Publication Date: 20 Jan 2003
Title: First Honey Collection On Behalf Of East Coast Iwi A Success
Source: Comvita

The first collection of honey from 300 beehives supplied by Comvita New Zealand to East Coast iwi took place today. Some 600 boxes of active manuka honey were uplifted from East Cape’s Waipiro Bay – a top result according to Comvita.

Chris Elmsly, Comvita’s operations manager, says the hives each yielded around 40kgs of honey.

“This represents a good start for this ground-breaking project,” says Elmsly.

He refers to the joint arrangement Comvita has with Ngati Porou iwi to foster a beekeeping industry around Waipiro Bay – to produce active manuka honey on otherwise unproductive land. It’s believed the new venture has the potential to generate substantial returns for all participants.

The East Cape project began with the delivery of 300 hives, along with their resident bees, to strategic locations around Waipiro Bay. The hives, valued at approximately $40,000, were sourced from the South island to avoid varroa mite problems.

In a unique arrangement between Comvita and Ngati Porou iwi, landowners will receive economic returns on the East Cape hives. Ultimately, the hapu at Waipiro Bay will purchase the hives and run them as a stand-alone operation. Hapu individuals interested in beekeeping will be trained with Comvita’s assistance once they have been identified.

It’s not known yet whether the honey collected from Waipiro bay will have the unique manuka factor (UMF), a special antibacterial property unique to manuka honey. This won’t be known until after the honey has been extracted and tested.

Extraction of the honey will be carried out at beekeeper Stephen Weenink’s Bay of Plenty extraction facility. Processing and packaging will take place at Comvita’s Paengaroa manufacturing plant.

Comvita’s CEO, Graeme Boyd, says the Waipiro Bay result reflects the season the company is enjoying nationally.

“Yields are expected to be up to 30 per cent higher than in previous years,” he says. “All areas from the Coromandel through to East Cape, National Park and Wanganui are producing exceptionally well.”

Boyd says the national result is pleasing following last season’s disastrous outcome which saw manuka honey shortages.

“The positive start to the East Cape project bodes well for duplicating this (project) with other iwi in areas where manuka thrives.”

These areas include Northland and parts of the central North Island.

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Publication Date: 17 Dec 2002
Title: Comvita Women’s Beach Volleyballers Are On Track For Another Good Year
Source: Comvita

The Comvita Women’s Beach Volleyball team of Lucy Todd and Susan Blundell are on track for success in 2003 after an impressive first year together on the New Zealand and international circuit.

This year saw them winning the last two AA tournaments in Auckland and Tauranga and becoming the Oceania champions. They also secured a creditable sixth placing at the Asian Championship tournament. This was the highlight of a stimulating but exhaustive overseas tour that saw them compete in tournaments on four continents.

“We’re now ready to take on the major New Zealand tour AAA events in the new year in New Plymouth, Whakatane, Mt Maunganui, Waiheke Is and the NZ Open in Auckland,” says Todd.

“These major AAA events are also attended by top international teams and we are on track to give them a good run for their money. “

This local and overseas experience has them in good form for the year ahead, particularly with 2003 being the first year the World Series results count towards 2004 Olympic qualification.

Todd says securing Comvita New Zealand as a major sponsor has given them the exposure to the elite international competition they so badly need if they’re to foot it with the world’s best.

“While the standard of competition is getting higher in New Zealand, nothing compares to international competition,” she says.

“There are some good players in New Zealand, but it’s the international competition we really need. We couldn’t get it without Comvita’s sponsorship.”
New Zealand tournaments have the pair playing six games a day, and on tour internationally, up to three games a day. This, combined with a punishing training regime that sees them on the beach and in the gym most days, has them at peak performance.

National beach volleyball coach Mike Dudson predicts his charges are going places.

“Placing sixth in Asia shows they’re up there with some of the best,” says Dudson. “They’re developing a formidable partnership to compete internationally.”

It’s appropriate that the Bay of Plenty is ‘home turf’ for the women. Blundell says the BOP is well known for its beach volleyball as it holds a quite a number of AA and AAA tournaments.

“It’s great for us being locals too as it means we have the home-ground advantage,” she says. “We always receive wonderful support here.”

Being their own managers also adds to Todd and Blundell’s workload. They organise their own schedules, video analysis of games, sponsors and media, and hold coaching clinics and coaching programmes in schools.

While their 2003 international calendar has not yet been finalised, the two plan to head off to Europe in May, followed by several tournaments in Asia and the US before hopefully qualifying for the end-of-year world championships in Brazil.

END

Publication Date: 07 Dec 2002
Title: Manuka Honey May Be The Answer To The White-tail Spider Bite
Source: Comvita

This week’s well-publicised case of the Northland man who lost a finger following a white-tail spider bite has prompted honey producer Comvita New Zealand to draw attention to manuka honey, which it claims can assist natural healing.

Comvita’s natural health consultant Dr Caroline Davy said today the company’s own case studies showed that active manuka honey applied to the wound following a white-tail spider bite helps in the natural reduction of pain and swelling and supports fast natural healing.

“Manuka honey is being increasingly used here and abroad for its beneficial effects on minor skin ailments,” says Dr Davy. “Infections resulting from the bite of the white-tail spider have been documented to respond well to the application of active manuka honey.” She cites the example of a Whakatane man who developed a dangerous infection within hours of complaining of an itchy hand after being bitten by a white-tail spider bite. “The infection did not respond to antibiotics. It disappeared very quickly following the application of manuka honey, a product that is being increasingly used by a large number of people.”

“The interesting thing is white-tail spiders are not venomous,” says Dr Davy. “It is believed infections are caused by contamination by the spider’s fangs.”

An Australian immigrant, the white-tail spider prefers the dry Australian bush, but in New Zealand finds the dryness of our homes preferable to the damper bush. It is often found in dry, warm confined spaces such as piles of clothing. The white-tail spider is about one-and-a-half to two centimetres long and is dark brown or black with a distinctive white mark on the end of its abdomen.

Note: For further information contact your own healthcare professional. Antibiotic treatment is still important in such situations where there is the chance of infection.

END