As we wrap up the year in this December-January Festive issue we thought we would chat with five prominent, progressive and community-focused North Shore people about the year that was 2021, what’s brewing for the festive season (we’ve even asked for some pressie ideas!), their plans for a relaxing break and their goals for 2022. These busy and interesting people are Melissa, Laura, Terence, Adam and Toni!
Melissa Rose Powell,
Sunnynook Community Association
Melissa Rose Powell (Mel) lives in Sunnynook with her husband Ollie and their teenage son, Theo. Theo's a Westlake Boys student. Mel's daughter Anya lives in Dunedin and is studying at Otago University. Mel is very involved in her local community, and is currently the chairperson for Sunnynook Community Association. Interestingly Mel is General Manager for a charity – Circability Trust, which brings joy through play for 300 people with disabilities each week. She is responsible for overseeing the financial and fundraising activity, promotion, research, community public programming, health and safety, evaluation and partnerships. Mel has a health background, postgraduate degrees in public health programme evaluation and a Masters of human rights (honours). She has been the principal author for three research programmes to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for communities in Aotearoa. Busy lady! Channel Mag talked to Mel about 2021, the festive season and what’s coming up in her world in 2022...
Channel Mag: 2021 has been another challenging year with Covid on our doorsteps in recent times, but what have been the highlights in your world?
Melissa Rose Powell: Finding opportunities in adversity. Covid has made us get creative and search for the silver linings. In my work we created a campaign early in the August lockdown called Joy Market. This was an online platform for children and their families to have fun through play at home. Eighty-six percent of parents told us these classes positively impacted their child's mental health and wellbeing during lockdown. We also picked up new work in low decile schools and hundreds of kids tuned in. It was really cool to create a programme pivot which was so successful.
Also the Sunnynook September Marathon was a highlight. As a community association we planned an event that connected Sunnynookers and encouraged us to explore the sunniest little nook in the world. We didn't expect that Covid would hit in August, but again with a slight pivot, the Socially Distanced Sunnynook September Marathon could continue during Level 4 lockdown. This was an awesome event and helped people get through those hard days of lockdown by having a goal to achieve 42km throughout the whole month. Essentially, a few kms each day gave our community members incrementally something positive to achieve.
On a personal note, I got a lot better at playing my guitar.
CM: These past few lockdown months have been testing times for all – for families and those in business. What have been the challenges for you and how have you overcome them?
MRP: It's been complex managing a charity through this uncertainty. I've been so grateful for our funders' support during this time. My biggest challenge has been supporting the wellbeing and mental health of our staff and students. The Delta lockdown has had a huge impact on our team. Life on Zoom has its limits. To support each other we have regular honest wellbeing check ins, we have baked cakes, had dress up days and lots of old fashioned phone calls to check everyone is OK. Trudi Bridges from Aktive shared a good tip which I recommend named The Hour Of Power. Managers can schedule in an hour into their team members calendars to encourage them to get off their computer, take a break, reset and refuel. It's a great tip.
For my family, I found it challenging with my daughter in her first year of uni in Otago and being away from home. Turned out, she had a great time in Level 2 restrictions while the rest of our family were locked up in Level 3 and 4 in Auckland! Theo is 15 and was able to connect with his friends on the Xbox while playing games. He spent way too many hours in front of a screen (bad parent!). He has joined our outdoor boot camp exercise class in Sunnynook Park and has taken up running so he's getting a bit of balance. He's looking forward to getting back to school soon to see his friends.
CM: What have we done well and what could we have done better as a country during this Covid pandemic?
MRP: I've been grateful to live in New Zealand over the last two years. When I look around the world, I think Aotearoa has been the best place to be during this international pandemic.
I'm grateful to live in a country that has financial resources available to assist citizens through this pandemic. I think the financial support through the wage subsidy and resurgence support has relieved some financial pressures for small businesses, although it's still a hard road.
