News

Alert Level Three Update

Posted on by Tracey Harkess
As of 11.59pm on Tuesday 31 August, the Government announced that Auckland and Northland will remain in Alert Level 4 while the rest of New Zealand will be moving to Alert Level 3.
 
Here is a recap of what Alert Level 3 looks like:
 
🤒 If you are unwell, stay home.
💦Practice good hygiene – wash your hands, cough or sneeze into your elbow, and clean surfaces frequently
📱Keep track of where you’ve been using the NZ COVID Tracer and QR codes displayed by businesses (Make sure you’ve enabled Bluetooth!) or you’re using an alternative tracing register.
↔️Practice physical distancing
😷Face masks/coverings are mandatory when on public transport, or when visiting health care facilities, or businesses that are open that involve customer contact e.g. supermarkets
🍽 Cafés, restaurants and takeaways can open in Alert Level 3 but only for contactless pick-up, delivery or drive through
🏢Our office will remain closed until we are in Alert Level Two
 
Play, active recreation, and sport is limited in Alert Level 3 subject to public health measures.
🚴‍♀️ You do not have to wear a face mask/covering when you are exercising outside, walking or cycling but keep a two-metre distance from others outside of your bubble
⛔️Public facilities, swimming pools and gyms are still shut
❌ Playgrounds are still closed
✅ Do safe and low-risk activities so you do not need rescuing or medical care
🚁Any activities that may expose the participant to danger or may require search and rescue services
are not permitted
🌲This means you should not participate in activities such as hunting, back country tramping, rock climbing, mountaineering, and mountain biking at grade 3 or above
🏄‍♀️ If you are experienced, you can do activities such as: Surfing, mountain biking (under grade 3), and swimming. ONLY if you are experienced, it is low risk and follows public health guidance. See the link below for further detail
🏡 You can travel a little further for exercise but remain close to home and keep a two-metre distance from those not in your bubble and avoid touching surfaces and equipment that others may touch
🌿 Some trails and parks may be closed, check out the Gisborne District Council website before you leave
🐠 You can fish from a wharf or shore but no casting from rocks or boating
🚤 Water-based activities involving boats or motorised craft or equipment, or scuba diving are not allowed
⚽️ Organised sports or physical activity is not allowed outside your bubble
 
If in doubt, don’t go out.
 
For the full guidance on play, active recreation and sport at level 3 check out the following links:
➡️Sport NZ
 
We will share any updates as they come through.
 
Stay safe Tairāwhiti and be kind ❤️

❤️

Alert Level Two Update

Posted on by Tracey Harkess
As of 11:59pm Tuesday 7 September, all of New Zealand outside of Auckland will move to Alert Level 2. Auckland will remain at Alert Level 4.
 
Here is a recap of what Alert Level 2 looks like:
🤒If you are unwell, stay home.
💦Practice good hygiene – wash your hands, cough or sneeze into your elbow, and clean surfaces frequently.
📱Keep track of where you’ve been using the NZ COVID Tracer and QR codes displayed by businesses (Make sure you’ve enabled Bluetooth!) or you’re using an alternative tracing register.
↔️Practice physical distancing.
😷Face masks/coverings are mandatory when on public transport, or when visiting health care facilities, or businesses that are open that involve customer contact e.g. supermarkets. Full details on mandatory mask wearing can be found on the below links.
🏢 Our office will re-open on Monday 13 September, although we may not be providing our full range of services due to Alert Level 2 restrictions. For the remainder of the week, we are working remotely so please reach out if you need.
 
Play, active recreation, and sport has restrictions in Alert Level 2 subject to public health measures. Alert Level 2 requirements have been taken off the Sport NZ website as they are currently being refined alongside the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. Once this has been updated, we will share the information and guidance.
 
What we do know is that restrictions in Alert Level 2 will look a little different this time. Here’s what we know so far:
🌈 Parks and playgrounds are open.
🏋️‍ Indoor facilities such as gyms, swimming pools, dance studios and health clubs can open, but with safety measures in place. If you are planning on visiting one of these locations, we encourage you to reach out to the provider to double check the requirements before entry.
⚽️ Team sports can continue but are limited to 50 people for indoor venues and 100 people for outdoor venues – more clarity around this will be in the update whether multiple groups can gather in one location if they are separated.
🏈 Professional leagues can go ahead at Alert Level 2 as they take place in controlled workplaces.
🏊‍♀️For our indoor recreation facilities, customer serving staff must wear a face covering whist serving customers (except swimming pools). All workers must keep 2m apart from customers and clients using the services.
😷Mask wearing at indoor sports facilities is required apart from when you are exercising or playing sports. You do not need to wear a mask if exercising outdoors.
📱Mandatory record keeping and QR code scanning applies to all indoor sport and recreation facilities such as recreation centres, swimming pools, gyms and sports clubrooms, as well as commercial and ticketed sport and recreation events.
 
