C l i e n t s    C o r n e r                                                                      

NEWSLETTER

 

February 2010

Christmas at Valentines - by Gavin Read

Special Olympics Summer National Games 2009 - by Ian Johnson

Art Trip City Gallery Wellington - by Gloria Shaw

Art Trip Shona Moller Paraparaumu - by Lindsay Cox

Outward Bound Preparations - by Jonathan Kan

Visit to Ashhurst Domain and Te Apiti Wind Farm - Interview with David Ngatai


November 2009

Tu Whera Whare - Club Med (The Opening of Club Med) - by Lindsay Cox

Diwali Celebrations with the Kumar Family - by Anil Kumar

Courtyard Projects - Sonny Ratana & Mark Robertson

My Birdhouse - by Jonathan Kan


August 2009

Trading Taxis for Buses

Women's Group

Matariki Celebrations

Music Group

Giving up Smoking

10 Pin Bowling Champ


May 2009

An a-maze-ing Trip to Taradale Stewart Centre by various clients at MSC

Apple Picking at Massey Orchards by Gloria Shaw

Tai Chi in the Rose Garden by Jonathan Kan

Feeling Proud by Michael Webb

Art Group by Ian Johnson

Whakanoa - The Blessing of Club Med by Lindsay Cox

NZ Army Art Exhibition by Bruce Aldred


February 2009

Holiday in Australia - Barry Griffin

Esplanade Barbeque - Michael Webb

Art of Conversation - David Ngatai

Diaries - Lindsay Cox

Foxton Beach - Interview with Phil Larking

My Son's Graduation - James Legg

Library Visit - Roger Milne


November 2008

Pokerwork Exhibition - By Lindsay Cox

Apiti Trip - Mageo Crafts - By Roger Milne

Art Exhibition - Te Manawa - By Kerry Tofts

The Wood Workshop at the Stewart Centre - By John Broadbent and Jay Rolfe

Tai Chi - By Keith Hargreaves


August 2008

Feilding Art Exhibition - By Barry Griffin

Hero's Journey

New Activity Room - By Sonny Ratana

Mid-Winter Lunch at Breakers - By Gloria Shaw

Hi De Hi - August 2008 - By Phil Newman

Pokerwork Course - By Lindsay Cox


POEMS

Changes - by Philip E Larking


POEMS


Changes

I was sad,

The nights get longer,

The trees start changing,

Trees losing leaves,

I lost my power,

Those leaves though, are still beautiful,

I am sad but I can still garden,

There is beauty in me,

The seed within me is the promise of new life to come,

Sad, sad, sad,

There are glimpses of good times,

What will there be for me?

by Philip E Larking


NEWSLETTER


Christmas at Valentines

The Stewart Centre Christmas lunch for 2009 was celebrated in style at Valentines Restaurant.  The venue is popular with several of us because it has a wide selection of good food at a very reasonable price.  Everyone I spoke with said they had a wonderful time.

The selection included soups, salads, hot meats and vegetables,  seafood dishes and desserts as well as tea and coffee.  We arrived back at the Centre with very full stomachs and ready for a little sleep—which I think is a good indicator that we all enjoyed ourselves!

In the afternoon there were more Christmas festivities with some of the family  members joining us for afternoon tea and sharing Secret Santa gifts together. I am very impressed with the sense of family the Stewart Centre provides, especially at special times of the year, like Christmas.

By Gavin Read


Special Olympics Summer National Games 2009

I was a competitor in the Special Olympics Summer National Games, that were held in Palmerston North from the 2nd to the 5th December 2009.  These Games are held every four years and bring together teams from all over the country, participating in a variety of events such as ten-pin bowling, athletics, aquatics, basketball, soccer, indoor bowls, bocce, golf, equestrian and power-lifting.

I represented Manawatu at the Special Olympics Ten-Pin Bowling Regionals in June,  where I was able to win a gold medal in the ‘Pairs’ and a bronze in the ‘Fours’,  so it was a real privilege to be able to represent Manawatu again in  several of the Ten-Pin Bowling events at the National Games.

Our team was given accommodation at Massey University, which became our home during the Games. We stayed in Egmont Court along with Manawatu Swimming and Ten-Pin bowlers from Howick/Pakuranga.

The Opening Ceremony on the Wednesday night was an opportunity to meet all the other competitors. Altogether there were 1085 athletes; 43 teams; 10 sports; 379 coaches and 967 volunteers.

We had an early 5 am start the next day in order to get to Bowlerama in time for the start of the day’s events. 

My bowling partner Hamish, and I played  Counties in the ‘Pairs’ on the Thursday morning and we won all three games that we played. On Friday we played in the ’Fours’  against Southern Tarakani who beat us in all three games.

On Friday Hamish and I played Canterbury in the ’Pairs’ final and we won 1 game and lost the last 2 games, but we managed to achieve a silver medal for the  effort and I am happy with that.

I really enjoyed Nationals even though I was nervous at the beginning. There was a great spirit at the Games and I think everyone had a great time. I look forward to competing again in the future.

By Ian Johnson


Art Trip City Gallery Wellington

Clients and Staff from the Stewart Centre  recently went on an Art Trip to Wellington.  

It was a beautiful day that started off really well. On the way we stopped at Lindale for morning tea which we enjoyed very much. We then continued to central Porirua where we had lunch sitting outside in the sunshine. We then went to see the “Mirrored Years’  exhibition by Yayoi  Kusama at the City Gallery.

The outside of the Gallery had been coated in multi-coloured round dots which looked impressive!Inside, her art works also used dots and one room appeared hallucinatory, surreal and unique. It was all in yellow with black dots with large inflated shapes!

