Further new classrooms

Tenders have ben advertised for additional classrooms for Martinborough School. The classrooms will accommodate the continuing growth the school is expecting. Currently there are 241 pupils at the school with quite a few more expected during the year.

The classrooms will be built between the current new classrooms and Room 10 – where the senior playground is located. “losing the playground is an opportunity to develop a new one with more bells and whistles” said Principal Craig Nelson

Golf Club News

The golf season has started off well this year. The prolonged hot, dry weather has allowed for a lot of the notorious golfing “summer run” and as a result has seen many members handicaps tumble. The recent rain has definitely greened up the course, and with coring having just been completed the course should start to play more traditionally. We welcome new green keeper, Richard Whisker, who has previous experience working on PGA tour courses and course development in Nigeria.

The Club has hosted a number of significant events in the last couple of months. Firstly, in March, the Wellington District Women’s 36 Hole Stroke Play Championship was held at Martinborough. Women’s Golf in the Wellington region has a good future if watching these teenagers is anything to go by. Julianne Alvarez, an 18 yr old from Manor Park playing off a +3, won the Miss M Young Trophy with a Gross 142, one over in the morning round and 5 under in the afternoon. … Continue Reading

If I was a little bird

By John Ansell

If I was a little bird 
I’d fly and fly and fly; 
I’d fly right up to Heaven 
Like old aunties when they die. 

I’d say gidday to Auntie Ray 
And Auntie Mildred too; 
I’d ask them what they do all day 
And how they like the view. 

Do they lie around in bed 
Just like they did down here? 
Or do they go to parties 
And eat Cheezels and drink beer?  … Continue Reading

Kiwa Wins Cellars in the Sky Award

There are some unusual awards to be won in the world of wine, and Larry McKenna’s Kiwa Pinot Noir 2011 was recently the recipient of one. Larry’s Kiwa Pinot, grown on Gill Cleland’s Cambridge Road property, is supplied to British Airways, who pour it into the glasses of first class travellers around the world.

The 2011 vintage won the Gold Medal for Best First Class Red in the latest Business Traveller magazine’s Cellars in the Sky Awards. These awards, which have been running for 30 years, recognise the best business and first class wines served by airlines worldwide.

More than 75 airlines were contacted last year and 35 entered. Blind tastings were held, with five judges independently scoring the wines. Larry McKenna commented that “ I’m not allowed to have favourites but Kiwa is the one”. He also mentioned that British Airways has been pouring three of his single vineyard wines in first class recently – Te Rehua, Kupe, and Kiwa.

It’s good to know that the best of Martinborough wines are flying high and proving again their international excellence.