In all other places where people gather, it is encouraged but not mandatory to provide record keeping:
▪️Changing rooms
▪️Non-commercial or non-ticketed outdoor events involving more than 30 people
▪️If you are in doubt, it is recommended you provide record keeping. 
 
UPDATE 10.09.21: Sport New Zealand have updated their Alert Level 2 guidelines following the conclusion of their discussions with the Government.
You can do your usual sport and recreation activities if you can do them safely. You can take part in:
🚶Walking, cycling and hunting including on public conservation land. Overnight trips are OK
🏊‍♀️Swimming at a public swimming pool, with restrictions in place
🏋️‍♀️Going to the gym, with restrictions in place
🚤Boating and motorised water sports
Here are some key points in the new guidance:
 
GATHERINGS
👫Gatherings are limited to 100 in a defined space outdoors and 50 in a defined space indoors
👫The definition of what constitutes a ‘defined space’ has changed. Indoor spaces will need to be enclosed by walls (not partitions) that substantially divide each space and don’t share airflow
👫No intermingling is permitted in communal entrances/facilities between multiple single spaces. Where reasonably practicable people entering and exiting should keep 2 metres apart
👫This will mean many indoor facilities will only be able to host a single group of 50 at a time. These requirements are set out in the health order and are because of the increased transmissibility of the Delta variant
👫With respect to outdoor events and facilities, multiple gatherings can take place at the same time as long as they can be kept separated and do not share facilities. Phasing of activities could be used to allow time for people to pass through communal areas safely
 
FACE COVERINGS
😷You must legally wear a face covering if you are aged 12 or over in certain settings such as on public transport, inside retail businesses and public venues
😷You are also encouraged to wear a face covering when you cannot maintain your physical distance from others
😷Face coverings are also not required when exercising or playing sport
 
COMMUNITY SPORTS
⚽️Community sports are limited to groups of 100 in a defined space outdoors and 50 in a defined space indoors. These group limits include all players and spectators (but not referees and officials). A sports venue can have multiple defined spaces by keeping people in separate groups of up to 100 (if outdoors) or 50 (if indoors)
⚽️Groups must be kept separate using entrances/exits, temporary or permanent walls between groups, and with separate airflow for each group for indoor facilities. These groups must not mingle or share common facilities at the same time
 
SPORT, RECREATION & COMMUNITY CLUBS
🏈Can operate with no more than 50 indoors or 100 outdoors in a defined space
🏈You can have multiple gatherings of 50 indoors as long as each space is substantially divided. These single spaces will need to be enclosed by walls that substantially divide each space and don’t share airflow
🏈No intermingling is permitted in communal entrances/facilities between multiple single spaces – where reasonably practicable entering and exiting keep 2 metres apart
🏈Face coverings don’t need to be worn but are encouraged
🏈Physical distancing of 2 metres applies
UPDATE 22.09.21: Gatherings of 100 are now permitted indoors and outdoors as long as all other conditions are met such as contact tracing and public hygiene measures.
 
For more information, and to check when the updates come through, check out the following links:
➡ Sport NZ 

Shared Services Pilot Launch

Posted on by Tracey Harkess

Recently Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti launched their Shared Services Pilot.  

The aim of the Shared Services initiative is to provide a fit-for-purpose entity that offers a range of services for the sporting community and not-for-profit sector. 

The initiative hopes to create economies of scale, share best practices, automate or improve information and financial management, and ultimately free up volunteer or core staff time so that organisations can create, sustain and manage high quality, consistent service delivery now, and into the future. 

The launch was well attended with representatives from Trust Tairāwhiti, the Shared Services team, Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti staff and board members, and the groups who are involved in the start-up phase of the pilot. These groups are Parafed, Swim For Life, Gisborne Boardriders, Gisborne Basketball Association, Tairāwhiti Softball Association, Horouta Waka Hoe and three other groups to be confirmed from the East Coast. 

A common theme among the groups was the aspiration to continue to provide quality sport experiences for tamariki, rangatahi and whānau in the community but limitations on capability created barriers in some organisational areas. 

“Our Organisation is so excited to be part of the pilot. As a purely volunteer driven organisation, our participation numbers have grown to a point where we need to increase our structure to build now and into the future. Support for our governance team, systems and administrative needs will free up our Committee to do more of the development and future focussed work – learning alongside the other groups will be invaluable.” Said Gisborne Basketball Association Chairperson Kylie Turuwhenua-Tapsell. 

The groups are selected based on a range of criteria which included their support needs, their responsiveness to a survey circulated to the sporting sector in late March 2021, and to ensure there was a representative range of organisational structures and sizes. The insights from the survey highlighted the demand for a shared services model in Tairāwhiti. 

The project has been funded $75,000 from Trust Tairāwhiti and $50,000 from the Provisional Growth Fund for the first year of the pilot. 

“The pilot wouldn’t be possible without the support of our partner, Trust Tairāwhiti or without the funding from the Provincial Growth Fund. Trust Tairāwhiti and PGF have invested with Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti in making this pilot project a reality.” Said Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti Chief Executive Stefan Pishief. “We also need to say a massive thank you to the sporting clubs and community groups who have come on board and are willing to share their experiences. We appreciate some groups have missed out for now, but certainly our intention is to include more as the pilot progresses.” 

