Next to Te Awamutu The Hire Centre Te Awamutu Landscape Lane, Te Awamutu Thursday, May 6, 2021 0800 TA Hire | www.hirecentreta.co.nz BRIEFLY Pink Ribbon Injury not stopping Max Morning Tea Te Pahu¯Women's Institute is holding a Pink Ribbon morning tea on Tuesday, May Mayor lining up for 11 at 10 am at the Te Pahu¯ Community Hall. half-marathon with Speakers are from the Treasure Chest dragon boat hi-tech crutches team. Everyone is welcome, there is Dean Taylor a gold coin donation, proceeds to the Breast Cancer Research. e Kawa West’s Max Baxter is a well known figure around the Te Awamutu and NZ Music Month O¯ torohanga districts — but It's May - and that means it's forT 30 years has been carrying a leg New Zealand Music Month! injury that has threatened his mobil- Join in at the Te Awamutu ity. Library for one of the music That injury has gone largely un- month activities that are on noticed as Max continued his dairy offer. farming career and then entered local Beginners Hip Hop/Street body politics — serving as mayor of Dance Class (ages 10+), O¯ torohanga District since 2013. Imperious Dance Company Also not as well known is his Hip Hop Demonstration, passion for athletics — namely run- Introduction to Ukulele ning marathons. (beginners only, Teens and In 1991, Baxter ran his debut mara- above) and Ukulele Jam with thon in Rotorua, finishing in 3h 14m. Kihikihi Ukulele Club. He wanted to do better, making up Cambridge Libary will also for some disappointment as a prom- host activities. ising junior runner when he missed For information or to register the nationals because of a motorcycle check out waipalibraries.org. injury. nz/news/view/new-zealand- But soon after the marathon he music-month suffered incredible pain in his left leg. He was diagnosed with a femoral artery failure, which resulted in no Correction pulse below his left knee. In last week’s front page article Max underwent bypass surgery, it was published that ‘head which was expected to be good for students’ of Te Awamutu about 10 years. College stood at the cenotaph He went on to run marathons however the students were again, running three sub-three-hour not the school’s head students. times in the process, including his personal best 2h 49m in New Ply- mouth. Pods discontinued The surgery actually lasted 22 The rumours are true, beloved years, but eight years ago Max “felt Kiwi confectionery Pods to be O¯ torohanga Mayor the artery go” and again suffered from cast out. Max Baxter of Te pain. Whether you're a fan of Kawa has set More surgery was an option, but Snickers or the original Mars himself a goal of it meant cutting open his arms to Bar flavour, it's a sad day for running the harvest healthy veins, and there was Pods fans everywhere. Rotorua half no guarantee. The beloved Kiwi snack that's marathon in under Max says he went into a dark place been a go-to treat for many a three hours — on for a while, the natural instinct to feel road trip and movie night is crutches. sorry for himself. being discontinued, according Photo / Supplied It was his wife Lindsay who told to manufacturer Mars New him to “‘snap out of it’ . and I did”. Zealand. Max decided to find ways to "Due to changes in our handle the pain and get back to manufacturing capability, running. we've had to make the difficult decision to discontinue Pods.” continued on A3 LIMITED STOCK No Further Shipping Confi rmed KING OF THE FARM SUZUKI LT-A500XM1 • Woodfires • Gas Fires $ • Pellet Fires • Central Heating +GST13,912 • Heat Pumps DON’T MISS OUT Call 0800 PRATTS or visit one of our showrooms to help with your decision. PROUD TO BE LOCAL, PROUD TO SUPPORT LOCAL PRA090321B Consultation, sales, permits and installation - at Pratts Plumbing one call does it all! 2 Te Awamutu Courier Thursday, May 6, 2021 Circulated free to 14,045 homes in Te Awamutu and surrounding districts. CIRCULATION 14,147* PHONE: 07 871 5151 POSTAL ADDRESS: 97 Sloane Street, PO Box 1, Te Awamutu 3840 OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Friday 8am - 4pm Closed Public Holidays DELIVERY QUERIES: 0800 111 200 EDITORIAL Dean Taylor (Editor) Ext: 67705 0274 819951 [email protected] Caitlan Johnston