Flatters put pride on line

There's nothing like a bit of friendly competition and rivalry to make life interesting.

And these are certainly interesting times for the flatters at Realpeople@Rowan as they look forward to the next challenge to see who, next June, will take possession of the gleaming golden cup which sits in one corner of the lounge in the main block.

It already has a name - the Rowan Cup - but it will have another added to it next year.

It could be Pohutukawa (red), Kakariki (green), Kowhai (yellow) or Kahurangi (blue).

They are the four houses made up of the Rowan flatters who have begun competing for the honour of being the inaugural winner.

Pohutukawa has hit the lead on the points table. "But it's early days," flatter and co-organiser of the Rowan Cup, Andrew Hodson said. "It'll be close - it'll be keenly fought."

Andrew, who is battling multiple sclerosis, arrived at Realpeople@Rowan about three months ago and after talking with fellow flatter Duncan Pollock they came up with the plan to get some competition into the lives of the flatters there.

"We wanted something which could also get the community and families involved, and something which we could make as fun as possible."

So they organised for the flatters at Rowan to split off into four teams, and spent many hours compiling a list of competition events which would be fair and equal across the board.

They whittled the list down to about a dozen events which will take place over the next nine months.

They include a music quiz and a general quiz, creating a team mural, vegetable growing, Pictionary, a clue-led treasure hunt and Monarch butterfly growing.

As Andrew explained about the latter - "we'll start with Swan plant seeds to grow the plants and get eggs and caterpillars there. The first to get an empty chrysalis will win."

With his experience in horticulture, Andrew was able to arrange for Dr Jim Walker, an entomologist from Plant and Food Research, to talk to team members about rearing Monarch butterflies.

There has been one event already decided - the Pohutukawa team correctly guessed New Zealand would win 13 medals at the Olympic Games.

So how did his team (the Kahurangi blue house) go in that?

"Third equal," he said, before smiling and reiterating "it's early days."

Realpeople@Rowan manager Ross Boniface said the Rowan Cup idea was "excellent" and had created plenty of fun and "competitive banter."

"What blows me away is that the flatters have done this all themselves. They've done all the organising and have been involved in fundraising."

He was also delighted at the way the business community and individuals had willingly thrown their support behind the idea after approaches from Andrew and Duncan.

"We're part of their community and they're part of ours."

He said the cup would be presented at a special event next June.

"Any excuse for a party."

• You can be part of the Team Rowan challenge by providing support. They will be looking for vege plants for the garden competition, and may need some vehicle support when it comes time to get the compost for the growing bins being set up.

• In setting up individual prizes, and for general support in the staging of the Rowan Cup, Realpeople@Rowan has been helped out by Frupak, Biorich, Unichem Taradale, Prebbles Menswear Taradale, ABC Software, Gemco, Fruitfed Supplies, Resene and Tremains.