Gordonton’s Anzac Day service approaches
A good turnout is expected at Gordonton’s Anzac Day service this year – all are welcome to help mark the centenary of First World War’s final year. In total, eight Waikato towns will hold services on 25 April.
“It’s great to have services in the main centres like Auckland and Hamilton, but it’s very special to have something right here, in our local community,” Commander Brett Fotheringham told N8N at a previous service.
This year’s service starts at 10am, and will include the local Rolls of Honour, laying of wreaths, singing the national anthem, the Last Post and prayers. It is to be followed with a community lunch – bring finger food to share, say organisers.
Space will be available for sharing photos of memorabilia and photographs.
And, in the lead-up to Anzac Day, knitters throughout the Waikato and beyond have made more than 8000 poppies.
Nearly 2000 poppies, crafted from felt and yarn, are blooming along the northern stretch of Te Awa: Great New Zealand River Ride cycleway at Ngaruawahia and across the Perry Bridge over the Waikato River. And more than 30 trees in 21 towns and communities are draped with 6000 red knitted poppies.
“Our grandmothers knitted garments to help to keep our ANZAC troops warm, and so we’re bringing history into the present-day by following the latest international trend to use yarn to create community-friendly street art,” said Mayor Sanson.
Working with the Ngaruawahia Community House, which is supporting the project district-wide, the council’s Placemaking Team set the ball rolling as an Anzac commemoration project last year and decided it was so popular it was worth repeating. Starter packs of wool were distributed and knitters throughout the Waikato got cracking; some were sent from Auckland and one air-mailed from Japan by a kiwi living abroad.
Council staff also joined the fray to knit poppies to decorate a tree at the Council. And prisoners at Spring Hill Corrections Facility made plywood cutouts of a tank, ship and warplane.
- Gordonton’s Anzac Day service begins at 10am, 25 April, at the Hall and Cenotaph. It is organised by David Smithson and Sue Shepherd.
