Little one wins great big prize

Six-year-old Tūmatauenga Osborne looked a little bit nervous as he climbed into the prize booth at the Flaxmere Night Market last night [Jan 28], but managed a quick grin as he waited for the signal to ‘go’.

As the loud crowd counted down from five, he readied himself to grab as many vouchers blowing around in the booth as he could in 30 seconds.

And he came up trumps. Amongst the vouchers he managed to cram into the competition bum bag was the big one – the voucher for the 50-inch television.

His nanny, Julz Te Papa, was just as excited for her mokopuna, a Flaxmere Primary School student; raining hugs and kisses on him.

It was sheer luck that Tūmatauenga landed up getting a turn in the prize booth, after five winners were called but were not at the market to claim their prize. Night market emcee, Hastings District Councillor and Hastings Ambassador Henare O’Keefe, put the youngster’s success down to his “quick little fingers. He’s managed to grab a lot of those vouchers – including the big one.”

Tūmatauenga was not the only big winner on the night. Bob Netane not only scored the first turn in the prize booth, claiming $30 of vouchers, but his name was called again a half hour later, winning him the 90-second Grocery Grab.

Groceries were flying everywhere, as New World Flaxmere owner and Grocery grab sponsor, Chris Hart, gave Mr Netane a hand to race around the aisles filling his trolley. Pride of place in his $307 haul was half a smoked ham. “I was really keen to get that one,” Mr Netane said.

The monthly night markets feature fun, food entertainment and prizes. Organised by the Flaxmere Village Retailers Association and supported by very generous sponsors, the markets are held in the carpark of the Flaxmere Village Shopping Centre.

The terms and conditions for the competitions are on display in the windows of the participating Flaxmere Village shops and on the Flaxmere Connect website: www.flaxmere.community

Media enquiries to Diane Joyce: 021 612270