The chapter’s events coordinator Richard Yallop says his partner Jacqui Bain had the idea after they held a spit roast as a house warming recently.

“One of our businesses, a WOF testing station call City Motors, is on one of the main roads of Whangarei, which makes an ideal venue for the spit roast this Saturday, 19 May.”

“There are no tickets as such, just a gold coin donation gets a lamb sandwich and a note donation gets a beer or a wine. We’re also going to have face painting and a jumping castle for the children,” he said.

BNI Monaco member Paul Brockie recently donated a signed All Whites football top – from the New Zealand versus Jamaica game in February – to Nelson Hospice. The presentation took place recently at the Nelson Golf Club where BNI Monaco meets.

Pictured during the handover are from left BNI Director Nelson/Marlborough Craig Lawson, Paul Brockie (BNI Monaco) and Nelson Hospice fundraising committee member Elspeth Kennedy.

Paul’s son Jeremy plays for the All Whites and for Newcastle in the A League. Paul donated his son’s signed jersey to the hospice to be auctioned or raffled.

Paul said he would like to thank Cindy Pearless from Nelson Hospice nursing staff for instigating this fundraiser.

Funding Development Manager at Hospice North Shore, Gaynor Larsen, said the hospice would be delighted if BNI chapters would get behind their “Hospice Cuppa” campaign.

“Hospice North Shore has joined with Mercy and West Auckland Hospices with this campaign and we are all contacting special business supporters asking if they will consider Hosting a Cuppa. BNI’s in Auckland City and West Auckland might also be interested in supporting this initiative although I expect the Hospice team from Mercy and West Auckland may contact them.”

While Hospice Appeal Week is 13 – 20th May, Hospice Cuppa can be anytime, preferably, but not restricted to, the May- June period.

This is how it works:

Businesses who sign up to Host a Hospice Cuppa, will receive a Host Pack which includes:

* Tea & Coffee provided by Dilmah Tea & Caffe L’Affare
* Recipe ideas provided by 2011 Masterchef, Nadia Lim
* Invitations
* Donation forms

“The Hospice Cuppa Host arranges a morning or afternoon tea and together with help from our Host pack provides the food and beverage, invites staff and/or clients. Attendees make a donation to Hospice North Shore.

“In organisations where there are teams/departments it may be that each team has a Hospice Cuppa, or one team plays Host, inviting the rest of the organisation to their Hospice Cuppa. Some organisations have incorporated raffles, casual Fridays, baby photo competitions – it’s only limited by your imagination!

“All (Hospice North Shore) Hosts and guests also will go into the draw to win a High Tea experience for six at the beautiful “Peace & Plenty” in Devonport (North Shore) and all participating businesses go into a draw to win a morning tea platter delivered to their workplace courtesy of the Luscious Foodstore.

“We have a rather exciting launch for this campaign coming up on Thursday 3rd May 11am – Midday.”

For more information, or a copy of the invitation, or a flyer for you to use, email Gaynor at GaynorL@nshospice.org.nz

“I would also suggest that businesses joining in our Cuppa Campaign, identify which BNI group they are part of as money raised can go towards the cost of the annual Sky TV Sponsorship in our In Patient Unit which many BNI groups are raising money towards.

“We would love to have you join us on Thursday 3rd and of course love your help with this Cuppa campaign, which we are hoping will become an annual event,” Gaynor said.

To help with fundraising in the meantime, Kiwibank North Shore Business Banking and BNI Hibiscus Coast have teamed up to present:

THE PHOENIX DANCE AND SOCIAL

Helping Hibiscus Hospice rise from the ashes

Saturday 26 May 7.30 pm

Dairy Flat Community Hall, Postmans Road, Dairy Flat

Tickets $30 per person

All ticket proceeds go to Hibiscus Hospice

Tickets are now on sale, but are limited to just 200. If you and your friends would like to come along for a great night out, you can purchase tickets by contacting Rosemary Miller at Kiwibank on 09 4755019. A copy of the ticket images is attached.

There are also “Can’t make it to the Dance” tickets for people who can’t make it on the night and still want to contribute – effectively a donation to Hospice. All proceeds from both types of tickets go to Hibiscus Hospice.

For more information, contact Patrick Hackett, email: Patrick.Hackett@kiwibank.co.nz

Whether you are remaining a regular member of your chapter, or stepping up to the leadership team, it really is in your interests to take this seriously and be asking some questions of your new leaders or yourself (if you have taken a leadership role).

Make no mistake, the success of your chapter and the number of referral you get in the next six months will hinge on leadership.

How to recognise a good leadership team member

A good leader…

* Sees the leadership team role as an opportunity – to develop personally and to increase his or her profile (and flow of referrals) in the chapter.

* Put their name forward for the LT role or responded readily when asked.

* Is assertive enough to put the interests of the chapter first.

* Attends training – even for the tenth time – because they recognise they can ‘never know it all’.

* Is a good communicator. They communicate regularly and are responsive.

* Is enthusiastic. BNI team leadership is a social skill and so, above all, they need positive enthusiasm and energy.

If you notice a common denominator of what defines a good leader is “attitude”, you would be right on the money.

It doesn’t matter if a person has been a BNI member for even just three months – if they have enthusiasm, passion and drive they and their chapters will thrive.

Colin Kennedy is a keynote speaker, writer and content marketing consultant. As BNI New Zealand’s marketing director he is responsible for the organisation’s communications strategy, and also serves as an assistant director for North Central region of BNI.

If we adults had to laugh more we would enjoy stronger relationships, less conflict, more productivity and many more successful business outcomes.

