
Coronial inquest into deaths in Cyclone Gabrielle, Auckland flooding will hurt; hopefully it will also help
Nineteen lives are thought to have been lost in the immediate and long-term aftermath of the deluges under a
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Yahoo
20 hours ago
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Bradford dad wins brand new BMW and cash prize in dream car competition
A BRADFORD dad has clinched a life-changing prize worth £139,000 - including a brand new BMW – after winning an online competition. Zak Burnley, from Bradford, won the £89,000 BMW M3 Touring alongside a £50,000 cash prize in BOTB's weekly Dream Car Competition. The 30-year-old warehouse operative was at home when BOTB presenters Christian Williams and Katie Knight turned up to deliver the incredible news – a moment he initially mistook for a parcel drop-off. 'I thought it was the Amazon delivery driver,' Zak said. 'Then I opened the door and was gobsmacked. 'It's the first time I've ever won anything this big, so I'm buzzing.' The BMW M3 Touring is a high-performance powerhouse, boasting a 3.0-litre i6 twin-turbo engine, 523bhp, and a top speed of 155mph. 'The new car ticks all the right boxes,' Zak said. 'It's family-friendly, but also perfect for having a bit of fun in. 'I've currently got a BMW and just love driving them – I played for this one as I thought it was a beautiful-looking car.' But the surprises did not stop at the bonnet. When the BOTB team opened the boot, they revealed a briefcase filled with £50,000 in cash. 'We'll be able to live so much more comfortably now,' said Zak's girlfriend Gabrielle, who was in on the surprise. The couple recently welcomed a baby daughter and are already planning how to put the money to good use. Zak said the winnings will go towards a much-needed family holiday and will help make special occasions like Christmas extra memorable. He also plans to sell his current BMW to upgrade Gabrielle's car. Gabrielle is also a regular BOTB player, and the pair often compare their entries each week to see who came closest. Christian said: 'Zak's reaction was brilliant – completely speechless at first. 'The BMW M3 Touring is a stunning, powerful car and a real driver's dream. I'm thrilled for him.' Co-presenter Katie added: 'It's such a joy to deliver this kind of news – especially to someone like Zak who's been playing for a while and just welcomed a new baby. What a time to win.' BOTB hands over the keys to a dream car each week, as well as offering lifestyle prizes. It also offers people the chance to win a holiday, cash, tech, cars, and more in its Instant Wins Competition. Founded in 1999, BOTB has given away £101.3 million worth of cars so far.


NZ Herald
a day ago
- NZ Herald
Weekend wine guide: Cyclone Gabrielle's lasting impact on Hawke's Bay 2023 chardonnays
Tropical Cyclone Gabrielle devastated the North Island from February 12-16, 2023. In Hawke's Bay, our second-largest wine region, the cyclone destroyed about 25% of the harvest. After a generally wet and cool growing season, 2023 was predicted to yield aromatic Hawke's Bay wines with fresh acidity and moderate alcohol levels.


Scoop
2 days ago
- Scoop
Taskforce Kiwi Deploys To The Tasman Region To Provide Flood Relief
Press Release – Taskforce Kiwi A team of 17 skilled volunteers is currently based out of the Riwaka Rugby Club, and have already completed work on eight impacted properties in the Motueka Valley, with a focus on the area around Ngtmoti. Taskforce Kiwi has deployed a disaster relief team to the Tasman Region to provide direct assistance to those impacted by the severe weather experienced by the region on the 27th of June. Taskforce Kiwi deployed community engagement teams into the region last week, and over the weekend began moving people, vehicles and equipment from both the South and North Island into the region to launch relief operations. This activity has been enabled by support volunteers based around Aotearoa. A team of 17 skilled volunteers is currently based out of the Riwaka Rugby Club, and have already completed work on eight impacted properties in the Motueka Valley, with a focus on the area around Ngātīmoti. A steady stream of support requests continues to be received, indicating the need that remains in the region. Many of those tasks have been received via the Rural Support Trust, who are actively supporting those impacted in the area. Tasks have primarily involved debris clearance tasks, removing flood debris by hand, tools, or chainsaw. Many of these tasks have been in support of those who do not have the ability to undertake those tasks themselves, due to the scale of the damage. About Taskforce Kiwi Taskforce Kiwi is an entirely voluntary charity organisation that exists to bridge the gap in disaster relief, providing skilled, organised volunteers to provide direct support to impacted communities before, during and after disasters. Founded in July 2022, Taskforce Kiwi has since recruited 720 volunteers nationwide, the majority of who have already serve their country and communities in the defence force or one of the emergency services, and as a result have the ideal skill and experience required for disaster relief work. Over the past three years volunteers have contributed over 14,000 hours of skilled work in the field, carrying out 19 operations. The majority of our work has been at home, including in response to the Auckland Anniversary flood, Cyclone Gabrielle, the 2024 Wairoa flood, bushfires and floods in Canterbury, and the Mangawhai tornado. Taskforce Kiwi volunteers have also deployed internationally, providing support to impacted communities in Australia, the US, Canada, Morocco, Vanuatu, PNG and Thailand. Taskforce Kiwi relies on the support of businesses, trusts and individuals to operate. For example, Mitsubishi Motors NZ and TR Group provide vehicles, Mitre10 supplies equipment, and the Rata Foundation provided the funding to get initial boots on the ground in Tasman.