Sharyn Smart talked to a weightlifter who had beaten some pretty heavy odds.
Jayden Nepia lifted a national record in her first competition.
And now she is part of an International team competing in New Caledonia.
The Nelson athlete made her competitive debut in Christchurch in March and the Nelson teenager claimed a New Zealand record, lifting 55kg in the Clean & Jerk under 48kg division.
“I felt so proud of myself. I just threw the bar down and walked off to give Ed (my coach) a big hug. I didn’t realise I had done it (won) until it had been officially announced.”
The 18-year-old, who weighed in at just 46kg and 1.44m tall also narrowly missed taking out setting a new record for the snatch at the same competition.
But this is a weightlifter who was beating the weight odds from birth.
Jaydene was born at 37 weeks only weighing 2.9 pounds (1321g) and spent six weeks in the Neo-Natal Unit.
CLOSE BONDS: Radio broadcasters Jay-Jay Feeney and Dom Harvey have shared their struggle to concieve a chld in the book Misconception.
FACTS ABOUT FERTILITY
One in five couples will experience difficulty to conceive
The cause of fertility issues are about 40% due to female, 40% the male, 10% both and 10% unexplained
Most women in their 20s-30s do not realise how early and how quickly their fertility can decline.
The average age for a first child for women in NZ currently is 30 and getting older.
At 30 a woman has a 22% chance each month of conceiving with unprotected intercourse.
By 40 years old this chance is reduced to just 6%.
Lifestyle factors such as smoking, overweight, recreational drugs and alcohol all effect fertility
Radio announcer Jay-Jay Feeney likens her and husband Dom Harvey’s experience with fertility treatment to a rollercoaster ride with massive highs followed by dark lows.
“If you are doing any sort of fertility treatment it totally takes over your life – it consumes it,” she said.
Feeney, who is an ambassador for Fertility New Zealand, will be talking about her book Misconception at Benny’s Books in New Plymouth tonight.
“We needed to share our story because we couldn’t find anything. It’s actually been awesome because we have had so much positive feedback about it,” the Edge breakfast host said. “People have been so thankful that there has been a story for them to connect with and that just happens to be ours.”
The couple have been through five rounds of IVF treatment in a so-far unsuccessful eight-year battle to conceive.
The fertility ordeal had strengthened the couple’s relationship at a time when many fell apart, Feeney said.
And while Harvey wished they did not have this story to share and had a baby instead, he recognised their story had touched so many people’s lives.
“Dom feels that his full purpose in life is to procreate and be a dad, and so he feels ripped off that it might not happen for him,” Feeney said.
“But even though it is a shitty situation it’s not the worst thing that can happen in life. I’m fairly realistic about that.”
The broadcaster had a simple message to couples going through fertility treatment. “Don’t compare yourself to other people and if the worst comes to the worst and you can’t have a baby, it is not the end of the world.”
Feeney, who was educated in New Plymouth and started her radio career here, will be talking about her book Misconception at Benny’s Books in New Plymouth at 6.30pm today.
This article was published in the Taranaki Daily News with a different photo on Saturday, September 21, 2013
Clean and Green : La Nuova sales team leader Brad Craig, left, and Hive social enterprise co-ordinator Dion Cowley are joining forces to build a network of sustainable businesses in Taranaki. Photo : Andy Jackson Fairfax NZ
Junk from overalls pockets has turned into an unlikely revenue stream for one sustainably switched on Taranaki business.
And La Nuova Apparelmaster, an environmental award winning business, is hoping to help teach other businesses to get sustainable.
Sales team leader Brad Craig said becoming a sustainable and environmentally-friendly business had paid big dividends for La Nuova.
“We feel we have done the basics and learned a lot and we can pass a lot of that knowledge on.”
Mr Craig said La Nuova wanted to quash the misconception that green products didn’t work.
“We wouldn’t just go and throw out all the old chemicals that are harsh and go to a green alternative that isn’t going to do the job,” he said. “We’ve always been about quality and we are quite mindful of that.”
Mr Craig said simple initiatives like putting in skylights had reduced the company’s lighting bill by 25 per cent.
Emptying the pockets of about 2000 pairs of overalls a day has also proved profitable. The rags they find are washed and sold, and the various nuts, bolts and pieces of metal sold for scrap.
“There’s not many things that you can take out of your skip and then create into a revenue stream,” Mr Craig said. “We’ve thrown all that stuff in the skip for years and years and all of sudden we don’t need to.”
