Whanganui contestant comes home to celebrate mum's milestone

Cathy Ranginui celebrated her retirement from nursing with her daughter Tracey, grandsons Finley and Darcy and son Kerry. Photo/Bevan Conley

Episode four of Project Runway NZ was a walk in the park for Whanganui contestant Kerry Ranginui.

After winning the episode three challenge, he had immunity from elimination so the pressure was off.

"I just enjoyed myself with that one," he says.

Kerry is visiting his hometown this week to celebrate with his mum Cathy Ranginui who has just retired from 32 years of nursing at Whanganui Hospital.

"I've taken breaks that add up to about eight years when I had my three children," she said.

Asked if she is proud of her designer son, Cathy said all three of her children make her proud.

Kerry's older brother Kahu is a soldier currently serving in Iraq and sister Tracey is an insurance broker and mum to sons Finley 12, and Darcy 10.

Darcy reckons it is "awesome" to watch his uncle on TV each week.

"I don't get to see them as often as I would like to so it's good to know I'm in their lives via the TV screen'" says Kerry.

Tracey and husband Joshua Hill live on a lifestyle block in Palmerston Nth where they have developed 5 acres of gardens.

"That is my retirement plan," says Cathy.

"I'm going to work in my garden, help Tracey with hers and I have hundreds of roses to plant."

Her husband Stuart has already retired and the family provide a rural welcome for Auckland-based Kerry when his busy schedule allows for visits home.

"Kerry can stroll around our place in his Karen Walker gumboots," says Tracey.

She is proud of her little brother who did a few hard years in Auckland before landing work as a pattern maker for Karen Walker.

While Kerry had an easy time on Project Runway this week, Whanganui's contestant on the Great NZ Bake Off missed the mark.

Clayton Barnett was on a creative roll after producing his Kowhai Park dinosaur slide cake on episode one, he made a pineapple upside-down cake with a tropical scene and a rhubarb slice cut in rounds rather than squares this week.

Although the judges pronounced his efforts well-baked and delicious, they said he failed to make the brief on both counts.

"I'd never made a pineapple upside-down cake before - at least I gave it a twist," he says.

"I now know that wasn't a slice but they liked the taste and that's what counts to me.

"I live to fight another day."

Project Runway: Mondays 7.30pm on TVNZ 2. The Great Kiwi Bake Off: Tuesdays 7.30pm on TVNZ 2.