The Good Sport Carpark

Swarm Intelligience

Thu, 02 Apr 2026 03:11:22 GMT

AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS

Swarm Intelligence is more than a name it's an ethos and a way of doing business! Through collaboration and team work this small Christchurch company that has developed an international reputation for excellence in the design and delivery of safe automation and smart control systems. They partner with global leaders to achieve outcomes that will satisfy the most demanding specifications and industry standards. There's been a lot of focus on kiwi entrepreneurial achievements over recent years, Swarm Intelligence are among the quiet achievers who continue to enhance this country's international reputation for excellence.

Ethnic Leadership Course

Thu, 19 Mar 2026 23:43:36 GMT

Restless, optimistic and impactful.

This course offers a pathway to unwavering self-assurance. Through introspection and practical tools, founder, Dr Hafsa Ahmed MNZM, will guide you in uncovering your true potential and cultivating authentic confidence from within. Embrace your uniqueness, build resilience, and confidently navigate life’s journey.

The Commons Project

Thu, 26 Feb 2026 02:16:36 GMT

Finding a way home

It was only meant to be a six week project, but it lasted for two years. The engagement and results speak for themselves, with a number of city's most difficult to reach rough sleepers now housed. Most of the 'kaewa' or 'wanderers' have been living on the streets for years and struggle with multiple issues including addiction and mental health problems. Housing First- Otautahi sit up the commons project during covid so the homeless would have somewhere to gather during the lock down. The result was a shared meeting place in the central city, where those needing help could connect with those providing help, but on their on terms. The gatherings only last for a few hours each week, but that's all it takes to build trust and deepen relationships. My thanks to all the Kaewa who trusted me to keep their stories safe.

Youth Hub

Tue, 17 Feb 2026 00:48:00 GMT

A vision of hope for teens

A place to be housed and to feel safe, with wrap around care for young people who are struggling, whether that's because of being homeless, family breakdowns, mental health issues or addiction. The Christchurch Methodist Mission in partnership with the Youth Hub Christchurch is providing safe accommodation for young people aged 16 to 24 who need immediate housing. Staffed 24/7 each unit has its own single bed, study space and ensuite bathroom with communal areas for relaxing and cooking. With the help of youth development coaches the young tenants are encouraged to work towards a more hopeful future engaging with education, training and employment. Housing Service Manager Rachel Taege says for many of the young people they're housing, this is the first time they've had the opportunity to explore a brighter future.

Water Cremation

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 02:58:56 GMT

This is a sponsored story explaining how water cremation or alkaline hydrolysis works, providing a clear picture of the process and the basic science behind it. New Zealand's first Water Cremation service was opened in 2025 beginning a new era in funeral practices in Aotearoa. This 10 min story gives the background.

Best in Show

Thu, 20 Nov 2025 01:18:35 GMT

The Royal Canterbury A&P Show

There was a time when most New Zealanders claimed at least some distant rural connection, with a relative or friend toiling to make a living from agriculture. While many of those farming connections have long since passed the country's rural identity still resonates strongly for townies both young and old. It's one of the reason's so many city folk continue to flock to the regional A&P shows where farmers celebrate their successes and showcase their talent and latest innovations.

I was recently asked by Michael Mehaffey from www.thesouthernseries.com to film the 2025 Royal Canterbury A&P show with a focus on sheep and shearing. What a joy, a sheer pleasure if you will! Michael has a passion is to bring New Zealand sheep shearing to a global audience...and you can see why. If darts can be an international sporting event broadcast around the world, why not international shearing? The pace, the characters, the passion and the performance all there just waiting to be enjoyed. A big thumbs up to www.heartland.co.nz for sponsoring the local event.

Twelve Thousand Miles

Sat, 20 Sep 2025 00:29:28 GMT

Piping Documentary preview

Lifting the kilt on kiwi pipe bands with a unique insight into the passion and dedication of New Zealand pipers and drummers. This Documentary/series follows four New Zealand pipe bands travelling to Scotland to compete against the best of the best at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow. Nine thousand pipers and drummers gather annually for this global battle of the bands, and the kiwis want to make their mark. click link below https://www.rnz.co.nz/programmes/12000-miles

Land Stories

Fri, 27 Jun 2025 06:21:41 GMT

Most of us understand that treaty settlements with New Zealand Maori are about trying to redress past wrongs. Growing up in Christchurch, I didn't give much thought to the matter, as I recall there was only one Maori kid at our high school, indeed there were probably more Asian exchange students back then. Besides Canterbury was purchased and paid for and native rights had been extinguished when the first European settlers arrived. What we weren't taught was what a shonky dishonest deal it was. Enterprise and prosperity followed colonisation, but not for all, Maori were made beggars in their own land. This is a sponsored story for the Christchurch Methodist Mission. My thanks to Dr. Jane Higgins for allowing me to share her work.

The documentary dilemma

john@tellinglives.co.nz (John Sellwood) — Thu, 27 Feb 2025 23:26:03 GMT

Media Reform

I would encourage anyone who believes in the importance of long form documentary storytelling or the doco series format to watch this industry 'sitrep' taken from the perspective of a small independent documentary maker in the United States. I note Austin Meyer @austinmeyerfilms has less than 10 thousand subscribers on youtube, I doubt he's making any money posting online, but that's not why he's doing it.

While Austin deals with the international market, there are important lessons here for those watching New Zealand's own homegrown platforms which are taxpayer supported through NZ on Air. Whether freeview or payview, what are we actually seeing and why? what are we actually paying for and why? Are we simply paying millions to subsidise commercially fragile kiwi media platforms or are we paying to ensure a future for kiwi made factual content? These questions are particularly relevant as the government considers new funding models for both film and television. I encourage you to read and submit.

https://www.mch.govt.nz/sites/default/files/2025-02/media-reform-discussion-document.pdf

When dealing with factual programming, what people want to watch is not the same as what people need to know. For me, one is a commercial decision driven by a return on investment measured by viewership, the other is a non commercial decision defined by notions of public service and education. I personally believe that there's an urgent need to protect public service broadcasting in all forms.

The great irony is that storytelling has never been more accessible to a younger generation of creators and yet the hurdles to being seen and heard seem greater than ever. Part of the problem involves industry protections designed to maintain outmoded practices, but the larger issue is simply one of profit. Platforms like TVNZ and NZME are major players locally, whereas by comparison content creators are small and expendable gnats buzzing around begging to be fed. While everyone in New Zealand decries the unfair competition from the supergiants like netlfix and google, we seem to be doing exactly the same thing, admittedly on a much smaller scale, to our own local producers. The big will always eat the small, but should government funding be promoting such behaviour?

Arrgh I hear some say, it's about production quality, yes but with a large dash of please ' don't gild the lilly ', it's about the story and always has been, a first documentary might be shot handheld in uhd and win an academy award or just as likely it may never be seen; that's the power our platforms have. I suspect many kiwi creators would earn more on the dole, than practising their current vocation, but then not all storytelling is about making a quid, for many it's about trying to make a difference. Whatever your politics an informed public is crucial to the future of our democracy.

Extreme recycling

Sun, 02 Feb 2025 01:45:33 GMT

Colombo Street Clutter

A real pleasure to work with Habitus Group again, this time to capture a behind the scenes look at one of the most unique site clearances in Christchurch. 102 Colombo Street was known to many as the most cluttered home in Canterbury. The property was purchased by Habitus for the development of six new sustainable homes. But before they could start any new builds on the site they had to deal with the old and what job! The original house was almost buried in material collected over decades; everything from old cars and tyres, wood piles and bric a brac. It was a salvage, sort, dump or recycle job that lasted a full six weeks. Unbelievable, Check out the Habitus link above.

Curve Ball

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 22:30:21 GMT

Lawn bowls for meditation

It’s only been three months and I’m hooked. Living just a few doors down from the biggest bowling club in Christchurch I find myself slipping out of the house for a quick ‘roll-up’ as often as possible. Bowling has become my new distraction, a marvelously gentle way to provide a sense of ease.

No mistake, bowls is a highly competitive game, you need only watch the experienced players to see how seriously they take each delivery. But as a newbie my chance of falling anywhere close to the jack is more accident than design. But that’s not a bad thing as my reason for taking up bowls was more about stress relief rather than overnight success.

Like anyone I like to win, but it’s the psychological break from the incessant buzz of the world that has really drawn me to the game of bowls. I’m happy to acknowledge that bowls is indeed a salve for the restless mind providing a point of measured concentration and calm with it’s precise and repeated movements.

There’s the release of breath as you walk to the mat, the almost ritualised process of aligning body and bowl towards the intended marker and then the beauty of the release, the downward motion of the arm and the touch of the ball as it leaves your fingers - eyes intent on tracking the curve. And then unless you’ve been playing for years the inevitable adjustment when the bowl misses its target.

What shouldn’t surprise me but did, was just how many young people play bowls. While there are plenty of gold card holders on the green, it’s the younger players who are making their mark in many of the competitions. I can think of no better alternative to social media than a social game of bowls.

Here's link to a few snaps from the Burnside Pairs played in Christchurch, January 2025.

Wesley Care

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 01:20:50 GMT

A caring Friendly environment - WesleyC are.nz

Located in the heart of Papanui, WesleyCare provides the very best care to people needing to transition from living in their own home to a more comprehensive support environment. It provides a range of care from rest home and hospital level care through to respite and palliative care. WesleyCare provides the support needed by residents and their loved ones that meet their unique requirements. WesleyCare staff and residents can often be seen sharing a laugh together in the corridors and residents catch up with each other over a cuppa or shared interest.

Life after Meth

Thu, 26 Dec 2024 00:10:26 GMT

through our struggles comes hope

This is a story of hope that provides inspiration and education through the lived experience of two former Meth addicts Danyon and Nicole. Their vision is to help others grappling with substance abuse by creating a grass roots educational resource which incorporates their own journey and expert advice enabling positive change. Rehab is not a linear process, relapse and struggle are part of the process of getting clean. We hope this helps those working towards a better future. My gratitude to Danyon and Cole's family and friends for your courage and belief. This is a pro bono project by Telling Lives. If you need help in NZ the Alcohol Drug Helpline – 0800 787 797 or text 8681 for support around alcohol and drugs, a free and confidential chat with a trained counsellor, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The Kathmandu Hoick

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 23:49:23 GMT

A spiritual expectoration

The work had been intense, and I was ready for a break. One day left before flying out and I was determined to get in touch with the mythical Kathmandu of my youth or at least youthful imagination. Prayer flags mingled with the lyrics of a well worn Cat Stevens record jostled alongside the taxi ride as we rattled down a deeply rutted street towards the steps of the monkey temple.

"Kathmandu, I'll soon be seeing you
And your strange, bewildering time
Will hold me down."

Being an enlightenment seeking foreign tourist, I was of course temple drawn and the Swayambhunath Stupa or monkey temple, was my destination of choice. I arrived at the bottom of the temple steps at dawn, the early morning rich with the sights and sounds of a waking city. Bird calls accompanied by flashes of colour, the raucous chattering of the monkeys climbing effortlessly across low hanging branches and into trees above. My spiritual awakening pending, I started up broad stone steps towards the Stupa, a place of pilgrimage for well over a thousand years and holy site for both Buddhists and Hindus.

"White warm light the dawn
And help me see
Old satan’s tree"

Three hundred and fifty plus steps to a hilltop temple is hardly a trek to Everest base camp, but for a less than sporty forty something, it was exertion a plenty. Forty-three forty-four, forty-five. By now the sun was edging its way above the surrounding hills, a deep smudge of crimson spreading across the valley draping the streets below in smokey translucent gauze.

Eight-five, eighty-six, eight seven. Looking ahead, the low morning sun cut shafts of light through the trees, scraping its glow across a discordantly modern steel hand-rail, beckoning the weary traveler forward to the golden domes and prayer wheels above. One hundred and fifty-one, one hundred and fifty-two. Sure, I may have needed a rest along the way, one hundred and fifty-three, fifty four. I might have leaned, huffed and puffed even grabbed the rail, but my spiritual awakening was pending and I was not about falter. Two hundred and seventy-six, two hundred and seventy-seven.

