), Mackenzie Barnett, Ryan Young (engineering), Olive Blyth (music), Nicole Meyer (law), Aleisha Turner (design), Harry Gillespie (vocational).  PHOTO: Supplied

More than $50,000 has been raised for the family of a Makarora man who died on October 10. Money raised on the Givealittle fundraiser will go towards the costs associated with raising Hayden Blackburn’s young daughters, Lily and Briar. NZ Police said they were called to a sudden death in Makarora at 1.20pm on October 10. The accident occured during a tree felling and the death was not considered suspicious.Hayden, who was 34 years old, is survived by his partner Charlene and two daughters. Hayden died in Makorora on October 10 during a tree felling. PHOTO: Wānaka AppHe was a “committed father, a wonderful son, a fun-loving brother, a loyal friend and a devoted partner,” friend Mel Barlow said.“Hayden was a hardworking, dedicated family man and he would love nothing more than for his family, his girls, to be well taken care of.”Mel said she set up the fundraiser to help meet the costs associated with raising his daughters following his sudden and unexpected death.More than 300 donors have so far raised $54,427 for Hayden’s family. “While we cannot take away the pain of this tragic event, or the loss to his immediate family, we thought we would provide an opportunity for people to contribute financially, and know they are helping in some way,” Mel said. Visit the Givealittle fundraiser for Hayden’s family here.

Years of training have paid off for two Wānaka teenagers selected to represent South Island at the St John national youth competition.Seventeen-year-old Carter Hewson and 15-year-old Lily Wilson will make up part of a 24-person squad, selected from St John cadets across the South Island, who will compete together in Christchurch next April.“I’m pretty excited to be able to represent our district and region at the national competition,” Carter said.Carter and Lily are the first Wānaka St John cadets to be selected for the South Island squad at the competition, which will see three squads from around the country compete to best react to staged accident and emergency situations.Props, makeup and patients will be utilised to make the emergency situations appear as realistic as possible so the cadets react in ways that mirror how they would respond in a true emergency.Lily said she was looking forward to competing against the best St John cadets in the country.“I think it will be a really great experience for both of us and I think it's nice we get to do it together,” Lily said. “We’ll have to do a range of clinical tests and practices, as well as drills and lots of teamwork stuff.”Both Carter and Lily have been involved in Wānaka St John programmes since they were six years old and both assist with the running of the Wānaka division on a weekly basis.Carter, who is also a volunteer firefighter, recently completed his cadet leader training and Lily her sergeant training.Carter says he hopes to be a first responder in the future and Lily thinks she’ll do “something healthcare wise”. “I have a few years as a cadet before that,” Lily said.The St John national competition will be held in Christchurch on April 22-25, 2022.  PHOTO: Wānaka App

A local family is grateful for the support it’s received from emergency services and the community after their teenage son was burned in a freak accident recently.Fourteen-year-old Year 9 Mount Aspiring College student Hunter Shuker received burns to 60 per cent of his body in the late September accident. He was flown by helicopter from Lake Hāwea to Christchurch Hospital where he spent time in the ICU. He is now in the Children’s High Care Unit.Hunter is in significant pain and must endure dressing changes under anaesthesia.Jimmy and Stacey Shuker have been told their son will require extensive rehabilitation and support as he recovers. This included treatment in Christchurch and may also include travel to Dunedin for further treatment, specialist physio & counselling sessions.A Givealittle page set up by family friend Claire Walker to help with expenses has raised more than $30,000.Claire described the Shukers as “hard workers who are never out for a handout”. Another family friend told the Wānaka App the Shukers are very grateful for the support and they now have what they need to support Hunter.She said they will donate any funds they don’t use to the services which helped Hunter and services he is currently using, including the local St John ambulance service, air ambulance service and Ronald McDonald House.“They are all so impressed by the first responders, both ambulance and helicopter, and again, very thankful,” the friend told the Wānaka App.“Hunter's recovery is going very well, and they're hoping he'll be home by the end of school holidays. Obviously there will still be a long way to go afterwards, but things are looking good right now.”

