Difficult Haurangi rescue

Joe and Sue enjoy a day at home on their farm following Joe’s recovery. Photo courtesy Pete Monk.

Joe Bannister and his friend Dave were in the Haurangi Forest Park. After a long day out in the bush, Joe was heading down a steep hill when the ground gave way and sent him sliding down a cliff face.

He fell six metres, badly injuring his leg in the process.

“On the way down my boot got caught in some bedrock sticking out from the side. It cranked my foot at right angles, ripped all the ligaments off my ankle and broke one of the bones below the knee.”

In addition to a broken leg, it was also getting dark and cold. Joe would not be able to walk out on his own in his condition and hypothermia was a very real threat.

Fortunately, Joe was carrying a personal locator beacon with him. His emergency signal was sent.

The Life Flight team soon received the call. Within minutes our team had made a flight plan, loaded rescue and medical equipment, launched our Westpac Chopper, and flew to Haurangi Forest Park.

Arriving at the scene, our team immediately knew it wasn’t going to be an easy rescue. It was pitch black and very windy, and Joe was stuck in a steep valley. As Crewman Mike Beausoleil recalls:

“Darkness was one of the big challenges. We do operate in the dark but there are varying degrees; it ended up being a particularly dark night.” … Continue Reading

Waihinga Centre

Glow in the Park was a hit with all ages.

Fundraising Success

Fundraising efforts are go and so far it has been lots of fun! The Square of Gold kept on rolling until a total of 50 ½ metres had been snapped up, bringing us to a total of $2020. Quite mind blowing given this was only meant as a bit of gold coin fun for Easter Sunday! It goes to show that people are really keen to support and love the idea of a set amount that is both achievable and makes a big difference as a collective.

We also had a fabulous evening for the Glow in the Park event. The word of the night was “WOW!” as children and adults enjoyed the beauty of the moon through a telescope and the planet hunt gave fun facts on a unique journey. A Huge thanks to Becky from Under the Stars and Alex and Crew from Hiamo for their time and expertise, it really was out of this world! Also a HUGE thanks for all the support from local businesses and volunteers making it all possible. We raised $534 which meant we all had a glow. 

What next?  Well there are no end of ideas in the mix, a disco and dessert night, comedy show, degustation dinner, bingo the list is endless so watch this space but we will also be thinking of quirky ways for people to pledge too, follow the Friends of the Waihinga Facebook page  to keep in the loop!

If you’re keen to join in the fun making things happen contact me, Charlotte on 021 949 049 or email nzlottie@hotmail.com. Watch this space for what’s happening and how we are progressing and don’t forget the Give a Little page where you can donate directly: www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/waihingacentre”.

Supporter Profile – Jaspers Family

Charlotte (7) and Earl Jaspers (5) are playground connoisseurs.  “Whenever we travel we visit the local playgrounds” says their mother Celia. “They just love them and can’t wait for the new one in Martinborough.   Earl loves water play so he’s excited this is part of the new design.   They both miss the flying fox and look forward to seeing it back in action.”

Knowing the value of a playground to their own children, Celia and husband Ali wanted to contribute to an amenity that would benefit the whole community.  “We’re here for the long haul and we hope the same will be true of the Waihinga Centre park and playground.  It’s a legacy for the town and maybe one day our children’s children will be able to play there too.”

It will be a double delight for Charlotte and Earl.  They already love the new children’s library area.   Soon they will be able to run straight out the door into an exciting new playground.

A Very Special Event

Winifred and David.

Most opera lovers’ commitment to the art form involves buying tickets to public performances.  Winifred Bull and her husband David decided to take their love of opera a whole lot further.  They designed a new home with enough space to stage concerts for more than 100 people. 

They particularly wanted to support young singers, who typically have limited opportunities to perform for the public.  Working with the Dame Malvina Major Foundation (2 concerts) and Music Victoria (6 concerts) they have not only provided a chance for up-and-coming talent to shine but have also have raised more than $40,000 in the process.   

Sadly David died suddenly in 2017 but Winifred is determined to maintain the tradition the two of them created.  “He loved opera so much I know he would have wanted me to continue.  I’ve had wonderful support from local people like Bernie Jackson and Tom and Di Bunny.  They have made it possible for me to keep doing this.”  Tom even made a public pledge to Winifred to  ‘happily be your chair stacker for life and will obey most of your orders with a reasonably cheerful demeanour…’ 

This year’s concert on May 19 was another sell out.  The audience was unanimous in their praise of the event and the performance of the young singers.   They said that the chance to hear and to support the students at the start of their careers was what they valued most.  Locals in the audience loved the fact that Martinborough could offer such high quality performances “just down the road”.  … Continue Reading

Doctor Graham Milne OBE

Dr Milne in 2009.

Graham Milne was Martinborough’s highly regarded doctor, serving the town in the late 1960s and 1970s . In April Dr. Graham Milne OBE died in Takaka where he had lived in retirement for some years, he had reached the age of 100. His legacy in Martinborough is Wharekaka Rest Home .    

In 1964 he  had been co-opted as a member of a Ministry of Health committee charged with providing a blueprint for the future of care of the aged. The committee had been formed to study the new British government initiative establishing comfortable rest homes for the elderly. In those days the elderly were left to very much care for themselves.  

In 1970 the Wairarapa Health Board closed it’s maternity home in Martinborough leaving a useful building in a pleasant setting. To doctor Milne, who had by then been in the town for a couple of years, the answer was obvious; a perfect rest home. Doctor Milne spoke about it to the Mayor Sid Ussher who called a public meeting which Dr Milne addressed. 

There was considerable enthusiasm for the idea and The mayor and doctor were given the go ahead to negotiate with the Hospital Board for a suitable lease.  They were obviously very persuasive as the Board agreed to a  twenty year lease with right of renewal at a symbolic rental of $20 a year. The rest is as they say, history 

In 2009 Dr Milne returned to Martinborough for the launching of the book Wharekaka, the the history of Wharekaka Rest Home*

Previous to coming to Martinbrough Dr Milne had served at Naenae. While there, in conjunction with the Lions Club, he was instrumental in establishing the New Zealand Asthma Society and its first clinic. 

Dr Milne was awarded the OBE for his public service. 

• The book Wharekaka – how a community created a rest home – is available at the library  
• NB An appreciation of Ineke Kershaw will be in the next issue