One small room was darkened with mirrors and small hanging lights and gave the effect of space.  The last room at the exhibition showed several pictures each one showed a repetition of black shapes on a white background. It was very effective.

The whole day was fabulous and thoroughly enjoyable.

By Gloria Shaw


 

Art Trip Shona Moller Paraparaumu

Whilst we were traveling back from the exhibition in Poneke (Wellington), the Stewart Centre Art enthusiasts called in at Shona Moller’s Art Gallery in Paraparaumu.  The gallery couples as a working studio which enables one to observe first-hand the various stages in the lifecycle of a piece—from initial inception to finished work. Shona uses a visual diary to plan and organise each project. She documents her ideas, draws sketches, uses symbols and includes  photographs in the planning stage.

The walls of the Gallery are lined with her works—predominantly the theme being local flora and fauna, shoreline and distinctive Kapiti landscape. The colours are vibrant and striking. Her blending of shades and tonal variations enhance the perspective, as does her use of texture to add a third dimension.

I was particularly taken with three of the pieces. One   captured the flow of the grass caught by the wind and  wonderfully highlighted by vivid flecks of sunlight on some of the blades. Her self-portrait also inspired me, particularly the way she had captured that inquiring facial expression. Another note-worthy piece was of a festive  pohutukawa. The pallet work was stunning, causing the metrosideros excelsa to leap out at one. Awesome!

By Lindsay Cox


Outward Bound Preparations

Outward Bound is an outdoor education centre in Anakiwa and I have been wanting to go there for several years.  Now I have been given the opportunity to attend the Outward Bound “Summit” at the end of February!  “Summit” is an eight day adventure course especially designed for people who have sustained a brain injury. We will be              experiencing activities like sailing, rock climbing, kayaking and tramping.

The Liason Officer from BINZ (Brain Injury NZ) as well the Coordinator at CCS have been supporting me to fundraise for the trip. I had the idea of doing a sausage sizzle as a  fundraiser. I spent a whole day selling sausages outside Mad Butcher and managed to raise about $250 as my contribution towards the total cost.

My father also contributed some money, and the rest was provided by BINZ.

Thank you to all those who have helped me to prepare for my adventure. I am a little apprehensive about participating in the course but many people have encouraged me and I believe it will be a life changing experience.

I will let you all know how I survived in the next newsletter—I can’t wait to share that with you all!

By Jonathan Kan


Visit to Ashhurst Domain and Te Apiti Wind Farm

I couldn’t remember a lot about the recent Stewart Centre trip to Ashhurst Domain until one of the staff reminded me, and I saw the photographs.

What did you enjoy most about the trip?

I really enjoyed preparing the BBQ. I took on the responsibility of doing all the cooking for the group that day, which included sausages, meat patties and onions. It was also my job to see that everyone received their fair share and that it was well cooked and nice and hot.

Why did you enjoy cooking the BBQ most of all?

I have always found great satisfaction in helping others. Even when I was a young boy I was known as a helper. Helping others makes me feel really good about myself.

Is there anything else about the trip that you enjoyed?

I enjoyed visiting Te Apiti wind farm in the afternoon. The turbines are a lot bigger up close. They are an amazing piece of technology!

From an Interview with David Ngatai


My Birdhouse

I am pleased to say I have successfully completed a birdhouse as a woodwork project at the Stewart Centre.

As the photo shows, the finished product is now mounted on my fence at home and it is attracting several birds in the area. 

There was a set process I had to follow in constructing it, and the materials had to be able to withstand the weather. Once all the individual pieces had been prepared I was able to begin assembling it. This was a very enjoyable stage, watching everything come together.

 

One Saturday morning, Bruce from the workshop came to my house to help me mount the birdhouse  against the fence. We had to put a huge bolt into it to hold it in place.  I began to monitor the bird ‘activity’ and I made a record of my observations:

· Day 1: There were no birds in the house or settling on the perch. Bruce suggested I add bread to the feeding bowl to attract them.

· Day 2-10: I did what Bruce suggested and after a few days some birds started coming around but not too many. 

· Day 10 onwards: Now there are birds around the bird house all the time.  Every day I enjoy looking out my window to see them. I make sure there is plenty of bread in the feeding bowl and that keeps the birds coming back. I call the birds “The Martinez Family” after my virtual family from The Sims3.

Making this bird house has been a journey of discovery. I have learnt skills like planning and  problem-solving, which are good life skills to have.

By Jonathan Kan


Courtyard Projects

Several of the clients are developing some stunning projects to form part of the overall design for the new sensory garden and courtyard area at the Stewart Centre. 

They have been keeping visual diaries to help them plan and organise their designs. There are some wonderfully creative projects beginning to emerge.

 


दिवाली Diwali Celebrations with the Kumar Family

Recently the Stewart Centre celebrated Diwali with Anil and Prem Kumar and their daughter Natasha. Prem came to the Centre and gave a demonstration on how to make special Diwali sweets and Natasha, shared about the meaning of Diwali. We asked Anil to explain about the celebration.

What is Diwali? (Anil replies) Diwali is the Indian ‘Festival of Lights’ and is celebrated in October/November each year. We celebrate the return of Lord Rama after defeating the evil ruler of Lanka, in the epic story of the Hindu Ramayana. It is a celebration of light conquering over darkness.

How do you celebrate Diwali? (Anil replies) Diwali is a family celebration. We celebrate by lighting rows of tea candles, praying special prayers and sharing special food and sweets.

