The Star: June 13, 2019

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The Star Thursday June 13 2019 26 OUR PEOPLE Hawker ‘stands up for the small guy’ •From page 25 How did you begin advocating for the community? Well, I’ve lived in this community for 39 years this year, and I’ve always been someone who stands up for the small guy. Phillipstown is a marginalised community over the years, and to some extent the media only used to report the negative things that were going on in the community. But it’s actually a great community to be a part of. I just like to stand up for the underdog. Someone has to take on the fight. Like I say, the bigger they are it doesn’t matter to me. When I had a business, I had issues with the bank and I took them to the insurance ombudsman and I beat them. I was also on the board of trustees for Phillipstown School for 18 years. When Hekia [Parata] started on all the school closures, the first big rally that was held in Christchurch in Hagley Park was put together in eight days and over 3500 people turned up to that and I was the one that organised it. We stood up for what we believed in for our schools. So we actually took the Government to court and unfortunately, while we won the battle, the first round and the court found in our favour and said they weren’t allowed to do that, but the Government turned around and did it again and unfortunately the school ended up shutting down. There has been a bright side to the school shutting down and that’s the Phillipstown Community Hub. It’s run by the Phillipstown Community Trust, which I’m one of the founding members of. Twenty years ago we opened up our first small community centre in the corner of the school. When the school closed we were asked, did we want to take over the school site? We know why they did it, they needed a babysitter for their property. But now the reality is it’s more than just a babysitting proposition. It’s delivering for many organisations and communities across the city. There are up to 50 different groups who hire and use the spaces on a regular basis. On Saturday and Sunday afternoons, you go down there and you can’t get a car park, it’s busier than Colombo St. At the same time, we’re still only there at the whim of the ministry so we’re looking at avenues to try and change that. We see that the more we can develop it, work in partnership with the CDHB and the council, we can deliver community services not just for Phillipstown but all of Christchurch. Because of our location and proximity to the central city, it could be a community hub for the whole city. What is so important about Phillipstown and what would you like to see for its future? You’ve got to talk about the proximity of the city. I think if anybody’s thinking about where’s an up-and-coming area, Phillipstown is a prime area to be buying in. The reality is that prices compared to some parts of the city are very reasonable. From where I live, I can walk into the city in 20min and 20min the other way I can walk to Eastgate. We’ve got all the main bus routes, and before the earthquake we had a big rugby stadium. Something will be there. They should give the land back at Hagley Park and set up the cricket ground there. Re-do the old land at Lancaster Park, re-do that as a village green-type cricket venue down there. That way you can put floodlights in as well, that’s not going to be an issue. Whereas I can see a fight over them wanting to put in floodlights at Hagley Park, which I do not agree with. The purpose of that ground at Hagley Park was for the Cricket World Cup, that’s all it should have been for. They’ve got the ideal opportunity to redesign Lancaster Park, not just the stadium site. But they could have a purpose-built cricket venue and even put in some low level buildings for other sports. They could have all the international cricket right back here and it won’t be a burden on the people and there will be plenty of parking all around the sports ground. When we had the school, we used to open it up for parking and I was the co-ordinator for that. Up until we lost it, I had helped generate over $300,000 for the school just from car parking. That car parking service had been operating since the 1950s. They started charging two bob a car. That’s why the school was able to do so much for the families in the area. People always ask when you’re on a board of trustees, what’s your No 1 objective – the kids – it always had to be about the kids. Because we were able to generate this extra income, we were able to get the resources and support the families. This is why people were dumbfounded when we were chosen to close. We had a record second to none in terms of supporting Maori and Pacific students. NEIGHBOURLY SPIRIT: Wayne Hawker is one of the founding members of the Phillipstown Community Trust. Tell me a little bit about your family. I’ve been married to my wife Linda for 39 years this year. The house in Phillipstown was the first house we moved into. We have no intention of moving and even if I wanted to, I probably couldn’t afford it. I’ve got two grown up daughters. One lives in Kaiapoi with her three children and our other daughter, her husband and little boy live on the Gold Coast. But they’re actually shifting back to Christchurch permanently in 10 days, so they’ll be shifting in here for a few weeks while they get themselves sorted. What do you do for a job? I’m a baker by trade, I’ve been doing that since the day I left school. Where I’m working now is pies, we make about 10,000- 12,000 a day. Our company has the contract for the Z petrol stations. We have a wide variety of pies. There are two factories, one here in Christchurch and one up in Napier. The Christchurch factory does the South Island and Napier does the North Island. We also export some overseas. Where did you grow up? I come from a big family of 10 kids, I’m No 4 on the list. We did, as you did back in those days, move a lot. We lived in Papanui, then in Riccarton, then we were living in Hornby. From there, that’s when I left school, got a job and moved out of home. I went flatting with some friends for a while, got married and shifted in here. I’ve been here ever since. What are your hobbies? I’m very much involved in the sport of netball. This is my 21st year being involved in netball. I’m on the committee of the Cashmere Netball Club, I served 12 years as their president, I was secretary, coaching co-orindator, umpire co-ordinator and I’m currently treasurer of the club. I’m a qualified umpire and a coach. I usually wait and see where they need coaches and step in. I’m currently coaching four teams. Because I work nights, my days are free, which allows me to do everything I have been doing over the years. What other community/ volunteer roles do you have? I joined my first committee when I was 17, I’m now almost 62. There’s a few years that I wasn’t, but I’ve been involved on the rugby league school boys committee. I’ve been on the Akaroa Trotting Club before they started doing it automatically, I used to be a timekeeper for the race meetings out at Motukarara. I spent 18 years on the board of trustees at Phillipstown School, I’m one of the founding members of the Phillipstown Community Centre and trust, and have 21 years involvment with the Cashmere Netball Club as well. I’ve received a bit of recognition over the years from Volunteering Canterbury. I received a community service award from the Hagley- Ferrymead Community Board, I received a volunteer recognition for my work on the board of trustees and a service volunteer award for netball, and I was named volunteer coach of the year. While it’s nice to get those recognitions, that’s not why you do it. What motivates you to do all that work for the community? You do it knowing you’re making a difference. I’ve always been of the attitude, if you ever want any work done, give it to a busy person. I enjoy it, otherwise I wouldn’t do it. TOGETHER AGAIN STARTING 1 JULY Simon Barnett and Phil Gifford Afternoons. Christchurch 100.1 FM 12PM – 4PM TUESDAY - FRIDAY NEWSTALKZB.CO.NZ
The Star Thursday June 13 2019 news online at www.star.kiwi READERS’ PHOTOS 27 If you want to win a double movie pass – get clicking. Each week The Star will give away a double movie pass to the best photo sent in by a reader. Send your photos to martin.hunter@starmedia.kiwi. Put ‘photo competition’ in the subject line and include your name, address and phone number RUST NEVER SLEEPS: Carol Engler, Wigram. WINNER: Dao Trieu, Redwood. ON THE LOOKOUT: Peter O’Brien, Avonhead. ATTENTIVE: Zoey Downes, Heathcote. SUNRISE: Anthony Apanui De Goldi, Mairehau. Continence Awareness Week 17-23 June, 2019 Incontinence impacts one in four of us and can greatly affect our quality of life. Incontinence Products Mobility Needs Household & Daily Living Rehab & Protection Place an order over the phone 0800 213 313 or shop online radiusshop.co.nz Christchurch Start readers get a special offer by using the promo code: CHCHWinter Promo code valid until 30/06/2019 Feel confident and in control every day with our quality range of incontinence products designed especially to suit your needs.
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