Nor'West News: January 22, 2026

alana@alliedmedia.co.nz
FOR LOCAL ADVERTISING
Alana Powell
Ph: 027 535 6583
alana@alliedmedia.co.nz
Park corner
sprouts into
community
FOR LOCAL ADVERTISING
Annabel Judd
Ph: 021 457 469
annabel.judd@alliedmedia.co.nz
FOR LOCAL ADVERTISING
Jenny Wright
Ph: 021 220 3484
jenny@alliedmedia.co.nz
garden
The Star, January 23, 2025
starnews.co.nz
BY GEOFF SLOAN
A previously dark and
neglected corner park has
been transformed into the
city’s newest community
garden. The Star, January 23, 2025
A 1770sq m section of
Addington Park has been
turned into a garden that aims
to feed 100 people a week.
Wilby Le Heux, who
manages the Te Waerenga
Whakatō Puāwai garden, said
they The Star, had January their first 23, 2025 harvest last
week.
“We're growing veges in the
heart of Christchurch.”
He said people feel safer
now something positive is
happening in the space.
“For at least 10 years, this
corner has seen a lot of antisocial
behaviour and has been
a nightmare for the Addington
community.”
The garden is the first stage
of a $96,000 project at the
park.
The next stage involves a
revamp of the existing toilet
block and changing sheds.
Two brand new cubicle
toilets will be installed, and
the changing sheds converted
into a storage area with a
walk-in chiller. The space
will also feature a multi-use
activities room, meeting space,
office, and kitchen.
“Building consent has gone
in, so hopefully it will go out
for tender soon,” Le Heux said.
The garden will have a 1m
fence on the north side to act
as a buffer for sports activities.
“It was important for us that
we don't limit pedestrians and
cyclists going past.”
Le Heux said the project has
been well supported by local
businesses donating their time
and services to get it up and
running.
But $25,000 still needs to be
raised to finish the project.
“We're kicking into some
more fundraising, and the
vege bags we sell help towards
the effort.”
A public garden party and
barbecue will be held next
Friday at 5pm to celebrate the
completion of the first stage.
Wilby Le Heux flanked by volunteers
Janet Loh and David Mason at the
Addington Park community garden.
PHOTOS: GEOFF SLOAN
starnews.co.nz
starnews.co.nz
The Star, January 23, 2025
starnews.co.nz
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The Star, January 22, 2026
starnews.co.nz
Trailblazing player’s epic tale
​Marjorie Bain went to
Wimbledon, fell in love, and
did not come home. Her
journey from tennis pioneer
to hardship – and back again
– is a remarkable slice of
New Zealand history. Bridget
Tunnicliffe reports
In 1922, Marjorie Bain set
sail on the trip of a lifetime
to the motherland, became
the first woman to represent
New Zealand at Wimbledon,
and spent a magical winter on
continental Europe.
But when her year's leave
was up she wasn’t yet ready
to return to New Zealand, and
eloped with an Australian she
met on the grass courts.
She was the envy of her
friends, but little did they know
the hardships she would come to
face before being rescued from
poverty and returning to New
Zealand 13 years later.
Unfortunately, Tennis NZ’s
archives are sporadic at best
and Bain’s Wimbledon appearance
is not widely known but
it’s what happened to her after
the prestigious tournament that
really shaped her.
Bain's granddaughter Penny
O'Connell said details had been
pieced together over the years.
Marjorie Helen Bain was
born in 1897 and grew up in
Christchurch, where her family
were of modest means but in
Marjorie Bain was the first NZ woman to compete at Wimbledon in 1922.
the background was a wealthy
widowed aunt who lived in
Queensland.
Bain flourished at tennis,
playing for Christchurch Girls'
High, Canterbury University,
and at the national lawn
championships.
In her twilight years, Bain
wrote a book for her family, full
of her memories, and recounted
going to Auckland to see US
Davis Cup players compete
against New Zealand “and our
own Anthony Wilding who was
so soon to be killed in France”.
Bain also wrote about the
black influenza that swept
through New Zealand after the
World War 1 ended.
The rich aunt
In 1922 the rich aunt offered
to take Bain on the trip of a lifetime
to England and continental
Europe. She was in her mid-20s
and her two sisters were married,
so Bain was the obvious
choice.
The aunt’s husband had found
a nugget on the goldfields but
died young while electioneering
to be the Premier of Queensland,
leaving her wealthy.
Her aunt travelled on cargo
ships, which took only 12 passengers,
and she ruled the elite
roost at the captain’s table.
Some passengers called her
Anthony Wilding (middle) in 1914. He
was a world No 1 and considered the
first tennis superstar.
the W.O.D, short for “wicked old
devil”, but Bain also saw her as a
“veritable fairy godmother”.
Bain was granted a year's
leave from her teaching job and
the New Zealand Lawn Tennis
Association nominated her for
Wimbledon.
In reference to her actual
results at the tournament
Bain later wrote, “I shan’t tell
you want happened to me at
Wimbledon.”
It wasn’t until 1951 that Evelyn
Webster became the second
New Zealand woman to compete
at Wimbledon.
The 1922 Wimbledon
Championships marked the
tournament’s move to its current
famous premises on Church
Rd, amid forecasts at the time it
would become a white elephant.
The family still has Bain's competitor
card and the postcards
she sent. In one of them Bain
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starnews.co.nz The Star, January 22, 2026
of love, loss and lawn tennis
described the now iconic centre
court grandstand as a “huge circular
concrete affair” and wrote
“give me the New Zealand climate
every time”.