Tell us about the Diwali meal at Queen Elizabeth College Hall. (Anil replies) This year the Indian community held a fundraiser dinner with entertainment at QEC Hall. My daughter, Natasha, performed some Bollywood dances along with others.  Some people from the Stewart Centre also attended. It was a lot of fun.

An Interview with Anil Kumar

Traditional Indian Sweet

Suji Halva—Semolina Pudding

Ingredients

1½ cups semolina                      3 cups milk and 1 cup water

1 tblsp sultanas                          3 blanched, chopped almonds

½ tsp vanilla                               ½ cup butter/ or ghee

3 cardamon seeds crushed 1 cup sugar

Method

1. Add sugar to milk and water and bring to boil

2. Meanwhile fry semolina in ¼ cup of butter / or ghee on medium-low heat until brown (about 6-8 minutes)

3. Add almonds and sultanas and cook a further 5 minutes

4. Add milk and sugar syrup, cardamom and vanilla essence and boil on a low heat, stirring continuously

5. Add remaining ¼ cup of butter / or ghee

6. Cook until all milk has been absorbed, stirring all the time to prevent burning or sticking on the bottom.

Serve hot or warm


 Tu Whera Whare—Club Med  (The Opening of Club Med)

A gathering, held on November 6, 2009, at the Stewart Centre,  West Street, Papaioea, marked the opening and commemoration of our custom built activity wing, colloquially known as Club Med

Invited to officiate during proceedings, was the Minister of Disability Issues, the Honorable Tariana Turia.  Tariana is also the co-leader of the Maori  Party, and we appreciate her including us in her tight schedule.  Also attending the celebration were Alex and Mary Stewart, the founders of the Stewart Centres, who, in 1991 at Auckland, established the first centre.  They traveled down from Ruawai, on the Kaipara Harbour, to attend proceedings. Our Mayor, His Worship Mr. Jono Naylor, also attended the celebrations.

The Stewart Centres were first established in 1991, at Auckland by Alex and Mary after their son, Tommy, was injured in an accident in Australia.  There are now seven Stewart Centres in the North Island, each endeavoring to facilitate productive pathways for their client base.  Here in Palmerston North, I have entered into the creative activities, such as lathe work, painting, pokerwork, and  mosaics.  Others among us are lead into activities which will be beneficial, like budgeting and meal planning.  Cooking skills and domestic planning like budgets and automatic payments are among the skills I have acquired.

After the formal proceedings concluded, we shared a morning tea with the Minister and as parting keep-sake to remember us by, we presented Tariana with three woodwork items I created on the lathe at the Stewart Centre. Prior to European influence, the introduction of a common or noa element into a formally creative zone, allowed said space to once again be available for everyday activities.  Hence, the consumption of food and drink often rounds out traditional Maori gatherings.  We enjoyed a  barbecue lunch and social chit-chat to conclude the day’s events.

By Lindsay Cox


  Trading Taxis for Buses

When I first started attending the Stewart Centre I was using taxis to go to and fro. I live in Milson, which is quite a way from West Street if I were to walk, so the taxis worked well for me. It was a great service but expensive to fund for ACC.

A few months ago some of the staff suggested I try catching a bus instead. To be honest, it freaked me out at first. I wasn’t sure how I would handle it. There were a lot of anxious thoughts spinning round in my head. Well, I took the plunge anyway and I’m glad I did.

We started by catching the bus home to begin with. I would walk into town and get the bus from there. That seemed to work OK. I actually got a buzz out of doing it.

The next step was to catch the bus in the morning as well. One morning I decided to just do it on my own. I got a bit confused about which side of the road I should catch the bus on. I found I was on the wrong side of the road when the bus pulled up, but managed to get across in time.

Now I catch the bus to and from the Stewart Centre on every day that I attend. I guess you could say I’m taxi-free!  I am not anxious or concerned about it. I’m very comfortable now with the whole thing. I really enjoy catching buses!

By Roger Milne


Women’s Group

A new group to start up at the Stewart Centre is the Women’s Group. This is an opportunity for the women clients to get together on a     Friday afternoon and do ‘girls stuff’ – no men allowed! All joking aside, it is nice to be able to spend time with just the ladies for a change.

So far we’ve been to the Feilding Art Centre, Te Manawa pottery exhibition, second-hand shopping at Savemart, out for coffee, to the Esplanade to see the bird aviaries and rose gardens, made cards together and been pampered with foot spas and nail manicures, including Janet. The group is still in the early stages and we’re still figuring out what it is we want to do with our time together. The group is not just about doing  activities together. We really want to be able to support each other.

Apart from attending the Stewart Centre I don’t get out much. My husband is a farmer, so I often spend the whole day on my own, so that gets pretty lonely. For me, the rewarding thing about this Women’s Group is getting together with other ladies for a chat over coffee. It’s lovely being able to have a natter.

By Gloria Shaw


Matariki Celebrations

Matariki is the Maori name for the star cluster, Pleiades. The Maori New Year is marked by its pre-dawn rising over Aotearoa, coupled with the appearance of the new moon in her skies, usually during the month of June.

Traditionally, the brighter the appearing, the warmer the months ahead, and the greater the expectation of a productive harvest to  follow. However, my understanding is that this year’s appearing was somewhat dim.

Matariki can be celebrated in any number of ways. In ancient times, ceremonial offerings were made to the gods of the land, Rongo, Uenuku and Whiro, to ensure good crops for the coming year. 

