Our Anniversary on Saturday 29th July was a very enjoyable event, held in Newtown School Hall. During the day we set up display boards with photos and other information about the Association and it’s activities – including Newtown Festival – and also contributions from other Newtown organisations and other Residents’ Associations elsewhere in Wellington. There were displays of the history of Newtown Library and Newtown Community Centre, information tables for the Wellington South Community Patrol, Predator Free Wellington and Predator Free Mt Cook Newtown, and photos, posters and pamphlets from many other groups and organisations including Seeds to Feeds, Renters United, the Zoo, EkeRua ReBicycle, St Tom’s Church, and WREMO. It was a good opportunity to remind people that Newtown School Hall is the emergency hub for Newtown.

There was a slide show of Association activities – you can see the slides here, although its not quite the same without the special effects created by Committee member Michelle Wolland. We also had a screen showing Newtown Festival videos – many thanks to Rowena Tun the Timebank coordinator for both supplying the screen and setting up the videos.

The highlight of the occasion was the afternoon tea starting at 2.30pm. A crew of Association members organised this. Sandwiches, slices and savouries came from the Friendly Bakery in Riddiford St, and we highly recommend them if you are planning something similar! And a ‘thank you’ to Lynda McGregor, who donated a tray of the legendary cinnamon rolls from her market stall, The Little Bread Loaf. The centrepiece was a splendid cake made by committee member Carol Comber, who had cleverly created a cake which divided into sections with different flavours and characteristics, including vegan and gluten free.

Kaumātua Peter Jackson was the first speaker and following a karakia he gave a brief outline of how the Te Āti Awa and Taranaki iwi came to be in Wellington, and talked of how the area we know as Newtown was basically a swamp. There is no record of it having its own name in pre-colonial times. Kaumātua Peter also told the story of how his father (Sam Jackson) gave Wellington Hospital the name Ngā Puna Waiora because of the streams that ran through the site.  This is echoed in the name Te Kura Ngā Puna Waiora (Newtown School) and now also the reopened Newtown Community Centre, Te Whare Hapori o Ngā Puna Waiora. 

The president Rhona Carson then spoke briefly, welcoming attendees and introducing the next speakers.

Deputy Mayor Laurie Foon and Councillor Nurredin Abdurahman, our Southern Ward representatives, both spoke and talked about the importance of community, and doing things together. Cr Nureddin had recently returned from visiting Ethiopia and reflected on the advantages we enjoy in our community.

Martin Hanley and Anna Kemble Welch  joined Newtown Residents’ Association soon after moving here in the early 1980s. Martin spoke about how he, Anna, Peter Frater and Chris Renwick (now deceased) responded to a WCC invitation to organise Carrara Park carnival in 1995 and then the Newtown Festival Street Fair in 1997.  Newtown Festival was run by the NRA for twenty years then separated into the Newtown Festival  Trust in 2017, but it is still run by the same people.

The final speaker was Hilary Watson, who was a member of the Association in the 1970s and 1980s and rejoined a few years ago. She spoke of memories of Owen O’Connor,  the Association President when the name was changed to Residents’ Association, who was a great champion for Newtown and died much too young.

Hilary then joined Carol Comber in cutting the cake, concluding the formalities.