The 1922 Wimbledon Championships
are widely considered
the most disrupted tournament
in its history, with rain interruptions
every day.
Bain fell in love with England
and took in theatre productions
and concerts in London’s
West End, then travelled to the
Continent with her aunt, where
they visited France, Italy and
Switzerland.
The inventor husband
At the Wimbledon centre
court, her fierce aunt – who
acted as a chaperone – warned
her niece not to get mixed
up with the Australian representative
Herbert Tasman
Ethelbert Davies, an official at
the tournament.
Herbert was a metallurgist
from Melbourne University,
charming and clever. But the
aunt warned he was an inventor
and called him a ‘rolling stone’.
In today’s words, aunty believed
Herbert was a flake.
Bain ignored the cautions
and the pair eloped to Paris to
get married in a registry office,
thereby antagonising the aunt,
who sailed back to Brisbane.
The couple returned to London
and then, in Bain’s own
words, “followed years of anxiety,
mixed with a brave attempt
at happiness. . . an erratic
husband and a more than
erratic livelihood don’t spell real
happiness.”
Herbert, who floated companies
for developments and
patents, had no money sense
whatsoever.
Sometimes there would be lots
of money, then nothing. Unpaid
bills and frequent moves around
England became the norm as the
family tried to dodge numerous
debt collectors.
In 1923, Bain’s first child John
was born and in 1928 Barbara
(Biddy) arrived.
Decades later, Biddy wrote
down some early memories of
her mother and the family’s life.
At one of their brief addresses
Marjorie Bain sent postcards
home from the 1922 Wimbledon
Championships, describing the
centre court grandstand as a “huge
circular concrete affair”. The 1922
event marked the tournament’s
move to its now-famous Church Rd
location.
in England, Biddy described
an old railway carriage at the
bottom of the garden “where
occasional explosions occurred
as my father continued his
experiments.”
Years later Bain reflected on
those years.
“I decided that my mission in
life was to reform him.
“Alas, my dear, never flatter
yourself you can reform
anyone.”
For nine years Bain struggled
on, forgiving Herbert and
starting again. She pawned her
last remaining scraps of jewellery
and earned what little she
could.
Wrote Biddy: “At times we
were rich, with a nanny and
maids all in uniform. Other
times when the bubble burst
there was no money at all.
“Then another woman
entered the scene, and my
mother grabbed her two children
and left.”
That’s when the hardship
really kicked-in.
Penniless
Perhaps pride prevented
Bain from telling her family
back in Christchurch she had
left Herbert because, in true
post-Victorian fashion, it was a
disgrace to have lost your man.
Bain, her two children, and
their beloved dog travelled by
train wherever she could find
jobs, not easy in the depths of
the Great Depression.
Biddy, who passed away in
2022, wrote that they moved
frequently because her mother
thought Herbert might try to
retrieve his son if he found
them.
Marjorie did all kinds of jobs –
she was a cook, a housekeeper in
a boarding house, made and sold
bread, and read to the blind.
› Continued on Page 4
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The Star, January 22, 2026
starnews.co.nz
A long detour before finding peace
› From Page 3
“Many years later my brother
told me that during this period
he used to worry that if she
died nobody would know who
we were and we’d be put in an
orphanage,” Biddy wrote.
When Bain’s brother was
visiting England on his O.E,
he decided to find her and
reported back to the family that
they were living in appalling
circumstances.
The aunt was consulted
and, still smarting from her
niece’s elopement, reluctantly
agreed to pick up Bain and her
children during her next visit.
One day they found two
bailiffs waiting in the hall, so
they moved next door, where
Bain cared for an old man and
the children attended huge
grey, slummy London schools.
In 1935, the aunt rescued
them. She didn’t like children,
particularly girls, and Biddy
recalled that she didn’t talk to
her for the family’s six weeks
at sea.
The weary family eventually
found their place on Cashel St,
Christchurch.
Peace and security at last
The aunt had offered the
family a house near Brisbane,
but while they were waiting to
travel to Queensland, Labour
won New Zealand’s 1935 general
election and, for the first
time, five-year-olds were to be
admitted into school.
Marjorie’s children John and Biddy and their beloved dog.
Old teacher friends begged
Bain to stay to help alleviate
the teacher shortage, so she
offended the aunt again by
remaining in Christchurch.
The family boarded for two
years before Bain managed to
procure a mortgage for her own
home, describing it as “peace
and security at last”.
Bain never mentioned
Herbert but kept her married
name and was always Mrs
Davies to the hundreds of
primary school students she
taught across the city.
John and Biddy were brought
up to believe their father had
died, though much later the siblings
found that neither believed
the story.
After Bain’s death in 1966 aged
69, her close friend told Biddy:
“We were all green with envy
when we heard this lively attractive
girl, popular with the boys,
and a tennis star, had married. A
few years later she arrived back
home with two children; not a
man in sight and never a word
of explanation!”
When it came to the welfare
of her pupils, Bain used a direct
approach, including tackling the
Education Board over the lack of
fire exits at her school.
Said Penny: “Mum used to tell
me about how (Bain) marched
into a board meeting with an
axe over her shoulder as a demonstration
because she was so
furious.”
Years earlier, when her two
young children attended a
school in London, one classroom
was so stuffy, Bain threatened to
throw a brick through a window
if the school governors did not
“She was a very strong
character, headstrong in
the face of tough times. It
was hard being a woman
on her own back then.”
