Wellington Community Notices

The Wellington Hockey Association is excited to announce that they will be running their Fun Sticks – Introduction to Hockey Programme again this year! It is an opportunity for those in the Year 1-2 age group to come along to a turf, pick up a stick and give it a go. 

The programme will run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays across multiple hubs: National Hockey Stadium, Maidstone Turf, Elsdon Turf, Fraser Park, and Marsden School Turf.

Please see the attached flyer with all the basic details about the programme. 

Doug Goodkin the secret song. THE SECRET SONG is an immersive view into the final chapter of Doug Goodkin's 45-year career, teaching music to children in San Francisco. 

When: Friday 2nd May 
Where: Samuel Marsden School
Time: 7pm Price: $12 Adult $10 Student / ONZA member (includes Nibbles and a drink on arrival) 

For more information see the attached flyer.

The much-loved Wairarapa Balloon Festival is returning for 2025, with a five-day festival of flying that delights locals, and draws in crowds from around the country. 

As one of the region's flagship events, the festival will again take place over Easter, running for five days from Thursday 17 April – Monday 21 April, with balloons taking to the skies, providing a spectacular visual display. The lift-offs, known as "ascensions" in the ballooning world, will be over Masterton, Carterton, Greytown and Martinborough, wrapping up with a mystery location on Easter Monday.

Don't miss our Family Carnival on Saturday 19 April. The Family Carnival provides five hours of action-packed entertainment, set in the stunning surrounds at Solway Showgrounds. See the attached flyer here. Buy family Carnival tickets here. For more information: www.nzballoons.co.nz

Pick up fabulous vintage and modern fabric at bargain prices, St Anne's Hall, Newtown on Saturday 12 April at 10am-1pm. See the attached flyer.

Callaghan Equestrian Centre are running their School Holiday Programme on 15th - 17th April and 22nd - 24th April. This is a fantastic opportunity for kids to experience horse riding and outdoor activities during the holidays. See the attached flyer for more information.

Marsden Old Girl, medical doctor (psychiatrist), author and comedian/actor Jo Prendergast has recently returned from taking a different show to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Her one woman show about her breast cancer survivorship has received 5 star reviews and is on a 6 city Australia and NZ tour and has been programmed into the prestigious NZ International Comedy Festival. See website here. 

She is performing one show at the Tapere Nui theatre at Te Auaha 65 Dixon Street at 5pm on Saturday 10 May if any staff or parents would like to attend. It's a show for adults rather than teenagers. 

There are many important health messages in the show, especially about menopause and the early detection of cancer. These are delivered with both her medical doctor and lived experience 'hats' on. 

It's an uplifting positive show about using humour to cope with tough stuff in life. 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ "A cracker of a show with an important message" - Glam Adelaide 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ "A must-see, unforgettable performance, hilarious and heartwarming" -Such Cliche 

'In addition to being very funny, Jo also has a terrific way of sharing educational information. The show is full of fun and silly pieces. Watching her role play hypothetical conversations between her "Boomer Boob" and "Millennial Boob" was a real treat, as was the Cancer Patient Job Interview'. I know you'll laugh, you'll learn, and you'll want to congratulate her after. – Backstage Christchurch 

'We will be leaving the theatre uplifted by a courageous soul and a resoundingly funny performance.' – Theatreview 

See more information here.

We have come up with some exciting FREE activities for our younger citizens all based around A MINECRAFT Movie. Everyone goes into a draw to win some brilliant prizes! 

Two Scavenger Hunts running from 11-27 April - the children have to find the Minecraft "Creeper" in business windows along Jackson Street, Petone: 

• 5-12 years (6 x creepers to find): prize is 4 x tickets to "A Minecraft Movie", plus a $50 voucher for Light House Cinema
• 13+ years (8 x creepers to find): prize is 4 x tickets to "A Minecraft Movie", plus a $50 voucher for Light House Cinema
• note the shops they find on their Scavenger Hunt "maps" which they can collect from our office or participating businesses along Jackson Street
• there will be a competition box up outside the Historic Police Station's front door (our office) for completed Scavenger Hunt maps 

Minecraft Building Competition running from 11-27 April:

• this would most likely suit older children / teens 
• prize is $100 cash
• participants will need to send a picture or screenshot of their build to us by email 

For more information and contact details see attached.

