Business Assn. News

By Charlotte Harding 

“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas” as Mr Bublé would say.

The Christmas garlands are up and this year with the addition of a Christmas Tree in the Village Courtyard.  Thanks again to the outgoing Martinborough Community Board and the businesses who have supported this annual project over the past 3 years.

November has seen two of our bigger annual events return to almost pre Covid conditions. The festival look and feeling are in full swing as  people look forward to Christmas.

This time of the year isn’t without its challenges.  Being a visitor destination, there is high  expectation from visitors of  a fabulous experience when they come to Martinborough and the Wairarapa. To meet this expectation  juggling our staffing challenges with our own needs means sometimes our business owners and operators have to make concessions about when they get to enjoy a break in our paradise.

With this in mind, the upcoming “Magic in Martinbrough” Christmas celebration on the 10th & 11th of December is hopefully a blend of ticking off the Christmas shopping and some family fun for our community too.

Business owners and operators in retail and hospo  who are  MBA members will be running a fun shop hop competition.  Ask for a  shop hop card and a purchase made gets you a stamp which is one entry into the competition to win a fabulous Martinborough hamper of goodies. … Continue Reading

Book review – The good, the bad and a little bit stupid

Mike Beckett

It is not easy to write genuinely funny stories, Marina Lewycka is one of the few who have this skill. Her first book, A short history of tractors in Ukrainian, became a deserved best seller.  The good, the bad and a little bit stupid, the sixth she has written, keeps up her standard of excellent writing, an ingenious plot and being very funny. 

The story is set in Sheffield, the main characters are George a retired school teacher with a wandering eye and a serious lack of common sense. His wife Rosie also a teacher but still working. His thirty something year old, self centred daughter Cassie and son Sid (serious Sid) who teaches mathematics at the local college. The neighbour Brenda, a hairdresser, who has lured George away from his wife, and a dog Heidi.   

When George discovers several million pounds has appeared in his semi dormant secondary bank account he is convinced that he has won a overseas lottery – although he can’t remember ever taking a ticket. Sid cannot convince him that it’s probably a scam but at least talks him into changing his password as a security. 

The reality is that an overseas gang had used the account to hide the money overnight as part of a money laundering exercise. When they went to move it on and found the password had been changed they were not well pleased.  

Things quickly get out of hand with the gang using an attractive gang moll to entice George to give the new password but he can’t remember what he had changed it to it. He is subsequently ends up in the gang’s headquarters on an Adriatic Island. 

George now needs a rescue.  Will his by now completely fed up family put aside their differences and come to the rescue? 

As with Marina’s other books, along with being funny romp, in the background runs a serious comment on modern life. In this case it is the way that Brexit had caused unsettled arguments, often within families. This certainly doesn’t intrude on the story line and could well be missed in the fast moving story line. 

Just the thing for some light holiday reading, as are Marina’s other quirkily titled books which are available through the Wairarapa Library Service: A short history of Tractors in Ukraine (which has nothing to do with tractors) The Lubetkin Legacy, Various pets alive and dead, We are all made of glue and Two caravans   

Aratoi Innovation Award winners 2022!

Director Sarah McClintock with the Award, photo courtesy Lucia Zanmonti.

By Becky Bateman

Aratoi Wairarapa Museum of Art and History are thrilled to have won the Harcourt Hamill Realty Award Innovation award in this year’s Wairarapa Business Awards which was held last week at the Business Wairarapa Awards Garden Party at Rose & Smith, Tauherenikau.Over 50 businesses were whittled down to create the finalists, with Aratoi placed in the Innovation category in a ceremony in October.

Director Sarah McClintock and Becky Bateman were there to pick up the award on the night. New Director Sarah McClintock has only been in the role two months, so she thanked the previous Director Susanna Shadbolt and Aratoi staff for all their work over the last six years getting the museum to this point. 

“…We are thrilled to win this year’s Harcourt Hamill Realty Award Innovation Award!” says Sarah, “The whole team has worked incredibly hard to create an innovative and sustainable museum over the last few years. We love trying out new ideas but understand that keeping in touch with our audience is crucial to our success and to ensure the museum stays accessible for all. We strive to be a positive role model within our community. … Continue Reading

Anglican Christmas services

From Pete Hui

This Christmas Services will be: 

Christmas meal and carols at Torah on the 20th of December beginning at 6pm. Held at Boynes Woolshed, please bring a plate of food to share to the combined meal.

Children’s Christmas Service at St Andrews Church in Martinborough on Saturday the 24^th of December beginning at 6:30pm.

Christmas Day service at St Andrew’s Church in Martinborough beginning at 10am.

Christmas Carols at All Saints Church, Waiorongomai, 2147 Western Lake Road on the 13th of December beginning at 7:30pm.

Community Christmas Carols at Featherston School on the 18th of December beginning at 5:30pm with a sausage sizzle. Carols start at 6pm.

Christmas Kai (potluck) and Carols at St John’s Church, 49 Fox Street on the 24th of December 5-7pm.

Christmas Day service at All Saints Church, Waiorongomai. 2147 Western Lake Road beginning at 8am.