Bay Harbour: April 06, 2022

Bay Harbour News Wednesday April 6 2022
12
NEWS
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Award-winning conductor’s vision for band
SUMNER SILVER Band has
welcomed an award-winning
conductor into its ranks.
Last year Ray Blampied retired
from his role as musical director
for the band and handed the
baton over to John Mason, of
Tasmania.
Mason has been a member of
the NZ Army Band for seven
years, and also played BBb Bass
with the NZ National Band
at the 2017 world brass band
championships.
He won the BBb Bass solo at
the NZ national championships
in 2016 and 2017, and finished
second in the Eb Bass solo
in 2021. He is also a playing
member of Woolston Band.
Mason’s strategy to ensure a
strong future for the Sumner
band includes the establishment
of a development band to run
alongside the main one. This
group will be open to anyone
from the age of 10 upwards who
has a basic ability on a brass
band instrument and wishes to
build on this by playing in an
ensemble.
It will meet on Thursdays
at Redcliffs School, prior to
the main Sumner band
practice.
Mason is also available as a
brass instrument teacher and
can be contacted via the band’s
website.
Although the RSA has
decided to limit the Anzac Day
commemoration in Sumner
this year, the band will still be
playing before and after the short
service at the memorial gates.
As a community band Sumner
is always ready to welcome brass
players into its ranks. The band
practises from 6.30-8.30pm
every Thursday evening at
Redcliffs School.
Contact Peter Croft on 3849
534 or visit the band’s website if
you are interested.
HELM: John
Mason, the
conductor for
Sumner Silver
Band, intends
to establish a
development
band to run
alongside the
main one.
Harbour benefits from Jobs for Nature
NEW COLLABORATION: Many locals are employed in
the programme and are learning how to make a positive
contribution to conservation.
LOADED UP: Daniel Byrnes (centre photo), Kamahi for Nature team member at Rāpaki,
out setting traps. So far the team have removed 400 pest animals.
‘BY MANY hands the task
is completed’ is the new
programme bringing together
conservation workers to restore
the environment of Lyttelton
Harbour.
Conservation Volunteers
New Zealand (Ōtautahi) has
partnered with Te Hapū o Ngāti
Wheke at Rāpaki, and Living
Springs at Allendale, to manage
a restoration programme in
Lyttelton Harbour.
The programme is called He
rau ringa e oti ai – by many
hands the task is completed.
“Our goals are to increase
resilience through the protection,
maintenance and restoration of
the environment, following the
Whaka-Ora Healthy Harbour
management plan. This aims to
restore the harbour ki uta ki tai
(from mountains to the sea),”
said Conservation Volunteers
New Zealand co-ordinator Katie
Dunlop.
The programme is funded
for three years through the
Department of Conservation’s
Jobs for Nature fund and will
employ 48 people over three
years.
Many locals are employed
in the programme and
are learning how to make
a positive contribution to
conservation, through the
provision of practical, naturebased
experiences and skill
development.
The benefits for Lyttelton
Harbour are wide-spread and
numerous. The current focus
is on managing pest, plant and
animal species at Living Springs
and Rāpaki, restoration of native
habitat through riparian and
general planting projects, and
community engagement.
One of the overall goals is
to improve the water quality
in the harbour by reducing
sedimentation.
So far on Rāpaki land the team
have removed over 400 pest
animals and will be planting
over 12,000 trees and plants this
coming planting season starting
in May.