Baking for Good

Author

Storm Grimwood
September 15, 2025

Good Morning Scoopers!

What a wild, windy weekend, felt like half the Bay could’ve blown overseas. Our bins even ended up halfway down the road thanks to someone leaving them out all night.

It’s the last week of school, which means parents are about to have a full house of kids. Lucky for you, there’s plenty happening around Tauranga over the holidays to keep them busy.

Bay of Plenty’s own Phoebe Scherer has been crowned 2025 Young Grower of the Year, taking out the national horticulture title after competing against the best from around the country. A huge win for Tauranga and a nod to the future of our region’s growing industry.

We’re also celebrating Hannah Richards, a 16-year-old from Ōtūmoetai College, who bakes desserts every Saturday for Tauranga’s homeless community through Under the Stars. Her mahi has just been recognised with a Youth Volunteer Star Award.

And of course, cash drop’s on the cards this week.

In today’s edition:
✅ Tauranga’s Phoebe Scherer wins Young Grower of the Year 🌱
✅ Ōtūmoetai teen baker honoured with Youth Volunteer Award 🍰
✅ Cash Drop – Watch our Instagram 💰
✅ What’s on this week in Tauranga 🎡

Let’s dive in 👇

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Tauranga’s Phoebe Scherer Takes National Young Grower Title

Bay of Plenty’s Phoebe Scherer, a 29-year-old technical lab manager at Apata in Tauranga, has been crowned 2025 Young Grower of the Year. She beat six other regional champions in a two-day competition at Lincoln University, taking out both the national title and the Best Technical Award.

Scherer, who has a background in evolutionary biology and seven years’ experience in the kiwifruit industry, said she thrived in the science modules but found the machinery section a real challenge, including driving a tractor with GPS. She praised the high calibre of her fellow competitors, saying it felt more like teamwork than rivalry.

The Young Grower competition highlights the skills and leadership of young people in horticulture while promoting careers in the sector. Other award winners included Canterbury’s Steven Rink (runner-up, Best Innovation), Nelson’s Amelia Marsden (third), and Central Otago’s Lydia Goodman (Outstanding Leadership).

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Tauranga Teen Wins Award for Baking Desserts for the Homeless

Ōtūmoetai College student Hannah Richards, 16, spends her Saturdays baking cakes and crumbles for Under the Stars, a Tauranga charity supporting the homeless with meals, clothing, and showers. She started volunteering through the Student Volunteer Army at school and has been baking for the charity for about two years, often using donated supermarket ingredients.

On top of that, Hannah also helps out at the Ōtūmoetai Social Supermarket during the week. Her efforts were recently recognised with the Youth Volunteer Star Award at the 2025 Volunteer Star Awards, an honour she says was a surprise, since she volunteers out of a passion for helping people, not for recognition.

Captured by @jmanyphotography

Check out all the events below! ($$ - Costs or Ticketed Events)

Music & Concerts 🎵

Homebass and Friends with Special Guest TwoFold

  • When: Fri 19 Sep 2025, 9:00pm - 1:00am

  • Where: Totara Street, 11 Totara Street

  • More Info: Homebass

  • Cost: $$

Jersey Boys

  • When: Wed 17 Sep - 27 Sep 2025, multiple times

  • Where: Baycourt Community & Arts Centre, Addison Theatre, 38 Durham Street

  • More Info: JerseyBoys

  • Cost: $$

ERAS - Presented by Youth Philharmonic Tauranga (YPT)

  • When: Sat 20 Sep 2025, 4pm - 5pm

  • Where: Graham Young Youth Theatre, Tauranga Boys College

  • More Info: ERAS

  • Cost: Free

Early Nights with White Chapel Jak!

