our west

brought to you by

Apr

il 20

13

For more information on The Trusts, visit our website www.thetrusts.co.nzor email us at info@thetrusts.co.nz

The Craft Beer Phenomenon P2

Anzac Day Commemorations P7

Icon of the West P8

Great Liquor Specials P11

The

New

Wes

tgat

e -

a Br

illia

nt V

isio

n

ourwest

2

The Craft Beer Phenomenon 2

Black Salt bar and eatery Comedy Night 3

The New Westgate - a Brilliant Vision 4

Sharks and West Coast Beaches 5

Sharon Davies - Westie Woman with Big Attitude 6

Anzac Day Commemorations in West Auckland 7

Portage Ceramics Awards 7

Icons of the West - The Hon Dr Pita Sharples, CBE 8

The Trusts appoint top liners to CFO and Marketing Manager roles 9

The Good Times Guide 10

Great Deals on Liquor 11

The Craft Beer PhenomenonCraft beers are becoming a big hit around the world and The Trusts have chosen to make West Auckland a leader in this growing trend, by progressively installing filling stations for dispensing a wide range of craft beers as new stores are opened.Craft beers are effectively hand-crafted in relatively small quantities and from an increasing array of highly individualised recipes.

Along with the demand for the craft beers, there is a growing sophistication in both the products and the way people are consuming them. People now go beer tasting where they would once go wine tasting – and bring the same sort of skills into play, sampling the beer to separate out the different flavours that go into its overall taste. Similarly, restaurants are increasingly offering food and beer matching.

An important part of this growing trend, is the option to sample across a wide range of beers and to move quickly and easily to new products, hence the introduction of The Wests Selection Craft Beer On Tap filling stations. A four tap station is now in operation at Swanson Village Wine and Spirits and a major eight tap station is at the newly opened West Liquor Glen Eden.

The Trusts believes West Aucklanders are very keen to explore craft beers. Manager of Retail Operations, Mark Clayton, who is overseeing the initiative, has been delighted with customer’s responses to date. “ Sales have exceeded all expectations. The suppliers of both the equipment and the fresh craft beer agree that they have not seen such a strong launch of an on-tap craft beer offering in New Zealand.”

10 day membershiptrial - only $10!www.arenafit.co.nz

A laugh a minute at

Stand-up comedy is king at Black Salt in New Lynn and Black Salt is king with well known comics who regard this West Auckland venue as one of the best.Comedy came to Black Salt in March last year, with the Laugh Club New Zealand and has gained an outstanding following with a loyal and growing audience, according to Laugh Club’s Tarun Mohanbhai.

Tarun is himself a top New Zealand comedian under the guise of “That Indian Guy” who has captivated audiences at home and abroad. He is well qualified to judge and rates the monthly gigs at New Lynn as the best of all the events the Laugh Club organises around New Zealand.

Performers and audiences really like being at Black Salt because it’s “such a nice room”.

Laugh Club attracts the cream of New Zealand comedians like West Auckland’s crown prince of comedy, Ewen Gilmour, Dai Henwood, Simon McKinney, Guy Willams, Urzila Carlsson and other top celebrities of the New Zealand Comedy circuit.

The monthly shows are professional comedy and while they don’t feature amateur talent, Laugh Club does like to include up and coming comedians.

“The audience has paid to laugh and we provide the best talent, but we do include lesser known talents who are on their way up and have a 10 minute routine,” Tarun says.

Comedy night is one of a range of initiatives being adopted by new Black Salt manager Alex Ford, as the bar and eatery makes a strong comeback in the public’s affections, after several years of disruption in the heart of the town centre, from road and other civic works.

Alex has focussed Black Salt on building personal relationships with patrons, emphasising great customer service and having a venue with “something for everyone”. Customers are greeted, there’s attention to good table service and staff friendliness are all encouraging increasing numbers of customers to make Black Salt their “local”.

Make sure you get to see the next Comedy Night. Check out facebook.com/blacksaltbar

3For new members only.

The New Westgate - a Brilliant Vision

Town planning is very much the tortoise in the race between the tortoise and the hare. Ideas hatched years ago finally come to fruition after negotiating a myriad of obstacles in the form of public debate, media coverage, consent processes, environmental impact reports, redesign, prioritising, opposition, support until, just when it seems they have fallen off the edge of the earth, they are suddenly upon us.

