Brick buddies - Jono & Dan

"Lego building has not only shaped my life – it's saved my life," says Gisborne entrepreneur and father-of-three Jonathan Samson, 44, who says the mindful practice has helped him "survive the mental and physical challenges" he's had to face. This includes the death of his beloved dad when he was just 18, struggles with depression and being diagnosed with the deadly cancer lymphoma. Upper Hutt therapist Daniel Mulholland, 46, who met Jono at a 2017 Lego event, also credits the bricks with helping his mental health, explaining, "I've used building as a form of therapy during my ongoing battle with PTSD. It's something I work on every day and Lego has become part of my daily life."