976 days ago

Father and son graduate together

Competenz

Another great story!
Southland father and son, Robert and Bobby Baird have recently received their forestry qualifications, proving you are never too old to learn.

While Robert has practical experience gained during four decades in the bush, he says vocational training like the qualification he has just done is helping keep people safe.

Competenz assessor Neville Muir worked with Bairds throughout their training programme.

“Bobby is very driven to succeed and very organised. He’s also very keen to continue upskilling his crew and there are a lot of different certificates still to do,” he says.

While Bobby is his boss at work, Robert turns back into ‘dad’ at the end of the day. “I give him a hand during the day when he’s got a lot of work on. We have a great relationship and it’s a magic thing to be able to do to work with your son.”

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More messages from your neighbours
3 days ago

The Tova Show

Jen from Stuff

Hello! Are you a …
- A student/young professional renting
- A young family, renting or owning
- An older New Zealander/retiree/pensioner

We’re reaching out from the Tova show, the flagship weekly politics podcast on Stuff, as we prepare for our budget coverage and how it’s affecting Kiwis - we’d love to hear from you.

We need a few people who are available the week before the budget (Wednesday 22nd/Thursday 23rd May) and on the day of the announcement (Thursday 30th May).

Please email tova@stuff.co.nz or comment below if you’d like to share your perspective with us. We give you our commitment to treat your experience with sensitivity and care.

Type NFP if you don't wish your comments to be used.

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3 days ago

Share your New Zealand music memories...

The Team from Neighbourly.co.nz

It's NZ Music Month and New Zealand really has some beautiful songs from artists that we call our own.

Whether it's April Sun in Cuba, Don't Forget your Roots, or How Bizarre or Bic Runga's 'Sway' - songs have a way of unlocking memories and evoking old feelings.

In honour of NZ Music Month, share a New Zealand song or artist that is special to you and explain why.

Type 'Not For Print' if you wish your comments to be excluded from the Conversations column of your local paper.

18 hours ago

And the 2024 Prospa Local Business Hero is...

Prospa

A huge congratulations to mother and son duo, Mary and Sam Danielson from The Puketapu Hotel.

The votes for all finalists have been tallied and they have been chosen by Neighbourly members across the country as the Prospa Local Business Hero of 2024.

The Puketapu Hotel was nominated by a local called Margaret and the nomination reads:
'On Feb 14, 2023, Cyclone Gabrielle flooded many of the rural areas. Puketapu Hotel went under perhaps half a meter of water. However, immediately Mary Danielson and her son, Sam Danielson, along with their loyal staff pulled it together to cook copious amounts of food that without electricity would have been wasted. Throughout the years many of us have been treated with a pub gathering where we can reconnect and a free meal. At Christmas there was Santa, games, gifts for kids, donated patchwork for adults, an ice cream truck and lots of camaraderie.
This February on the cyclone anniversary, they again pulled out the stops to give hundreds of us a special night. We are all tired of the cyclone cleanup and they understood that it was needed.'

Such a deserving business and team, well done Mary and Sam. And thank you to all those who voted!

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