Our Open day is Saturday 5th April at 1.45pm. 

We meet at that the Wellington Harrier Club rooms on Alexandre Road Mount Victoria. 

The season will start with a relay (Donaldson Memorial) near our club rooms on Mt Victoria. This relay race is a fun introduction with mixed teams of adults and kids, laps are about 1.5k, and new members are very welcome to come along and give it a go! 

We offer two midweek after school cross country trainings, run by Athletics New Zealand Accredited Coaches. 

Close to our clubrooms we are lucky to have 8 different training locations, providing lots of variety to keep trainings interesting and fun! Our clubrooms couldn't be in a better spot. They're also a fun place to hang out in, before and after training. A pool table, table tennis table and foosball table are also available for indoor amusement. 

We also assist with training for primary/intermediate age children competing in the school's cross country competition and help with fitness for other sports. 

Our races are held on Saturday afternoons except for Wellington Cross Country Champs. They are held on a Sunday. 

There are 5 club races and 7 interclub races. throughout the season and entry to these races is free. (Note interclub races are only open to club members) The membership period lasts for 12 months so if you join in the winter it also covers the summer athletics program which is held at Newtown Park. 

Register at - http://www.whac.org.nz 

For more information please contact: Julie Richards Children's Manager juliemaerdy@yahoo.co.uk, 0212959026

Looking for something creative to do during the April school holidays? Karori Arts & Crafts Centre is offering morning and afternoon sessions for children with fun and creative activities. Tuesday, 15 April, is our Family-Friendly Day; kids are invited to come along with their favourite adult. 

School holiday programme attached. Visit: www.KACC.org.nz/school-holiday for full details.

Monday 14 April 
9 am to 12 pm Orizome: folding and dying paper in colourful, bold patterns

1pm to 4 pm Kite Making: with internationally known kite artist, Yvonne de Mille 

Tuesday 15 April
Family-Friendly Day - kids, bring along your favourite adult
9 am to 12 pm Paper Marbling: swirl paint colours on top of water and transfer the magic to paper
1pm to 4 pm Kumihimo: learn the art of Japanese cord braiding using a kumihimo disk 

Thursday 17 April
9 am to 12 pm Shadow Play: Create Shadow puppets and your own shadow puppet theatre 1pm to 4 pm Driftwood Sculpture: Use pieces of driftwood and your imagination to create fabulous sculptures

Creative workshops for Young Artists. Spend your next school holidays with Inverlochy Art School! See the attached school holiday programme.

Wellington Phoenix Experience are excited to announce they are hosting another camp in Wellington at Fraser Park during the April School holidays. This camp will take place on the 17th & 18th of April between 9am and 3pm and is targeted for children born between 2011 – 2016. 

Their Experience Camps provide a unique opportunity for us to engage with young football enthusiasts from diverse communities across New Zealand. It serves as a platform for local talents to interact with Wellington Phoenix Staff, offering from a glimpse into the life of New Zealand's sole professional football academy. Moreover, it marks the initial step in our talent identification process. Promising players identified during these camps may be invited to join a Discovery Camp later in the year. Additionally, we will be conducting coaching and parent workshops aimed at fostering growth within football communities and bridging the gap between grassroots and academy-level football. 

For further information including how to register please visit: https://wellingtonphoenixacademy.com/experience-camps/

With the school holidays just around the corner, we at the Karori Rec Centre are thrilled to share details about our upcoming holiday program, packed with exciting activities and adventures for children aged 5-12. See attached flyer.

To book contact: Karori.Rec@wcc.govt.nz

The Ultimate School Holiday Adventure at The Smash Club awaits you! 

We have action packed days planned for April 14th to 24th. Dress in medieval armour or your modern bravery kit. Go on a quest to Karori Park. And back after a break - the petting zoo with donkey, goat and pony. And bunnies. Check out our full schedule of days below and enrol here.

Special offer - New families can book 4 days and get the 5th free! For more information, contact us at office@thesmashclub.org.nz or call 04 476 2747. Sign up today and make this holiday season unforgettable! The SMASH Club