Te Puke News - 21 November 2025

Te Puke NEWS

An incredibly busy time for Te Puke brigade

As of November 17, we have responded to 295 calls for the calendar year to date.

It has been by far the busiest fortnight of the year so far with 21 calls during the last two weeks – this included seven false alarms, five motor vehicle crashes with two that required extrication with rescue equipment.

We had one medical assist and eight calls to fires – three vegetation, three houses –only one with moderate damage the other two minor – plus one smoke investigation and one to fallen tree foliage on power lines on Poplar Lane causing arcing.

As a brigade, we are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support we receive from our community This close-knit relationship means we regularly receive invitations to attend a wide range of community events and gatherings

Every effort

We make every effort to be involved whenever possible as a way of acknowledging the amazing support we enjoy However, the number of requests can at times place additional pressure on our members, who already dedicate a significant amount of time to serving our community

Our brigade now responds to more than 320 emergency calls each year – an average of more than six per week – in addition to weekly training While we remain committed to many long-standing community events, there may be occasions when we are unable to meet all requests

We appreciate your understanding if we have to politely decline at times

To give some context, between

September and mid-November alone, our members have: responded to 76 emergency calls; attended regular training nights every Wednesday; held our annual honours night and supported three neighbouring brigades’ honours nights; attended the Baptist Church Oktoberfest; hosted a dinner for the Fire and Emergency NZ (FENZ) Board and Executive Leadership Team; received our FENZ annual audit; hosted two workshops and mock crash rescues for the Right Track Programme; hosted a Western Bay of Plenty District Council (WBOPDC) public information meeting on Boucher Ave infrastructure works; continued running our own brigade cadet programme; participated in both The United Fire Brigades’ Association (UBFA) National Drivers Challenge and the Auckland Provincial Fire Brigades Association Firefighter Challenge; attended UFBA annual conference; delivered two Firewise education

programmes at local primary schools; attended the Fairhaven School Gala; and assisted with the local Emergency Services Food Bank Drive.

200

hours per person

We estimate the combined total of the above reflected about 200 hours of service per person during a period of two-and-ahalf months – this is on top of our jobs, businesses and family commitments. Although all members are not able to attend everything, there are several who get very close We are proud of the commitment our members continue to show both in emergencies and throughout the community Thank you for your ongoing understanding and incredible support – it truly makes all the difference. Don’t forget to check out our Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/ Te.Puke Fire.Brigade

Local teen ’ s balloon sculpting business blowing up!

From the A&P Show to Te Puke’s Treat Trail, Kieran Groves is becoming a recognisable face around town.

Kieran, 14, is known for his balloon sculpting and has his own business, Balloon O’Mania, that he started when he was 10 years old

Recently he was at the Epic Te Puke Treat Trail, Paengaroa Spring Fair, Fairhaven School gala and fireworks, Te Puke Gymsport’s open day; and in August at the Sirens and Services Koha Ice Day in Te Puke W Memorial Hall.

He’s also got bo for Christmas in next month and T A&P Show in Feb

and, with book for parties, he has something on almost every weekend of the summer ahead

Kieran told Te Puke News that he started

making balloon sculptures at an early age

“I got my first balloon bag from Kmart or something and didn’t really like the instructions, so I figured it out myself,” he said

Completely different

That was all before Balloon O’Mania – which began with something completely different.

At Rotorua’s St Mary’s School, he started a small business selling bracelets While he had on, fellow students und to be using their money to buy the s so he was asked stock of bracelets to sell, he started ing to car boot sales.

Then my grandma [Carol Riley] recommended I start selling balloons on the side, and after that the balloons slowly took over ”

Kieran said it is a much better usiness than selling elets and was ething he already w how to do It was one of the markets at someone asked Kieran if he did

parties and that side of the business started from there

Endless possibilities

He said one of the things he liked about balloon sculpting is that there were endless possibilities

He previously used YouTube tutorials, but said now he can work out how to make most things

Most recently he’d managed to make a selection Pokémon characters “They are very hard and I’m still learning and

Te Puke delivers for foodbankcollection

When it comes to giving, once again Te Puke has delivered The response to last week’s Emergency Services Food drive was “amazing,” said Te Puke Foodbank manager Clare Cooper

“It was great. Every year I think: ‘The economy ’ s a bit tougher, we might get a bit less’, and every year we don’t.”

