News in brief from the Far North: Supermarket choice; airport blessing and award exhibition

The new FreshChoice Kaikohe team pictured after the supermarket reopened with a new design and community focus.

Supermarket choice

The new FreshChoice Kaikohe store has opened its doors with a refreshed design and community focus. The new owner-operators, Patrick and Paula-Lee Dudley, were excited to welcome the community into the supermarket last week. The opening ceremony included a pōwhiri, a ribbon-cutting, cake and a sausage sizzle. It was a special moment for Patrick Dudley, after starting out at Woolworths 32 years ago in Bay of Plenty as a store butcher and most recently managing the Woolworths Kerikeri store.

Airport blessing

The grounds at Kaitāia Airport were blessed last week ahead of the beginning of upgrade work funded by Te Arawhiti and Far North District Council. The ceremony was conducted by Anglican Archdeacon Fran Hokianga, marking an important milestone before construction starts. The blessing acknowledged the significance of the site and signalled the formal start of $7 million of works. The upgrade will be in three phases, with further details to be confirmed as contractors are assigned. Far North Holdings, the commercial arm of the council, will continue to operate the aerodrome while overseeing the project. To keep the community informed, the council has launched a monthly newsletter that will land in inboxes during the final week of every month.

Climate funding

Northland communities wanting to build climate change resilience can apply for grants of up to $40,000 from the Northland Regional Council’s Climate Resilience Communities Fund. Now in its third year, the fund aims to build community resilience to the effects of climate change by focusing on community-led initiatives and building local capacity to lead change. The fund has supported 45 projects across its five focus areas: Kai Resilience, Water Resilience, Nature-based Resilience, Energy Resilience and Planning for Resilience. These projects include 22 in the Far North, 10 in the Whangārei District, five in Kaipara and eight region-wide initiatives. Applicants can apply for grants of between $5000 and $40,000, with applications closing on April 27. For more information, visit www.nrc.govt.nz/climateresiliencefunding/.

Award exhibition

Te Kōngahu Museum of Waitangi at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds is the latest museum to have the honour of exhibiting the 2025 Kīngi Tūheitia Portraiture Award. This multifaceted exhibition highlights the talent and expertise of the 40 emerging Māori artists who entered this prestigious biennial award. The Kīngi Tūheitia Portraiture Award is a competition that encourages young Māori artists to create portraits celebrating and honouring their tūpuna (ancestors) through any artistic medium. The award and subsequent touring exhibition are hosted and administered by Te Pūkenga Whakaata The New Zealand Portrait Gallery in honour of the late Māori King, Kīngi Tūheitia Pōtatau Te Wherowhero VII. The exhibition will be on display at Te Kōngahu Museum of Waitangi at the Waitangi Treaty Grounds from until June 28.