Some of the Calendar Girls cast and calendar models: Judy Terry, Les Robinson, Penny Gorrie, Viv Thonger, Trudie Smith, Jocelyn Kroll, Stefanie Crawley, Denise Nawisielski, Janette Walker, Gill West and Janine Snowling. Photo / Peter de Graaf
Some of the Calendar Girls cast and calendar models: Judy Terry, Les Robinson, Penny Gorrie, Viv Thonger, Trudie Smith, Jocelyn Kroll, Stefanie Crawley, Denise Nawisielski, Janette Walker, Gill West and Janine Snowling. Photo / Peter de Graaf
BAY NEWS BITES
A small group of Kerikeri women are set to nearly bare all in the name of entertainment and charity.
The Stage Door Theatre Company is bringing Calendar Girls to town, the heart-warming, humorous play that has toured the world raising money for cancer charities since the 90s.
Residents can seeit at the Turner Centre from August 1 to 3 at 7pm and August 4 at 3pm.
Calendar Girls is inspired by a true story about a Women's Institute group in Yorkshire which raises funds for a couch at a cancer unit in memory of one of the member's husband.
The theatre company put out a small survey among cast and found out that, together, they knew 42 people affected by cancer, he said.
"That really has inspired them to want to be involved in the show. It's a very heart-warming story, and it's humorous. The main thing is it's a true story, which is important. We've got a great cast, they're really enthusiastic."
The Stage Door has also produced its own calendar.
The Kerikeri Calendar Girls Calendar, funded by local businesses and photographed by Flash Gordon Photography, are available to purchase from photoshoot locations around town, with a donation of each sale going to the Child Cancer Foundation.
Tickets to the play cost $20 for students under 16 and $35 for adults with $5 from each ticket sale going to the Child Cancer Foundation.
Swimming champs
Young swimmers from around the Bay of Islands and beyond are gearing up to make a splash at the Bay of Islands Swimming Club's annual Spring Championship Carnival.
The carnival, organised and hosted by the club at its base, Te Papawai community pool in Kawakawa, will be held on August 17 and 18.
The Bay of Islands Swimming Club are looking forward to the annual Spring Championship Carnival held at their Kawakawa pool. Photo / Supplied
Swimmers compete in each age group from under 9s to under 16 years.
Club vice-president Roberta Welling said traditionally, locals from all over the area including Russell, Paihia, Opua, Kerikeri, Moerewa and Kawakawa attend the event.
Last year the swimming champs attracted 152 swimmers and their families from 13 clubs including Auckland, Bay of Islands, Bream Bay, Dargaville, Manaia, Mt Maunganui, Pukekohe, Te Kopuru and Whangārei.
"This year we are also hoping to attract more clubs from other regions," Welling said.
"The championship is open to swimmers nationwide and we welcome everyone. We've brought the event strategically one week earlier compared to last year's date to attract swimmers nationwide to be able to use the event as a last chance to gain qualification times for the 2019 NZ Secondary School Champs."
About 60 young people belong to the Bay of Islands Swimming Club, which funds everything involved in putting on the championship event, from medals to pool hire, through fundraising, sponsorship and donations.
The club is on the look-out for more sponsors. Email boiswimmingclub@gmail.com if you'd like to help.
Youth Parliament
Northland MP Matt King praised his Youth MP Meghshyam Prakash for doing a great job in Parliament last week.
Youth MPs from around the country were in Wellington for the ninth Youth Parliament, which took place on July 16 and 17.
Northland MP Matt King with Youth MP Meghshyam Prakash and the Prakash family in the debating chamber at Parliament. Photo / Supplied
Prakash is on the Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade committee.
The first day saw Prakash participating in a mock question time, where he and other youth delegates asked questions of ministers.
The following day he spoke in the debate on the mock sustainable energy bill.
Prakash said he really enjoyed question time in the debating chamber and being part of select committees.
He is grateful to King for giving him such a great opportunity.
"I'm really enjoying my time with some of the most politically-minded people in the country," he said.
"Parliament itself is a bit overwhelming, but I'll say thanks to my family who have travelled from Kawakawa and Canada to support me in Parliament, and to Matt King, who came down to support me and help me through it."
Youth Parliament is a triennial initiative organised by the Ministry of Youth Development and the Office of the Clerk.
It provides an opportunity for young people from around Aotearoa to actively work and be heard on topics and issues they are passionate about.
The programme runs through to August 2019.
King said he selected Prakash last year "because he's a smart young lad with a lot of potential".
"Meghshyam did a great job, and it was well worth coming down to Wellington to see him in action."
Music festival
Lovers of jazz and blues can revel in three days of their favourite tunes at the Bay of Islands Jazz and Blues Festival from August 9 to 11.
More than 45 jazz and blues bands from New Zealand, Australia, Japan and the United States will play at various venues in Paihia and Russell.
Dezzie D and the Stingrayz, from Australia. Photo / Supplied
Steve Arvey, from the US, one of the world's leading exponents of cigar box guitars and one of two acts from the US, 10 from Australia and one from Japan. Photo / Supplied
James Southwell, one of 10 acts from Australia. Photo / Supplied
Highlights will include Whakatane's Fiona Cosgrove who's earned herself a reputation as a powerhouse soulful singer, and the Nairobi Trio who are celebrating 30 years together having produced 10 albums and countless international tours.
Also performing is Steve Arvey from Florida, considered by many to be one of the top cigar box guitar players in the world.
Badges cost $80 for all three days or $60 for a day pass.
Visit www.jazz-blues.co.nz for details.
Beastly fun
Entries are now open for the rough n' tumble Bay of Islands Beast event on August 24.
Dress up in your old gear or a colourful fancy-dress costume and get ready to walk, run or crawl the super tough 6km course over rolling countryside.
Participants will also have to traversing rugged, uneven terrain, navigate swamps, river crossings and steep hills and be prepared to get covered in mud.
This is the fifth time Sport Northland is staging the tough but fun event, which will start at 11am at Black Bridge Rd, Haruru.
The Paihia Volunteer Fire Brigade will again be hosing participants off once finished - which is optional - and participants can enjoy a hot mug of soup with fried bread and a sausage sizzle.
Visit www.runwalkseries.co.nz for tickets and more information.
Beach clean
Save the date and mark your calendar; the Bay Beach Clean has two events coming up where locals are needed to get their hands dirty.
The beach clean-ups are in association with Bay Bush Action, Alongside and Northland Waste on August 11 and September 15.
Team A starts at Waitangi bridge at 8am and Team B starts at Te Haumi Beach at 9am.
There are also beach clean-ups in October and November.
For more details and dates visit www.baybushaction.org.nz
• If you have an upcoming event or a snippet of news you'd like to share, email jenling@windowslive.com along with your contact details.
