Just to  let you know that you can hear your 8 candidates and 2 Mayoral Candidates speak (5 minutes each) at Picton Primary School

Tuesday  14th September 2010 7.30-9.30pm

For further information, please contact either

Hilary Colquhoun 03 573 6157 hjcpicton@yahoo.co.nz

or Chris Davies 03 573 8131 chrisdavies92003@yahoo.com.au

Looking forward to seeing you there,

Tika

Just wanted to bring your attention to NZTradeNetwork, an online marketing site for small businesses. If you are a small business or someone wanting to find a company to do a job for you, this is the site for you.

Check out the Marlborough Express article today 19th August 2010:

Playing field levelled

Network brings buying power to small businesses

By Michael Berry – The Marlborough Express

“It’s hard out there for the little guy, so it’s time for small businesses to unite and save rather than divide and fall, says a Blenheim entrepreneur.

James Hedley launched NZtradenetwork.co.nz last week to create a network for small businesses to band together for the good of them all.

It was free to join and had about 300 members already, he said.

“It’s growing fast and it’s something that’s been needed in New Zealand for a long time.”

Running a small asphalt driveway company in Blenheim showed him first-hand how difficult it was for small businesses to be competitive and profitable in the face of large nationalised companies, he said.

That struggle sowed the idea in his mind of levelling the playing field.

“There are expenses that most businesses have in common … we negotiate deals with suppliers fortified by our collective strength, then we hand those deals down to the individual businesses giving them huge buying power that no one business could ever achieve.”

A group of small businesses could get the good insurance premiums, the cheaper pricing for materials and other benefits usually the domain of large businesses, he said.

And the larger the network’s membership, the more bargaining power.

click to enlarge for article

“Our main aim is to provide all the advantages to small businesses that big businesses have … buying power, marketing exposure, support, opportunity and networking.”

The network would also be a forum for more business, with members able to support other people in a similar position and post requests for products and services, he said. Members could then bid on doing the job. “As a small guy, you can be the best in your field, but if people don’t know you exist it doesn’t matter.”

Any Kiwi-owned business with a turnover less than $30 million could join the network, he said.

The website would make money from advertising once enough traffic went through it, he said.”

There was also an article in The Sun yesterday

So if you are a small business or a customer, join up! Keep abreast of the latest with NZTradeNetwork Facebook. Of course if you are in Picton or the Marlborough Sounds you should also be on here Picton Marlborough Directory, Picton Juice.

If you are thinking of a new roof in either asphalt or shingle shakes, Marlborough Shingle and Shake Roofing Ltd is the company for you.

Owner Tim Newsham is the only Cedar Shake and Shingle Bureau Certified Installer of cedar roofing products in New Zealand, and he enjoys and encourages working with the owners and architects right from the concept plans. This gives the owners all the options to achieve the look they want and it can save significant time and costs by getting the drawings and consent applications correct the first time.

For all house building projects, it makes financial and practical sense to do it right the first time. Therefore, all the team at Marlborough Shingle and Shake Roofing Ltd are required to address every detail of the entire roof system to ensure absolute water tightness for the entire length of the roofing product.

Whether it be a roof penetration like a chimney, or a gutter detail, they go to extreme lengths to ensure that there will never be a chance of leaks.

Marlborough Shingle and Shake Roofing will also issue you with a Producer Statement guaranteeing its workmanship and have developed systems to ensure perfection of application, and our fine finishing detail ensures the best possible look for the materials.

Cruises leave from Picton Town Wharf for Ship’s Cove at 10.15am on Monday’s for the two night Backpackers Cruise.This cruise is available from 4 October 2010.

The vessel M.V. Flightless is an ex Navy Inshore Patrol boat, originally named Moa, which has been converted for your enjoyment.

Alternatively you can charter the entire vessel for a bare boat day rate private boat charter with skipper and one crew member provided or a tailored exclusive boat charter cruise. Catered or non catered, it’s up to you.

Just contact Backpackers Afloat – Picton Charters for more details.

In addition they will be offering Rugby World Cup cruising & accommodation options for central city Viaduct Harbour Auckland so book with them quickly and secure your holiday accommodation now.

Okay I’d best away and do some work… I might have to make do with a walk to Bob’s Bay to get my Marlborough Sounds hit for the day……bon voyage….tika

Sit back and relax on the Sounds Delivery Cruise, enjoy 80km of beautiful coast line in 3 hours, seeing coves and hidden bays, not seen from the Interisland ferries, whilst Cougarline deliver walkers to the Queen Charlotte Track and freight and fresh supplies to the remote homes and resorts along the Queen Charlotte Sound. Enjoy the skippers commentary on the natural environment and local history.

For more details and information please contact the Cougar Line office:
enquiries@cougarlinecruises.co.nz
+64 3 573 7925 (NZ free calling 0800 50 40 90)

Book now

Thank you for their watertaxi sponsorship of Indigo, Grace and Cloe on their fundraising run on 10th April 2010 for African kids with HIV.

