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Thursday <strong>February</strong> <strong>15</strong> <strong>2024</strong><br />
Merv and Anji say goodbye<br />
after 29 years of service<br />
• By Sasha Watson<br />
THE HEI Hei and Hornby<br />
communities have said goodbye<br />
to well-known dairy owners,<br />
Balvant “Merv” Ravji and his<br />
wife, Anjana.<br />
After nearly three decades, the<br />
couple has sold the shop. They<br />
finished up on Sunday.<br />
Said Ravji: “We just need a<br />
break. It was an (open) seven-day<br />
business, which we have been<br />
running for 29 years. We’re not<br />
retiring, but want to enjoy our<br />
time and life while we still can.<br />
“We would like to humbly<br />
thank the whole community for<br />
their understanding . . . there has<br />
been an outpour of people who<br />
have thanked us and wished us<br />
well. We have been so welcomed<br />
by everyone throughout the<br />
years. We cannot thank them<br />
enough.”<br />
More than 200 well-wishers<br />
have bid the couple farewell<br />
online and in person.<br />
Said Greater Hornby Residents<br />
Association chair Derek Phelps:<br />
“Being the people they are, Merv<br />
and Anji wanted to keep it quiet,<br />
but we could not let them get<br />
away with that.<br />
“They are a fantastic couple<br />
who always give the most<br />
outstanding service and will<br />
be greatly missed. Merv has<br />
advised the new owners have had<br />
experience running a similar<br />
operation.”<br />
One well-wisher on Facebook<br />
mentioned their father, who was<br />
in a wheelchair, being greeted by<br />
Ravji at the door, so the owner<br />
could collect necessary items and<br />
take them back out to his father,<br />
which made life a bit easier.<br />
Wycola Hair Design’s Heather<br />
Jackson, who works at the salon<br />
next to the dairy, told <strong>Western</strong><br />
<strong>News</strong> she wished the couple “the<br />
very best for their next journey”.<br />
“They wanted their leaving to<br />
go under the radar – but I told<br />
them that’s not happening. Merv<br />
COMMUNITY ICONS: Hei<br />
Hei Dairy owners, Balvant<br />
“Merv” Ravji and his wife,<br />
Anjana have sold up after<br />
almost three decades.<br />
PHOTO: GHRA<br />
is very humble and doesn’t want<br />
to be in the spotlight.<br />
“Most businesses around<br />
here have changed owners<br />
over the last few years, but not<br />
the dairy. They become a part<br />
of the community’s daily life,<br />
taking an interest with everyone,<br />
supporting those who need it day<br />
and night,” she said.<br />
“During Covid-19 and<br />
throughout the restrictions,<br />
Merv had set himself up with a<br />
box outside the shop with bits<br />
and bobs. He continued to serve<br />
Hei Hei in any way he could.”<br />
In Brief<br />
3<br />
INVESTIGATION INTO<br />
DAIRY CONTINUES<br />
A police spokesperson said they<br />
are following strong lines of<br />
inquiry in an investigation into<br />
an alleged armed robbery at the<br />
Wycola Dairy in Hei Hei. Police<br />
were called to the dairy on<br />
Wycola Ave at about 4.05pm on<br />
Tuesday last week, after a person<br />
allegedly entered the store with a<br />
firearm, threatened an employee,<br />
and left before police arrived.<br />
Anyone with information is<br />
urged to contact police on 105.<br />
HORNBY ROTARY<br />
CLUB FUNDRAISER<br />
The Rotary Club of Hornby has<br />
about $200k out of $1.4 million<br />
left to fundraise for the Matatiki<br />
Hornby Centre, which is set to<br />
open in April/May. The club is<br />
asking for donations to be sent<br />
to its ‘Givealittle’ page or its ‘Buy<br />
a bubble’ campaign website –<br />
buyabubble.nz.<br />
ALL WELCOME AT AGM<br />
The Halswell Residents<br />
Association is hosting its<br />
annual general meeting on<br />
Monday, <strong>February</strong> 26, at the<br />
Halswell Hub. It will start at<br />
7pm with guest speaker Mike<br />
Molloy, the Knights Stream<br />
School principal, talking about<br />
the dynamics of teaching<br />
in a growing community.<br />
All welcome. Contact<br />
chairperson John Bennett on<br />
322 9755 or secretary.hra@<br />
gmail.com<br />
West Coasters<br />
Are you living off the Coast and would like to<br />
keep up with the local news and events?<br />
We have new digital editions available for subscription.<br />
Scan here<br />
digital.greystar.co.nz<br />
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