News briefs: Charity run all go

The Mini Mack crew, seen here at last month’s’s Touch a Truck event at Hurupaki School, is one of the teams taking part in the annual Northland to Invercargill Pork Pie charity run later this year. Photo / Michael Cunningham

Pork Pie Charity Run revs up

It’s an iconic Kiwi road race based on an even more iconic Kiwi movie - and the Pork Pie Charity Run is set to start its hike to Invercargill from Paihia next month.

The epic charity event sees a fleet of Minis head to Invercargill over six days and it’s a 1855km trek that tests the vehicles and their crew, with all proceeds going to Kids Can. They will follow the route of the Blondini Gang in the classic Kiwi movie Goodbye Pork Pie and many Northlanders take part.

The first bi-annual run took place in 2009 with 36 teams making the trip from Kaitaia to Invercargill over five days. The subsequent six runs have seen participant numbers increase to a 60-car maximum with the run extended to six days on the road. This year’s journey starts in Paihia on March 31 and the first cars should hit Invercargill on April 5.

The Run has raised funds for Starship Hospital, Leukaemia & Blood Cancer New Zealand and KidsCan. To date over $1,000,000 has been raised, with $320,000 raised in 2021. For more details go to https://www.porkpie.co.nz/

Balladeers performing

Scottish balladeer Frank Burkitt and his band will wrap up the Summer Folk Series at the Turner Centre in Kerikeri next week — and we have double tickets to give away to two lucky readers. To be in to win all you have to do is email baynews@northernadvocate.co.nz with your name, address and contact phone number. We’ll draw the winners on Sunday and notify the winners by phone. The show starts at 7.30pm on February 16 in the Turner Centre Theatre Bar. The band’s style ranges from Burkitt’s stripped-back, pensive folk ballads to their own brand of foot-tapping Americana. Previously based in Aotearoa, Burkitt won a Tūī in the 2019 Vodafone NZ Music Awards for Best Folk Artist. The band’s lineup includes Whangarei’s own Cameron ‘Dusty’ Burnell on mandolin and slide guitar. If you miss out on the giveaway some tickets are still available via www.turnercentre.co.nz.

FENZ may get site security

Community consultation is underway on a proposal to provide Fire and Emergency New Zealand (FENZ) security of tenure over four council-administered sites that will enable FENZ to better plan and invest in services. Far North District Council wants feedback on the proposal to grant FENZ long-term leases at 3985 State Highway 1, Northern Aupōuri, Pukenui; 699 Rangiputa Road, Karikari; 721 Taupō Bay Road, Taupō Bay, and 1089 Broadwood Road, Broadwood. The proposed lease term for each site is 30 years and assets at each location will be transferred to FENZ. Submissions will be heard after the February 27 cut-off by each community board – Te Hiku, Kaikohe-Hokianga and Bay of Islands-Whangaroa – which will then make recommendations to the council. Submissions can be made at the ‘Have Your Say’ page on the council website.

Better Herds coming

CRV is bringing its Better Herd Events to Northland dairy farmers next month to help them understand their options and explore what might work for their business. At 6pm on March 2 at the Dargaville Boat Club farmers can learn more about the latest genetics CRV has on offer, its world-leading sexed semen technology; and options to capture, interpret and link data for better decision-making. Local farmers from each area will also be on hand to share what they have done to achieve their breeding goals, while tackling increasing regulatory and financial challenges. For more information and to register your interest visit www.crv4all.co.nz.