YHA News - YHA New Zealand

Welcome
YHA News is a regular publication for
participating members to keep them in touch
with Board, members, hostel, and sustainability
activities. Any queries, please contact Maureen
McCloy, National Secretary on
national.secretary@yha.co.nz.
Welcome and Farewell to Board
Members
We welcome two new Board members Karen
Lewis and Barry Cope and farewell Harry Guitry
and Mel Driscoll.
Barry joins the Board having
been a member of YHA for
many years. For the last 20 of
these he has been the
secretary of the Hamilton
Branch.
Karen returns to the Board
having been first elected to the
Board in 2003 and serving for
six years. Karen is a previous
Treasurer of the Christchurch
Branch and has recently rejoined
the Branch Committee.
We farewell Harry after
serving six years on the Board,
many of these as Deputy
Chair. Harry has recently
joined the Geriatrix Cycling
Group so we are looking
forward to hearing his stories
of fantastic cycle touring adventures.
We farewell Mel who has been a
Board member for the past three
years. Mel will be remembered
for his superb oratory skills and
his commitment to low carbon
travelling.
Recent Board meetings
YHA News
340 th Board meeting, 3 September
December 2011
Future Focus
Steve Wakefield led this session on
opportunities for YHA in the Christchurch
Recovery. Steve described the purpose of CERA
(Canterbury Earthquake Recovery Authority)
and his new role within CERA to lead economic
recovery. Steve identified that insurance issues
will be a priority as these are causing delays in
the recovery effort. Steve spoke about aspects
of the draft central city plan developed by the
City Council, which aspires to create a worldclass
vibrant city to attract people and provide a
gateway to the South Island. The opportunities
for YHA in the recovery were noted and
discussed.
YHA Australia
The closer working relationship with YHA
Australia continues to develop with YHAA
recently deciding to use GuestCentrix, the same
property management system as YHA New
Zealand. YHA New Zealand’s website
development has also been undertaken in
consultation with YHAA.
2011 Financial accounts
The Board met with its Auditor, Polson Higgs, to
review their external audit, the 2011 accounts
and property valuations. The auditors advised
that the audit went very well and they were
impressed with the quality of the audit material
given earthquake disruption during the year.
Notices of Motion
Two Constitutional and no General Notices of
Motion were received by the due date and time
- 12 noon Friday 12 August 2011.
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The two notices of motion received were:
1. Board rotation policy, as developed by
YHA’s constitutional lawyer at the request
of National Board and confirmed at its 21
May meeting.
2. Naming of the Governance Handbook, as
proposed by Christchurch Branch. The
Branch proposed that the currently titled
Governance Handbook be re-named ‘Policy
Guidelines for Members’ to more
accurately reflect its contents.
The Board considered that the second proposal
could be resolved without a notice of motion,
and re-titled the handbook as suggested by the
Christchurch Branch and to note inside the
cover that it is the Governance Handbook.
MOU with China
YHA New Zealand has enjoyed a Memorandum
of Understanding with YHA China for the past
three years and the Board agreed to seek
renewal of this MOU with YHA China for a
further three years.
Stewart Island Project
The Board reviewed the origin of the project,
the fundraising campaign that has followed and
project progress to date including the
significant Wilding Estate bequest. Progress in
the past year has been somewhat stalled due to
the Christchurch earthquake. Momentum is
now restored to the campaign, with further
approaches and applications being made to
potential donors.
Insurance renewal
This was completed successfully in time for the
annual renewal at 4pm 1 September. There
were significant changes in cover, deductibles
and premiums from last year.
Branch/Member Group Update
The Oamaru/Aoraki Branch called a Special
General Meeting on 10 September for the
purpose of dissolving the Branch and forming a
Members’ Group. This was achieved with the
former Branch now enjoying Member Group
status.
The Board noted that Peter Bugler plans to
retire from co-ordinating the Geriatrix Cycle
Touring Group at the end of 2012 and
appreciates his outstanding contribution to the
group. The Board highlighted the importance of
sustaining the group beyond this time.
341 st Board meeting, 15 October
A feature of this Board meeting was the
attendance by the Honorary Vice-Presidents.
Future Focus
Ray Salter led the session and reviewed the
global, national, backpacker and YHA-specific
trends for the changing tourism sector.
