Save and keep fit: biking

Mainstream cyclists have been around for over two hundred years. They wear everyday clothing, obey the rules of the road and ride modest bicycles. 

For this mainstream group one thing has always remained constant: cycling is cheap. Every kilometre you travel on your bike instead of your car saves you about 83 cents in petrol, depreciation, wear and tear and maintenance. 

Doing a couple of bike trips per day of two kilometres each in place of car trips will add up to $12,000 saved over 10 years.

Cycling is the most efficient way to move around. When cars came along they seemed like an improvement on bikes, bringing us great speed without any effort at all. In reality, cycling has a unique combination of simplicity, efficiency and incredibly powerful health benefits. These are exactly the opposite attributes of a car which is complex, inefficient, polluting and terrible for your health due to stress, inactivity and the cramped seated position.

Martinborough is the ideal town for riding a bike. The huge number of tourists in the weekends using them to visit vineyards and cafes is proof of this. It is flat, has wide streets and is just over one kilometre from one edge to the other at the widest point. The weather is mostly conducive to riding and the traffic is nowhere near as heavy as you experience in cities. There is no need to worry about finding a suitable place to park. You can just stop wherever you like and when it takes your fancy, perhaps to chat when you see someone you know in the street.

Investing in a bike is inexpensive, especially if you buy second hand and most repairs can be done by yourself. If you need help, Green Jersey Cycles right here in town are happy to carry out any repairs necessary. They might even be able to sell you a bicycle surplus to their needs.

So what are you waiting for? 

Try leaving your car at home and hop on your bike to do your local shopping, go to the library or visit friends in town. It’s easier than you think and the added bonus is you’ll be getting fit as you do it.

Tulips for Parkinson’s Awareness

Parkinson’s Wairarapa will be at Longbush Cottage during its annual Tulip Festival over the weekend of 30th September -1st October. 

The Longbush Tulip Festival is a celebration of the majestic tulip and the return of spring.

With the red tulip being the International symbol of Parkinson’s, being present in Luke Gardner’s beautiful gardens is magical.

Our volunteers will be manning the parking and offering refreshments at our pop-up café, as well as providing information on our activities around the Wairarapa and selling wooden tulips.

Parkinson’s New Zealand does not receive Government support and relies heavily on the generosity of our communities. All funds raised in the Wairarapa stay in the Wairarapa, and are used mainly to provide weekly singing and exercise classes. These two activities are available to anyone who has Parkinson’s or other conditions that have affected speech or co-ordination.

Parkinson’s Wairarapa will also be fundraising during September and promoting the tulip festival. We will be selling raffle tickets outside Greytown Fresh Choice on Tuesday 12th and Carterton New World on Tuesday 19th. Luke has been very supportive and provided the prizes – tubs of tulips (valued at $150 and $40) plus two free passes to visit his lovely gardens over the festival weekend.

For further information about Parkinson’s in the Wairarapa please contact the local Action Group by email, wai.parkinsons@gmail.com, check us out on Facebook (facebook.com/ParkinsonsWairarapa) or visit our pop-up cafe at the Longbush Cottage Tulip Festival, 1023 Longbush Road from 10am to 4pm on both days.

Surprise! Even golfers hate the wet

Martinborough’s golf course has seen some extreme weather in its long history but possibly not as much as this winter. It has been wet, wet, wet. It started to improve to just very wet and we got to just sticky and wet. Then the sun shone ever so briefly. Now we are back to very wet! 

And are we over it! Not surprisingly, many members have taken the opportunity to head to warmer climes!!

The first two weeks of August saw very few opportunities to play competitions and so the matches have started to back up. Wednesday ladies, 9 holers and Thursday Club were basically rained off both weeks. However, there were a few hardy souls that were determined to get out there and play so the course has usually had someone trudging around.

Some competitions have managed play. Weekend comps have seen varying numbers but some of the recent winners have been John Warner, Vern Anton, Brian Russo, Jason Shaw, Shane Hislop, Doug Clark, Rob Coy, Jason Burt, Josh Hawkins, Dayle Harwood, Malcolm Bridge, Brett Abercrombie, Robbie Walters, Trevor Petersen, Colin Whibley-Smith, Steven Croft and Ant North.

The greens must still be okay as putting scores have been as low as 24 (Jason Shaw) and 25 (Doug Clark). Ant North also managed to take home the Bird’s Nest (that’s two two’s in his round!).

Every other week, Tuesdays have seen the better weather – the Grumpies have managed to get around 15+ players on those “good” days. Those lucky enough to be in the winning circle include Bob Schofield, Andy Morison, Malcolm Bridge, Seamus O’Sullivan, Greg Dalton and Brett Abercrombie. During August, these guys have managed just two two’s between them – maybe the end of the month will see a few more? … Continue Reading

Tranzit puts up for ambulance station

Wellington Free Ambulance is delighted to welcome Tranzit as the latest Wairarapa business to support building a Wairarapa ambulance station.

This New Zealand-owned family business with roots in the Wairarapa, has recently donated $10,000 to Wellington Free’s Station Build project and provided valuable advertising in the form of a bus back free of charge.

“Being specialists in group transport, there have been times in our company history when our team has had to step up and assist the communities we live and work in, in adverse events – such as evacuations due to flooding,” said  Jenna Snelgrove, General Manager of Tranzit’s Bus and Coach companies, “so this alignment with Wellington Free Ambulance seems a natural fit for Tranzit.“

Wellington Free Ambulance general manager of Fundraising and Communications, Claire Carruthers said “we can’t thank Tranzit enough.”

“Not only are they generously donating to support the build, but they will also be helping to raise awareness and more donations from all across the region with the massive coverage that the bus back with give this campaign.”

Wellington Free Ambulance launched a public fundraising campaign in January to raise the $3million required from the community to build a dedicated Wairarapa ambulance station located in Masterton.

“We’ve been overwhelmed that in just over six months the community has donated 50% of the $3 million target,” Carruthers said. 

“It’s been amazing to talk with companies like Tranzit who without question give to our service (as) they immediately see the value to their community and get involved,”she added.

Tranzit Group is a family owned business founded in Masterton in 1924. The 4^th generation transport and tourism company operates over 2,000 vehicles and employs a team of over 2,000 nationwide.