Lockdown was a frustrating time for everyone. We were only allowed out for grocery shopping and other essential services. Supermarkets had a field day with the food monopoly.
Throughout the lockdown, my colleague John Elliott visited Jervois Foodmarket regularly and he told me he always felt safer than if he had ventured to a supermarket. The Patels increased their range of food available, including a big increase in fresh fruit and vegetables. Their prices were very fair, too, he told us.
As we went to press with this issue, we are still in Level 2, but hoping we will get down to Level 1 as soon as we are able to. Just when we are hearing lovely stories of cooperation, kindness to neighbours and the elderly and random acts by locals leaving food and flowers on people’s doorsteps during the lockdown, we hear of a nasty isolated outbreak of racism. It is a surprise and extremely disappointing to hear that Maori grandmother, Rose Greaves, a Ponsonby resident for a number of years, has received a vile racist letter in her letterbox, unnamed of course, from what one neighbour and defender of Rose calls ‘a racist coward’.
During lockdown we started work on our new Ponsonby News app. It will make Ponsonby News easier to read in a digital format and will be available in the Apple and Google Play stores next month. If you’ve missed out on getting a copy of the issue they are available in our new bins located around the area.
While our June issue (the first back in print since Covid-19) is closed off for advertising, we are delighted to announce another travel feature in July. We have some great deals for operators who want to reach Ponsonby News readers and share the incredible deals and amazing activities that are now available to locals. (MARTIN LEACH)