
Taking selfies with Pope Francis in his casket crosses a line
Opinion by Nicky Rennie
Whanganui-based Nicky Rennie returned to her home town in 2018 while celebrating three decades in broadcasting. She has written a column for the Whanganui Chronicle since 2021.
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I am a fan of manners.
Thanks to my parents, they are, quite simply, woven into my DNA and, as a result, they are now woven into my daughter's. My opinion is that, if children have manners, people will think more highly of them and they will springboard into life

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a day ago
- Scoop
Vape Messaging Targets Young People Via Social Media
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Scoop
3 days ago
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Tauranga Teen Wins $10k To Chase Acting Dream In New York
Ōmokoroa student Koen McKenzie named first-ever recipient of Momenta's new award for people with lived experience of disability in the Bay of Plenty Momenta has named Ōmokoroa student Koen McKenzie as the first-ever recipient of its new Live The Life You Love Award, a $10,000 grant created to support disabled people across the Bay of Plenty to pursue bold personal goals. The award is a new initiative from Momenta, a Bay of Plenty-based charitable trust that works alongside people with disabilities to help them build a life they value. Through coaching, mentoring, advocacy and work readiness, Momenta helps people to discover their strengths and step confidently into their futures. The Live the Life You Love Award financially supports people with disabilities in bringing ambitious, life-changing ideas to life, from creative pursuits to personal challenges, business ideas and physical adventure. Koen, a sixteen-year-old who lives with hemiplegic cerebral palsy, plans to use the funds to help attend the Teen Advanced Acting Program at the New York School of Creative and Performing Arts (SOCAPA). The world-class programme is a three-week intensive for young actors from around the globe, who get to train with industry professionals in acting, stagecraft and screen performance. Koen plans to travel to New York in mid-2026 to take part, which is a major step toward achieving his lifelong dream of a career in the performing arts. Applications for the inaugural award opened in April 2025 and were available for several weeks. The opportunity was open to anyone aged 13 and over, with a disability, living in the Western or Eastern Bay of Plenty. Momenta Chief Executive Shelley Blakey congratulates Koen on winning the Live the Life You Love Award. Momenta Chief Executive Shelley Blakey says the selection panel was looking for applicants who demonstrated clear ambition, personal drive and a goal that would push them outside their comfort zone. 'The application process asked people to present a bold, meaningful goal. There were no strict limitations, and applicants were encouraged to dream big and think creatively. They also needed to show why it mattered to them,' says Shelley. 'We were looking for someone with passion, tenacity and a clear plan. Koen's application ticked every box. His dream has been years in the making, and it was clear that this opportunity would be both life-changing for him and inspiring to others.' 'He's already doing the mahi and has the heart, ambition and the follow-through. Koen's a powerful example of what's possible when people with a lived experience of disability are given the tools and belief to go after a life they love.' Koen's passion for performing began at the age of five. Over the years, he's taken on lead roles in school productions, directed children's theatre, attended the National Youth Drama School for three consecutive years, is a finalist in the Tauranga Performing Arts Competition, and has recently enrolled in Trinity Musical Theatre and Speech and Drama exams. Koen makes it clear his disability doesn't hold him back from doing what he loves. 'I've dreamed about performing on a big stage since I was little,' says Koen. 'I've always been taught that 'I can't' isn't something we say at home, and this award proves that. Just because I have a disability doesn't mean I can't go after something big, and I want others to know that too. This is a huge step towards really making performing arts my future, growing my confidence and encouraging others to set their sights on a really big goal.' Koen is also a strong advocate for inclusion, representing young people with disabilities through the Instep Young Leaders Programme and serving as Arts Leader at his school. He regularly uses his platform to promote disability representation in the arts and encourage others to pursue their passions. To help cover the remaining $7,480 needed for the full cost of the programme, Koen will begin actively fundraising. Supporters can learn more or donate via Any funds raised beyond what's needed for his trip to New York will be donated to the Cerebral Palsy Society. The award funding is held in trust as a long-term endowment through the Acorn Foundation, ensuring its ongoing impact for years to come. Moving forward, the award will be offered annually to help other disabled people across the Bay of Plenty step boldly toward their goals. You can follow Koen's journey and learn more about the Live the Life You Love Award at or on social media @MomentaCharitableTrust


Otago Daily Times
12-08-2025
- Otago Daily Times
Fashion for a cause