Hindsight is a good thing. I think we should have closed the border to travellers from New South Wales earlier and the vaccination roll out was too slow. The messaging with the Level Systems 4, 3, 2, 1 was easy to understand but I've been so confused with the Step system. I think the traffic light system sounds more simple – I guess we'll find out in 2022!
CM: You are very involved in the community. What are you proud to be involved in and what gives you the motivation to get involved and do your bit?
MRP: Probably nature and nurture here. I grew up in a little farming community in the Waikato and attended Hinuera Primary. When I was in year 6 (standard 4) I won the Citizenship Cup. I believe caring for others is my God-given talent and I was born like this and made for this purpose. When I was growing up, I loved to spend time with my Nanna. She was the least judgemental person I've ever met – she laughed and loved freely and always had enough time to listen. I really admire that about her and she's a wonderful inspiration.
I'm most proud of getting stuff done in Sunnynook. I'm a "doer" not a "complainer" I like to get stuck in and make things happen. I really think that Sunnynook is the best little nook to grow up in and I'm dedicated to sharing that with others.
CM: We are all looking forward to the festive season and the end of the year. Have you got any tips for Christmas presents and what will you be doing to celebrate Christmas 2021?
MRP: We are dedicated to a local Christmas this year. I love Felt - an online craft market of local artisans goods and I'm also a Kiltie and love their New Zealand made clothes. Milford Hospice is also a regular shopping destination for me. I think vouchers for experiences are on the list for our teenagers. I'm thinking about paddle boarding, surf lessons, ferry tickets to Rangitoto and e-biking around Waiheke – experiences like that.
I'm hoping Santa brings me an eyebrow shape and tint from Facetime and a haircut!
CM: Presuming the local borders are open, what will you and your whānau be getting up to during the 2021/22 Christmas/New Year period to relax?
MRP: I'm so excited about getting out of Auckland! We'll visit my Mum in Matamata for Christmas and go camping in Hāhei with our teenagers. We'll spend New Year with our besties in Matarangi and I'll be dusting the cobwebs off my neglected surfboard.
CM: Complete the following: My goal for 2022 is to….
MRP: … My wish for 2022 is to have one whole day when I don't have to think about Covid! My 2022 goal is to spend as much time playing outside with friends and whānau as possible.
Laura Foote,
Echo Designer Boutique, Devonport
Laura Foote is the well-known owner of Devonport fashion business, Echo Designer Boutique on Victoria Road. Everyone knows Laura as she is involved in just about everything happening in the village! She is real local having attended Vauxhall Primary, Belmont Intermediate and Takapuna Grammar. She also sits on the board of the Devonport Business Association and is an amazingly active and passionate member of our community. Laura started and hosts ‘Stitch n Bitch’ fortnightly at the Devonport Community House for those interested in being part of a group to get together in the evenings to create and socialise. They knit, crochet, stitch and more! Laura’s engaged to Dave and they live in Devonport. The wedding’s coming up in February 2022 after postponing several times! Channel Mag talked to Laura about 2021, the festive season and what’s coming up in her world in 2022...
Channel Mag: 2021 has been another challenging year with Covid on our doorsteps in recent times, but what have been the highlights in your world?
Laura Foote: A roof over my head and food in my fridge! Even though owning a small business in Covid, I am lucky to have support from family, friends and my amazing customers. When we entered level 4 lockdown, and there was a mass shortage at Dave’s work, I put my hand up and worked two weeks night shift filling shelves at Pak 'n' Save. After one night shift, Seven Sharp turned up in the morning and I made it on TV that night! Customers and friends are still talking about it, or I’ll get stopped when out and about saying “I saw you on TV!”
CM: These past few lockdown months have been testing times for all – for families and those in business. What have been the challenges for you and how have you overcome them?
LF: It only makes things worse if you stress too much when it is entirely out of your hands. Terence told me in a facebook post how this isn’t my fault, or my business’ fault. And that has really stuck. Talking about your worries helps, because you are not alone. We are all affected by what is happening in one way or another and you just have to do your best.
CM: What have we done well and what could we have done better as a country during this Covid pandemic?
