Northland news in brief, parade for hockey gold medallists and Mother's Day walk

A "Gold Parade" will be held in Whāngarei tomorrow to honour the five Northlanders, including captain Stacey Michelsen, above, who won hockey gold at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

Black Sticks parade

A "Gold Parade" will be held in Whāngarei tomorrow to honour and celebrate the five Northland Black Sticks who won hockey gold at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.

The Black Sticks upset the favoured Australians in the women's hockey final last month, with five of the team - captain Stacey Michelsen, Ella Gunson, Brooke Neal, Madison Doar and Sam Harrison either living or with origins in Northland. Hockey Northland wanted to celebrate the players' achievement and has been delighted with the level of community support pledged for a "Gold Parade" to celebrate the five.

The parade will start from Forum North about 12.20pm, then head to the Town Basin where a stage will be set up to welcome the players and honour their winning efforts.

Horticulture NZ votes

Northland will have two seats on the nine-member Horticulture New Zealand board if Dargaville kumara grower, farmer, employer and chartered accountant Kathryn de Bruin is successful in director elections which opened on Tuesday, with voting closing on May 28.

If she manages to secure one of the two seats which she and three other candidates are contesting in the poll she will join Kerikeri kiwifruit and mandarin grower David Kelly on the board. He is a member of the Zespri Innovation Advisory Forum and a leading member of the horticulture industry in the Bay of Islands.

The election will fill vacancies caused by directors John Cook and Mike Smith standing down. Cook is not seeking re-election but Smith is.

Mother's Day fun run

Ticket sales for New Zealand's biggest Mother's Day event, which includes a version in Paihia, close midnight tomorrow. The Jennian Homes Mother's Day Fun Run/Walk will see thousands of participants run or walk 5km in support of the "Heart Foundation for Women" campaign.

The event will take place in 32 locations nationwide, including at Paihia, on May 13 with participants joined by Commonwealth and Olympic Games athletes. Both the 8.7km run or run/walk and 6km walk start on Marsden Rd, next to the Paihia Village Green, from 9am. Visit www.jennianmothersday.com for more information.

Scholarship winner

A Whāngarei man has received a $6000 scholarship. Brad Olsen, of Ngunguru, who is completing a conjoint Bachelor of Commerce and Arts at Victoria University of Wellington, has been awarded a $6000 Freemasons University Scholarship.

For 40 years Freemasons from throughout New Zealand have awarded nearly $5.2 million in scholarships. Olsen is completing studies while working as an economist at leading economic consultancy, Infometrics Ltd. As New Zealand's Queen's Young Leader in 2016, Olsen was recognised for his services to the youth sector. In 2017 he was elected chairman of the Wellington City Youth Council, and executive director of Commonwealth Youth New Zealand.