Above my position, a saffron robed monk appeared in front of the temple complex. Bathed in light and with measured calm he began walking towards the edge of the paved mount, a moment of tranquility to be savoured but then it happened, ‘anima mundi’ my Kathmandu moment arrived. Perhaps ten or so meters above my position and slightly to the side, the buddhist monk peered gingerly over the edge of a rather precipitous cliff face. I presumed he was there to contemplate the arrival of a new day, or perhaps perform some religious observance, but I was wrong.

Without warning the monk drew back on the most enormous guttural hoick I’ve ever heard, I mean it was a stonker, an expectoration so deep that even the monkees had reason to pause. And then a moment of true bliss as the monk launched his lurgi high into the air, high enough to clear the cliff, high enough to fall unimpeded deep into the valley below. It was spectacular moment of transcendent beauty as the early morning sun caught the hoick at the top of its arc blasting sunlight directly at the spiraling sputum as it hung in the air breathing the dawn before losing its forward momentum and languidly disappearing over the edge of the hill and out of sight. I was stunned, what a delight, what awe inspiring synchronicity and wonder. I stumbled on upwards towards the famed temple, but nothing could surpass the moment.

"Katmandu, I'll soon be touching you
And your strange, bewildering time
Will hold me down."

My enlightenment? Hard scrubbed in daily rituals of poverty, life in the back streets of Kathmandu runs counter to the cultural cliches embraced by foreign tourists like myself. So enjoy a rickshaw race through the monsoonal rains and let Kathmandu wash you clean. But if you’re looking for enlightenment to assuage your first world existential angst, can i suggest it’s the people who are the salve, not the stupas, pagodas or temples.

The bravest thing I've seen

Thu, 01 Aug 2024 01:50:17 GMT

Making a stand regardless

There have been several times in my life when i really did think my number was up, back in 1985 when I was covering an Australian bushfire and the crew and I barely escaped the flames as the fire raced ahead of our position. I remember us gunning the news car as flames burst into the trees around our station wagon, breathing hot cinders with the air a fire with smoke and heat, knowing I was lucky to get out alive. I few years earlier I'd dodged another bullet in Auckland when a gunman holding two shotguns fired directly towards the window I was watching from, peppering the reinforced glass with a blast of metal that sent me diving under the nearest desk. More heightened concern a decade or so later when an agitated man sat next to me pouring petrol over himself and then producing a cigarette lighter threatening to send us both into a fireball. There have been other risky occasions over the years often involving close calls in helicopters, when even the pilots were praying for divine intervention. One of my personal favourites was being left on a mountain top dressed in only a suit and tie as the afternoon sun lowered and the temperatures fell, no cellphone coverage in those days... eeeek.

But in recalling those events, there is nothing particularly courageous in any of my actions just luck and a certain calm determination not to be overwhelmed by fear. But it did get me thinking about courage and the bravest thing I've ever seen and I reckon that was in 1983 during an armed siege in downtown Auckland. The same gunman who had shot at me was wandering around a central square with two shotguns, sometimes firing at random, other times resting the guns against his shoulders as if on a Sunday stroll perhaps carrying one too many umbrellas. I was watching from a third story of a large office building as the gunman approached a nearby car. What the offender couldn't see was an armed policeman squatting behind the bonnet and what the crouched police officer couldn't see was the gunman approaching his concealed position. You could almost sense the inevitable before it happened. The police man started to rise looking for the offenders current position, not realising the gunman had moved and was now only metres away. Then the dreadful realisation, as the policeman broke cover that he was now face to face with two shotguns aimed directly at his head. This is the moment I still vividly recall, it's measured in fractions of a second, as the police officer makes a decision that might well cost his life, he knew it, the gunman knew it, i knew it watching on from the safety of my perch. Rather than duck down again the police officer did something utterly unexpected he slowly, ever so slowly came from his semi crouch behind the car to a full standing position eyeballing the gunman as he slowly rose. It was a spectacular display of bravery and resolve.

As I recall the officer was wearing a beret, something worn way back when by AOS members, before Kevlar helmets, special weapons and tactics. What followed was a moment of outrageous dramatic performance, the gunman pointing his shotgun at the cop, the cop pointing his rifle at the gunman who then shrugged his shoulders and rather than firing turned his back on the police officer, as if to say go on shoot me in the back then. The police officer stood his ground while the offender walked away and then the cop slowly sank back down resuming his position behind the car. It's more than forty years since that incident and over times details are lost, imaginings embellished, but the essence of what i've shared is true and accurate. I had witnessed some hero stumbling towards an archetypal myth where virtue challenged the fates.

Most Kiwi's probably remember that as the day the police dog Luke was shot, and that was certainly a horrendous moment to witness first hand as the bloodied dog dragged itself towards the outstretched arms of his waiting handler, but what the cameras didn't see and is still etched in my memory is that unknown police officer who said by his actions foolhardy or not, that I stand for something and i will not be cowered, Respect.

Peace Train

Wed, 03 Jul 2024 08:20:43 GMT

A symbol of unity and hope

Christchurch Peace Train has become an important symbol of unity and hope following the March 15th terror attacks against Christchurch Muslims. In this video we go behind the scenes to look at the work of community-based groups like the Sakinah Trust and Mahia Te Aroha who are working to support victim’s families and to promote greater unity and understanding. Peace Train is one of four videos that can be viewed at https://communityofstrangers.org.nz/

Farid's Cake

Sun, 31 Mar 2024 23:51:42 GMT

Survivors says love is stronger than hate

On the fifth anniversary of the Massacre of 51 Muslims at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, survivor Farid Ahmed is delivering cakes to his neighbours. He's joined by U.S. Ambassador at large Rashad Hussain, promoting a simple concept, that love is more powerful than hate.

Street Art

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 03:20:41 GMT

ART CREATED BY OUR HOMELESS

When you think of street art what is front of mind? Banksy? Well how about the homeless, people who actually call the streets home because they have nowhere else to live. In Ōtautahi Christchurch, to mark World Homeless Day, the homeless are holding their own street exhibition. Here in New Zealand we call them the Kaewa or wanderers a term of respect for those struggling to find permanent shelter because of hardship, mental health issues or addiction. The project has been organised by Housing First and runs until Sunday the 15th of October https://www.housingfirstchch.co.nz/.../World-Homeless.../ partnering with The White Room Creative Space, Life in Vacant Spaces, Creative Junk and Telling Lives to bring you this event. #homeless #housingfirst #whiteroom #lifeinvacantspaces #tellinglives #christchurchcitycouncil body content of your post goes here. To edit this text, click on it and delete this default text and start typing your own or paste your own from a different source.

Community Cooking

Thu, 12 Oct 2023 02:05:29 GMT

Sharing Kai and Korero

Share Kai is an opportunity sit down and chat with different people from different cultures, people you may not normally have the opportunity to meet in your own community. As part of Unity Week, Riverside Market became the latest venue for a share kai and korero event, described as a 'diversity mix and mingle'. A chance to relax in the company of strangers with hospitality and food becoming the conduit for connection. We are a diverse society, but unless we find reasons to come together, we're missing out on a culinary and culture smorgasbord. Mahia te Aroha and

In common have combined to encourage people to see their differences as something celebrate rather than fear. Both organisations hold regular community meals and also offer cooking lessons provided by our migrant community.

Stained Glass Windows

john@tellinglives.co.nz (John Sellwood) — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 19:57:45 GMT

Hidden heritage delights

As part of Christchurch's Heritage Festival St.Michaels and All Angels is offering guided talks and the opportunity to view some of this city's most significant victorian art work - its stained glass windows. The Church has just completed the restoration of its Rose window an opportunity to go behind the scenes and look at the ancient craft of stained glass creation and restoration. While St Michael's is dwarfed by the large English and European cathedral's none share the unique flavour of its native timbers and colonial settler aspirations. Yes colonialism, has had many negative impacts, but these early English settlers also brought so many positives when they founded our city, St. Michaels and All Angels holds much of that story in its architecture and cultural referencing. It is a hidden heritage gem.

Housing First Ōtautahi

Mon, 06 Feb 2023 00:45:51 GMT

World Homeless Day Exhibition

This photo voice project was designed to empower the homeless allowing them to tell their own story while protecting their mental and physical wellbeing. Together with the help of Housing First Ōtautahi and the Christchurch Methodist Mission, people living on the streets were given assistance to photograph their daily lives for an exhibition marking World Homeless Day. Those taking part were also interviewed about their lives and asked to explain why the photos they took mattered. Without the extraordinary generosity of Housing First community workers none of this would have been possible, their work with vulnerable and marginalised people living on the streets is above and beyond.

Good Spot Carpark

Sun, 05 Feb 2023 22:05:51 GMT

GAP FILLER AND FLETCHER LIVING

What a privilege to be asked to share the story of the Good Spot car park! Ryan Reynolds and Gap Filler are behind the Good Spot model recognised in 2021 with the Sustainable Business Network Social Impactor award. It’s an award presented to an organisation that is deliberately and consistently improving people’s lives through its day to day business practices, where social good is integrated throughout the whole organisation. The judges said: “Good Spot is an outstanding application of community-centric problem solving that meets multiple community needs through the innovation and transformation of a sector – car parking. There is genuine meeting of community needs, both through operations and in creating social and environmental outcomes in a hyper-localised way. The model of Gap Filler is inspirational and feels applicable to many other spaces and sectors. Impressive integration of values and honesty shown throughout.”

Habitus Group

john@tellinglives.co.nz (John Sellwood) — Mon, 19 Dec 2022 02:09:19 GMT

Energy efficient housing

Habitus Group are a family owned, Christchurch based boutique residential development company. Director Lee Sampson is passionate about providing unique, affordable and energy efficient housing to the New Zealand property market. These architecturally designed homes are low maintenance, thermally efficient and sustainable, not to mention nice and comfortable to live in! Here is a little look around one of our developments.

#Habitusgroup #sustainablelivingchristchurch #comfortablehomes #affordablehousing #qualityhomes #healthyhomes #smarterliving

Symhedonia - word of the week

john@tellinglives.co.nz (John Sellwood) — Tue, 07 Jun 2022 04:43:41 GMT

Learning to enjoy someone else's accomplishments

I love finding new words, although at my age I'm beginning to wonder if I'm losing them faster than I'm finding them, anyway here's the new offering - Symhedonia, yep never heard of it before and what a word! It means sympathetic joy, gaining vicarious pleasure or happiness by celebrating someone else's success.

In my mind's eye it's a kind of 'yeeehar whooping and a hollarin' in support of someone else's accomplishments. Perhaps they've won an accolade, achieved a significant goal or received an unexpected windfall. This is all about how you respond, I guess replacing a begrudging lucky bastard with a full throated roar of celebration in support of another's success or happiness.

Now, consider that for a moment, showing sympathetic joy for someone you know and really like is relatively easy, perhaps it's your favourite sports team or a close friend, no problem. But what about someone you're not close to, a competitor or someone you're not particularly fond of, now how easy is it to say yeah well done, richly deserved, good on you and really mean it?

Enter my new favourite word, symhedonia which i discovered while studying empathetic concern in a CIT course run by Mahia Te A roha. Notice the word 'concern' following empathy, that's because empathy by itself does not suggest a positive behaviour or outcome, indeed empathy can be utilised for good or bad, hence the required clarification.

Symhedonia is about concerned empathy for others and a reminder of how bruised egos can so easily get in the way. How tempting to frame ourselves as the forgotten victim of another's success, overlooked and under appreciated, short changed and denied of the acknowledgements we deserve. Come on, lets fess-up, what we're really talking about here is those little green monsters envy and jealousy, spiteful twins of bilious hue who inspire resentment when it's not our turn on the dias.

Thank goodness for symhedonia and sympathetic joy, it's simple you just need to start practicing, imagining how good it must feel to be that person, how happy you'd be if it was your best friend, because if you can imagine that it's possible to start extending the edges of those feelings outward towards those who you don't know and even those you may struggle to like.