The Southern Lakes Arts Festival Trust has announced the appointment of Charlie Unwin as executive director of the Festival of Colour and Aspiring Conversations. The new position replaces the general manager role previously held by Laura Williamson.Charlie grew up in Wānaka, and although he has lived and worked all over New Zealand, he still calls Wānaka home. He has more than 26 years' experience working in the professional performing arts as an actor, producer and director; has successfully delivered over 20 festivals around New Zealand; and he has worked internationally with some of the biggest names in the industry.As well as his role as executive director of the Festival of Colour, Charlie is also the director of the Dunedin Arts Festival and chair of the Performing Arts Network Of New Zealand (PANNZ). He's looking forward to working on his "home festival".Charlie will be working alongside Philip Tremewan, who is programming the 2022 Aspiring Conversation festival of ideas, and Sophie Kelly, the new artistic director of the Festival of Colour arts festival.Philip said he was delighted Charlie had been appointed and outgoing general manager Laura Williamson said she was thrilled to leave the festival in such capable hands.“We’ve made huge strides over the past few years, especially growing the Festival of Colour’s free community and street programme, as well as engaging with younger and more diverse audiences through both festivals,” Laura said.“Sophie and Charlie are the right leaders to carry on with this work, and take our events to a new level.”Charlie will also be supported by Wānaka’s Abbey Lewis and Anna McConville.Laura said festival fans will not have seen the last of her: “Our former general manager, Lindsey Schofield, has been working in the box office, and I’m sure I’ll be back in some capacity too. Our festivals are fantastic events, and I hope to stay involved.”The Southern Lakes Arts Festival Trust runs two biennial festivals in the Wānaka region. The three-day Aspiring Conversations festival of ideas takes place March 24-27, 2022, and the next week-long Festival of Colour arts festival will run in April 2023.PHOTOS: Supplied/Tim Cuff

Confidence, organisation and high quality work have earned a Wānaka builder the title of Southern 2021 Registered Master Builders CARTERS Apprentice of the Year.Samuel Morris, 29, was named the region's top building apprentice at an online awards announcement on Friday (September 24).“Watching on Friday night was really exciting, and I’m pretty ecstatic and proud,” Samuel said.A former farmer, Samuel began his apprenticeship with MacFarlane Building four years ago. He became a fully qualified builder just days before being announced the Southern apprentice of the year.As part of his win Samuel received a $2,000 grant to further his career, a place on an Outward Bound course, products and tools from industry suppliers, and the right to represent the Southern region at the national apprentice of the year in Auckland.“I’m kind of nervous but looking forward to testing my skills and knowledge against the best in the country,” Samuel said.Another Wānaka local, 21-year-old Turnkey Homes apprentice Cory O’Regan, took second place. Cory O'Regan reads his plan during the practical part of the competition“This is so deserved. Cory’s work ethic and respect for the trade makes it an honour to have him on our team,” Turnkey Homes said in a statement.The Registered Master Builders Apprentice of the Year awards recognises excellence among carpentry apprentices and raises awareness of career opportunities in the building and construction industry.To enter the awards, apprentices made a written submission on a building project before taking part in a two-hour challenge to build a shoe rack.The top 10 then progressed to an interview with a judging panel and an on-site visit to discuss their building project.Now that the regional winners have been announced, Samuel will join them on November 3 and 4 in Auckland for the right to compete for the title of National Registered Master Builders Apprentice of the Year.PHOTO: Wānaka App

