Latest news with #AdamRichards
Otago Daily Times
10-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Otago Daily Times
Tekapo landmark in LEGO wins prize
The model of Lake Tekapo's Church of the Good Shepherd by Adam Richards, of Christchurch. PHOTO: SUPPLIED A model of a Lake Tekapo icon has claimed top spot at a LEGO building competition. Adam Richards claimed first prize in the first CBS Heritage Competition in this year's Christchurch Brick Show with his model of the Church of the Good Shepherd. In a statement judge and LEGO master Centuri Chan said the model ticked all the technical and creative boxes. "We selected this as the winner because of the technical skill in recreating the vari-coloured stonework and the night sky and stars. "They also recreated the snowy terrain skilfully. It's hard to make LEGO look organic." For his efforts Mr Richards has won a $200 Toyworld voucher supplied by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, the sponsor of the competition. — APL
Scoop
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Heritage And LEGO A Perfect Fit For Competition Winner
The winner of a LEGO building competition that combines the iconic multi-coloured bricks with some of New Zealand's equally iconic heritage buildings has been announced. Adam Richards of Christchurch has won first prize in the first-ever CBS Heritage Competition in this year's Christchurch Brick Show with his model of the Church of the Good Shepherd. Adam has won a $200 Toyworld voucher supplied by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, the sponsor of the competiton. Runners up, Ivan and Tamsin Mackintosh, won a $50 voucher for their model of the Christchurch Public Trust office. Competiton judges, LEGO master Centuri Chan and Rosemary Baird of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, were looking for technical skill - and in particular what LEGO afficianados refer to as NPU (Nice Piece Usage - using pieces in unusual or creative ways), and accuracy to the historical building. The winning model ticked all the technical and creative boxes. "We selected this as the winner because of the technical skill in recreating the vari-coloured stonework and the night sky and stars. They also recreated the snowy terrain skillfully. It's hard to make LEGO look organic," says Centuri. "It was very difficult to choose winners. All the entries were of a high calibre." The judges also praised the runner-up entry, the Public Trust building, saying it was "nicely built for the scale they chose". Exhibitors to this year's show were offered the opportunity to enter a special competition to recreate in LEGO a place recognised on the New Zealand Heritage List Rārangi Kōrero - the national inventory managed by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga that records the country's rich and diverse place-based heritage. Seven LEGO masters took up the challenge building models that included the Church of the Good Shepherd, Lyttelton Gaol, Kotahitanga Church, Cape Egmont Lighthouse, the Fire Watchtower, the Boer War Memorial in Invercargill and the Christchurch Public Trust Office. A further six models were also put forward to display as non-entry exhibition models. According to Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Senior Outreach Advisor, Rosemary Baird, the inspiration for the competition was a model of the Lyttelton Timeball created by Christchurch LEGO master Mark Dowers, which featured in the 2023 Brick Show. "The Timeball model highlighted the close synergy between heritage buildings and LEGO," she says. "We thought it would be cool to see what interest there might be in combining the two in a competition - and this year's incredible entries were the result." In addition to the prizes, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga compiled some information for each of the listed places that featured in the competition. "It was so interesting researching properties from our list that I was unfamiliar with. I was fascinated to learn about the history of the Cape Egmont Lighthouse, for example, which was reconstructed from a previous lighthouse and became implicated in the New Zealand government's invasion of Parihaka," she says. "The impressive Invercargill Boer War memorial illustrates a time when many New Zealanders identified so closely with 'Mother Britain'. These places are not just buildings - their history really highlights how our society has changed over the years." Christchurch Brick Show organiser Lisa Moon was delighted with all of the exhibits at this year's show - and was particularly impressed with the heritage entries. "The entries in the CBS Heritage Competition are amazing, and have generated a lot of positive interest from visitors to the Brick Show, as well as among many building experts who have shown interest in giving it a go next year," says Lisa. The Christchurch Brick Show - New Zealand's largest LEGO fan event - involved 300 exhibitors this year and drew over 15,000 visitors.
