Blueskin Bay FM 88.2

26 October 2010

Waitati School After-School Bus or Care Consultation

By Antony Deaker

We've been thinking about how to ensure that everyone in the community
has access to the local school and the barriers that exist for some
families. We have come up with a couple of possibilities and would
like some feedback before we explore either (or both) possibility
further.

Would you use either of the services listed below?

Option 1: A 'bus' into town at 3pm
This bus would travel to a central point from which you can collect
your children at a given time. There would be a cost, yet to be
decided, perhaps around the $3 mark. You would need to book a ride in
advance but would not need to commit to five days a weeks, or even
necessarily a regular day. The logistics of this will need to be fine
tuned but at this stage we are looking at whether this service would
be of assistance to you.

Name:
We currently have children at Waitati School: Y / N
We live in the area and are considering sending [ ] children to
Waitati School.
Our children currently attend another school: Y / N
We would not use this service: [ ] (tick if appropriate)
We would use this service: weekly / fortnightly / daily / a couple of
times a week (please circle)
How many children does this apply to?

Option 2: An After-School Care Programme
Based at Waitati School, this service would operate from 3-5pm. There
would be a cost involved as per other after-school care programmes.

Name:
We currently have children at Waitati School: Y / N
We live in the area and are considering sending children to Waitati
School: Y / N
Our children currently attend another school: Y / N
We would not use this service: [ ] (tick if appropriate)
We would use this service: weekly / fortnightly / daily / a couple of
times a week (please circle)
How many children does this apply to?

We are also open to extending these possibilities to pupils at
Warrington School if there is enough interest.

Please detach this form, complete and return to Waitati School to
ensure that we get the best possible information to inform our
decision.

Waitati School Column

By Antony Deaker

In this column, the school has a new roof and new classroom furniture,
BoT to get intensive training, community consulted after dinner,
families checking out school welcomed, sporting success, bonfire
proceeds go to class resources, Quiz Night coming soon, art exhibition
and film project.

Making the decision about which school best meets the needs of your
child is a really important one. It needs to feel right. Our
principal, Heidi, is open to people coming and getting a feel for the
place. This might take one visit or it might take a few. The more
comfortable your child and family are with the school, the smoother
the transition will be. Contact Heidi by phone (482 2888) or email
(principal@waitati.school.nz) to make a time to visit.

By the time this is published we will have had another community
pot-luck dinner, this time followed by a discussion on values and
vision for the school. If you weren't able to make that event please
use the school website or get in touch with any of the BoT or staff to
share your ideas. We also hope you will take time to respond to our
survey about after-school care or bus service, in this publication or
on our website.

We now have a new roof over the main block at school, funky new
classroom furniture, painters booked for the summer break to repaint
the exterior and we expect to have completed many alterations to the
interior of our classrooms by the time term one, 2011 starts.

The BoT has been glad to book a weekend of intensive governance and
strategic planning workshops for later this month. We see this as an
invaluable opportunity to strengthening the school's performance. The
BoT is excited about entering a potential relationship with Ngai Tahu
to run a school banking programme for the pupils. We are also in talks
with the Blueskin Playcentre and Blueskin Resilient Communities Trust
about the relocation of both of those organisations into the school.

The PTA are using proceeds from the Bonfire Night to leverage further
funding to purchase new resources, toys and equipment for the
classrooms. The pupils have made their wishes clear and can look
forward to a few early Christmas presents. Further funding for the BMX
track has been confirmed and work is likely to start soon on its
installation. The PTA have announced 19 November as the date for the
next Quiz Night, this was lots of fun last year when Waitati
generously let a team from Warrington win.

Our pupils have been busy on numerous fronts. The seniors are well
into their film-making project having met with a producer and started
devising stories. The whole school has held an exhibition of pupils'
work at Gallery on Blueskin which looked fantastic. Many thanks to the
Gallery for its support with this! The Futsal, Rippa and cricket teams
all opened their seasons with wins. And, finally, a special note of
thanks to Tuihana and Jacob who played very well for North East Valley
School in the first week of cricket.

