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Ph (07) 871-5069 email: [email protected] 410 Bond Road, Te Awamutu Thursday, May 20, 2021 A/H 021 503 404 BRIEFLY Dairy award finalist Clothing Swap returnsinJune The Clothing Swap will take place in theTeAwamutu Baptist Church Hall on now helping others Thursday,June 3from 7-9pm and everyone is welcome. If you have items to donate, drop them to the church office at 106 Teasdale St Monday – Thursday between 9am and From prison to 2pm.For more information phone 022 101 2153. Young Ma¯ori Te Rahu Table Farmer Awards Tennis Club Te Rahu Table Tennis Club are Dean Taylor looking for new members to join their club nights. ast Friday night Ben Purua The club meet at Te RahuHall stood on the stage at the on corner of Te RahuRdand Ahuwhenua Trophy Dairy O¯ haupo¯ Rd (between Te L Competition Awards Dinner Awamutu and O¯ haupo¯). as one of three finalists in the Young Monday nights at 7.30pm from Ma¯ori Farmer Award. April-November. New Ten years ago, as ateenager, he members are always stood being judged in avery different welcome. environment; the dock of Hamilton Checkout their Facebook High Court being sentenced after page for more details -Te pleading guilty to manslaughter. RahuTable Tennis Club -Te Two accomplices also pleaded Awamutu area. guilty to murder and manslaughter and all were sent to prison. Ben was sentenced to five-and- Paint Waipa¯Pink a-half years, and served four years at Today is the last day for Waikeria Prison. customers to vote for their Last week he was back inside, but favourite ‘pink’ shop windows this time accompanied by his wife before tomorrows prizegiving. Nikki as aguest speaker as part of a Don’t forget to wear pink to Waikato dairy farmers field day at the show support against bullying Waikeria Prison farms. in Waipa¯. The event was supported by De- partment of Corrections, Vetora, Dairy NZ and Primary ITO to give Devilskin and Kora Waikato farmers achance to learn In last week’s edition, where about Waikeria Prison’s farming oper- we offered double passes to ations, learn about the agricultural see devilskin and Kora live, we training prisoners are receiving and omitted the concert dates. introduce the idea of farmers They playBay Park Arena, Mt employing aprisoner, either as part Maunganui on Friday, June 18, of work release or permanently upon The Factory, Hamilton on , release. Saturday,June 19 and Trust Ben is ashining example of a Ahuwhenua Trophy Young Ma¯ori Farmer Award finalist Ben Purua, with his wife Nikki, at Waikeria Prison where he Arena in Henderson, success story, but that only came served aprison sentence for manslaughter. Photo /Dean Taylor Auckland on Friday,August 6. about when he was finally given an All tickets: eventfinda.co.nz opportunity to put his skills learnt in He said he grew up in Pukekohe Before he was legally an adult he with help with his learning problems except Trust Arena, ticketek. prison to use on the outside. without afather and in an environ- was charged with the murder of an he found something he enjoyed and co.nz Now aged 26, Ben is the 2IC for a ment of violence, drugs, alcohol and elderly man in Hamilton. was good at. Devilskin VIP tickets also contract milker at Trinity Lands farm, gangs. The charges were downgraded to Ben said it wasn’t plain sailing on available for all shows. a307ha (287 effective) property near As akid he wanted to be agangster manslaughter and Ben pleaded guilty. his release and he could have gone Tokoroa which runs 1000 cows. just like his uncles, and took up He felt that his life was over, he back to crime, as he had on every On Wednesday, he stood in front drinking, drug-taking and crime to couldn’t read or write and he thought release in the past, but he realised he LetterstoEditor of Waikato dairy farmers, industry pave the way. his gang life was all he had to look needed to do better for his own wife See page 12 for Letters to the visitors, Corrections staff and inmate He said before he was ateenager forward to. and family. Editor in today’s edition. dairy farming trainees and told his he was in trouble and eventually he But inside Waikeria he undertook story. served time in juvenile prisons. the farm training programme, and continued on A2 •Woodfires •Gas Fires •PelletFires •Central Heating •HeatPumps SEE PG 9 Call 0800 PRATTS or visit one of ourshowrooms to help withyour decision. TOMORROW FRIDAY 21st MAY PRA090321B Consultation, sales, permits and installation -atPrattsPlumbingone call does it all! 2 Te Awamutu Courier