An outdoor classroom

In a single morning, a wasteland at the back of Rapaura School was transformed into an area designed to attract native birds and insects.

Pupils, parents, teachers and neighbours of the school on the outskirts of Blenheim all pitched in on Saturday morning to plant an outdoor classroom.

The school won the classroom as part of the Treemendous Makeover run by the Mazda Foundation and the Project Crimson Trust.

The school was one of four in New Zealand selected for the makeover. Principal Helen Williams said a small team of parents organised most of the items needed to plant the trees, including getting free bark from Nelson Forests.

The outdoor classroom would be an ongoing project for the pupils to learn about native plants and ecosystems, she said.

It is hoped tui, bellbirds, silver eye and other native birds will eventually be attracted to the trees to feed.

Pupils have also been researching how to create ideal habitats to attract weta and lizards.

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 15:19 23/05/2011

Mimi Bond, 8

Gianna Thomson, 8.

Ollie Taylor, 6

Francis Elworthy, 6, and Luke Elworthy

Francis Elworthy, 6, and Luke Elworthy

Officer draws on experience

Marlborough's new district truancy officer is well aware of how difficult it can be to raise teenagers.

Alan Cummins, a father of four, uses his experience to connect with families who are dealing with children who skip school.

The former primary school teacher, social worker and pastor at Spring Creek Anglican Church said one of his three sons "played up a bit" several years ago and used to miss school, keep bad company and make bad choices.

Now 17, he was back on track and doing a polytechnic course.

"I'm not coming from an ivory tower, I've been there before," Mr Cummins said.

On May 2, Mr Cummins began his new job as the sole truancy officer under the Marlborough District Council's Safer Communities Marlborough, the umbrella group which provides the district's truancy service.

His role covers all 31 schools around Marlborough, but focuses mostly on the three colleges, Marlborough Boys' College, Marlborough Girls' College and Queen Charlotte College.

Mr Cummins responds to referrals from schools and tries to remind the student of the importance of education and staying in school.

Most of the students who were wagging school were 14 or 15, and the problem was evenly split between boys and girls, he said.

The students were sometimes not interested in school or did not see the point of it, he said.

However, many situations were easily explained, he said. For example, a student might be sick and had no landline or cellphone credit to contact the school.

Parents and schools both wanted the best for their students, and it was best if they could work together, he said.

"While I've got all sorts of power [as a truancy officer], I'm trying to keep it low-key.

"It's more about building relationships with families and children."

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 17:00 23/05/2011

DEREK FLYNN/Marlborough Express

LIFE EXPERIENCE: New Marlborough district truancy officer Alan Cummins ses his first-hand experience of raising teenagers to work with families and students.

Wedding couples add personal touch

Exhibitors at the 2011 Marlborough Bridal Expo say Marlborough couples planning their big day are looking for ways to personalise their ceremonies.

About 500 people attended the expo, which featured 33 exhibitors offering services such as transport, food and photos.

Debbie Giles, owner of Blenheim's The Cake Company, said her clients were increasingly choosing chocolate, banana or carrot cake in favour of the traditional fruit cake.

A tower of cupcakes doubling as a wedding cake and dessert was becoming a popular way to save money, she said.

Couples were also wanting to personalise their wedding cake toppers, she said. One couple, a dairy farmer and a sheep farmer, wanted their topper to involve a cow and a sheep.

Posh Nosh co-owner Steve Cattermole said people liked to think of themselves as foodies these days, so were more discerning about food than they were in the past.

He was also getting more requests to meet special dietary needs, he said. The most challenging wedding for the company required a gluten-free, dairy-free and vegan menu.

Blenheim wedding dress maker Bernadette Thomas said Marlborough brides wanted to have more input into the design of the dress.

The design of the dress would also reflect the wedding location, she said.

"I like to know if the bride will be getting in and out of a helicopter – sometimes the dress might not fit [the situation]."

The royal wedding in April had not made an immediate impact on the style of dress her clients asked for, she said.