She said until sorting is completed, it is difficult to quantify how much was collected – and even after the collection, donations were still coming in.

Some of those doing the collecting had their children with them, said Cooper “It’s lovely to see that –bringing their children up with an understanding that life isn’t easy for everybody”

“[The following day] we had people pouring through the door They’d missed the truck or were out or for different reasons had missed it, so they were bringing it in – it’s pretty special It’s a pretty special community”

She guessed it could take a week or more to sort through the donations “But it will all get sorted through All our stock gets rotated to make sure the stock that needs using first goes out the door”

A few years ago the date of the collection was brought forward because of the time required to sort and pack, Cooper said “We start packing [food parcels] the second week of December and we ’ ve got 200 parcels booked already, plus the 50 odd we are doing every week anyway ”

A collection will be held at Pukehina Beach earlyDecember and that too will add to the foodbank’s stocks, Cooper said

it takes a while – but the goal is to do them at markets and make them quite fast ”

Other things – an ant is a good example – he had worked out how to make from photographs of the real thing

Kieran said he still sold his product at markets sometimes but said events and parties tend to be more lucrative

Quality

conscious

When it is busy, with people queueing up, he liked to make swords “It’s a classic, but

there are heaps of different designs and they are pretty simple and fast to make ”

He isn’t sure whether he can expand the business as he said he isn’t sure about taking on a second balloon sculptor “I’d like to, but it gets complicated and I’m very quality conscious – I’d want them to make quality balloon [sculptures] up to my standard ” Balloon O’Mania has its own website and Facebook page.

Among the donations was a note that Copper thinks must have been written by a child, that read: “Thank you for what you do for our community”

Once again rain held off during the collection time. “One year it rained right up to the time and one year it rained as soon as we put the barbecue away, ” said Cooper “But to be honest, those who come and help, I think it would take more than a bit of rain to dampen them down.”

High quality entries in second Gardens on Wheels event

The second Gardens on Wheels event in Te Puke on Sunday, November 16, was a success despite being a little low key.

It was a competition for gardens of different sizes – the only

criteria being they needed to have wheels so everything from toy trucks to wheelbarrows were acceptable.

Although entry numbers were slightly down on the first event last year, organiser Karen Summerhays said it was still a successful day

“The difference was the quality of entries was higher and they actually got what we were talking about this time,” she said.

There was even an impromptu demonstration, said Summerhays.

“There were a couple of people who came and built their garden on site – they brought all their stuff in and spent the morning building it ”

Plenty of people made a day of it, taking picnics and enjoying the atmosphere created in Jubilee Park

There were entries from individuals as well as Te Puke Community Garden, Vincent House and Summerset Retirement Village.

And it was the miniature Zen garden in a wheelbarrow from Vincent House that won both the best in show award and the people’s choice prize

Other winners were Steam Garden by Sam, Barrow Beauty by Clare Clarke, and Daily Life in the Garden by Te Puke Community Garden in the small, medium and large categories respectively; Rosalie’s Baby by Rosalie Dale won the children’s category and Barrow Beauty won the sustainability/kai security category Flower Fairy Milly Bea was on hand to provide entertainment, dancing and bubbles

Summerhays said there was a good number of sponsors including Arun Mehan Bayleys

Real Estate, Te Puke Landscape Supplies, Te Puke Mitre 10, Trevelyan’s Pack and Cool, Pacifica Home & Garden Store, Bee Wrapt, Kings Seeds, Revital and Goodwood with Vector Group Charitable Trust, Sustainable Endeavours Charitable Trust and Made in Te Puke Charitable Trust all helping with the organisation of the event

Money from the gold coin donation requested to make a people’s choice vote raised $150 for Te Puke Community Garden, Summerhays said

Wanted: Architect or designer to bring school’s new stage to life

Students at Te Puke High School will soon have an alternative stage to take to

The new outdoor stage is alongside the area used for the horticulture and technology programmes and close to the kitchen used by food technology classes

Facing it is terraced seating.