Thursday, May 20, 2021 From prison to Young Ma¯ori Farmer Award Circulated free to 14,045 homes in continued from A1 Te Awamutu and surrounding districts. Luckily, he got a break when he CIRCULATION 14,147* was employed in a farming job. He admits it was a big step for PHONE: 07 871 5151 someone to take. Mostly he never POSTAL ADDRESS: got to the interview stage once he 97 Sloane Street, PO Box 1, disclosed he had a criminal record. Te Awamutu 3840 Nikki explained: “Every prospec- tive employer would have Googled OFFICE HOURS: his name and up came the case.” Monday - Friday 8am - 4pm But having been given a chance, Closed Public Holidays Ben said he was driven to make it DELIVERY QUERIES: 0800 111 200 work. Ben left the gang life — it was a EDITORIAL big step, it was his whole life grow- Dean Taylor (Editor) ing up — he got clean and applied himself to his new goals, and his Ext: 67705 0274 819951 life started to turn around. [email protected] He has completed the hus- Caitlan Johnston Ext: 67710 bandry and feeding course Level [email protected] 3 through Primary ITO and is cur- Jesse Wood Ext: 67713 rently part way through the Level [email protected] 4 course. SPORT He talked about his love of being Ben Purua at his workplace as 2IC to a contract milker at Trinity Lands farm near Tokoroa. Photo / alphapix.nz hands on — a real tutu — but now [email protected] in a constructive way, how he But in telling their story they are couple have bought a house and When asked what being in a ADVERTISING loves to be up early and with his also mindful of the feelings of the are planning to build equity and gang was like; Was it like Once Leon Green 027 2393864 animals and how he loves being victim’s wha¯nau. use that to start buying their own Were Warriors?’, Ben couldn’t outdoors and enjoying the physi- “A family has lost a father, uncle, stock. answer. [email protected] cal challenges of the dairy industry. brother and husband and we re- When they realise the farm Nikki came to the rescue. “It’s [email protected] In a direct korero to his spect their grief and loss,” said ownership dream they want to set worse,” she said. “Much worse.” CLASSIFIEDS “brothers” on the inside, he said: Nikki. it up as a transitional facility to help Ben said his goals now were Tania King Ext: 67708 “There is hope. I’m testament.” Ben is working alongside police brothers go from the prison en- clear: Leave crime, alcohol and As well as being a finalist in the to help break the cycle of domestic vironment to the farm-working en- drugs behind; look after and love [email protected] Young Ma¯ori Farmer Award, Ben violence — the violence that he vironment. his wife and his children; provide We welcome letters - preferably via email. has enjoyed other industry award inflicted on his own family until “We want to help the brothers for his wha¯nau; be good at farming; They should be under 300 words and successes. Nikki urged him to get help. move on from prison, start their help others who need to be shown must have the sender’s name, address “The people are awesome and They also offer support, by way training courses and get a hand-up the way. and phone number. No pseudonyms it inspires us to continue to aim of phone calls, meetings over a into employment,” said Nikki. “I have paved the way. You can are accepted and names will only be high,” he said. coffee or a simple chat, to whoever “We have a whole iwi that is make it out,” he told the brothers. withheld in special circumstances at the Ben says he likes the whole needs it. supporting us and we want to wrap discretion of the editor. Letters are not kaupapa behind the Ahuwhenua And they have plans that in- our support around others who Te Awamutu Courier was at usually acknowledged and may be edited, Trophy awards, especially how it volve bettering themselves and need it.” i the Waikato dairy farmer abridged or discarded. focuses on Ma¯ori achievement and helping others. In answer to a question about field day at Waikeria Prison celebrates success as Ma¯ori in the Nikki said the short-term goal what an employer needed to do, — coverage of the training We’re online at dairy farming industry. was to move into management; the Ben answered: “Be flexible and programme in next week’s nzmecommunitynews.pressreader.com The couple are using their suc- long-term goal is farm ownership. understanding.” edition. cesses to help others where they And from being homeless and “You have to show trust,” he Ahuwhenua Trophy can.

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