Many people have been enjoying the freshly painted Chorus box at the intersection of Miranda St and Blockhouse Bay Rd.

It was painted by professional artist Sean McCarthy of Titirangi.  He wanted to paint something positive for the kids to look at.  “I would have loved to have seen something like that as a kid when I came out of school” he says.

While he says the children in the photo are not any particular Glenavon School children, he admits they were modelled off a photo.  Who do you think they could be?

The Glenavon box is the fifth one Mr McCarthy has painted.  He has also painted one on Portage Rd near Craigavon Park, and one on Whitney St.  He says the positive response from the community is huge, with lots of people stopping to talk to him about his work.

Cost: $5 to cover costs, due on first night.

Ukeleles supplied for class use.  If you want to play at home, you need your own (available for $30-$40 at Avondale music shop on Rosebank Road)

Tutor: Tepano Tauia.  Born in the Cook Islands, Tepano has lived in New Zealand for over 30 years and belongs to a professional Rarotongan band.

Come and enjoy some annihilation with the Glenavon guys at the new IPG Delta Force paintball in Woodhill Forest. Price is $25 for all the gear including 100 balls; extra balls available at extra cost. Transport provided.

Text/call 022-GLEN-COM (022-4536-266) by Friday 25th May to register your interest for a showdown on a Saturday in June (date to be confirmed).

Free driving lessons with a trusted volunteer mentor driver.

Free internet access to “Practice” driver education website programme.

Information Meeting: 7pm Thursday 17 May at Glenavon Community Hub (bring the kids if you have to)

For more information please email Glenavon Community Trust on info@glenavon.org.nz OR Ph/txt 022-GLEN-COM (022-4536-266) OR register your interest at Glenavon School Office.

Mr Cadogan started work at the Glenavon Pharmacy 34 years ago, buying the business two years later. 

While there were many break-ins and one armed robbery, the most dramatic event was when a baby was born in the carpark. Mr Cadogan is thankful the ambulance arrived before the baby did.

Many customers have shopped at the Glenavon Pharmacy their whole lives. One resident recalls Mr Cadogan personally delivering fresh fish he'd caught as well as medication to her terminally ill husband.

Pharmacy Technician Jody Walters worked with Mr Cadogan for eight years after graduating and says he was a kind and caring man who was more of a friend than a boss. He taught her and Angela lots of things about pharmacy and life in general. She thoroughly enjoyed working with him and misses him a lot. Colleague Angela Oakes left the pharmacy recently after 13 years working with Mr Cadogan.

In his retirement Mr Cadogan plans to spend more time with his family including his brother and grandchildren. He enjoys fishing and gardening, and playing traditional Irish music with his wife Maggie.

Michael Mishriki takes over from Mr Cadogan, having worked in Dunedin for several years after completing his pharmaceutical training at the University of Otago. Originally from Egypt, Michael spent his teenage years in East Auckland, and is very glad to have the opportunity to move back to Auckland and serve the people in Glenavon.

Featuring Glenavon's semi-professional musicians

Carols – Singing – Drama

MC Charlie Latai

Sausage Sizzle and Cold Drinks for Sale – Fundraising for Charlie's sports teams.

If you've got talent and want to perform a Christmas item, contact Sharon Jefferies.

The damage didn't stop Lucy and Nancy Vasuvulagi organising a Holbrook St barbecue at the hub.

If you have small children then we will have met. I’m Kerri the Blockhouse Bay Plunket nurse. I visit children from when the midwife discharges you when your baby is around 5 weeks old, and I stay in contact until your children are 2-3yrs old.

I visit families at home but also run weekly clinics at the BHB Plunket rooms and   Glenavon School on the first Monday of every month.

The Glenavon Community Trust based at the school has renovated the old dental clinic and it is now a wonderful room to use, warm and spacious.

I am keen to see a Mums group get going here once a week from next year. It would be somewhere you could come with your baby and preschoolers, meet other mums, grab a coffee and enjoy others company for both you and your children. If you are enthusiastic about this idea please call me as we need your support to get it going.

If you would like to talk to me about your children or are due for a Plunket check please call.

BHB Plunket Ph: 627-9760 or 027 281-5710

Ladies of all ages attended and enjoyed decorating cupcakes and making Chinese dumplings, having their hands pampered and trying out Zumba. Rosina Warren, assisted by her cousin Ritea, speedily whipped up formal hair styles for many ladies. Julie Zhu's authentic healthy Chinese dumplings were extremely delicious. Everyone had a lovely night, with lots of beauty products given away. 

Thanks to Tapana Tauia and Venussi Laungaue for their beautiful decorations, and the ladies from Blockhouse Bay Baptist Church for their tasty supper and cupcakes.