It’s been a breakthrough year for Wānaka cycling sensation Ellesse Andrews.The 21-year-old shot to sporting stardom with a silver medal in the Keirin (track cycling) at the Tokyo Olympics in August. She is now enjoying some rest and relaxation here in Wānaka, where she spoke to the Wānaka App.Ellesse said it was an emotional moment when she exited MIQ (managed isolation quarantine) on returning from the Tokyo Olympics.“When I came out of MIQ, my dad, mum and younger sibling were there and the new family dog who I hadn’t met. They were at the entrance of the MIQ hotel and we had big cuddles.“Just getting out of the hotel and being able to hug my family and my parents was quite emotional. I was exhausted and it felt so nice to be with loved ones again.”Ellesse hadn’t competed in an international competition in the 18 months preceding the Tokyo Olympics which meant she didn’t know what to expect. “I felt strong and confident I’d done my training to the best of my ability, so I focused on what I could control to put myself in good positions to progress through the competition. I didn’t have any expectations - I wanted to do well but you just try to take it one step at a time.”She said it was hard attending the Tokyo Olympics without friends and family to support her and celebrate with her.“Some of my dad’s Japanese work colleagues came and watched me race and they had a great big New Zealand flag. That was really special as I knew it was representative of my family.” Ellesse attended Mount Aspiring College (MAC) from 2009 to 2016 and describes herself as a sporty kid.“I played lots of sports as a kid but when I started cycling it felt much more natural compared to other sports, and I was able to progress faster than other sports I played.”Ellesse entered her first cycling competition on the track when she was 13, travelling to a velodrome in Invercargill to compete.Her talent was instantly recognisable and just three years later she won a gold medal in the team sprint and a bronze in the individual pursuit at the 2016 Junior Track Cycling World Championships.Ellesse is driven by the intensity of competitions but returning to Wānaka gives her a chance to recalibrate. “It’s inspiring to go to a competition and see all the best athletes in the world. [The Tokyo Olympics] was a great experience, and super positive for me, but I love coming back to where I grew up, jumping on my mountain bike and doing things completely different to what I do on the track”.Ellesse has family and friends in Wānaka and says she is supported by local sports retailer Racers Edge. “They’re part of my team,” she said.Ellesse will be back training in Cambridge next month with a focus on the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England but says her cycling team will definitely be having a conversation about Paris (2024 Olympics) when she returns to training. PHOTO: Wānaka App

Wānaka resident Hetty Van Hale has been reappointed to the Central Lakes Trust (CLT) board for a second three-year term starting on December 1. Hetty said she was delighted to continue her role as trustee on the largest philanthropic trust per capita in the Southern Hemisphere. “It is an honour for me to be able to serve on the board of CLT, an organisation focused on improving community wellbeing,” she said. “We are incredibly lucky to have such an asset as a community funding source.”CLT has $450M in assets, including 100 per cent ownership of Pioneer Energy, and it currently distributes over $9M annually to charitable causes within Central Otago and Queenstown Lakes.CLT chair Linda Robertson said Hetty’s contribution to the board was significant.“Hetty has over 25 years’ governance experience on boards covering a broad industry range, and she has a strong history of volunteering for community organisations and events over this time, having lived in the Central Lakes region since 1995,” Linda said.The board’s structure allows for three appointed trustees alongside five publicly elected trustees. Hetty was appointed to the board in December 2018 and she is currently deputy chair of the trust. Her plan to move away from Wānaka does not prevent Hetty from continuing her role with CLT because, unlike elected trustees, appointed trustees can be based outside the region, CLT communications and marketing coordinator Carryn Colton said.“The appointed trustees are brought on board to ensure appropriate expertise to decision making and greater continuity at a governance-level,” Carryn said.The reappointment panel included Simon Telfer from specialist board recruitment company Stimulus Consulting, CLT trustee Tony Lepper, and experienced director Alison Geary.“Over time, the diversification, scale and complexity of the trust's investment portfolio has intensified, and the trust increasingly requires trustees that can bring appropriate expertise to decision making and greater continuity at a governance-level,” Linda said. The community will vote for its elected trustees at next year’s election.PHOTO: Supplied