LF: Without getting too much into politics, I think my life felt like it was living from Monday to Monday. Which wasn’t the nicest feeling, a little bit more certainty could have been better. It was nice opening up for picnics, I evem celebrated a picnic birthday!
CM: You are very involved in the community. What are you proud to be involved in and what gives you the motivation to get involved and do your bit?
LF: I really really enjoy it! Whether is be being the front door lady for Rotary’s Breakfast on Toast events, or the fairy in the Santa Parade. I give back what I can to this wonderful community, and they also support me! If you see something needing doing, just do it! Small changes can make big differences.
CM: We are all looking forward to the festive season and the end of the year. Have you got any tips for Christmas presents and what will you be doing to celebrate Christmas 2021?
LF: Shopping local! I love shopping, and I am very good at it! Every store knows me and buying local in turn employs someone local, and keeps your village vibrant. Christmas will be like every Christmas for us. Presents in the morning; Dave always buys me shoes! An early vegan lunch at my mum and dad's, and then a Samoan feast, including KFC, in the afternoon at Dave’s family.
CM: Presuming the local borders are open what will you and your whanau be getting up to during the 2021/22 Christmas/New Year period to relax?
LF: With myself and Dave being in retail, December is a very busy month for us. However in January we will be actually (if we can) going on our honeymoon before our new wedding date! Which is quite funny. It will be a train trip around the South Island stopping at places along the way.
CM: Complete the following: My goal for 2022 is to….
LF: … GET MARRIED! Be happy, healthy and stronger than ever.
Terence Harpur,
Takapuna Beach Business Association
Terence Harpur is the CEO of Takapuna Beach Business Association (TBBA), driving the ilovetakapuna brand and providing support for businesses in the area. Terence and his partner Felicity live locally and he’s the proud dad to Chloe (8) and Max (5). His association with Takapuna dates back more than a decade, originally working with Auckland Live and managing the Bruce Mason Centre. He’s passionate about his home turf, the Shore and Takapuna. Four years ago he joined the TBBA and has focused on progress, upgrades and investment for the area, advocating for better amenities and connections, as well as future growth. He’s excited about the Hurstmere Road rejuvenation project that was completed in late November. Hurstmere Road is almost brand new and is looking fantastic! Channel Mag talked to Terence about 2021, the festive season and what’s coming up in his world in 2022...
Channel Mag: 2021 has been another challenging year with Covid on our doorsteps in recent times, but what have been the highlights in your world?
Terence Harpur: While 2021 has definitely been a challenge, there have also been some great highlights. With lockdowns I have enjoyed spending quality family time together relaxing around the house, walking on the beach and the arrival of a new puppy ‘Shadow’ to our whānau in August. I have also enjoyed how much Chloe and Max have grown and developed, building lots of Lego together, various art projects, bug finding, reading and many trips to the beach. I am also proud to support Felicity with her hard work in the Covid response, being the public health doctor liaising with the managed isolation facilities and involved in the public health response including in both planning and operational roles.
CM: These past few lockdown months have been testing times for all – for families and those in business. What have been the challenges for you and how have you overcome them?
TH: It has been heart-breaking talking to businesses and the immense financial and wellbeing pressure that lockdown has put on them. Helping them through, bringing people back out into Takapuna and keeping positive is challenging but rewarding at the same time. On a personal level, I find working at home can be isolating and as a social person, I certainly miss the office and social connections. On top of this has been home-schooling, supporting Felicity with her long hours in the Covid response and the never-ending picking-up dog poop in the garden. What has helped me is to recognise when I am getting stressed, take a breath and work through the issues in a logical order. Working out in our make-shift garage gym and walking our puppy around the neighbourhood is also great for my mental wellbeing.
CM: What have we done well and what could we have done better as a country during this Covid pandemic?
TH: I have been so impressed with the Public Health team's response, their massive hours, dedication and passion they have. This outbreak could have been so much worse if it was not for their efforts. From a government point of view, the lack of clear planning, wishy-washy messaging and lack of direct support for Auckland businesses and business categories have been very disappointing. I am worried about the future being created for my kids.
