Western News (Christchurch)
Double dose of Rockquest success
Burnside High School has flown the flag for Christchurch at the Rockquest national finals with a second-place finish in the solo/ duo competition. Mind The Gap, made up of Burnside head student Alex Gibson and Reiss Fatani, both year 13 students,...
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Artist’s hands-on response to AI
A mixed media artist is pushing back against the rise of Generative AI by advocating for authentic artworks made by humans. Anne-Marie Jones, also known as Artemis in the art world, has released her first children’s book, Sticky Dog. The illustrations...
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World Series awaits for GirlBoss winner
St Margaret’s College’s Lexie Boon once considered walking away from sport because she struggled to find where she belonged. Now the 16-year-old is preparing to represent New Zealand at the indoor cricket Junior World Series in South Africa later this...
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Reserve could be next stop for young cyclists
A St Albans reserve could be transformed into a place where children can build their cycling and road safety skills while strengthening the local community. Rutland Reserve backs onto Paparoa Street School, and parent Brendon Gardner has proposed...
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Teaching children to be champions for our waterways
An education programme getting children out of the classroom and into their local waterways to learn about the health of rivers and how they can help protect eels/tuna is making a big splash. The Te Tuna Tāone Urban Eel programme was set up in 2018 to...
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Wairakei Rd set for major underground makeover
Work to replace ageing wastewater pipes along Wairakei Rd is about to get under way. The work will start at Ilam Rd and progress towards Grahams Rd, with the project expected to be completed in mid-2028. “Some of these pipes date back to 1928, others...
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Jack’s got it all sewn up
Outdoor enthusiast Jack Kerr has found a sustainable way to get the things he needs – by making them himself at Tūranga. The 19-year-old ARA student, who moved to Christchurch last year to study outdoor education and sustainability, is a regular user...
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The ranger who has put down roots
After 38 years of protecting, nurturing and caring for Christchurch’s parks and reserves, Paul Tamagushiku is the city council’s longestserving park ranger. The 68-year-old enjoys his role as a kaitiaki o te whenua, or guardian of the land. “I was a...
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Call for ideas to shape action on climate change
Young people are being encouraged to make a bid to lead a climate change project. The city council is calling for expressions of interest from 15 to 24-year-olds keen on leading a project through the youth climate action fund. The fund is part of...
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Fish, lizards relocated for stream work
Thousands of nationally threatened native freshwater fish and dozens of at-risk lizards have been relocated to allow for restoration work at Halswell’s Greens Stream. The enhancement work adjacent to Riverstone Dr involved restoring about 500m of the...
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Rush for free bikes as cost of living bites
Demand for free bikes has hit a record high, with one community workshop giving away 170 bikes so far this year as more people look to cut transport costs. Aranui Bike Fixup founder Steven Muir believes high fuel prices and the rising cost of living...
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Volunteer sowing the seeds of change in neglected park
Pania Bain saw more than a neglected corner of Richmond Park – she saw potential. Since moving into a house beside the park six years ago, she has transformed an area once used as an illegal dumping site into a thriving garden, volunteering her time...
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Taking your memories into the future
Tina Fautrier has been re-living a lifetime of memories while sorting through photo negatives and saving them digitally. She is one of more than 200 people in the last year to use a digitising service available at Christchurch Libraries, utilising...
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Canterbury getting 'raw deal' on transport, says ECan chair
Environment Canterbury’s chair says the region is getting a “raw deal” in Government transport funding, as he calls for more investment in buses and infrastructure maintenance. Canterbury's regional council chair Deon Swiggs said his priorities are...
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International award for PhD student
A PhD student has become one of only 16 people internationally to receive a prestigious award for her research into endometrial cancer. The Zonta Women in Stem Award recognised outstanding women pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering and...
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Daffodil-ighty blooms in time for cancer appeal
The Star, January 23, 2025 Breanna Hill loves to dress up – and last week it was as a daffodil. Hill (left) has helped plant more than 32,000 daffodils throughout Hagley Park over the last two months. The final day of planting was held last week....
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Rams import takes the plunge
A childhood spent on innercity basketball courts has led Canterbury Rams import Tamenang Choh taking his first swimming lessons as an adult at Parakiore. Growing up in Lowell, Massachusetts, Tamenang Choh – who goes by T – is the Canterbury Rams’ star...
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Language-led push to cut food waste
Peri Guan can’t wait to help Chinese people find out more about reducing food waste and saving money – in their own language. Guan is one of the WasteEd with Kate trainers who are delivering workshops to Chinese, Samoan and Indian communities as part...
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Planting the seeds to grow natives
Thousands of student-grown native seedlings have been planted along an adventure nature trail. Students from more than 20 schools grew them from seeds provided by the Eco Action Nursery Trust. About 350 students, families and community members...
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Coastguard slipway step closer to launch
An art auction and soirée fundraiser to fix Coastguard Sumner’s slipway has raised about $20,000. Rockfall and silt have built up at its rescue boat slipway The Star, January 23, 2025 since the earthquakes, severely limiting its ability to launch the...
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