Browns Bay’s second hand market is always bustling with visitors, eager to snap up a quirky artefact or must-have bargain. But what many people may not know is that the market is a registered charity, and its primary purpose is as a fundraiser for Coastguard North Shore and other projects within the local community.

It costs $15 to hire a standard-sized stall and there can be between 135 and 180 stalls every week, so this is a significant and essential income stream. Furthermore, it means that the organisation does not need to apply for so many grants from other sources (such as Pub Trust or Trillian Trust) potentially freeing up monies for other non-profits.

Chris Webb, Coastguard North Shore’s market co-ordinator, puts a few figures into context. “Our most recent new boat cost about $630,000. We were able to put $250,000 from the market towards that, and that had taken a little over five years to accumulate. Roughly speaking, we need to get a new boat every 10 years, and it’ll need a new motor every two years and a major overhaul every five years. So you can see how important the market is to our operations.”

Chris and his team strive to keep the market “fresh” by reserving 40% of stalls for walk-ups. The market is not supposed to be filled with commercial enterprises; it is more for families who are having a house clean-out or youngsters who are fundraising for their own good cause, like an overseas sports trip.

Coastguard North Shore has the busiest boats in the country. 365 days a year, their teams are on stand-by to help throughout the inner and outer Hauraki Gulf, regularly going as far and wide as Thames, Great Barrier and Whangarei.

As winter turns to spring, Chris advises boaties to take time for a few checks before their first run out. “The most common call-outs we get at this time of year are for boats that have had a long break. There can be problems with the battery or old fuel from the previous season. Even if you’re really experienced on the water, please take a moment to run through Coastguard’s Boating Safety Code.”

To download your free copy of Coastguard’s Boating Safety Code, visit coastguard.co.nz/boating-safety

For more information about the market, visit brownsbaymarket.co.nz

(First published and permission to post by ShoreLines Magazine)