Dr. Pamela Gerloff, in The Possibility Paradigm, writes: “Research has shown that laughter reduces levels of stress hormones such as cortisol, epinephrine, and dopamine; increases health-enhancing hormones (such as endorphins), neurotransmitters, and infection-fighting antibodies; and improves blood flow to the heart – all resulting in greater relaxation and resistance to disease, as well as improved mood and positive outlook.”

So the science is pretty solid. Laughter is good for you. And here’s why it’s good for business…

Dr Gerloff says that when we laugh together, we experience a sense of unity and connection. We don’t actually need the science to tell us that. It’s just that we forget.

Both rapport and liking are essential to building trust in a business relationship, and the quickest way to make people relax with you is to make them laugh or smile. It really is the most enjoyable sales technique.

In working with a number of BNI chapters for the past eight or so years, it’s my experience that BNI chapters which are full of laughter, fun and banter are the ones that stay strong and grow steadily. A good example is BNI Parnell which has consistently remained around the 37 member mark for years — they’re an energetic, fun bunch of people.

If you want a strong chapter, get people laughing. Have some fun.

Colin Kennedy is a keynote speaker, writer and content marketing consultant. As BNI New Zealand’s marketing director he is responsible for the organisation’s communications strategy, and also serves as an assistant director for North Central region of BNI.

Organiser and Hutt Valley Chapter President, Craig Reddin, says BNI Members who attended gained insights in to the behind the scenes life of a professional rugby player, a franchise such as The Hurricanes and the amount of infrastructure provided to not only support their growth the personal development within the game, but also outside of the sport – remembering that the average playing time of a professional rugby player is nine years.

“This was the first of our initiatives in relation to group networking and the new leadership team will be working on a group dancing event, most likely in conjunction with The Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce,” says Craig, who organised everything personally given his role with the Hertz Sevens and Wellington Rugby.

“D4, where we held the function, is a commercial partner of the Hertz Sevens, and they supplied complimentary nibbles and the venue at no cost,” says Craig, who attends the chapter as director of Reddin Associates LTD.

“There was a spot prize at the end for a signed Hurricanes jersey, which was won by Gaylene Hughes from JDI Business Coaching.

“Given that Steve (Symonds) and I are work colleagues, we are keen to see something like this grow and we are going to work on the possibilities around inviting all of the local BNI Chapters along to another networking event, however, this time up at the Hurricanes training facility – maybe to watch the team train and then have a BBQ lunch along with some networking,” says Craig.

Dave’s fundraiser was carried out during ‘National Shave For A Cure Week’ on behalf of the Leukaemia and Blood Count Cancer Association, in BNI Kerikeri’s coffee break.

“I lost a close family member and good friend and that was the incentive to try and do something,” says Dave. “We all have someone that is affected by this terrible disease.

BNI Kerikeri itself raised $400 for Dave, and the fundraising continues.

For more information, visit: http://www.shaveforacure.co.nz/view_event_profile/6777

It started out as an idea for a sausage sizzle and ended as a an auction and social night for a hundred people which raised 5,845.00 for the Waipuna Hospice in the Bay of Plenty.

Events Co-ordinator for BNI In The Bay Chapter and General Manager of Classic Cuisine, Paulina Schumacher, says people now joke that she ‘got a little carried away”.

“From the sausage sizzle idea we moved on to thinking about getting all the chapters together for one big social event where people could meet other BNI members in the region and network.”

Tauranga Racecourse donated the venue – with necessities like the projector – and sponsored a prize, while Classic Cuisine provide catering services and food at cost.

“Both Tauranga Racecourse and Classic Cuisine sponsored the event because we also wanted to celebrate the fact that Classic Cuisine now has exclusive rights to catering all functions for Tauranga Racecourse,” says Paulina.

Members were invited to donate their products and services for the auction. Examples of some packages include a skydiving freebie combined with free chiropractic care, an electrician’s WOF, a free house marketing package, 20 free visits to a chiropractor, a weekend leisure package including car and batch, and free day at the races in the Sponsor’s Lounge.

BNI National Director Graham Southwell attended the event on behalf of BNI New Zealand.

“I’m always blown away to see how BNI members really get behind Hospice and, in so doing, have so much fun and accomplish so much for their own businesses,” he said.

Funding Development Manager for Hospice North Shore, Gaynor Larsen, told a breakfast of BNI Hospice Champions and BNI directors this morning that the hospice did not make its funding targets last year, and has a bit to make up.

She said that some BNI chapters sponsor the hospice’s SKY TV facility, which always elicits the question from visitors and patients: “What is BNI?”.

BNI Director Mariska Mannes pointed out that some chapters ‘fine’ members when their mobile phones ring during a meeting and this may be a good way to send some money to Hospice North Shore.

“They have a fundraising number — 0900 46774 (0900 HOSPICE) – which when dialed is an automatic $25 donation to the hospice, and is charged to the caller’s telephone account. It’s a great way to make a small donation to hospice.”

Hospice North Shore is also holding a “Thanksgiving for Hospice” service on Sunday 13 May at 4pm at the St Peters Anglican Church in Killarney Street, Takapuna.

“Our invitation is to join us for a special ‘inter-denominational’ service of thanksgiving to acknowledge the work of hospice and to pray for patients, families, volunteers and hospice staff.”

For more information call Gaynor Larsen 09 486 1688 or gaynorl@nshospice.org.nz or buy tickets online here:  http://www.nshospice.org.nz/shop/Events/Hospice+North+Shore+Homes+Tour+2012.html