Waimea Weekly
03 548 2770
41 Nile Street East, Nelson
03 548 2770 03 548East, 2770 41 Nelson 41 Nile Nile Street Street East, Nelson
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41 Nile Street East, Nelson
Wednesday 30 August 2023
Horti Boys dare to bare for calendar ANNE HARDIE
Holding a frame of very busy bees in front of your naked body would make most men wince, but it was all for a good cause as local growers stripped off and posed for their ‘Horti Boys’ calendar. Twelve growers semi-stripped or went the full monty – albeit behind a frame of bees, bunch of flowers or pruning bag - to raise awareness about mental health issues. Ben Conning and Hamish Rush were two of the 12 that dared to bare and though Ben admits he just cannot help himself when people ask him to do anything - he has to say yes - Hamish was one of the instigators and also the one that braved the bees. “It turns out that bees are quite calm if you treat them the right way. And the local apiarist was on standby.”
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Ben Conning (left) and Hamish Rush are the August and September calendar boys. Photo: Anne Hardie.
Māpua liquor store application declined TRACY NEAL
Open Justice Reporter
A flood of community opposition has poured cold water on a liquor store that was planned opposite Māpua Primary School. The Tasman District Licensing Committee has turned down an application by Nelson Holdings Limited (NHL) for a planned Super Liquor Mapua at 151 Aranui Rd. The committee noted among a lengthy list of reasons for declining the application that Māpua
was “very child and family-centric”, and residents wanted it to stay that way. NHL had signed a lease on the premises, after searching other sites in Māpua. The community objection prompted a representative for the applicant to suggest that the theme of the submissions is that “Māpua shouldn’t have a bottle store”. The application attracted opposition from the police, the Medical Officer of Health, the Licensing Inspector and a further 88 objec-
tions from the public. Community Action Youth and Drugs (CAYAD), operated by the Health Action Trust, has supported the Māpua community in opposing the application. Health Promoter and project coordinator, Marcelo Ribas, says they are delighted with the outcome, which was the result of community action at its best. “It shows just how much influence a community can have when they are united and determined for the well-being of their community.”
Sergeant Olivia Gibson, who worked in Alcohol Harm Prevention for Nelson Bays Police, said that agencies and many objectors were strongly unified in opposing the application. Doctor Andre Bonny, who worked at the Māpua Health Centre, said around one per cent of the centre’s 5000 patients have had a “serious problem with alcohol”, and making it more readily available would only lead to more problems. Chair of the Māpua Primary School Board of Trustees, Ra-
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chel Stanton, said the board was “strongly opposed” to a licence being issued on the site opposite the school. The board was worried it would result in increased costs of vandalism for both the school and the community, and about the impact on young people exposed to alcohol as they arrived at school and when they went home. Rachel said Māpua was a safe place, and the goal of the Local Alcohol Policy supported that.
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MICHELLE WESTRUPP SALES & MARKETING CONSULTANT P: 03 544 2900 M: 021 760 068 E: michelle.westrupp@summit.co.nz waimeaweekly.co.nz