A Day in the Life of a Rotary Member on Martinborough Fair Day

Everyone looks to be enjoying the atmosphere and the buskers are doing a good job with entertainment.

Our recent February Martinborough Fair was the fifth that I’ve participated in as a Rotary member.  

It’s never easy to get up at 4.30am in order to be at our base – the Martinborough Fire Station – by 5.30am for an early morning briefing.   Nevertheless, I feel a frisson of excitement upon arriving in Martinborough when I see that there are already stall holders setting up for their day.

After parking my car and entering the fire station the atmosphere is full of energy – fellow Rotarians are also getting ready for their day.  Everywhere there are members wearing their Rotary attire – white coats, hi viz vests and yellow caps.  

The weather is forecast to be very hot but at this time of the morning it is still cool and the sunrise was beautiful.  I checked in and left the fire station to begin assisting the traffic marshals and/or the stall holders in whatever way I can.  Sometimes it is just helping a stall holder find their stall site, put up a gazebo or look after a stall while the stall holder removes their car from the square.

It is a busy time for the stall holders as they set up their gazebos and stalls and generally there is good-natured banter between the stall holders.  I am always amazed at how much work is put into setting up the stalls and ensuring they look enticing.

As it’s getting light, I look at my watch – it is nearly 8.00am, the time when all stalls need to be set up and all cars have to be out of the centre of the town. 

It is also the time when we can head back to the fire station for a breakfast provided by Rotary’s Inner Wheel.  The ladies have prepared some delicious food for us.  My all-time favourite is the southern cheese rolls, but there are also breakfast muffins, sausages wrapped in bacon, toast and preserves, hot coffee and tea.  The food is most welcome as is the time for us to share our early morning experiences.

After breakfast we all head out again into the Fair to assist wherever we can.  I encountered a lady who had fallen over so went to get the ambulance team while others looked after her.  

By 11am the temperature is beginning to get hot.   The crowds have increased significantly and everyone looks to be enjoying the atmosphere.  The buskers are doing a good job with entertainment.

At mid-day I go to the Rotary information gazebo to man the PA for a couple of hours. I get given an assorted array of lost/found items – many are credit or bank cards.  I am kept busy helping with directions and looking after children who have lost their mum or dad, even the odd lost husband, who has probably escaped for some time to themselves.

It is now very hot and people are seeking the shade of the trees in the Martinborough Square.  Many are sitting eating lunch purchased from the vast array of food trucks who attend each Fair. There is lots of happy chatter and laughter amongst the crowd.

By mid-afternoon the temperature is over 30 degrees.  The crowds are starting to thin out.  I head back to the fire station for a late lunch and some time to relax before the frenetic activity at the end of the day.  

At 4.00pm the Fair closes and the stall holders begin packing down and leaving the town. We begin bringing the rubbish bins back to base for the rubbish to be sorted into landfill, recycling or compositble.   The traffic marshals are back on duty assisting stall holders who have no one else to help them pack up or ensuring the traffic is kept moving as stall holders bring their vehicles back into the square for loading.

At 5.00pm, due to the heat, most Rotarians just want to get home to relax and cool down – I leave for home suffering from the heat and fatigue, but feeling very satisfied that I have helped ensure that this amazing Fair has been yet another success.  The money raised from this Fair and the following ones, will be spent to benefit our South Wairarapa community.

Sylvia Smith