As Emerson's Brewery makes its annual transformation from taproom to catwalk, Josie Steenhart finds there's more to the much-anticipated Fashion for a Cure events than just fabulous frocks. Do not keep your finest just for events, get it out and wear it, is the advice of Christchurch-based personal stylist Lou Heller. Heller was in Dunedin for the annual Fashion for a Cure (FFAC) event last week. Decked out for the evening in a NOM*d merino House sweater and Maggie Marilyn skirt, Heller, whose work sees her travel regularly and who has been involved in other FFAC events in the past, agrees that Dunedin "absolutely" holds its own when it comes to dressing up. "I find each area has their own distinct style, and this can happen for many reasons, but to see everyone get behind this, put their finest on at events like these, is so cool to be a part of." However, one of her top tips from the evening was to "bring the runway to everyday" and "not keep your finest just for events — life is too short to keep it hidden away for special events!" She adds that two of her favourite trends — "oversized and layered" — work perfectly for fashion fans in the South. "They're such great ways to look chic and effortless — and warm." When layering, Heller says to think of textural dressing, "mixing say, leather and faux fur, wool knitwear and leather pants etc". Another trend she says is well-suited to Dunedin is wearing second-hand and vintage. "'Preloved' is a huge movement and is perfect for this winter. You can find some incredible pieces preloved, and virtually brand new, and in a city full of conscious students also, but really everyone ... this is a great sustainable way for us to shop." Heller says Dunedin's 2025 runway was "bursting with colour, which I absolutely loved". "My highlights included a stunning Hailwood mermaid skirt, a bold pink three-piece suit from Trelise Cooper and an edgy NOM*d bomber jacket." Media icon Petra Bagust, ever effervescent despite co-hosting Dunedin's 200-guest Fashion for a Cure event the previous evening, says: "It's one of those nights that's a magical win-win-win!" "A gorgeous, sold-out, entertaining evening celebrating scientific and fashion creativity while making a difference to anyone going through breast cancer or who will go through it — for me it's a great time that's good for our mental, emotional and physical health that simply wouldn't happen without the generosity of Dunners' Dunedinites. What's not to love?!" she says. "How many nights can you go out with your girls and be wowed with great fashion and food and drink and then also know you've made a difference in the lives of women who have breast cancer because your generosity is helping fund cures for breast cancer? "The collective women in the room: creators, survivors, supporters and ngā wāhine toa [strong women] who show up and celebrate the brilliant science we're producing in New Zealand and our powerhouse of creativity on display in the clothing — it's a generous night in all the ways, giving, eating, connecting while making a difference," adds Bagust, who donned Wynn Hamlyn for the day before slipping into NOM*d's Janus dress in navy sparkle crepe to MC the sold-out event at Emerson's Brewery alongside local radio host Patrina Roche. Fashion for a Cure, an initiative started in 2013 by New Zealand charity organisation Breast Cancer Cure, has raised more than $4.3 million for breast cancer research since its inception. "Dunedin was added to our annual nationwide event schedule in 2018," Breast Cancer Cure CEO Sonja de Mari says. "Over the last eight years at Emerson's we've raised almost $500,000." What has made Fashion for a Cure such a successful concept? De Mari says the events "have the perfect combination of purpose and passion, making the series wonderfully balanced". "We celebrate and showcase top New Zealand fashion designers and use the fundraising achieved to support and invest in dedicated New Zealand breast cancer researchers. "Guests leave having been part of something bigger than themselves, inspired by the fashion and the energy in the room. They head home knowing they've made a difference — it's pretty special." It's also an incredible team effort, de Mari says. "The collective community around Fashion for a Cure is extensive. Our tiny team grows exponentially at each event — add together 200-plus fashion-loving guests with 18-plus designers, 20-plus models, 10 super-talented hair and makeup stylists, dressers to match the models, eight-plus volunteers, our researchers who speak, ambassadors who MC, live entertainment who donate their time and talents, alongside our major partners and sponsors, plus individuals who gift us with the most amazing auction items and support." This year's Dunedin event on August 4, which included entertainment from party-starting DJs Sweet Mix Kids, was once again held at Emerson's Brewery, a partnership de Mari describes as "one of a kind". "Their support and commitment to our Fashion for a Cure event has stayed strong and in place for the past eight years — in fact it's the only partnership we have where we've created a home in their place of business, converting their taproom and restaurant into a fabulous runway each year." Do Dunedin guests hold their own in the style stakes on these evenings? "A hundred percent!" de Mari says. "Dunedin guests love fashion! It's exciting to see Emerson's fill up with colour and contrasts. There's always a combination of curated versus street, layering and texture in the room. The audience creates their own installation of what's hot and style that stands the test of time."