But as in the original fable, it is slow and steady that wins the race and what emerges is generally brilliant. The new town centre at Westgate on the northwest edge of the old Waitakere City is a case in point.

After nearly a decade of seemingly endless debate suddenly, our newest - and Auckland’s biggest - town centre is about to rise from the farmlands bought nearly a decade ago, for exactly this purpose. The land is being cleared, the first construction work is

expected within the next month and the first store opening is anticipated for this time next year.

This is the beginning of the realisation of the dream of New Zealand Retail Property Group (NZRPG) and its predecessors, of creating a standard-setting, environmentally sustainable, town centre complete with business, residential, every modern amenity and more than 6,000 full time jobs.

This proposal offers the chance for people to live and work “out west” - one of the fastest growing areas of the Super City. Giving people the option of living close to where they work offers in turn, the opportunity of urban growth without a commensurate increase in traffic congestion and its environmental pollution.

And now this fantastic vision is about to become a reality as a result of a partnership between NZRPG and the Auckland Council.

4

The New Westgate - a Brilliant VisionResource consent has been granted for stage one of 72,000 square metres (of an eventual 194,000 square metre development) which includes a three-level regional library.

This will be the first building in the country designed to achieve a Green Star certification, with features that include a green roof and a living wall of plants. In this, it continues the trend set by the existing library which was an environmental leader in its day.

Functionally, the library is also cutting edge with a state-of-the-art children’s section, community spaces, a Citizen’s Advice Bureau and cafe.

Other special features of stage one include a town square with raised and sunken lawns, a variety of seating, outdoor dining areas and trees. There will be a Main Street, an enclosed mall, underground bus terminal and an entertainment and lifestyle precinct.

When complete, the new Westgate will provide 54,000 sq.m of 'large format' retail, a 68,000 sq.m trade-based retail precinct and a 70,000 sq.m commercial and office precinct. It will have restaurants, bars, and entertainment. All of this will be set within 6 hectares of parks with ponds as well as walking and cycling tracks.

NZRPG were among the first to “get” the eco city vision and understood that working with the environment and working for the future made sense in every way, including commercially. Furthermore, because it would be a commercial operation that would take the risk, this was commercial validation of the eco city principles on a grand scale. It is a model that other developers will no doubt watch very closely and so its benign influence could, in time, spread nationwide.

Sharks are always out there and they’re always potentially dangerous, but attacks on humans are extremely rare and the terrible tragedy that took the life of Adam Strange at Muriwai, is not a good reason to sit on the beach, say Surf Lifesaving experts in New Zealand.

When it comes to being safer with sharks, the same basic rules of swimming between the flags on a patrolled beach apply, says Tom Burgess, Lifesaving and Club Support Manager for Surf Lifesaving Northern Region.

The reason is obvious: surf lifesavers are not only there to improve safety overall, they also have access to more information than swimmers in the water or even swimmers on the beach. They are constantly scrutinising the water for the tell tale fin or shape in the water, and they receive information about sharks from other clubs, or from shark spotting planes and a range of other sources.

Other ways to improve your safety include swimming during the main daylight hours, avoid swimming at dusk and dawn, be part of a group of swimmers and swim in the surf line, Tom says.

However, it is also necessary to keep the danger from sharks in perspective. Terrible as the Muriwai attack was and dangerous as sharks can always be, there have only been 11 fatal attacks in New Zealand waters since records began.

In all that time, there have been only two fatal attacks in West Auckland waters. The last was 47 years ago, in 1966, in the Manukau Harbour - which effectively means that the Muriwai attack was the first at any Auckland West Coast surf beach. This is despite the hundreds of thousands who flock to the West Coast beaches every summer and the numbers who surf the coast year round.

Meanwhile, says Tim Jago, Chairman of the Surf Club at Muriwai, drownings and near drownings are regular occurrences among swimmers, fishermen surfcasting from waves-edge rocks and boaties.

“The West Coast can be dangerous for lots of reasons but it can be made safe for most people most of the time if only people will swim between the flags and take the advice of surf lifesavers,” he says.

