I had the privilege over the last week to attend two thought provoking events here on the North Shore.

The first was a memorial service held for Otto van Groen, widely regarded as the father of the modern New Zealand Hospitality Industry.  Otto was truly a trailblazer and a visionary.  He turned his attentions to multiple projects over the course of a varied life.

Perhaps the battle for which he is best known was the fundamental reform of New Zealand’s licensing laws.  When Otto opened his fine dining restaurant The Gourmet in central Auckland you couldn’t enjoy a glass of wine with a meal in a restaurant.  It seems incredible now.  After a sustained national campaign that ran for nearly a decade, Otto received the first restaurant liquor licence in 1961.

Otto had a huge influence in introducing New Zealanders to the sophisticated tastes of Europe.  He was also massively influential in the meat export industry, promoting the export of specialist cuts of meat, rather than just whole carcasses.  This opened up new markets for New Zealand and increased our export earnings.

In the last decade of his life, Otto turned his attention to opening North Shore International Academy Hospitality School in Albany, servicing the international student market.  It is an outstanding facility, with 900 students enrolled.  Its graduates go on to roles at the very best hospitality establishments both here and overseas.

Otto van Groen combined a passion for food and hospitality with outstanding entrepreneurial flair and vision.  He used that combination to brilliantly nurture the New Zealand restaurant, meat export and ultimately export education markets.  He made a major contribution to our country.  Most importantly of all, he was a person who was very clearly loved.

The second event I had the privilege of attending was the opening of The Cedar Centre, the new church for the Anglican Church in Beach Haven and Birkdale.

This has been a fantastic ten year project that has resulted in a centre that will serve the whole community.  It is going to be utilised for six days of the week as a community facility and on Sundays as a Church.  It will provide a focus for activities such as counselling, mothers groups and after school care.  Vicar Lorraine Lloyd and her husband Peter really drove the vision and many parishioners and people in the community helped make that vision a reality.  It’s a wonderful facility that provides a real community hub for Birkdale and Beach Haven.  It’s been achieved against considerable financial odds.

So, two very different events, but each inspiring.  The common theme was vision and the translation of that vision into something tangible.  Two very impressive and thought provoking occasions.

Posted by Jonathan in Media Releases at 10:18

For long term followers of Northcote rugby, Saturday afternoon at North Harbour Stadium was one of the sweetest ever.  Twenty years after last winning the Premier Club Championship, Northcote emerged once again as club champions, defeating a spirited North Shore side that never gave up.

It really was the perfect afternoon for a final – unseasonably warm, even hot, with a firm surface underfoot.  The match itself was a cracker, with Northcote right from the start looking the winner, although North Shore gave them a serious fright 15 minutes from the end with a comeback surge of points.

What was really fantastic about the day was the depth of passion on the field and in the stands.  Both clubs have long proud histories and were well supported. Take nothing away from North Shore – a great club and great people.

But you could sense from early on it was Northcote’s day.  The stand was packed with people in maroon and gold in anticipation that after 20 years, and a few ups and downs over the past year or so, ‘Cote’s time had come again.

And so it was as Northcote triumphed 28-18.  I can’t remember ever seeing a team and its supporters so joyously thrilled to have won a championship.  It was fantastic stuff.

The Northcote Clubrooms were absolutely packed afterwards as the team led by their inspirational skipper Richard Mayhew arrived with the trophy and were cheered in.

Everyone was there – from the junior players still in their maroon and gold jerseys, to the faithful band of old-timers (I know I’ll get in trouble for that term!) who can be found at the back of the stand at Harvey Wright Field week after week, year after year.

Northcote have had a superb season and this is a very special team that blended some awesome individual talent with a great team ethic.  Richard Mayhew was absolutely crucial to success and a natural leader.  Mike Harris at first five is a guy who you always feel is in control of a game and can slot the crucial goals.  The side had a top management team and Ian Selwyn and Gary Whetton deserve the highest praise.

Yet there were others behind Saturday’s success.  Northcote has an extremely dedicated band of people keeping the club going at all levels.  As at every successful club, there have been thousands of hours of unpaid volunteer work over many years.  Northcote has a thriving junior rugby set up, which will hopefully produce future premier players.  Indeed, many of those Northcote premiers who won on Saturday came through the junior grades.

Premiership titles don’t come out of nowhere – when a team gets to the top, it reflects an outstanding club culture that is built at all levels over many years.  Northcote rugby has that culture and the rewards were reaped on Saturday.

So congratulations Northcote.  It was a great day that made a lot of people very happy. Go the ’Cote!

Posted by Jonathan in Media Releases at 16:31