Penny O’Connell remembers
her Granny Marjorie
allow her to open them.
Penny remembers several
visits from Granny Marjorie
– a “fun, kind, and colourful”
matriarch.
“She was a very strong character,
headstrong in the face of
tough times. It was hard being a
woman on her own back then.
“My mother (Biddy) said those
early years made them resilient
and very loyal to each other,”
Penny said.
For the record, Bain and her
French doubles partner had a
walkover win in the first round
at Wimbledon and then gave
their opponents a walkover win
in the next round, so no tennis
was played. In the singles, Bain
lost her first-round match 6-0 6-0.
The shortest women’s final
ever recorded at Wimbledon
happened in the same
year when Suzanne Lenglen
of France defeated American
player Molla Bjurstedt Mallory
6-2, 6-0. The 23-minute record
still stands.
–RNZ
THINKING ABOUT
DOWNSIZING?
BISHOPDALE
Wishing you all a very Happy New Year!
I hope you managed to spend some
quality time with your loved ones over the
summer break.
I enjoyed a visit at the end of the year to
Christchurch City Mission to talk to CEO
Corinne Haines and her team about the
great work they do in supporting the
growing needs of the community,
particularly over the Christmas period.
It’s a great organisation which provides
not only food but a vast range of services
from social work to alcohol and drug
addiction support.
Thanks also to Ethan Vickery for hosting
me the other day. Along with his father
Shane, he has just opened Kai Co at
Northwood Supa Centre. The grocery
store is a welcomed addition to increased
competition and keeping food prices low.
It was great to hear that the store has
been well supported by the local
community, with queues outside the door
on the weekends, and anecdotally the
surrounding businesses have also seen a
vast increase in foot traffic, which is a
fantastic result for the area.
It's great to get back to work to focus on
this year’s priorities for the Government.
As local MP I can’t wait to deliver on the
Government’s commitment to start
construction of the Belfast to Pegasus
Motorway including the Woodend Bypass.
As outlined in the Prime Minister’s State of
the Nation speech earlier in the week, at a
national level the Government will be
focused on our programme of bold
reforms which aim to build a future that
will provide more opportunities for New
Zealanders.
It's been a difficult time for many
families and businesses, but the National
Government has worked hard to reduce
wasteful spending, which has helped
bring down inflation and interest rates
while protecting services families rely on
like health and education.
We are focused on fixing the basics and
building the future by rebuilding the
economy to create jobs, lift wages and
ensure we build the schools, hospitals
and roads Cantabrians rely on.
The Government has already introduced
rates caps to keep the cost of council
rates down. We are also disestablishing
ECan regional councillors and have
tasked Mayors with a locally-led
reorganisation of council activities to
ensure Greater Christchurch councils are
fit for purpose for the future.
City and regional deals are being
introduced to partner central government
with local government to deliver
economic growth, create jobs and boost
productivity.
It is vital Greater Christchurch is ready for
this opportunity and I am excited about
the year ahead.
We understand that downsizing is a big decision — and
the right support makes all the difference.
Did you know SuperGold Card holders also receive a
discount? Get in touch today to find out more.
0800 YELLOW
KAREN & BARRY ELLIS
Licensee Agents
K 021 519 275 | B 021 519 274
karen.ellis@raywhite.com
barry.ellis@raywhite.com
Inline Realty Limited Licensed (REAA 2008)

starnews.co.nz The Star, January 22, 2026
Ray White Bishopdale
PROUDLY LOCAL
CURRENT LISTINGS
For Sale
For Sale
For Sale
14 Minaret Street
Mairehau
2 1
1
1
1
7 Araucana Way
Marshland
3 2
2
2
2
2 Henley Green
Northwood
3 2
2
2
2
Deadline Sale: All offers must be received by 3pm, Tuesday
27 January 2026 (unless sold prior).
Price by Negotiation
Price by Negotiation
Karen Ellis
021 519 275
Karen Ellis
021 519 275
Karen Ellis
021 519 275
Barry Ellis
021 519 274
Scan QR code or visit:
rwbishopdale.co.nz/BHP31095
Barry Ellis
021 519 274
Scan QR code or visit:
rwbishopdale.co.nz/BHP31078
Kirsty Llewellyn
021 198 9056
Scan QR code or visit:
rwbishopdale.co.nz/BHP31075
Your Home
Could be Here!
For Sale
For Sale
1/27 Winton Street
St Albans
$625,000
2 1
2
1
1
16 McQuillan Avenue
Woodend
$885,000
4 2
2
2
2
If you’re thinking about selling, now
is a great time to have a conversation
with us about selling.
Kirsty Llewellyn
021 198 9056
Scan QR code or visit:
rwbishopdale.co.nz/BHP31088
Karen Ellis
021 519 275
Scan QR code or visit:
rwbishopdale.co.nz/BHP31073
Why wait?
Call 0800 YELLOW today!
MORE PROPERTIES NEEDED!
We have buyers waiting
Call 0800 YELLOW today
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Ray White Bishopdale
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The Star, January 22, 2026
starnews.co.nz
Decades of service woven into fabric of
Coen Lammers speaks to
Linwood-born good Samaritan
David Drake, whose work
was recognised in the recent
New Year Honours
Anyone who has spent time
around David Drake knows the
Rotary stalwart dislikes people
making a fuss about him.