One Matariki event that a number of us Stewart Centre folk attended was at Square Edge – a collection of Matariki inspired paintings and sculptures, and a recitation of poems to the haunting sounds of nga taonga puoro played by Warren Warbrick. The proceedings were well attended and executed, and I was moved by what I saw and heard.

This year, we at the Stewart Centre also celebrated with typical Maori kai for lunch - ‘boil up’ to be precise. From memory, there were copious amounts of bread, pickled pork, potatoes, pumpkin and  watercress to be enjoyed by all. Those of us with room for seconds were graciously accommodated. It was an excellent feast, as good as any I’ve tasted. I look forward to partaking of it again sometime soon. The emphasis on the word ‘soon’ is obvious.

There has been some debate in the media as to whether Matariki should be a national holiday. I don’t have an opinion on that, but I do like the way it has become popular by the mainstream and it pleased me to see it being embraced by the Stewart Centre this year. Long may it continue! If nothing else, we get to have some great kai!

By Lindsay Cox


Music Group

Music Group runs every Monday morning at the Stewart Centre. Claire is our facilitator and she does a brilliant job. If you enjoy singing songs and listening to music then this is a very good group to be part of.

A few times we have had a guest musician join us. He is a very accomplished guitarist. His name is Mason. It is always good to have him come along. The singing sounds better when he plays.

In the Music Group we do a number of activities. We sing popular songs such as ‘Proud Mary’ and ‘Yellow Submarine’, and sometimes we sing along to the karaoke machine. We also sing Maori waiata such as ‘Te Aroha’ and Maori action songs like ‘Titiro Mai’.  Sometimes we watch music videos, we have music quizzes to test our general music knowledge, we play musical instruments and occasionally we even dance about.

I enjoy attending the Music Group. It is a lot of fun!

By Bruce Aldred


Giving Up Smoking

We want to honour one of our Stewart Centre clients for his amazing determination and will power! After many years of heavy smoking, he’s given up the cigarettes!

On the 27th May 2009 Ian McRae was awarded a Diploma of Achievement from the Manawatu Primary Health Organisation (Te Roopu Mana Hauora o Manawatu) in recognition of the effort and commitment required to become ‘Smoke Free’

Congratulations Ian, we are all inspired by your awesome achievement!

“How long did you smoke for?”

“I smoked for 40 years, - ever since I was 14.”

“What made you decide to give up?”

“I was sick of it! … I didn’t like the taste anymore and I was coughing … and it costs money!”

“How did you go about it?”

“I got nicotine patches and gum from the Manawatu PHO Smokefree Co-ordinator to help me with the cravings. It was hard for the first few weeks but not too bad after that..”

“Do you feel better for having given up?”

“O yes, I feel a lot better thank you … I feel fitter and I’m not coughing anymore either”

[From an Interview with Ian McRae]


10 Pin Bowling Champ

On the weekend of the 13th and 14th of June the 2009  Special Olympics Ten-pin Bowling Regionals were held in Palmerston North and I was fortunate enough to be able to take part. As well as from the Manawatu, there were representatives from several clubs including Hawkes Bay, Hutt Valley, Mana and Wellington. 

Check-in at Bowlerama was at 9.30am on the Saturday. We were all put into divisions from 1 to 5, I was in division 3. My team mate and I played three games against Hawkes Bay and won all of them.  That evening there was a special roast dinner at Club Palmerston. Once dinner was finished there was an award ceremony where the various winners were presented with ribbons and medals.
 
On Sunday, we were back at Bowlerama for the ‘Fours’ event. I was a player on the Manawatu Fours Team. Our team played the team from Mana and we managed to beat them in all three of our games.

It was a very successful weekend for me, winning a gold medal in the ’Pairs’ and bronze in the ‘Fours’. It was great to be part of this event. 10 Pin is an awesome sport to be involved in.

By Ian Johnson


An A-'Maze-ing Trip to Taradale Stewart Centre

In March, quite a large group of us from the Manawatu Stewart Centre set off to Taradale for our annual exchange with the Stewart Centre @ E.I.T.

On the journey up, we had an enjoyable lunch break at the Dannevirke Reserve, setting off again at about 1.30pm. As we neared Taradale we started to see hectare after hectare of wineries as well as the many fruit orchards that the Hawkes Bay is well known for.

We were welcomed onto the Marae at E.I.T with a powhiri. Lindsay was the speaker for our side and we all supported him with a waiata. After all the formalities, we went inside for something to eat and to set up the wharenui for our two night stay there.

Later on we all enjoyed a fish and chip dinner followed by a games evening. There were a variety of games on offer including bingo, trionimoes and cards. Quite a few people from the Taradale Stewart Centre stayed over with us in the marae.

The next morning we visited the Napier prison. This is an historic building which is now a backpackers. It was interesting to see the cells, also the stocks and the gallows. Lunch was at the sunken gardens on Marine Parade and after lunch we visited the lookout on Bluff Hill. In the evening we prepared a BBQ meal for our guests and after dinner some of us went to Ocean Spa which was very relaxing.

On the final day we went to the a’maze’ing maze, to battle it out for the Ranworth Cup. This is a corn maze just out of Napier. It was a beautiful sunny day and perfect weather for the challenge. Although we lost the cup (on a minor technicality!) it was still a lot of fun, and well worth the visit.

Thank you to Stewart Centre@EIT, who were great hosts. We look forward to being able to reciprocate in 2010.

This article was a group effort by Kerry Tofts and Bruce Aldred


I was blown away by the recent visit to Taradale. I was very nervous at first because this was a totally new experience for me. I didn’t know what to expect as I haven’t been away with the Stewart Centre on any overnight stays before, but it turned out to be a-maze-ing! It was the first time I have been on a Marae and I just loved it. The Maori welcome was a new experience and I had to be filled in on what was going on, but it was all good and they did make me feel like ‘family’.

