An eventful time of the year in Papakura

Papakura is heading into a busy time of year as the weather improves and a range of fun family, cultural, business and community events are planned. The district’s annual fireworks spectacular, free family movies, events for the business community, cultural events at the Hawkins Centre and more will liven up the coming months as Christmas looms closer.
 

Papakura means business

For the businesses of the district, Papakura’s popular monthly programme of Business Breakfasts offer a valuable chance to network and to hear inspirational speakers including Fonterra’s Director of Ingredients Marketing Donald Moore in September and Peter Douglas, chairman of Te Ohu Kaimoana, the Waitangi Fisheries Commission in October.

In early August, a launch event at Karaka Point Wineries marked the announcement of a new two-year programme focussing on building capability and excellence among Papakura’s businesses and helping our economy to grow and thrive.

The first year of the new Stevenson Business Excellence Programme is about developing business capability through a series of workshops and an optional free business health check, with the second year focussing on entries into the Stevenson Business Excellence Awards.

The Awards process ends with a gala dinner in late 2009 – a chance to get out the black tie and evening wear and celebrate everything that’s great about business in Papakura and Franklin. More information is at the web site www.bestbiz.co.nz  
 

Arts in focus: Creative Clay on Display

Dancing Embers is an exhibition showing the work of fifteen members of the Manurewa Potters opens at the Papakura Art Gallery.

The exhibition title is drawn from Lorraine Lowe’s work Dancing Embers which exhibitor Corrie Patterson says embodies the spirit of the groups’ creativity.

There is a range of firing techniques on display in the exhibition including raku, pit fired, lustre fired, earthenware, mid-fire and stoneware.

This is the first pottery show of the year and Gallery Manager Emma Millynn has been pleased with the groups individual work as well as how the interact. It is a great opportunity to see so the range of pottery techniques and artistic approaches.

Hazel Snelgar who is the group’s newest member and Papakura resident says she has enjoyed creating pieces for the show and is always inspired and surprised by the results which are only apparent after the works come out of the kiln.

Five of the exhibitors are from Papakura and have connections to the Papakura Pottery Group and if you are interested in learning how to be a potter Papakura has its own group based at the Old Central School, to contact them phone 09 278-6178.

The exhibition opened on 15 August and runs until 13 September 2008.
 

Fun events for young people

Papakura Youth Spot is a venue and an event all in one, held on the third Saturday of each month at the Papakura Recreation Centre in Great South Road. It’s a Papakura Youth Forum initiative run by Year 13 leaders selected by Rosehill College and Papakura High School.

Each Youth Spot has a theme – September’s is Home Grown Music, offering local young people the chance to showcase their song-writing skills. The song judged best during the evening will earn its writer a chance to have it recorded in a studio. The prize is sponsored by Ani and Vincent Taite (Sweet Duo).

October’s Youth Spot theme is Soul and the November theme is “Flava”.

Healthy choices and sporting fun are to the fore in September with the Fresh Futures Kids’ Duathlon and Gala to be held at Massey Park stadium and the Massey Park Aquatic Centre.
 

Fresh Futures is back

Building on the success of last year’s inaugural event, the Fresh Futures Duathlon on Saturday September 13 is a bike-swim event offering ten bikes as prizes for the category winners.

Other stalls at the event explore some favourite activities: bouncy castles, rock climbing, a coconut shy and even a “volcano maze”.

 

The event is suitable for children aged between 8 and 13. It’s a fundraiser for the Fresh Futures Appeal, which benefits children’s wards at hospitals around Auckland and nationwide. Last year, the appeal raised more than $1million for five hospitals; this year the aim is to double the total and provide support for ten hospitals.
 

Celebrate spring in Papakura…

A fortnight after the Fresh Futures event, the Papakura Spring Carnival fills the town square with colour and sound – and some delicious cakes as well! The Carnival will feature children’s rides, entertainment, a petting zoo with farm animals and spot prizes and runs from 9.00 am till 2.00 pm on Saturday September 27.

To be judged during the Spring Carnival, the New World Bake Off is open to all amateur bakers, with a separate category for children under 14 years of age. The best cake or cupcake wins $250.00.