The G-Unit team from Glenavon are competing in the Touch Down Under Competition in Onehunga.  They have started well with two wins: 1st game 3-2, 2nd game 7-1

Five Glenavon students are participating in a Glenora softball team and have so far won all four games.  Go Glenavon!

Youthtown is putting significant resources into our community – check out the free sports and games for kids of all ages every Thursday 4-6pm at Glenavon School. The children are given free snacks every week, and a trip to Rainbow's End is up for grabs.

On Sunday 13 March we were blessed with fine weather for our free community BBQ. The pool was warm, the kids splashed around and the adults chatted in the shade. The sausages, burgers, cake and drinks went down a treat with all who attended.

Meanwhile the ladies worked up a sweat in the free outdoor Zumba class, kindly provided by our instructor, Trish.

Charles decided to start up a touch rugby team.  He had a “great response from the number of kids in the neighbourhood wanting to get involved”.

Charles coaches the kids twice a week at the Miranda Reserve and on Thursday they play in a competition in Kelston.

Charles' goal is for “the kids to have fun and learn to work as a team with other kids in the community”.  The touch tournament finishes on 24 March and he is planning more activities for local children.

Contact Charles Latai, 19A Miranda St.

Glenavon School Pool

Check the hall if its raining or cold, hopefully some games or sports for the kids instead

Free: swim, sausages, burgers.

Kids, bring your parents.

Ladies' Christian Prayer and Fellowship

1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month

7.00pm Pray for our community

7.45pm Chat, fellowship, personal prayer

Glenavon Komuniti Hub (old school dental clinic, at the front of the school)

Youthtown is providing its Breakaway School Holiday Programme again these April School Holidays.  See the ad on the back page of this newsletter.

Programme for 11-13 year olds includes Art Workshops, Action Sports and Cooking

Programme for 14-17 year olds includes Abseiling, Kayaking, and Archery.

This programme is FREE for Glenavon residents: normally over $100/week per child!

Free bus will pick kids up from Glenavon School.

To register: Ph Youthtown on 379-5430 OR visit the Glenavon School Office

Cars are still being broken into.  Congratulations to the Holbrook St residents who have been stopping these people in the act, chasing them down the road!  Holbrook St residents are now on alert.

It is highly likely that these people live locally and are known to police.  The easiest way to solve this problem long term is to get the police involved while it is happening – so if you see someone acting suspiciously, ring 111 right away.  Free from your cellphone.

If you would like to start a Neighbourhood Support group to combat crime round your house, please contact Holbrook Street Neighbourhood Support Coordinator Ana Koloamatangi and she will get you started.

Every Thursday during school term from 4-6pm Vei and his team teach sports skills and run games at the school. Although the program is targeted at 13-18 year olds, Vei is very community-minded and includes all the younger children that turn up. Dads can join in too.  Mums come along and chat while the little kids play on the playground.

Vei aims to create a safe environment for all kids to have fun. Every week there is a prize-giving with something to eat.

Glenavon is also a top sports school.  Even though the school only has 60 Intermediate age students, they topped West Auckland in rugby league and volleyball, and were in the top 5 for touch, softball and rugby.

Principal Elaine Herbert places a strong emphasis on attitude, leadership, values and behaviour and this is reflected by Glenavon students' high achievement.

Training will be on the Glenavon school field and will start during the school holidays.

Contact Charles Latai, 19A Miranda St.

The best audience dancers won Christmas hampers – go Theresa, Tina and Trinity!

Recently people have been observed trying to break into cars and houses in our area.  It is likely that these people live locally and are known to police.  The only way to solve this problem long term is to get the police involved while it is happening – so if you see someone acting suspiciously, ring 111 right away.  Free from your cellphone.

A house in Miranda Street was also graffitied lately.  If someone is concerned about these issues and would like to work to combat them, please contact  Holbrook Street Neighbourhood Support Coordinator Ana Koloamatangi and she will get you started.

The Glenavon Komuniti Hub is up and running.  The Glenavon Community Trust has been busy converting the old school dental clinic into a community hub.  Currently Plunket and B4 School Health Checks are two services offered from the building.  The Plunket nurse is there on the first Monday of every month (except during school holidays).  If you would like to make an appointment to see her, phone 627-9760.

Informal community meeting 31 August, 6pm, at the Hub (the small building right at the front of the school property).  Come and give us your ideas about how we can make our community better.   Glenavon Community Trust AGM is at 7pm.  If you come for the meeting you don't have to stay for the AGM.

27 August, 10 & 24 September, 8 & 22 October.

Run by Ana Koloamatangi.