It was really neat to get out of town. I haven’t been away for a while so this was like a holiday for me. I just sum it up by saying ‘Awesome! Thanks very much for the opportunity to be part of it.’

From an interview with Roger Milne


How did you enjoy the Taradale trip Philip? ‘Yes! …. Beautiful!’ So you enjoyed it then? ‘Mama!’ (as he kisses his fingers and flicks them towards me) but … um … da-nce-ing’ So you missed the dancing this time round? ‘Yes!’ I think we will have to have dancing as part of next year’s visit ‘Yes! … Beautiful!’

From an interview with Phil Larking


I always enjoy going away with the Stewart Centre. We do heaps of fun things and it was so cool to see some of our Taradale friends again.

Lisa Robertson


I enjoyed myself in Taradale. It was neat! The maze was good but a shame we didn’t win the cup!

Bruce Jenkins


This is my second time in Taradale. I had a wonderful time. Boy I was tired when we got back … I think I slept nearly all the way home too.

Gloria Shaw


I had a great time away. Thanks for all the support from staff. They always look after me and spoil me rotten.

John Broadbent


Apple Picking at Massey Orchards

It’s that time of year again when the Stewart Centre head off to the Massey orchard to pick apples. I have joined in the apple picking several times now and I love it. We begin with morning tea at Wharerata, which gives us a good energy burst.

This year we picked three trees bare. They were the Pink Lady variety and they were delicious. I know how good they taste because I have eaten my way through several of them … Yum! Picking the apples is only half the battle though. Once we get them back to the Stewart Centre they need to be washed and dried, then sorted, weighed and put into bags ready for people to take home and enjoy. There are still a number of bags in the fridge, so if you wants some come and get them!

By Gloria Shaw


Tai Chi in the Rose Garden

I have heard that there is a Tai Chi class being run at the Stewart Centre on Tuesday afternoons. Unfortunately I don’t attend the Centre on that day, but recently several of us went to the Esplanade for a group outing and some of the staff led us in a Tai Chi session in the Rose Garden. It is a very relaxing activity and I really enjoyed it. I am very interested in this and keen to learn more.

By Jonathan Kan


Feeling Proud

Life is great at the moment because I have succeeded in getting a new start in life – paid work!

I am working at Ag-Research two days a week and it seems to be going well. Ag-Research is located out by Massey University, so it’s a bit of a bike ride to get there but I enjoy the ride and it keeps me fit and healthy. It’s a great feeling to have a job to occupy myself and earn some extra cash.

I’m very grateful for the help others have given to make this all possible. Sandy from Options helped me to prepare myself. She assisted me with making my CV and we practised with mock interviews to get me used to the interview process. She kept encouraging me to do my best and in the end it paid off. I was given the job!

I work in one of the Labs. I fill up test tubes with water and put things into containers. I really enjoy this work. I am part of a great team who are friendly and helpful, and this makes the job so much easier.

My goal of finding paid employment has been a bit of a journey. I have worked hard and there have been many people who have supported me along the way. Now that I’ve finally found work, I’m feeling great about myself and very proud to be able to tell people that I’m a working man now.

By Michael Webb


Art Group

The Stewart Centre has been running an Art Group on Thursday afternoons and several clients, including myself, have been attending.

We’ve been learning lots of interesting drawing techniques which has been both challenging and fun. The first week, we experimented with charcoal, by drawing the back of our hand. The instruction was to look only at your hand and not at what you were drawing. It was quite amazing to see how well proportioned and detailed the drawings were, considering we weren’t actually looking at what we were drawing. We’ve also learnt about the use of shading to add depth to drawings, copying pictures upside down, as well as cutting pictures into shapes and rearranging them on the page.

More recently we’ve been getting ideas together to create various art pieces, sculptures, mosaics etc to decorate the new patio area at the Stewart Centre. The patio has a sensory theme, with sections being divided into sight, sound, taste, smell and touch. This will be a great opportunity for us all to contribute to the Centre as well as exhibit our work. We are all looking forward to being part of this project. It is really good to be able to express ourselves through art.

by Ian Johnson

Thanks to PNCC Arts and Culture Funding Scheme for assisting with the Art Group [Editor]


Whakanoa - The Blessing of Club Med

I tu ai he whare hou ma matau, na reira, te mahi whakanoa, i haere a te 19 March 2009.

Recently, a new edifice was constructed at the Stewart Centre to facilitate and enhance our rehabilitative journey. It is an activity room which has been affectionately dubbed “Club Med”, and I was proud to have been involved in a ceremony to effectively bring it into the everyday realm so it can be fully utilised for it’s intended purpose. This transpired on Thursday 19 March, 2009.

For Maori, a building in it’s construction stages is tapu. This is a supernatural condition where it is removed from the sphere of the profane and put into the sphere of the sacred. In this sphere it is untouchable and cannot be put to common use.

Traditionally, the influence of fresh water, when introduced into a tapu environment will dispel said creative forces. A girl, ‘puhi’, is also essential on such an occasion. Aunty Janet, who actually turned the key, represented this feminine entity. Other important elements are karakia and kai. When tapu is removed, things become noa. This process of removing tapu and making things available for common use is called whakanoa.

By Lindsay Cox


NZ Army Art Exhibition at Te Manawa

In April several staff and clients from the Stewart Centre visited the Te Manawa Art Gallery to see the New Zealand Army Art Exhibition.