So when he was awarded
a King’s Service Medal in the
recent New Year Honours, it
came as no surprise Drake
felt proud, but also slightly
awkward.
“To be honest, I felt a bit
embarrassed, because I am only
one of many Rotary members
working in the community and
my wife Margaret deserves
this medal just as much as I
do,” said the reluctant medal
recipient.
Drake was born during World
War 2 in Linwood and had to
pull his sleeves up at an early
age while growing up in the
area.
“Mum and dad didn’t have
money, and I was the oldest so
always had jobs to get some
money to help out.
“I had my first job at seven,
when I crept out of bed to do
a milk run and mum never
knew,” said Drake who also
delivered newspapers and
groceries, worked with a boot
maker and a fishing shop, while
he was still at school.
The 84-year-old now lives in
Rolleston and is a member of
David Drake, front, working on the new bridge over the Little River Rail Trail with his Rotary colleagues.
the Lincoln Rotary club.
He has worked all over the
country, leaving his mark in
many corners of New Zealand
through Rotary community
projects.
Drake admits he did not like
high school, and started work
as a farmhand in the Pelorus
Sounds when he was 15.
“My mum had seen an advert
for that job and it took me two
days to get up there on the bus
and mail boat.”
After a couple of years in the
Sounds, Drake tried his hand at
fruit picking in Nelson, worked
on a farm in Hororātā, in a
hardware store, and even filled
in as a postie in New Brighton,
before finding his career path
in sales with Watties.
“One thing just leads to
another. A wise person once
told me that you always have
to say ‘yes’ to any opportunity,
because you never know what
it may lead to.”
His next career change to join
Wilson Distilleries included
a move to Dunedin, which
marked his first involvement
with Rotary.
“One thing just leads to
another. A wise person
once told me that you
always have to say
‘yes’ to any opportunity,
because you never know
what it may lead to.”
David Drake
“That’s where it all started
back in 1976,” Drake said.
He soon became deeply
involved in the Dunedin South
Rotary club and continued with
the Christchurch West club
when work brought him back to
Canterbury.
A family visit to Vanuatu
sparked the idea of raising
funds for a library in Port Vila.
Drake contacted a Rotary friend
in Te Puke and organised a
container of grapefruits, which
helped fund the project.
That successful initiative
proved to be the first of many
community projects undertaken
by Drake and his Rotary
colleagues, and the work
continued when he moved to
Palmerston North, and later
Auckland, to manage local
bakeries.
As a member of the Terrace
End Rotary Club, Drake came
up with the idea of running a
Top Town competition between
local schools in Palmerston
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starnews.co.nz The Star, January 22, 2026
the community
North, which became a popular
annual community event for
more than a decade.
Drake says he is still proud
of helping to build a pathway
around the Tāmaki Estuary
after joining the Pakuranga
Rotary Club.
“Each year, we would concrete
100 yards of footpath
around the estuary. It was a
great idea and a real team
effort,” Drake said.
He still takes great pride in
the stretch of path he helped
to create during his 15 years in
Auckland.
As he edged toward
retirement, Drake gladly
accepted an offer from
employer Quality Bakers
to transfer back to
Christchurch.
Retirement only
seemed to inspire the
energetic Drake to find
new ways to support his
community. He became
a driver for Selwyn Community
Care, alongside multiple
projects with the Lincoln Rotary
Club.
Flicking through the 50-year
history book Drake compiled
with Graham Thiele and Anna
Giltrap, he seems at a loss to
pinpoint the highlights of his 25
years working in Selwyn.
When pressed, he singles out
the charity auction organised
by his club for the Bone Marrow
Cancer Trust.
“I suggested the auction after
I had heard about a similar
event in Timaru and we thought
we might get $30–40,000, but
we ended up raising nearly
$80,000.”
Despite his age, Drake and his
Rotary colleagues are not afraid
to get their hands dirty, helping
to restore the Motukarara
Railway Trail and the Little
River Rail Trail.
“We found the old
Motukarara Railway Station
rotting away in a paddock, so
we lifted it, restored it and also
built a bridge on the Little River
Rail Trail,” said Drake, who also
particularly enjoys engaging
with the younger
community.
“I’ve been running
a school quiz for the
past 15 years and we
now have 22 schools
participating. It’s a great
way to get the students,
but also the parents and
grandparents involved,”
David Drake he said, adding that the
school event helps to raise
awareness of Rotary.
He said Rotary, like many
volunteer organisations, is finding
it increasingly difficult to
attract new members.
“I think it’s the pressure on
families these days. Both parents
need to work to pay the
bills and people are just too
busy.
“Compare that with when
our kids were young – we had
time to play sports, but also to
volunteer.
“Times have changed, but I
will keep going as long as my
body allows me.”
Lego masters bring ancient
An immersive experience,
created by Lego Masters New
Zealand winner Jake Roos
and runner-up Emily Fryer,
is on display at a Canterbury
University museum.
The family-friendly Bricks
of Olympus exhibition at the
Teece Museum of Classical
Antiquities on Hereford St is
designed to engage curious
minds, lovers of classical studies
and Lego fans.
It features an automated
Lego theatre, retelling the journey
of Odysseus from Homer’s
epic poem, alongside displays
exploring ancient forms of
engineering.
