The Star reporters tell the back story about their favourite photos of the year.
Jessica Wilson
Special Olympics Otago athletes (from left) Ryan Stewart, Ryan Doherty, Lucas Hall, Bradley Caffell and Kara Brash were in need of a new coach May. In the interim, the athletes’ parents stepped in and took over. When it came to taking a photograph to go with the story, we had set up a different scene where one of the athletes was lifting a weight with the others watching. I realised the magic in the photo was keeping it simple.
Mosgiel-Taieri Community Board deputy chairman Dean McAlwee (right) and farm owners Ad Bekkers and Susan Horrell stand in front of the old Gladfield Rd bridge earlier this year, after being told it would be replaced. The bridge was closed in June 2020 after the Dunedin City Council deemed it was too unsafe for the public. After discussions with local residents, who believed the bridge was an important piece of infrastructure, it was eventually replaced in late June. After covering this ongoing story for about a year, it was good to see a positive outcome for all involved.
Nichol's florist Sharon Wassell holds some roses ahead of this year’s Valentine's Day, accompanied by Lenny (left) and Murphy. Dunedin’s florists were sworn to secrecy when sending anonymous flowers, and often helped people write a message in a card. A new emerging trend was to send gifts to a friend or treats to a pet.
Simon Henderson
It was due to be a celebration of the diversity of Dunedin but the inaugural Culture Fest Otepoti 2021, set to take place on August 28, was one of many events cancelled or postponed when all of New Zealand moved to Covid-19 Alert Level 4 in August.
Tayla Sloot, of Dunedin, shows the book she wrote called
My Life with Cerebral Palsy to show children they did not need to be shy or afraid to talk to her. The book explained her condition and described a full life enjoying many activities.
Dunedin artist and animator Kiri Mitchell shows some of her down-to-earth female characters from her stop-motion animation film called
Turf. Her film screened earlier in the year at the Women Over 50 Film Festival, winning bronze in the animation category.
Brenda Harwood
Taking part in the posy-making day, ahead of Anzac Day, was a time of reflection and remembrance for a Dunedin family. As they worked, (from left) Doug and Joy Baker, and their daughter Lisa Davis, shared memories of Mrs Baker’s mother Barbara Pickering (96), who died on April 5. Mrs Pickering, who served in the New Zealand Women's Auxiliary Army Corps during World War 2, was herself a keen posy-maker and attendee at Anzac Day commemorations. It was a privilege to meet her family and tell her story.
Dunedin man Blake Acklin used regular walks at St Clair Beach as training for walking the length of New Zealand on the Te Araroa Trail to raise awareness and funds for multiple sclerosis. It was fascinating to talk with Mr Acklin, who was diagnosed with relapsing remitting MS while on his OE in Germany in 2017, and came home to begin treatment. Initially frightened by the diagnosis, Mr Acklin learned that MS is different for each person and, with treatment, mobility can be maintained long-term. Mr Acklin planned to set off on the trail in October and expected to take about five months to complete it.
Tahuna Intermediate pupils (back, from left) Zita Lamare (13), Tayla Ashton (13), Mae Mackle (12), and Lily Barker (13) visited Queen’s Pre-School in November with their Mars-themed strawberry planter creation. They were greeted by excited pre-schoolers (middle row) Benn Herden (4), Talia Campbell (4), Florence Murphy (4), Theo McPhail (4), Olive Chapman (4), Brooke Payne (4), (front, around the planter) Mackley Green (3), Theo Hanning (2), Josie Blair (2), and Noah Dobier (4). The imaginative school project, in which pupils studied the potential requirements for food production on Mars, had a delightful outcome.
