How Well Do We Know People in Our Community?

Gemma Wilkie loves to dance.

Gemma Wilkie

Gravesend in Northwest Kent was home. 

Gemma grew up in the small suburb of Northfleet. Her mother was a teacher, and her father a maintenance fitter for a Lead and Silver Refinery. We went to local schools, but my passion was dancing. I just loved it.

I began dancing at two and half or three. I learned Ballet, Tap, Modern and Jazz. 

At 18, I elected to undertake a BA Honours Degree in Dance and Related Arts at the University College Chichester. 

I had no idea what I wanted to do but the idea of travel, a tan, and being somewhere exotic was appealing so I got a job with a Package Holiday company. I worked in Ibiza, Cyprus, Corfu, and Lanzarote. My role was to provide entertainment to the holiday makers. There were games such as shuffleboard, darts, pool, water polo. For evening entertainment, we were tasked with creating shows.

While I was having a great time we were paid a pittance. It was time for a change. 

Every year as children we had gone on holiday to Florida. We visited all the film studios. At MGM we had a backstage tour where I found out about Green screens for the first time. They showed us how a scene in “Honey! I Shrunk the Kids” was created. 

My sister and I were placed on a massive bumble bee. We were blown about by a huge wind fan  and were required to scream at certain times. Then they showed us how the green screen was altered to show us zooming through a garden. It was mind blowing. I knew what I wanted to do.

A short editing course was my starting point. Then a one-week special course giving an overview of planning, storyboarding, finding locations, creating a short film, composition, and editing. I was hooked.  … Continue Reading

Star Book Review

‘Vincent and Sien’ by Silvia Kwon  

Reviewer: Brenda Gale

Silvia Kwon is a Korean born Australian writer with a background in art history and publishing which makes her rather uniquely suited to the subject matter she has chosen in her new book.

1882 in The Hague, and Vincent van Gogh had committed himself to becoming an artist, spending years drawing in charcoal and pencil to ‘perfect the line’ before even picking up a paintbrush. 

He subsisted on an allowance from his younger brother and in today’s parlance would probably be described as neurodivergent. 

It was during these years that he met Sien, a pregnant, illiterate working girl. Their relationship lasted approximately 18 months and was largely based on each fulfilling the base needs of the other. Vincent’s for a model, sex and the fantasy of the perfect family and Sien’s for food and shelter.

These are the known facts about this pairing but Kwon has taken these bare bones and imagined their meeting, their time together, the family dynamics to which they were both beholden and the society in which they were embedded.

All of these things worked together to doom this pair and although they both knew it to some degree, they plunged into an intense relationship anyway. 

The book becomes a little repetitive in the middle as the author strives to have the reader understand just how different their worlds were. However, it makes for a rich tale of longing, hope and ultimately, tragedy. 

‘Vincent and Sien’ is for fans of historical fiction and those for whom Vincent van Gogh remains a troubled enigma all these years after his untimely and tragic death.

Available at your local bookshop.

News from First Church

Hands up all those who will admit to dozing off in the middle of a turgid sermon. Or if not actually snoring in the pew, found their mind wandering about what might be served up for lunch later.

No such aberrant behaviour has been observed at First Church, primarily because of the unrelenting quality of Jim Veitch’s services. And of course the lusty singing.

This month, to further bolster the congregation’s enthusiasm we had the benefit of a lecture from visiting religious academic Professor Joan Taylor. She happens to be a kiwi but has spent much of her distinguished career in the hallowed halls of Harvard Divinity School Kings College London’s Department of Theology and Religious Studies. And more latterly Victoria University and the Australian Catholic University of Melbourne. 

She was therefore eminently suited to talk about her topic and book “Women Remembered – Jesus’ Female Disciples.” 

This sounded as if it could be an equivocal topic to misogynists who might think the role of women as encapsulated in the Bible is limited to a handful of stalwarts like Mary Magdalene, Mary, Martha, Sarah etc. Wrong.

A careful re appraisal of the evidence – biblical texts – especially the archaeological art of depicting  many women undertaking the full range of biblical functions – leads to the conclusion that their role has been gravely understated.

Joan’s supposition is that this minimisation was partly deliberate suppression due to male domination which was the social mores of the day. Emperor Constantine was one of the villains. These fascinating topics of stellar interest to both academics and church goers are under ongoing inspection and revision. 

Last word however goes to Bertie Shooster when he observed, “If the facts change I change my story”. Another Bertie ((Bertrand Russell) said that every grown-up needs to travel sceptically. And finally, if in doubt, try an alternative view of events from Mr D. Trump.

Meantime we applaud the stamina and erudition of Joan Taylor for shining a light on her entirely plausible version of the truth.

Kirk Fair – 25 and 26 November 2023   10 a.m. to 2.p.m. Town Hall, Waihinga Centre

The next item of ecclesiastical excitement is the Kirk Fair, which covers the usual excellent range of cakes, jams and preserves, produce, plants, men’s, and women’s high-end clothing and superior bric a brac, of course. Any donations are most welcome. Please contact Graham Howie 0274474082 or Ronnie Hawkins 06 3069277.

Fire Brigade Report

Brent Townsend

By Chief Fire Officer Jake Hawkins

We reached the milestone of 200 Medical First Responses so far this year at Labour Weekend and we are rapidly approaching 300 calls in total. 

Our new Medical Responders are on board with training completed, and are now out responding to help in the community. A big thanks to everyone whom generously donated at the Town Hall Market Days over the long weekend, it will ensure we have the best equipment on hand when we are called to assist.

We are starting our planning and training for the forecast El Nino summer ahead. Remember, if you smell smoke or see smoke its time to Dial 111 immediately.

We have responded to several vegetation fire lately, its drying out, and a worthwhile reminder for people to be careful with controlled burns, check the weather and fire seasons with permit requirements for all types of fires (including braziers and cooking fires) – these can be checked anytime online at www.checkitsalright.nz 

Congratulations to Brett Townsend on completing thye Station Officers Course and his promotion to Station Officer and to Tamara Hudepohl, John Crighton and Corina Lawson on completing their Qualified Firefighter Course, all the feedback was hugely positive with lots of new skills ready for consolidation over the next few months. … Continue Reading