“Using Lego allows us to
explore classical mythology
while also engaging with
science, physics and ancient
engineering,” UC Teece
Museum curator Terri Elder
said. “Visitors can explore how
levers, pulleys, wheels, wedges
and inclined planes work –
ancient engineering principles
brought to life through
contemporary creativity. It’s
a way of reaching a broad
audience and showing how the
humanities and sciences have
Lego Masters
New Zealand
runner-up
and Bricks
of Olympus
builder Emily
Fryer’s work
is on display
at the Teece
Museum of
Classical
Antiquities.
engineering into modern world
always intersected.”
UC executive dean of arts
Professor Kevin Watson said
the exhibition “helps students,
as well as wider audiences,
understand how different ways
of thinking can sit alongside
one another”.
“These Lego structures are
not only really creative, but
they’re also a nice demonstration
of some of the principles
behind these impressive feats
of technology from the past.”
​•Bricks of Olympus runs
at the Teece Museum until
April 19

The Star, January 22, 2026
starnews.co.nz
Meet your favourite
Tactix and Rams players!
Plus giant inflatables, hydroslides,
ice cream and more!
Saturday 24 January, 12pm–5pm
Jellie Park
ccc.govt.nz/poolparties
Get amongst the fun and show us
your biggest manu!
Many patients who died in the former Sunnyside Hospital between the 1890s and the 1980s were
interred in Sydenham Cemetery.
PHOTO: CCC
Search for relatives
of Sunnyside patients
buried in unmarked graves
The city council is hoping to connect
with family members of the hundreds
of Sunnyside Hospital patients who died
in care and were buried in unmarked
graves.
The Royal Commission on Abuse in
Care, established in 2018, identified that
many people who had historically died
in psychiatric care had been buried in
unmarked plots.
Many who died in the former
Sunnyside Hospital between the
1890s and the 1980s were interred in
Sydenham Cemetery. The full number
of unmarked graves in Sydenham is
currently unknown but is estimated to
be in excess of 1000.
In response to the Royal Commission’s
2024 recommendations, the government
has set up a fund to help acknowledge
these people.
The city council aims to access this
funding to acknowledge these persons in
a manner that reflects the wishes of the
affected families in the cemetery.
City council manager community
parks Al Hardy said they would like to
engage with the relatives of those buried
in unmarked graves to establish their
views in regards to acknowledging their
family member.
“We appreciate this is a sensitive
matter and may be difficult for relatives
of those buried in unmarked graves,
but ultimately we aim to acknowledge
these individuals and their lives in a
meaningful way.”
Hardy said people who believe they
may have a relative in an unmarked
grave can also contact the city council
and staff will assist in finding their
location.
•Email amy.glass@ccc.govt.nz
for more information about the
proposed memorial or for help locating
a family member
competition
GRAND FINAL
Saturday 24 January, 12pm–2pm
Jellie Park
ccc.govt.nz/manu
Sunnyside Hospital was Christchurch’s first mental asylum and psychiatric hospital, opened in 1863 to
care for people previously held at Lyttelton Gaol. The facility operated until its closure in 1999, and the
last of the historic Victorian Gothic buildings was demolished in 2007. PHOTO: CANTERBURYSTORIES.NZ

starnews.co.nz The Star, January 22, 2026

The Star, January 22, 2026
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starnews.co.nz The Star, January 22, 2026
Tasty and timeless afternoon treats
Nigel Slater whips up some
unusually flavoursome treats
for a truly glorious afternoon
tea in the garden
Afternoon tea is a timeless treat
that rarely fails to delight, and
never more so than in a shady
corner on a summer’s afternoon.
Homemade scones, freshbaked
biscuits and something
cold to drink are a delight beyond
measure.
FETA SCONES WITH WATERCRESS
AND CUCUMBER BUTTER
Makes 9 scones – Ready in 45mins
Any scone should probably
be eaten the day it is baked, but
these will keep overnight in an
air-tight container.
Ingredients
225g plain flour
3 tsp baking powder
A fat pinch of salt
75g butter
1 Tbsp thyme leaves
100g feta cheese
150ml sheep’s yoghurt
Egg and milk for glazing
For the butter:
120g butter
120g cucumber
3 Tbsp watercress leaves,
chopped
You will need a baking sheet
lined with baking parchment
Method
• Preheat the oven to 220°C.
• Sift together the flour,
baking powder and salt. Cut
the butter into small pieces and
rub into the flour with your
fingertips, or blend in a food
processor until the texture is
that of fresh soft breadcrumbs.
• Chop the thyme leaves,
stir them in, then add to the
mixture. Crumble the feta
cheese into small pieces, then
stir in with the yoghurt. Bring
together into a ball and place
on a floured board, then pat
or roll into a thick disc about
2.5cm in depth.
• Using a 6cm round cutter,
cut out nine scones (eight from
the original disc of dough, one
from the cuttings, pressed
together and patted into
shape.)
• Place them on the lined
baking sheet. Break the egg
into a small bowl and pour in a
splash of milk, beat briefly with
a fork.
• Brush the top with a little of
the egg wash, taking care not to
let it run down the sides. Bake for
15 minutes until risen and pale
gold, leave to cool a little, then
transfer to a cooling rack.
• For the cucumber butter:
remove the butter from the
fridge and leave to soften at room
temperature. Coarsely grate the
cucumber into a colander or
sieve, place it on a shallow dish
or in the sink and sprinkle it with
salt. Leave for 30 minutes.
• Beat the butter until soft and
creamy. Squeeze the water from
the cucumber in the palm of your
hand, then stir into the butter
with chopped watercress (if you
don’t have watercress, add a
grinding of black pepper).