The Board discussed the value of refining YHA’s
product to match the divergent needs of its
traditional markets vs. its emerging Asian
markets. The China backpacker market was
further discussed as it is evolving rapidly.
Ray’s view is that facilities which invest in their
product perform better, as do those who offer
more than just a bed, including globally
recognised brands. The leadership opportunity
for YHA New Zealand in the HI Asia Pacific
region was highlighted. Ray summarised that an
effective direct channel e.g. website, is critical
to success, as is being a large well-known
quality brand and network.
Branch/Member Group Update and Member
Events
Potential location and months for the 2012
Member Weekends were discussed. The Board
agreed to schedule one of these weekends to
coincide with a Board meeting and to finalise
the dates and locations once the 2012 Board
meetings were set down.
Likely locations for Member Weekends include
the far north in April, central South Island in
May and central North Island in late
July/August.
Risk Management
This is an important and on-going governance
process to ensure YHA has identified its risks
appropriately and has correct risk management
strategies in place. The Board reviewed the risk
register and its draft risk appetite statement.
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AGM review
2011 AGM Weekend Dunedin
4-6 November
This year’s AGM weekend was again a great
success with the emphasis as much on the
weekend event as the AGM meeting itself.
Members started arriving during the afternoon
on Friday and were greeted at YHA Dunedin by
Hostel Manager, Julia Connor and her team.
The welcome continued with afternoon tea for
members put on by the Rotorua and Dunedin
Branches. This fundraiser for Stewart Island
raised $310, which was presented to the Chair
later in the weekend.
Friday night’s dinner at the Orokonui
Ecosanctuary was a highlight – partly due to its
dramatic location above Blueskin Bay and partly
due to the unseasonal horizontal snow blasting
past the double glazed windows during the
evening.
Dinner at the Ecosanctuary. Photo courtesy of John Blair.
The Ecosanctuary is a 300 hectare regenerating
bush area about 30 minutes north of Dunedin
surrounded by a 9km pest proof fence. With
intensive pest control, a number of endangered
birds, reptiles, insect, and plant species have
been reintroduced and are thriving.
The Ecosanctuary operates with similar
commitment to sustainability as YHA, and the
funds generated from the dinner at the venue
contributed to their on-going conservation
work.
Honorary Life Members present at the AGM
The AGM itself on Saturday morning was held
at the Otago Museum. It was attended by 73
members and was very positive meeting. The
highlights were:
1) Election results:
The Voter Return Percentage was 12.22%, being
1412 voting documents, of which 60.48% voted
by post and 39.52% voted on the internet.
National Board
Total Valid Votes 1,254
Coral Laughton (869 votes), Karen Lewis (826
votes), Barry Cope (661 votes) and Steve
Wakefield (632 votes) all join National Board
along with current members Kevin Brewer, Clive
Croy, John Hammond and Ray Salter.
Coral Laughton was subsequently re-elected by
National Board as National Chair.
Awards Committee
Gwyn Rogers with a total of 556 votes was reelected
to the Awards Committee.
Honorary Vice-Presidents
Hamish Allardice (845 votes), Amanda Gower
(622 votes), Dave Berry (608 votes) and
Elizabeth Beer (590 votes) were all re-elected as
Honorary Vice-Presidents.
2) Patron appointment
His Excellency Lieutenant
General the Right
Honourable Sir Jerry
Mateparae, GNZM, QSO,
Governor-General of
New Zealand was
appointed as Patron of
YHA New Zealand for his
five year term of office.
3) A number of Awards were presented
Certificate of Merit
A Certificate of Merit was awarded to Gary
Gower recognizing the significant voluntary
contribution he has made to YHA Rotorua
Branch.
Distinguished Service Award
A Distinguished Service Award was awarded to
Cath Grant and Margaret Harding, both of
Dunedin, and John McCarthy of Auckland for
their exceptional and long standing voluntary
contribution to their local Branches.
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Honorary Life Membership Award
Honorary Life Membership is the Association’s
highest Award. This year Honorary Life
Memberships were awarded to Ross Butler,
Lance Kiddey, Ben Mitchell and John Wilson for
their exceptional and extended voluntary
contribution to the Association at a national
level which has benefited the Association as a
whole.