There are two final steps required before the project is finished, according to Te Puke High School technology teacher Matt Park.

A shade structure had been designed Park was confident it could be built with sponsorship, and Seeka had indicated it would be willing to support its construction

But for the second step, Park is asking for the community’s input As part of a junior technology project, students have designed a covering for the stage which has been put together be covering upturned kiwifruit bins

Need skills, expertise

The concept deigns are some way off being final, practical working drawings, said Park “We thought it might be quite nice [for the community], if there was anyone out there who might like to either judge it or bring some expertise as an architect or designer

– somebody who can look at what the kids have done and, if we chose one, hopefully we can look ahead to maybe going ahead and building it,” said Park

He said someone with engineering or drafting experience may want and be able to help to “make a design work” “The kids have got some really good drawings and pictures, but in terms of making them work…We are wondering if there might be someone in the community who might want to share some of their skills or expertise and to establish a connection with the school.”

The terrace has been built to accommodate up to 220 students, said Park “That’s either an entire year level or a house and it was [designed] for exactly that reason ”

Park said there weren ’ t many other places in the school where that number of students can be accommodated

There’s the hall, which is often in use and at this time of year was unavailable due to being used for exams, or the gym, which necessitates sitting on the floor

“So it’s [suitable] for anything that’s year level or house level, house group meetings or performances – that sort of thing ”

Next term

Park said he hoped the shade cover could be put up during the upcoming holidays and the stage and terraced area could be in use next term. “It will be nice to bring in people into this space. ” Year 12 students and the business community combined on the building of a fence with gates between the terracing and the horticulture area. This

work was part of their NCEA assessment and the majority of the timber was supplied by PukePine, said Park.

Overlooking the terrace and stage, a site had been earmarked for a building to house technical equipment for a radio station and to create podcasts. Anyone who might be able to assist with the project was asked to call the school on 07 573 9769. Stuart

Purdies tackle punishing US firefighter challenge irefighter

Te Puke’s Cooper Purdie

twice held an individual world record at the recent World Firefighter Challenge in Texas, and twice had it taken off him.

Competing in the Junior Firefighter/Explorer category of the challenge he exchanged best times with Canadian Zack Giesbrecht who eventually won the category and snatched the world record away from Cooper who finished second.

The punishing firefighter challenge, which ran from October 20-25 in the US, has been dubbed the hardest two minutes in sport

Five elements

The challenge has five elements: climbing a six-storey tower

carrying a length of 70mm 19kg hose; hoisting a 70mm hose coil six storeys, chopping using a 4kg shot hammer to drive a beam 1 5 metres, extending a charged hose to knock down a disc and dragging a life sized dummy for 30 5m

Cooper was there with his mother Jodi Purdie, who also competed and who won gold as part of the over-40 women ’ s relay team as well as five bronze medals One of those bronze medals was in the co-ed mixed tandem that Jodi and Cooper did together as a mother-andson team

In her individual run Jodi placed fourth, two places higher than she did at the world event two years earlier where Cooper was alongside her but too young to compete

Mother-and-son

Jodi and Cooper

Purdie with their medals Photo / Supplied

Both mother and son are members of Te Puke Volunteer Fire Brigade.

The next world event is in Las Vegas next year, and both are keen to have another go

“I did want to get on that podium, so I’m going to have to go again,” said Jodi.

Best time

Cooper’s best time was one minute and 57 seconds – and he’ll still be young enough to compete in the Junior FF/ Explorer category in 2026 when some of his fellow participants this year will have moved on.

He became good friends with Zack, despite the rivalry, and they teamed up to set a new world best time for a tandem run

It was a feature of the event that there was a plenty of camaraderie among competitors, with many of the adults helping the younger athletes with advice and guidance.

