Welcome to our July 2025 issue of Channel Magazine – the North Shore’s free monthly magazine that celebrates the best place in the world to live.

For the third year in a row our July cover features Takapuna Winter Lights. This is now an iconic destination event for the North Shore that draws crowds from far and wide. So many people in fact that the 2024 event ‘broke the motorway’ due to the massive crowds that descended on Takapuna. As you can read in this issue, the free event is back, bigger and brighter than ever this year with one change. This year the organisers have made this a ticketed event to ensure the crowds are spread out a bit more in 2025. It’s still totally free, but if you intend to go, make sure you organise your tickets in advance. It’s all online and very easy to do.
Next month we celebrate 37 years of business at Benefitz, something I am very proud of. But this pales into insignificance with our feature in this issue that celebrates 95 years of business by Corner Barbers in Birkenhead. Paula Arblaster has done an excellent feature, talking with Laurel Hall, the daughter of the late Diddy Burford who started the business way back in 1930. Laurel has owned and operated the business for 21 years and has recently passed the baton to new owner Anaru Padgett. Anaru will no doubt have his sights on the century mark just five years away.
Our support for the local ‘hospo’ sector has always been strong over the 15 years we have published this magazine. We have some of the very best bars and eateries on the Shore. In this issue we put questions to five people playing leadership roles in local hospitality businesses. The Q&As with Sarah, Izzy, Andrew and Jess, and Max are an interesting read.
I’ve written a very personal piece for this issue relating to the psychological challenge of some health battles I’ve had in recent years. My motivation is to tell my story in the hope that this helps others facing their own cancer journey. There are many out there facing a lot more than I have had to contend with, but I really hope that by telling the story of my challenge this does assist others.
Once again there’s something for everyone in this issue of Channel Mag. We cover health, homes and property, motoring, events, the arts, eating out, business, shopping, travel and holidays, not-for-profits, education, sport, accounting and finance, law, and we also have our forthright award-winning columnist Mr Simon Gundry back in fine form. And it’s all free!
Have a great July.

Aidan Bennett, QSM
Publisher, Channel Magazine
Founder & Managing Director, Benefitz
Email: aidan@benefitz.co.nz