See Mission Facebook

See previous blogpost on this event

Well if you are thinking of holidays and warmer climes and need your power boat or yacht delivered, Havelock based company Pinnacle Pacific are the team for the job. Pinnacle Pacific is committed to providing a high quality delivery service for power and yacht deliveries around New Zealand and the Pacific. They have a small, professional, maritime qualified team with a wide range of skills and experience in deliveries around New Zealand and other countries including Australia, Fiji, Vanuatu and Tahiti. From preparation to delivery, this yacht delivery company are there for you. Check out why you should choose them and contact them.

So just give them a call on 64 (0)3 577 6103 or email ask@pinnaclepacific.co.nz and tell them Tika sent you!

Love Picton, our stunning South Island seaside town, here’s the house for you.

Close to both Picton Primary, St Joseph’s Primary, and Queen Charlotte Secondary School, central to town with a large garden, this two storey villa may be the answer for you.
View the website now: www.stcatherines.co.nz

With 4/5 bedrooms/study, a large lounge and formal dining room, family bathroom, ensuite & shower room, laundry and fitted rimu kitchen/diner, it has plenty of space for your family.

With new garaging for 2+ cars/workshop space, and a covered outdoor entertaining area it will be a wonderful family home.

This post is a favour to a dear friend who has opted to return to the UK.
If you are interested in viewing/purchasing, please contact gill@stcatherines.co.nz
or phone : 021 228 5880
Okay everyone, I’d best get back to it,

Tika

Heralding the launching of the new  Destination Picton Online Guide, I urge you all to check it out – the visitor guide brochure advertises many local High Street businesses , and you can collect  copies of the printed brochure from the I-site centre and other Picton venues including Evolve.

Richard Briggs has a wonderful gallery of Picton images which are well worth a look, and should you require a local photographer, please feel free to contact him. You can check out other examples of his work at www.richardbriggsphotography.co.nz

Enjoy this fabulous sunshine, we are off to our eldest son’s wedding tomorrow!

Tika

Just a quick one today to prompt you to check out our newly launched site for The Portage Resort Hotel, a great venue for your wedding or conference, and a wonderful place to stay either whilst experiencing the Queen Charlotte Track or just to relax whilst on holiday.

The Portage also has three different dining venues, the Te Weka Restaurant, the more casual Snapper Bar and Cafe and The Retro Bar, making it an ideal destination for a romantic evening or weekend break.

The Marlborough Sounds area offers so many activity options, kayaking, mountain biking and walking. Check out Discover Portage and The Portage Adventure Centre for a host of options.

As you probably already know if you read my posts regularly I love art, so I’ll also mention that The Portage Resort  displays the work of senior New Zealand fine artists, offering workshops in painting, printmaking and writing, and offering its exhibiting artists a restorative retreat from the world. The Portage Hotel  lounge library has some wonderful New Zealand art books to peruse either sitting with a glass of wine on the deck in the summer, or snuggling by the fire in the winter.

If you are persuaded do book your Marlborough Sounds Accommodation at The Portage Hotel now.

As for me, I’d best go and feed my hens…..before I get stuck in to some work,

Enjoy your day,

Tika

Another glorious day in paradise with bright sun, blue skies – the door is open, the breeze drifting through, Anika Moa’s In Swings the Tide is playing from the kitchen where daughter Indigo and young friend Coco are making crumble from the delicious plums dripping from the garden trees and I just wanted to wish you all a happy New Year. 2010 feels like it’s going to be an awesome year.

Mouli and I took an evening stroll in the wind [do love the wind so - Celtic heritage ] along the foreshore last night admiring the new offices that have been going in – really dig the perspex office divide in Marlborough Sounds office – very groovy! – It’s looking cool, really hoping that there will be lots of glass in the building that’s still going up – fingers crossed and greenery throughout the car parking area.

Have really enjoyed a break from the computer, a tikitour to visit our eldest son Jakob in Invercargill, and then chilling at home with friends, weeding the veggie garden, harvesting broad beans and lettuces for salads – yum, browsing through the most recent World Sweet World magazine -= have to love the funky bookshelf made from books (intrigued, pick up a copy and check it out). Recycling or upcycling is becoming kinda trendy, has been for a while, but the message is important especially in view of the little achieved at the Climate Summit in Denmark. It’s got me thinking that we need to improve our own position… We do shred all our dedundent office paper and then use it for hen bedding before adding it to our compost system, and try and use our own bags around town if shopping, but it is alarming how much packaging there is on products.. maybe we could start Picton as a no plastic bag town. Anyone else keen?? Anyone out there!

(6th January 2010 just received my Greenpeace newsletter and came across tips to be more green at home)

Anyway I’d best actually go and do some work since my garden won’t supply me with everything! and remind me to tell you about our newly launched Portage site next blog.

Okay I’m off,

ciao tika x

Thank you to World Sweet World  from their free music download compilation of beautiful Folk/ Indie songs by very talented musicians from Wellington and Tauranga.