Rnz: Afternoons With Jesse Mulligan

This Friday is Daffodil Day, the Cancer Society's annual appeal for donations, and this year the Chief Executive says Daffodil Day feels more urgent than ever. One in three New Zealanders will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime, and of course, the disease doesn't just affect them, it extends to family, friends, and anyone close to them. Leading the campaign this year is Mandy Evans.

The phrase "be careful what you wish for" comes to mind with this next story. For more than two years the Otago Harbour Port to Port ferry has advertised an option for passengers to "add a sheep" to their ticket. It was added to the website in jest, but on Saturday, a joke became reality. Port to Port ferry operator Rachel McGregor chats to Jesse.

The story today of homeowners who say they have been dupped by a Wellington based construction company has highlighted the potential fishhooks for those needing building work done. So what should homeowners be mindful of when getting building and construction work done? John Tookey is Professor of Construction Management at AUT and talks to Jesse.

Human despair today is driven less by economic hardship and more by the breakdown of strong, healthy communities that begin with strong healthy neighborhoods. This is the view from street level from Chris Arnade. 15 years ago, he walked away from Wall Street, and now he spends his time taking buses and walking in cities around the world. He's currently in Australia. He sends dispatches from his travels for his Substack, Chris Arnade Walks the World. He says if we improve neighborhoods, we can improve the world.

We thought it was time for a deep dive into our dairy industry The dairy industry has been dominating headlines recently. 

As regular listeners will know, we like a cold call here on Afternoons, a chance to add a little suspense to the day.

Claire Chitham is with Jesse to talk about her viewing recommendations: Smoke - Apple + Hostage - Netflix

An injured kiwi snacking on some tasty looking worms has become an online star. 

The Women's Rugby World Cup kicked off over the weekend and across the 32-match tournament 375,000 of the 470,000 tickets have already been sold

Auckland-based charitable trust Story Store collects second-hand children's books and distributes them to school libraries.

We don't know about you, but everywhere we look at the moment there is sickness.

It's National Poetry Day - a nationwide eruption of words, voices, and creativity - and also the day for Afternoons' Poetry Day Competition. Poet and author Tracey Slaughter set the challenge of six words and six lines. The words were windscreen, flax, sanctuary, audio, ultraviolet and return. There was an avalanche of entries, but there can only be one winner. Here is the winning poem, congratulations Lavinia! Ultraviolet sky brushes the rooftops, windscreen mirrors a face she does not recognise. Flax twists through the restless wind, audio of absence presses against her ribs. Sanctuary is the lie she repeats, return to herself is an echo she can't answer. Thanks to all the poets who entered.

Critter of the Week is our chance to put the spotlight on some of our endangered creatures. This week we're turning our attention to jaw moths, they're considered to be the most primitive living moths, dating back to a time when flowers weren't around. That's not only what makes them special - they have magnificent hair, as the photo shows! Forest and Bird Chief Executive Nic Toki chats to Emile.

Most pet owners will tell you that in an ideal world you'd spend all day with your four-legged friend, but in reality, life and work can often get in the way. Well, Australia is looking to do something about that with potential new laws that could see dog owners having to spend at least three hours with their pets every day - regardless of any other commitments. That got us thinking about the best environment for your pets; dogs, cats, chickens and hamsters. Megan Alderson from Auckland's The Strand Veterinarian is here to share her views.

It's National Poetry Day which means it is Afternoons' Poetry Day Competition ... earlier in the show we gave you six words and asked you to send us your poem, Poet and author Tracey Slaughter has been reading and assessing the entries .. and is back with me to annnounce the winners .. Oh and as well as getting your work read out on radio, winners will get the 2025 Poetry Aotearoa Yearbook 'Breath" as well as an Afternoons tote bag.

Connie Clarkson is the manager of Auckland Council's The Kitchen Project and earlier this year was named as one of Aotearoa's Top 50 Women in Food and Drink. Connie pointed out to us that the world caters for couples; twin share tour packages, supermarkets bundle product and loaves of bread. Things that often seem to cut singles out. But single households are on the increase, and reportedly single portion "ready to eat" meals are one of the highest growth items on the shelf. Connie joins Emile Donovan to show that a whole chicken is not just for couples or families. Recipes are here and here

Kate Rodger chats to Emile about Naked Gun and Workmates.

Time for Freaky Friday, our weekly showcase of your spooky stories, baffling mysteries, and eerie co-incidences. If you have a Freaky Friday story to hare - 2101 on the text or afternoons@rnz.co.nz via email, please remember to include your number. Today we're joined by Leigh.

It's the 30th anniversary of the convention which celebrates all things pop culture. In a time where events and festival like these are less and less financially viable, how is it that Armageddon has kept the wheels turning for three decades? Is the world of comics, TV, anime, and gaming far less niche than we think? The founder of Armageddon Expo Bill Geradts is with Emile.

New Zealand's Dorothy Butler was an internationally recognised advocate for children's literacy and ran her first bookshop from her home while she and her husband raised their eight children. A recipient of the Margaret Mahy Award, Dorothy died at the age of 90 in 2015 but her legacy continues with The Dorothy Butler Children's Bookshop, situated for the last 40 years on Jervois Road in Auckland's Ponsonby. A familiar fixture for many parents, children and schools, it has weathered the challenge of digital reading on screens, determined that as many children as possible should have the pleasure of opening a book and being drawn into its pages. Change is afoot however - at a time when bookshops - and retail in general - have been doing it tough, the current owners have decided to pass Dorothy's mantel on. The shop is up for sale. Helen Wadsworth is one of the co-owners and she joins Emile. Go here if you are keen to know more