24 October 2010

Blueskin Resilient Communities Trust

By Scott Willis

Exciting news! Jeanette Fitzsimons, a great friend of Blueskin Bay and
many time visitor, has accepted a new role as our BRCT patron.
Jeanette's support gives profile to our ambition to run a resilient
local energy system – and pioneer this nationally for New Zealand.

What is just as exciting in Jeanette's support is the link BRCT will
establish with other nationally significant issues while maintaining
our real Blueskin focus. BRCT has grown further with emeritus
professor Gerry Carrington joining the trust and providing a 'bridge'
with our close partner, the Otago Energy Research Centre and the
University of Otago. Simon Sheppard has also joined as BRCT treasurer,
with the trust now consisting of Lynnaire Johnston (chair), Antony
Deaker (secretary), Simon Sheppard (treasurer), Ross Johnston, Tony
Wilson and Gerry Carrington. Trustees and officers provide excellent
governance for BRCT and are good people to talk to if you want to find
out more about BRCT or just what it is that BRCT does and can do.

The word out is that the inaugural Blueskin Bay Working Breakfast
meeting on the 15th of October was a huge success. Jenny Haydon is the
co-ordinator and would be thrilled to hear of others working locally
who would like to attend the next breakfast. Contact Jenny on 4821409
(or see advertisement).

I was blown away by the Blueskin 101010 event (the 10th of October).
BRCT can support crucial actions like this but without the passion and
ability of people like Carl Scott and Virginia Toy and all the others
who co-ordinated walkers, the community get-together, provided great
music, or created great local food, computer revamps, gardened and
planted, etc, nothing could be achieved. That so much was happening on
one of the most atrocious spring days we've had is testament to the
power and adaptability to our greater Blueskin community and certainly
something to be celebrated! The launch of Blueskin Low Oil Commuting
and renewed interest in the W3 Rideshare scheme are just two outcomes
from the day.

Meanwhile, our Angel Volunteer programme is being developed by
Laurence Hay for BRCT. It is also exciting to keep hearing and seeing
the Weggie initiatives producing results both in building greater
links between each community around Blueskin Bay and their respective
youth at the three enviroschools, and in enriching our neighbourhoods
and streets through the Waitati Open Orchard initiative.

More information on the Trust's vision, mission, objectives and
activities is available on the Transition Waitati webpage:
www.transitiontowns.org.nz/waitati or by contacting me on 03 4822048.

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Ā ā Ē ē Ī ī Ō ō Ū ū
From blueskin.co.nz and 'Blueskin News' published by Blueskin Media:
voluntary/non-profit community publishers in Blueskin Bay (Seacliff,
Warrington, Evansdale, Waitati, Doctors Point), Dunedin, New Zealand.
All material sent to or published by us is "copyleft" in the public
domain and may be freely shared, archived, re-edited and republished.
If you want to credit the source it's "blueskin.co.nz".

23 October 2010

WARRINGTON SCHOOL (column)

WARRINGTON SCHOOL

by school staff and parents

Warrington School has featured in the Enviro Schools short movie along
with other schools in Dunedin.

Warrington has become an international case study for The Free
Technology Academy (FTA)
which is funded by the European Commision. They are documenting our
educational use of Free Software and Open Standards.

Blueskin Bay FM continues to beam live 24/7 out across the bay. There
is some emerging talent evident in the shows that are being broadcast
and senior pupils are beginning to take a more active involvement in
the managing of the station, creation of jingles and sound
engineering.

There has been a keen interest by senior pupils in creating
trolleys/go-carts. They are looking for donations of bolts, nuts,
springs, cushions, washers, axles, pipes, wood, pedals, bike handle
bars. tools, small motors, wheels, leather straps, prams.

Thursday 4 November: BOT Meeting
Mon 8 – Wed 10 November; ERO visit
Wednesday 10 November: Junior Athletics
Friday 12 November; Junior Athletics Postponement
Saturday 20 November: Friends of Warrington School dance
Thursday 2 December; BOT Meeting
Wednesday 15 December: End of year assembly 1.30pm
Thursday 16 December: End of Term 4

Waterway restorers post a plea to stakeholders

by Laura Blake and Peter Dowden

Donations of fencing materials such as wooden fence posts and iron
stakes are being sought to protect a replanted Warrington stream bed.

