Upper Hutt Celebrates the Spirit of Anzac

It is so easy for stories and local history to be lost but a special programme to commemorate ANZAC will ensure they are heard. On Saturday 23 April, The Spirit of ANZAC will be celebrating our local history and people through storytelling. A number of Upper Hutt seniors will be taking the brave step of addressing the public and talking about their experiences and memories of war time.

The event will see public areas being taken over for wartime storytelling. The day will begin with live music at 1.30 pm outside Buttercup Bakery where the first speaker will start speaking at 2.00. Two other locations on Main Street as well as in the library will be taken over for storytelling. The event will finish with the screening of a documentary in the Upper Hutt Library. The keen-eyed will also be rewarded by finding displays in shop windows on Main Street.

Beryl Harris, a member of the Upper Hutt Seniors Action Forum, came up with the idea of taking storytelling to the public. Beryl says “It’s important that our young people and ourselves remember why we celebrate ANZAC”. Beryl has worked with Community Services at Upper Hutt City Council to bring her ideas to life. Virginia Barker from Community Services says “it’s been amazing working on this project and “unearthing” the stories from our local community. Each story is unique. I feel privileged to work with the speakers and to have heard their stories. The Upper Hutt Library has been hugely supportive and will be recording the stories for the City Archives so they can be heard by future generations.”

An additional programme is being delivered to schools during the week 11 – 15 April. Community Services and the Upper Hutt City Library have coordinated the speakers to address local primary and intermediate schools. Nineteen classes from five different schools will be listening to the speakers and their stories. “This is not just a learning opportunity about ANZAC but is also a chance for children to interact with older people and ask them questions to find out about the life experiences from their generation” Virginia says.

The event organisers would like to thank all the businesses that have offered their venues for storytelling and their shop windows for displays along with the Trentham Army Camp for their support.

Details about the speakers and locations are provided below.

1.30 pm Live old-time music by Tony Chad Outside Buttercup Bakery

2.00 pm Major Stitt talks about serving in Vietnam, Sinai, and Korea. Outside Buttercup Bakery

2.30 pm John Wiffen talks about growing up in England during WWII. Outside Mayfair Café

3.00 pm Ted Pritchard tells his story of being a child evacuee during WWII Outside Romeos Café

3.30 pm Stan Young talks about being a part of the legendary post-war Kiwi Army Rugby Team in 1945. Upper Hutt Library, Rotary Lounge

4.00 pm Screening of documentary “Saving Face” about three NZ plastic surgeons who repaired facial wounds for service men and civilians during wars. One of the surgeons lived in Upper Hutt. Upper Hutt Library Rotary Lounge

ENDS

© Scoop Media