Welcome to our June 2025 issue with lots of reading for just about everyone. We have special features on Health and Medical Matters, Warming Up For Winter and Winter Plans and School Holidays – ideas for the mid-year break coming at the end of June/July.
Our health and medical content is led by our cover feature with Waitematā Endoscopy. June marks Bowel Cancer Awareness Month, and Waitematā Endoscopy is right behind supporting Bowel Cancer New Zealand’s campaign and supporting you with practical yet powerful everyday tips that you can do to improve your gut health.
Tracey Sunderland has also profiled Mairangi Bay mother, doctor of haematology and author Eileen Merriman as part of our Health and Medical focus. Eileen’s story is very interesting.
Paula Arblaster has written a wonderful feature for this issue on the generosity of the Platt family. Long-time Greenhithe resident Rosemary Platt gifted her 14-acre property on Kyle Road to the city to become a new regional park. It will be managed by Auckland Botanic Gardens and is hoped to become a botanical garden for the North Shore.
I am very proud to be a longtime contributor to and life member of the North Harbour Club and Charitable Trust. Over three decades, the club has granted $3.4 million to young people of the region via the annual AIMES Awards. Record-breaking ultra-marathon swimmer and former Carmel College student Caitlin O'Reilly, aged 20, was the Supreme Award winner at the 30th AIMES Awards Gala Dinner held at Shed 10 in the city on Saturday 24 May. Close to 600 people attended the event. Caitlin received the Sir Peter Blake Trophy and a total grant of $30,000. We feature all the exceptional 2025 AIMES Award winners in this issue.
Abilities Group has made a significant impact on the lives of so many disabled individuals and their families over more than six decades. The enterprise took a severe hit in late April when their premises were decimated as a result of a massive fire. One month on, I talked to Abilities Managing Director Peter Fraher about their recovery.
At a time when there is a lot of economic doom and gloom, the Golf Warehouse is a North Shore-based business taking very little notice of it. In recent years, they have gone through a period of impressive expansion. It seems as though their big stores are popping up all over the place. I enjoyed getting along to their newest store at Wairau Park during May to chat with Rhys Bishop, CEO and Director, the man steering the Golf Warehouse business.
Enjoy your June Channel Mag.
Aidan Bennett, QSM
Publisher, Channel Magazine
Founder & Managing Director, Benefitz
Email: aidan@benefitz.co.nz
