Waitangi Lunch Sunday 5th February 2017

Today we celebrated the national day of our Christchurch New Zealand friends with a social gathering and lunch at the Carpenters Arms Public house in Bransgore. A slightly smaller gathering than previous years but the enjoyment was as great. This was a good opportunity for Chairman Howard Piper to get back in the saddle after his 6 months off following a spell of ill health. With his usual gusto he reminded us all of the significance of the occasion and gave a brief coverage of the current weather that our NZ friends were enjoying at 28 Degrees!!! While here in the UK we were enjoying a warm 8 Degrees of winter sun as we caught up with friends old and new.

Have a read below and see what our NZ friends may be up to on their National day.

Nau mai, Haere mai.

Join us at the Okains Bay Maori and Colonial Museum for a family day to commemorate the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi. Highlights include a powhiri (traditional welcome), hangi lunch, children’s races and the paddling of our magnificent waka on the Opara River at 1pm. View the Museum’s amazing collections and enjoy continuous demonstrations all day including bread baking in a traditional clay oven, master weavers, wood chopping and sheep shearing.

Crafts, stalls, pony rides, lolly scramble, sausage sizzle, espresso coffee, garden bar, cafeteria and more! The Waitangi Day commemorations at Okains Bay are the largest and longest standing in the South Island with 2017 being the 42nd consecutive commemoration.

Please bring cash. No ATM available. Gates open at 10am. Powhiri (traditional welcome) commences at 10:30am.