The year is going so quickly! We’re getting near winter and the middle of the year. In this, the May 2025 issue, we have something for everyone.
Our cover this month features the Auckland Symphony Orchestra, celebrating 50 years. They are New Zealand’s largest community orchestra with over 100 playing members, all volunteers, comprising both young players though to foundation life members. It is great that they are celebrating with events at the Bruce Mason Centre in Takapuna that will feature our very own Will Martin. The ASO performs at the Bruce Mason Centre regularly.
I have had a bit to do with Will over the years via the North Harbour Club and the annual AIMES Awards. He’s an AIMES alumni (winning the AIMES Music Award in 2010) and has also starred in a number of club events, including as joint-MC of the twentieth AIMES Awards Gala Dinner in 2015. Coincidentally, later this month we are celebrating the thirtieth anniversary of the AIMES Awards with over 500 people booked for what will be a wonderful gala dinner at Shed 10 in the city on Saturday 24 May. I am looking forward to that event immensely.
In this issue we have a focus on sports and fitness, electric vehicles and transport, as well as sustainability.
I enjoy getting out and highlighting those doing interesting things in business on the Shore. This month, to align with our focus on sports, I visited Darren Shields at Wettie, the Shields family business in Albany. Wettie is New Zealand’s biggest and leading dive store – specialists in wetsuits and spearfishing gear and more. I trust you enjoy my chat with Darren about their business.
Following the sporting theme, Tracey Sutherland has done an informative feature on the success of the Tania Dalton Foundation. Eight years on from the sudden passing of Tania, her name lives on through this wonderful Shore-based foundation set up by family and friends. Tracey’s feature covers the annual scholarships given to promising young sportswoman from all over New Zealand.
May is the month for Pink Ribbon Breakfasts. Tracey profiles one of the biggest fundraising campaigns in New Zealand for an illness that touches many of our lives. Pink Ribbon Breakfast, a fundraiser organised by Breast Cancer Foundation New Zealand (BCFNZ), raises money for programmes supporting breast cancer patients with free and practical services, counselling, physiotherapy, ground-breaking research, clinical trials and education campaigns.
Enjoy your (free) May 2025 issue of Channel Magazine. Not too many things in life are free these days! Have a great May.
Aidan Bennett, QSM
Publisher, Channel Magazine
Founder & Managing Director, Benefitz
Email: aidan@benefitz.co.nz