Systems and templates are currently being developed that focus on providing a tailor-made package of support which can include financial management, administration and information management, and communications, marketing and branding.   

Once systems are established the aim is to expand the services to other organisations as well as expand the range of services in other areas of priorities for groups including fundraising strategies, retention/succession planning, and Governance and policy. 

“Supporting our not-for-profit sector is investing in the people of this region. When you listen to the stories from organisations such as Horouta Waka Hoe Board Chair Walton Walker, which is run completely by volunteers, you can understand the impact a service like this can have. For a lot of the organisations involved it’s not just about the sport or service they offer, it’s about being part of a wider whānau. This is why we are so passionate about where this pilot will take Te Tairāwhiti” Said Shared Services Pilot Manager Leanne Harrison. 

Nāu te rourou, nāku te rourou, ka ora ai te iwi  

With your basket and my basket together, the people will thrive! 

Titirangi Mt. Everest Challenge 2021

Posted on by Tracey Harkess
The 2021 Titirangi Mt. Everest Challenge is nearly here!

Registrations are opening Monday 27th September and we’re excited to get the event underway. The challenge will start Monday 4th October and finish on Sunday 21st November.

Track yours and your team’s progress on the live, online leaderboard. You can track your height, gain badges (when you reach other noteworthy peaks) and encourage your friends, whānau, and colleagues by following their progress also!

Make sure you keep checking in to see our opening celebration details.

A special thanks to Sean Shivnan Pharmacy for their support so our people can enjoy the physical benefits and social interactions of being a part of this event.

Alert Level Four Update

Posted on by Tracey Harkess

Kia ora!

Yesterday, the Government announced that from Tuesday 17 August 11.59pm, all of New Zealand will be moving into Alert Level 4. This will remain in place for 3 days for all of New Zealand, with the exception of Auckland and the Coromandel Peninsula with both staying in Alert Level 4 likely for the next 7 days.

Play, active recreation, and sport is limited and it must be contained to your bubble.

Here is a recap of what Alert Level 4 looks like:
🦠 To combat this virus, we all need to stay at home
🏢Our office will remain closed until we reach an Alert Level where it is safe
❌All indoor venues and sporting facilities, including clubrooms and gyms, are closed
🌳 If you want to get some fresh air, stay in your neighbourhood and in your bubble
⚽️Contact activity or sharing equipment/balls with people outside your bubble is prohibited
🏈Organised sports and physical activity are not allowed outside of your bubble
📣Streets, outdoor parks and fields are okay, but playgrounds are closed
🚴‍♀️The tracks on Whataupoko Reserve are closed
😷 Make use of face masks when out in public
🙌 Do safe or low-risk activities. All water-based activities are prohibited because these activities expose participants to danger or may require search and rescue services
↔️ If you are out for a walk and are passing anyone nearby, don’t stop and talk, and always remain 2 metres away from people who aren’t in your bubble

View the Sport NZ Alert Level Guide here.
A broader range of restrictions in place can be found here.

We will share any updates as they come through.

Stay safe and be kind.
Ngā mihi nui,
The team at Sport Gisborne Tairāwhiti

Nominations Open for 2021 Bronwyn Kay Agency Sporting Excellence Awards

Posted on by Tracey Harkess

Nominations are now open for the 2021 Bronwyn Kay Agency Sporting Excellence Awards. The Awards is a chance to recognise and celebrate the sporting achievements in the sporting sector for the region. 

The qualifying period for the awards is normally twelve months. However, due to the implications of COVID-19 and the disruption on the sporting sector, the qualifying period has been extended from 1 July 2019 to 30 June 2021.  

Major sponsor Bronwyn Kay said that they believe strongly in our community. “So many of our athletes go on to be great ambassadors for our region. As health and wellness are the main thrusts in life, this fits well with our ethos. Encouraging the young to be all they can be through sport, great coaches and strong relationships. Teaching teamwork which is the cornerstone of great businesses. We are so proud to be the main sponsor. We wish all participants well and know that winning isn’t everything. It’s how you played the game,” said Ms Kay.  

The awards celebrate the achievements of athletes, teams, volunteers and coaches as well as their dedication, involvement and contribution to the sporting community. There are 15 categories. Athletes can be nominated for Junior Sportsman and Sportswoman, Disabled Sportsperson, Masters Sportsperson, Sportsman, Sportswoman and overall Sportsperson. The categories for teams are Sports Team and Junior Sports Team. Coach Award, Official Award and Services to Sport are open to individuals. Clubs, groups and communities may be eligible for the Club Award, Community Impact or Event Excellence Award. 

Nominations can be completed here. Nominations close on August 16. 

The Awards Dinner will be held at the Farmers Air Showgrounds Event Centre on Friday 5 November and includes a three-course dinner, live entertainment and a Celebrity Master of Ceremony. Tickets for the event will go on sale in October.