I'm a contrarian by nature and so counterintuitive approach appeals greatly. Yes it takes effort and practice, but I've started to genuinely enjoy the success of others in this is busy over crowded market of competition and comparison. And the impact has been interesting, I feel far more comfortable about my own modest achievements, when enjoying the success of others. It's seems sympathy isn't just for when people are hurting its for when they're happy.

Go figure - symhedonia word of the week, the month and the year in my book.

Community Building

Sat, 09 Apr 2022 23:09:58 GMT

INNER CITY EAST CYCLES

Inner City East Cycles was a collaborative project started just prior to the first covid look down, with lives interrupted we stopped filming until things returned to normal, but that of course hasn't happened. Looking back at this first iteration of the story I can't wait for another opportunity to catch-up with all the wonderful people making a difference to those living on the margins. People Like Jono have since moved on, but they're still making a difference and so the story continues.

A little patch of garden

john@tellinglives.co.nz (John Sellwood) — Mon, 07 Mar 2022 03:26:07 GMT

100 Squares

To be able grow your own fruit and veg on a busy street in the inner city is rare, we only have a tiny section but my wife Mel has put considerable energy and time into creating a beautiful wild garden. It's a surprising and untamed place, a mix of flowers, vegetables, berries and herbs. It's where we go foraging for food, our wild place amidst the noise and traffic of modern living - literally. The cars rumble past as we weed the garden and tend the tomatoes. Mel is such a wonderfully positive person, the garden she gifted the family has changed our lives for the better. It's living proof that you can build your own kind of paradise even in a central city suburb.

Praising the ordinary

john@tellinglives.co.nz (John Sellwood) — Wed, 02 Mar 2022 04:41:01 GMT

TALES OF TALL POPPIES

We Kiwis don't particularly like show offs, maybe that's connected to our sense of fair play and fondness for sports. We lionise our sporting heroes avidly follow their careers and celebrate their successes, but it's approbation with strings attached and etiquette required. Truth is, we expect our champions to respond to public applause with displays of contorted humility.

This attachment to low key heroism and unassuming leadership isn't confined to sport, it seems deeply embedded in kiwi culture and is responsible, at least in part, for what others perceive as our 'tall poppy syndrome'. Tall poppies are those considered to be your best and brightest, the syndrome denotes cutting such people down to size by diminishing their status or achievements.

But there's a conundrum, as a country we pride ourselves on a can do entrepreneurial spirit, small business and farming form the backbone of our economy, we celebrate success and hard work. So if competition and achievement are part of what makes our world go around, why the poppy cutter label? Well, to be honest, I don't think we're anti-success at all, I think we love winning. No I suspect, what we don't like is splashy displays of self-aggrandisement where others laud their own achievements making us ordinary folk feel less than equal.

When I was an impressionable young lad growing-up in Christchurch, my role models were people like Charles Upham, Ed Hillary and Colin Meads, heroes cloaked in self-effacing modesty and equanimity. There was no jumping up and down saying look at me, no mention of how proud you were of your own achievements, indeed humility was all pervading.

We expect our champions to respond

with displays of contorted humility.

I first heard the phrase 'it's a team effort' sometime in the early 70's, a response now so ubiquitous it's a sporting cliche. Overused perhaps, but it's a cliche with a clear message; nobody achieves success without the support of others whether that be parents, teachers, coaches, friends, rivals or of course your own teammates. That isn't to say there aren't a number of very talented people with extraordinary skills, it's just something we don't crow about in New Zealand. Others can certainly boast on your behalf, but woe betide those who presume to blow their own trumpet.

Well that was certainly the case way back when, but times have clearly changed. Overt displays of exceptionalism are now the hallmark of online popularity with algorithms and youthful self-esteem blended with over hyped uniqueness designed to dazzle. Self confidence and exceptionalism are now twined, striding blithely hand in hand, seemingly unaware of the psychological pitfalls they present to both the poster and viewer. Equating exceptionalism with self esteem is in my view a dangerous distortion of reality a view emboldened by the research of American Psychologist Dr.Kristin Neff who asserts the following:

"In modern Western culture, self-esteem is often based on how much we are different from others, how much we stand out or are special. It is not okay to be average, we have to feel above average to feel good about ourselves. This means that attempts to raise self-esteem may result in narcissistic, self-absorbed behavior, or lead us to put others down in order to feel better about ourselves. The need for high self-esteem may encourage us to ignore, distort or hide personal shortcomings so that we can’t see ourselves clearly and accurately. Finally, our self-esteem is often contingent on our latest success or failure, meaning that our self-esteem fluctuates depending on ever-changing circumstances."

Dr. Kristin Neff

Of course the statistical truth is that we are almost all extraordinarily average, while we may have certain traits that give us different skills, talents, advantages and disadvantages, most of us start from a rather prosaic and uniform baseline of normality; that is to say what we share is our commonness in common. Achievements are therefore, more often than not, commensurate with the amount of time and effort we invest cultivating particular skills. Yes, good luck or circumstance also come into play, more money may afford greater opportunities and education, genetics may provide stronger or longer legs for running or perhaps more analytical brain for diagnosis or math, but even with those advantages most of us are still operating within the bounds of what is considered normal and expected. For me exceptionalism, implies so much more - I tend to think of feats so far beyond the norm that only the tiniest percentage of humans could ever lay claim to the accolade; names like Da Vinci, Marie Curie and Plato come to mind.

Imagine the relief of renouncing our claims to uniqueness, accepting the wonderful liberating truth that most of us are not exceptional and never will be. Talk about removing the constant pressure to compare and compete. Accepting average as a norm does not equate to a lack of ambition or diminished achievement, far from it! I'm merely suggesting we stop wasting time and energy assuming someone else is doing better or more important work than ourselves.

For all our success and all our failures, I reckon we're are all pretty much one and the same, we all want to be liked, which includes learning to like ourselves, warts and all. That, according to the good doctor, has more to do with self-compassion, than self-esteem or exceptionalism. It's time to be kind to ourselves.

Stealing Time

Sat, 01 Jan 2022 03:39:34 GMT

Pressure Injury Prevention

If you have a spinal cord injury or impairment it is difficult to get through life without the risk of sustaining a pressure injury. These short videos highlight the causes and effects, sometimes devastating, of pressure injuries. We want to help you avoid getting one.

The content is based on international literature, recent ACC research and the lived experience of the participants in the videos. This is one of 12 video's released as a resource on World Spinal Cord Injury Day 5th September 2018, and is a collaborative work of BAIL and the NZ Spinal Trust funded by ACC of New Zealand. ( Paid story ACC and Spinal Trust

vision restricted) see https://nzspinaltrust.org.nz/resources/pressureinjuryprevention/

Immigrant Journeys

john@tellinglives.co.nz (John Sellwood) — Tue, 21 Dec 2021 02:47:42 GMT

Stories of Diversity and Hope

Aotearoa is an immigrant nation – from the first peoples to colonial settlement, we have crossed the oceans to call this place home. Immigrant Journeys reveals the rich diversity that our most recent immigrants bring to Aotearoa New Zealand. Through their different skills, cultural backgrounds, and experiences they strengthen and add immense value this country.

Immigrant Journeys is an original idea of the Lady Khadija Charitable Trust whose creation has been made possible by the efforts of Telling Lives and Janneth Gil Photography. The project has been funded by the Ministry of Ethnic Communities and Rāta Foundation.

Masked Humans

john@tellinglives.co.nz (John Sellwood) — Mon, 20 Dec 2021 03:53:33 GMT

Duality in times of distress

OPINION - JOHN SELLWOOD. Yes, it was all somewhat unexpected, balaclava or masked talk and poetry, my first thoughts were that social media algorithm responds to shock tactics - but I know this young man and to my knowledge he's not one who is easily swayed by affectation or self aggrandisement. There was going to be another reason, the answer he said was simple, "if people can't see my face they aren't judging me by what they see on the surface, instead they have to listen to what's important and that's comes from the inside."

The speaker is a friend, a young man responding to a background of rejection and abuse. We've known each for several years and these days, it must be said, he walks shoulders back, with a stronger sense of self. There are still moments of raw vulnerability when those gut-deep receptors flash visceral despair, but the headlong rush toward darkness has slowed; he has new options for coping.

Acknowledgement has fuelled change and recovery from drug and alcohol addiction. That is hard work, radical hero work right there, to fall and get up again is no mean feat. The lure of addiction may always remains, but he's learning to talk, to reframe a painful narrative of past with a new and more hopeful version of the both the future and himself. Part of that metamorphosis is an invigorated sense of purpose, the desire to help others face their own personal demons while avoiding the self destructive urges that so nearly ended his life.

Anyway, this brave resolute young man recently sent a message linking a new YouTube page where he and a friend had started sharing their personal thoughts and feelings through poetry and talk, the site is called Self Honesty

"if people can't see my face they aren't judging me by

what they see on the surface "

What a time to mask-up and speak your truth acknowledging the duality of the human condition, the person within and the person without, the Hero with a thousand faces, the struggle to find balance and respect. With the invasive spread of covid we're now all asked to do the same and cover-up our face. Whatever your own choice of covering, mask, balaclava or scarf, these fabric facades are in my personal view all pretty much the same; the differences measured in materials, design and the area they cover. But how very different the calculation becomes when factoring in sentiments - such a wild and volatile mix of emotion where personal values veer from cultural inclusion to ingroup bias and back again. It may be a small minority who object, but the impact is significant and laden with irony. What must Muslim women who favour wearing the Niqab or perhaps the less expansive Hijab be thinking? Have we westerners started to reframe our cultural sensibilities to include face covering or have we merely succumb to expediency and social conditioning.

The mask has a history of rich significance across multiple cultures, sacred rites and the transmutation of the ordinary to the extraordinary, the psychological impact of the mask goes back millenium. Our modern covid mask seems to fulfill a dual function, one definitely intended and the other perhaps not. Firstly, it affords the wearer protection against the virus by providing separation from your immediate environment but the unintended consequence is facial anonymity. In other words, you know me not, I am hidden from view and so my actions and meaning are now veiled and opaque. In the case of our young speaker/poet there's a variation on the theme, judge me not because I'm hiding the features you might otherwise use to label me; although by wearing the balaclava he is also inviting a new set of assumptions and prejudice, where our source of discomfort waits to be uncovered.

Here in New Zealand, the balaclava is a utilitarian covering used by thousands of hunters and trampers who rely on it for both warmth and camouflage in an outdoor environment that can quickly turn threatening. For me, it's more closely associated with negative images of violence from the likes of the IRA paramilitary or more recently Isis fighters. So in terms of semiotics, the balaclava wraps the good and the bad in ambiguity. It's not just those considered on the wrong side of the law who like to hide faces. The use of balaclavas is common amongst the military and civilian police; particularly when special forces or tactics are deployed. How we decipher that symbolism depends on the place where we start, here context is everything, one man's terrorist may also be another man's freedom fighter.

While the mask offers anonymity to the wearer, the impact on others is described as having "layers of meaning". According to Norwegian academic Luca Tateo. "The mask evokes at the same time safety and fear, it mediates the auto dialogue between I and me through the other".

The point my friend is making is that masks aren't something we wear, they're something we create. There are outside masks made of cloth and inner masks of pain and vulnerability. Masks beneath masks, beneath masks... when you finally hit rock bottom, you start to understand, that below it all is the authentic you just waiting to to be recognised, welcomed and accepted. Cover your face, it makes no difference the internal dialogue continues, just another layer waiting to be revealed. Mask stereotypes abound, so young speaker/poet thank you for sharing your truth, may it help others in their search for acceptance and meaning.

LIFELINE (0800 543 354) or send a text to HELP (4357) for free, 24/7, confidential support – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Seeding Change

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 22:43:05 GMT

Michael Reynolds is planting the seeds of change. He's a creating a community garden in a city park. Rather than grassed turf that goes largely unused, Michael wants fruits trees, vegetable gardens, herb beds. The Roimata Food Commons is about building community through food. People grow the crops and harvest the rewards. " When people start to feel connected in their own community's people's levels of wellbeing goes up, people start to feel safe."