The Wānaka Maternity Hub opened in May; in June a primary birthing unit was confirmed for the town; and now, in the latest positive news for Wānaka midwifery services, two new midwives are joining the Wānaka Midwives team. Wānaka Midwives said it had historically struggled to retain its community midwives, and the town’s distance from a base hospital brings challenges for both midwives and families, but new changes were helping build sustainable midwifery in Wānaka.“With support from the Southern District Health Board (SDHB), and growing our new midwives through Otago Polytechnic, we are now seeing the benefits in building sustainable midwifery to provide maternity care to our birthing families,” Wānaka Midwives said in a statement.Katy Christian recently joined Wānaka Midwives and Emily Sancha will come on board in February next year. Katy told the Wānaka App she hoped her new role would help to take some of the pressure off fellow midwives Deb Harvey and Peta Hosking.  “As a team we can provide back-up to each other to ensure a safe level of midwifery care is always available to Wānaka families, along with being able to give each other defined time off which is also important to sustaining yourself as an LMC [lead maternity carer] midwife.”“This will be increased even more when Emily joins Wānaka Midwives next year.”Katy studied midwifery at Otago Polytechnic, a degree Emily is currently finishing ahead of joining Wānaka Midwives.“I’ve almost finished my second placement and was delighted when [Wānaka Midwives] asked if I would like to join their practice next year,” Emily said. “They’re highly experienced in rural midwifery and I’m really looking forward to working with them.”SDHB rural health service manager Debi Lawry said the health board was delighted to see the midwifery service in Wānaka move from “strength to strength”.The health board had leased the Wānaka Maternal Hub facility, funded a service coordinator, supported the cost of consumables and some equipment, and provided a locum for a few days per month.The primary birthing unit the SDHB was creating was also “well underway”, Debi said. When the SDHB partners with health providers like midwives, sometimes that support isn’t sufficient to meet their needs, she said.“However, in Wānaka the midwifery group has been able to leverage this support, and through their hard work and dedication to the community, managed to grow and prosper,” she said.“SDHB wants to acknowledge that the midwives in Wānaka have put the hard yards in place to grow maternity care for women and their whanau in Wānaka. Their support of new midwives coming into the area has been outstanding, and is a large part of their success story.”PHOTO: Supplied

Wānaka restaurateur Francesca Voza has taken on her next project: a grand manor in Christchurch which will host a fine dining restaurant.Francesca’s New Zealand food journey began in 2010 when she arrived in Wānaka with just $600 in her pocket but lots of big plans. She started out with Franceca’s food truck, which expanded into a restaurant which has become a Wānaka mainstay.Despite the challenges of Covid-19 Francesca’s one of five restaurants from around the country to be named a finalist in the ‘Best Restaurant’ category at the Hospitality Awards for Excellence.“We are very grateful for the support we have received from the Wānaka locals during the last year,” Francesca told the Wānaka App.Francesca will create Miro at the Manor at Eliza’s Manor in Christchurch. PHOTO: SuppliedShe expanded into Christchurch with a second Francesca’s restaurant, and later, a fine dining restaurant called Miro, among other new restaurants. Francesca and her team are now planning to open Miro at the Manor.  “We fell in love with the history of the building,” Francesca told the Wānaka App. Eliza’s Manor was once the home of prominent business and councilmen and their families; was rented as a boarding house for St Margaret’s College; used as a private maternity and general hospital; and in 1981, it was converted into a bed and breakfast.Francesca said the building had an amazing past “and we want to make sure this isn’t forgotten”.“We want this to be a venue for all of New Zealand to visit and appreciate the stunning history of the place.”