John Wilson of Wellington Lance Kiddey of Southland
Ross Butler of Nelson and Ben Mitchell of Christchurch
4) Constitutional Notice of Motion
The Constitutional Notice of Motion to
implement a Board rotation policy was voted
upon by members and passed with a majority
greater than 84% of votes cast.
5) Reports
The Chief Executive’s and Financial Reports
were received, and the Chair congratulated the
Executive Team on its achievements through
the year.
Polson Higgs were again appointed as Auditors
for the forthcoming year.
Steve Magor, YHA Australia’s representative
gave a very informative and interesting address
regarding current trading conditions and
support for the collaborative work being
undertaken with YHA New Zealand.
Prior to closing the meeting, the National Chair,
Coral Laughton, summarised its highlights:
� Acknowledgement of the support of
members including those who have been
recognised over the years by presentation
of service and merit awards.
� The sense of looking forward especially via
the Chief Executive, Financial Controller,
and YHAA delegate’s presentations which
were all future focused.
� The positive spirit evident at the meeting,
the interest in the organisation and the
support for Board and management.
After lunch, the remainder of Saturday was
taken with various local activities including trips
to Cadbury World, Olveston House, and
Speight’s Brewery.
There was further opportunity
for socialising at the BBQ on
Saturday night, which was held
at the Museum in association
with the Green Man Brewery.
The weekend activities continued on Sunday
with a number of members going on a bus tour
to explore the Otago Peninsula including
Glenfalloch Woodland Gardens, the Marine
Studies Aquarium at Portobello, and Larnach
Castle.
Other members were out again on the Sunday
enjoying the best that Dunedin had to offer.
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It was great to see so many members enjoying
the opportunity to understand the organisation
better, and participate in a range of events
including the AGM itself.
Many thanks to the YHA Dunedin staff and
members who served breakfast at the hostel;
you made a huge contribution to the success of
the weekend.
2012 AGM
Next year's AGM weekend is in Nelson on
Saturday 27 October 2012 – we look forward to
seeing you there!
New website
We’ve launched a brand new www.yha.co.nz
website.
The site makes booking a hostel, purchasing a
membership or creating a travel itinerary easy
as!
You’ll see a lot of new functions that have been
designed to make your booking experience
quicker and easier – a calendar view of hostel
availability so you can see all rooms across six
nights and a shopping cart so you can either
build an itinerary or add a travel package. And
make your payment in one transaction.
If you’ve made a hostel booking and the
weather changes or you change your mind, no
worries! You can now access an instant website
refund.
Our new website allows you to purchase a YHA
membership at the same time you book
accommodation, whether you’re a Kiwi or an
international traveller.
Member discounts have also been completely
re-thought. No more confusing non-member
fees. Instead we’re guaranteeing all members a
straight 10% discount on all their bookings.
Great news and easy maths!
Members will save between $7 and $10 per
night in a typical private room. There only
needs to be one member per private room for
the discount, which makes it a great time to
introduce your friends and family to YHA
membership.
And it gets better – we’re now throwing in a
free 2degrees SIM card with every new
membership. Already a member? Pick up your
free SIM at any YHA hostel in New Zealand.
Don’t forget to bring along your membership
card.
Hostel News
So get online. It’s easy as!
Christchurch Recovery
Repair work on Rolleston House is now
significantly advanced and we are anticipating
its reopening
in the
early
part of
next
year.
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In relation to our Manchester St hostel, further
assessments are underway to establish the
structural integrity of the building and the land
underneath it. This is a lengthy process and we
are waiting to hear the results in the New Year.
We continue to work closely with our insurers
in relation to both properties.
Hostel Awards
The Network Managers’ Conference was held in
November. As part of the Conference, an
Awards evening was held.
Congratulations to those hostels that featured
in this year's Hostel Awards and well done to
the teams at those hostels for their contribution
to the success of YHA New Zealand.
Awards Night
Four awards were presented:
� Small hostel of the year award
� Large hostel of the year award
� Associate hostel of the year
� YHA Hero award
Hostel of the year awards were decided on a
combination of the following categories:
� Occupancy percentage
� Annual guest survey rating
� Advanced reservation per bednight
� Financial return per bednight
Small hostel of the year
3rd place – Tekapo
2nd place – Napier
1st place – YHA Kaikoura
Large hostel of the year
3rd place – Tie between Nelson and Wanaka
2nd place – Wellington
1st place – YHA Queenstown Central
The Associate hostel of the year award was
based on:
� The volume of memberships sold
� Number of bulk bed vouchers sold for
the year
Associate hostel of the year
3rd place – Tidewater, Coromandel
2nd place – Barnacles, Paraparaumu
1st place – YHA Arthur's Pass, Mountain House
The YHA Hero Award was based on nominations
by managers for the staff member who has
gone above and beyond the call of duty to get
the job done.
