Richie loves Horeke

Richie Te Pirihi Koroi, 32, Owner of social enterprise gym Patu Kaikohe, lives in Horeke. Married to Jaeme with three children.

What do you like about the Far North?

Our people, our communities and our beaches. How long have you lived here and where are you originally from?

I’ve lived in Horeke/Hokianga all of my life, apart from following my now wife to Auckland before travelling to see half the world- Hawaii,

Bali and the Pacific Islands.

What do you like least and how can we fix it?

Statistics New Zealand say a lot about unemployment, education and health. To me those are just numbers and numbers never end. How do we fix it? Whanau for me is key. A strong whanau helping whanau can only provide a more positive outcome for our next generation. It’s all about simple values.

What’s your favourite eatery?

I love home cooked kai; flounder, karahu, smoked mullet, all from the Hokianga. You can’t beat it.

Your highlight of the week?

Seeing whanau walk through our Patu doors with their partners and tamariki smiling, wanting to make the change. Patu Kaikohe utilises whanau group exercise to engage whanau to live a more active lifestyle.

We create a positive inviting atmosphere for our whanau. The social enterprise model also allows us to measure the social impact.

Who is the Kiwi you most admire?

Whina Cooper, hands down. From a small town in the Hokianga she moved nations and people, she showed that with strength and tenacity anything can be achieved.

The spot in Northland I’d recommend is? Anywhere in the Hokianga, it has it all tranquillity, beauty and a rugged raw landscape.

If I were Far North mayor I’d…

‘‘Our whanau have awesome ideas, dreams and aspirations, they just need a push in the right direction.’’ Richie Koroi

Help whanau set up social enterprise businesses. Our whanau have awesome ideas, dreams and aspirations they just need a push in the right direction, this will create lots of job opportunities.

When I’ve got a free few hours, I like too..

I enjoy the simple things like spending time with my kids.

My two cents worth:

Life is not about how many breaths you take, it’s about those priceless moments that take your breath away.