The expo was held at the Convention Centre in Blenheim

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 17:00 23/05/2011

Council refuses to rake leaves SIMON WONG

Wayne Love is fed up with leaves from trees on a public park blowing into his yard, while the Marlborough District Council says it is not its place to rake up leaves on private properties.

Mr Love lives on Houldsworth St, in Blenheim, where leaves from nearby Horton Park blow over the road into his and his neighbours' properties.

He has been on crutches waiting for a hip operation for about a year, so finds it difficult to pick up the leaves, which are a hazard to him and his elderly mother who lives with him, he says.

He had been told to rake them to the street where a contractor would collect them, but he reckons they would just blow back into his property.

The family has lived in the house for about 35 years, and his father used to complain about the leaves, too, but nothing was ever done, he said.

Council reserves and amenities officer Robert Hutchinson said he sympathised that Mr Love may not be able to rake the leaves up, but said he could not send contractors on to a private property.

He confirmed that a contractor could pick up the leaves if Mr Love raked them out to the kerb.

The council usually gets a two or three complaints about leaf litter each autumn, but Mr Hutchinson said he had received about seven this year.

The spate of bad weather two weeks ago had not helped.

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 17:00 23/05/2011

No love for leaves: Blenhein resident Wayne Love sits among the many autumn leaves from Horton Park which litter parts of his Houldsworth St property.

Blenheim brew picks up top global award

A Marlborough brew that smells like chocolate has won a trophy at the biggest annual international beer competition.

Renaissance Brewing Company, of Blenheim, won the trophy for champion stout with their Craftsman Chocolate Oatmeal Stout at the 2011 Australian International Beer Awards in Melbourne on Friday.

Renaissance head brewer and part owner Andy Deuchars was "quite chuffed" to get the recognition.

The stout was to have been a seasonal release, but depending on its popularity on the back of the win they may make it available year round, he said.

It is set for release on June 1.

Renaissance director Brian Thiel said they added cocoa nibs (the 100 per cent chocolate centre of a cocoa bean) to the brew, with a touch of vanilla to round out the natural bitterness of the chocolate.

The oatmeal did two things for the winning beer, it helped retain the creamy head, and added a creaminess to the brew.

The company had enjoyed an oatmeal stout the Emerson's Brewery of Dunedin used to produce. When that brewery discontinued the line they decided to make their version of it, adding chocolate to the mix, he said.

Renaissance was the only New Zealand brewery to win a trophy in the competition which attracted entries from 241 breweries in 34 different countries.

The company also won a gold medal and three silver medals, and fellow Marlborough brewery Moa Beer won gold for its Moa 5 Hop Ale, along with two silvers and four bronze medals.

Moa Beer marketing manager Sunil Unka said the awards were an acknowledgment of a fantastic range of beers as well as the work of the brewers.

Marlborough was a good place to produce beer because the brewing community shared information and knowledge, but also provided a competitive environment, he said.

Marlborough beer writer Geoff Griggs said the award was the world's largest annual international beer competition and the medal haul reinforced Marlborough's position as one of the top craft beer producing areas of the country.

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 17:00 23/05/2011

SIMON WONG

PAYING HOMAGE: Renaissance Brewing Company head brewer Andy Deuchars and director Brian Thiel toast the boutique brewer's success at the International Beer Awards in Melbourne.

Iwi happy marina plan rejected

The denial of an application to extend and develop the marina zone at Waikawa is a landmark decision for top of the south iwi and the wider community, a Te Atiawa iwi member says.

Independent commissioners on Thursday released their decision that denies Port Marlborough's application to extend the marina zone to the northwest, but approved three mooring management areas.

Iwi member Sue Buchanan said the decision recognised the special connections and the strong sense of belonging the iwi and other residents have to Waikawa Bay.

"It's a precedent in that our history, cultural and spiritual values [were seen to] have equal standing among other things held valuable to Port Marlborough," she said.