The exhibition gave us a glimpse into the life of kiwi soldiers serving overseas. The sketches and paintings were done by Captain Matt Gauldie who is the official New Zealand Army artist. He spent time in the Solomon Islands and was also deployed to Afghanistan.

I found the exhibition very interesting. The paintings are so lifelike. I especially liked the way the artist had captured the facial expressions of the soldiers. You could almost see what they were thinking.

I spent many years as a soldier in the New Zealand army and seeing this art collection brought back many memories of that time in my life. I think Captain Gaudie has done an excellent job in capturing what life is like for a soldier.

by Bruce Aldred


Holiday in Australia

In October 2008 my family and I went to Australia for a holiday. We left from Wellington and flew to Melbourne. In 1988 I was a jockey in the Melbourne Cup, so attending the big race day in 2008 – the twentieth anniversary of my ride, was a special occasion and one of the main purposes of our visit.

When we first arrived we hired a rental car and did quite a bit of travelling around to different places including Werribee, Geelong, Serento and Mornington.

In Melbourne we visited the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) and various museums. We saw a full sized model of Phar Lap and other racing memorabilia from the past.

We attended Flemington racecourse for Derby Day, then again for the Melbourne Cup on the Tuesday. The Melbourne Cup has been described as ‘The race that stops a nation’ and tens of  thousands of people turned out to see it. It was an exciting race to watch. The winning horse, ‘Viewed’, trained by Bart Cummings was a complete outsider and won by just a nose.

After the Cup, we continued on with our holiday, heading up to Sydney and visiting several towns on the way. We took a tour bus to look around most of the famous landmarks of the city like the   Sydney  Opera House,  Sydney  harbour bridge and Bondi beach.

From Sydney we headed to Coffs Harbour and up towards Brisbane. We visited Movie World, Australia Zoo (founded by Steve Irwin), the Big Pineapple and Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary where I was able to hold a koala.

We had a wonderful time in Australia. It was a great holiday that holds many special memories for me.

By Barry Griffin


Esplanade Barbeque

The Stewart Centre has been making the most of summer by arranging a number of outside activities so we can all enjoy the good weather.

Recently we went to the Esplanade where we had a morning of sport followed by a delicious     barbeque. When we first arrived, we set up base on the grassy area behind the children’s playground.

We decided on a game of cricket before lunch. We were all given an opportunity to bat. After a batter had been given 10 bowls we all rotated one position clockwise giving each person a turn in each position. Even if a player went out they still were given 10 bowls, which was good for me as I went out three times.

After sport we had a look around the gardens and fed the ducks at the pond. You could hear tuis in the trees and I also saw a number of fantails.

The BBQ lunch consisted of sausages and bread with a nice coleslaw and my favourite—tomato sauce.

I really enjoyed the barbeque and hope we get to have some more before summer finishes.

By Michael Webb


I have been joining the Art of Conversation’ group which is running at the Stewart    Centre fortnightly on Mondays. Our group is run by Maxine, who is a Speech Language Therapist. I find her very good.

The group is helpful for me as I don’t find it easy to have conversations with others and tend to sit in the corner and be quiet in group settings. I also need to learn to speak more clearly and louder. Maxine often says to me  ‘Think Loud’ and this is a good reminder for me. As well as learning to have good conversations with people we are also learning to be good listeners and we have had a number of sessions on this.

One thing I have found helpful is the use of a personal mantra. A mantra is an unspoken script that we say to ourselves before we engage in conversations with other people. The main purpose of a mantra is to help us focus on the other person rather than centring conversations on ourselves.

I have enjoyed the ‘Art of Conversation’ and found it very helpful.

By David Ngatai


Diaries

According to ‘Wikipedia’, a diary is a record (originally in written book format) with discrete entries arranged by date, reporting on what has happened over a period of time, or what is planned to happen in terms of future appointments and activities. Diaries also provide a  platform to express one’s feelings and record self thought.

There has been much promotion of diary use at the Stewart Centre these days with many incentives for using one. I have witnessed public award ceremonies, with accompanied certificates and fancy pens in recognition of those who maintain regular use. I myself have even been persuaded to toe the line and make the odd entry now and again.

I recall being told that diaries are a good strategy’ for those who have memory difficulties. As one who has quite a few memory issues, I may have to concede that diaries do have their place, and those of you who know me  well, will be aware of my reluctance to concede on anything. I guess congratulations are in order to the diary   brigade.

By Lindsay Cox


Foxton Beach

The Stewart Centre organised a couple of outings to Foxton Beach in January 2009 and I was fortunate enough to go on one of them.

It was a glorious day and the sun was shining brightly as we came down onto the beach with the vans. Susan helped me to get my shoes and socks off and get down to the ocean so I could walk in the waves. It was the first time in five years that my feet had touched the sea and I was quite moved as I thought about this.

I spent some time collecting shells and drift wood off the beach to take back to the Centre as a reminder of my time. I may even be able to use some of it in an art piece.

I have visited Foxton many times over the years. It is a bit of an old haunt for me. I used to hang out there a lot in my teenage years. At 17, I bought my first car, a Ford Falcon, and I would often take the car down to the beach on weekends.

The beach trip was a great day out and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. It gave me many happy memories …. Beautiful!.

Interview with Phil Larking


My Son’s Graduation

I recently made the long trek to the South Island, driving to Wellington then ferrying to Picton,  where we were met by my father and taken to his place for a catch up and overnight stay.

We had travelled to the South Island to attend my son’s graduation. For four years he has been studying avionics at Woodbourne Airforce Base in Blenheim. We had an early start on graduation day—up at 7am, in order to be at the Base by 9am.

