Prospa National Winner - Waikanae Beach Four Square!
Quoc Tran proud to be serving his customers and the local community!
Quoc Tran loves being a Kiwi and greets every customer into his shop with a broad grin. A friendly smile, a positive can-do attitude and is passionate about running his store. That’s Tran’s simple but effective recipe for success running a local business.
Tran operates Four Square Waikanae Beach and is hailed as the “ultimate friendly shopkeeper” by his customers. Now Tran has been recognised for his dedication to the community by being named the country’s National Winner in the Prospa Local Business Hero Awards. Tran is a proud winner of a prize package worth $10,000!
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Nomination Quotes - "Quoc Tan of Waikanae Beach Kapiti coast.
An exceptional guy who has worked very hard (& his wife too) since arriving in NZ from Vietnam. They operate a hugely friendly & now smartly updated Four Square superette. A very necessary & important store at Waikanae Beach."
"Quoc and his family are an integral part of our community"
"Quoc Tan - he represents all that embodies the very core of the reason NZ is proud to call itself an all-embracing, multi-cultural melting pot"
What's your favourite tomato recipe?
Kia ora neighbours. We know your tomato plants are still growing, but we're looking ahead to the harvest already! If you've got a family recipe for tomatoes, we'd love to see it and maybe publish it in our magazine to share with our readers. Send your recipe to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the mag, you will receive a free copy of our February 2025 issue.
Facebook Marketplace Scams
Police are urging members of the public to be aware of Facebook Marketplace scams, in particular tiny home, shipping container and portable cabin home scams targeting Hawke’s Bay and the Eastern Police District.
Multiple people have seen the different listings and either paid deposits or the full price into various bank accounts.
Once the victim transfers money, the scammer deletes the listing, all the messages and blocks them.
In one case a victim has lost $10,000, with further victims losing in the thousands.
In many of these cases the offenders are based overseas and our ability to recover the funds transferred is limited.
“We are urging members of the community to think twice before transferring money for items on Facebook and other social media platforms.” says Senior Constable Gillon.
Anyone who has been affected by this scam is encouraged to contact Police online or via 105.
Senior Constable Gillon says if you decide to purchase off social media, we encourage you to take precautions to protect yourself.
𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗲𝘀:
💸 Insist on meeting to conduct transactions and examine the item before completing the transaction.
💸 Meet in a public place and take a friend. DO NOT go into someone’s house or allow them into yours.
💸 DO NOT deposit money into another person’s account before you have received the item.
💸 Learning more about the person you are buying from or selling to.
💸 You can tap on a person's profile on the product listing page to see if you have any friends in common, their marketplace activity, and any ratings they may have received.
💸 Ensure friends and family, especially anyone vulnerable, understand what to do to protect themselves.
💸 Be the person to provide that ongoing support and advice.
💸 Trust your instincts – if it’s too good to be true or sounds like a scam, it probably is.
If you believe you are or have been a victim of fraud, contact Police at www.police.govt.nz..., or call Police on 105 and report the matter. If you have handed over your bank details, contact your bank and immediately suspend your account.
Disaster Welfare and Support Team - Hastings
We are looking for highly committed, multi-skilled volunteers for our Disaster Welfare and Support Team in Hastings. Team trains regularly in St Leonard.
For more information, please contact hastings@redcross.org.nz