We’ve just finished Day 1 of a whole weekend’s fundraising for the Nelson Environment Centre. The Parliamentary netball and rugby teams are in Nelson to do their bit for this 30 year old charitable organisation. The NEC is dear to my heart. Last year I went with Helen Clark to open its new premises down on the waterfront. Trevor also gave them money for useful climate change projects when he was Environment Minister but that has been cut this year. So it’s back to fundraising.
One of the great projects they had developed was an online sytem for businesses to assess their carbon footprint and monitor their reduction of waste or emissions, along with some clever incentives and rewards donated by local businesses.
Today the Local Movers and Shakers team, captained by netball novice Tasman Mayor Richard Kempthorne beat the Parliamentary team 35-15. Bad luck guys! Kelvin Davis looked good in his GK bib and was the model of politeness, apologising every time he bumped into his opposition – not something you would ever see Norma Plummer doing!
Tonight we’ve had a “Just a Minute” evening, modelled on the BBC show of the same name, chaired by Nelson Mayor, Kerry Marshall. Great fun, like a quiz show crossed with a talking talent quest. The cross-party MPs’ team won this time (me, Nick Smith, Damien O’Connor, Amy Adams) with all credit going to Amy Adams whose legal training stood her in good stead as she spoke slowly, relentlessly and without hesitation, deviation or repetition on “Behind the Shearing Shed”! Plenty of dags in rural Canterbury by the sound of it!
$1000 from the Parliamentary Rugby Trust, an auction of extraordinary recycled things from the NEC Recycle Shop (known as Mitre 11 to the rest of us) and some nice items donated by the Parliamentary XV made the evening worthwhile for the NEC as well as fun for the community.
Tomorrow tune in to Sky Rugby channel at 12.20pm to see the Parliamentary XV vs Buccaneers (Golden Oldies club with a 50 year history) match, the curtainraiser to the Auckland vs Tasman Makos Air NZ cup game. John Carter (Nat) and I will be the commentators god help all who listen! Go low and go gentle with those Buccaneers you guys…..
Sounds like a great organisation! Good on them
…and with the Greens ignored completely. Sue’s absence already having an effect…
“And with the Greens ignored completely.”
The NEC has to be seen as an non partisan apolitical organisation
which to their credit they achieve really well.
However it’s obviously staffed by committed environmentalists as the name would suggest……
You fill in the blanks Mr Leopold
Great to see the good work being done in my hometown
(oh and go the Makos!)
I…hurt…EVERYWHERE!
Hey Cal – the Makos won against Auckland this afternoon – woo hoo! 12-8. The Herald’s calling it a David and Goliath contest. Perhaps the authorities will think again about squeezing the smaller RFUs out of the big league as they had at the end of last year. After all, Nelson Bays as it then was, produced Todd Blackadder who of course went on to become an ABs’ captain.
Which allows me to segue nicely into the Parliamentary XV vs the Buccaneers which was the curtainraiser – Toddy played for the Buccaneers you see. What a nice man he is! See separate blog for that.
@ Leopold – don’t know why the Greens weren’t there. Mike Ward participated in the “Just a Minute” show on Saturday night – and very good he was too. He said there only had to be another 4-5 resignations from the Greens and he’d be back in Parliament!
Good to hear that the event went well Maryan, and thanks to everyone who was able to take part. NEC is a great organisation, which has not been well-treated by the current Government, and will make very good use of the funds raised.
Unfortunately word about the weekend’s events was relatively late arriving, and I was already committed to events in Hamilton and Auckland. I’m pleased Mike was able to take part in “Just a Minute”. I’m not in either the parliamentary rugby or netball teams – but looking forward to Taupo Cycle Challenge!