Woodbourne is the Air Force's only support base. Units at Woodbourne are responsible for the training of recruits, initial officer training, trade training and command training.  

On arrival, we were given a tour of the place which I found interesting. Woodbourne is the New Zealand Air Force's only support base.  Units there are responsible for the training of recruits, and initial officer, trade and command training. It is also the only heavy maintenance facility for the repair of aircraft airframes, engines and avionics systems, so my son would have had lots of hands-on training.

The graduation ceremony only took a few minutes and seemed to involve a lot of saluting, but it was an amazing achievement. From a class of 36, only six had made it through to  graduation, and I was very proud that my son was one of the graduates.

 

By James Legg


Library Visit

Some of us from the Stewart Centre recently visited the Palmerston North Library. I have always loved reading books and found the visit tremendous.

We were given a brief introduction to the library layout— I think I am  reasonably confident I can find the newspaper, fiction, non-fiction and reference sections now.

The other skill I have gained is with using the library’s computerised catalogue system to find books of interest. I am still not very good around computers but think with practice I could use the library computer system to find a book on the shelf … well maybe!

The other thing I discovered on our library trip was that I have a few unpaid fines for overdue books and I am working to sort this out .

Thanks Stewart Centre for a wonderful outing.

 

By Roger Milne


Pokerwork Exhibition

You may recall my last article in the August newsletter, where I mentioned an 8 week Pokerwork Course being run at the Stewart Centre.

More recently, the participants of that course, myself included, attended a graduation ceremony of sorts, where we were presented with ‘Certificates of Achievement’. I guess that means we are now somewhat qualified as pyrographers.

We were also given the opportunity to put together a  Pokerwork Exhibition at Square Edge. The exhibition lasted for a few weeks and gave members of the general public an opportunity to experience and enjoy our work.

It gave us a genuine sense of pride to have our work on display in such a public forum. The work was of a high standard and we received a number of accolades from various respectable quarters. An article about the event even managed to find its way into the   local newspaper.

Many thanks to the Stewart Centre for developing my pokerworking skills. I have always enjoyed etching my mark on wood. I have my own distinct style, which I guess one could describe as expressionist. It is very satisfying to see what evolves. 

By Lindsay Cox


Apiti Trip - Mageo Crafts

In September, staff and clients from the Manawatu Stewart Centre participated in a community outing to Apiti.

The weather was perfect! The sun was shining the whole time which made the scenery along the way look so beautiful. It was great to get out into the countryside for a change.

Once we arrived at Apiti we visited Mageo Woodcrafts, which is run by a lovely couple, George and Mavis.

George and Mavis make a living by making and selling pokerworked items. This was of interest to several of us  who were doing a pokerwork course at the Stewart Centre at the time. I was totally impressed by the quality of the pokerwork.  It was inspiring to see such detailed artwork. It was a brilliant display. I was also impressed by the way they worked as a team. George has a large workshop where he prepares the wood ready for Mavis to etch her artwork on.

As well as the crafts, George and Mavis also have beautiful gardens, where we were able to enjoy a lovely morning tea and scones. The garden was like a little paradise. It was very interesting and had all kinds of bits and pieces in it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the outing. There was a very lovely atmosphere there.

By Roger Milne


Art Exhibition - Te Manawa

Recently some of us from the Stewart Centre went to Te Manawa to see an art exhibition of New Zealand artists. There were a number of famous art pieces, including several prints by Colin McCahon.

We spent quite a bit of time discussing which paintings we liked and why. It was very     interesting how we all had such different tastes, which made me realise that art is quite a personal thing and we relate to it in different ways. Some of the artists were using their art to make a statement about something like love, war, religion etc. Other paintings didn’t seem to have a message behind them but gave you a good feeling because of the way they used colour or arranged shapes. One thing I noticed with the paintings was that if you stood back from them they seemed to show more depth.

I personally enjoyed all the art work but my favourite piece was a painting called Eclipse of the Moon. I liked the way the artist made use of light and dark. The exhibition is well worth a look as there is something for everyone.

By Kerry Tofts


The Wood Workshop at the Stewart Centre

I have always enjoyed working on various projects in the wood workshop at the Stewart Centre. Bruce is a great tutor and I have learned a lot from him over the years.    I was never any good at woodwork before my accident.  I always avoided it at school. Now it is something I look forward to. 

One of my recent projects is a rimu coffee table, which   I have just completed. I am delighted with the way it has turned out. The grain has come up really well. It was a commissioned piece for Terry and I’m pleased to have made it for him.

By John Broadbent


I work in the workshop at the Stewart Centre on Monday mornings. I really enjoy the opportunity to make things with my hands. My latest project has been to construct a wooden stool (see picture on the right).

This project has taught me a few new skills. The legs were cut out using a jig saw and the there are two decorative bungs on the sides which I made using the lathe.

I have decided to make this project available for sale, so if anyone is interested in making a purchase contact the Centre.

By Jay Rolfe


Tai Chi

A group of us at the Stewart Centre join a Tai Chi group on Tuesday afternoons. Our sessions usually start with a warm up and then a set of Xigong exercises before we start our 24 Form Tai Chi Chuan.

I enjoy Tai Chi very much and have found it is a great way to improve health and fitness as well as relax. It is also quite   challenging cognitively as the moves require you to think about timing and body position, as well as breathing.

By Keith Hargreaves


Feilding Art Exhibition

In June the Manawatu Stewart Centre held an exhibition at the Feilding Art Centre. This was an opportunity for clients to display various pieces of work made at the Stewart Centre.

