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RETIRED POLICE-WOMAN AND MIDDLE-AGED MAN IN LYCRA

October 3, 2018 October 2018 No Comments

South Wairarapa Rebus Club

The speaker at our October meeting, Friday 26th, is Brenda Gale, a retired police officer who spent ten years in the service culminating in membership of the Family Safety Team at Masterton. She will talk in some detail about the structure of the Police in the Wairarapa, a sort of “who does what and where”, and illustrate that with some of her personal stories of jobs and experiences.

Those attending our August meeting were fascinated by actor Mark Hadlow who entertained us with a fund of stories from his long career as an actor on stage, on television and in movies. No great lover of reality television, Mark encouraged us to support live theatre in all its forms. His solo performances as a Sensitive New Age Guy in SNAG and Middle Aged Men in Lycra in the more recent MAMIL came to life, briefly, as Mark sketched the backgrounds and shared the experience of presenting them on stage. 

His memories of playing Dori the dwarf in The Hobbit included finding a small portion of the Dragon’s loot in one of his boots at the end of a day’s filming. Taken from the set in defiance of his contract, one piece was auctioned for charity. He found the experience of working with Peter Jackson, in a number of films, to be among his most exhilarating experiences. 

Mark spent some time in the Navy, initially in the RNZN band. As a new recruit he went through initial parade ground training dressed in naval band uniform, the only one in that intake. The experience of being picked on by the others sharpened his repartee. But starring alongside Billy T James, as he did, probably had the same effect.

Given the fact that the last full branch of any bank in the South Wairarapa was about to close, Mark encouraged members to get active and agitate. He was sure that having grey hair increased our political effectiveness. Members were enthusiastic in their response to this wonderful storyteller.

Before morning tea we heard from local member David Capper who entertained us with tales of his early life, particularly impressing with his accounts of a very fast transit of the Tararuas and his climbing of the Matterhorn in his younger days.

Anyone who may be interested in our Rebus Club is welcome to come along to a meeting as a visitor.  Please contact Margaret Griffiths on 306-8102.

Media contact: Dave Woodhams dwoodhams@orcon.net.nz

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