A local musician has enlisted a very unusual ally - a house cow - to help publicise her new album.Hāwea singer/songwriter Anna Rowley recently released her first professionally recorded album, ‘Radiate’, which features eight original tracks recorded under the guidance of Danny Fairly at Mirrors Audio in Wānaka.“It was a great learning journey for me to work alongside another musician to create a super polished product,” Anna said.  “I wanted to make an upbeat album with strong melodies, and lyrics that listeners could relate to. A lot of the music is inspired by our stunning natural environment and the processes and rhythms of nature.” Anna said life can sometimes be over complicated, and she finds nature “can provide comfort with its simplicity and randomness”.PennyAnna, who lives on a farm in Hāwea, decided upon a “sneaky plan” to draw more people in to consume her music by introducing her house cow Penny on social media. “You can follow her fascinating journey as a house cow in southern NZ. She is due to calve any second... how will it unfold... keep watching to find out more,” Anna promised on Facebook.Anna worked on a dairy farm in her early 20s and became determined to get a house cow one day. Last year she bought Penny from Oamaru on TradeMe.“She tolerates me because I bring her treats to eat and, if I don’t muck around, she will stand still for me while I extract some milk. Every now and then we have a quick cuddle and admit that we actually like each other but generally we keep it professional,” Anna said. Penny is pregnant again - it looks like twins - and Anna says “I really hope she remembers our arrangement from last season”.People follow Penny’s pregnancy on social media, and also enjoy Anna’s album (which can be found on Spotify under Anna Rowley).PHOTOS: Supplied

Twenty-one years after first writing her novel, ‘Seeds of Doubt’, Shirley Deuchrass has decided to get it published. Shirley’s novel was inspired by a school project her daughter had been given about early New Zealand.She spent about five hours a day for the next year crafting the novel with the intention of creating “a historically accurate depiction of what it would be like to live in Southern New Zealand at that time”. The novel is set in 1866 and follows the protagonist, Harriet, as she moves from Dunedin to a quartz reef mine in Bullendale, Otago. Shirley went to a number of publishers with the hope to get the novel onto the shelves but was unfortunately faced with a variety of different feedback. She was advised to change the entire 85,000 words to present tense, and to add a modern story. Ultimately the assessment and advice from local publishers was that “historical novels are hard to sell… they must appeal to the modern reader”.The cover photo, taken 21 year ago, features a friend of Shirley’s daughter in period costume at St Clair beach, Dunedin.After building the characters and refining her story to appeal to a more popular audience, Shirley said she was finally ready to “let it go”. “I didn’t want to get any older and leave the story any longer for anyone else to deal with and I thought ‘I’ll do it myself’, so I paid for an editor and put it on the kindle.” Shirley has loved writing since the age of 15. She has had a number of poems published in literary journals and has self-published two other books for local communities. The difficulty with self-publishing is funding advertising and promotion for the book, she said. “I would just love it if it was picked up. When you’ve spent so much time and energy writing something there’s just no point having it sitting in the drawer and nobody reading it. The whole idea of writing it was for people to enjoy it,” she said.The book has been available on Amazon Kindle for just over a week and if it’s successful Shirley has said there’s room for a sequel. For anybody interested in writing and self-publishing, Shirley’s advice is not to give up. “Don’t stop learning. Podcasts are wonderful,” she said.“And read your writing aloud, it’s very important because you become much more aware of what it sounds like.” Shirley’s book can be dowloaded here.PHOTOS: Supplied

Lake Hāwea resident Errol Carr is hoping a new Men’s Shed will connect men across the community and facilitate a ‘mateship’ opportunity.Errol hopes the Hāwea Men’s Shed will be operational by the end of this year, which would make it the fourteenth shed in the Otago region. The group will have the opportunity to become a member of New Zealand’s representative body MENZSHED, a registered entity which brings men together to share skills, have a laugh and work on personal and community projects.A small steering group has been formed and interest is sought from Hāwea men who can provide some structure to help get the shed up and running.“Those interested don’t need to do anything or bring anything other than themselves. We will figure things out along the way, and definitely put our Hāwea stamp on it,” Errol said.The Men’s Shed would operate in a similar fashion to Wānaka’s MenShed’, which opened in May 2021, however the Hāwea group is placing focus on men from all career stages (working or retired) and all ages.“We have a very diverse population in Hāwea. We hope the Men’s Shed could facilitate the sharing of skills and experiences between our residents, and work on some projects together that can benefit our community,” Errol said.The Lake Hāwea Community Centre is the focal point for the Hāwea community, hosting line dancing, family nights and meet and greets for new residents. Over the past few months, the community centre committee has noticed a lack of opportunities for men looking to connect with others and fill their spare time. “The Men’s Shed will help to bring people back together, and perhaps to bring some creative opportunities with it,” he said.To get involved in the Men’s Shed steering group contact him on [email protected]