The replanting on Church Creek near the Esplanade on '101010' Day was
a great success with about 100 trees, shrubs and flaxes planted. The
weather cooperated by giving the plants a heavy dumping of rain just
as we finished.

The Warrington Wellbeing Waterways group ran a raffle last month. This
will help to fund the cost of the fence needed to prevent stock
entering the creek and eating the vegetation.

The upper part of the creek that surfaces in the farmland will need to
be fenced and planted too.

Gardeners with native seedlings can bring them along to Warrington
School (there are pots behind the office if any one needs them for
their plants). Fence posts and stakes can be dropped off here too. The
replanting team will let plants grow big and strong before planting
them alongside the stream.

Warrington Surf Life Saving Club (column)

Warrington Surf Life Saving Club

by Dawn Hope

Photos: Eilis & team getting gold medal
Immy & Carla getting gold medal
Eilis & team getting gold meda

It's that time of year again and we are pleased to advise that
Warrington Beach will have life guards patrolling each weekend
commencing Sunday 31 October. We have got a busy and exciting time
ahead of us and we look forward to seeing you all on the beach over
the coming weeks.

Open Day - Sunday 31 October from 12 noon

Come along and sign up for this season. Meet up with old friends,
enjoy a BBQ, have fun participating in beach activities and sandcastle
competitions – even take a ride on an IRB (weather dependent of
course!) Tell all your friends - we look forward to seeing you there.
If you miss Open Day come along any Sunday from 11.30am -
alternatively contact Mark Familton on 482-2712 or Dawn Hope on
482-2787.

Following the Open Day, you can watch the annual Firefighters versus
Surf Life Guards sporting match; this year they are playing softball,
starting at 2pm.

Beach Bonfire & BBQ Night – Friday 5 November 7.30pm til late

Come along to our community Beach Bonfire and BBQ fundraiser. You are
welcome to bring your own fireworks and let them off in a controlled
environment (we will have first aid in attendance). There will be a
sausage sizzle, hot drinks and supper items for sale. Everyone is
welcome.

U19 Patrol Teams Competition – Sunday November 7 - 9am at Warrington Beach

Warrington SLSC will be hosting the Patrol Teams competition this
season. Teams of six life guards will pit their skills against other
clubs to compete for a trophy and a chance to travel to compete
against other regions.

Venue available for hire

Our club rooms are available to hire for functions. Please contact
Hannah Randall on 482-1141 for more details and to check availability.

Congratulations to WSLSC members Immi and Eilis Doyle and Jack Turner
who travelled to Wellington to compete in the 2010 State New Zealand
Pool champs. Immi and partner Carla Laughton (St Clair SLSC) won
gold in the Open Womens Line Throw while sister Eilis won gold in the
Under 13 Mixed 4x50m Obstacle Race. Jack came 3rd in the 200m LC
Freestyle course with obstacles, 4th in the 4x50m relay event and 4th
in the 4x50m obstacle relay event.

10/10/10 climate change hikoi and launch of BLOC

By Lucy Sheppard

The morning of Sunday 10 October dawned clear and bright with not a
breath of wind, perfect for a quick cycle over the hill to Dunedin and
back ... YEAH RIGHT!!!

Motivated, enthusiastic, rugged-up cyclists which included Paul
(unicyclist), Virginia, Julia, Scott and myself (unicyclists with a
training wheel) meet in the pouring rain at the Waitati Hall to embark
on a journey to Dunedin and back without the use of fossil fuels, as
part of the climate change hikoi 10.10.10.

Arrogantly believing that two wheels would be faster than one we sent
Paul off an hour before the bicyclists in order that we would all
arrive into Dunedin at the same time. So, at 10.30 the four bicyclists
set off (surrounded by thunderous applause from the Waitati walkers)
in hot pursuit of the long legged, one wheeled wonder.

