Paul Mason

Wairarapa Art Sale 2016 – a great success!

Wairarapa Art Sale 2016 – a great success!

The Wairarapa Art Sale was a great success for the Centre and our local artists! More than 130 works were on display over the weekend, and with over 70 art works sold, we fundraised well over $2000 for the Centre! We also had a ball on the opening night - what a lovely community Featherston is!!!

We want to thank all Wairarapa Art Sale Exhibiting Artists who exhibited their work, and all our wonderful Volunteers & Sponsors who helped make this a very successful event! We also want to thank Geoff Wooles for providing a wonderful landscape design for the Centre - which is the project for which we are currently fundraising for. Thank you also to everyone who commented on the plan and provided ideas for the project!

Thank you!!!... and let's do it again next year!

Posted by Paul Mason in Local Events

Wairarapa Community Preparedness Training

What would you and your family do in the event of an earthquake or other disaster? Do you know your local hazards? How can you work with your community to get through a disaster?

Wairarapa Community Preparedness Training: Sunday 13th and 20th March 2015 9am-3pm, Greytown Town Centre (WBS Room), 89 Main Street, Greytown. To find our more or to register for a course check out the Wairarapa Community Preparedness flyer.

Posted by Paul Mason in Local Events

Join Burton Trent for Open Mic Event on Waitangi Day

Burton Trent and friends are offering an open mike day on Feb 6th. Come and have a sing and we will back you. Be there early (noon) if you need us to work out a song for you. Note, it is a non-alcohol event.

Where? The Featherston Community Centre, 14 Wakefield Street, Green Street Gates. Gold coin entry or a donation to help pay for the venue.

Posted by Paul Mason

Featherston Community Garden Group

The Featherston Community Garden group is a group of volunteer 'Gardeners' who have come together to grow, build and educate a community in producing their own food. The Featherston Community Centre is very excited to have this group at the Centre, and we can't wait to see the results!

Meeting times

At the moment the Featherston Community Garden group mets regularly on an informally basis for weeding, digging and cleaning up the Community Centre grounds. If you want to be included in the next clean up, please email Elsa at kellyelsam@gmail.com so you can be added to our email list. The next 'sit down' meeting is penciled in for the 9th February at the Community Centre at 7.30pm.

Contact: Elsa Kelly, kellyelsam@gmail.com, 021 263 9403 or join Featherston Community Garden on Facebook.

Posted by Paul Mason in Centre News

Season Greetings and Centre Christmas Closure Dates

The Centre will be closed Thursday, 24 December 2015 through to Sunday, 10 January 2016. Please note: Wed 23 December, the Centre is open for pre-scheduled appointments, but we may not be here if you turn up unannounced.

We open as normal Monday 11 January 2016

Contact info@fcc.nz for more information. Please also read about all of our wonderful supporters in our Dec 2015 - Jan 2016 Newsletter.

Posted by Paul Mason in Announcements

Featherston White Ribbon Event

We would like to thank everyone who helped make the Featherston White Ribbon event on 25 Nov happen! It was amazing to see the support in the community, and so many people enjoying themselves at Clifford Square, that afternoon, bringing blankets, taking part in hoola hooping and Ki O Rahi, eating many a sausage or other yummy foods, and listening to the great performances. We recorded MANY (number tbc) signatures taking the pledge to condemn violence towards women.

(All photos by Siv B. Fjaerestad)

Thank you to:

Sponsors/donations/equipment/assistance: Beehive, Breadcraft,  City Care, Colin Olds (generator), Connecting Communities Wairarapa, Family Works, Featherston Community Centre, Featherston Lions Club, Featherston Menz Shed, Featherston’s Own Charitable Trust, Featherston Youth Programme, Hi-Tech, Katie Beattie & Emily Greenberg (rope & sacks), Ron Hughes and Featherston Athletics/Rugby/Schools, RD1,Trust House, Gerry Brooking and Violence Free Wairarapa, White Ribbon NZ

Key Organisers: Brenden Saayman, Reanne Tawharu and the Featherston Youth Programme, Naomi Oliver and Family Works, Robyn Ramsden and Connecting Communities Wairarapa, Siv B. Fjaerestad and Featherston Community Centre

Programme contributors (art, music, spoken word, Ki O Rahi, hooping): DJ AaronC, Featherston Youth Programme, Jeremy Logan (White Ribbon Ambassador), Lucy Cooper and Coops Hoops, Mike Ledingham, Saali Marks, Simon Fleck, Siv B. Fjaerestad

Technical support:  Aaron Cross, John Henderson

Poster design: Chris Miller

Painting and installation: Siv B. Fjaerestad, Hal Jones (volunteer), Brenden Saayman (volunteer)

Volunteers (flyers and on site volunteers): Cindy Gillies-Adams, Dan Wilmott, Debbie Malneek, Jocelyn Konig, Martin Turner (FW), Michael Dew (FW), Nici Nixon (FW), Tara Johnson, the youth from FYP and beyond.

Posted by Paul Mason in Local Events

Cooking like your Nana!

Click to see full poster

Cooking like your Nana is a course with all the goodness and know-how of your Nana, that offers simple, YUMMY recipes for families.  This is happening Thursdays 5-26th Nov, 10am-12.30pm.

Making the stress of 5pm disappear, providing new ideas, great companionship and a delicious meal at the end of it! What's not to love? Bring a friend, and if you have small children, let us know. $2 per person, per session. Get in quick: classes limited to 6 people. Call 06 308 8239 or e-mail info@fcc.nz to register by 23 October. Brought to us by Supergrans in partnership with the FCC!

Posted by Paul Mason in Centre News
Featherston Toy Library Re-opens this Sunday at the Centre!

Featherston Toy Library Re-opens this Sunday at the Centre!

