2020: a year in flags

From global warming and Covid flags to recently departed friends and berating Netflix, Paekākāriki local Keith Johnson’s choice of a remarkable range of flags often comments cleverly on issues. Flown from a flagpole on the northern edge of the Kāpiti village, he shares the reasons behind his 2020 selections.

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Paekākāriki advances north!

Making use of the land you already have becomes a keen issue nationwide as the availability of property becomes more difficult. In Paekākāriki the community has begun making better use of grounds they have access to – a strip of land between the village’s northern boundary and the Paekākāriki Holiday Park.

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Bringing us sunshine

From working alongside international greats like Sir Laurence Olivier and Dame Maggie Smith during the formation of British modern theatre, to heading Downstage Theatre and developing drama in education, Paekākāriki resident Sunny Amey has helped shape live theatre in Aotearoa New Zealand as we know it today. Now in her nineties and still treading the boards, Sylvia Bagnall looks back on Sunny’s extraordinary career, with images from her archive.

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Part rockstar, part poet. A birthday blessing.

Ahead of his celebrations this weekend, Dunedin-based writer, Kay McKenzie Cooke celebrates a ‘significant birthday’ for much-loved poet and independent publisher Michael O’Leary aka the Earl of Seacliff.

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Paekākāriki Pride Festival: gone to the dogs

“It’s caused a bit of controversy. Some people felt quite strongly that they couldn’t possibly dress their dogs in the same outfit twice in one weekend, so we’re encouraging them to either find new outfits or chuck on the same one and teach their dog a new trick or two.”

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Daisy Wood: Plants by name, plants by nature

It’s only natural that Daisy Wood is passionate about medicinal herbs – both her names are from the plant world. The degree-trained medical herbalist and naturopath has a specialty interest in women’s health. Using herbs to heal, she turns plants into delicious teas and soothing tinctures.

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