Tim says that there was nothing in the Muriwai incident that suggested that sharks had suddenly become more of a threat than they ever have and international enquiries had confirmed that the Club had followed best practice during and after the February attack.

“We have protocols in place, but at a time like that you need to be sure that you’ve done everything you can and you’ve done it the right way.” he says.

Sharks and West Coast Beaches

5

6

Sharon Davies - Westie Woman with Big Attitude

To those who know her, she is just Shaz - a big person in a little body transported through life in a wheelchair, resulting in a woman with a “wheelie, wheelie” big attitude.

For her to win the ACC Supreme Award for Attitude, and be described by the judges as someone “who has been doing something to make life better for people, all her life,” is fully deserved and even understated. Shaz is more than just attitude, she is attitude that inspires those with disabilities and those without, alike.

She is of a unique generation - the first to routinely survive profound spina bifida and live independent, self-reliant, lives. So far, they have made it to middle age, extending the knowledge of medical science with every passing day. In so doing, they are trail-blazers for all the people with spina bifida who have come after them.

Shaz is ferociously independent and for her, independence means that virtually every everyday activity poses a challenge that would exhaust the rest of us before our day has begun. Sharon, however, came with a mighty, never-complain, never-say-die and above all, never-say-can’t attitude that has seen her soar, and inspires all who come into contact with her.

She grew up in the North Shore’s Wilson Home and when the author met her, she was working at CCS Auckland, keen to learn public relations. She immediately threw down a gauntlet. “Don’t do me any favours. People with disabilities can do anything so don’t treat me any differently from anybody else,”

The only reasonable response seemed to be: “In that case, you’d better want to become the PR manager for this organisation and not just the PR assistant.” “Fine, I’m after your job” she responded. So began an enduring friendship and education from a remarkable and inspirational young woman, who gives everyone a master class in attitude, the human spirit and importantly, that people are not disabled by disability but enabled by ability.

And she took the job, but she soon had her eye on bigger things. First her own home - a new-build brick and tile in a developing area of Swanson - for which she was informal “project manager”, bringing to bear her “beady-eye” for detail and determination to have things “just so”.

Congratulations Sharon Davies of Swanson, Supreme Winner of the 2012 National TVNZ Attitude Awards and also winner of the Spirit of Attitude Award category.

Then she was elected to the Waitakere Community Board for the Waitakere City Council and plunged headlong into the maelstrom of local body politics and, alongside that, non-stop community life and activity. Sharon has given a cumulative total of more than 50 years service to some 13 different public organisations in sectors, ranging from the political, to the environmental, to the community to the disability sector. Organised, outwardly tireless, utterly dependable she generally finds herself elected to senior positions, in the chair (she brings her own), or deputy or secretary or minute taker.

After three years as an elected member, she brought these attributes to the role of PA to Penny Hulse, deputy mayor of Waitakere City (and now Auckland). They formed a formidable team with Penny on the barricades of political life and Shaz organising. She was the first line of defence, the door of access, and the channel through which communications flowed.

Now the PA to the Waitakere Ranges Local Board, she has, as usual, made herself indispensable to “her” elected members. Also as usual, she has inspired them and inspired member Judy Lawley to nominate her for a national Attitude Award. Appropriately she took the Supreme Award.

It is appropriate because Shaz leaves an indelible imprint in every life she enters, teaching by feisty, independent, uncomplaining example that while disability does not define the person, it does, perhaps, make the person stronger, more determined, more exceptional, more inspirational.

Anzac DayCommemorations in West Auckland

Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. We will remember them...

There is a total of eleven different Anzac Day commemorations at various times, throughout West Auckland on April 25.

The biggest, with several thousand people attending, is the Dawn Parade at the cenotaph at Waikumete Cemetery, the largest war graves cemetery in New Zealand. This simple, dignified and moving ceremony is growing in popularity every year, proving that indeed, 'we will remember them'.

WAIKUMETE CEMETERY Dawn Service. Parade and Civic Commemoration Service at the Cenotaph, corner of Great North Road and Glenview Road, assemble 5.30am onwards for 6am start.

Then an 11am Service at Cenotaph. Parade, service and community wreath laying ceremony. Opportunity to participate in honour of those who gave their lives.

