25 th. Round the Vines run

2020 marks the 25th birthday for Martinborough Round the Vines, the annual fundraiser for Martinborough School.  The event attracts competitors from around the Wellington Region and across New Zealand.  Last year we had over 1300 people and expect this year to be even bigger!  

The fun run or walk over 10km or 21km starts and finishes in Martinborough’s picturesque village square, covering quiet country roads and normally inaccessible vineyards with stunning views of the famous Martinborough Terrace edge and surrounding countryside. … Continue Reading

Book Club

As the catchphrase ‘ Words can make a difference’ used to highlight the writers in the NZ Festival of the Arts  in Wellington at present, the book  Catch and Kill surely is one where this truth is illustrated. So it  is timely to comment on Ronan Farrow’s book as Harvey Weinstein faces a lengthy jail term for his predatory attacks on women. The title explains the way a crime can be caught and the facts killed by unscrupulous men (Lawyers). It gives a good insight into how Old boy networks and other factors can repress justice. … Continue Reading

South Wairarapa Neighbourhood Support

Each month Neighbourhood Support New Zealand launches a national campaign where we focus on a theme or topic relevant to the time of year or which ties in with another extensive campaign in the community. The idea behind this is that by having one common mission, our members and supporters can come together at a national-level and focus on a single cause, allowing us to maximise our impact. 

How members and supporters take part is completely up to the individual or group! You may want to simply share our posts on Facebook or organise an event / project that ties in with the theme. These campaigns are not meant to replace the work our organisations already perform, but rather provide another opportunity to raise awareness for important issues and show others what Neighbourhood Support is all about. 

Prepared For Anything – October 1st to 31st 

Here at Neighbourhood Support we know first hand that communities that stay connected and prepared fare better in emergencies than those without a plan. 

For the month of October, we want to see how you tackle emergency preparedness. From getting first aid training to putting together a grab n’ go bag with survival essentials, a little bit of planning goes a long way to make sure you can get through any situation.  … Continue Reading

From the Museum

The Martinborough Cook Book (undated) was published as a fundraiser for the Martinborough and District Women’s Rest Room, a now vanished but once important amenity in the town.   Each of the 100 recipes recognises the person who provided it, creating a wonderful record of the women of the district at that time.

The book includes the usual range of baking but with self-sufficiency often a necessity it also contains some very interesting household recipes.

There’s a cough mixture that’s guaranteed to make you happier if not healthier with its “threepennyworth each of laudanum and paregoric” (both opium derivatives).    

The hair tonic is innocuous enough until you reach the line that asks for “two ounces of spermacetti”.   That’s a substance obtained from the head of sperm whales (best not to ask how it was harvested).   The embrocation recipe, intended to ease aches and pains, seems guaranteed to increase them. It requires the cook to “beat the mixture for one hour”!

You can see this and other historic cookbooks at the museum Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays between 1.30-3.30pm