Entry forms are available at New World Papakura, from dbrooke@papakura.co.nz or phone 295 2339. The cakes will be displayed in the window of Farmers during the Spring Carnival

(Image attached is of Bake-Off convenor Nicky Hayhow (left, Papakura District Council) and Sharon Young (right, Papakura New World) preparing their own special recipe for the Bake Off)
 

…and roll up those sleeves for the Great Spring Clean

The Papakura Great Spring Clean from 22-28 September aims to develop projects that keep the district looking great as summer approaches. Organisers say spring is the perfect time to undertake a neighbourhood clean-up or sign on to help freshen a community facility.

Graffiti paint-outs, reserve clean-ups, litter patrols, garden projects and more are all part of the week. More information is available from Papakura District Council on 295 1300.
 

Spring gardens, neat streets in Papakura

There are new categories and new backers for Papakura’s annual neat street and spring garden competitions. Long supported by Harcourts, the competition has now attracted additional sponsorship from Mitre 10 and the Papakura District Council.

The categories for the 2008 garden comp are:

Best residential garden
Best rural/lifestyle garden
Mitre 10 best smart garden
PDC best garden from the road
 

Entry forms are available from Papakura District Council or at www.papakura.govt.nz –

entries close October 17.
 

Hawkins Centre hosts Marlene – and Pippi!

German-born singer, actress and entertainer Marlene Dietrich pays a one-night visit to Papakura in September – or at least her songs and style do, as acclaimed New Zealand singer and actress Jennifer Ward-Lealand brings the show Falling in love again to the Hawkins Centre.

In costume of the period, she brings Dietrich’s essence to life on stage in gesture, mood and movement, recreating the glamour of the heyday of cabaret.

The show on Saturday September 27 includes songs by Cole Porter, Edith Piaf, Frederic Hollander and Pete Seeger. Bookings at www.iTicket.co.nz   and also at Papakura Paper Power, more information on the web site www.papakuraarts.co.nz  

Pippi Longstocking arrives at the Hawkins Theatre with a season running from 6-17 October. This timeless children’s tale originated in a series of books published in the 1940s and 1950s, which became a television series in the 1960s, was the subject of several movie versions and now a stage show.

Pippi is strong, independent and free-spirited, and wears her fiery red hair in braids woven so tightly they stick out from the sides of her head. The story offers empowering messages for children and as Pippi and her friends outwit boorish adults intent on misbehaviour and bad works. Bookings at www.iTicket.co.nz  and Papakura Paper Power, more information at www.papakuraarts.co.nz  

(Note to media: images of Pippi and Jennifer Ward-Lealand as Marlene Dietrich are available by email request to mbaker@papakura.govt.nz )
 

Green light for Blue Light trolley derby

The district gets its “race face” on in October when the annual Papakura Blue Light Trolley Derby rolls out onto Elliott Street with classes for children of all ages.

An exciting family fun event, the Trolley Derby is already inspiring families to design and build their own trolleys.

For those who need some technical assistance, there are trolley-building workshops at Mitre 10 Mega in Takanini on September 20 and 21 from 12.00 noon to 3.00 pm. 

 Entry in any category costs just $10, and among the categories there’s even a Schools Cup for trolleys made and entered by schools in the district and driven by a student of the school. These trolleys will be auctioned as a fundraiser at the prizegiving.

The Blue Light Trolley Derby will be held on Sunday 19 October with registration and sign-in between 7.30 and 8.30 am and racing at 9.00 am.
 

Fun family fireworks display

At the end of October, Papakura hosts its annual Fireworks Spectacular, once more sponsored by Counties Manukau District Health Board.

It’s more than a fireworks display, with the Jump Jam competition, activities for the family and children of all ages and positive messages to help keep people healthy into 2009.

Soon after, Papakura hosts its annual Christmas weekend of free family fun, with the annual Carols evening on the Friday, a Christmas family movie and of course the Christmas parade through the streets of the town centre. Dates and venues for these events will be confirmed closer to the end of the year.