Go with the flow

john@tellinglives.co.nz (John Sellwood) — Wed, 03 Mar 2021 00:00:30 GMT

stretching your story

This story is about a new yoga centre in the heart of Christchurch and some of the decisions made around visual storytelling and content creation. Flow Wellbeing sits on one of the busiest intersections in Christchurch, they have a stunning new building which incorporates multiple studios each with its own unique design. They have a rich offering of classes, teachers and therapeutics, more than enough to create brand awareness through targeted marketing and social media campaigns.

But that is in my view the obvious stuff, Flow Wellbeing also has a great back story and purpose with the desire to open a community space where anyone could access improved physical and emotional wellbeing at a time when many are struggling to cope. When I was asked to help tell their story story I suggested they make a longer form 5 to 6 minute story as a starting point. Why? because when you start with a longer form story you're creating content that can be repurposed on multiple platforms in many different ways.

Starting long form requires the producer or storyteller go beyond the obvious, without that kind of enquiry there simply won't be enough material for the duration required, so that means seeking a story with depth and substance. Longer form stories also require you to think about variety and pace, if you going to keep someone watching it's not actually just about duration, it's about maintaining interest.

But the perhaps the biggest advantage is the cost saving, by filming and producing a longer form story you have in the process created multiple social media cuts and a variety of different content options that can repurposed and refreshed over time. It's next to impossible to retrofit targeted short items into longer form content, but relatively easy if you start the other way round. So rather than thinking short social media cuts first, get more bang for your buck by going long form first.

Long form video - website

Short form video - social media

Cobot Robots

john@tellinglives.co.nz (John Sellwood) — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 01:28:57 GMT

A Collaborative Approach

Swarm Intellige nce is an electrical engineering firm based in Christchurch, New Zealand. In biology, swarm intelligence describes the "collective behaviour of decentralised, self-organised systems that we see in nature". Think of a flash of silver that ripples with seamless ease through the ocean when a school of fish change direction or the collective intelligence of flock birds as they weave and dive in choreographed murmuration. The engineers at Swarm Intelligence apply a similar principle to the projects they work on harnessing the shared power of collective experience. Their philosophy is one of collective thought, "so that when your plant or electrical system is maintained by us, you are not just benefiting from the knowledge of the person on site, but from the knowledge of the group behind that person when they come back to the Hive".

Midwives Matter

Tue, 31 Mar 2020 02:59:50 GMT

The Maternity Frontline

There’s been talk over recent days about the need for greater access to PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) for midwives working in the community, and rightly so. A midwife's bubble can easily extend into dozens of homes where women are no doubt anxious already about pregnancy and birth during a time of pandemic.

As the frontline support for mothers and babies during an extraordinary time of both risk and reward, midwives are guardians of a new generation and deserve every protection we can provide. Often overlooked, these hardworking dedicated women can easily go unnoticed until something goes wrong; like now. Professionals with three or more years of obstetrics and nursing training, midwives are an assurance and protection for a healthy young New Zealand.

Earlier this year, I was lucky enough to spend a fews days following different midwives as they went about their daily work here in Canterbury - so forgive me if I wax lyrical.

When you hear a first time mum’s uncertainty around her pregnancy and listen to her reach out for reassurance over what is normal and what’s not, you understand why midwives matter. When you see a mum with her newborn discussing changes in her baby’s weight or behaviour, her concerns over sleep or feeding; you know why midwives matter. When a woman grasps her partner's hand during labour while a strong confident voice tells her to push, rallying, supporting, reassuring; then you know why a midwife matters. When you see a newborn placed in their exhausted mother’s arms for the first time and recognise that child’s vulnerability and need; you know why a midwife matters.

They talk about the first thousand days defining a child's life and clearly that starts with midwives and mums.

The short video above captures a working day for Bex, a midwife in North Canterbury. It was filmed as part of a recent campaign calling for improvements to current employment terms and conditions for midwives as seen below.

Pandemic Hope

Mon, 30 Mar 2020 01:05:25 GMT

Liminal Communication - a new quality of connection

OPINION - JOHN SELLWOOD

Cabin fever hits us all I guess and so several times a day I try to wander out to the garden at the front of our house where I’m able to sit amongst the plants and find a sense of equilibrium in nature. Over the past few days I’ve noticed something new - company! A near constant stream of people walking, running, or biking past, smiling and yelling hello.

People are out of their cars, their vehicles parked up except for essential travel and so on our once busy street, road traffic is now a rarity. But with the roads empty the footpaths are getting busier and that makes sense, more people at home means more people wanting to take a break from their government/virus imposed bubble of self isolation. On my street at least, I reckon there are many more people out and about stretching their legs; no doubt grabbing a brief taste of freedom from the strictures of the lockdown.

At our place, we're about five metres or six metres from the footpath separated by a stone fence and a yet that seems to have only enhanced a new sense of intimacy and quality of connection with total strangers. They may be my neighbours but until now I’ve not met or spoken to most of the people going past. But in our splendid isolation, people and I include myself here, are seeking to reaffirm one of our most basic human needs - to know we are not alone. P re-lockdown you could easily walk down a busy main street in the centre of town and get not a single smile, glance or positive acknowledgement. But here on my local street corner neighbours are reaching out from a distance - wanting, perhaps even needing to connect at a distance.

As the weeks go by I suspect that our need for connection will deepen. Perhaps, we’ll start to take more notice of the environment around us and the stillness that's invaded the normal hustle and bustle of urban life. Perhaps, we’ll notice a refreshing intake of clean fresh air or the new sounds people are already noticing and talking about - nature the birds and yes even the bees. Perhaps, being out of our cars will help redefine our own sense of separateness and bring us closer to our neighbours.

What was it like in the early hunter gatherer societies

where small groups huddled around the reassuring

warmth of their fires at night, what kind of stories

would they have told?

Of course we’re fortunate that we have social media to connect, to reassure and spread stories of hope and if there was ever a time for stories of hope it’s now. I do wonder, what It was like in the early hunter gatherer societies where small groups clung together huddled around the reassuring warmth of their fires at night, what kind of stories would they have told? At a time when survival was tenuous and threats ever present, I suspect you would need stories to assuage and calm rampant fear - to rest the nervous system from its alert default of fight or flight. Stories that built endurance and hope, in our modern parlance stories of resilience. As a listener, I think I’d want calming and grounding stories. Certainly cautionary tales around risk, but also tales of courage to instil bravery, redemptive stories to remind me of the best of who we might be, and stories of hope acknowledging that even in the darkest hours things can and do get better. Little surprise that dawn is such a powerful metaphor for hope and renewal.

Our ability to imagine - maybe our greatest blessing and our greatest curse. Personally, I believe that most of us have a choice, about the stories we tell ourselves and each other, we can't control life but we can to an extent control our responses. Narratives shape our lives from a young age, and they have a profound impact on the value and meaning we place on self and the world around us. My Hope is that the covid-19 virus will encourage all us to start focusing on the stories that nourish us; stories of renewal and possibility, stories of kindness and compassion and above all stories of connection. We are one and we can not do this alone even in self isolation.

Finally I’m going to share; some of the stories I’ve noticed from my own eclectic little bunch of friends; there are more so many more...

Barrington on Green (Bog) and my wonderful wife Melanie talking carrots. @barringtononegreen

Flow hot Yoga offering grounding practices for body and mind @FlowHotYog

Father Michael Orzy offering online prayer and mass http://www.chchstmichaels.org.nz/

My Muslim friends https://oneyearon.org/

The vivacious Lisa Humphrey offering hairdressing tips. https://www.facebook.com/Lisa-Humphrey-Hair-Make-Up-and-Cosmetic-Tattooing-263773883641202/

New Paragraph

City of Compassion

Fri, 11 Oct 2019 22:54:13 GMT

Ko Tātou, Tātou We Are One

The people of Christchurch, New Zealand, were awarded the Charter for Compassion’s prestigious #Compassion #Humanitarian #Award in recognition of their response to the terror attacks at two Christchurch Mosques, at an awards ceremony on 10 October in Monterrey, Mexico.

Lianne Dalziel, the Mayor of Christchurch, in a video message played at the Charter’s ten-year anniversary event in Monterrey, said of the community response to the attack, in which 51 people were killed, "The incredible outpouring of love, compassion and kindness was the instinctive response of the people of Christchurch to the horrific events on March 15, when our #Muslim brothers and sisters were attacked in their place of worship as they prayed...

We thank the Charter for Compassion for recognising Christchurch on the international stage as we too wish to play our part in making sure that this becomes the way in which we reconnect to our humanity, and that we reject violence, we reject hatred and we reject all that divides us. We are one.’"

The Charter for Compassion has now also designated Christchurch a ‘Compassionate City’, joining 441 other cities across the world. David Dahlin, the new Executive Director of the Charter for Compassion, said, "I believe we can only achieve a world of love and peace by working within, between, and beyond religious traditions."

The people of Christchurch embody the true spirit of what it means to be human, and are worthy recipients of the Compassion Humanitarian Award. We can accomplish more than we can imagine to transform society by igniting the power of compassion.’

The Charter for Compassion was formed in 2009 as Karen Armstrong’s TEDPrize, after she was given $100,000 and a single wish by TED to change the world. The first Compassion Humanitarian Awards were made in San Francisco in 2014.

Climate Protest

Sun, 29 Sep 2019 08:53:53 GMT

CHRISTCHURCH MARCH

OPINION - JOHN SELLWOOD

It was beautiful to see, a new generation taking to the streets to yell 'this matters please listen'. In my day it was the 81 Springbok tour and the anti-nuclear protest movement. At one time or other, both seen as fringe issues, led by extremists intent on challenging the status quo and upsetting the powers that be. But with time comes perspective, and what was once thought extreme has a habit of becoming mainstream consensus.

The future of our environment is the issue of our time, and whether you see it as emotional contagion or political action, climate change protests have ignited our youth with a sense of political purpose not seen for decades. It's democracy in action, the wild and uncomfortable belief that ordinary people, and not just policymakers or power brokers, have a legitimate say in the events that are shaping their lives.

What is extraordinary of course is that the protests are led by a vanguard of school children. It's everything a young Bob Dylan wrote about fifty-five years ago when he rattled a post-war generation with his protest inspired theme song 'The times they are 'a-changin'.

For parents who took part in the march, it seemed as much about supporting their children as chanting for climate change action, but then the motives are really one and the same. If we truly care for coming generations surely we must do everything in our power to sustain a thriving environment; why take risks with the wellbeing of your children?

Personally, I wanted to stand alongside our young people and say well done you're not alone. Yes, I know your fear, because I can still recall my own cold war dread as a teenager. But in my day the threat of nuclear war and mutually assured destruction was only ever an imagined possibility, so how much more terrifying for today's young people? They are grappling with overwhelming scientific evidence that the day of reckoning has actually arrived.

My world then and their world now are a lifetime apart; the issues and geopolitics have radically changed, but sadly there seems to be one constant that remains - a deeply held fear of a world unravelling. This is not how our children should grow-up; worried for their future. You know it, I know it, they know it, and that is why 'The times they are a-changin'. If you want confident children then gift them some hope.

Video 422 10bit - using Panasonic Gh5s handheld at 50 frames for frisson. Video available to all. Music copyright and protected. I have used music for non profit education purposes only and have my fingers crossed.

Positively Christchurch

Tue, 03 Sep 2019 02:23:27 GMT

THE CITY'S JANUS COMPLEX

OPINION - JOHN SELLWOOD

If you listen or play this video, and I'm biased because I think you should, you'll hear a positive message of hope something I believe we urgently need to be sharing with the young people of this city. The sun has been shining brightly across Christchurch over recent weeks, not that you'd know from some of the rather bleak opinion pieces casting grey gloomy shadows across the city.

Now did you watch the video and did the you see the Janus face? If you didn't can I suggest you look again. Look for the wonderful Robert Read from Suicide Prevention and Awareness. He's deliberately framed with a broken cathedral behind him with the sun on one side of his face and shadow on the opposite. This is our Christchurch and this if you like our Janus face.

