Inner Wheel Club of South Wairaarapa

Hooray! We are in Alert Level One and as I write, there is no Coronavirus is in the country. We can get together at last. While some might say absence makes the heart grow fonder, I like to think that most of us are basically sociable beings. On the other hand the lockdown has had decided benefits in the form of us rediscovering old skills like baking, jam-making, doing home repairs and flossying up the garden. During this time Inner Wheel members have tried to maintain contact with each other through phone, emails, the occasional zoom meetings and for those fortunate enough to live in a cul-de-sac, a companionable, appropriately distanced wine with neighbours.  … Continue Reading

Hospice Wairarapa opens new store

Hospice Wairarapa opened its Greytown Store on 3 July and is excited to have achieved a way to benefit the broader community whilst raising much needed funds, which are retained within the region to ensure services continue to be provided to patients, their families and whānau 100% free of charge. 

Fundraising is crucial to our service provision, but the current Covid-affected economic climate means grant funding and planned fundraising events have been severely impacted.

Our fabulous new retail outlet provides a vital new revenue stream, and has created a real buzz in Greytown.

Hospice provides a wide range of services throughout the Wairarapa including massage, counselling, biographies and carers’ support programmes. Plans are also underway to provide inpatient beds in purpose-built settings. … Continue Reading

Know your town 

Early settlers – the Mcleod family

William and John McLeod, born in Caithness Scotland  were the first of seven members of the McLeod family to come to settle in Waihinga and district.  They were sponsored by their uncle Alexander Sutherland who had land at Upper Pahau (Hinakura) . They worked there for twelve years when William took up on his own account at Whakapuni, while John became manager of the Pahau station, Ngaipu. 

John married Sutherland’s daughter Catherine and moved to the Wharekaka Block, land purchased by Sutherland’s eldest son William from Huangarua Station in 1875 . John farmed this land. Their house , ‘the Gums’, still stands, the two storey house in Dublin Street.  … Continue Reading

Library Book Club

We met a couple of weeks ago in the Village Café and after so long an absence it wasn’t about I read this good book this month and here is my review but rather something  about how many great and good books are out there. We kept throwing in all these different titles.  How did we cope during lock down with our reading habits and did we use our electronic devices. One thing was obvious readers will read no matter what the world situation is. … Continue Reading