Rare plants, shoes and education for visitors
Lynda Hooker is a self-confessed plant-a-holic on a mission - she’s raising money for a Taranaki charity.
With a love for old-fashioned rare plants, and a hatred for taking money from people, Lynda Hooker created an organisation she called Plants for Parafed Taranaki.
She sells seeds, bulbs, decorated shoe pots and more with 100 per cent of her income going to Parafed Taranaki - a nonprofit organisation with a vision to ‘inspire people with physical disabilities, to achieve a equality, excellence and wellbeing through sport and recreation’.
‘‘It’s just to try and increase people’s awareness and it’s an opportunity to give something back,’’ Lynda said.
‘‘My father was a tetraplegic for about 12 and a half years and I just think it’s a fantastic organisation and I’m able bodied so I can raise money for them.’’
Lynda sells her plants all year round, but raises a large portion of her funds at a stall during the Taranaki Fringe Garden Festival.
‘‘I’m really passionate about old-fashioned plants that you can’t buy in the garden centre anymore,’’ she said. ’’I hated taking money from people so this to me was like a logical step.’’
As well as selling plants, Lynda educates people at the same time.
‘‘It’s a two-fold purpose, it helps the charity but it also keeps all these old fashioned varieties of plants alive,’’ she said. ‘‘It’s an opportunity to give something back.’’
Lynda called herself a planta-holic with a garden that tells stories.
‘‘My garden has always been made up of cuttings that people have given me so my garden has a story about where every plant has come from,’’ she said. ‘‘I never realised that a lot of the varieties I had, you could no longer buy at a garden centre anymore.
‘‘A lot of the new varieties that come out now that people design, they’re not hardy, whereas these varieties I’ve got are tested for Taranaki conditions and they’re going to last and they’re not going to die in your garden.’’
Because of this, Lynda has a lot of repeat customers, ‘‘because they know the plants are going to survive’’.
She will be based at 275 Glover Road, Ha¯ wera from 8.30am to 5.30pm, during the fringe festival until November 5. If you’re interested in finding out more see Plants for Parafed Taranaki on Facebook. Killed in action somewhere in
France, Montague Darcy, third son of Frank and Emma Julian of Pihama aged 22 years – His duty done.
Word was received that WF Morrissey formerly of Welsh & McCarthy’s office was wounded and gassed.
Private Michael John Lavery of Tokaora was killed in action. He was part of the New Zealand Rifle Brigade.
Private Jasper Riddle of Normanby died of wounds. A few years ago he was one of Taranaki’s leading rugby footballers and represented his province on more than one occasion.
Private Beeby of Hawera, a young soldier who farmed with his brother on Skeet Rd and also at Kapuni was killed in action.
At the Movies: Opera House – The Battle of the Ancre and The Tanker in Action. This film gives the insight of the grim realities of modern warfare and the trials of our men at the front.
Eight South Taranaki people to follow the All Blacks on tour to the UK were: WF Bennett; KJ Grylls; LA Holloway from Hawera; D Dwyer; J Kerrisk; BL Newell and C Wills from Patea.
Hawera-born and educated Mr RR Trotter (40) became the managing director of Wright Stephenson and Co Ltd.
Cricket: Hawera High School beat Normanby outright. High School had to score 21 runs in their second innings with the Taylor brothers scoring the runs giving them a win by 10 wickets.
At the Movies: The Regent – Easy Come Easy Go starring Elvis Presley.
Hawera apprentice jockey Johnny Harris was winner of the apprentice of the year award and runner-up was MR Campbell.
The champion calf at the Ramanui School was awarded to Suzanne Henderson
Births: Bayley to Barbara and Bruce a son; Ryan to Lorraine and Max a son; Bycroft to Valma and Murray a daughter
Former Hawera Woman – Kim Gourlay (nee Douglas) was selected for the New Zealand combined services representative touch rugby side. The 24-year-old has been in the New Zealand Navy since 1987 and was a student at Hawera High School.
Nique Kawana was chosen from 200 applicants to attend a two-year course at the New Zealand Drama School in Wellington.
South Taranaki had a strong team in the Taranaki Bodybuilding champs held in Hawera, they were: Dave Rongonui, Meredith Wiley, Dale Collins, Pauline Hawkins, Pauline Brooks and Marshall Minhinnick.
Jonathon Luke of Hawera was named Taranaki Rugby League Schoolboy of the Year, covering all grades.
Aroha Terry won the Hawera High School Michael Jackson Lip Syncing competition.