Keen to see Fruitbowl survive and thrive - so what can we all do to keep it thought provoking, inspirational, leading edge, a voice in the community etc

What's site traffic like? What's been popular...

The world cup is over in the bay - I stirred that pot up and I think my concerns have come to fruition - apart from a couple of games - it's been a bit of a dud here; a group of people are pushing for a study on the performance of the Bay and it's gaining momentum - what can fruiterers do?

Does this stir up some discussion...hope so

Attn! marketing pr director Anna Lorck said being part of a world first – where a community comes together to sponsor a national sports team in its quest for Olympic glory was an exciting initiative.

“We like many other business leaders want to promote Hawke’s Bay to an international audience and this is a unique way of demonstrating how innovative our region is.

"It's time we showed New Zealand and the world how strong collectively our region can be,” Anna said.

This unique sponsorship agreement announced today is the brainchild of Vector Arena co-owner and the man behind the phenomenally successful 'Walking with the Dinosaurs', Bruce Mactaggart.

Businesses supporting include nationwide in-home childcare PORSE, construction firm Gemco, transportable building firm Cottages NZ, Port of Napier and New Zealand’s largest credit union NZCU Baywide.

The list dubbed the “Hawke’s Bay Leaders Circle” also includes Tumu Timbers, Hastings Pak’n Save, Big Save, Lowe Corporation, NZ Entertainment and Events Corporation, Unison, Selini, Ngati Kahungunu Iwi Incorporated, Furnware, Tremains, Colliers, Hastings Health Centre, Farmlands, Mackersey Developments along with Rebecca Turner and Lyn Williams, Rod Drury and Claire Vogtherr and Neil Pulford.

Jenni Giblin of Giblin Group and Hastings Mayor Lawrence Yule played a vital role in securing the support of the business leaders in a short period of time.

Mr Mactaggert said the aim of the sponsorship is to give New Zealand hockey the best chance of winning medals at the Olympics while also uniting a community.

"While I personally believed this was a great notion, I obviously wasn’t sure if others would agree with me! But in my view, the potential for global exposure for Hawke's Bay and the opportunity to drive this community forward was too good to miss," says Mactaggart.

"This is not just about hockey – it’s about what is possible when a community comes together, how we can unite and use all our resources, financial and intellectual to support our national team while also galvanising and supporting our own community," Mactaggart says.

Hawke’s Bay will host an induction weekend from 25-27 November as well as team training camps next year. The Black Sticks will also visit schools, businesses and community organisations in the region.

Mayor Yule sees it as a fantastic opportunity to take the Hawke’s Bay ‘brand’ to the world.

“While we couldn’t have commenced this initiative without the fantastic financial support of the initial Hawke’s Bay ‘leaders’; we are going to look for ways to engage the entire Hawke’s Bay community to support the Black Sticks as they prepare in their ‘quest to be the best’ at the London Olympics in 2012”, says Mayor Yule.

“We see this partnership as a unique and innovative way to promote Hawke’s Bay – and the opportunities to live, work, invest and play here - to the world! This region truly is an amazing place with amazing people!’ says Mayor Yule.

The group has been spurred into action to motivate the councils to commit to the study because of the potential Hawke’s Bay has to be one of the most desirable places to live in New Zealand.

Spokesperson and Napier resident Stuart McLauchlan said although the region is falling “further and further below many economic and social indicators, there was a groundswell of people and organisations keen to make Hawke’s Bay a better place to live and work.

“The time is right for us to now look at how Hawke’s Bay is positioned in a changing world. Hawke’s Bay is a proud region with a fantastic climate, lifestyle and has huge potential,”

The world has become smaller, better connected and more competitive. With the advances in technology people, including our best, can now live and work anywhere” says Mr McLauchlan.

He added that two recent examples of organisations set up to improve Hawke’s Bay and attract business and tourists to the region are Business Hawke’s Bay and Tourism Hawke’s Bay.

Both entities are a great example of a private and public partnership.

“We need to develop a regional vision and plan that is future focused, includes all of our community and seeks to deliver a sound economic base and quality of life.

We are concerned that we are missing out on taking the opportunities which will provide the jobs and career prospects here in Hawke’s Bay for our children and grandchildren,” he said.

“Hastings District Council has agreed to a study and a contribution of $50,000 and we’re now asking Napier to reconsider and say yes, the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council to say yes and both the Central Hawke’s Bay Council and Wairoa Council to also say yes.