  • When: Sat 20 Sep 2025, 5:30pm - 10:00pm

  • Where: Totara Street, 11 Totara Street

  • More Info: EarlyNight

  • Cost: $$

Comedy & Screenings 🎬

Silent Movies

  • When: Sun 21 Sep 2025, 1:00pm

  • Where: Baycourt Community & Arts Centre, X Space, 38 Durham Street

  • More Info: SilentMovies

  • Cost: $$

Festivals & Special Events 🎉

Bethlehem College Tūrangawaewae Senior Art Exhibition

  • When: Mon 8 Sep - 21 Sep, 8am - 9pm

  • Where: The Historic Village, The People's Gallery – Toi Ka Rere, 17th Ave West

  • More Info: BethCollege

  • Cost: Free

Changing the Story – Claire Delaney McLeary

  • When: Mon 8 Sep - Tue 23 2025, 10am - 3pm

  • Where: The Historic Village, The Incubator Gallery & Studios, 17th Ave West

  • More Info: Claire

  • Cost: Free

The Revitalisation of Moko Kanohi - Public Photo Exhibition

  • When: Mon 15 Sep - 19 Sep 2025, times vary

  • Where: University of Waikato - Tauranga, 101 Durham Street Tauranga

  • More Info: MokoKanohi

  • Cost: Free

Yutori – Robyne Dowdall - An Exhibition of Ceramics

  • When: Mon 15 Sep - 27 Sep 2025, 10am - 3pm

  • Where: The Historic Village, The Pot House – Ceramics Gallery & studios

  • More Info: Yutori

  • Cost: Free

Absolute Beginner Watercolour Series

  • When: Tue 16 Sep 2025, 6:00pm - 8:00pm

  • Where: The Historic Village, The Incubator - Creative Hub, 17th Ave West

  • More Info: Watercolour

  • Cost: $$

  • When: Fri 19 Sep 2025, 1:00pm - 3:00pm

  • Where: The Historic Village, The Incubator - Creative Hub

  • More Info: PrintClub

  • Cost: Free

Pocket Sized Play - Magic workshop

  • When: Sat 20 Aug 2025, 10:30am - 12:30pm

  • Where: Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga Library, 21 Devonport Rd

  • More Info: PocketSized

  • Cost: Free

Market & Main - Village Hunt

  • When: Sat 20 Sep - Sat 04 Oct 2025, 7am - 3pm

  • Where: The Historic Village, 17th Ave West

  • More Info: Market&Main

  • Cost: $$

Downtown Discovery Trail

  • When: Sat 20 Sep - Sat 04 Oct 2025, 9am - 5pm

  • Where: Red Square, Tauranga isite Visitor Information Centre

  • More Info: Downtown

  • Cost: Free

Latin American Spring Festival

  • When: Sat 20 Sep 2025, 11:00am - 11:30pm

  • Where: Queen Elizabeth Youth Centre, Eleventh Avenue

  • More Info: Latin

  • Cost: $$

Tauranga Women’s Lifestyle Expo 2025

  • When: Sat 20 Sep - Sun 21 Sep 2025, 10am - 4pm

  • Where: Mercury Baypark Arena, 81 Truman Lane

  • More Info: Lifestyle

  • Cost: $$

Handmade Happiness Dumplings

  • When: Sat 20 Sep 2025, 1:00pm - 3:00pm

  • Where: The Historic Village, 17th Ave West

  • More Info: Dumplings

  • Cost: $$

Koro Wētā book launch

  • When: Sat 20 Sep 2025, 2:00pm - 3:00pm

  • Where: Te Ao Mārama - Tauranga Library, 21 Devonport Rd

  • More Info: BookLaunch

  • Cost: Free

Kids Flag Football Muster Day

  • When: Sun 21 Sep 2025, 1:00pm - 3:00pm

  • Where: Waipuna Park, 25 Kaitemako Road

  • More Info: Flags

  • Cost: Free

Little Big Markets

  • When: Sat 20 Sep 2025, 9:00am - 2:00pm

  • Where: 230 Maunganui Road, Mount Maunganui

  • More Info: LittleBig

  • Cost: Free

Tauranga Farmers Market

  • When: Saturday 20 Sep, 7:45am-12pm

  • Where: Tauranga Primary

  • More Info: FarmersMarket

  • Cost: Free

Pāpāmoa Community Market

  • When: Sunday 21 Sep, 8:30am-1pm

  • Where: Te Manawa ō Pāpāmoa School

  • More Info: Community

  • Cost: Free

Small Batch | Raw Mānuka Honey | Made in New Zealand
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That’s us done for today, team.

Got a story, event, or hidden gem we should know about? Hit us up — we love hearing from you.

If you enjoyed this one, pass it on to that mate who never says no to a mission.

Cash Drop Clue:
We’re dropping hints on Instagram — make sure you’re watching 👀💰

See you out there 👊

— Storm
Tauranga Scoop