Deciding it was not a day for the grunt of Shortcut Road, we meandered
past Waitati School warming up our legs for the climb ahead. Amazingly
oblivious to the weather and the gradient (due I am sure to the fine
conversation being had) we quickly made it to the warm, welcoming
VOLCO farm house where we were fed hot tea, biscuits and waffles!
Hearing from these lovely ladies that Paul was already more than half
an hour ahead of us we set off in hot pursuit once again, pinning our
hopes on the weight of the waffles in our tummies aiding our descent
into Dunedin. Alas, we rounded the corner on the downward approach to
be met with a malicious head wind and our dreams of land speed records
were dashed as we found ourselves pedalling downhill!!

Shortly before the scheduled arrival time of 1pm we finally caught up
with the long legged, one wheeled wonder relaxing at Dunedin North
Intermeditate where he had been waiting for us for an hour already. We
believe Paul may be the first person crazy enough to unicycle from
Waitati to Dunedin; a huge achievement especially if you consider you
cannot free wheel on a unicycle so it involves not only pedalling up
the hill, but pedalling down the hill, too.

We rested in the warmth of the DNI hall, eating our lunches made from
locally sourced ingredients, listening to speeches on climate change
and being entertained by a wonderful story teller.

As three o'clock approached we realised we would need to head back
over the hill pretty soon to get back to the Waitati Hall to join in
with the festivities. The long legged, one wheeled wonder was bundled
into a car with his ginormous wheel for a well deserved ride home and
the remaining hardy bicyclists pointed our noses northwards. Aided by
the now friendly tail wind, we whipped back over the hill in
record-breaking time for the party.

At the party Virginnia launched Blueskin Low Oil Commuters (BLOC)
which aims to bring together people interested in making their daily
commute to Dunedin less reliant on fossil fuels. If this sounds like
you and you have not signed up, email Virginia (bloc@geology.co.nz)
.The first 10 people to subscribe to BLOC will receive a $20 Bicycle
Workshop Voucher, courtesy of Browns Avanti Plus. Only a few left, get
in quick and sign up to the BLOC.

So, a wonderful experience and a wonderful day, slightly hampered by
the weather but perhaps more affected by the Dunedin City Council who
advised us it was unsafe to bike on the Mt Cargill Road into Dunedin
even though ironically it is the official cycle route into the city.

Orokonui Ecosanctuary

By Sue Hensley

The exciting news this month is that of the planned release of around six
Haast tokoeka kiwi into the sanctuary. They are juveniles raised on an
island situated in Lake Te Anau and over the next few years will hopefully
form breeding pairs. Their young, once big enough to defend themselves from
stoat attack, will be returned to their natural territory in the Haast area.
It is a big responsibility and privilege to look after some of these highly
endangered kiwi. There are only 300 birds left in the wild and although we
may not get to see them, I for one am looking forward to listening for a
kiwi call on a still, warm evening.

Equally exciting news is that after a blitz on rats, they are now at
undetectable levels – let's hope it stays that way. It has been an enormous
task for field staff over the last two months, fortunately this year helped
by kind weather.

Some trees, particularly the pittosporums kohuhu and lemonwood have flowered
prolifically this year. The fragrance of the latter in the forest has been
very noticeable. The flowers may be small but their nectar must taste really
good to kaka. I watched one spend 20 minutes in the canopy using its
sensitive brush tongue to gather nectar from the tiny yellow flowers while
ignoring the nearby sugar water.

The Visitor Centre and Café are open every day from 9.30am to 4.30pm.
A range of guided and self-guided walks is available. Our Facebook
page and www.orokonui.org.nz will
keep you up to date with events.

Waitati Energy Project

By Scott Willis

Big Wind

Our local community turbine project is a nationally significant
project. How so? Well, we all understand, I hope, the benefits of
securing greater control over our energy needs and use locally.
Nationally, if we're successful and there were more communities like
us, we'd eventually reach a critical mass transforming our
centralised, think-big, top-down grid system into a decentralised,
responsive network with much greater resilience. This would also limit
the need for any large scale generation projects, reduce pressure on
existing infrastructure (and thus make things work more effectively),
and give us greater control over how we use our energy.