“What is wrong with at least looking at how we can do better?”

The study would need to look at the economic performance, social wellbeing, local body governance and the region’s environmental challenges. It would need to consider solutions to address these issues.

Among many startling facts is that Hawke’s Bay has higher unemployment than the national average, income levels, economic growth and growth are lower.

“The current approach to local governance in the region is one issue that needs to be considered but at this stage we’re not pushing the councils to merge, we just need the overall study to be done.

Mr McLauchlan said the group approached others in the community to support the campaign for a study and support had been overwhelming.

“Leaders such as businessmen Ken Sutherland, John Newland, Peter Holley, Ray McKimm, Brem Ellingham and Rod Drury along with community leaders such as Alayna Watene and Denis O’Reilly have put their names and faces to the campaign.

“We’re asking people from all walks of life to come forward and collectively we can get our councils to support a study.

The campaign is headed by Mr McLauchlan includes Brian Martin, John Buck, Simon Tremain, Rebecca Turner, Nic Magdalinos, Damon Harvey and Andrew Wares.

“This is our region, we live and work here, and as guardians we all have a responsibility to our future generations to ensure we have a prosperous and healthy region.

A new website called getonit.co.nz is live and will match you with one of the 10 retail service providers including Airnet, Wasp and Neocom.

The website has a matching tool which will recommend a range of RSP's that best suit your current and future needs.

Press and radio advertising starts today.

Since you're all digital fans - pass on the message that there's free connections to all you business partners as that way you'll both enhance the benefits of fibre.

Central Hastings and Onekawa will be the first two areas to get connected but it’s important that you go to the website and register as the free connection is for a limited time.

UnisonFibre business breakfasts will be held in Napier on August 8 (War Memorial) and Hastings (HB Opera House) on August 9. More information will be out soon.

For the full media release go to www.attn.co.nz

We have some blow up dolls on marine parade, a bossom (oops blossom festival) in Hastings and lamb shagging in CHB.

We would have had a grass rugby ball but for some reason our weather is not good for growing grass...

As far as I'm concerned we're doing sweet f all for the rugby world cup - but does it matter?? We'll be wrapped up in watching the games and hoping the AB's get to the final but economically the region will probably go backwards during the cup rather than forwards. We have two minor games at McLean Park and most of their supporters will be busing down from Rotorua.

It is too late to have something that attracts tourists to the Bay or does it actually matter that we don't have anything of substance? I believe we've missed our opportunity - we had an opportunity 2-3 years ago when there should have been some smart thinking about what HB could have done and how we could have positioned ourselves. I've heard it being harped on that the world cup is an opportunity to leave or start a legacy - what will be the legacy of the Bay? We needed to invest in HB so that those that come here leave with a great impression and tell others to visit (a legacy).

If you know of any local families that hosted Canterbury families contact me at damon@attn.co.nz Matt & George were the first to get tickets on More FM this morning.

IMS Payroll Managing Director Kevin Atkinson announced a major match day sponsorship of the Crusaders Super 15 rugby home match against the Chiefs at McLean Park in Napier on May 21.

As part of the sponsorship Mr Atkinson has offered 20 of his corporate hospitality tickets to local families that hosted Canterbury families after the earthquake.

The 20 guests will attend the corporate hospitality function prior to kick off and have some of the best seats in the house for the game. Each ticket is valued at $160.

“Many Hawke’s Bay families opened up their own homes to family, friends or strangers following the earthquake and we just want to say thanks to them for their generosity,” Mr Atkinson said.

“IMS Payroll also provides payroll software to many businesses in Christchurch including the Canterbury Rugby Union, so there is a close link there for IMS.

Canterbury Rugby Union chief executive Hamish Riach says it’s great to have a Hawke’s Bay business as a match sponsor.

“We’ve looked at how we can localise our ‘home games’ away from AMI Stadium and having IMS Payroll as hosting sponsor is one way of doing this.

“We’ve also got some Hawke’s Bay players in the Crusaders squad, and I’m sure that local rugby fans are looking forward to seeing them play in a Super 15 game at McLean Park,” Riach says.

It’s not the first time IMS Payroll has given away tickets to rugby games.

The company is also a major sponsor of the Hawke’s Bay Magpies and over the last two years has given away over hundreds of tickets to local schools for fundraising purposes.