For the mythology fans amongst you, Janus was an ancient Roman God, the doorkeeper of heaven and patron of the beginning and the end of things. He had two faces, one for the rising sun and one for the sunset (thanks Bullfinchs). But of late I've been thinking Janus has something to teach us about the pysche of our own city; Pysche being the ancient Greeks' revered goddess of the soul.

So here's the metaphor, which I'm sure you knew was coming! We can stand beside our broken past, continually looking back frozen in place and unwilling to move on, or we can turn towards the sun and on a fine day bask in the warmth of positivity and hope. Don't worry the shadows will still be there but we have the choice to walk elsewhere. I don't speak here as some distant observer, but as a local who's seen the keening knife of despair, and watched with true admiration those who despite the pain of appalling loss, have turned towards hope and renewal.

What defines Christchurch beyond a shadow of a doubt is our people and their experiences. We are people of kindness and compassion. We are people who have looked each other in the face during times of crisis and seen our shared humanity. We are a people who have chosen love over hatred, collaboration over competition. We are a diverse city of many people and many needs, but we are a city that cares.

For me Christchurch is a city of courage of compassion and of celebration. And I believe we owe it to future generations to fight the current narrative of negativity and reflect the best of who we are, and how others choose to see us even if we can't turn to face ourselves. We need to acknowledge and celebrate the kindness of our city, I believe that is our unique gift and an offering we can continue to share with the world.

In February, I started a facebook page called sharing stories of hope - we need to share positive narratives to remind ourselves of the goodness that is everywhere in this city, if we choose to look. Bad things happen yes I know, but is that what we want to offer our children? Please if it helps add your positive stories, tell your stories of renewal, share your stories of hope! https://www.facebook.com/livedhope/ But more importantly share them with each other around the dinner table, with family and friends, with strangers.

Now if you're thoroughly feed-up with my Pollyannaish approach here's another video, this is something I sent overseas a few months ago after being asked to define why this city is so special to me - my answer was compassion and kindness, it's how we care for each other in times of need.

Tiny Shop Village

Sun, 16 Jun 2019 08:03:29 GMT

INVIGORATING A COMMUNITY

I love a good community story and this is one. The completion of the 'Tiny Shops' village in Stanmore Road has been marked by the opening and blessing of the final tiny building and a celebration by locals from the Linwood community. The Christchurch City Council has supported Greening the Rubble and community development organisation Te Whare Roimata to repurpose a vacant area on the main road for use by the local community. This story captures the passion of those involved in the project which saw close collaboration between a number of donor groups, local volunteers and the city council. ( Pro bono story for Ice Cycles and Te Whare Roiamata ) Footage free HD 1080 10bit 422

Compassionate City

Mon, 10 Jun 2019 03:12:50 GMT

Farid's words of forgiveness

OPINION - JOHN SELLWOOD

It seems to me that compassion lies at the very heart of what it means to be human. Being concerned for those who we know and love, our family and our friends is part of who we are it’s burned deep in our DNA. The nurturing of children, the kindness of friends, helping out by lending a hand, these are societal norms we expect when dealing with our nearest and dearest - but what about caring for strangers or even more difficult those who see us as an enemy?

Small acts kindness towards those we know or like make everyone feel good, strengthening friendship and cooperation, and ultimately this kind of compassion seems to be one of the fundamental biological drivers for human success. Kindness and reciprocity are traits we start developing as toddlers when we begin learning that playing happily in the sandpit with others will likely require sharing our toys.

But how do you grow-up showing compassion towards those who hate you and have no intention of sharing or playing nice. How to your respond with compassion when someone’s prejudice and hate destroys the very thing you love? Here compassion surely becomes an act of extraordinary courage and commitment, an intention based on values that transcend rage and the desire for retribution.

Perhaps forgiveness and compassion are conjoined. Because how can you show kindness while holding feelings of hatred or the desire for revenge? I suggest you can’t you have to be able to push those feelings aside no matter how justifiable they maybe. Which is why I feel such deep admiration and respect for the wisdom and strength of Farid Ahmed.

Farid’s wife Husna was among the 51-people who died after terror attacks on two Christchurch Mosques on the 15th of March, 2019. Husna was shot after leading others to safety, returning to the Al Noor Mosque to check on her husband.

Recently, The #CharterforCompassion asked for a #video supporting compassionate cities as part of a #linkedInCompassionAward initiative to increase compassion online – I can only say Christchurch is truly fortunate have compassionate people like Farid Ahmed living in our city, his actions remind us that what it means to see beyond hate and to embrace our shared humanity. I believe he sets an example for the rest of us to follow regardless of race, culture or belief. Thank you to a man I don't know but who has inspired so many around the world with his selfless love. I would like to nominate Farid for this award for his video speech during New Zealand's national memorial service for the victim's of the Mosque attacks. ( Telling Lives Story - vision available to all excluding tvnz footage )

Downhill Skateboarding

Tue, 04 Jun 2019 05:31:09 GMT

Skateboarding Christchurch style

Elissa Mah describes downhill skateboarding as the most exhilarating experience you can have on four wheels - you only need to watch vision from a recent practice run on the Sumner Road near Lyttelton to understand why.

“You get a huge adrenaline rush feeling the wind gusting past you, seeing the scenery flash by, and at the same time your mind is cleared from all else going on in your life as you focus solely on what is in front and around you at that moment.”

Ms Mah is part of an eight-strong team who’ll be representing New Zealand at the World Roller Games starting in Barcelona next month. It’s the first-time downhill skateboarding has been included as an event and highlights the sports growing international status. ( Pro bono story for Elissa Mah - vision available to all )

Explore Christchurch

Tue, 09 Apr 2019 05:28:21 GMT

Inner City Promos

Christchurch, after the earthquakes and subsequent rebuild, is a new city. Down town has been re imagined with a host of new buildings, walkways, laneways and shops to explore. This is one of a series of video's directed at Christchurch locals who are invited to explore their new and dynamic inner city. ( Paid story developed for ChristchurchNZ footage restricted. Please see https://www.christchurchnz.com )

Collett's Corner

tania@attractionstudio.co.nz (Attraction Studio) — Mon, 08 Apr 2019 04:39:27 GMT

A community minded development

This one of a series of explainer videos for the Collett's Corner New Zealand's first crowd funded commercial property development. The project mixes social good and commercial gain. So how do the finances work? and if you invest what can you expect as a return? This video explains the basics.

Christchurch Youth Hub Trust

Sun, 07 Apr 2019 22:21:56 GMT

The Youth Hub is a collaboration of services and youth housing with opportunities for recreation, creation and entrepreneurship assisting young people aged 10-25 years to reach their full potential. It is being set up by the Youth Hub Trust - Te Hurihanga o Rangatahi (the Turning Point).

Starfish Swimwear

tania@attractionstudio.co.nz (Attraction Studio) — Sun, 07 Apr 2019 05:31:33 GMT

Manufactured in New Zealand

Christchurch swimwear maker Tracey Christian says chilly winter temperatures don't deter determined bikini buyers. The owner of Starfish Swimwear has just opened a Colombo Street store after a fire and earthquakes forced her out of four previous premises.

A Storytelling Tradition

Sat, 06 Apr 2019 22:41:46 GMT

Shonaleigh Cumbers is a storyteller. Not just any storyteller. She’s a Drut’syla. She’s a living tradition holder. It’s a tradition that flourished in Jewish families, but that was wiped out during the holocaust. Almost wiped out. As far as we know, Shonaleigh is the last Drut’syla.

Go Baby Go - Sunrise Rotary

Sat, 06 Apr 2019 22:24:38 GMT

GoBabyGo adapts electric ride-in toy cars to be used by children with impaired mobility.The age-appropriate devices encourage interaction with siblings and friends, deliver therapy benefits, and help children develop spatial awareness and related skills in a way that’s impossible when they are not independently mobile.

Seed Swap Builds Community

Fri, 05 Apr 2019 21:26:44 GMT

The Roimata Food Commons is an extraordinary local initiative being used to build connections and a sense of community by sharing plants and food grown at a local Park in Christchurch. For more on the Roimata food Commons see the following link: https://www.facebook.com/roimatafoodcommons .

Hello, my name is Barber

tania@attractionstudio.co.nz (Attraction Studio) — Fri, 05 Apr 2019 20:20:50 GMT

Cross Promotion

Creating a powerful visual message doesn't have to be expensive particularly if you're willing to cross promote and share costs. With this video "Hello my name is barber" a local hair cutting business is linked with one of its larger product suppliers, and everyone wins by sharing the resulting social media engagement.

Spreading the Word

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 22:19:42 GMT

It's great fun to work on an election campaign and it was a privilege to be involved with Raf Manji's bid. We don't often get independent candidates elected to parliament in New Zealand and yet the benefits could be immense; particularly under MMP. Imagine being able to work with any person or party based on policy rather than political allegiance. There was so much more to Raf's campaign but it was his potential to act independently that resonated for me.

Commercial Development - Community Style

Thu, 04 Apr 2019 21:29:50 GMT

Should property development and ownership be for a select few only? Not under a revolutionary social enterprise model launched by Ohu in Lyttelton, ChristchurchNZ. The Collett's Corner project focuses on affordable community investment with big social returns for locals. Check out the video or https://ohu.nz/ Camia Young. Thanks to all of the architects who supplied their skill and visual material.

Turtle Threat

Wed, 03 Apr 2019 21:32:28 GMT

Donna Moot, from Turtle Rescue, looks after injured and unwanted turtles. She's tired of turtles being dumped and is calling for a ban on turtle breeding in New Zealand; in particular the red eared-slider turtle. Donna says turtles have become a pest pet but are still being sold via trade me. Yes they're cute, yes they're popular and have a ninja like status, but there's a big but when it comes to owning turtles! Turtles are a pet for life - depending on the breed they can live until 70 years old or more.

Taking Control

tania@attractionstudio.co.nz (Attraction Studio) — Wed, 03 Apr 2019 20:54:25 GMT

Alex - Tetraplegic

15min listen

We can't always control the events that shape our lives but we do have choices around how we respond. Alex was injured while playing rugby and is now paralysed from the neck down. Life isn't easy for Alex but he reckons finding a purpose helps, whether you're in a chair or not.

The Mobile Vet Nurse

tania@attractionstudio.co.nz (Attraction Studio) — Wed, 03 Apr 2019 20:20:48 GMT

Social media videos

Do you fully appreciate the value of what you do and the impact it has on other people? or is there a fabulous untold story just waiting to be discovered and shared? It's easy for a company to be so busy providing their service they forget their uniqueness and the real contribution they’re making and that’s where visual storytelling and brand journalism comes in. I've just been on the road with Mobile Vet Nurse, Chrissy Macpherson.

A human face and an authentic story

Tue, 02 Apr 2019 22:19:41 GMT

Values and brand are intimately connected and the depth and meaning of your brand needs to be reflected in your message. For example the Christchurch City Mission doesn't only provide vital support for the homeless or emergency food parcels or detox services for those with addiction issues - the mission changes lives, by providing new pathways and hope for the future.

Negativity Bias

tania@attractionstudio.co.nz (Attraction Studio) — Tue, 02 Apr 2019 21:00:24 GMT

Lance - Warn International

30min listen

Our brains are hardwired for risk, an evolutionary adaptation that helped our ancestors survive. But we live in a modern world and the stress of worry is something we need to control. Lance is a former cop who speaks from experience when he says we need to stop being so hard on ourselves.

Changing the Narrative

tania@attractionstudio.co.nz (Attraction Studio) — Mon, 01 Apr 2019 21:01:24 GMT

Shonaleigh - Jewish storyteller

20min listen

Walking on Air

Sun, 31 Mar 2019 22:23:51 GMT

Joel and Remi doing a bit of slacklining practice before heading off to the mountains where grass becomes rock. I just happened to have my new toy on hand and took some vision. A tip for those thinking about walking the talk you don’t watch your feet or the webbing, apparently you focus your eyes on something eye level near the end of the webbing and let your balance tell you where to put your feet.