YHA Hero Award
Nominated:
William Kerr – Wanaka
Sarah Newbould – Tekapo
Sonny Hopkins – Mt Cook
Kate Ufton – Christchurch
Winner – Kate Ufton
For her work with guests during the
Christchurch earthquakes
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Hostel Manager changes
Claire
Lhermitte,
Hostel
Manager for
YHA
Greymouth
has resigned
after
managing the
hostel for
many years.
We wish her
all the best for
her next
chapter in her
life on the
Coast.
Nicola Plumridge has returned from parental
leave to manage YHA Wanaka.
Luke Tarplett,
previously the Acting
Hostel Manager at YHA
Wanaka has been
appointed as Hostel
Manager for YHA Franz
Josef.
Sarah Newbould is
leaving YHA Tekapo and Amanda Clark is joining
us as the new Hostel Manager.
Refurbishment of Auckland City
In recent months YHA Auckland City has had a
facelift. This included the redevelopment of
level 1 and 2 common and support areas, and
refurbishment of accommodation level
bathrooms, in particular:
� A complete refit of guest kitchen and
increase of kitchen area to better provide for
groups. This includes all fixtures and fittings,
tap ware, cabinetry, wall linings, floor
coverings and ventilation systems.
� Refit of the guest dining area including
carpets, furniture, lighting etc to improve
guest experience.
� Redesign of level 1 storage, laundry and
support areas.
� Complete refit of accommodation
bathrooms including fixtures and fittings, tap
ware, partitions, wall linings, floor coverings
and ventilation systems.
� Improved security access for guest safety.
� New reception counter and back of house
areas to improve the initial guest experience
and staff efficiencies.
Now is a great time to stop by and spend the
night at YHA Auckland City. Enjoy the new
spaces and tell your friends!
Helicopter lift for YHA Wellington
The previous hot water heating equipment has
been replaced at YHA Wellington City. The old
backup heating system was supplied by gas
boilers which have a high carbon emission and
now new, high efficiency hot water heat pumps
have been installed.
The heat pumps equipment weighs about
360kgs so an engineered steel platform was
required on the roof to support it. Due to the
weight and length of the steel components,
including the steel platform parts, they could
not be taken up to the roof from inside the
hostel building. With the trolley bus cables on
the street outside the hostel a crane was not an
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option for a roof lift. That left a helicopter lift as
the only viable option.
On Saturday 12
November at 7am
on a VERY STILL
Wellington
morning, with the
roads closed off
around the hostel,
a Helipro helicopter
undertook two lifts
of steelwork onto
the hostel roof in
just under 20
minutes. The steel
work was then able
to be bolted together and the platform
constructed.
The hot water heat pumps will be located on
the roof platform and then the pipework
connected into the existing hot water system,
ensuring that YHA Wellington City has a stable
hot water supply and a lower carbon footprint.
Member News
Whangarei Branch tree planting
The Whangarei Branch has planted a memorial
kauri tree in the hostel gardens for John
Newman, Hostel Manager of the Whangarei
hostel from 1999 to 2007 who passed away in
July 2011.
Whangarei Branch members with the kauri tree.
Harry Guitry takes up the story:
Jill Kerr set the date for the planting as 9
September at 5.30pm. I was quite worried
about her choice of date and time as it clashed
with TV coverage of the Rugby World Cup
(RWC) opening ceremony, however in the end
the date and time could not have been better.
This is because John loved rugby and indeed
actively played Golden Oldie rugby for a local
club right up until he became unwell.
So it was fitting that we held a planting and
remembrance celebration at dusk on the
opening of the
RWC in New
Zealand, and it
was a gorgeous
evening as well.”
Story courtesy of
Harry Guitry.
Photos courtesy of
Gilbert Whalley,
Whangarei Branch.
