WHAREKAKA NEWS

A beautiful autumn day today as I write this.  Our oak trees are showing the signs of a change in the season with all the acorns and leaves falling.

Residents continue to enjoy the sunny days using the shade area to its full capacity.  The residents have also enjoyed games of bowls and quoits on the lawn.

Many activities have been happening at Wharekaka.  Residents have planted out the new table vegetable garden with winter veges.  Thanks to Larry our rather obliging Maintenance Man and Andy Sutherland for their input into this project. … Continue Reading

Wairarapa United Football visits

Four members of the Wairarapa United Football team have been passing on their knowledge and skills to pupils of Tuturumuri school. Along with obvious attraction of having very skilled players as visitors is added the interest of each of the players comes from a different country. George comes from England, Miloslav from the Czech Republic, Esava from Fiji and Jonathon from Chile. … Continue Reading

THE STORY OF MARTINBOROUGH AVAILABLE AGAIN

The Canoes of Kupe: A History of Martinborough District, originally published by Victoria University Press, was out-of-print until a discussion between Roberta McIntyre and Fraser Books’ publisher Ian F. Grant led to the Wairarapa Archive/Fraser Books offer to reprint the history.

“I was very aware that many people in Martinborough, and those interested in the area, hadn’t seen the book and there would be considerable interest in having it available again,” says Ian Grant.
The Canoes of Kupe is a comprehensive account of Martinborough and its personalities from the beginnings of settlement by Maori to the 21st century. … Continue Reading

The Martinborough Community Choir

Our choir had its first rehearsal last year on Tuesday evening, November
13th, and apart from a summer holiday break, we’ve been meeting
on Tuesday nights ever since.
The choir seems to be filling the gap left when Jancis Potter left town a
couple of years ago, and the choir she had been leading consequently
disbanded.
Our choir is open to all-comers of any age, and we have a mixture of
experienced choral singers, and people who are new to it, but who enjoy
singing. We also have a mixture of people who can and can’t read
music.
As a first time choir leader this is a challenge for me, but a very
rewarding one -not only am I learning new skills at a mature age, but I’m
also enjoying hearing the choir really starting to make homogenous and
harmonious sounds together.
We’re in the early stages of planning and rehearsing for our first ever concert in late June, which will include an appearance by the Featherston Gentlemen Singers, lead by Marguerite Tait-Jamieson. – Watch this space for more details.

Before that, we’ll be combining with the Wellington Community Choir for ‘Singing In Martinborough’, on May 18, at St. Andrew’s Hall, in Dublin St. There’ll be an afternoon ‘sing-shop’ (i.e. workshop) from 2-5pm, led by Julian Raphael and Carol Shortis, followed by an evening concert, at 7.30pm. … Continue Reading