• Serve the cucumber butter
with the scones.
VANILLA SHORTBREAD WITH
PISTACHIO AND CHERRIES
Makes 16 pieces of shortbread
Ready in 1 hour, plus cooling
Ingredients
For the shortbread:
250g butter
125g caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste, or a few
drops of vanilla extract
250g plain flour
50g fine semolina
50g cornflour
2 good pinches sea salt
To finish (for six):
18 cherries
250ml cream
A little vanilla bean paste, or
vanilla extract
3 tbsp shelled pistachios
Method
• Set the oven at 180°C. Line
a shallow-sided baking tin
measuring 20cm x 30cm with a
piece of baking parchment.
• Cut the butter into small
pieces, put it in the bowl of
an electric mixer with the
sugar, then beat until light and
creamy.
• Mix in the vanilla paste or
extract. Stir together the flour,
fine semolina, cornflour and a
couple of generous pinches of
sea salt.
• Mix the dry ingredients into
the creamed butter and sugar,
then turn out the dough onto
the lined baking sheet and
press it into shape. Be gentle,
taking care not to compact the
dough, carefully patting it out
to fit the baking sheet. Prick all
over with a fork.
• Cut the dough into 16 pieces
(eight across the long side, two
across the short), then bake in
the preheated oven for 15-18
minutes until pale gold.
• Remove from the oven,
sprinkle with sugar. (I also go
over the score marks with a
knife to make the biscuits easier
to separate.)
• Remove the stalks from
the cherries, halve them and
discard the stones.
• Pour the cream into a chilled
bowl, stir in half a teaspoon of
vanilla paste or a few drops of
extract and whip until thick.
• Place a shortbread biscuit on
each of six plates and serve with
cream and cherries.
• Roughly chop the pistachios
and scatter over the cream.
Keep the remaining shortbread
in an airtight tin.
› Making the most of
tomatoes, page 14
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The Star, January 22, 2026
starnews.co.nz
Making the most
of tomatoes
Penelope Maguire finds some
interesting new ways to enjoy a
summer staple.
​Every winter, I find myself
eagerly awaiting tomato
season. The two recipes I’m
sharing – tomato clafoutis and
a tomato galette – reimagine
this beloved but humble
ingredient. These savoury
takes on classic sweet dishes
bring out the best in tomatoes,
offering fresh and exciting
ways to enjoy them.
​
TOMATO CLAFOUTIS
This dish is part clafoutis,
part Yorkshire pudding, part
Dutch baby pancake – and all
parts delicious.
Ingredients
50g flour
100ml milk
60ml cream
3 eggs
Pinch of salt and pepper
75g parmesan or aged cheddar,
cut into 1cm cubes
1-2 punnets cherry tomatoes
Fresh herbs (to serve)
Olive oil
Method
• Heat your oven to 200°C
(fan, if available).
• In a blender, combine the
flour, milk, cream, eggs, and a
pinch of salt and pepper. Blend
until smooth, then let the batter
rest for 10 minutes.
• While the batter is resting,
pour about 2 Tbsp of olive oil into
a cast iron skillet or round cake
pan, ensuring the oil coats the
sides. Place the pan in the oven
to heat.
• Once the olive oil is hot,
carefully pour the batter into the
pan, working quickly. Top with
cherry tomatoes and cubes of
cheese, then return the pan to the
oven.
• Bake for 15-20 minutes,
keeping an eye on it. You’re
looking for puffed, golden edges
with a few almost-blackened
spots, but avoid letting it burn.
• Serve immediately, garnished
with fresh herbs and your choice
of toppings.
​TOMATO, BASIL AND PARMESAN
GALETTE TOMATOES
A lovely thing about this rustic
galette is how you layer the
basil and parmesan throughout
– first in the pastry, then in the
cottage cheese filling, and again
on top of the galette. The basil
and parmesan complement the
tomatoes beautifully, balancing
their acidity.
Make this free-form galette
with savoury leftovers like stew,
cold meats, vegetables, cheese,
bacon and eggs or even leftover
dal or curry.
​
Ingredients
For the pastry:
225g flour
100g very cold butter
2 eggs, beaten (reserve about a
tablespoon for glazing)
30g finely grated parmesan
Small handful of basil, finely
chopped
2 good pinches of salt
For the filling:
1 cup cottage cheese or ricotta
½ cup Greek yoghurt
30g parmesan, grated
Small handful of basil, finely
chopped
1 large clove garlic, finely
chopped
An assortment of fresh tomatoes
(I used 2 large tomatoes, sliced,
plus a packet of tri-coloured
cherry tomatoes — some halved,
some sliced, some left whole)
Salt and pepper
To top:
Olive oil
Grated parmesan
Torn basil
Method
Pastry method 1 — food processor
• Cut the cold butter into
cubes, then place it in the food
processor with the flour. Pulse
until the mixture resembles
breadcrumbs.
• Add the egg (remember to
leave a little aside for glazing),
parmesan, salt, and basil. Pulse
until the dough comes together
into a smooth ball, adding just
a tiny splash of iced water if
needed.
• Flatten the dough into a disk,
wrap in brown paper or plastic
wrap, and let it rest in the fridge
for about 30 minutes.
Pastry method 2 — hand made
• Place the flour in a bowl and
grate the cold butter into it (it
helps to have kept the butter in
the freezer for an hour or so).
