Ashburton Courier: December 03, 2020

NEWS
4 Ashburton Courier, December 3, 2020
www.ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Passion for flying rewarded
Happiest Season
Finally we have aromantic comedy
Christmas movie.Itain’t Love Actually,
but it’s still prettygood.
Kirsten Stewarts character plans to
propose to her girlfriend (MacKenzie
Davis) at her conservative parents’
house on Christmas Day. One problem,
her parents don’t know she’s gay.
A top rate, highly recognisable
supporting cast, an excellent script
and standout performances from
the lead roles makes for arom-com
devoid of cliches and a thoroughly
heart-warming Christmas flick.
Acheesy, fun and heartfelt romantic
comedy that gives afresh spin to a
stalegenre.
bookings ph 307 1230
www.regentcinema.co.nz
DOCKS
BAR &SEAFOOD GRILL
Duetohigh demand from
our customers,wehave
expanded our menu to
include ribeye steak
Agreat addition to our
existing seafood menu
We look forward to seeing youatDOCKS!
90-92 Harrison Street,Allenton, Ashburton
(oppositeAllentonShopping Mall). Tel03423 21 66
OPENING HOURS:Wednesday–Thursdayfrom5pm till late
(meal servicefrom5pm till 9pm)
Friday–Sundayfrom12pmtill late
(meal servicefrom12pmto2pmand from 5pmtill 9pm)
Monday&Tuesday–closed.
2320949
2338659
LINDA.CLARKE
@ashburtoncourier.co.nz
With his aviator jacket and helmet, a
young John Wilkinson imagined he
was the famous fictional fighterpilot
Biggles, conquering the skies.
Now,after 60 years of flying,John
has his own flying talestotell and a
hangaratthe Mid CanterburyAero
Club named in his honour.
The club saysJohn has been agreat
ambassadorfor flying,passionate
about his hobbyand contributed
greatlytothe running of their aero
club.
He was also madeanhonorary life
member of the club, which officially
openedits new hangar at the
weekend.
John’s new status was abit of a
surprise ­hethought he had been
asked along to openthe hangar.
He recountedsome early flying
stories, including how he cameto be
hookedonflying.
He was lucky to have ajoy ride in a
small plane when he was 12; the seed
was sown and by 16 he was learning to
fly.
‘‘My father was quite impressed but
my mother took some convincing. She
said, you can learn to fly as long as
you don’t go too high and too fast.’’
He remembered first lessons from
1956, with aformer air force pilot as
instructor.Dressed in aleather
jacket and helmet, John saidhefelt
like Biggles.
And the flying was heavenly,
although not always smooth.
Practisinganengine failure at liftoff,
John remembers beinginstructed
to swerve around atree at the end of
the runway and onto the nearby golf
course.
The golfersscattered in all
directions.
He said navigating was another
challenge, in those days flights were
plottedbymap, not GPS.
Johnmoved from Nelson to Mid
Retailers’
Xmas hours:
December 12, 9am­
3pm.
December 13,
10am­2pm.
December 17,
9am­8pm.
December 19,
9am­4pm.
December 20,
10am­3pm.
December 23,
9am­8pm.
2314174
Long­time aviatorJohn Wilkinson withhis family (from left) Debbie McGregor,
Jeannie Caney, Scott Fairclough and Holly Fairclough,inthe new Ashburton
airport hangar named after him.
Canterbury 35 years ago and
continued to fly.
‘‘I have had alot more pleasure
from flying than Ihave put into it. It
has been great.’’
Aero club compere at the hangar
opening Peter McQuarters said John
was avery handy pilot and had flown
for the Mid Canterbury club in New
Zealand flying competitions, doing
very well for many years.
He was presidentin1995.
‘‘He does not makeabig songand
dance and has been very generous.
His passion for flying and this club
and these people runs very deep.’’
The new hangar was completed
earlier this year but becauseofcovid,
the official opening was delayed.
The new building can
accommodate eight or nineplanes,
including the four that the club owns.
The aero club is also in the throes
of relocatingthe former iSite
buildingfrom East Street to be its
new clubrooms. Anew concrete pad
is being laid at the airport and the
buildingwill be transported out there
soon.
The first hangar at the airport dates
back to the 1920s,when one was built
for 250 pounds, considered apricey
sum at the time.
The new hangar has been built
through the fundraising efforts of
members and a$20,000 grant from the
Community Trust of Mid and South
Canterbury.
Nurse Tori among first
Timaru campus cohort
MICK.JENSEN
@ashburtoncourier.co.nz
Former AshburtonCollege
studentToriWatsonis
amongthe first cohortfrom
Ara's Timaru campusset to
graduate with aBachelor of
Nursing degree.
The 21­year­old expects to
find out her final exam
resultsinmid­December
and is eyeing agraduation
ceremony with 14 others in
her class in February.
Tori hasajoboffer
working in paediatrics in
Timaru that is conditional
on passingthe Nursing
Council of NewZealand
state finalexaminations.
After three years of study,
Nursing graduate Tori
Watson
she is lookingforward to getting into apaid
nursingrole.
Her study debtislowerthan many
graduating students, in part duetohaving
her fees paid by the government in the first
year.
She has alsolivedathome over the past
three yearsand tookadvantage of the free
bus laid on from Ashburton to Timaruby
Ara, particularly in her firstyear.
Acollaborative relationship between Ara
and the South CanterburyDistrict Health
Board gave Tori andher fellow nursing
students easyaccess to clinical placements.
To be able to sit her final stateexams she
neededtorackup1100 hours of placement
experience.
Tori combinedlectures
andtutorialswith stints
workinginarest­home, in a
medical/surgical
environment and in mental
health.
Shemissed out on working
in aGPpractice becauseof
covid, but worked on a
disasternursing group
project instead.
Herfinalplacement was a
nine­week stint in
paediatrics andafield of
nursing that shereally
enjoyed.
‘‘I loved working with
children and Ihope to
continuegoinginthat
direction.’’
Longer term, she was
considering specialising in
paediatrics anddoing apost­graduate
certificate.
Tori said nursingfor her was aboutbeing
kind, caring andpatient.
While at school she had considered
joining thepolice force,but had changed
direction after adviceabout her eyesight.
The changeofdirectionhad taken place in
Year 13 and she hadneeded to study biology
onlinetogain enoughcredits to apply for
nursing.
Tori says nursing is the right career choice
for her and she can’t waittoget started.
Outside of herstudies, she is into health
andfitness. Sheenjoys tramping and
running and has worked part­timeatEA
NetworksCentre in avariety of roles.