Music courtesy the wonderful Aaron Takona. Vision shot using an Osmo gimbal cam from DJI.

Lyttelton Primary Opens

Sun, 31 Mar 2019 21:39:26 GMT

Lyttelton Primary School throws open its classrooms for parents, children and the local community. A new building and new approach to education with modern learning techniques in a modern learning environment. After years of disruption following the earthquakes followed by the merger of Lyttelton Main and Lyttelton West schools, local pupils have a new school and theatre and an exciting future.

Stills courtesy Mel Morris.

Hope in the Present

tania@attractionstudio.co.nz (Attraction Studio) — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 21:05:05 GMT

Di - Terminal Cancer Patient

20min listen

"The last thing I want to be is a bitter old bitch." Diagnosed with terminal cancer and given just twelve months to live, Di Foster is in remission and defying her prognosis. She says facing death opened a dialogue which helps her to focus on what really matters - life.

Earthquake Services TV Commercials

tania@attractionstudio.co.nz (Attraction Studio) — Sun, 31 Mar 2019 20:20:45 GMT

One in a series of television commercials produced for Earthquake Services and owner Bryan Staples. The brief was to create a series of powerful visual stories that would compliment an ongoing print campaign drawing attention to the problems faced by home owners still locked in dispute over earthquake insurance settlements or concerned about the quality of repairs.

The Hero's Journey

Thu, 14 Jun 2018 00:52:02 GMT

The path to gratitude

"We cannot cure the world of sorrows but we can choose to live with joy. The privilege of a lifetime is being who you are". Joseph Campbell's words have always been a personal catalyst encouraging me to dive wilfully into the unknown.

But the mono-myth surrounding the Hero's Journey is never about travelling alone. Along the way there are always others, those ready to inspire, help and guide, as you follow your path. The solo part of the journey lies within, recognising that we make the choices that help define our happiness. The bliss for me is understanding you're never alone, you are part of a greater world and shared humanity unified by compassion.

( Telling Lives story - vision available to all )

Why the Charter for Compassion?

Mon, 30 Apr 2018 01:15:29 GMT

Criticism and conflict diminish and destroy

OPINION- JOHN SELLWOOD.

Criticism and conflict have been my stock in trade for much of my working life. Whether I'm an innately critical person or simply became one during my years as a journalist I'm unsure, but somewhere along the way I abandoned the golden rule 'do to others as you would have them do to you'. Instead arguments had to be won, perceived unfairness had to be battled, and a fragile ego demanded that I assert my own truth above all others. The world became polarised both personally and professionally.

I've allowed my fight or flight response and the narrative of conflict to overwhelm any hope of compassion. So much hurt to others, so much damage to myself; and all this in the name of trying to do the right thing while shielding myself from the pain of self doubt and self criticism.

I cannot undo what is done, but perhaps I can take small steps along the path towards becoming a better person by acknowledging that compassion is more than religious or philosophical concept - it is a way of life. And so each day, in some small way, I will try to behave with greater compassion. I will work to make compassion something tangible in my life not just a desirable aspiration.

Step one is signing up to the Charter of Compassion and learning from others who've made this journey their own. Yes, that is the easy bit! The hard bit will be putting my words into action. A stoic knows he might die at any moment and if so I would rather it was with love in my heart not rage and frustration.

ps. To my friends and past colleagues if I've ever hurt you, or failed to hear you, or responded with anger rather than compassion I'm sorry. An apology doesn't really cut it, but perhaps my slow transformation to becoming a more compassionate individual will.

Strategy and Tactics Matter

Wed, 05 Apr 2017 01:05:39 GMT

This blog was first posted a few days before United Airlines showed how caring it was towards paying passengers, when overbooked. The P.R. disaster that has followed seems so apposite that not to edit, update and repost would be waste of what will surely become a classic example of why the old ways of pr and spin don't work in modern crisis management.

Brand power does not rest with your company or it's image makers or communicators. Your customers own your 'brand perception' and thanks to social media and the web they have a previously unimaginable power to exact a price when you screw with their values by using unacceptable tactics or fail to acknowledge your mistakes.

It's time for businesses to rethink the wisdom of traditional strategy and tactics. Check out spin sucks for some fantastic advice and tips!

http://spinsucks.com/communication/united-airlines-crisis-communications/

The trouble is we've grown up in world were being straight forward and direct is not always considered the wise option. For example type in the title of Sun Tzu's ancient treatise on military strategy and google comes up with about 70 million results. 'The Art of War' is clearly a popular text and still revered by many aspiring leaders despite the extraordinary changes that have transformed our understanding of business and it's modern 'theatre of operations'.

Around Sun Tzu's time the biggest technological advance was the forging of iron, a major achievement to be sure, but utterly remote and disconnected from our modern world experience, were convergence, digital technology and the prospect of artificial intelligence, have cast traditional assumptions about communication and commerce to the wind.

Don't get me wrong, I'm certainly not about dispute to Sun Tzu's wisdom around ancient warfare or strategy, what I do dispute is 'The Art of Wars' utility as a guide for ethical behaviour or wise decision making in business. You may wish to argue its just an allegory for business strategy, fine but if you see Sun Tzu on a business leader's book shelf my advice is run! or if you can't run, get a good lawyer and be prepared to do battle.

Quotes from 'The Art of War' - Sun Tzu

All warfare is based on deception. Hence, when able to attack, we must seem unable; when using our forces, we must seem inactive; when we are near, we must make the enemy believe we are far away; when far away, we must make him believe we are near.

O divine art of subtlety and secrecy! Through you we learn to be invisible, through you inaudible; and hence we can hold the enemy's fate in our hands.

If we do not wish to fight, we can prevent the enemy from engaging us even though the lines of our encampment be merely traced out on the ground. All we need do is to throw something odd and unaccountable in his way.

Such expressions of wise military strategy simply don't translate to a modern business or boardroom, where governance and corporate values are more likely to linked to transparency, integrity and brand authenticity, not subterfuge and secrecy. Nor does Sun Tzu's wisdom form the basis of any trustworthy dealings in political, social or economic spheres where truth is held to be a virtue; dare I suggest a democracy.

‘In war, truth is the first casualty,’ words attributed to the fifth century B.C. Greek dramatist and poet Aeschylus. The corollary might be that when we apply battlefield tactics to modern business or politics we risk validating falsehood and dishonesty by accepting them as part of normal strategy and tactics.

Business is of course highly competitive, and yes winning does matter, but that does not mean we should adopt a war footing and apply battle tactics to commerce. Business leaders and politicians do not have to live in a post truth world, unless of course, they choose to do so.

Perhaps, if the Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius was a more widely read as a business author, things would be different?

Quotes from 'Meditations' - Marcus Aurelius

If it is not right, don't do it: if it is not true, don't say it.

Your impulse on every occasion should be to a complete survey of what exactly this thing is which is making an impression on your mind - to open it out by analysis into cause, material, reference and the time-span within which it must cease to be.

What is directing the mind of of these people? What are they set on, what governs their likes and values? Train yourself to look at their souls naked. When they think their blame will hurt or their praise advantage, what conceit that is.

No one is perfect, we have all at sometime lied or misled by omission, but that does not mean dishonesty is a sound strategy. Even if you put virtue to one side, the lessons of consequential ethics alone, should be more than enough to convince anyone in business, that deception is not worth the risk. Think Volkswagen and the emissions-fixing scandal, nothing against VW they're just one of the latest examples of a large corporation that has discovered the 'means do not justify the ends'.

Now you can add United Airlines to the list, by initially trying to blame the passenger, they again failed to find a real position of strength. Mea Culpa - is an acknowledgement that forgiveness is required, sometimes it is no one else's fault but your own. We need more Marcus Aurelius and Less Sun Tzu.

Unlikely Beauty

Mon, 06 Mar 2017 00:13:50 GMT

Doing it natures way...

I accidentally discovered the Lincoln Wetlands while test flying my new Mavic Pro over the weekend. Who would have thought storm water treatment ponds could be so darn beautiful? 130 thousand natives were planted just five years ago, they've now taken hold and transformed the drainage area into a wetland sanctuary that performs an important function for the resident's of Lincoln township, while at the same time providing a new protected habitat for local birdlife. It's a win - win!

Pictured in the background you'll see the Port Hills which suffered so badly during the recent fires, yes very different terrain and ecosystems, but we should take heart because what has been lost can be replanted and will eventually regenerate thanks to the help and hard work of such wonderful groups as Trees for Canterbury , the Summit Road Society , The Banks Peninsula Conservation Trust , and of course the local City council and other government agencies. Much has been lost but perhaps there is a silver lining, a growing sense of shared responsibility for the future protection and regeneration of what remains of our bush. It's reported that 90 percent of what was destroyed was privately owned land, including reserves.

Saved from the Flames

Sun, 19 Feb 2017 00:26:19 GMT

Simply Unbelievable

Port Hills Fire evacuee Grant Poultney says it's unbelievable! We watched on Wednesday as the flames surrounded his house, believing their home would be destroyed Grant turned his back and drove away unable to watch. But today he and the family can't believe their luck, thanks to the skill of the fire fighters and chopper pilots, the flames were stopped within a metre of their house. There have been lucky stories and sad stories from the fires, but we believe the Poultney's story is just downright incredible! Watch, share and enjoy a great outcome for a family who thought they had lost everything.

Fire Destroys Homes

Wed, 15 Feb 2017 00:27:35 GMT

State of emergency declared

There was a wind shift on the Port Hills and then the roar of flames as the fire swept across the valley forcing residents to flee. Grant watched on from Worsley Road as the blaze tore into the plantation trees behind his house. With the flames threatening to engulf their home, Grant and his wife turned to leave; it was simply too awful to watch. I was ordered ordered to evacuate a short time later. I don't know what happened to Grant's home, all I know is a number of houses have been destroyed.

Compassionate Candour Trumps Respect

Fri, 10 Feb 2017 00:32:45 GMT

In search of self evident truths...

Do you respect my truth and the same laws and values? Is respect freely given or is it something your status and ego demand? What does respect for others actually mean? does everyone deserve respect?

How often have you heard the words ‘I respect you’ or ‘I respect your view’- really? Are you sure or are you perhaps just saying that because it’s kind of polite and courteous or maybe the correct thing to say to avoid conflict and remain in favour? Being a fair minded individual you may actually believe every ones’ ideas and views are equally valid and should therefore be honoured with the same amount of ‘respect’ or perhaps you’re willing to say ‘no I don’t respect your views, but I’m willing to fight for your right to hold them’. Whatever your personal position, it’s clear the word ‘respect’ means different things to different people. That’s because respect and disrespect are personal judgement calls based on our own values and beliefs; they are in the eye of the beholder and therefore subjective.

“None of us can or should respect everything and everybody equally. To do so would be to surrender our powers of discernment, of evaluating the quality of one person’s views and actions as cleaner or better than another’s. Jeremy E Sherman Ph.D.

Surely our ability to agree to disagree, without losing respect, is the foundation of the democratic process and a civil society. Our laws and government are based on an adversarial approach where a dialectic process is used to test and refine ideas and judgements and where agreed protocols and procedures attempt to focus debate on the best outcome, regardless of competing views.

“I Find more pleasure in intelligent dissent than in passive agreement, for, if you value intelligence as you should, the former implies a deeper agreement than the latter.” Bertrand Russell.

Disagreement and dissent are not in themselves disrespectful and yet we so often make that judgement i.e. if you disagree with me you’re actually disrespecting me, which is bad. But if you agree with me that is a good thing and you have my respect. The end result is compliance without thought, passive agreement without the refinement of constructive criticism.

That's why for the foreseeable future, I’m ditching respect in favour of 'compassionate candour'. Candour is not a judgement it’s an action; a way of behaving with frankness, openness, honesty and truthfulness. But it needs to be tempered with concern for others an awareness that kindness means having sympathy for another position and viewpoint. Candour without compassion runs the risk becoming of becoming a weapon to bludgeon others.

Compassionate candour requires we speak our truth with kindness and understanding. Not easy, but a preferable alternative to the current misuse of the word 'respect', in some circles, where conflict and polarising views have become more important than objective facts.

