What's been happening?

Professionals working to counter family violence are about to receive and updated Taranaki Safe Families Collaborative Directory of Family Violence Services.

The booklet clearly displays the contacts around Taranaki for emergency services and support agencies for children, youth and adult victims, and offenders. “The idea is that it’s for professionals to use in their workplace,” Taranaki Safe Families Trust co-ordinator Marion James says. “It’s a quick reference for them to easily identify who they may need to make referrals too so that it can be done really effectively and efficiently and people are referred to the correct agencies.”

About five years ago the trust distributed 700 booklets but on a smaller scale and only for North Taranaki Services. This time they’ve produced 1600 to be distributed around Taranaki to all preschools, day care centres, kindergartens, schools, alternative education, GP’s, counsellors, psychologists and other community organisations.

They are being sent out in the coming weeks. If you provide a service and feel it would be beneficial to receive one of these booklets ring Mrs James on 759 1492.

By Yvette Batten - Featured in The North Taranaki Midweek

House of Travel New Plymouth co-owner Dave Church-man is boxing on.

The energetic businessman is in the throes of helping to organise a charity boxing tournament like nothing the city has seen before. With a Moulin Rouge theme, he plans to make it a grand event with stilt walkers, acrobats, lights, glamour, a casino corner, live music and, of course, plenty of boxing. “It’s going to be an amazing night,” he says. “Not just the boxing but it’s going to be an entertainment night.”

Although the planning is in the early stages, organisers hope to hold matches between the Police and Fire brigade, Ford and Holden and several New Plymouth business owners have offered their fists to the mix. And it’s all for a good cause. New Plymouth Old Boys Surf Life Saving and the newly formed Lantern House Trust will both receive the profits. The Lantern House Trust is saving to build a house which will help families with disabled children and teens. “It’s just giving them a vehicle to help make it all their dreams and needs and wishes (come true).”

Charity is something that Mr Churchman excels at. As well as doing the smaller low-key fundraisers, he organises a big event every year for Hospice. “Hospice is one of my favourite ones,” he says. “Usually it touches everyone’s life at some stage. I like their philosophy.”

Some of these include getting celebrity guest speakers to town, a gumboot ball and fundraising collaborations with students for the Pacific Hotel Management School. He allows House Of Travel staff members can work a volunteer day in the Hospice once a year on normal pay. Mr Churchman also displays children’s artwork in his shop window. The newest exhibition, going up in the next week or so, is from St John Bosco children on where they would go in a hot-air balloon. High school pupils do work experience at the business and staff join in the annual food bank drive before Christmas. If karma is anything to by, Mr Churchman gets as good as he gives. His business, which he co-owns with Ian Wolfe, was recently names the best lifestyle and leisure category in the TSB Bank Top Shop Awards. “I was really excited,” he says. “Mostly though, for the guys here on the team because I think the recognition factor, all the hard work and effort that they put in has really paid off.”

After the announcement the business was inundated with faxes and messages of congratulations from clients. Some clients even brought in baking. Mr Churchman has co-owned the business for five years. There are seven sales staff and two support staff. The boxing match will be on October 1 at the East End Skating Rink Tickets are not available yet.

By ESTHER TAUNTON - Taranaki Daily News

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