SWANSON RSA. 8.45am parade departs Swanson Primary School, 703 Swanson Road, and marches to Swanson RSA at 663 Swanson Road, for 9am service.

AVONDALE RSA. 9.30am parade departs from outside clubrooms, 7 Layard Street, Avondale and marches to St Ninian’s, cnr Great North Road and St George’s Road for 10am service.

TE ATATU PENINSULA RSA. 9.45am parade departs from Hereford Street and marches to Te Atatu Peninsula RSA at 1 Harbour View Road, Te Atatu Peninsula.

TITIRANGI WAR MEMORIAL HALL. Service starts at 10.30am.

LAINGHOLM COMMUNITY PARADE. Service at Laingholm Hall, Victory Road, Laingholm service starts at 10.30am.

HOBSONVILLE RSA. 10.30am parade departs Hobsonville School, 104 Hobsonville Road, and marches to Hobsonville RSA, 114 Hobsonville Road, for 11am service.

WAITAKERE RSA. 11am service at Waitakere RSA, Township Road.

HENDERSON RSA. Railside Avenue, and marches to Henderson RSA, at 66 Railside Avenue, for 11.30am service.

PIHA RSA. 1.45pm parade departs Piha RSA, 3 Beach Road and marches to Lion Rock for 2pm service.

The full list of commemorations

8

iconswestof the

West Auckland/Waitakere has produced an extraordinary number of extraordinary New Zealanders - men, women, families and companies - who have been unique, outstanding and yes, that much overused word, 'iconic'. We will profile one of them each month.

The Hon Dr Pita Sharples When they write the definitive history of the Maori renaissance over the last 50 years, several names will shine brighter than all others and none brighter than the name of The Hon Dr Pita Russell Sharples CBE, Ph.D., Dip Tchg., MP., JP. - and adopted Westie.

A PhD in Anthropology and Linguistics from Auckland University, he started on a path in the early 1960’s, that has led to a wide range of hugely successful initiatives culminating in co-leadership of the Maori Party - the most successful Maori parliamentary movement ever - a member of the Government and a Minister of the Crown.

The first steps on the path were taken at University. He was one of 100 Maori undergraduates at Auckland University, every one of them removed from their cultural environment and every one a fish out of water. By instinct, they countered this by forming an informal club, meeting to support and encourage each other, speak Maori and enjoy cultural activities.

“We used our culture to our advantage,” Pita Sharples says. An idea that had started to form in his own school days, began to burn very brightly in his mind. He knew that the then widespread academic failure among Maori school children stemmed from feeling alien in the European school system. He also knew that the solution lay in educating them in the world’s knowledge but in a Maori environment and context and using their own language.

With an English father and Maori mother growing up in rural Hawkes Bay, he was aware very early that Maori culture was struggling to survive and that without the culture - the essence of “Maori-ness” - Maori would cease to exist as a people.

Offered the choice of a trip to England, or attending Te Aute Maori Boys’ College, with its marae-based system, he took the latter and went on to learn Te Reo, become head boy, and develop “a sense of obligation to his people.”

In concept, the idea of teaching Maori children in a Maori way is no different from Japanese children being educated in the Japanese way, in their own language and so on but it was a radical idea in mid-20th century New Zealand. Undeterred, Pita Sharples created the first Kohanga Reo in West Auckland. It was to be the first of a range of initiatives to which he has given his life.

Mostly these initiatives first appeared “Out West.” Among them was the creation of the Te Roopu Manutaki cultural group, while the foundation of Hoani Waititi Marae in 1980, led to the creation of New Zealand’s first Kura Kaupapa and Whare Kura. Wanaga followed, along with Maori Weaponry Training as a distinct martial art, Kapa Haka, widespread adoption of Treaty Principles and increasing numbers speaking reo - and much more besides.

Te Roopu Manutaki - founded in the ‘60’s and now based in Glen Eden - was a symbol of what was to come. The name means “the lead bird”. “It was a bit presumptuous, but we chose it deliberately,” Dr Sharples says now. He remained leader, composer and chief choreographer, for more than 40 years, with rehearsals every Thursday night - and up to five nights a week in the lead up to competitions which now flourish nationwide.