Mr Craig said more businesses should look at what they were throwing away and think about how they could reuse or recycle more. “In environmental circles there’s a concept that there is no such thing as waste.”
La Nuova has teamed up with New Plymouth’s Hive Environment Centre to help re-invigorate the “sustainable business movement” in Taranaki.
Social enterprise co-ordinator Dion Cowley said it was important businesses were aware of the options available to them. “We want to pull all the resources into one place and act as a facilitator and be able to point local businesses in the right direction.”
Hive aims to get like-minded people together to build a network of environmentally aware businesses.
It has partnered with environmental award winners La Nuova Apparelmaster to help share the drycleaners’ knowledge and experience.
Today, at 5.30 pm La Nuova, 65 Eliot St, New Plymouth, will host the first “Green Drinks” event, an informal gathering for people interested in sustainable business. Hive hopes to make it a regular event that will change location.
This article was published in the Taranaki Daily News on September 26, 2013.
CHRISTMAS GIVING: Witt chaplain Cathy Gordon, left, and Operation Christmas Child co-ordinator Chris Rolston have been busy filling shoeboxes with gifts for children in Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Photo: Cameron Burnell Fairfax NZ
Contributors to the Operation Christmas Child Shoebox Appeal are encouraged to add a personal touch to their gifts – a photo of themselves.
The annual Samaritan’s Purse charity initiative asks people to fill shoeboxes with Christmas goodies for children in Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
“One of the things I like to promote is a photograph. The children open the box and see that a real person loves them and has taken the time to send them a present,” Chris Rolston, who co-ordinates the appeal with her husband Errol, said.
Mrs Rolston said the main focus of the shoebox appeal was the joy of giving and receiving, and each year the organisation aimed to share the Christmas spirit with a new remote village.
“Children who receive the shoeboxes have likely never received a gift before,” she said.
Mrs Rolston visited Witt chaplain Cathy Gordon who is encouraging staff at the polytechnic to fill boxes.
Mrs Gordon has been involved in the shoebox appeal for four years and she has already beaten her target of filling 10 boxes.
“It’s the feel-good factor that people are doing something and it refocuses Christmas,” she said.
Facilities manager Charlotte Dunning is participating for the first time and getting her two sons involved. “They are at the age where they can start learning about charity and helping other people that are less fortunate.”
Witt library staff are foregoing their round of $5 Christmas gifts this year in favour of contributing to the appeal.
“I did it because Christmas is about giving and helping those least fortunate,” said librarian Bridget Knuckey.
Donations to the appeal can be made by contacting Chris and Errol Rolston on 7520552 or Anna at the Northpoint Baptist Church Office on 755 2374. The closing date for the boxes is October 21.
This article was published in the Taranaki Daily News on September 26, 2013.
TEAMWORK: The Taranaki Rollers (from left) Kirstie Fairhurst, Paul Salisbury, captain Ben Hekenui, Bregan Handgrove and Malcolm Preston are playing at the national wheelchair basketball championships in Wellington at the weekend. Photo: Andy Jackson/Fairfax NZ
Taranaki will make their first appearance at the national wheelchair basketball championships at the weekend after a layoff of more than 20 years.
The Taranaki Rollers are aiming for a top-four finish in the second-tier of the championships in Wellington.
Co-coach Jake Mills said the Otago Panthers were the only mystery side in their six-team division.
“We have played four out of the five teams before so we are looking to try to improve,” he said.
His coaching partner Therese Campbell is more confident of success.
“We have a good chance of getting to the semifinals,” she said.
The team, made up of captain Ben Hekenui, Luke Leathers, Kirstie Fairhurst, Bregan Handgrove, Paul Salisbury and Malcolm Preston, has been playing in the New Plymouth social division against disabled players using wheelchairs.
The Rollers are hoping this experience will pay dividends in Wellington.
Campbell said the team still faced difficulties. Some players were using regular day chairs and they didn’t have enough specialised chairs to put two teams out on court at the same time.
“It makes it hard to practice as the team is playing against each other. It doesn’t get the team playing together as we can’t play five-on-five,” Campbell said.
Parafed Taranaki is fundraising for new chairs, customised for each player, at a cost of about $3500 per chair.
“We are trying to raise enough money to purchase customised basketball wheelchairs to have five-on-five games, so any donations are welcome,” Mills said.
New chairs would make the team more competitive at tournaments because other sides presently had the advantage of using customised chairs.
Anyone interested in getting involved in wheelchair basketball or wanting to make a donation can contact Mills at Sport Taranaki.