Auckland Branch trips
TAURANGA MEMBER WEEKEND
12-14 AUGUST
Gilbert Whalley with the kauri tree
Friday
A group of seven people from our Branch
attended this event, taking the opportunity to
see some of Tauranga, interact with the top
people of YHA, and make new friends with YHA
members from all over New Zealand.
Saturday
Breakfast was provided courtesy Tauranga
Branch. Afterwards there was time to walk thru
the sculpture garden and 5min bush walk
behind the hostel, looking at all the quirky
sculptures that had been made over the years
by Rex Smart and his helpers.
A two-hour cruise on the inner Tauranga
Harbour was organised for 10am. Our boat was
the Luv Boat, being the old harbour ferry Spirit
done up as a charter boat for parties and
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celebrations. We cruised along the coastline
under the motorway bridge and passed cargo
ships before coming to the inland beach of Mt
Maunganui.
We cruised close to the foot of Mt Maunganui,
and once we reached the harbour entrance we
turned around to follow the coastline towards
Otumoetai.
In the afternoon Michael, Oscar and Barbara
went on a walk that Rex organised, starting and
finishing at the YHA. This took in local sights
including The Elms mission house, the redoubt,
the begonia hothouse, the Maori waka on The
Strand, and the arts centre in the old wharf
sheds.
Just before dinner Rex organised a $2 raffle to
raise money for repairs to the canoes at YHA
Opoutere. Over $50 was raised.
We met in the lounge for our Member Forum.
YHA CEO Mark Wells and National Chair Coral
Laughton updated us about such things as the
effects of the Christchurch earthquakes, and
preparations for the forthcoming Rugby World
Cup. Afterwards we were all invited in turn to
introduce ourselves and briefly mention our
involvement with the YHA movement.
Sunday
Kathy had not been to Mt Maunganui for a long
time so we went to have a look there before we
headed homewards.
On our way home we stopped at the Katikati
Bird Gardens about five minutes before the
Katikati township. We were given a bag of bird
feed with our tickets. There were all sorts of
wild birds to be seen - peacocks, doves,
pigeons, hens, ducks and swans - and as we
threw some of the feed out, sparrows came
down to join in the fray.
We were back home in Auckland between 5pm
and 5:30pm, having enjoyed an interesting and
relaxing weekend away.
MAGICAL MYSTERY TOUR OF WEST AUCKLAND
12 SEPTEMBER 2011
Thirteen people turned up at Catalina Café in
Hobsonville at 9:30am not knowing what would
be lying ahead for the rest of the day. We had
no clue whatsoever as to where we would go,
or what we would see and do. Drivers were
given sealed instructions as to where to go for
each stage, then more instructions as to what
to do when we got there.
Our first mystery place was just one minute’s
drive away, at what was once the barracks for
the Air Force and now home to the New
Zealand Traditional Boatbuilding School. We
joined a guided tour of the school which offers
night and one-day courses for boating
enthusiasts. We had a look at the workshops,
learning how traditional wooden dinghies were
built and old boats restored.
We then found ourselves heading to Oratia
where the local farmers were holding their
Saturday morning market.
Just Plane Interesting next door was an antique
shop/museum jam packed with all sorts of
memorabilia. Laurel and Hardy greeted us at
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the entrance, and as we went inside we said
hello to Edith, sitting in a recliner chair, holding
a doll and reading a paper.
Back into central Henderson we went, finding
ourselves at the historic Mill Cottage. We were
shown through this house while being told
about the sawmilling history of the Henderson
area. There was a working model of an old kauri
dam, where felled logs were held in a reservoir,
and when the dam was opened they would spill
down the stream with the flow of water.
Back in the cars we went up Sturges Rd, looking
into the lush Henderson Valley, before turning
into Candia Rd and ending up at no 80, which
turned out to be Crystal Mountain. And what an
awesome place it was - there were crystals and
minerals from all over. We descended by lift
into the museum, a journey of “100 metres” to
the floor below the reception and shop.
We found ourselves headed into Lincoln, not
knowing where we would be having our dinner
until we ended up outside Valentines.
We didn’t have much trouble with the traffic as
we set out for home about 7:30pm, even
though the All Blacks were about to steamroller
France at Eden Park an hour later.
BIG BAY, 22-24 OCTOBER
A group of five people enjoyed a relaxing long
weekend at Big Bay on the Awhitu Peninsula at
the entrance to Manukau Harbour.