“A lot of people made the comment that it’s such a nice sport because, although you ’ re competing and trying to get PBs [Personal Bests], everyone ’ s helping everyone, ” said Jodi

“And everybody celebrates everybody I think because everybody knows how hard it is, when someone does something exceptional, they celebrate it.”

Tough track

Jodi said while each element of the course has set distances, it was “ a tough track”.

“It was hot and the gradient of the concrete and the way set it up, the hose drag was slightly uphill which meant the dummy drag was slightly downhill –which was a danger as you are more likely to fall, so that was definitely tough Most people weren ’ t hitting their PBs – just a few people made it not look hard at all ”

Now back home, there has been little time for rest – last weekend it was the Gizzy Combat Challenge, a local firefighter challenge competition

The Purdies will also enter upcoming competitions in Taranaki and Northland before the United Fire Brigades Association North Island and

TheatreThoughts - November

We are in a bit of a pickle at the theatre. First though, exciting news – the vicar is returning.

We’re delighted to announce that we’ll be re-visiting Dibley at Easter 2026 to catch up with the familiar characters of Vicar Geraldine Grainger, scatterbrain Alice Tinker and the delightful members of the local parish committee With plenty of anecdotes still to be told, ‘The Vicar of Dibley Easter Edition’ will be another great production at the Rep

Most of the original cast are available, however we do need to secure a new secretary, Frank Pickle – a rather dull but friendly man. So if you ’ re thinking at getting involved in the theatre, here is a wonderful

role for a male aged 40-80. There will be auditions on November 30 at 2pm at the Litt Park Theatre. Contact me on 027 716 8785 for further information.

Shine

All three performances of ‘Shine’ by the students of Te Ringa Āwhina - Te Puke

High School Special Ed Unit at Litt Park Theatre sold out last week It was a brilliant production full of music, dance, multimedia presentations and a play, all of which had the audience laughing and crying Every student had the opportunity to shine and they certainly dazzled their audiences Congratulations to all the staff and students involved Michelle Cliff, Te Puke Repertory Society Chairwoman

national competitions in April and May 2026 respectively. Cooper is hoping to better his best time at those UFBA events, using the earlier events as training and to improve.

“I’m trying to get more muscle mass, ” he said “A lot of the people in America, that helped them, they were bigger”

The excitement

He also learned a lot in terms of technique and experience from the other athletes and got to see how meticulous the elite athletes are when trying to get the best time possible

Jodi also intended to continue competing

“The excitement gets you, ” she said “I just need to prevent

injury To carry on I definitely need to get a better programme and probably a trainer and a physio ” Cooper has also signed up for next May’s Firefighter Sky Tower Challenge and said his main goal for that is raising money for Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New Zealand

After the world challenge, during a visit to New York, Cooper heard he’d been named as one of the Te Puke High Schools two sports leaders alongside Hayley Dodd. He would also be part of the school’s touch team at the secondary school nationals and the Tauranga Moana under 18 touch team

Pukehina wave buoy is retiring

After more than two decades of faithfully recording wave and sea conditions in the Bay of Plenty, the Pukehina Wave Buoy will be retired at the end of this year

Located 13 kilometres off Pukehina Beach in 62 metres of water, the buoy has been recording wave height, direction, period, and sea surface temperature since it was installed in 2003, according to Bay of Plenty Regional Council (BOPRC) in a statement BOPRC environment information manager Glenn Ellery said the buoy had provided valuable data for more than 20 years

“It’s played an important role in understanding the coastal environment from both a science and productivity perspective

“Information from the wave buoy has been used to support economic

development opportunities in the coastal area, an example being the development of the mussel farms near Ōpōtiki,” said Ellery

“When combining the cost of replacement – around $100,000 – and the availability of equivalent information from MetService, the decision has been made not to replace it ”

Ellery said anyone interested in wave conditions can still access reliable, real-time information from MetService “ so there’s no loss of information”

“We’re grateful for the service the buoy has provided and acknowledge the value it’s added to our understanding of the Bay of Plenty coastline ” BOPRC would continue to operate the existing Bowentown wave buoy, which remained active and operational, Ellery said For up-to-date coastal conditions, visit: www metservice com/marine

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