As we farewell 2022 and welcome in 2023 we thought we would put some questions to a handful of prominent local people who
are making a difference in our community in the areas they are involved in and what they are looking forward to during the festive season, summer and 2023. Aidan Bennett caught up with banker and North Harbour Club trustee Becky West, National Party Northcote candidate Dan Bidois, generous Takapuna local Jackie Reeve, new Devonport Business Association manager Richard Thorne, and Geoff Light, Dealer Principal of Continental Cars BMW.
Becky West is a Trustee of the North Harbour Club & Charitable Trust and a Commercial Growth Manager with Kiwibank. Becky attended Kristin School from kindy right the way through her schooling before completing a double major Bachelor of Science degree. Becky represented New Zealand as a track and field athlete before injury intervened. She is now 10 years into a banking career. Becky and her partner, Auckland cricketer Dan, love living on the North Shore. We put these question to her in mid-November.
CHANNEL MAG: Becky, you may not have been born when the North Harbour Club was formed back in 1995?
BECKY WEST: It was actually my first year of school! It's crazy when you put it into that context.
CMAG: How and why did you get involved with the North Harbour Club and what do you enjoy about your role as a trustee and member of an organisation that has been going for so long and making such a positive difference?
BW: I attended a few events as a guest and really enjoyed them! After attending the AIMES Awards Gala Dinner, seeing what the club stood for and the talent on display, I knew it was something I wanted to be part of. When I was asked to become a trustee a little over two years ago, it was a really easy yes! The people you meet and the meaning behind the club is so inspiring and rewarding!
CMAG: AIMES Awards applications are now open and close on January 20th. Who should be entering these awards?
BW: The AIMES Awards (AIMES is an acronym for Arts, Innovation, Music, Education, Sport, Service to the Community) are all about supporting our young people in the North Harbour region – aged 13 to 25 years – who are achieving big things in their chosen endeavour. Each year over $200,000 worth of award grants are made to 20-25 young people who are excelling on their chosen field, to help them reach bigger heights and fulfil their obvious potential. So anyone in this age-group who is already achieving should look to apply. More info is available at www.aimesawards.co.nz.
CMAG: Dan, your partner, is obviously right into his cricket. How often do you get along to watch and do you enjoy it?
BW: A lot less often that I would like to but if I'm not at the game then the live stream is always open on my phone or laptop.
CMAG: What are your plans for Christmas and the New Year holiday period?
BW: Christmas Day will be family time at my parents’ home in Takapuna and then Boxing Day up at my brother's farm. We often have friends join us who are away from family at that time of year too; the more the merrier! We are very excited to have Dan's family join us this year from South Africa too!
CMAG: Complete the following… I love summers on the Shore because…
BW: … of our easy access to beaches, beautiful cafés and restaurants and the amazing weather and events we normally get from December onwards!
Dan Bidois has recently been selected by the National Party as their candidate to contest the 2023 election. Dan replaced Jonathan Coleman as the Northcote MP in 2018 but was edged out of the seat at the 2020 election by Labour’s Shannan Halbert. We caught up with Dan following his selection for 2023 to ask him about his plans for next year as well as what he will be doing over the Christmas/New Year break and the summer ahead.
Channel Mag: Congratulations Dan on your selection. You must be thrilled with the chance to get back in again?
Dan Bidois: Thanks Aidan. Serving our community is a great privilege and I would love to have the opportunity to do so once again if elected as the MP for Northcote in 2023.
There are many challenges and opportunities facing our community and we deserve a strong local voice with the global and commercial experience required to get things done for us. It is time to get on and build that second Waitemata harbour crossing!
CMAG: I guess the hard work starts straight away – what will you be concentrating on to ensure you get the number of ticks required?
DB: I’ll be focusing on meeting as many locals as possible and listening to their hopes and aspirations for our communities on the North Shore.
CMAG: What are the key issues you see as important for election 2023?