PTSD Protecting 'Those Who Serve'

Mon, 28 Nov 2016 00:53:43 GMT

First responders face stress risk

"There is a whole group of people (first responders) who are suffering in silence."

They wear different uniforms and share different areas of expertise, but when a devastating earthquake struck New Zealand's North Canterbury coast, they responded as they always do, giving their absolute all to relieve the suffering of those in need.

Whether they're first responders from Police, Fire and Ambulance, Defence Force personnel, or the civilian volunteers from rescue and relief agencies, these men and women all have one thing in common; they are serving their country. In return, we owe these dedicated Kiwis a duty of care by looking after those who look after us.

The unpalatable truth is this - the very people we send into danger to help others are more likely to suffer stress related illness because of the extreme situations they face. We're not talking something that happens immediately for many first responders PTSD is the result of repeated exposure to traumatic events. There is no one size fits all for the symptoms of stress related injury but the checklist below provides a good starting point.

DOWNLOAD TRAUMA CHECKLIST

Whether you're being exposed to traumatic situations on a daily basis as a first responder or you're on deployment overseas with the military, those who serve, need a greater awareness of stress risks involved in their jobs and the strategies to help them cope. Steve Shamy, from Rannerdale Veterans' Care in Christchurch, heads the Australasian Care Services Network, which has been pooling international expertise to deal with the issue. Mr Shamy says while post Traumatic stress amongst military veterans' has received a lot of media attention, the problem amongst first responders has gone largely unnoticed.

An international meta-analysis of PTSD in emergency services reviewed 28 studies involving more than 20 thousand personnel and found that 10 percent of current workers exhibit the condition, with ambulance officers and paramedics the most afflicted. Source: ASCN communique, 2015.

Based on Australian sampling up to 1 in 5 police officers are at risk of PTSD .

The need to broaden the scope of discussion around PTSD and stress related injuries was touched on by New Zealand Veterans' Affairs Minister Craig Foss, at the recent of opening of the new Jacinda Baker hospital Wing.

The number of Kiwi Defence force Personnel suffering stress related injuries isn't known but is likely be on par with countries like the Canada and Australia. In 2013, 1 in 6 full-time Regular Force members of the Canadian Armed Forces reported symptoms of at least one of the following disorders: major depressive episode, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, and alcohol abuse or dependence.

In Canada, health officials have launched a new website http://osiconnect.theroyal.ca/ accompanied by mobile app designed to support reliance and self-care. The app was developed with first responders and military personnel in mind and it's the type of initiative Steve Shamy wants to see here in New Zealand. There's still a strong service related mantra of 'harden up and get on with it' which can make it difficult for those seeking help.

Part of a developing area of concern is what is known as moral PTSD which refers to the emotional and spiritual impact of participating in, witnessing, and/or being victimised by actions and behaviours which violate a person's core moral values and behavioural expectations of self or others.

Based on international research, Steve Shamy there can be little doubt New Zealand is facing similar problems to other countries with stress related injury and "we urgently need more research to understand the full extent of the problem and how best to help."

We should remember there are other groups of 'first responders' who aren't in the emergency services but still face traumatic events on a regular basis. I'm thinking of people like aid workers and journalists amongst others .

A Trust Rating for Online News

Fri, 25 Nov 2016 00:54:49 GMT

Consuming news with confidence

We live in a world where social media influences billions and traditional or legacy media is no longer the only valid source of news nor the only watchdog that barks. There is however legitimate concern and uncertainty over the reliability and veracity of emerging alternatives. When you stray from mainstream media sources it would be nice to know you can trust what's been said and that you're not being duped or mislead. The problems caused by fake news postings on social media are now so significant that social media giants like facebook and google are said to be murmuring about possible action.

Clarity around who controls coverage and who pays the bills would certainly help. But it’s also about providing context so the public can identify any potential bias and weigh the information accordingly. Fake news has no place masquerading as fact, satire provides no excuse for lies that manipulate or mislead. It's a cop out to blame people for being gullible, as human beings we survive on trust, some of us just happen to be more distrustful than others.

We need a system that can identify the contaminates that might poison our news judgement, we demand safety declarations about what's in the food we eat so why shouldn’t we demand the same assurances for the news we consume? Perhaps some form of electronic labelling where anyone claiming to produce factual 'news' content would make a declaration regarding the type of information being provided. Does it claim to be factual news, advocacy news, brand news, satire or fiction.

In today’s 24/7 social media news cycle, traditional media simply can't get the news coverage it needs without relying on other sources like citizen journalists and social media. But with limited resources, newsrooms can only run cursory checks when vetting coverage. As we’ve seen with manufactured news stories, a fragile truth can so easily be overwhelmed by a determined lie.

This from an article written for the New Yorker by David Remnick .

The new media ecosystem “means everything is true and nothing is true,” Obama told me later. “An explanation of climate change from a Nobel Prize-winning physicist looks exactly the same on your Facebook page as the denial of climate change by somebody on the Koch brothers’ payroll. And the capacity to disseminate misinformation, wild conspiracy theories, to paint the opposition in wildly negative light without any rebuttal—that has accelerated in ways that much more sharply polarize the electorate and make it very difficult to have a common conversation.”

No one can seriously argue that the integrity and credibility of news content can't be swayed by those determined to control the message. While tactics may differ the outcome is still the same, the manipulation of public perception and opinions. The recent U.S. elections should give everyone pause for thought, not just because of the extraordinary result, but because so many got it so wrong: the politicians, the pollsters, the media. There is in my view a growing disconnect that extends beyond politics to who can be trusted and who can’t – sadly journalism is no longer appears to be trusted profession .

Sensation and trivialisation, are partly to blame for a loss of trust or respect, but the bigger problem is a fragmented media, that blurs news reporters and bloggers, opinion with fact, fiction with reality – it’s time for greater transparency to help consumers validate the credibility of the content they’re watching.

I'm no 'techspert', but if we can rate darn near everything with a pulse on social media via analytics, I'm confident the backroom coder types can use their algorithms to come up with a credibility or trust rating for news. A) High trust - based on verified news provider feeds B) Trust - news based on multiple sources and labelling declaration c) Credible - news from a labelled supplier declaring facts/ potential bias D) Check the facts - No labelling or declaration, single source, not a verified news provider, caution check for supporting evidence.

I'd label this blog a c) contents include: comment, fact and cross referencing to other sources.

Strange Lights in the Park

Mon, 05 Sep 2016 02:00:05 GMT

Things that go beep in the dark

They meet once a month in Christchurch, New Zealand. Its starts with a few beers, a meal and some banter about their latest finds, and then they descend on mass to the nearest park; for a night time treasure hunt! Their latest foray was into the heart of suburban Spreydon, where locals were left wondering about the strange bobbing lights in Barrington Park. John Sellwood went to investigate.

The Bottom Line

Wed, 13 Jul 2016 02:06:12 GMT

Conservative Kiwis still love the bikini

Starfish Swimwear, our own bespoke bikini and swimwear maker, is back in business and opening a new Christchurch store to coincide with this month’s 70th anniversary of the Bikini.

Tracey Christian, owner of Starfish Swimwear says “when you compare the type of bikinis worn on New Zealand beaches with what you see overseas, we’re a conservative bunch who prefer to show less rather than more, but we still love bikinis.”

“I think women should be proud of their bodies, but because a bikini is basically underwear worn in public, you really do need to feel comfortable in it.”

Closed following the Christchurch earthquakes Starfish Swimwear has reopened with a new store at 239c Colombo Street making tailored swimwear for women of all ages, shapes and sizes.

“Kiwi girls often don’t want to wear a really skimpy bikini and it’s a matter of doing something that suits the kiwi figure,” says Tracey.

Bottom line, “whether you’re conservative or not the bikini is here to stay.”

Video Content and SEO

Tue, 07 Jun 2016 02:10:26 GMT

An argument both sacred and profane

Our youngest attends a primary school where they’re producing their own weekly news videos, live streaming and using green screens. Those eleven and twelve year olds are already totally immersed in visual storytelling both as consumers on their mobile devices, and content producers with their cameras and edit software. The future isn’t waiting for anyone so if you’re in business please take heed.

Whether your company is large or small, whether you are focused on B2B or B2C, your future customers are more likely to be online searching for their needs, than reading newspapers or sitting passively blasted by television ads. Speeding the change from traditional to new media is the rise and rise of mobile devices and online video viewing.

In response, the advertising spend with traditional media is in serious decline as business shifts an increasing share of its marketing money online. McKinsey predict that by 2018 the Internet and mobile will have become largest digital advertising category. (1) So online is busy place, everyone’s fighting for attention, which is why inbound marketing utilizing quality video content and good SEO is so important to you and your business. Inbound marketing draws attention to your brand by focusing on what matters to your potential customers. Here’s a list of essentials.

Discovery: content customers want to know and will lead to your business.

Engagement: content that is interesting, educates and draws people in.

Sharing: content that can be repurposed for social media platforms.

Ownership: your content, your story, your website.

The emphasis is providing discovery for those who are searching by “using your marketing to bring potential customers to you, rather than having your marketing efforts fight for attention. Inbound marketing is about creating and sharing content with the world.” (2) And there is no more effective way to reach out than with video content that captures your audiences needs. Video content that provides useful information and takeouts, that builds trust through authenticity and emotional connection.

Video content doesn't just sit inactive on your website waiting for someone to stumble across your offerings, you need to actively engage with your audience sharing your visual content across social media platforms, blogging and finding ways to connect with issues that will interest.

Chrissy the mobile vet nurse is a good example. The social media clip recently posted draws attention to her business by sharing useful information, something unusual, that creates a meaningful connection with pet owners. (3) The story was picked up by national media and shared again, because great stories are always worth sharing.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/cutestuff/80716535/Christchurch-groomer-keeps-cats-calm-using-pegs

Every business has a different story and therefore video content needs to capture that uniqueness for good SEO

“By creating videos that are useful to your audience, and making them easy to find through (SEO) you’re laying the foundation for a clear discovery path between potential customers and your business. (4) Mix good storytelling with great optimisation and watch the results. “Developing quality, optimised content is hugely important for SEO. Good content that engages the viewer and encourages them to share it is great for visibility and getting higher rankings in the SERPs. Consultants will also often create content specifically to address a keyword area or to build a resource that they can try to get linked to from other websites.” (5)

The message for 2016 is that if you’re not using a combination of SEO and video content for marketing you’re standing still. Visual storytelling has become a must have in the post-millennial marketing toolbox. Somewhat perversely my skill-set as a former television journalist is now increasingly important online. Broadcasters wage a daily battle to hold their audience while still ensuring they communicate the facts in a credible and authentic way and that’s what good storytelling is all about!

For those still looking at proof of performance there’s deluge of information available on the power of visual storytelling and the impact of video online, below are just a few.

- Using the word “Video” in an email subject line boosts open rates by 19% and click-through rates by 65% (6)

- Social video generates 1200% more shares than text and images combined. (7)

- Marketers using video receive 41% more web traffic from search than non-users. (8)

- A significant 60% of marketers use video in their marketing (9)

Authenticity and emotional connection have become buzzwords in the world of content creation. But these are hardly new concepts, connecting with your audience has always been the backbone of effective storytelling. “Storytellers may be invited into bigger marketplaces and brands to help sift through all the products and shape stories that differentiate products — storytellers may become sellers. “ (10) Mariam Naficy, CEO of Minted.com & Yelp Board Member

I don’t know about storytellers becoming sellers but I agree that visual storytellers combined with excellent SEO are the future. “As we near the mid-year mark of 2016, consumers are increasingly vocal that their preferred medium wherever they are is video. It’s also clear that both traditional media publishers and new players in digital media need to deliver it to them on their terms. “ (11)

That’s what the children at our primary school are now doing, using the latest technology and techniques to deliver content that their audience will want to watch, It's no different for businesses your audience and customers await.