In 2004, the Foreshore and Seabed issue led him to co-founding the Maori Party, election as an MP, appointment as Minister and member of Government. How Pita Sharples has fitted everything into one lifetime, is a mystery. The list is simply too long to recite here but includes 85 different career positions, awards, and memberships of organisations ranging from school boards to international advisory bodies. Significant inclusions are, becoming the first CEO of the Race Relations Office, Professor of Education at Auckland University, Director of Culture at the Department of Maori Affairs, a member of the Waitangi Tribunal and a member of the National Maori Police Focus Forum.

Of all the tributes paid to Pita Sharples possibly none will surpass that paid by the late Tom Aldridge, CEO of the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland.

Those Games had a profound impact in international affairs but to Tom, the surpassing achievement was how, under Pita Sharples guidance, they strengthened race relations in New Zealand. when these could so easily have been irretrievably damaged. This was Pita Sharples legacy because as Director of Maori Programmes he oversaw the presentation of truly authentic Maori culture, proudly produced by Maori for a national and world-audience.

Hon Dr Pita Sharples - Icon of the West, The West salutes you.

The Trusts are delighted to welcome Marie Weaver as Chief Financial Officer and Angela Butler as Marketing Manager - two very sound business leaders who will report to The Trusts Chief Executive, Simon Wickham.

Marie Weaver and Angela Butler both bring new energy and leadership to key areas of the business and are expected to make a significant contribution to the transformation that The Trusts - West Auckland’s largest community owned business and employer - are currently undergoing.

Marie Weaver - Chief Financial OfficerMarie has a wealth of financial experience across many sectors. Her career spans the consulting accounting sector where she progressed to Audit Senior with Deloittes,

the telecommunications sector (Woosh Wireless and Clear Communications), clothing and retail sectors with iconic West Auckland company, Cambridge Clothing, Aged Care with industry leader Metlifecare Limited and most recently as Chief Operating Officer and CFO for LifeCare Residences in New Zealand. Marie is well known for her role in transforming teams from traditional financial roles to business support/ analysis and integrating sound financial practices and thinking into the wider organisations she has worked for.

“We are delighted to secure Marie’s expertise in a key area of our business. She is well known for her ability to work with confidence, alongside people in all areas of the business, generating cooperative interactions to ensure that financial information adds value to business,” says CEO, Simon Wickham.

Marie’s anticipated start date is June 4.

9

Now that we have the first new stores launched to very positive customer reaction, we will be moving ahead during the rest of the year and into 2014, to bring all our retail operations up to the same standard.

No doubt there will be many neighbourhoods wondering when the liquor store in their area is going to receive a make-over and accordingly we are providing the timeline below. Please be aware that while we will be making every effort to keep to this timetable, some dates may change.

Timetable to refurbish The Trusts liquor stores

9

Angela Butler - Marketing ManagerAngela Butler has significant experience in the retail and liquor sectors, with particular success in customer loyalty programmes which are a key element in the transformation strategy to connect The Trusts with its West Auckland public.

She coordinated the successful rebranding roll out at Liquorland and was a leader in several key marketing and loyalty initiatives for that company. She also has an extensive understanding of retail and consumer marketing, most recently as Consumer Marketing Manager for the global chain DFS Galleria and Duty Free. She was previously Campaign Manager for Farmers Trading Company and Marketing Executive for Pharmacy Brands Ltd.

Her work in loyalty brought a number of awards for Fly Buys promotions including the supreme “Fly Buys Marketer of the Year Award” in 2010.

“The Trusts is focussed on delivering world-class customer service and rewarding customer loyalty and Angela will bring fresh perspectives and new ideas to our developing marketing programme. Her skills are well tested in similar markets and we believe she will add significant value, in particular in our new West Liquor and specialty Wine and Spirits stores that are taking shape across West Auckland” Mr Wickham says.

Angela started with The Trusts this month.

The appointments were made after an extensive search that attracted a very high calibre of candidates, enabling The Trusts to continue its recent trend of attracting outstanding people who can assist the transformation underway at The Trusts.

“Unquestionably, many in the marketplace have noted the changes underway at The Trusts and we are now attracting people that want to be part of this exciting change and the bright future of The Trusts in West Auckland” says Martha Gibbons HR Manager, for The Trusts.

The Trusts online recruitment pages now have over 3000 people registered as interested in working for The Trusts.

