Notable news around Marlborough

First aid
As 18-month-old Stevie Roberts heals from severe burns at Hutt Hospital, relatives have reached out to her hometown community with a fundraising campaign.

Stevie, whose family lives in Blenheim, suffered injuries over nearly one-fifth of her body which have required skin grafts and, to this point, four surgeries.

Her aunt Emma Musgrove wrote on the Givealittle page that “on top of the emotional toll, this has brought real financial strain, including lost income while her parents are unable to work.”

The fundraiser generated $4,200 over the first 20 days. Check givealittle.co.nz for Stevie’s donation page.

Slow down!
Motorists passing by schools will need to watch their speed after Council approved a 30km/h limit across Marlborough for campus’ arrival and departure times.

The restriction will be in force for one hour at the start and end of each school day during term time. That’s 8:15-9:15am and 2:45-3:45pm in Blenheim and Picton, 8:15-9:15am and 2:30-3:30pm elsewhere, except for three schools with earlier operating hours.

Marlborough Roads Manager Steve Murrin said slowing traffic at peak times for schoolchildren “makes a real difference to safety, without holding up traffic for the rest of the day”.

Councillors advanced the variable speed limit during their Strategy and Community Partnerships Committee meeting of 17 July.

Five in the field
The Kaikōura Electorate has a fifth candidate for Parliament who hails from the namesake community.

Oliver John Hill-Hughes has launched an independent campaign for the MP seat. Per his candidate page on Facebook, the Kaikōura native works in his family’s business, The Top Shop, and has two businesses of his own in the entertainment sector.

Also standing in the electorate are incumbent MP Stuart Smith for National, List MP Jamie Arbuckle for NZ First, Matt Flight for Labour and Tom Spooner for ACT.

Bus fare bump-up
As regular riders will have noticed, fares on Marlborough buses increased this month.

Council relayed on Tuesday that rides in Blenheim cost 10 cents more for adults, while rides on the Picton bus cost 30 cents more for adults and 10 cents more for children. NZTA mandated the hike, which took effect 1 July.

The new fares for Blenheim north and south routes are $2.50 for adults and $1.30 for kids, while Picton fares are $5.10 and $2.50 respectively.

SuperGold card holders and children under five can still ride on the buses for free between 9am and 3pm.

School boosters
Friends of Witherlea School is kicking off its annual Grocery Grab fundraiser this week.

Ticket sales run from Wednesday (22 July) through 12 August. The winners’ draw will take place 14 August, and the event will be 20 August at 7am at Blenheim New World.

Visit witherlea.school.nz/fows for more about the parents’ group and its support activities.