DB: Cost of living and the economy are the most important issues facing our community and our country. I’m a trained economist who has worked around the world in economic and commercial roles, so I relish the opportunity to engage with our community on these important issues.
Apart from the economy, hospitals, education, community safety and mental health are also important issues for our community which I look forward to campaigning for change on.
CMAG: What have you been up to since leaving parliament in late 2020?
DB: Professionally, I set up my own company focused on strategy consulting and most recently started a new role with global management consultancy, Partners in Performance. I’ve gained experience in the mining, private skills training and in the vehicle maintenance sectors.
Personally, I just got married to my beautiful and talented wife, Courtney, after having our wedding plans delayed twice due to lockdown restrictions. I also had time to find my birth parents which was an enriching personal journey for me after a lifetime of not knowing who they were.
CMAG: What are your plans for Christmas and the New Year holiday period?
DB: My wife’s parents are Kiwi expats living in New York City so we will be visiting them for the holidays and going up to Boston to visit my old university stomping ground.
CMAG: Any advice on a ‘must-do’ activity for people this summer?
DB: Take time to disconnect from technology, unwind and truly appreciate the simple things in life.
Locally, go and try the tasty ice cream at The Gelato Workshop, Birkenhead. It is all homemade and the flavours are truly something special.
CMAG: Complete the following… I love summers on the Shore because…
DB: …. it is the most amazing place in Auckland to live, work, play and raise a family.
Jackie Reeve is a Takapuna Beach local who just keeps making a difference to people’s lives. The most visual example of this is the Takapuna Beach playground that Jackie and husband Chris instigated and underwrote for the community back in 2016. More recently, they have funded the new ‘Changing Places’ disabled toilet and changing facility in the new Gould Reserve toilet complex that opened recently beside the playground. They are also contributing significantly to the additions currently being made to the playground, that includes landscaping. There are many other not-for-profit initiatives that quietly benefit from the Reeve’s generosity. Jackie is patron of the Shore Junction Youth Innovation Hub in Takapuna. We caught up with Jackie just prior to the Reeves embarking on a summer break in late November to talk about the playground and what summer means for the Reeves.
CMAG: You must be thrilled with the changes that are starting to take shape on Gould Reserve? It’s become such a fun place for all the family since the opening of the playground back in 2016.
JACKIE REEVE: Yes, we are delighted with the fun families are having at the playground and are looking forward to the area around the old toilet block being developed for more family fun. The new playground stuff is mainly for the younger ones – my husband Chris has tested every item when playing with our youngest grandchild.
CMAG: What new things will we see with the additions and landscaping that is being completed over the next few months?
JR: We have added more seating and BBQs. There will be a really cool train track with seats that get pushed – similar to but better than the one we use regularly at Cornwall Park. We will also have a car on springs that I’m sure our smaller grandies will love! But the awesome thing about it is it has a ramp so anyone on wheels – young or old – can use it too. It will be a great area for all.
CMAG: You are the patron of Shore Junction, the fantastic youth facility in Takapuna. Isn’t that a great addition for our youngsters?
JR: I love the vibe I get whenever I visit Shore Junction. I love the way it is developing and growing with the needs of its participants. These are our future leaders – musicians, scientists, designers, artists and builders – and we must give them a safe place to grow. Shore Junction is that safe, vibrant and inspiring place. It really is mind-blowing.
The music that has been recorded in the sound studio is really great and the sewing and art facilities are fantastic. One of our grandsons made 3D things to promote a charity he was working on. He also soldered some things his mum needed fixing and he built his own computer under their watchful eye.
CMAG: What are your plans for Christmas and the New Year holiday period?
JR: This year the whole family will be reuniting in Southeast Asia and Christmas will be in Phnom Penh. The plan is to go to a local temple and then have a picnic somewhere.
