Colour run
The annual Hato Hone St John Lake Ngā Roto colour run will be held later this month and aims to raise $15,000 to buy five life-saving automated external defibrillators. The ‘paints’ will be cornflour, safe, enviro-friendly and even gluten-free. Colour powder is thrown at passing runners from colour stations that are dotted along a course.
Whakatāne flights
Mark Morgan
Air travellers are now being offered direct return flights from Hamilton Airport to Whakatāne, five days a week. The new service, on a Piper Aztec 6-seater, was launched by Sunair last month, becoming the fourth Sunair destination out of Hamilton. In April 2023, Sunair successful began daily week day flights connecting Hamilton to Gisborne, Whangarei and Napier.
Ninjas ride for free
The first 150 people to pedal up to Ninja Valley by 8:30am on Sunday 16th March can play for an hour, for free. “This is the second year in a row we’ve encouraged ninjas to jump on your bike, grab your scooter, and roll up to Ninja Valley for a free one-hour play on us,” says Chief Ninja and co-owner Grant Beuzeval. Riders are encouraged to head down the driveway at the side of the building to the temporary bike park created by event partners Bike Waikato, before collecting a wristband for one-hour’s free play from 9am to 10am.
800 and counting
Waikato Chamber of Commerce now has 800 members and growing, chief executive Don Good announced last month. It was an incredible milestone that reflected the strength of the organisation’s network and the power of collaboration.
Waipā awards
Entries for the Waipā Networks Business Awards were tracking ahead of the same time two years ago with only days to go until nominations close. The 1920s theme for the awards are in honour of the sponsor which is celebrating 100 years this year. The awards include categories that recognise excellence in community contribution, digital strategy, sustainability, innovation, E-commerce, tourism and hospitality, people and culture, and customer service.
It’s a symphony
Vesa-Matti Leppanen Credit Stephen A’Court
The New Zealand Symphony Orchestra has included Hamilton in its eight-date tour and will play Baroque masterpieces in the John Gallagher Concert Chamber at Waikato University on March 14. The NZSO ensemble, featuring 26 of the finest musicians in Aotearoa New Zealand, will be led by the orchestra’s concertmaster and passionate Baroque music violinist Vesa-Matti Leppänen.
Report launched
At the YWCA launch
YWCA Hamilton launched its Young Women’s Wellbeing in Waikato report last month. The study highlighted the wellbeing of young women and sex/gender diverse individuals. The report, developed in partnership with Huber Social, recommends enhancing access to mental and women’s health, financial services and establishing partnerships with organisations to promote gender allyship.
Free dental care
Paula Baker, Braemar Charitable Trust.
A major funding grant from the Clare Foundation will allow Braemar Charitable Trust to deliver free dental procedures and dental surgeries to six Waikato women’s refuges.
Clare funds groups who can make positive change happen for women, oral health, youth well-being and the environment.
It will fund Braemar Charitable Trust $180,000 across the next three years to deliver dental help to women’s refuges.
State of the art
Māori Queen, Kuini Nga Wai Hono i te po, left, opened the renal centre. Photo: Supplied.
Te Pureoranga – Waikato Regional Renal Centre which opened for patients in January and was formally opened last month, has been built to modern standards – achieving a Greenstar 5 rating and is fitted out with the latest clinical technology and equipment. The renal service takes care of more than 900 patients across the region. It is stage one of a wider building programme, which includes a new adult acute mental health inpatient facility.
Health concerns
The latest Consumer NZ Sentiment Tracker results reveal that New Zealanders continue to grapple with financial uncertainty and growing concerns about healthcare services. Thirty nine per cent of respondents identified healthcare as a key issue, up from 27% in October 2024 and 23% a year ago. Concerns about access and wait times, cost, staff shortages and burnout, resourcing and infrastructure, inequities, as well as the quality of healthcare services were the major concerns.
Road upgrade
Damage to the rail track at Telephone and Holland roads on SH1B.
The long-awaited upgrade to SH1B Telephone Road rail crossing began last month. The rail crossing has been closed for nearly three years due to safety concerns. The upgrade will not only allow the crossing to reopen but also ensure it meets robust safety standards set by KiwiRail, significantly reducing risks for all road users.
Generation deal
Genesis Energy and Foresta have signed a term-sheet to advance negotiations on the supply of torrefied biomass for electricity generation at Huntly Power Station. Genesis chief wholesale officer Tracey Hickman says biomass is a key part of Genesis’ Gen35 strategy to optimise energy storage and flexible generation providing security of supply and grid stability. The company will supply torrefied black wood pellets.
Pepler’s win
Award Winning Black Raspberry – Pepler’s
Long-standing family-run business Pepler’s in Te Kauwhata has put New Zealand on the global culinary map by winning a coveted Superior Taste Award from the International Taste Institute. Their Black Raspberry Vinaigrette earned the prestigious three-star rating and scored 91%. They were the only NZ based business to be awarded this year, judged by Michelin Chefs. Owners Paul and Jane Menneer of Cambridge said their Black Raspberry Vinaigrette had been a standout in their range for years. “To have it celebrated at this level underscores the passion and care we put into every bottle.”
Island spruce up
Work to spruce up many of Hamilton’s difficult to maintain traffic islands started last month. Seventeen traffic island sites have been identified across the city and will see garden beds or lawn replaced with concrete in a tidy up of these busy sites. Council staff will continue to maintain plantings at 94 roundabouts across the city and mow or weed 2225 traffic islands.
Sales lift
Nearly a third of New Zealand’s small and medium-sized businesses entered this year with growing sales pipelines for the first quarter of the calendar year, according to new insights from MYOB. With a focus on growing demand and securing a steady flow of customers, a third plan to put most of their spend toward marketing and sales, followed by 28 per cent toward technology and digital transformation, 25 per cent on equipment and machinery upgrades, 24 per cent on team training and 19 per cent on improving the customer experience.
Hill expands
Lisa Shaw and Jared Halstead look after Hill Labs municipal water compliance services.
Hill Labs is expanding its municipal water compliance services, bringing Hill Labs recently acquired Food and Health Standards water team, led by Lisa Shaw, into its operations. She and her team will move in Hills Christchurch site working with business manager Jared Halstead, who will now oversee both asbestos and water compliance services.