The port's application to extend the marina zone would have let it apply to the Marlborough District Council to extend the marina, starting with 250 berths on the northwest side of the marina.

Te Atiawa opposed the application because of the environmental impact the development would have on the seabed, making the environment unsustainable.

Mrs Buchanan said the iwi were "jubilant" about the decision but were waiting for Port Marlborough's response.

Iwi member Bentham Ohia said the opposition to the proposal was about future-proofing the area.

"We want it to continue to be accessible for all, not just to those who can afford it," he said.

Rita Powick said the next step was to work with the community, the council and Port Marlborough to protect and enhance Waikawa Bay.

"It is a significant kaimoana (seafood) site for us. We want to be a major factor in turning the area around so it can produce kaimoana stocks for everyone," she said.

The iwi had done their best to present their case to the commissioners in November, with support and submissions from throughout the country and a hikoi just days before the hearing. This all gave the iwi confidence, she said.

"You have faith in the [hearing] process and you put up the best delivery you can and we firmly believe we did."

Linda Ohia said the hearing was a chance for Te Atiawa and Port Marlborough to "actually hear what people were saying".

The hearing was a breakthrough for both parties understanding each other and an opportunity for the "people not often heard" to have their say.

Port company ponders options

Port Marlborough will spend the week deciding the next move after its application to extend the marina zone at Waikawa was rejected by hearings commissioners.

The port company applied to the Marlborough District Council to have the Marlborough Sounds Resource Management Plan changed so it could extend the marina zone northwest of the existing marina and create three mooring management zones.

If the application had been accepted, the port company could have gone through the resource consent process to extend the marina.

The application was heard by three independent commissioners in November. Their decision, released last week, rejected the application to extend the marina zone but approved changes to mooring management, which will create three mooring management areas. A moorings manager would be appointed to issue licences to mooring owners in place of the existing resource consent process.

Port Marlborough chief executive Ian McNabb said this morning the company would review the full decision this week before commenting further. Taking an appeal to the Environment Court was just one of the options it would consider, he said.

Port Marlborough wanted to build 250 new berths on the northwest side of Waikawa marina, with potential for another 250 berths on the northeast side, which is already a marina zone.

Mr McNabb said there were 22 vacant eight or nine-metre berths but these could take only smaller boats. More than 180 people were on the waiting list for larger berths.

Waikawa Boating Club commodore Nicky Jenkins said the decision to reject the marina extension did not have any major impact on the club at this stage, although it would be "the icing on the cake" for the club if it eventually did go ahead. "If the marina was extended it would bring in more people and potentially increase our membership, which is already in good heart," she said.

Boating club member Gill Moore said the extension would be necessary even if this was not the right time for it. Recent factors such as the recession and the Christchurch earthquake appeared to have dampened demand.

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 17:00 23/05/2011

Top-up for law a help

The extra $4 million allocated to top up Community Law Centre funding in the Government's 2011 Budget will help keep the Blenheim branch running until next year.

Blenheim Community Law Centre manager Gordon Strang said the cash injection for the 2011-12 financial year would give the centre some security until the next Budget.

The centres are mainly funded from interest earned on solicitors' trust accounts held on behalf of their clients, but a slow housing market and low interest rates over the last several years has diminished the funds available.

Community Law Centres dispense free legal advice to whoever needs it.

Mr Strang said the Justice Ministry had hinted in the past few months that the Government would move to top up the fund, and he was glad that had eventuated. The cash in the national fund had already been spent so no new money was available, he said.

There was "slight anxiety" that the proportion of funding for the centres around the country would change, but the chances were small, he said.

The Blenheim centre and four others received the same amount of funding last year as the year before, he said.

Mr Strang was grateful Justice Minister Simon Power had delivered consistent funding.

However, with Mr Power retiring from politics at this year's election, it was uncertain his replacement would share the same interest, he said.

In 2009-10, the national network helped more than 220,000 people.

- The Marlborough Express

SIMON WONG

Last updated 13:19 20/05/2011