Welcome to our May 2022 issue of Channel Magazine. Produced during a month when we started to see a bit of light at the end of the tunnel. Things feel like they may be getting back to normal.
In this issue we’re celebrating excellence, once again led with the North Harbour Club AIMES Awards. The North Harbour Club is a wonderful organisation that I’ve been proud to play a part in for 25 years as a member, a trustee and past president. The AIMES Awards is an annual grants program that rewards exceptional young people from the region. Most years I have had the task of taking the extensive winners application documents and producing 350-450 word scripts that are used during the award presentation process. I love doing it and discovering the wonderful achievements of these youngsters. I trust you will enjoy reading my pieces about the 2021/22 winners in this issue.
Hand in hand with our excellence theme, Christine Young managed to catch-up with our Shore-based Olympic Champion Dame Lisa Carrington for a chat during April. What an inspiration Lisa is and it is fantastic to have her in our local community.
Having traveled over 6,000kms and pretty much driving the length of the country and back during March and early April, I was in awe of the efforts of local Takapuna residents Paul Muir and Bruce Cotterill in cycling from Cape Reinga to Bluff in 22 days during March, raising over $200k for charity in the process. I put some questions to Paul Muir about their adventure in mid-April.
As most will know, in my other life I am an elected member of the Devonport-Takapuna Local Board. Over the next few months it is time to make the decision on whether to stand again at the elections coming up in October this year. For me it’s a big decision. If I stand again it will only be for one more term. From the outset I said I would do two terms and no more. It is my belief that people should serve no more than two terms on a local board, and then step aside to let others have a go and bring their ideas to the table. I am keen on your feedback.
With pandemic restrictions easing it is certainly starting to feel a bit like normal, with our town centres starting to get their buzz back. I encourage you to support our local businesses like never before – you will find plenty of reasons to do so in this issue of Channel Mag.
Have a great May. Panui koa, Happy reading.
Aidan Bennett, QSM
Publisher, Channel Magazine
Founder & MD, Benefitz
Email: aidan@benefitz.co.nz
