Did you know

THE THEME  song for  TV’s Country Calendar was not written by a country lad from the Otago but by English production music composer Alan Moorehouse in 1970. It was a ‘B side’ tune titled ‘Hillbilly Child’.

THERE ARE over 1.2 million British people living in Europe and 3 million Europeans living in Britain.

‘WE ARE continually faced great opportunities disguised as unsolvable  problems’ –Margaret Mead

AUSTRALIAN FLORISTS imported six and a half million roses from Kenya  for Valentine’s Day. Sidelined Australian growers said that they could not match the prices of Kenyan grower’s advantaged by having low wages and the country’s relaxed laws on horticulture chemical use.

IN 2015 there were 2.2 million people in U.S prisons. … Continue Reading

Donation to the Leafy Park 

When the local Down To Earth Garden Group found they had money left over at the end of the year they decided they’d like to put it towards a good cause – something that linked into their love of gardens and also contributed to the community.

The leafy new park being developed as part of the Waihinga Centre Project fitted these criteria.   The group was able to provide enough money to“buy”one of the new trees that will be planted in the park, through the project’s fundraising programme (see p… for details).  “It is such a great way to be able to support the development of that side of the square, said group member Susan Stephen.   “It will provide a beautiful shady area to sit and relax.” … Continue Reading

GREYTOWN MUSIC GROUP CONCERTS 2018

Ed and Juliet Cooke of the Greytown Music Group are preparing their brochure for this year’s concert series, and details are below. As usual, there is a variety of performers and instruments, and they hope there is something to interest everyone.

Sunday 22 April, 4pm – Hammers and Horsehair – an innovative performance by Douglas Mews on square piano, Robert Ibell on cello, and soprano Rowena Simpson of music from 19th century Germany, Austria and Bohemia, linked by short readings reflecting the era.

Sunday 24 June, 4pm – This concert features Waikato University Musicians, who perform regularly for Hamilton and Waikato audiences – more details later.

Sunday 19 August, 4pm – Pianist Richard Mapp will play music by Bach, Kenneth Young, Schubert, Chopin, Messiaen and Brahms, before he tours New Zealand with the same programme for the NZ Chamber Music Society. … Continue Reading

UP NEXT at Ventana!

Upside Down 16th March – 13th May 2018 Wairarapa artists Jen Olson and Lucy Cooper come together for an exhibition of photography and “weirdos” – please join us for the opening, Friday 16th March, 7pm.