Ext: 67710 [email protected] Guests at the blessing and dedication of the upgraded Te Awamutu Medical Centre Casualty Unit named in honour of Dr Ian Forbes. Photo / Dean Taylor Jesse Wood Ext: 67713 [email protected] SPORT [email protected] ADVERTISING Leon Green 027 2393864 Forbes Casualty unit [email protected] [email protected] CLASSIFIEDS Tania King Ext: 67708 blessed and dedicated [email protected] We welcome letters - preferably via email. They should be under 300 words and Founder, late Dr Ian Forbes, honoured — he and others created clinic 50 years ago must have the sender’s name, address and phone number. No pseudonyms Dean Taylor casualty unit. The concept of a clinical practice was unique are accepted and names will only be On Saturday, April 17 partners, staff and guest in New Zealand in 1970, but in Te Awamutu withheld in special circumstances at the ifty years ago a group of doctors lead gathered to bless and dedicate the unit — an most of the town’s doctors united to form the discretion of the editor. Letters are not by Ian Forbes and his practice partner event postponed from last year when the new clinic. usually acknowledged and may be edited, John Gower came up with an physical work was completed due to the pan- The concept was spearheaded by Ian and abridged or discarded. innovative idea to pool resources and demic. partner GPs were John Gower, Murray Sare, Fcreate a medical clinic. Guests of honour were Ian and wife Valerie’s Wayne McGregor, Laurie Neil and Russell Fal- We’re online at The result was Gresham Clinic — now Te children Alexa, Cameron and Verity Forbes and coner. nzmecommunitynews.pressreader.com Awamutu Medical Centre— and founding part- grandson Nathan. Other family members With funding secured the building was ner Dr Ian Forbes has been recognised with the “attended” via Zoom. naming of Forbes Casualty for the upgraded Ian passed away in October 2016. continued on A3 ISSN 1170-1099 (Print) ISSN 2253-4975 (Online) *Print run as 30/09/2019 New Zealand family owned and operated • Covering all of the North Island with offi ces in the Waikato and Bay of Plenty. • We can cater for Simple Eco Funeral plans to Traditional Funeral Services. • To ensure all family and whanau are a part of your loved ones’ journey we offer online live streaming services. 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Alexa Forbes (left) speaking at the blessing on behalf of her family, accompanied by her brother Cameron and sister for taking blood samples and a dental She said the family was pleased to Verity. Also attending was Cameron’s son Nathan, while other family members watched via Zoom. Photo / Dean Taylor practice. see Ian’s legacy being recognised. It was an innovative model for “Dad loved the Te Awamutu com- delivering medical services. munity and wanted to make a differ- By 1976 the clinic was expanded ence,” she said. and a room for small operations was “He also liked inclusion and recog- added and rooms for visiting special- nised everyone had a value that ists. equated to better outcomes for The next major upgrade came in patients.” 1994 when the casualty area was upgraded and a second office was created in the patient waiting area to make the process more efficient. Current partner GP Dr Mary Ballantyne says over the years the Te Awamutu Medical Centre continued to be innovative — often driven by Ian. She says it was also a collegial workplace for all staff and Ian truly believed that everyone had an im- Longserving practice nurse, and portant role in healthcare. leading diabetes nurse, Sally Davies “Partners and staff share experi- (right) recalls the life of Te Awamutu ences, check on each other and help Medical Centre when Dr Ian Forbes where they are needed,” says Mary. was practising, with fellow “This is beneficial and healthy for colleagues, from left: Dr Paul doctors, staff and patients.” Kennedy, Dr Mary Ballantyne, Dr The latest upgrade to Forbes Casu- Wayne McGregor and Dr Richard alty involved a clever rearrangement Ballantyne. Photo / Dean Taylor Distance challenge a family affair for Max and daughter continued from A1 imported from Canada and has wife of 30 years in training.