This article was pubished in the Taranaki Daily News on September 20, 2013.
New arrivals: Little blue penguins are already booking into the “penguin hotel” at Chaddy Charters at Breakwater Bay in New Plymouth. Photo: Cameron Burnell /Fairfax NZ
A mild winter and early spring has little blue penguins heading to New Plymouth’s shores earlier than normal this year.
Warmer days and a plentiful food supply have seen bookings at the “penguin hotel” at Chaddy Charters at Breakwater Bay filling fast, and the number of new chicks points to a successful breeding season.
“At the same time last year we only had one penguin sitting on eggs whereas this year we already have four,” David “Chaddy” Chadfield said.
Penguins incubate their eggs for about four weeks and then care for the chicks for about another month before they venture into the world.
“You can tell if there are still babies in the nest by reading the pads (prints) when they go to the beach,” Mr Chadfield said.
Once outside the nest chicks are easy prey for domestic pets.
“What we worry about is cats and dogs in the area. That’s a biggy,” Mr Chadfield said.
He asked that people keep an eye on their pets during the penguins’ breeding season.
He said he had once seen a cat attempt to attack an adult penguin only to come off second best as the bird easily knocked it to the ground.
People are advised not to get too close to little blue penguins as they are big on attitude and have a sharp beak.
“I’ve seen one of these kill a rat. Hit it right point blank between the eyes,” he said.
Visitors to Chaddy Charters are able to view one of the nests at the penguin hotel through a closed circuit TV setup, paid for by the George Mason Charitable Trust.
This article was published in the Taranaki Daily News on September 17, 2013.
Foodie heaven: New Plymouth Chef Gavin Hayes loves creating new and exciting dishes using his deli as his pantry. Photo: Sharyn Smart
Chef Gavin Hayes’ decision to combine his catering business with a delicatessen is proving popular with New Plymouth foodies.
About a year ago Hayes realised his life-long goal of owning a deli when he and his wife Kerryn bought Vetro Mediterranean Foods on Egmont St, New Plymouth.
“Ever since I can remember I have always wanted to own a deli,” said Hayes, who has worked as a chef for 26 years.
The couple had been running Delicious Catering but after eight years were ready for a new challenge.
“I saw this opportunity come up and grabbed it.”
Initially the couple hoped to run both businesses but soon realised it wouldn’t be possible.
“It was pretty easy for me to give up the catering because I had been doing it for eight years and was getting pretty tired of it,” Hayes said.
The couple decided to move the catering company’s commercial kitchen into Vetro and offer a take-home meal option branded Delicious Friday.
The deal means customers can collect a gourmet dinner from the deli to take home.
Each week Hayes creates a menu using ingredients from the shop which he emails to his regular customers.
“I want to do the cooking myself using the ingredients from the store. I want to show people how to use the products in everyday meals,” he said.
Initially he planned on taking orders and having meals ready to sell in the shop.
“I am pleased to say that I haven’t been able to do that as they tend to sell out before they get to the shop.”
Hayes has also spent the past year expanding the range of products he stocks in order to meet customer demand.
“I am really working hard on building the stock and getting confidence back into the store,” he said.
This was published in the Taranaki Daily News on September 9, 2013
Omata School deputy principal Pat Murphy is back in the classroom this week after spending the past six months scouring the slopes of Mt Taranaki as part of a science fellowship.
Mr Murphy, who has been teaching for 35 years, said the Primary Science Teacher Fellowship he did with the Department of Conservation was amazing.
“You are walking around from Holly Hut to the display centre on a beautiful fine day – that is just a great experience that I’m being paid to enjoy,” he said.
“Of course there is also the downside, when there is snow on the mountain and weather conditions aren’t pleasant, and only the truly committed people are out doing their job.”
The fellowship, funded by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, is managed by the Royal Society of New Zealand. It is designed to allow teachers to work alongside professionals doing science-driven work and take back their experiences to the classroom.
Mr Murphy worked alongside the Department of Conservation’s Taranaki biodiversity assets supervisor, Emily King.
Haere mai kaihe: Te Reo Maori language signs at Brooklands Zoo. Jaya Robinson,4, New Plymouth, tries looking for the zoo’s kaihe (donkey) Photo: Robert Charles/Fairfax NZ
Animal Translations
Donkey = K?ihe
Monkey = Makimaki
Goat = Nanekoti
Bird = Manu
Chicken = Heihei
Rooster = Tame hehei
Pig = Poaka
Brooklands Zoo has been encouraging visitors to talk to the animals this week – in Maori.
