News from First Church

 Many folk imagine that going to church is a bit of an ordeal, a waste of time, or at best a

stuffy affair marked by archaic mumbo jumbo. 

One attendance at First Church would dispel these misconceptions. 

To start with, the environment is informal with no sign of incense or solemn chanting. 

Instead, for those who arrive in their Sunday best (jeans and open neck shirt) twenty minutes before the service starts, the first urgent priority is a cup of tea bolstered by a truly impressive array of scones and home baking. The talk then is less about Genesis or Delilah and more about the cricket or Navratilova. Its lively and truly congenial. … Continue Reading

FROM THE MAYOR

By Martin Connelly

In February the local Lions Club invited me for dinner and asked me to speak for a short time on the

“State of the District” among other things.

It was a lovely evening with many laughs and a lot of camaraderie. If there are newcomers to the

district who would like to join a service club that combines socialising with being good citizens, I

suggest you make contact with the club.

I thought I would share the main points of our discussion, sStarting with my leading observation that the district is doing very well. 

A recent story in the Wellington newspaper “The Post”, revealed that Wellington house prices have risen 64% over the last 10 years. 

But in the South Wairarapa that rise has been 123%.  … Continue Reading

Driving Growth and Collaboration: Martinborough Business Assn Committee

The Martinborough Business Association Committee plays an important role in fostering economic growth and collaboration within the local business community. 

With a mission to support and promote the interests of businesses in Martinborough, the committee works to create a vibrant and thriving business environment through leveraging tourism and visitors generally.

The association is a member of Destination Wairarapa, the regional tourism organisation. Our current chair has a seat on that Board. We ensure that our destination is promoted to domestic and international tourists. At the local level we promote member businesses through our website and social media platforms. STAY and PLAY is our mantra as we aim to get tourists to stay longer and spend more. … Continue Reading

How Well Do We Know People in our Community?

Michael Bing talks to Lyle Griffiths

Michael was raised in Auckland, attending St Peters College where he loved playing both

cricket in the summer months, and rugby in the winter.

But there were always connections to Martinborough. 

“My father had relatives here, and as children we used to return frequently to help Robert Bing with the fruit and vegetable store and the Fish and Chip shop. 

As children we thought there was little about Martinborough that was enticing. But we did enjoy roller blading down the main street.

When I was about to marry Chloe, a position for a pharmacist opened up in Martinborough.

Chloe flew down, was interviewed, and won the position. Our wedding took place shortly

after, and for our honeymoon we cruised the Baltic sea visiting Russia, and Scandinavia. It

was magical. … Continue Reading