• Rub the flour and butter
together with your hands until it
resembles sand.
• Add the egg (remembering to
reserve a little for glazing), salt,
parmesan, and basil, then mix
everything together, kneading
slightly until you form a smooth
ball. If the dough feels too dry,
add a small amount of iced
water.
• Flatten the dough into a disk,
wrap it, and let it rest in the
fridge for about 30 minutes.
To assemble
• Preheat your oven to 200°C.
• Mix the cottage cheese,
yoghurt, parmesan, basil, and
garlic in a bowl.
• Roll out your chilled pastry
to about 3mm thick, aiming for
a rustic shape — don’t worry if
it’s a little uneven.
• Leaving a 4cm border,
spread the cottage cheese
mixture over the pastry, then
layer on your tomatoes. Season
with salt and pepper.
• Fold the edges of the pastry
over the filling to form a rustic
crust.
• Brush the pastry edges with
the reserved beaten egg.
• Bake for about 25–30
minutes, placing the galette on
the bottom rack of the oven,
until the pastry is nice and
golden, the base is crisp and
some of the tomato juices have
evaporated.
• Top with torn basil, freshly
grated parmesan, and a drizzle
of olive oil.
• Serve with a bitter leaf
salad and a glass of something
cold and lovely.
Let Better Denture give you a reason to smile
Christchurch residents who are looking
for comfort, quality and confidence when
it comes to their dentures have just been
given a new reason to smile, as Better
Denture has opened up a second clinic.
Better Denture has been giving high-quality
and trusted care to its patients from its
Hornby clinic for years, and now it’s up and
running at Avonhead Dental on Grahams
Road making expert denture care more
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The new clinic will allow Better Denture
the chance to restore not just patients’
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to its combination of expert clinical care
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As a patient at Better Denture, you’ll receive
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each set of dentures custom designed to
suit your individual facial features, bite, and
lifestyle, and you’ll be guided through each
and every step of the process, so you’ll feel
comfortable and confident throughout.
There’s a full range of services on offer,
covering everything from full and partial
dentures to denture repairs and relines,
as well as replacements for older or
uncomfortable dentures.
Both the Hornby and new Avonhead clinic
are equipped with top-of-the-range modern
technology and led by professionals with
years of experience, so you know you and
your smile are in safe hands.
With the opening of its new clinic, Better
Denture is now welcoming new patients
from across Christchurch - whether it’s time
for your first set of dentures, an upgrade
on an older pair, or a repair, Better Denture
can help and offers free no-obligation
consultations.
Visit Better Denture at 62 Grahams Road,
Avonhead or 6 Brynley Street, Hornby.
Alternatively, you can call the
Avonhead clinic on 03-358-4169,
the Hornby clinic on 03-349-5050 or
head to www.betterdenture.co.nz to
find out more.
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AT AVONHEAD
DENTAL CLINIC
Book in for your
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www.betterdenture.co.nz

starnews.co.nz The Star, January 22, 2026
REAL ESTATE
2
159 Clyde Road, Fendalton 4 2 3 2 3
www.harcourtsgold.co.nz | Listing #L37947863
Motivation Is Clear,
Opportunity Is Here
With our vendors having secured their next
home, the move is confirmed and there is
no turning back. Motivation is clear, and this
exceptional opportunity is now yours.
Set on a generous 655sqm section, this
substantial Trengrove designed and built
home delivers on space, comfort and effortless
indoor-outdoor living in one of Christchurch's
most sought-after locations.
Designed for both family life and entertaining,
the home offers four well-proportioned
bedrooms and two bathrooms, including a
ground floor superb master suite complete with
a walk-in wardrobe and ensuite. The thoughtful
layout provides flexibility, with two bedrooms
downstairs and two upstairs, ideal for families,
guests, or those working from home.
At the heart of the home, the expansive living
area is filled with natural light, enhanced by
skylights and seamless flow to a gorgeous,
private outdoor setting. Automatic outdoor
louvres create a sheltered space you'll enjoy
year-round, making entertaining effortless in
any season.
Auction
Thursday 29th January 2026
from 10:00am (unless sold prior)
Gold Auction Rooms,
471 Papanui Road
Leeann Marriott & Pierre Bertrand-Charpentier
Licensed Sales Consultant REAA 2008
Harcourts gold Papanui
L: 027 254 8136 & P: 027 288 7017
leeann.marriott@harcourtsgold.co.nz
pierre.bertrandcharpentier@harcourtsgold.co.nz
Move Forward with
Everything You’ve Got
I love the entry into each new year.
I not only love the celebration,
but my strongly held beliefs on
forgiveness emerge.
I believe any mistakes you made during the year (and
who doesn’t make them?) are lessons rather than earthshattering
blunders and that, if you’re lucky, they’ve
helped you develop wisdom and purpose that you can
take into the new year.
It’s allowing ourselves a reset, yes, but it’s not avoidance.
More an acknowledgement that we move on as better
versions of ourselves. And that’s certainly my aim.
So, it’s no surprise the Year of the Horse feels special. Not
just because it promises luck, but because it resonates
with how I see progress: deliberate, strong, exciting and
forward thinking.
Horses respond to care and direction, something my
horse-riding friends have told me – not lingering or
looking back – and that’s the kind of energy I’m bringing
into 2026.
For curiosity's sake, I did a quick Google search of all
the kinds of things most people want to achieve as they
enter a new year, usually through setting resolutions.