The Trusts appoint top liners to CFO and Marketing Manager roles

aPril2013

aug2013

SePT2013

SePT2013

roya

l H

eig

HTS

oCT2013

rail

Sid

e

ou

TleT

CeN

Tral

Blo

CkH

ou

Se B

ay

Vall

ey r

d

oCT2013

kd l

iNCo

lN r

d

marCH2014

Te a

TaTu

aPril2014

kd N

eW l

yNN

July2013

do

N B

uCk

may2013

ll N

eW l

yNN

July2013

ll l

iNCo

lN g

reeN

JuNe2013

WeS

T H

arBo

ur

aug2013

TiTi

raN

gi

FeB2014

gre

eN B

ay

may2014

WeS

TgaT

e

The Good Times Guide

liTe luNCH - WedNeSday, 17 aPrilAny Lite Stonegrill or Salad only $10! From 12pm - 3pm.

FiSH N CHiP Friday $10 Fish n Chips between 12pm - 3pm.

Friday NigHT liVe muSiC With resident acoustic singer Eamonn McIntyre playing 8pm until late.

www.blacksaltbar.co.nz

TueSday Quiz NigHT Experience one of the most successful & well established Quiz Nights in Auckland. Free to enter teams of 2-8, hosted by Simon McKinney. Register by 7pm.

WedNeSday PiTCHer CluBmiSSiNg Time DJ Karn Hall & guests laying down the tracks on Thursdays 9pm – 2am. Perfect weekend warm up with drink specials.

a TriBe Called WeST DJ Manchoo & guests spin only the best Hip Hop & RnB. Fridays 10pm until late.

THe good, THe Bad, THe Sexy DJs Alex Q, Doctor J, Elmo & Sunil with their most prized collections of House music. Saturday 10pm until late.

www.thehangar.co.nz

TueSday & THurSday meal & moVie deal Get a main meal, dessert & a movie ticket for $45.00. Available from 5pm.

SWeeT TooTH SuNday Any 2 desserts for just $20.00, only on Sunday!

Purchase 4 Pitchers and receive the 5th Free!

www.bar159.co.nz

WedNeSday Quiz NigHTS From 7.30PmWin Bar Tabs & Spot Prizes. Free Entry. Hosted By Kevin Cowsill.

SuPer 15 liVe! Watch all the Super 15 Live & Loud on the Big Screen. Drink & food specials available through out the game.

mySTiCS FaNzoNe Come on down to Bar159 & watch all the action unfold. All Mystics games are played live & loud at the official Fanzone. Get in the draw to win 1 of 3 one hour training specials. Next games Sunday 21st April & Monday 29th April.

CoCkTail NigHTS Every Thursday at Bar159, $10.00 Cocktails from 5pm. Design your own cocktail for a limited time only!

www.iconbar.co.nz

24 Totara Ave, New Lynn

$10 CoCkTailS FridayA great way to relax into the weekend!

SuPer rugBy SPeCialDuring any super rugby game this season get one lamb burger and Steinlager Classic for $20.

www.themarina.co.nz

5 Clark StreetNew Lynn

Phone: 826 3654

$5 TaP Beer at 5pm monday to Friday

karaoke eVery Friday from 8.30pm till late with The music Wizz.

$10 STeak SaNdWiCH or BlT WiTH FrieS aNy day oF THe Week.

WedNeSday Wild BuCk SPeCialS - $4.50 HaNdleS all day.

NiTeoWl karaoke with Craig & Ivan, Saturday 20th April from 4pm-8pm.

Friday SauSage SizzleS From 5Pm oNWardS. TaP Beer SPeCialS From 5.30-7.30Pm.

Friday NigHT Pool ComP Only $10 Entry, starts 7.30pm.

Big SCreeNS are alWayS oN For THe Big gameS. Full Service T.a.B. on site.

HoT CHiPS NoW aVailaBle! A great match with our popular Burgers & Toasties Menu.

211 Richardson Rd, Owairaka

To celebrate our new & improved kids menu, all april from Sunday to Thursday, kids can eat Free* - only at Bricklane restaurant & Bar. * 1 free kids meal when 1 a la carte main meal purchased. Applies to kids 12 years and under.

Kids Eat FREE*