“We’re a national business with over 10,000 customers but we’re very focused on supporting our local region.

Graeme Lowe QSM, CNZM was overwhelmingly voted by the business community as a Hawke’s Bay business leader that has made a lasting and positive impact in the region in a poll held by business magazine The Profit.

Mr Lowe is one of five business people and businesses that were announced as leaders of business in the region in the inaugural Profiteers.

Mr Lowe started in the meat industry in 1964 when he purchased Dawn Meats Limited. He went on to develop a thriving chain of meat plants throughout New Zealand and is the founding managing director of LoweCorporation.

The Legendary category runners up were Sir Selwyn Cushing and IMS Payroll Director Kevin Atkinson.

The Profiteers were launched by the publishers of The Profit to celebrate the first year of Hawke’s Bay’s leading business magazine.

Editor Damon Harvey said The Profiteers gave the localbusiness community an opportunity to have their say on who they believe aremaking a positive contribution to the local economy.

‘The magazine aims to promote a vibrant Hawke’s Bay business environment and The Profiteers further enhance and celebrate the achievements of local business people and businesses,” he said.

Readers of the magazine voted for nominees over five categories including Rising Profiteer, Virtual Profiteer, Entreprofiteer and the overall The Profiteer.

The winner of The Profiteer was Unison Group chief executive Ken Sutherland. Mr Sutherland has been at the helm of the lines company fornine years and over this time the company has grown from 76 staff to 486 staff and a turnover of $33m to $155m.

The runners up were PORSE founder Jenny Yule and EIT Hawke’s Bay chief executive Chris Collins.

The Rising Profiteer is Adam Dunkerly , the founder of IT support business Need A Nerd, a company which is expanding throughout New Zealand. He narrowly pipped Xplore’s managing director Wendy Schollum and PricewaterhouseCoopers John Dixon.

Furniture innovator Hamish Whyte was voted the entreprofiteer, ahead of entrepreneur Rod Drury of Xero. This was the closest voted category with apple innovator Phil Alison also a runner up.

UnisonFibre, a  subsidiary of Unison focused on the roll out of ultrafast broadband scooped the virtual category. In just over a year the company has rolled out over 140 kilometres of fibre throughout Hawke’s Bay.

Runners up were digital media experts Xplore.net and telecommunications provider Airnet.

Te Mata Park Trust chairman Bruno Chambers said the $3 million Christopher Kelly designed centre revealed today will benefit the entire region, and is hopeful of significant financial support from the Hastings District Council, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council and Napier City Council.

“Te Mata Peak is truly a fantastic asset of this region. It is widely used and appreciated by locals and visitors alike and the design Chris has done will only increase its attraction.

“This is a regional icon and tourists visiting both Napier and Hastings always have the Peak on their ‘must visit’ list. You only have to look at the increase in cruise ship visits and the number of buses going up Te Mata Peak to know that it brings in much needed tourism dollars,” Mr Chambers said.

Chris Kelly from Wellington firm Architecture Workshop has designed a visitor and education centre that “reflects and connects” with the top of the Peak.

It has been termed as ‘the theatre of far looking’.

“From the very beginning we looked at the idea of complementing the trig station on the peak. Though the park gateway entrance is not the top, where the best view is, we wanted to link it with the top of the peak conceptually and make a different sort of infrastructure at the entrance,” Mr Kelly said.

The 435 square metre building includes an education centre, conveniences and café along with car parking and a turning bay and drop off zone for buses.

Mini shuttle buses will be available to transport people to the summit, helping to alleviate existing traffic issues.

“It will also provide information on the geological makeup and flora and fauna of the area and activities and walking trails within the park.

“We want to enhance the experience of visitors to the Bay and the regular users of the Park,” says Mr Kelly.

The building, situated adjacent to the main entrance gates at the Park, will be  integrated with the landscape and offer a panorama looking across the Bay.

An unusual feature of the design is a viewing platform, open around a circular void which ramps down to the ground.

The platform also provides views back to the peak and internal views into ‘ a theatre of close looking’ where interaction between visitors and locals will be naturally encouraged.

The Te Mata Park Trust will start a fundraising programme including a community campaign soon with plans for construction to start in early 2012.

The Hastings District Council and the Hawke’s Bay Regional Council have already contributed $100,000 and $50,000 respectively and HDC has also set aside $250,000 in its draft Annual Plan.