There are the eternal favourites like losing weight,
quitting drinking, starting or continuing to exercise,
saving money and paying down debt. And now there
are some popular new goals like stopping mindless
scrolling, deleting apps that are distracting or expensive,
and working harder at protecting mental health. It’s
interesting to see different perspectives and societal
changes.
But whatever you're thinking, it’s important to
remember: a goal without a plan is just wishful
thinking and that's why only 10% of people achieve
their goals.
I’ve been a goal setter and planner for longer than I care
to remember and I’m stepping forward feeling optimistic
about the four pages of things I hope to achieve over the
course of this year!
I’m also seeing a steady sense of optimism in the
Christchurch property market and it’s positive to see
more planning happening here too.
I’ve noticed buyers are asking more questions and
there’s a strong sense of urgency. Sellers are more
measured and investors are thinking longer term.
Long-term value rather than short-term trends seems to
be the preferred pathway and it’s exciting to see parties
moving through the property cycle chasing their own
preferred (and planned!) outcome.
So, whatever you are thinking this year, whether you
have a plan in place or not, I’d like to wish you a fantastic
year. Push forward, don’t look back, forgive the mistakes
you made and give it everything you’ve got.
I’m going to and I can’t wait.
Lynette McFadden
Harcourts gold Business Owner
027 432 0447
lynette.mcfadden@harcourtsgold.co.nz
PAPANUI 352 6166 | INTERNATIONAL DIVISION (+64) 3 662 9811 | REDWOOD 352 0352 | PARKLANDS 383 0406 |
SPITFIRE SQUARE 662 9222 | STROWAN 351 0585 | GOLD PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 352 6454 |
SPITFIRE SQUARE PROPERTY MANAGEMENT 027 772 1188
GOLD REAL ESTATE GROUP LTD LICENSED AGENT REAA 2008 A MEMBER OF THE HARCOURTS GROUP
harcourtsgold.co.nz

The Star, January 22, 2026
starnews.co.nz
CROSSWORD
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8
9 10
11 12
13 14 15
16 17 18 19
20
434
SUDOKU
Every row, column and box should
contain the digits 1 to 9.
WordBuilder
WORDBUILDER
N T I
A E V
6
334 334
A E V
words of three or more letters,
How
including
many
plurals,
words
can you
of
make
three
from
or
the
more
six
letters, using each letter only once? No foreign
How words or beginning with a capital are
from many the words six letters, of three using or more each letters, only
allowed. There's at least one six-letter word.
including once? plurals, can you make from the six
TODAY
letters, Good using 21 each Very letter Good only 25 once? Excellent No 29 foreign
No words beginning with a capital are
words Solution or words 333: bed, beginning beg, berg, with bid, bide, a capital bier, big, are
allowed. allowed. bird, bred, There's bride, There’s BRIDGE, at least at brig, one least deb, six-letter die, one dig, six-letter dire, word.
word. dirge, dreg, drib, erg, gibe, gibed, giber, gird, grid,
ire, rebid, red, rib, ride, TODAY ridge, rig.
Good 21 Very Good 25 Excellent 29
Solution 333: bed, beg, berg, bid, bide, bier, big,
bird, bred, bride, BRIDGE, brig, deb, die, dig, dire,
dirge, dreg, drib, erg, gibe, gibed, giber, gird, grid,
ire, rebid, red, rib, ride, ridge, rig.
letters, including plurals, can you make
21 22 23
24 25
26 27
Across
1. Somnolent (6)
4. Narcotic (6)
9. Trick (4)
10. Attentive, engaged (10)
11. Group of seven (6)
12. Vital (8)
13. Sluggish (9)
15. Surprise attack (4)
16. Imprison (4)
17. Building (9)
21. Memento (8)
22. Idle talk (6)
24. Exaggerated comical drawing of
a person (10)
25. Shine (4)
26. This one or that (6)
27. Standing (6)
Decoder
Down
1. Embrace tightly (7)
2. Throw out (5)
3. Artist (7)
5. Allow (6)
6. Attacker (9)
7. 55th wedding anniversary (7)
8. Unadventurous person (5-2-3-3)
14. Zenith (4,5)
16. Reduce to ashes (7)
18. Salve, ointment (7)
19. Disastrous (7)
20. Leave empty (6)
23. Vision (5)
Crossword
Across: 1. Sleepy, 4. Opiate, 9. Dupe, 10. Interested, 11. Septet, 12.
Critical, 13. Lethargic, 15. Raid, 16. Cage, 17. Structure, 21. Keepsake, 22.
Gossip, 24. Caricature, 25. Glow, 26. Either, 27. Status.
Down: 1. Squeeze, 2. Eject, 3. Painter, 5. Permit, 6. Assailant, 7. Emerald,
8. Stick-in-the-mud, 14. High point, 16. Cremate, 18. Unguent, 19. Ruinous,
20. Vacate, 23. Sight.
WordBuilder
Ani, ant, ante, anti, ate, ave, eat, eta, etna, naive, NATIVE, nave, neat, net,
nit, tai, tan, tea, ten, tin, tine, vain, van, vane, vat, vein, vent, vet, via, vie, vine.
DECODER
Each number represents a different letter of the alphabet. Write the
given letters into all squares with matching numbers. Now work out
which letters are represented by the other numbers.
All puzzles copyright
T H E P U Z Z L E C O M P A N Y
www.thepuzzlecompany.co.nz
Sudoku