Some of the exhibits included wooden bowls, vases, toys, planter boxes, coffee trees, salt and pepper shakers, dibbers and poker-worked bread boards, as well as paintings, cards and modpodge.

I had several pieces in the exhibition. Some of the ideas for these came from pictures in a library book, others I designed myself. These were all made on a wood lathe in the workshop at the Stewart Centre.

 

By Barry Griffin


Hero's Journey

We have been using a brain injury education package at the Centre called Hero’s Journey, developed by Kit Malia and Anne Brannigan in England. The material uses several analogies to present a variety of adventures, challenges and insights relating to brain injury and the rehabilitation process.

There has been good feedback from clients who have been attending the group. It is a privilege to hear them share their personal experiences and expertise.

‘Hero’s Journey has helped me understand my injury better. Learning about how the brain can repair itself when it is damaged is good news for me.’

‘There are a lot of things I have learnt again since I had a brain injury. I’m learning about the importance of practise, even when it’s hard going. The more I practise doing things the easier they become.’

‘Hero’s Journey is a way of getting to know myself and others better.’

‘Having a brain injury really sucks. I never thought of myself as a ‘Hero’ before, but I guess anyone who survives a brain injury is a Hero.’


New Activity Room

We have all been anxiously awaiting the completion of the brand new activity room at the  Manawatu Stewart Centre. It has been a long journey of several years since the idea was first raised. There have been many hours put into planning and design, then building consent, fund raising and now construction. Finally the dream for such an awesome facility is becoming reality before our eyes and should be finished sometime in September. 

The room will be used for our arts and crafts activities, pokerwork, games such as table tennis, boccia and pool, brain gym and other group activities. The extra space will free up our present dining room and eliminate the need to constantly reorganise furniture.

It has been interesting to follow the construction process. There have been several vehicles including diggers, concrete trucks and even cranes coming up our driveway over the last few months. These have provided us with lots of entertainment as we have watched the building taking shape. It will be awesome to finally start using it!

By Sonny Ratana


Mid-Winter Lunch at Breakers

In July, Manawatu Stewart Centre staff,  clients and their partners came together for a mid-winter lunch at Breakers Café. We were able to sit at one long table which made it easier to chat and feel part of the group. There was a good variety of food available off the menu, everything from seafood and roast chicken to burgers and fries. Some people chose to have coffee and dessert.

It was good that my husband John was able to join us. It was a nice treat for him and a well deserved break from his hard work on the farm. It is always nice to see others in a different environment from the Stewart Centre. From the comments so far everyone seems to have enjoyed themselves very much. I know I did.

 

By Gloria Shaw


Hi De Hi - August 08

I’m now working as a resource assistant at Freyberg High School in the Craig Centre, which is a learning facility for students with special needs. It’s a job that myself and some people I know never thought I’d do but I find it enjoyable and very, very rewarding.

On the subject of me getting a job, there is no way I could have got back into the workforce without the help and guidance of all the staff at the Stewart Centre, so for that help I’m truly grateful. I have tried to stay connected to the Stewart Centre, working as a volunteer there on occasions. This has become more difficult lately as I no longer get a travel subsidy from ACC and find it difficult to meet transport costs to make the long trek from Marton.

My days have changed since I have been at work, I have been all over the country attending workshops and seminars to do with my job. So with that I’d like to say don’t think you can’t do something, if I can go to university and then work in a school, you can reach your goals and dreams too. All my achievements required a positive attitude and a lot of support and encouragement from the Stewart Centre. I’m still around so you will probably see me when you least expect it.

My other big news is I celebrated the big ‘Five 0’ on the 5th August. Wow! Turning 50! What an achievement! Mum put on a surprise party for me at a local bar/café. There were people at the party from all over the country and some I hadn’t seen for years, big surprise! By the way we were very good and finished up proceedings at a reasonable hour. It was all over by about 1.30, although I heard that some danced until 6.30, great night!

As for the weather, I hope no one has been flooded out or blown away in the wild storms we’ve been having lately. Speaking of wild isn’t that how you feel about the price of petrol! Oh well until next time look after yourselves and don’t forget there is always a way to achieve your goals.

Take care         

By Phil Newman


Pokerwork Course

It is my understanding that pokerwork (pyrography), the burning of designs into wood and leather, goes back hundreds, if not thousands of years. Archaeologists have discovered household containers decorated with pokerwork designs in Peru dating back to 700AD. Some speculators even say that cavemen may have used charred sticks to draw on the walls of their cavernous dwellings.

Why the brief history lesson on pyrography then? Well, there is an eight week Pokerwork Course currently running at the Manawatu Stewart Centre. This takes place on a Wednesday morning under the capable tutelage of Dave Morton, a skilled pyrographer cum artist with several years experience. There are around a dozen participants. Those enrolled include clients from the Stewart Centre, a few people from the community and a smattering of staff to keep an eye on us.

We have been given the basic techniques, along with plenty of freedom to experiment and come up with our own distinct creations. I have been taken with the degree of skill and diversity amongst the group. The pieces include caricatures, doodles, patterns, symbols, abstract scribblings open to interpretation, even a pair of life-like kea that appear to jump out at one.

There has also been mention of a field trip to a craft venue in Apiti as part of the course. I believe they produce a number of pokerworked items for sale. This is something to look forward to in the next few weeks and should embolden our creative juices.

Pokerwork is something I have done before, and enjoyed. This course has helped to hone my skills further and I look forward to many more happy pokerworking hours to come.

By Lindsay Cox