Big Bay Holiday park is the only holiday park in
New Zealand to use the environment-friendly
Wormorator system for treatment of waste
waters. First thing on Sunday morning Ian the
owner showed us the system where worms that
digest the material from toilet, kitchen,
bathroom and laundry waste resulting in an
odourless high-quality discharge. The holiday
park has a Silver Environment Award, and 3 star
accommodation with children catered for with
a playground and artwork.
Just after 10am we left to go to the Sunday
market at the Matakawau Hall, where we
browsed various local wares such as arts, crafts,
foods, and plants for the garden. Afterwards we
went to Matakawau Bay for a quick look at the
domain and boat ramp, before going on to the
historic Manukau Heads lighthouse. For a small
honesty-box donation we could climb to the top
of the lighthouse and enjoy a view all around,
including Manukau Harbour with Auckland city
in the distance, the Waitakere Ranges and
Whatipu commanding the harbour entrance.
We had our lunch at Grahams Beach on the
inland side of the Awhitu Peninsula, before
returning to Big Bay. We spent the rest of the
day relaxing in our cabins as showers of light
rain passed by.
Nearly everyone who was staying at the holiday
park, plus a few friends of the owners, gathered
in the BBQ area to watch the final of the Rugby
World Cup 2011 on the big screen. It was a
close match, with a score of only 8-7 to the All
Blacks, but that was enough to make New
Zealand hold the coveted Rugby World Cup,
with cheers and hugs to the theme from Jupiter
being played repeatedly.
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On Monday we
packed up, and
left the holiday
park for the
Waipipi Bird Park
just before the
township of
Waiuku. We spent
over an hour
viewing a large
variety of exotic
birds with their
spectacular
plumages. Charlie,
a cockatoo, greeted us with Hello.
From there we went into Waiuku and had a
look at the old cottages, jailhouse and museum.
One of the cottages housed a craft shop with all
sorts of dolls, teddies, paintings, cushions and
other wares. The jailhouse displayed the
spartan cells where a criminal would begin their
punishment while waiting to appear in court
after their arrest.
Two carloads went their separate ways home,
with Michael’s group stopped at the Strawberry
Farm in Mangere for icecreams. We were home
by mid-afternoon.
WHITFORD, 12 NOVEMBER
We began with the new Sir Peter’s Museum at
Manurewa. This has just been opened, and was
set up by the Mad Butcher Sir Peter Leitch. His
collection of sports memorabilia, including his
favourite rugby league, was extensive. There
were framed jerseys, tickets, trophies, badges
and much more.
From there we went to Whitford for an early
lunch at Amy’s Kitchen riverside café before
going on to a private toy museum. Bill and
Kathie McNabney had built up an impressive
collection of toys of all sorts. We were
transported back to our childhood days as we
browsed the extensive displays of dolls, teddy
bears, pedal cars, cranes, Hornby clockwork
trains, bikes and scooters. Old brand names
such as Tri-ang came to mind, and we were also
reminded of doing our school work with
fountain or dip pens and Stephens ink. We also
remembered eating out of those Bunnykins
plates decorated with Barbara Vernon’s artistry.
The Whitford Rescue Centre was having an
open day, so we went on to have a look. Ten
years ago when the owners bought their
lifestyle block they had a passion for the
welfare of orphaned, sick and injured wild birds,
and two years ago a charitable trust was wet
up. We had a look at birds in various stages of
recovery, and enjoyed a sausage sizzle and
afternoon tea on the lawn.
Our final port of call was the Ayrlies garden. As
we arrived, a light rain came on but this did not
stop us from getting out and exploring this
lovely and extensive garden. There were several
ponds as well as patches of bush to explore.
Being at the height of the spring season, the
various plants and flowers were an awesome
sight. A great way to finish off such a varied day.
Trip reports and photos courtesy of
John McCarthy, Auckland Branch.
Wellington Branch Survey
Over recent months the Wellington Branch
Committee have been considering how best to
strengthen the Branch. They developed a
Branch membership survey asking for feedback
on the types of activities their members were
interested in. Denise Stevenson in National
Office formatted this into a Smartmail survey
which automatically collated the responses. The
Wellington Branch found this very helpful, so if
other Branches are interested in doing the same
– please feel free to contact Denise.
