Ashburton Courier: November 28, 2019

Page 18, Ashburton’s The Courier, Thursday 28 November 2019
Schools get food plants
Mitre 10 Mega Ashburton garden consultant April Breading with a
group of Tinwald School children and their food plants. Mitre 10 has a
new programme running with Ashburton district schools, where
children pot up food plants donated by Mitre 10 to take home and grow.
Classes from Longbeach, Allenton, Hampstead, Carew, Borough and
Tinwald have been taking part.
New digital skills help Wanda return to work
Keen to re-enter the workforce after
raising afamily, Wanda Price realised
she needed to brush up on her computer
skills first.
“I had large gaps in my computer
knowledge, so Iknew that Ineeded to
fix this before Icould confidently apply
for jobs,” she says.
And fix it she is. Wanda is currently
studying the New Zealand Certificate in
Computing at Ara Connect in Timaru.
Run by Ara Institute of Canterbury,Ara
Connect offers free computing courses
for anyone wanting to gain skills and
confidence using digital technology.
“I chose Ara Connect because it had the
course Iwanted, it was free and it was
easy to get to. And the ‘pick and mix’
timetable really suits me with afamily.
The course is self-paced, so you’re only
focusing on what you’re doing.”
Wanda says she’s enjoying the course,
and likes her tutor’s teaching style.
“She has the ability to point you in the
right direction so you can then solve the
problem yourself. And approaching a
tutor at any time is never aproblem –
they’re only too happy to help.”
Wanda encourages others to become
adigital upskiller like her. “Definitely
give it ago! You’ll be amazed at all that
you learn and you’ll enjoy doing it.”
When she completes her certificate,
she’sgoing to weigh up whether to apply
for jobs or do further study.
Learn more about Ara Connect courses
at ara.ac.nz or by calling 0800 24 24 76.
2232861
Local news at www.starnews.co.nz
Topp exhibition on soon
There will be dress ups, information panels, original
clothing, audio visual displays and activities lined up
when the new Topp Twins exhibition opens at
Ashburton Museum this Saturday.
Four areas of the museum, including the Murney
Family Room and research room, will be used for the
large visiting exhibition, which runs until February 9.
Museum director Tanya Robinson said the exhibition
had arrived in a13m container and would take
two weeks to fully install.
‘‘It is the largest exhibition we have ever hosted here
and we are all super excited to have it.
‘‘It’s going to be fun and quirky.’’
Ms Robinson said the Topp Twins had along and
colourful history in New Zealand, that included
political activism, but they remained true kiwi icons
and were well­loved.
Akid’s trail would direct ayounger crowd around
the exhibition and would help introduce another
generation to the comedy and singing duo, she said.
The public is also invited to dress up in five sets of
replica clothing that portray the well known Topp
Twins personas of Prue and Dilly, Ken and Ken, The
Gingham Sisters, Raelene and Brenda, and Camp
Mother and Camp Leader.
Original Topp Twins costumes will also be displayed
and activity stations set up.
Information panels will tell the pair’s story and a
performance career that spans 40 years.
Activism work ‘empowering’
By John Keast
Morgan Trowland reckons he
could not live with himself if he did
not do all he could to save the
planet.
As such, the former Ashburton
lad, a civil engineer, is working
part­time with Extinction Rebellion
in London.
He believes it is important work,
and something has to change ‘‘as
we are on track to make life forms
extinct’’.
Mr Trowland, who went to
Borough, Intermediate and Ashburton
College, did not think
when he lived in Mid Canterbury
that he would become an activist.
He said Extinction Rebellion,
which has asked councils in New
Zealand to declare climate emergencies,
has apowerful logistical
plan and the organisation was
teeming with capable people.
Morgan Trowland in Ashburton
Domain.
He had worked with doctors
and lawyers and scientists, and
climate change deniers should talk
to scientists if they wanted proof of
the damage being done.
Ashburton Museum director Tanya Robinson and
senior curator Maryann Cowan try on some of the
dress-up items during the installation of the Topp
Twins exhibition.
Mr Trowland said one of his
most exciting roles had been
organising asite and stage for a
rally last year.
He was also involved in his local
branch in afundraising role.
He said for many involved the
penny had dropped that something
had to be done.
Mr Trowland said he was still
working as an engineer part time ­
‘‘you have to earn aliving’’ ­but
working with Extinction Rebellion
was ‘‘really empowering’’.
In his engineering role, he has
designed bridges in Canada and
India.
He was glad water issues were
top of the agenda now in New
Zealand that some might question
whether Mid Canterbury needed
to be covered in grass.
Mr Trowland is in Ashburton
briefly to visit family.