A Wānaka woman who has acted as a ‘shepherd’ in international efforts to evacuate vulnerable people from Afghanistan over the past fortnight is reeling from the experience.Emma Conyngham lived in Afghanistan for about three years in the early 2000s, and her connection with the place and its people drew her into the evacuation efforts as the US withdrew from the country. After connecting with a former workmate who works at USAID (United States Agency for International Development), Emma became a ‘shepherd’ - part of a movement supporters are calling ‘Digital Dunkirk’ - as one of many private citizens helping assist with evacuations from great distances, with the help of defence forces, on-the-ground connections and digital communication.Emma said it was a sort of “Chinese whispers” communication style, with commandos and defence force staff pinning maps and developing coordinates and people like Emma communicating that information with families on the ground and trying to help them reach the airport.It also included “an enormous amount” of paperwork, trying to file visa applications for Afghans and work through the bureaucracy and logistics required.It’s far too hard to estimate how many people were helped by her efforts, Emma said.“There were some people we shepherded just from one point to another; for some I did the case files; some of them were being shepherded along with much larger groups.”And where many of those people ended is unclear: “Even now people’s phones have died and we think they got on the planes but we don’t know.”Emma lived in Afghanistan in the early 2000s.With the US withdrawal and the Taliban takeover now complete, Emma says she is struggling to adjust to normal life after weeks of high stress and little sleep assisting agencies. Emma has a business called Waste Free Celebrations, which sells reusable gift wrapping, and she says it’s “hard to think about ribbons and fabric when my reality is at the most diametrically opposed end.”Her mind is still on three families in particular, personal friends, who could not be evacuated from Kabul Airport and are still living in extreme danger. They are among the 60,000-odd people who were unable to escape before the US forces retreated.There are 17 people among the three families that Emma is still working to help.“Their mother was killed by the Taliban, and their father has always been outspoken about the Taliban,” Emma said. “They can’t work or leave their houses and there’s only one family member from the whole group who is unrecognisable [to the Taliban] and they can move around.”Emma is raising money to help support them with safe housing and medical supplies, and to support Operation Recovery, a multi-agency effort to repatriate US citizens and Afghan allies who are still stuck in Afghanistan.There’s one person who made it out with Emma’s help who has recently arrived in New Zealand and hopes to meet her when travel around the country is permitted.‘Miriam’ (a pseudonym), is the sister of someone who was formerly on Emma’s sewing team. She had been a senior prosecutor for the attorney general’s office in Kabul and therefore had a “huge” target on her back, Emma said. After securing a temporary NZ visa, Miriam was evacuated from Afghanistan by the New Zealand Defence Force with assistance from Emma and other shepherds.Many of the details of the rescue cannot be shared because of privacy concerns, Emma said, but “shepherding Miriam was a 48 hour operation with no sleep”. Emma had to make split second decisions, including advising Miriam on behalf of the defence force to re-enter Taliban controlled areas while the sound of gunfire rang out. “When [she finally got through] we were all cheering,” Emma said. “We [the operations team and Emma] all felt really chuffed when we managed to get her and her husband and three kids out. “That whole process from start to finish was momentous.”Emma held communications and media roles with the United Nations and other agencies when she lived in Afghanistan, and said she’s remained connected to the country and the people she met during her time there. “I think I was there in a golden period,” Emma said. “After 9/11 the Taliban took off for a while [and] people were so happy to have foreigners there willing to help.”Support Emma’s fundraising efforts for the families in Afghanistan with a donation to Left Behind ‘06 0145 0328701 01’ or visit the Waste Free Celebrations Facebook page for details of products available for purchase with 100 per cent of profits going to the Afghan cause.PHOTOS: Supplied