In recognition of Maori Language Week the New Plymouth zoo has put up signs identifying the ng? kararehe (animals) by their Maori names.
Assistant zoo curator Eve Cozzi said it was their contribution to expanding people’s Maori vocabulary.
“We just want to encourage our visitors to give the language a go.”
Ms Cozzi said she had overheard parents repeating the animals’ names over and over in Maori and then had their children repeat the words back to them.
“I find it rewarding listening to our visitors teaching their children the M?ori words whilst visiting Brooklands Zoo.”
Ms Cozzi said she was unable to find translations for meerkat and otter which was unfortunate because they were two of the more popular exhibits at the zoo.
This had not been an issue with another popular animal the monkey or makimaki, or for the goats who have the delightful translation of nane koti.
Zoo staff also had M?ori translation labels up in the animal food preparation area as well in the office.
“Some of the zoo staff have learnt basic te reo and it’s a good use of their knowledge to educate visitors to the zoo during M?ori Language Week,” Ms Cozzi said.
The translated signage will stay up until Sunday 7 July
Winter picnic: Fish and chips are the order of the day as Talen Blake, 11, Meadow Smith, 7 and James Rouse enjoy a winter picnic at the newly upgraded Ngamotu Beach facilities. Photo: By Sharyn Smart
A $310,000 upgrade of facilities at Ngamotu Beach is winning favour with regulars and visitors at the New Plymouth reserve.
New Plymouth man James Rouse says the new picnic tables are great.
“The picnic tables are a great place to eat lunch on a perfect sunny day,” he said, as he ate fish and chips with and Talen Blake, 11, Meadow Smith, 7.
“In my teenage years I visited the beach regularly and have enjoyed coming back, from many years away, to see all the new facilities now available.”
A year-long upgrade has recently been completed thanks to a partnership between Port Taranaki and the New Plymouth District Council.
NPDC manager parks Mark Bruhn said council had contributed $276,500 towards the park’s upgrade.
In the past the toilet block had quite a reputation of being one of the worst toilet blocks in New Plymouth – but not any more.
The council have enlarged and upgraded the toilet block. The major addition being two new cubicles added to the women’s section.
The toilet block is now wheelchair friendly and a designated handicap parking bay nearby has been created.
The beach’s picnic tables have all been replaced which this time around have been built on concrete pads.
Port Taranaki spokeswoman Bronwyn Clement said the company had contributed about $33,000 towards the upgrade.
It had replaced three wooden access ramps with concrete ramps and steel handrails making access to Ngamotu Beach easier for the public.
All the seats at the beach have been refurbished or replaced and a beach shower installed at the eastern end of the reserve. A kayak wash area has also been built with some of the cost being covered by Canoe and Kayak.
Top prize: Ecomist Taranaki franchisee Gordon Gower has been awarded NZ franchise for 2013 at the company’s annual awards in Christchurch recently. Photo: Sharyn Smart
Ecomist Taranaki has claimed the insect control company’s 2013 award for best franchise, the third time it has claimed the top prize.
Owner/operator Gordon Gower said he was honoured to be named Franchise of the Year at the company’s annual awards in Christchurch recently.
“It was a great honour to receive the award,” he said.
Ecomist Taranaki was recognised for the systems and practices it has in place to run the business, and the sales it achieved.
Mr Gower was proud of the hard-work his team had accomplished and thankful to the business’ loyal customers.
“Kudos to our team. When you are performing at the top of your game it’s great to be acknowledged.
“There are 18 franchises so to be the top is great,” he said.
The business has gone from strength to strength over the last 17 years and now employs eight part-time staff in the Taranaki and Wanganui region.
And after seven years operating out of Cutfield Rd, Mr Gower was able to shift operations to lower Carrington St last year.
He said having a larger number of businesses around them had helped increase the business’ sales figures, especially the foot traffic.
“In a franchise system when you are performing at the top of your game it feels really good,” he said.
Every Wednesday Mr Gower can be found in his car driving around the mountain delivering orders and installing insect control cans.
He said people appreciated the personal service as he installs systems for those who were unable to do so themselves.
“We have a real loyal customer base. Some of them have been with us from the beginning,” he said.
As well as insect control products many businesses are now using Ecomist’s range of fragrances to personalise their premises.
Ecomist Taranaki has won the award previously in 2006 and 2007.
Sharyn Smart talked to a weightlifter who had beaten some pretty heavy odds.