Scoop
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Scoop
Heritage And LEGO A Perfect Fit For Competition Winner
The winner of a LEGO building competition that combines the iconic multi-coloured bricks with some of New Zealand's equally iconic heritage buildings has been announced. Adam Richards of Christchurch has won first prize in the first-ever CBS Heritage Competition in this year's Christchurch Brick Show with his model of the Church of the Good Shepherd. Adam has won a $200 Toyworld voucher supplied by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, the sponsor of the competiton. Runners up, Ivan and Tamsin Mackintosh, won a $50 voucher for their model of the Christchurch Public Trust office. Competiton judges, LEGO master Centuri Chan and Rosemary Baird of Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga, were looking for technical skill - and in particular what LEGO afficianados refer to as NPU (Nice Piece Usage - using pieces in unusual or creative ways), and accuracy to the historical building. The winning model ticked all the technical and creative boxes. "We selected this as the winner because of the technical skill in recreating the vari-coloured stonework and the night sky and stars. They also recreated the snowy terrain skillfully. It's hard to make LEGO look organic," says Centuri. "It was very difficult to choose winners. All the entries were of a high calibre." The judges also praised the runner-up entry, the Public Trust building, saying it was "nicely built for the scale they chose". Exhibitors to this year's show were offered the opportunity to enter a special competition to recreate in LEGO a place recognised on the New Zealand Heritage List Rārangi Kōrero - the national inventory managed by Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga that records the country's rich and diverse place-based heritage. Seven LEGO masters took up the challenge building models that included the Church of the Good Shepherd, Lyttelton Gaol, Kotahitanga Church, Cape Egmont Lighthouse, the Fire Watchtower, the Boer War Memorial in Invercargill and the Christchurch Public Trust Office. A further six models were also put forward to display as non-entry exhibition models. According to Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga Senior Outreach Advisor, Rosemary Baird, the inspiration for the competition was a model of the Lyttelton Timeball created by Christchurch LEGO master Mark Dowers, which featured in the 2023 Brick Show. "The Timeball model highlighted the close synergy between heritage buildings and LEGO," she says. "We thought it would be cool to see what interest there might be in combining the two in a competition - and this year's incredible entries were the result." In addition to the prizes, Heritage New Zealand Pouhere Taonga compiled some information for each of the listed places that featured in the competition. "It was so interesting researching properties from our list that I was unfamiliar with. I was fascinated to learn about the history of the Cape Egmont Lighthouse, for example, which was reconstructed from a previous lighthouse and became implicated in the New Zealand government's invasion of Parihaka," she says. "The impressive Invercargill Boer War memorial illustrates a time when many New Zealanders identified so closely with 'Mother Britain'. These places are not just buildings - their history really highlights how our society has changed over the years." Christchurch Brick Show organiser Lisa Moon was delighted with all of the exhibits at this year's show - and was particularly impressed with the heritage entries. "The entries in the CBS Heritage Competition are amazing, and have generated a lot of positive interest from visitors to the Brick Show, as well as among many building experts who have shown interest in giving it a go next year," says Lisa. The Christchurch Brick Show - New Zealand's largest LEGO fan event - involved 300 exhibitors this year and drew over 15,000 visitors.
Press and Journal
13-06-2025
- Press and Journal
Elgin man crashed while overtaking a tractor on 'unfamiliar' road
An Elgin man who was unfamiliar with Aberdeenshire's roads has been spared a driving ban for causing a crash which left him and two others injured. Adam Richards, 55, appeared at Banff Sheriff Court on Wednesday where he admitted to driving carelessly on the B9025 Turriff to Aberchirder road on December 6 last year. The court heard that Richards, driving a Range Rover Evoque, had been returning home at the time of the incident when he came across a tractor and attempted to overtake it and one other car. The court was told he tried to carry out the move near a bend and blind summit on the road. After hearing from his defence agent, Sheriff Robert McDonald endorsed his licence with nine penalty points. Fiscal depute Anne Mann told the court the tractor, which had a trailer attached, was travelling at about 25mph at the time of the crash. 'The accused has moved in the opposing carriageway and commenced an overtake manoeuvre,' she said. 'And despite the tractor slowing to allow the accused to bring his vehicle back into the lane, the accused has failed to do so and has collided with the other vehicle. 'Emergency services attended.' The driver of the other car, a Volkswagen Beetle, reported having pains in her chest. Her passenger had a laceration on his face which required to be glued. Richards, of North Street in Elgin, also suffered cuts. Richards' defence solicitor, Stuart Beveridge, said his client had provided both photographs and video footage of the road to explain how he fell foul. It included a drive-through of the route that Richards filmed himself. Mr Beveridge said: 'He goes to overtake them and, unfortunately, because he was unaware of the dip, my lord, he doesn't get enough warning. 'He then has a split-second decision whether to break or go back in. He has misjudged the situation.' He added Richards was 'embarrassed and ashamed' by the conviction and needed his car for work. Sentencing him, Sheriff McDonald also fined Richards, who was described as being a project manager in his day job, £760. He said: 'It seems to me that this is at the very high end of careless driving and I would have considered disqualifying you outright for this. 'Overtaking in the dark on a road you're not familiar with – and overtaking two vehicles when you don't know the road – it's a very foolish step.'