Wanaka’s Niamh Shaw has plenty of insight into the varied challenges of being a district councillor.Niamh has spent the past 21 months working as a councillor, after being elected in late 2019. “It’s a fascinating experience, and I feel like I’ve finally settled into the role. Initially the learning curve was incredibly steep,” Niamh told the Wanaka App. “It’s a bit like having children… nobody can really tell you what it’s like.”The next election for the Queenstown Lakes District Council (QLDC), in October 2022, is likely to include an extra councillor for the Wanaka Ward.Submissions on the QLDC representation review closed on Friday (August 6) and the proposal for an additional councillor for Wanaka is expected to be passed at the review hearing later this month.“A small number of people assume things about you as a politician, and forget I’m a mum and a wife, I have friends and family and a life beyond council and I’ve got the same feelings and stresses and pressures as anyone else.”Niamh would like to see more people willing to put themselves forward in order to better effect change.“We need good civic minded community members to stand at the next election.”Niamh says she is fortunate that, due to the community work she did prior to the 2019 election, she has “a pretty clear mandate from the community”. “Some of the issues councillors face are quite complex, and the best outcome isn’t always immediately apparent. But I try to be consistent and authentic, and know that if I can’t justify something to myself, I’m not about to try with anyone else.”Representing her community is a highlight of being a councillor and one that Niamh relishes the most. “I love chatting to people and most people are appreciative, and say thank you for the work that you do,” she said.But as a councillor, and the proud mum of a nine-year-old boy and a seven-year-old girl, Niamh is “still searching for that work-life balance”.“I once resolved not to work after I got the kids to bed at 8pm – but that went by the wayside,” she said.Niamh tries to avoid any council work on weekends to ensure she spends time with her family.On top of this, Niamh said regular exercise (walking her dog in Sticky Forest three times a week) is integral to her general health, and she tries not to spend that time “on the phone or picking over council issues in my brain”.Niamh has travelled widely and worked as a project manager in the Middle East for ten years, an experience which has provided an interesting contrast to her work in the Queenstown Lakes District.“All of my clients were Arabic or Indian males and people always assume that being a young female professional in that environment must have been really tough,” she said. “But it’s been fascinating to me that where I’ve felt most respected as a professional woman was in the Middle East. It was possible to earn respect by being extremely effective at what I did.“I stand on the shoulders – especially in New Zealand - of some remarkable, extraordinary women. Some of them have been vocal and active about gender equality and others have effected change by quietly working harder and smarter to just get the job done. And that’s largely what I’ve done in my current job: to be as well-prepared and logical and reasonable as possible, and always state my truth with respect and courtesy. I’ll continue to do that.“But I want to acknowledge that there are different challenges for [women], because it’s depressing that there’s still such resistance to the suggestion that equality for women still has a way to go. Whenever I mention this to other women, there’s such an immediate, inherent understanding of this. It really bothers me to think that our daughters will have to work harder and smarter for the same recognition in their chosen careers.”As a first time councillor Niamh’s exposure to public scrutiny has been a new experience. The QLDC Facebook page has examples of members of the council being referred to as “muppets” or “pigs at the trough”.“Some people can be totally different online than they are in person and I’ve had to step back from Facebook because when people are pounding away on a keyboard they forget there’s a person at the other end,” Niamh said. “A small number of people assume things about you as a politician, and forget I’m a mum and a wife, I have friends and family and a life beyond council and I’ve got the same feelings and stresses and pressures as anyone else.”Niamh acknowledges that council's interaction with the community can be improved. She identifies problems with the council's ability to present “appropriate, timely and genuine information to the community - as well as its elected members”.  Anyone thinking about standing for election can do so as long as they are a New Zealand citizen and registered to vote in the Otago district.