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Sustainability News
CEMARS report
Our CEMARS audit for the year has been
completed! CEMARS is the verification process
for the measurement of our carbon emissions.
The auditor advised that the dataset we
presented for audit was the best presented and
best quality data that they had seen.
This is due to YHA National Office’s Chieko
Bulllmore thorough and diligent approach to
the data entry and checking process.
The auditor also had high praise for the systems
we use to collate the data ready for audit and
publication. Denise Stevenson from National
Office designed these systems and maintains
them to ensure they function correctly. Again
the auditor was complimentary of the logic and
clarity of the systems, which are of a very high
standard.
In the 2010/11 year our total emissions were
926.14 tonnes. This represents a 19.5% or 224.7
tonne decrease from the previous year.
Emissions arising from electricity consumption
decreased by 166 tonnes or 28.5%. This can be
partly attributed to the continued capital
expenditure YHA has invested in energy saving
initiatives throughout the network, including
the installations of GFX grey water heat
recovery systems in a number of hostels and
the conversion of electric laundry facilities to
gas powered laundry facilities in several hostels.
Congratulations to Stuart MacWilliam, YHA’s
Property Manager, who planned and installed
this energy efficiency equipment.
Stuart MacWilliam, Denise Stevenson and Chieko Bullmore
Green Footprint Planting Day
On a Friday morning in September, YHA
National Office staff in Christchurch abandoned
their desks to assist with the Green Footprint
Project – an initiative to plant indigenous
vegetation in the Selwyn district.
This was our 8 th year planting and we managed
to plant over 600 trees and shrubs including
pokaka, totara, matai and kahikatea. Since the
beginning of the project in 2004, YHA has
planted almost 10,000 trees and shrubs.
A YHA story from YHA Kinloch
Hostel Managers have all had to deal with
unwanted visitors over the years, finding them
lurking in all sorts of places on the hostel
grounds.
But what do you do when the trespasser sneaks
into the grounds at night, is large and
threatening, damages your property and
refuses to go away?
Simple: you ‘dispatch’ him!
In this case, the 'him' was a 1½ tonne feral
thoroughbred Hereford bull. He was part of an
extended family of beasts that had gone AWOL
from our neighbour's farm several years ago
and had been living and breeding in a life of
free range freedom in thick bush on the hillside
above the small township of Kinloch
(population 8). Sadly, our four legged friend
developed a taste for garden plants and, over a
period of a month, became a regular nocturnal
intruder, munching his way through broadleaved
plantings and the neighbour's rhubarb
patch.
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At first the evidence was just in the form of the
odd cow pat and hoof print on the gravel road.
Then one night, as the YHA Kinloch crew were
sitting down for staff dinner at dusk, the beast
was spotted standing in the glow of our
hamlet's single streetlight. What a sight: a huge
head and set of horns. Whilst all were staring
with noses pressed to the window, the animal
turned sideways and we all fell silent. He was a
huge monster! He melted away into the night
and we sat around daring each other to go and
look for him.
A phone call was made to a farmer friend who
offered some sage advice: 'Don't go near it as
you might get charged. Call the police stock
control officer.'
News on the bush telegraph spreads quickly
and someone from DOC called us and offered to
come and dispatch the animal if we saw it (it
was living on DOC land without a concession,
which is a capital offence). Over the next few
weeks a bovine version of cat and mouse
ensued as intrepid trophy hunters prowled
around with spotlights and slug guns with the
intention of 'runnin' the darn beast outa town.'
The beast was getting bolder and closer. Our
beautifully manicured gardens were getting
hammered. One morning we found hoof marks
22cm wide and 15cm deep in a grassy bank
three metres from one of our rooms!
YHA Kinloch Lodge trainee, James Glover,
points to hoof prints on the lawn.
Well, in the end our four legged friend's luck ran
out and he succumbed to a head shot from a
local hit man. As is the way in the countryside, a
swift skinning and butchering ensued with
celebration steaks all round and a collective sigh
of relief from the gardeners. Billy the Bull may
be no more, but his descendants still look down
on us from the hillside above, which, all being
well, is where they'll stay.
I trust you have found this edition of YHA
News interesting and informative. Summer
is finally here so I hope you are out and
about enjoying everything summer brings
us.
Best wishes to you for the forthcoming
holiday season and I look forward to
working with you again next year.
Regards
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