Usually we have our foster daughter and some family staying with us and we have an enourmous open day for family and friends. Our grandkids (some are now adults) have stockings I have made hanging around the fire place and I love to fill them up. So there is lots of excitement. We have all guests bring a mystery gift and we play a game so everyone has a gift.
CMAG: We know you love spending time with your family and your many grandies. What’s your special treat for them at Christmas time?
JR: We have 10 grandkids. I love to take each one out for a day. It’s their day, so they need to know what they want and where to get it from. Sometimes they choose a movie and lunch around the Christmas shopping. Sometimes we’re not out for long so we go back and have a meal with grandad (Chris).
I treasure the one-on-one time and the conversations we have. With the youngest we have tons of fun.
CMAG: Any advice on a ‘must-do’ activity for local families this summer?
JR: A must for me is family picnics. We are so lucky to live in such a beautiful area and the walks and the beaches we think are some of the best in the world.
CMAG: Complete the following… I love summers on the Shore because…
JR: … it’s paradise! We really do live in the best part of the world. So lucky.
Richard Thorne is the new Manager for the Devonport Business Association. Richard lives in Bayswater and tells Channel Mag that he’s very excited about the opportunity to have an active hand in assisting the central Devonport business community to flourish again in the wake of Covid. Alongside a history of hospitality roles and event management Richard has been publisher/editor of NZ Musician magazine for three decades. A proud father of two teenage daughters, Richard is married to Sarah Thorne who has herself been involved in local community development for several years and is currently employed by Takapuna-based ANCAD.
CMAG: Congratulations Richard or your new role. Devonport has a pretty good offering all round so you must be thrilled to be involved?
RICHARD THORNE: Most certainly I am. Having lived on both sides of the bridge I know that Devonport offers something quite exceptional as a place to live and work, and of course as a unique city fringe village to experience as a visitor.
A major bonus for me with this new role is being able to cycle to work, plus having the guidance of the Devonport Business Association board.
CMAG: You've obviously just got your feet behind the desk. What are you looking forward to most about working with businesses in Devonport?
RT: Actually the role doesn’t come with a desk attached, but the nice folk at the Level One HQ co-working space on Devonport Wharf have been kind enough to offer a desk and meeting room when needed.
I will really enjoy the opportunity to interface with so many new people, learning about their businesses and providing what support the DBA can. I also have a passion for producing live events, so am looking forward to being part of Devonport’s Friday After Five family fun evening on December 2nd and others in the year ahead.
As much as anything, I think I’m up for the new challenges lying ahead as we move past the Covid years and face the increasingly imbalanced global economy. I’m keen to explore good ideas and help share local business news around.
CMAG: What are the key issues you see facing Devonport that you are keen to work on?
RT: By and large the key issues at play are the same ones each of the peninsula’s established urban centres are facing post-Covid, and they will require a big picture fix.
I see my BID manager role more as being a helpful link between the diversity of businesses included, and an interface for the DBA members with the local board, Auckland Council, and the wider Devonport community.
I’d like to help bring the various business sectors closer, so we are all more aware of what smart skills, opportunities and festivities are on offer within the village.
Retail is a vital part of the local business mix and I certainly hope that the next few years will see those empty shops filled with new enterprises, and more professionals choosing to base their working lives here because they like Devonport village’s energy.
CMAG: What made you make the change from music publishing?
RT: The DBA position isn’t full time so I am able to continue having an editorial hand in NZ Musician, which I still thoroughly enjoy. Popular music is just such a stimulating, constantly refreshed art form. But I do have other skills I’d like to explore and a genuine interest in the art of business, so the opportunity of networking with a range of business operators with various perspectives is an exciting new challenge for me.
CMAG: What are your plans for Christmas and the New Year holiday period?
RT: For our two girls the best Christmases are those spent around their cousins, and we’ll definitely be celebrating the main event with the wider family. We’ve got a vintage pop top camper that didn’t get used at all last summer as I recall, so there are plans for enjoying a few camping trips with that. In-between it’ll mostly be taking advantage of our proximity to Cheltenham and Narrow Neck beaches, keeping a weather eye on the heritage tomatoes and other ripening veges in the garden, and hopefully relaxing with a good book or three.