Neighbourhood Support is going well.  Recently some locals were caught doing a burglary.  The Police came quickly, offenders were arrested and property returned to its owners.  Thanks to those residents willing to stick up for their neighbours.

If you see an unfamiliar car that's been sitting around for a while, give the Police a call on 302-6400.  They can tell you if it's stolen and get it back to its rightful owner.  Stolen cars do get dumped in our area, so keep an eye out. 

Welcome to people moving into the new townhouses on Miranda and Ruahine Streets.  If you have children, make sure you come and check out Glenavon School and Preschool.  It is a small friendly school and Mr and Mrs Herbert will give you a warm welcome.  The school is run like a private school with excellent teachers, programs, behaviour and corresponding above-average achievement levels.  

A community trust has been set up to coordinate the transformation of the old school dental clinic into our own small community centre.  Services offered from the centre will include Plunket, Under 5 Wellness Checks and School Social Worker.  The centre will also be available for other community groups to use.  The trustees are currently planning the renovations and seeking funding.

It has been a successful year for the Holbrook St Neighbourhood Support Group with a significant reduction in local tagging and vandalism at the school.  Highlights included catching taggers on camera and returning a stolen scooter to its rightful owner.  Thanks to Auckland City Council and local police for great support.  Biggest thanks and gratitude go to those people who have stepped up to be witnesses, despite fear of retribution.  Courage is a great character attribute.

We've learnt a lot about working with different agencies, especially the police.  The police are extremely helpful and quick to arrive if you've been keeping them informed about the minor stuff that's going on in your street.  On the other hand, don't expect them to turn up in a hurry if you can't be bothered doing your part to reduce crime.  If you want an information sheet on how to effectively work with the police, contact us.

If you would like Somebody to make your part of the community safer, chances are Nobody will do it.  It's pretty easy for Anybody.  And if Everybody got involved, there wouldn't even be a crime problem.  If you know who the magic person Everybody is give us a call!  Maybe its you - all you need to do is keep your eyes open and start talking: to your neighbours, other community members, the police.

We have an unclaimed found mountain bike which was stolen quite a long time ago.  Please contact  us if you think it might be yours.  If you own bicycles, please record their serial numbers.  This way if the bicycle is found in someone else's possession, its easy to prove they stole it.  You can usually find the serial number on the frame below the pedals (try turning the bike upside down).

Also found – a small, long-haired grey tortoiseshell dead cat.  Our condolences if it was yours.

Several months ago some local girls were assaulted and robbed as they walked home by people hanging out at the bottom of Holbrook St.  Some of these offenders are now on bail.  If you wish to help make sure they keep to their bail conditions please contact us.  Its easy – we teach you how to identify them, you keep an eye out to make sure they're behaving themselves and get the police to come pick them up if they're not.

A number of local people (some the same as those mentioned above) have been served trespass notices by the school.  We are sick of them using the school for crime purposes.  If you live next to the school and are willing to help enforce the trespass orders, please contact us.  Again, its easy, just ringing the police when you need to.

A letter from the Timms family after Jaydin went missing for over 12 hours overnight on Saturday 6 December:

She explained that we all have the right to live in peace and safety, free from vandalism and intimidation.  Nobody has the right to make you feel unsafe in your own street.  This is especially true in a country like New Zealand, where we have a relatively honest and helpful government and police force.

She detailed the strategies that we need to use in order to fight crime in our neighbourhood and therefore make it a safer place.  Her encouragement was that if we follow her strategies, “you watch what happens!”

Ana Koloamatangi and Frances Peeters are the Holbrook St coordinators.  You can contact Ana or email Frances.

As soon as the Holbrook St Neighbourhood Support Group is running effectively, we plan to widen the group to include Blockhouse Bay Rd, Margate Rd, Hertford St and Miranda St.  Other coordinators will be needed as Ana and Frances are quite busy with one working and the other homeschooling and 9 children to look after between them.

However Blockhouse Bay Beach has been re-sanded with about 900 large trailer loads of sand.  It is lovely at high tide and there is a barbecue and a playground with a long tunnel slide.  It's only a 5 minute drive or catch a bus up to Blockhouse Bay shops and walk down Endeavour St (long hill back up though).

New Windsor School Pool is open 1-5pm Sat/Sun and may also be open 1-5 on holiday weekdays.  Cost: Adult $4, Child under 12 $2, Family $10 (2 adults 2 children).  It is an indoor, waist-deep heated pool.  Ph 627-3026.

Remember to Slip on a Shirt, Slop on some Sunscreen, Slap on a Hat and Wrap on some Sunglases!