Sharing footpath space
Collier’s success
Nick Collier in action
Waipā kayaker Nick Collier completed 2025 competing in the China Wildwater International Open on the Nu Jiang River where in five events – short distance, long distance, kayak cross, challenge race and rafting race – he placed 2nd, 5th, 4th, 4th and 5th respectively.
A top five in every discipline was regarded as an epic achievement and the Cambridge based athlete added to medals won at the event in 2023 and 2024. The results wrapped up an exceptional year which saw him crowned Under-23 Oceania and New Zealand slalom champion, kayak cross Under-23 world champ, and attained an overall world ranking of 32.
Corban George-Potterton
Special winners
Three Waipā athletes returned from the Special Olympics national summer games in Christchurch last month with medals.
Cambridge’s Corban George-Potterton was a silver medallist in the basketball.
From Te Awamutu, Caleb Hawkins won silver in the 4 x 25m freestyle and gold in 100m relay and Peter Crawford won gold in both the 25m and 50m freestyle.
RDA funding
The RDA float in last year’s Christmas parade where a record 60 floats and around 75 vehicles carrying some 980 people made for a sizzling New World Cambridge Christmas Parade in brilliant sunshine. The theme – A Sporty Christmas – was taken up in fine style by everyone.
Day to day funding for Cambridge Riding for the Disabled is met through regular fundraising activities, grant applications, and public donations. The Linda Jones Riding for the Disabled Foundation, referred to in a story in our last edition of 2025, exists separately with the purpose of building a long-term endowment to support the sustainability of the Cambridge RDA.
See: Racing icon backs trust and Full field at RDA fundraiser
Linda Jones, seen here with her Duke St star of fame.
Waipā days
Meeting days have been set by Waipā district councillors. The Finance and Corporate, Service Delivery, and Strategic Planning and Policy committee will meet on a Wednesday when workshops and full council meetings will be held. The Regulatory, Risk and Assurance and Maungatautari committees will meet on Mondays and the The Pirongia Ward and Chief Executive Performance Management committees on Thursdays.
Merry Christmas
Altrusa International Cambridge president Alison Burr with the tree for this year’s ‘Be a Santa to a Senior’ initiative.
The lives of 42 seniors who spent Christmas without family were made brighter by the efforts of Altrusa International Cambridge. Altrusa Cambridge president Alison Burr said the 2025 ‘Be a Santa to a Senior’ initiative saw the 42 recipients – 10 of them living in their own homes and the others in rest homes – presented with gifts purchased by the public.
Altrusa Cambridge president Alison Burr described the community’s generosity as ‘overwhelming’.
“So much thought went into finding the suggested gifts written on the cards. For Altrusa, it meant a very busy November and December running of the project, but it is the generosity of the community that made it such a success. It is hard to thank them sufficiently.”
She also acknowledged the support of Unichem Pharmacy’s staff in having the Christmas tree at their Victoria St site.
See: Christmas cheer for seniors
Complaint rejected
The Media Council has not upheld a complaint about our front page article last September about riding on footpaths, noting the article fairly reported a community concern for the safety of pedestrians.
The complainant argued The News planted photographers “to capture clandestine imagery of young people going about their private business”, its pixilation of riders failed to hide their identities, the story failed to discuss alternative options to riding on footpaths through town and The News failed to monitor social media comments.
See: On the wrong path
Paws and pages
The ‘Paws and Pages’ team at the Cambridge Library, where kids can read to the dogs to improve their reading confidence. The dogs ‘work’ with the kids every Wednesday afternoon in term time.
Polo action
Action from the Cambridge v Wamai game. Players in the game were: Cambridge 4 – Hamish Maclennan, Shawn Kellow, Bruce Watson, Allan Browne, Waimai 4 – Quinn Ainsley, Luca Parrott, Emma Ormond, Hamish Ormond. Photo: Supplied
Results from the Ainsely Saddlery Hannon Cup at the Cambridge Polo Grounds.
8 goal winners – Kaipaki
4 goal winners D1 – Mystery Creek
4 goal winners D2 – Waimai
Young player of the tournament – Max Parrott
MVP – Nina Clarkin
Best Thoroughbred – Zambuca (Dean Fullerton)
Playground opens
Opening of the Gordonton playground
Gordonton has a new playground marking the completion of a project shaped by strong community leadership and supported by Waikato District Council. The children at Gordonton School were involved with the planning of the playground and contributed towards what sort of equipment it contains. Waikato mayor Aksel Bech acknowledged the substantial role the community played in bringing this project to life.
Tamahere in mix
The leafy green suburbs of Auckland are the most expensive in the country, but one Waikato suburb isn’t far off the mark. According to Cotality’s annual Best of the Best Report, Tamahere weighed in at $1.9 million, slightly below the only other non-Auckland suburb to crack the top 10, Arrowtown ($2 million).
Manage my health
A health app used by many Waipā general practices is to be investigated by the Ministry of Health following a cyber security breach. The private operator behind Manage My Health says the security issues are fixed and all those impacted contacted. One user told The News she was concerned as she regularly used the app to make appointments and renew her prescriptions.
Warwick Pitts
Pitts in charge
Warwick Pitts has been appointed the new chief executive at Wintec and a governance board, chaired by Sheree Ryan, confirmed for the organisation which is now an independent entity as part of the disestablishment of Te Pūkenga.
The other board members are Sarah Morton-Johnson, Ken Williamson and Edgar Wilson.