I've received messages of support from around the country thanks to
the profile our project has been given by WEP partner, the Hikurangi
Foundation (http://www.hikurangi.org.nz/), and I'm beginning to build
up a network of national advocates, who are already helping with bits
of technical and commercial advice. The fantastic Hikurangi
facilitation is already helping to sharpen the work we're doing on the
financial case for our community turbine. Meanwhile, I'm working with
Ros Day (planner) and Janet Stephenson (Otago Energy Research Centre)
on research that will allow our community consultation, if the Energy
Efficiency and Conservation Authority agrees on its merit. I hope to
have news for you before Christmas on consultation.

Small Wind

You can't have missed PowerHouse Wind's 'Thinair' single blade
prototype being tested at Sabina and Hagen's place on Blueskin Road
near the Eco-sanctuary. The exciting thing is that by mid November PHW
expects to replace the prototype with a pre-production model
(essentially replacing a single construction model with a
factory-ready model) and have it up and running continuously, allowing
Sabina and Hagen to export, as well as import, electricity.

Trials using a Christchurch manufactured (and world leading!) inverter
have already been successful in allowing power to be fed back to the
grid. Bill Currie (PHW) explains the complex process: "The turbine has
to start, be held by the controller at idle speed while the inverter
wakes up, checks the grid is suitable to be connected to, (e.g. no
lines people out there working) and synchronises with the AC voltage.
The turbine controller then has to start feeding power to the inverter
and telling it how much power to take to load the turbine correctly."
There's some perfectioning still going on, and investment needed
before Thinair turbines are rolling out the factory door, so please do
contact PHW if you want to know more about investing in local
innovative green tech for a sustainable future
(http://www.powerhousewind.co.nz/).

Blueskin Power is more than just big wind. The community turbine is
the keystone at present, as success here will allow so much more to
happen. But there is a further generation opportunity that may be
complementary, parallel, or alternative, depending on how we manage
the challenges ahead. This is integrating smaller household generation
into our local grid, via (for example) more Thinair turbines and
household Photovoltaic 1-2 kW arrays. Both these generation options
can use the same Enasolar inverters and will ensure progressively
greater local grid resilience with returns to individual households.
And the whole system can then be made so much more 'intelligent' with
Smart 'real-time' meters and intelligent home devices, giving power
back to the people!

More regular updates are sent out via the WEP update email or you can
contact me directly either at 03 4822048 / 0274888314 or
waitatienergy@gmail.com

BLUESKIN BAY SCHOOLS EDIBLE GARDEN PROJECT

By Jenny Haydon

Spring plantings?!

Life between south-westerly fronts - some wet wild days amongst the
weeds. Out with them and plant our seeds!

At Warrington School, the whole senior room, Mr Parker and I blitzed
their group garden beds. Various seedlings and seeds of beans, peas,
carrots, beetroots, parsnips and radishes were planted. The middle
room made paper pots and planted lots of runner beans to go into their
skinny bed on the end of the school. Vertical gardening, it will be a
challenge! The junior room have lots happening in their plot, and more
planned for next week.

Waitati School

Thanks to those wonderful folks that turned up to tame the Waitati
School gardens. Significant areas were reclaimed, and the children in
Room 1 planted seeds of peas, carrots, beetroot, parsnips and radishes
in the beds we cleared.

Friday school lunch was prepared with food from the gardens and Sue is
keen to continue with this through the year.

Room 3 children planted runner beans, radishes, carrots and parsnips.
The children are learning about soils, plants and germination, so the
garden is an important part of their science curriculum.

We need some more help please so that we can plant our potatoes, yams,
zucchinis and pumpkins. We're holding a working bee on 30 October from
1.30- 3pm at the school. Rain day: Sunday 31st.

If you have a wheelbarrow or favourite hand tools or a weed-eater,
they would be very handy.

Anyone is welcome: past parents, past pupils, new residents, old residents.

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Ā ā Ē ē Ī ī Ō ō Ū ū
From blueskin.co.nz and 'Blueskin News' published by Blueskin Media:
voluntary/non-profit community publishers in Blueskin Bay (Seacliff,
Warrington, Evansdale, Waitati, Doctors Point), Dunedin, New Zealand.
All material sent to or published by us is "copyleft" in the public
domain and may be freely shared, archived, re-edited and republished.
If you want to credit the source it's "blueskin.co.nz".