Canadian television star Amber Marshall visited the Ōpua Forest to see the work of Bay Bush Action, which she chose as her charity to support.
Canadian television star Amber Marshall visited the Ōpua Forest to see the work of Bay Bush Action, which she chose as her charity to support.
Canadian television star visits the Bay
Amber Marshall is a well-known actor hailing from London, not in England but in Canada. It’s a city in southwestern Ontario along the Quebec City–Windsor Corridor.
The 36-year-old singer and equestrian has appeared in several href="https://www.nzherald.co.nz/topic/television/" target="_self">television films and series, most notably as Amy Fleming in the long-running CBC/Up TV series Heartland.
For her performance in the series, Marshall won the inaugural Screen Star Award at the first Canadian Screen Awards.
She doesn’t just play horse-lover Amy Fleming, she lives the cowgirl lifestyle herself. She has dozens of animals on her farm, including horses, cows, dogs, cats, chickens, turkeys, rabbits and an alpaca.
Marshall says while acting seems to fill much of her time, she spends every moment she can with the animals.
Amber Marshall talks with Bay Bush Action trustee Brad Windust about the Ōpua Forest conservation plan.
“When I was 5 years old, I attended a fair with my parents and there was one of those horse carousels where you sit on a pony and it goes round and round and that was the beginning for me of a life with horses.”
Last month, she came to New Zealand under the auspices of Globetrotting with the Stars, a charity organisation that runs exclusive riding holidays with the chance to ride with equestrian celebrities, top riders and renowned horsemen and women.
The star chooses a local charity and Marshall elected Bay Bush Action, which operates from Paihia, protecting the Ōpua Forest, as her preferred charity to support. Mercedes McLean from Globetrotting with the Stars says it was “truly inspiring” to see first-hand the effort and dedication that goes into protecting and regenerating the local forest and native wildlife.
“Your passion for wildlife conservation is absolutely contagious and we loved learning from you. The work you do to eradicate pests like feral cats, possums and rats is making such a tangible difference and we’re honoured to support your mission.”
Globetrotting with the Stars made a donation of A$8000 ($8635) to Bay Bush Action. Trustee Brad Windust said the donation will be a huge help in the fight to save the forest.
“We really enjoyed showing you all what our amazing volunteers do here in this beautiful forest,” he said.
Community rallies around Cliff the kiwi
In a combined community effort, a little kiwi has been rescued from Tapeka Point near Russell and has been given sanctuary. It was a saga to find and capture him.
Two visitors to Russell, staying at Tapeka, celebrated their wedding anniversary with a skinny dip in the sea. They saw a kiwi that had fallen from the steep cliff above the beach and called the Department of Conservation (DoC), which in turn called Russell Landcare Trust, which runs the Predator Free Russell programme.
The trust’s lead, Nik Minchin, was in Christchurch for a predator-free conference with Andrew Mentor from Kiwi Coast. So Minchin called Ella van Gool from Russell Landcare Trust and she and her partner Charlie Watt headed to Tapeka.
A little kiwi called Cliff in a brooder box at Gilly Jackson’s Bird Rescue Centre in Russell. Photo/Gill Jackson
At first they couldn’t find the little kiwi but some children on the beach alerted them to the kiwi at the other end. They found him and took him to Gilly Jackson’s Bird Rescue Centre.
Jackson is Russell’s own bird whisperer and takes in around 125 birds a year on average. Everyone decided at that point to call the little kiwi “Cliff”, for obvious reasons.
Jackson started on Cliff’s tick removal and co-ordinated with vets, DoC and Kiwi Coast. She said he wasn’t injured but he had very light body condition, likely due to the current big dry.
“He was probably born last year or could even be a February chick and he weighed in at 400g.”
Two children found the kiwi at the bottom of a cliff at Tapeka.
A local Russell resident drove him to the Bay of Islands Rehabilitation Centre in Kerikeri, where he was put into a brooder box to later be transferred to an outdoor pen to grow in a predator-free environment.
Meanwhile, back in Christchurch, Minchin and Mentor monitored the situation and kept everyone informed. It was a classic case of a community rallying for a cause.
Carnage at Black Box Theatre
As amusing theatre, it has all the elements of a ripping good yarn.
God of Carnage was originally written in French and translated into English by Christopher Hampton. It was rewritten by Yasmina Reza and was first published in 2008 and has won both Tony and Olivier awards for best play.
The play explores what happens when two seemingly civilised couples meet to discuss a playground altercation between their children. The parents converse in a civilised manner in the beginning but politeness quickly gives way to chaos, with hilarious revelations and biting satire.
Their true colours and primal instincts emerge and they gradually degenerate into children themselves.
It has enjoyed acclaim in both London and New York. The UK’s Guardian newspaper described the play: “The initial clenched-jaw aggression, and later its savagery, is stylised here so that Annette gesticulates grandly and Michael does an almost exaggerated impression of an easy-going guy.”
The cast of God of Carnage at the Black Box Theatre in Kerikeri (from left): Dave Stearns, playing Alain Reille, Teresa Morrison as Annette Reille, Lucy Houtas as Veronique Vallon and Shaun Clarke as Michel Vallon.
Wealth manager Annette stands awkwardly at attention as the arrogant Alan breaks off to talk urgent business on his eternally buzzing phone.
God of Carnage, which is coming to the Black Box Theatre in Kerikeri, has four principal characters. David Stearns plays Alain Reille, Teresa Morrison is Annette Reille, Lucy Houtas plays Veronique Vallon and Shaun Clarke is Michel Vallon.
Clarke, incidentally, is the former CEO of Far North District Council.
The cast is directed by the talented Vivian Thonger and supported by a dedicated crew. The sharp, insightful humour within the play has been described as comedic noir and guarantees laughter and surprises and is a compelling drama.
General admission tickets are $39. Seats are very limited. From Thursday, Friday, Saturday, May 1-3, all starting at 7.30pm and Thursday, Friday, Saturday May 8-10, all starting at 7.30pm.
Black Box Theatre, 17 Sammaree Place, Kerikeri. Tickets can be purchased through Black Box Theatre ticketing.
