Southern View: February 22, 2024

Thursday February 22 2024 5
Trio race
to raise
funds
• By Dylan Smits
THREE PLUMBERS have
raised $15,000 for a construction
workers mental health charity by
competing in the Coast to Coast.
Chris Dick, 64, from Sumner
completed the race earlier this
month with his two colleagues
Clyde Andrews, 61, and Steve
Millson, 55.
“We had a lot of fun just getting
to the other side and doing
something like this with your
mates, helping raise money,
bringing some awareness to the
problem, made it all extra special,”
said Dick.
The 243km race is an annual
competition running from the
west to east coast of the South
Island featuring running, cycling
and kayaking.
Their team competed in the
two-day, three-person team
event, with Dick running,
Millson kayaking and Andrews
cycling.
The trio each run a branch of
the national brand Laser Plumbing,
with Dick’s branch based in
Ferrymead.
They chose the mental health
charity MATES in Construction
due to the high rate of suicide
ACCOMPLISHED: Three plumbers, from left, Clyde Andrews,
Steve Millson and Chris Dick at the Coast to Coast finish
line in New Brighton. They have more than 125 years of
plumbing experience between them.
and mental illness in the construction
industry.
“We have seen this in our
business over the years and we
work hard to talk openly or in
confidence and support each
other through tough times,” said
Dick.
A University of Otago study
in 2021 found people working in
the construction sector were at
two times greater risk of suicide
compared to the rest of the
workforce.
Dick said there are strong parallels
between the Coast to Coast
and increased mental health
wellbeing.
“There is a community of
support and encouragement
shared between competitors and
supporters that helps each other
achieve their purpose.”
The team had no position goal
and simply wanted to enjoy their
racing journey.
“These positive experiences can
really help when dealing with
mental health issues.”
Donations can be made to the
fundraiser until February 27
at givealittle.co.nz/fundraiser/
Fundraising tours
for Kansas City trip
• From page 1
“I’m so grateful to the director,
Virginia, who allowed an 8-yearold
to join alone... we wouldn’t be
where we are now... getting ready
for Internationals.”
However, sending such a big
group overseas comes with a big
cost - and the chorus needs help
with funding and donations.
That is why Penny Wenlock,
another chorus member and the
founder of Pukeko Junction Cafe,
is hosting a private event at her
restored 1850s historical home,
the Glenmore House.
“It is one of the few
old historical homes left
after the earthquakes. My
partner and I have spent
about two years repairing
the damage and building
the old house up to a
place of modern living,”
said Wenlock.
“It is such an extreme
joy to be in the chorus,
to be standing on the rises with
100 plus women and making
the most compelling chords
together.”
The fundraiser begins at three
different times; 11am-1pm; 1-3pm
and 3-5pm, and will take place on
March 3.
Those who take part in each
of the sessions will be seated and
served rustic homemade food for
Virginia
Humphrey-
Taylor
morning tea or afternoon tea, and
then be guided on a tour through
the house and gardens.
The profits from the event
will be donated to the chorus,
which was co-founded in 1985 by
Virginia Humphrey-Taylor, who
continues today as the musical
director.
The chorus is one out of about
650 groups which took part in the
preliminary competitions in each
of the participating countries.
Out of those groups, only 36
will go to the states to compete in
the competition.
“The top 11 choruses
in the world will get to
compete further for a
place in the top ten – and
as the overall international
champions,” said
Humphrey-Taylor.
“This year our focus
is on music from The
Greatest Showman. Being
in the choir, it’s like being
on Broadway.”
Tickets for the private event at
Penny Wenlock’s are limited and
cost $39 per person. They can be
purchased from trybooking.com/
nz/QZP by February 27.
To keep up to date with the
chorus’ fundraising, go to its
Facebook page, Christchurch
City Chorus or go to the website:
ccchorus.co.nz
Consider Chatswood
for your forever home
Brand new care suites available now at
Chatswood Retirement Village.
Contact either Rhonda on 027 507 0521
or Russell on 03 332 6343 at Chatswood
Best value care suites in
Christchurch with all the
amenities you need for
supportive care.
CHATSWOOD
RETIREMENT VILLAGE
60 HAWFORD RD, OPAWA | PHONE 332 7323 | WWW.CHATSWOODRETIREMENT.CO.NZ