CMAG: Why should Shore people make sure they visit Devonport this summer?
RT: The convenience of Devonport makes it a brilliant place to do your Christmas shopping with comparative ease, and the village is always an ideal destination for meeting up with friends on summer evenings, weekends and holidays.
We’ve got great cafés, beaches, ferries to the city and back, hassle-free shopping, plenty of good restaurants, spectacular maunga for walking, playgrounds, picnic spots galore, parking, New Year's Eve fireworks viewing, wharf jumping, our amazing library, incredible sunsets, peace and plenty…
CMAG: Complete the following... I love summers on the Shore because...
RT: … Whoops, I think I may have answered that already! The easy joys of cycling, walking and even driving, with the reduced traffic over the holiday period. We are blessed to be close to so many beaches that each has a different appeal. I particularly look forward to after-work beach swims to completely de-stress in minutes.
I love showing our place off to visitors in summer, and savour the 10-minute harbour cruise home from anything that takes me into the city.
Geoff Light is Dealer Principal of Continental Cars BMW – running one of New Zealand’s premier motor vehicle dealerships just by the motorway on Wairau Road in the heart of the North Shore. It’s a role he’s been in since 2018, overseeing the dealership's transition into their wonderful state-of-the-art facility. As well as selling and maintaining superb motor vehicles, the business is a great supporter of a range of not-for-profit community groups. Geoff and his family enjoy golf as he explains below – Channel Magazine caught up with him in mid-November to find out what summer means for Continental Cars BMW and for Geoff and the Light family.
CHANNEL MAG: What have the business highlights of 2022 been for CCBMW?
GEOFF LIGHT: That’s a great question – I believe that the biggest thing for us is that we, like most, are now returning to some form of normality. As a result we were fortunate enough to host our annual BMW Golf Cup which was held at the North Shore Golf Club. It was so great to meet up with a large number of our customers and enjoy a fantastic day out with them.
CMAG: Electric and hybrid vehicles are obviously growing in popularity, what impact are you expecting them to have over the next 2-3 years?
GL: Electrification is on a big growth spurt within New Zealand and it is great to see how quickly people are adapting to the new technology. For BMW the future looks incredibly bright with an increase in supply coupled with a number of new model BMWs hitting our showroom. This will definitely strengthen our ability to meet our customers' needs.
CMAG: What’s your passion when you’re not managing CCBMW and its people day-to-day in the motor vehicle business?
GL: I would have to say I am very passionate about golf and spending time with my family – I am fortunate enough to have a wife who enjoys the game and a son who is an apprentice green keeper at our local golf course so we can all go out and play as a family. I am still trying to get my daughter to play but she’s not there…yet, LOL!
CMAG: What are your plans for Christmas and the New Year holiday period?
GL: This year we have no significant plans for Christmas/New Year. I have decided to work through this period as I am very mindful of my staff having time off to spend with their families. Christmas Day we will be getting together with extended family at my cousin’s family home which will be nice and casual, and will make for a nice relaxing time. New Year celebrations consist of a beautiful meal out with some very close friends in Auckland.
CMAG: Any advice on a ‘must-do’ activity this summer?
GL: That’s a tough one as there so many things to do – perhaps a trip to Waiheke or Kawau Island – it's great day out with the family. Doing a wine tasting trip or hitting one of the local cafés or restaurants is always a great day and it’s a chance to get out on the Hauraki Gulf which is an added bonus.
CMAG: Complete the following… I love summers on the Shore because…
GL: … there is always something for everyone to do – whether you’re spending a day at the beach, boating, sailing, picnics with the family, great cafés and restaurants and of course the markets, which is one of my wife’s favourites! It’s just great to be able to “Get out there and
do it!”.