Eighty-year-old Lake Hāwea man Christopher Horan has written a book of stories and tips about how to become a vegan. Christopher, who has practiced veganism for roughly ten years, dispenses his best advice in the comical, self-published book ‘The Grumpy Old Vegan’. “If you could think of the most traditionally pathetically ignorant man, that was me,” Christopher said. He believes he was a “complete novice” when it came to buying and cooking vegan food, but he improved over time with the help of lots of research which he’s compiled into his book. Christopher’s concerns about animal welfare, growth hormones in meat products and food contamination were some of the reasons that prompted his lifestyle change. “I also just felt so relieved I wasn’t a part of the whole ‘eating animals’ thing. I hadn’t realised but it clearly had been bothering me for a while.” Christopher doesn’t deny there can be issues with making such a huge dietary change.“I try to be straight about that in the book: for example, I take B12 tablets daily.” Vitamin B12 can be found in dairy products and isn’t produced by plants. This nutrient is needed to help speed up reactions in your body, and deficiency can cause anaemia and nervous system damage. Local cafés rarely had a non-dairy option when Christopher first became vegan ten years ago. “Now, I went to one local café and they had two vegan menus,” he said.  Christopher belongs to a local writing group and has had short stories produced on Radio New Zealand National. He’s currently writing a novel.Anyone looking for extra hints and information about going vegan can find Christopher’s book at Wanaka PaperPlus. PHOTO: Supplied

Maungawera Valley artist and farmer Lizzie Carruthers has opened a new gallery with an exhibition inspired by a trip to Mou Waho Island.Lizzie’s exhibition, ‘Predators and Prey’, was inspired by a trip to the island via ECO Wanaka Adventures with the Maungawera Whisky Appreciation Society.ECO Wanaka owner Chris Riley’s knowledge of flora and fauna inspired Lizzie to take another angle on her long-standing interest in predators.Trips to MIlford Sound where she saw native birds and a recent trip to Zealandia where she saw a Saddleback for the first time, were also an inspiration.“It’s such iconic stuff and you don’t see it every day,” she said.The old garage gallery.Lizzie donated ten per cent of what sold on the exhibition’s opening night (more than $400) to Wanaka Backyard Trapping.The exhibition is on until Saturday (July 31) at the Old Garage Gallery, 100 Maungawera Valley Road.Lizzie said she is keen to have local artists use the gallery as an exhibition space.PHOTOS: Wanaka App

Queenstown Airport Corporation (QAC) has appointed a new CEO, Glen Sowry, to lead the airport team.QAC chair Adrienne Young-Cooper said the board of directors appointed Glen from a range of high calibre candidates after a “robust recruitment process”.“The board is very pleased to have appointed such a well-qualified business leader… [and] the board and I are looking forward to working with Glen to set the future direction for QAC and take the business forward,” she said.Glen is an experienced CEO, having held the position at Metlifecare and Housing New Zealand, and he has extensive aviation experience with a decade in a range of senior management roles at Air New Zealand.QAC is a Queenstown Lakes District Council-controlled organisation, operating Queenstown Airport and managing Wanaka Airport and Glenorchy airfield.Queenstown Airport“Queenstown Airport is a critical piece of social and economic infrastructure for the Southern Lakes region, as well as New Zealand,” Glen said. “I am excited about the opportunity to work with the board and wider team to shape the future of the airport in consultation with the community and QAC’s wide range of stakeholders.” Glen will relocate to Queenstown with his family in time to take up his new role from mid-September.Colin Keel, who was QAC’s CEO for over five years, announced his resignation in April but planned to stay on for the remainder of the financial year.PHOTOS: Supplied