CM: You are very involved in the community. What are you proud to be involved in and what gives you the motivation to get involved and do your bit?
TH: I love seeing smiles on faces and families enjoying themselves, so organising events like the Takapuna Winter Lights, Christmas/Easter carnivals and Summer Days Festival certainly brings lots of joy to me, as well as our community – It’s a win win! I also love seeing improvements made to infrastructure and management of our area, but also to more tangible and physical improvements to things such as our streets, beach bathrooms, gardens and even parking! I work hard behind the scenes to make these happen and seeing them move from ideas, to planning, to physical works and then being completed and people using them, is immensely satisfying.
I’m also proud to be the Deputy Chair for Eventfinda Stadium, board member for disability group ‘Project Employ’, and support a number of local charities such as Takapuna Rotary and De Paul House.
CM: We are all looking forward to the festive season and the end of the year. Have you got any tips for Christmas presents and what will you be doing to celebrate Christmas 2021?
TH: My main tip is to keep it local and think more about where your money goes and where you purchase from – then it can be a double winning present. Gifts ideas? Air-fryer if you haven’t already got one in lockdown, new summer cap/t-shirt or some cool “boat” shoes. Or maybe even a puppy!??
We will be heading to my parents famous Christmas Eve party, then likely up north to visit my brother in Mangawhai Heads and on to Russell for a week of food, beaches and watersports.
CM: Presuming the local borders are open what will you and your whanau be getting up to during the 2021/22 Christmas/New Year period to relax?
TH: We will be spending the majority of our time between Mangawhai and Russell, but then in mid-January we will be tackling the Milford track, which is meant to be spectacular. We were lucky to book a space in the DOC huts, which the whole season sold out in four minutes – now I just need to start doing some training…
CM: Complete the following: My goal for 2022 is to….
TH: … I would like to continue to support local business to recover from and navigate through this Covid world as well as finish off projects such as the beach bathrooms upgrade and town square building. I also plan to do more of New Zealand’s great walks, take Felicity on a live-aboard diving trip on the Great Barrier Reef and teach the kids to sail over summer.
Adam Bennett,
Highlife Entertainment
Adam Bennett and his wife Jo live locally at Hauraki and have two youngsters, Orlando Cruz (7) and Zoe Rose (2). Together they own Highlife Entertainment which is known for hosting great events. Their next event will be their annual Sunsetter Festival in February – usually at Smales Farm, this year at North Harbour Stadium. Adam’s been described in Channel Mag previously as an event director, investor and community champion. He’s a real Shore local and loves the place! Adam went to primary school at Hauraki that he lives just down the road from now, then Rosmini for his intermediate years, then Takapuna Grammar. He is also behind the Takapuna/Belmont/Bayswater Facebook page which he started with the aim of connecting people, sharing useful community information and help support fellow local businesses which he says is more important than ever given the damage Covid has done to local businesses. Channel Mag talked to Adam about 2021, the festive season and what’s coming up in his world in 2022…
Channel Mag: 2021 has been another challenging year with Covid on our doorsteps in recent times, but what have been the highlights in your world?
Adam Bennett: It sure has been a challenging year, what a ride! There have been some positives though. It has given me the chance to slow down a bit, pull back from the Auckland rat race and spend more time with the family. We have also managed to get a huge amount of work done around the house and brush up on our virology.
CM: These past few lockdown months have been testing times for all – for families and those in business. What have been the challenges for you and how have you overcome them?
AB: On the home front, the biggest challenge has been trying to work, keep the kids entertained and make sure our seven-year-old is getting as much home schooling done as possible. My wife Jo has done an amazing job on that front, she would make an awesome teacher.
Our business is in the events game so we are now in a very high risk and challenging environment. Even before Covid events it was always a high risk game to be in so this virus has really taken things up a few notches. We now face many challenges but the only way to overcome them was to make sure we have a very solid understanding of what is unfolding both locally and globally with this pandemic, mitigate our risks as much as possible and move forward in a smart and cautious manner.
