The insular Greymouth community of Gloriavale has kept Kiwis enthralled as testimonies keep emerging.

A new TVNZ documentary, Escaping Utopia, promises to unveil the stories of people who've left the community- and the struggles they've endured.

Co-director Justin Pemberton says Gloriavale is going through a transitionary period following the death of their former leader.

"The community is now imploding, it's going through some sort of- either regeneration or collapse, and we don't really know which yet, it's very much a live story. I think that's why we felt so compelled to need to go and visit."

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The insular Greymouth community of Gloriavale has kept Kiwis enthralled as testimonies keep emerging.
A new TVNZ documentary, Escaping Utopia, promises to unveil the stories of people who've left the community- and the struggles they've endured.
Co-director Justin Pemberton says Gloriavale is going through a transitionary period following the death of their former leader.
"The community is now imploding, it's going through some sort of- either regeneration or collapse, and we don't really know which yet, it's very much a live story. I think that's why we felt so compelled to need to go and visit."
LISTEN ABOVE

News, opinion, analysis, lifestyle and entertainment – we’ve got your Sunday morning listening covered with The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin on Newstalk ZB.

The Sunday Session with Francesca Rudkin

Justin Pemberton: Escaping Utopia director explores the inner workings of Gloriavale through interviews with escapees

The Bookshop Detectives, Murder and Mojitos by Gareth Ward and Louise Ward. Two real life booksellers from Hawkes Bay have created a fictional bookshop named Sherlock Tomes which in this, the 3rd in the series, is cosy crime full of literary mayhem. Sherlock Tomes are invited to work with a visiting writer from Cuba who’s coming to Hawkes Bay for the Art Deco Festival, given the shared architecture style of the two countries, and the bookshop has the opportunity to run a literary event while she’s in town – which of course goes terribly awry.. This is warm, witty and highly amusing. 

The Kingpin by A.A.Dhand. A pharmacist in the city of Leeds is drawn into the underworld through both the temptations of his brother, newly released from prison, and a local cop with a terminal illness who now has nothing to lose. Idris Khan is the pharmacist in question – his dispensary is on the edge of a large housing estate where he supplies methadone to local addicts and he lives in a hard, morally grey world. This is really gritty inner city crime, made more interesting by the pharmacist’s understanding of medicines and how to use them for very specific results.

LISTEN ABOVE

The Bookshop Detectives, Murder and Mojitos by Gareth Ward and Louise Ward. Two real life booksellers from Hawkes Bay have created a fictional bookshop named Sherlock Tomes which in this, the 3rd in the series, is cosy crime full of literary mayhem. Sherlock Tomes are invited to work with a visiting writer from Cuba who’s coming to Hawkes Bay for the Art Deco Festival, given the shared architecture style of the two countries, and the bookshop has the opportunity to run a literary event while she’s in town – which of course goes terribly awry.. This is warm, witty and highly amusing.&nbsp;
The Kingpin by A.A.Dhand. A pharmacist in the city of Leeds is drawn into the underworld through both the temptations of his brother, newly released from prison, and a local cop with a terminal illness who now has nothing to lose. Idris Khan is the pharmacist in question – his dispensary is on the edge of a large housing estate where he supplies methadone to local addicts and he lives in a hard, morally grey world. This is really gritty inner city crime, made more interesting by the pharmacist’s understanding of medicines and how to use them for very specific results.
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Whitcoulls Recommends: The Bookshop Detectives, Murder and Mojitos and The Kingpin

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/6af33f1b-6dd0-4258-bb8a-b48c01712a6b/transcript

Spain is in the World Cup Final, and excitement is felt across the city. 

Despite not being a football fan, Travel Blogger Megan Singleton felt the buzz ahead of the World Cup final against Argentina. 

She tells Francesca Rudkin about the experience, and how you can take a piece of the Camp Nou pitch home.

LISTEN ABOVE

Spain is in the World Cup Final, and excitement is felt across the city.&nbsp;
Despite not being a football fan, Travel Blogger Megan Singleton felt the buzz ahead of the World Cup final against Argentina.&nbsp;
She tells Francesca Rudkin about the experience, and how you can take a piece of the Camp Nou pitch home.
LISTEN ABOVE

Megan Singleton: BloggerAtLarge.com on Barcelona ahead of the World Cup final

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/0f1cfc88-d485-489c-8c07-b48c016f900b/transcript

It feels like it's flown a bit under the radar, but the Commonwealth Games start this Friday. 

This year's games is a reduced format.  Initially set to be hosted in Melbourne, the event was moved to Glasgow after the Aussies pulled out due to cost concerns. 

NZ team Chef de Mission Nigel Avery has arrived in Glasgow, and he joined Francesca Rudkin to talk about what we can expect over the next couple of weeks.

LISTEN ABOVE

It feels like it's flown a bit under the radar, but the Commonwealth Games start this Friday.&nbsp;
This year's games is a reduced format. &nbsp;Initially set to be hosted in Melbourne, the event was moved to Glasgow after the Aussies pulled out due to cost concerns.&nbsp;
NZ team Chef de Mission Nigel Avery has arrived in Glasgow, and he joined Francesca Rudkin to talk about what we can expect over the next couple of weeks.
LISTEN ABOVE

Nigel Avery: NZ team Chef de Mission at the Commonwealth Games talks prep ahead of tournament

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/20fe9346-a89a-42f8-8155-b48c0165c303/transcript

Justin Pemberton: Escaping Utopia director explores the inner workings of Gloriavale through interviews with escapees

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