1. http://www.mckinsey.com/industries/media-and-entertainment/our-insights/the-state-of-global-media-spending

2. http://www.hubspot.com/inbound-marketing

3. https://youtu.be/HVTU6hVxNXs

4. http://savvypanda.com/blog/beginner-level/video-marketing-tip-dont-go-viral.html

5. http://www.avatar.co.nz/blog/typical-tasks-of-an-seo-consultant.html

6. http://syndacast.com/video-marketing-statistics-trends-2015/

7. http://go.brightcove.com/begin-your-heros-journey-today

8. Aberdeen (via Vidyard)

9. http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/report2016/

10. https://medium.com/product-hunt/how-will-the-world-change-over-the-next-50-years-5355e10ea30c#.syunwb60v

11. http://go.ooyala.com/rs/447-EQK-225/images/Ooyala-State-Of-The-Broadcast-Industry-2016.pdf

Building Trust

Tue, 31 May 2016 02:37:42 GMT

Brand Journalism with the Mobile Vet Nurse

Do you fully appreciate the value of what you do and the impact it has on other people? or is there a fabulous untold story just waiting to be discovered and shared?

It's easy for a company to be so busy providing their service they forget their uniqueness and the real contribution they’re making and that’s where visual storytelling and brand journalism comes in.

Over the past week I've noted a couple of interesting articles promoting the power of visual storytelling and brand journalism, perhaps serendipity because I've just been on the road with Mobile Vet Nurse, Chrissy Macpherson, videoing her work.

The idea behind Chrissy’s business is simple. If you’ve ever tried to put a cat in a cage or a muzzle on a dog for a visit to the vet clinic then you know how stressful it can be. Hence the Mobile Vet Nurse who visits her four legged clients in the comfort of their own homes - "less stress for you and your pet."

Now while Chrissy has a large client base and a significant social media following up until now she has avoided using video storytelling because she doesn’t like to be the centre of attention, preferring to put her pet clients front and centre.

My position with Chrissy is that by sharing her story on video she is putting her clients first. The lens may be focused on her as a business owner for a short time, but the story is actually about "what you offer to others and is determined by their response to you, not how you view of yourself." Sound contradictory? Well thirty years plus as a TV reporter has taught me to see the wonder in what is often dismissed as the everyday and ordinary particularly within businesses.

This is one of those articles I mentioned receiving:

Mariam Naficy , CEO of Minted.com & Yelp Board Member:

Consumers are increasingly inundated with products and marketing pitches in their inboxes and on social platforms. I think that consumers will be searching for ways to sift through all of these products. A few predictions as to what may come of this:

1. Consumers will seek increased meaning associated with their products, so possibly they would want a high degree of uniqueness and personalization in their products, as well as understanding the story behind their products (who made the product, who designed it, where was it made, etc.)

2. Great images will become essential to differentiating products and brands in a world where the winning social platforms are visual

3. Storytellers may be invited into bigger marketplaces and brands to help sift through all the products and shape stories that differentiate products — storytellers may become sellers.

https://medium.com/product-hunt/how-will-the-world-change-over-the-next-50-years-5355e10ea30c

I’m not sure about storytellers becoming sellers but we're definitely people who can see the hidden potential for stories and can build meaningful connections based on authenticity. Often just sharing your business story is all it takes to provide proof of performance. Chrissy the Mobile Vet Nurse is one such example.

Chrissy sees hundreds of pets every month for health checks and grooming. On the day I tagged along we dealt with some real characters! There was the little dog Marley small but with boundless enthusiasm. Poppy the cat who ran away when the door was accidentally left open, the somewhat stroppy feline Marcus, Amber the racing Chihuahua, and three beautiful Birman cats who all looked alike and whose name’s escape me for that very reason.

You can tell when someone is good with animals they’re able to create that unseen bond of trust that animals respond to and Chrissy has that special touch. You’d probably expect that from someone who makes a living getting up close and personal with pets but what really stands out about Chrissy is her genuine connection not only with pets, but their owners as well. Amidst a cloud of fur she’s down on the floor grooming at cat while nattering away with the owner, asking about their lives and how things were going and what they’d been up to.

Many of Chrissy’s clients are older and I suspect don’t have that many visitors. Their pets are true companion animals and are dearly loved, that makes Chrissy an important part of their lives. She has created meaningful relationships, based on trust, proof of performance and genuine engagement and for me that's what good brand journalism is all about to.

Supporting those who have served

Sat, 02 Apr 2016 01:45:58 GMT

Caring extends beyond ANZAC parades and poppies

"They haven't forgotten us. They're showing their gratitude by looking after us." The words of veteran Bill Kennedy who lives at the Rannerdale Veterans' home and hospital and who I had the pleasure of meeting while filming a short form documentary recently. I'd been asked to try and capture the essence and ethos of Rannderdale by interviewing those who live and work at this unique facility and helping them share their stories. Probably like many people, when I heard the words 'veteran's home' I immediately thought of old soldiers, more specifically older men. Yes, they make up some of the people who live and are cared for at Rannerdale, but times are changing and so to the age and needs of veterans not only here in New Zealand but Australia as well.

New Zealand has approximately 31 thousand veterans and of those 20 thousand served after Vietnam. The proportion of younger veterans can only increase with the passing of the World War Two generation. This shift in demographics is matched by changing healthcare needs amongst a younger cohort of veterans. That need may not be residential care, rather community based support and treatment for developing issues such as PTSD, chronic pain and muscular-skeletal disorders.

In my previous life as a journalist for Campbell Live, I produced an Anzac day special focusing on Private Dion Taka, a veteran seriously wounded during peace keeping in Afghanistan. "It's hard to describe," says Pvt Taka. " A 762 armour piercing round had passed through my torso, shattered my pelvis into 10 major pieces, and done a bit of damage to my intestines and nerves."

The majority of Kiwi veterans are now younger New Zealand servicemen and women who have more often than not been involved in peace keeping rather than frontline fighting, but the changing role has not diminished the risk of injury or death.

Rannerdale is one of New Zealand’s two remaining residential care facilities for Veterans. It is a not for profit organisation with the mission of “providing care for the wider veteran community including those who have served in the military and or civilian emergency services as well as their families and dependents,” of the 65 residents at Rannerdale, 20 are in the rest home and 45 are in their long-term care hospital.

The issue for Rannerdale and allied health Care providers is how best to meet the needs of younger veterans and how to involve and educate the wider community about those needs. To quote the Australasian Services Care Network Report, 2015. “Society has a responsibility to honour the service of veterans and help care for them and their families if required. Official support for veterans is far better today than it was in the past, but should still be expressed by the whole community, rather than left to a particular government department or NGO.“

As with all charities raising money is an issue of concern for Rannerdale. The trust is currently building a new 10 bed hospital wing, but needs financial assistance to help pay for the ward fit out once construction is completed. To quote Manager, Steve Shamy, “We would like our Veterans to have good quality beds and furniture as well as access to the best possible health & safety equipment, for the best possible care and outcomes.” A major component of Rannerdale’s fundraising efforts is a social media ‘Pledge Me’ campaign with a target of raising 75 thousand dollars. Hence the need for a video and my own involvement.

https://www.pledgeme.co.nz/projects/4473-rannerdale-veterans-new-hospital-wing-refit

But I wonder if there isn’t something more that could be done by corporate New Zealand to help, a blending of needs if you like, for mutual benefit. Don’t be shocked this is a pragmatic solution. With corporates looking to show that they genuinely support, educate and encourage, that they are part of the community on a deeper and more meaningful level than sales and profit, linking that brand need, with a genuinely deserving cause makes sense. A formalised and long term partnership that could truly benefit both parties at a time of increasing pressure on health budgets.“Supporting those who have served their country”, sounds a pretty good cause to me.

In the United States there is an example in the form ACP or American corporate partners. In the U.S. the partnership provides career advice and mentor training for veterans, helping service personnel transition from military to civilian life. In New Zealand and Australia it would need to be tweaked to marry veteran needs here to our own corporate support, that would more likely be in for the form of sponsorship and or funding of specific projects that support veterans.

Veterans and first responders are part of the fabric of this country, we celebrate their service every year on Anzac day. But caring extends beyond a single day of remembrance, beyond poppies and parades, caring is a very intimate thing, just ask Bill Kennedy and the staff at Rannerdale. Caring is about saying we support you not just on Anzac day but every day.

Motion Magic

Wed, 17 Feb 2016 01:50:48 GMT

The DJI Osmo Handheld Gimbal Cam

Sometimes great stuff happens right outside your own front door or in this case across the road in the park. Serendipity at its best, I'd just purchased the new DJI Osmo gimbal camera while over the way a group of lads were practising their slack lining skills. Slack lining? I'd never heard of it either but take a look at the video I've posted and you get the idea.

At any other time the skills being shown on that thin piece of webbing would have been joy enough but with the Osmo it took a unique visual opportunity to a whole new level. I'm not technical by nature, so don't ask me to wax lyrical about 3 x axis stabilisation or a large M4/3 sensor, thats just stuff I've read in the brochure. All I know is i don't normally feel genuinely amazed, but with this little camera I am. For someone like me to capture pictures of this quality which are steady and contain dynamic motion, well as I said I'm amazed.

I've shown this video too several people and their reaction has been to go out, pretty much immediately, and buy one and I'm not surprised...

drones come back to earth in handheld form. Nice. Impressed. This doesn't tell the story for you, but by golly it can add some sparkle and shine.

Tips: Visual Storytelling for Business

Fri, 12 Feb 2016 01:59:46 GMT

Vision is only part of the story...

Stop thinking visual content alone, pictures are great but you need words to provide context and meaning. The real power of visual storytelling lies in combining visuals and narrative to create an engaging story. We're currently drowning in content but there can never be enough great stories.

Telling a good visual story isn't about hard sell or pushing key messages it's about sharing information in an engaging way. Human's are hardwired to communicate through storytelling and we've been doing just that since the dawn of civilisation and language.

“People are hungry for stories. It's part of our very being. Storytelling is a form of history, of immortality too. It goes from one generation to another" -Studs Terkel

After years of being force feed information through advertising there is a hunger for the authentic, we skip the ads on tv if possible but are still drawn, as always, to stories of interest. By sharing your story you're sharing the essence of your business and your brand, but will people watch, listen and engage?

DEFINING YOUR STORY

Defining your story requires an understanding of why your business is important to others. It means going beyond a simple description of products and services to give a human face to your company. Like any good tale a business story needs to be interesting and told in a way that holds the viewer's attention by maximising the visual impact, narrative and meaning.

FINDING YOUR WORDS

The answer begins with knowing your audience. Trust is key to any meaningful relationship and good stories build trust through authenticity, not hard sell. People are looking for the genuine, the real deal and the real you. So who are you as a business? What are the services and products you provide? What do you offer in terms of passion, attitude and approach? And what future aspirations do you have for your company, your employees, customers, shareholders and even the public?

IT'S GIVE AND TAKE

So you know what you want to say but will people want to listen? well no not unless you're offering something

that is of interest. Your story needs to include satisfying take outs for those who are watching. Ask what are you giving to your audience within your story? Are you giving confidence through testimonials? Understanding by explaining how something is done? Creating a shared experience through authenticity?

IDENTIFYING THE CHARACTERS

Variety is the spice of life and revealing your company’s story will require different voices to provide depth and pace, to help emphasise different areas of interest and expertise. Use your people and their experiences to help tell your story! We’ll help you identify those voices and bring them to the fore so the words can flow.

CREATING VISUAL INTEREST

A picture can indeed be worth a thousand words where there is context and understanding. Whether it’s as simple as a ‘show and tell’ using visuals that amplify ideas and words or as subtle and abstract as nature and mood, creating visual interest by weaving pictures and words is vital if you want to tell your story in a memorable way.

CONTENT DISTRIBUTION

So you've nailed it! You have a great story which you're embedding on the front page of your website your online window to the world. Fantastic but now we need to ensure people are drawn to that window and have a reason to look in. Thats means combining content with a communications strategy and ensuring the maximum number people possible are heading to your site and seeing your story. The great news is that by combining the web and social media you have to power to control that distribution yourself and to grow your audience. Content maybe king but it's not much use if no one knows it's there.

And that is another vital blog!