CM: What have we done well and what could we have done better as a country during this Covid pandemic?
AB: Personally I feel like our Government and the MOH could have done more to get the health system ready. I was concerned when I saw nurses and public services getting pay freezes last year and hospitals scrambling during this recent outbreak to build more Covid-safe wards. This building should have started last year and we should be doing a lot more to keep nurses in the work force, incentivise others to join and getting more into the country. Our nurses are now our soldiers going into war and we must support them as best we can. This pandemic won’t be ending any time soon so as a country we must prepare for a longer ride. If our health system is not boosted big time then businesses, livelihoods and people’s health will continue to suffer as a result.
I also see a lot of division happening in our country at the moment, more so than usual. Given the rocky years ahead I believe we need to unite as a country to tackle the many challenges we face going forward.
CM: You are very involved in the community. What are you proud to be involved in and what gives you the motivation to get involved and do your bit?
AB: To be honest, I am proud to be involved with everything we do on the Shore. Whether it is fundraising for a local charity, sports club or school or just organising food and clothing donations through our events for De Paul House.
We also help a few individuals in need as well and just do our bit where possible. Our motivation just comes from the enjoyment of helping others and trying to make the Shore a better place for the next generations coming through.
CM: We are all looking forward to the festive season and the end of the year. Have you got any tips for Christmas presents and what will you be doing to celebrate Christmas 2021?
AB: Yes! Buy your gifts locally so you can support many of our local retailers that have been hit hard by Covid restrictions. There are a lot of struggling businesses out there and they need your support more than ever right now.
CM: Presuming the local borders are open what will you and your whānau be getting up to during the 2021/22 Christmas/New Year period to relax?
AB: At this stage we are probably going to be having a bit of a staycation and enjoying the local area. But if we go away it will be up to Matakana and Omaha for a bit or a boat ride over to Waiheke for a few nights.
CM: Complete the following – My goal for 2022 is to….
AB: … My goals for 2022 are to stay healthy, guide our existing business through the Covid storm, start a new business and spend a lot of time with the kids.
Toni van Tonder,
Devonport-Takapuna Local Board member
Toni van Tonder will be well known to Channel Mag readers as a hardworking elected member of the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board. She’s married to Pierre, they live at Narrow Neck and have three youngsters – Jasper (10) Sadie (8) Sid (5). Toni was born in Tokoroa, schooled in Ōtautahi before settling on the Shore. Toni has managed the Devonport Business Association, established the Devonport Arts Festival Trust, worked at Kaipatiki Project Environment Centre and is a founding member of the Zero Waste Devonport group. Since 2019 – when she was elected to the DTLB – she has also been a Council Representative on the Tūpuna Maunga Authority – a co-governance authority that oversees the restoration and future-proofing of Aucklands 14 historic and culturally-significant maunga that have been returned to the collective iwi of Tāmaki Makaurau in a treaty settlement. Devonport’s Maungauika/North Head and Takarunga/Mount Victoria are two of the maunga. Channel Mag talked to Toni about 2021, the festive season and what’s coming up in her world in 2022…
Channel Mag: 2021 has been another challenging year with Covid on our doorsteps in recent times, but what have been the highlights in your world?
Toni van Tonder: One big highlight was turning 40 this year! I threw a bit of a party and am so glad I did, because there hasn’t been much opportunity to celebrate the big milestones for many people this year. I got lucky and managed to sneak it in!
The year has certainly been a tough one and turning my head to the positives has been one of the best ways to get through it. I’ve been incredibly grateful to be a part of a really tightknit community in Devonport. On those daily walks with the dog, escaping another difficult day home-schooling and working and feeling alone in lockdown, I would always find a familiar face and be reminded that everyone is still there, waiting to remerge and connect once again.
CM: These past few lockdown months have been testing times for all – for families and those in business. What have been the challenges for you and how have you overcome them?
