From Blenheim to the Big Apple

Kendall Jenner of Los Angeles, Elle Macpherson of Sydney ... Brenna Wadsworth of Blenheim?

The 20-year-old Marlborough model expects the Big Apple to be faster-paced than her hometown as she prepares to take part in the world’s biggest fashion show.

Wadsworth has been modelling since 2012 and said appearing in New York Fashion Week next month would be a dream come true.

‘‘To say I’ve walked in the biggest fashion show in the world is something to put on my CV.’’

The trip would mark the model’s second modelling assignment in the United States after a show in Florida in 2015.

She met Catherine Schuller, a fashion figure regarded for her plus-size agency, at the show and was flattered to receive an invite from the agent two months ago.

Wadsworth would be featured in a showcase of up-and-coming models and was expected to perform eight shows in seven days.

It had been a struggle for Wadsworth to keep the news a secret.

‘‘I’ll take a sneaky selfie and act really cool, but it probably won’t come off that way,’’ she said.

‘‘My friends can’t believe it, they’re like ‘you’re going to meet the Kardashians!’’’

The Nelson Marlborough Institute of Technology graduate of administration said she try to remain grounded amid the chaos of the runway.

‘‘It’s really important not to take yourself too seriously. A lot of other international models can be very proud people,’’ she said.

‘‘The industry can be really harsh and people say how they feel, they’ll say you need to lose five pounds.

‘‘It can be intense but you need to have a thick skin, you just get on with it.’’

Her mother Jacquie Collier said she was very proud of what her daughter had achieved as her mod- elling career went from strength to strength.

‘‘I’ll really miss her when she goes but it is just something she’s got to do,’’ she said.

Catching up with fashion scouts who she had met in Florida would be an exciting chance to further connections in the industry, Wadsworth said.

New York Fashion Week runs from February 9 to 16.

Earthquake theft

A Kaikoura man has been charged with stealing tools and Christmas cookies on the day of the 7.8-magnitude earthquake. Ricky Hugh Clark, 29, was charged with stealing $2600 worth of items on November 14, and cultivating cannabis on November 24. The stolen items included six buckets of Christmas cookies, a 50cc motorbike, four gas bottles, a drive sliding bar, spark plugs, two 4-litre tanks of oil and a wrench kit. Clark, a builder, appeared at the Blenheim District Court on Monday. He did not enter a plea and was remanded on bail to January 24.

Smoke in the hole

It is not always the case that when there’s smoke, there’s fire. This was confirmed after a call-out to the Blenheim Volunteer Fire Brigade to investigate smoke along Battys Rd was cancelled on Tuesday afternoon. Chief fire officer Nigel Botham said a man had caused the alarm by trying to smoke rabbits out of a hole about 5pm. ’’It’s pretty odd, it’s certainly a new one for me,’’ he said. Police attended the scene and were speaking with the man, Botham said.

Wish list

Kaikoura residents will get the chance to have their say in the town’s local-led recovery with a questionnaire being sent to every household in a bid to include everyone in the district. Residents’ sector convenor Thora Lawson announced the move at last week’s residents’ meeting, saying she wanted to ensure everyone had the chance to participate. ‘‘The best way for this to work is to give every single person an opportunity to have their say,’’ she told the meeting. We are asking people for the six main things they would like to see, either changed, improved, or new.’’ The questionnaire will be sent out this week and must be returned to the council by January 16. The community had already identified several priorities, along with other sector groups set up to work through the recovery, Lawson said. These included a year-round recreation facility, cycle tracks, aged care facility, fibre connection, and development of the wharf and marina.