Northland news in brief: Guide dog appeal; house fire and Rotary fun run

Blind Low Vision NZ Guide Dog Puppy Appeal week is coming up and Northlanders can help

Support guide dogs

Blind Low Vision NZ Guide Dog Puppy Appeal week is taking place from March 18 and Northlanders can play their part. The annual event aims to support blind and low vision people by providing them with highly trained guide dogs to enhance their independence and navigate the challenges of daily life.

There are around 193,000 people living with blindness or low vision. The journey to becoming a guide dog is not an easy one, accompanied by a significant cost of approximately $175,000 to raise, train, and maintain one guide dog in service.

Street collection volunteers will be collecting March 22 and 23 March or people can donate online at blindlowvision.org.nz. Your donation will directly contribute to raising and training puppies, as well as helping to reduce the waiting list for guide dogs.

House fire investigated

An investigation is under way to determine the cause of a fully engulfed house fire at an address in Ruakākā on Saturday. Firefighters were called at 2.05am and attended the scene with five fire trucks. A Fenz spokesperson said they extinguished the flames hours later and confirmed that no person was hurt during the incident. A fire investigator attended the scene yesterday and is investigating the cause of the fire.

Earthworks warning

Northland landowners are being advised to check they won’t be affecting a wetland before starting any earthworks or vegetation clearance works on their property. Northland Regional Council compliance monitoring manager Tess Dacre said since Christmas, the council had received several reports of wetland incidents, ranging from vegetation clearance to earthworks, including draining works. Penalties for Resource Management Act breaches, such as draining a wetland, include an up to $600,000 fine for a company and $300,000 fine for an individual. More information on wetlands can be found at www.nrc.govt.nz/wetland

Rotary fun run

The Bay of Islands Rotary Club Colour Fun Run is returning to Paihia. The family event is a non-competitive, fun run for all ages and abilities on March 23 from 10am. People are encouraged to dress up in their best white outfits and walk or jog the event which starts at Horotutu Park, Marsden Rd and raises funds for the community. Phone 0800 289 849 for tickets.

Sola Rosa coming

Critically acclaimed Kiwi band Sola Rosa is all set to take the stage at PhatHouse Brewing pub as they arrive at Haruru, Bay of Islands on March 16.

Sola Rosa is the ongoing, ever-evolving project of Andrew Spraggon, one of the country’s foremost and most successful songwriters and producers.

An alchemist in the studio who amalgamates elements of soul, R’n’B, funk, jazz, hip-hop, pop and more, Spraggon is an intuitive collaborator who places emerging talent alongside established artists to create music, which is warm, distinctive and polished.

Tickets are at www.ticketfairy.com/event/sola-rosa-dj-set-16mar2024