1931 Earthquake Survivors’ Afternoon Tea This Weekend

This weekend, the afternoon tea for the survivors of the 1931 Hawke’s Bay Earthquake will be a very special occasion with Hon Nikki Kaye, Minister of Civil Defence, attending as the guest speaker.

The afternoon tea on Sunday 31 January will be three days before the official commemoration of the 85th Anniversary of the earthquake which occurred on 3 February 1931.

“We will be welcoming around 105 earthquake survivors as our guests and we are very pleased that Hon Nikki Kaye has agreed to visit this very special community celebration,” says Napier City Deputy Mayor Faye White, who coordinates the event.

The afternoon tea is a community-supported event that has been held for 16 years to honour the people who as youngsters survived the devastating earthquake. Survivors come from all over Hawke’s Bay and many from further afield. The oldest person is 103 and was 18 at the time of the earthquake while the youngest is 85 and was only a few hours old.

The afternoon tea will be hosted by Napier Boys’ High School at their main Henderson Hall in Chambers St. Volunteers serve the afternoon tea to the guests and their families and carers.

The event is jointly organised by Napier City Council, Hawke’s Bay Regional Council, HB Civil Defence Emergency Management Group, Art Deco Trust, New Zealand Red Cross, and Napier Boys’ High School. Many local businesses and organisations assist by sponsoring food and equipment.

ENDS

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