TVT: Before being elected I was manager of the Devonport Business District and so my heart breaks for those small businesses who couldn’t simply pivot online. I think, if you can keep your own work going, it’s easy to forget those who can’t. I’m pretty committed to doing what I can to support the recovery of our town centres, and all our small businesses that are at the heart of our communities. I’m lucky to be in a position of influence where, alongside my DTLB colleagues, we can try and make a bit of noise about it and find new ways to support economic recovery.
In the household my struggles were with the kids. Home-schooling has been a nightmare. My children are still young so they needed active teaching and trying to set their Zooms up and help them through the work, whilst managing my own work commitments and meetings; I found it all incredibly stressful. I’d like to say in the end I gave up, but truthfully, I gave it up pretty much at the beginning. Having a mother who was calm and having children who were relaxed and playing through lockdown was the right call to make, for everyone’s sanity. I’m sure they’ll catch up on their schooling.
CM: What have we done well and what could we have done better as a country during this Covid pandemic?
TVT: I firmly believe prioritising the health and wellbeing of our people is the right thing to do, absolutely, especially for our older and more vulnerable communities. However, I think so much could have been done much, much earlier, to prepare us for what was inevitably going to come. We had time up our sleeves to prepare our hospitals, lure expert ICU staff with the promise of great salaries into the country, and consider how vaccine mandates and certificates would work for when the time came. I think we failed to think ahead, learn from other countries and not try to reinvent the wheel. That’s been really disappointing and frustrating. I found the ‘Level 4’ to be a very blunt tool used to stop the spread of the virus and businesses that were able to work in a safe, contactless way were prevented from being able to do so. I understand it’s a moving feast, it’s complex. Our MPs have a lot more information than we (the general public) do, so I can only hope they’ve made the best choices given the information they had. It would be a tough gig being in Government right now. You simply can’t please everyone, and I get that.
CM: You are very involved in the community. What are you proud to be involved in and what gives you the motivation to get involved and do your bit?
TVT: My answer was alluded to in the first question; I really love the people here. I love how people pull together to get things done for the benefit of the wider community. Look at the Takapuna Beach Playground and the new Changing Places facilities that are about to be built, or the Woodall Park pump track. We have so many people digging deep in their pockets or carving out hours of their personal time, simply to make this place more awesome for others.
I love meeting the people who run community associations, and all the volunteers who restore our environment. We have a phenomenal youth council who work so hard to engage and inform younger citizens about local issues, and they are so generous with their time. Being an elected member on the Local Board means that I can work closely with all these fantastic people to find ways to realise their aspirations for the area. What a privilege! I am truly privileged that people in this Local Board area, asked me, by way of their vote, to fill this role.
CM: We are all looking forward to the festive season and the end of the year. Have you got any tips for Christmas presents and what will you be doing to celebrate Christmas 2021?
TVT: I am definitely looking forward to the end of the year and will have my fingers crossed we’re free to move around the country. We were meant to be in the Gold Coast with my husband’s family at Christmas, but that plan got delt-a blow (love a pun!). Instead, we’ve arranged a house swap with a family in Queenstown, so it’ll be a very quiet affair with my lockdown bubble and brother-in-law but in a new location. Christmas for us is all about the kids. We sprinkle out the reindeer food and Santa gets a beer and a cookie. The kids are funny; despite giving them strict parameters around what Santa can fit in his sleigh, my daughter has a Christmas list that would meet the needs of every child in her school, whilst my oldest son just wants Simpsons comics and chocolate. The five-year-old is mad for Lego, so that’s easy. As for me, all I really want is a good cold chardonnay, a great book, and time to switch off.
CM: Complete the following – My goal for 2022 is…
TVT: … to successfully run for Local Board again, along with Aidan Bennett, and this time bring the most amazing team of fantastic community players with us. Watch this space. Have a happy Christmas everyone. I hope you’ve all managed to get through the last few months with at least your humour intact, and that you share the hope and optimism I have as we move forward into the new year. Kia kaha, kia māia, kia manawanui. Ngā mihi o te tau hou – greetings for the new year.
