Sheehan & Shaw becomes RightWay

Almost twelve months ago local accountants David Shaw and Greg Sheehan teamed up with Hamish Edwards (co-founder of Xero) and Edwin Read (local Chartered Accountant and good Martinborough lad) to create a next generation accounting business from scratch. During this time they carried on with their existing practice of Sheehan & Shaw.
They could see the obvious mismatch in New Zealand between what the customer really wanted and how the service was commonly provided by old school accounting firms. The four shared a common passion for wanting to rock the accounting world by establishing a business from the ground up that was all about helping people make their businesses more successful.

So after a fishing trip to Lake Taupo…. (with not much in the way of fish caught and possibly too much red wine drunk) they laid out plans for a completely different type of business. A business focused on two key things.

Firstly they knew customers wanted a sharp fixed price to have their tax compliance completed efficiently each year. No surprise bills! Especially not for dealing with tax – a grudge purchase at the best of times.

Secondly, business owners wanted broader business advice than the narrow focus offered by many accountants. Most owners worth their salt want their business to grow and make more money. But that takes a bunch of different skills – like in setting strategy, building brands, selling more of their “stuff”, running slick operations and building great teams. But to do that meant these guys needed to do things differently. It meant they needed to hire people with those skills. They knew they would need to ensure that an entrepreneurial DNA ran through the very core of their team.

And so after a few late nights and a full whiteboard they cracked it….. last August they opened the doors on an experimental business in RightWay.

Twelve months on that little “experiment” has been a glowing success and as a result both businesses have been merged into one and operate under the RightWay brand.

RightWay operates with 20+ staff and has offices in Wellington, Palmerston North and Christchurch with a new office set to open in Auckland shortly.

CEO Greg Sheehan likes to joke that that their “Global HQ” is right here in Martinborough. “We’re fortunate to live in an age where technology allows us to run a nationwide business from this great little village. The only downside being the extra weight I put on from spending too much time eating in airport lounges”.  ? ? ? 

Museum Trust formed

A meeting of the Museum volunteers set in motion work by a group to look into the structure of the Museum; documenting the contents and valuations. In addition, examining the operations of the Museum, funding aspects and the relationship with the District Council.

Good progress has been made with a greater sense of urgency in the light of impending changes to the structure of local government.

Corporate structure
Advice received showed that incorporation as a charitable trust was the best route for the operation of the Museum. Accordingly, the Martinborough Colonial Museum Trust was established on 6 June 2012 under the Charitable Trusts Act 1957 with Peter Jenkins (appointed Chairperson), Derek Wilson, Richard Airey, Mate Higginson and Beth Curwen as Trustees.

Advantages of a charitable trust over an incorporated society are its simplicity and by registration by the Charities Commission, donations received can be tax deductible.

Purposes of the Trust
The purposes of the Trust as set out in the Deed are clear. They are:
1. Collect, conserve, house, display and deal with material pertaining to the colonial history of Martinborough;
2. Acquire, administer and maintain premises suitable
3. Promote education and an understanding of the colonial history of Martinborough
4. Raise funds and accept donations, gifts and bequests
5. Do all things incidental to the charitable purposes

Financial matters
The Museum’s finances are in good shape and the cost of the reorganisation is being kept to a minimum. Accounting and financial advice is being sought to set up a simple system.

Assessment and Review of the Museum
Contact has been made with people skilled in managing museums such as Martinborough people who have contacts, such as in Te Papa, to help them. This will be the start of a fully computerised inventory being set up drawing on the detailed hand-written records already in existence. All items will be digitally photographed and recorded. Fire protection and security and other such matters are also being attended to.

Current Operations
Little will outwardly change. Opening hours are expected be the same and the volunteers’ roster will operate as at present. 

Operation Coverup keeps on warming winter

August is the month for ‘Operation Coverup’ knitters to collate their efforts and send them off to Eastern Europe, just in time for the onset of the northern hemisphere winter.

The active group of knitters in Martinborough meet at Wharekaka once or twice a month; lots of knitting and chatting makes for twice the benefit in that residents who join in make new friends and have a great afternoon.

The blankets and knitted garments – all hand-made – were displayed recently and made a lovely sight on a cold afternoon. This year, apart from the traditional ‘peggy stripe’ blankets, several of the group have been creating lovely scarves, hats and gloves; all in multi colours. These are very popular with the children in the Ukraine as most live in orphanages which are not well heated.

Operation Coverup, a part of the ‘Mission Without Borders’ organisation, was started twelve years ago by Taupo woman Liz Clarke after she read about the desperately cold conditions in orphanages in Moldova. It has spread throughout New Zealand and Australia. Knitters from nearly 100 towns in New Zealand contribute their efforts each year to fill three shipping containers, which are then transported overseas for distribution.

Donations of unwanted wool, garments to unpick or money to help with shipping costs are very welcome. And if you like knitting, that’s good too!
For more information please phone Barbara Cox 306 9934.

First  Church

It’s that time again:  Our annual Kirk Fair is to be held in the Town Hall on Saturday, 13 October.

There will be the usual stalls:  Cakes, Produce, Fashion Accessories, Books (no magazines) and Treasure Trove (please no electrical goods), etc.  Some final decisions have yet to be taken.

The Hall will be open on the Friday when good can be dropped off or, if you will have goods that require picking up, please phone Sherryl on 306-9987 or Margaret on 306-8102.

We look forward to seeing you there.