Toy Library Opening & Car Boot Sale: 11 Oct. 10am-12noon. The Featherston Toy Library is celebrating the opening of the new Toy Library premises with sausage sizzle, morning tea, free give-aways for the kids including kids face painting. A balloon artist will be making animals for the children!

For just $5 per stall, you can come and sell your wares. Proceeds to the Toy Library. Come along, grab a bargain and join in the fun!

For more info contact May Brown 06 308 6912, the Centre 06 308 8239, or Featherston Toy Library Facebook.

Posted by Paul Mason in Centre News

New Courses at the Centre

Want to learn a new skill such as butchering or upholstery? Want to sit your Learner Licence? Want to get back to work, or get some support with your job seeking? And there's more! Thanks to Wairarapa REAP we have a suite of exiting new courses happening at the Centre. These include...

  1. Making Ends MeetThis fabulous 8 week long course includes basic hairdressing, home butchery, upholstery, home made cleaning products, composting, gardening, and more. Tuesdays, 4 August onwards: 9.30am-12.30pm, $10 per person and bring your little ones with you.
  2. S.T.E.P.SA new course offering valuable Skills & Tips for Employment, Planning and Success. Starting Monday 14 September, 9am-1pm, for 5 weeks. This course will give individuals some tools and tips to; identify your strengths, set goals, plan for the future, make key decisions, budgeting, managing debt, create a CV and prepare for job interviews.
  3. Learner Licence for 16/17 year olds!If you are 16 or 17 years old and want to learn the Road Code and gain confidence to successfully sit and pass the Learner Licence test, this is the course for you! 7-8 October, 10am-1pm (school holidays), $140 (includes test fee!)
  4. Learner Licence for 18 years and over! If you are 18 years old and over, and want to learn the Road Code, gain confidence to successfully sit and pass the Learner Licence test, this is the course for you! 19-22 October, 6-9pm, Cost: $100 (includes test fee)

If you have any questions or want to register, contact 0800 WAIREAP, or call the Centre on 06 308 8239, or contact the Centre Manager.

We are also delighted to announce that Te Reo Maori Taster Course continues every Tuesday 6-8pm. Also, if you want to learn sign language, do a photography or iPad workshop, learn sewing basics or fly-tying - then contact 0800WaiREAP or the Centre at 06 308 8239.

Posted by Paul Mason in Announcements

Annual General Meeting 2015: 30 July, 7.30-9pm

At the AGM, the Board will share the financial statement and report on the great things that have been achieved by the Centre and Board over the past year.  It will also be a time to learn about the Centre, share ideas and to hear about opportunities to volunteer or serve on the Board.

As guided by our new constitution, there will not be any resolutions or voting at the AGM. Agenda papers are available at the Centre and on Website address below. A light supper will be served after the meeting.

Please RSVP by 6pm Monday 27 July 2015 to fsn.comcen@xtra.co.nz or info@fcc.nz or call 06 308 8239.

Posted by Paul Mason in Announcements, Centre News

Could you be our new board member?

The Featherston Community Centre board are looking to recruit more board members to help keep the great working going that we already do. Have you ever thought about joining a board but haven’t made the leap yet? Now is definitely the time!

What I really enjoy about being a part of the board is a sense that I’m really helping to keep a valuable part of Featherston alive and progressing toward a really bright future. Not only that, but I get to learn new things, contribute to ideas and projects that are interesting and meet passionate and clever people. So I would highly recommend coming to talk to us if you think this might be something you’d be interested in. Please call and have a chat to our chair Emily (021 313 8042) or Centre Manager Siv (06 308 8239) or email us at info@fcc.nz. You totally won’t regret it! (Tamara)

Posted by Paul Mason in Announcements

Heed the Call Featherston!

FCC Recruitment Image for Article
Unite With Your Community! Join With The Heroic Volunteers of the Featherston Community Centre in Service of Our Great Town! Show Your Support and Find Out How You Could Help the Cause!

There are many ways to support the Centre – from joining the Board to providing cover on reception, from building maintenance and working bees to handling communications and promotions. If you have 2-3 hours (or more!) to spare every few weeks, you could make a great difference to our community. Heed the call Featherston! Call Chairman Sonya on 021 302 585, or Comrade Siv on 06 308 8239, come and see us at 14 Wakefield Street, or flick us an e-mail on fsn.comcen@xtra.co.nz, and tell us how you can get involved!

Posted by Paul Mason in Announcements

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

It’s been a big year for the Centre. After spending much of the previous year fundraising, all hands were on deck for the long awaited washroom renovation throughout Autumn and Winter. We were so chuffed when we achieved Code of Compliance! The Centre now sports a brand new disability restroom, improved fire escape and entrance ways, a brand new office and increased privacy in our main meeting room. The improvements were contagious and soon after we also had our trusted boiler and heating system ticking smoothly with some TLC and new fittings. We have been fortunate to access the painting skills by several generous volunteers and amazing community workers, and as a result our Centre has now got a fresh coat of paint in lovely bright colours. And it doesn’t end there – we have even got new trestle tables that are light and easy to set up and use for everyone, and a great big waterproof noticeboard by our main gate.

I would like to say a special thanks to Graham Evans (our Treasurer) and Mary Mason for putting their extra time into ensuring that many of these changes were made.

Once again I would also like to thank all of our generous funders who contributed funding towards the washroom renovation, operational and wages and other improvements in 2014: The New Zealand Lottery Grants Board, Wairarapa REAP, Community Organisations Grants Scheme, Trust House Foundation, The Lion Foundation, South Wairarapa Rotary, Prime Community Trust, Thomas George Macarthy Trust, Eastern & Central Community Trust, Featherston’s Own Charitable Trust, South Wairarapa District Council and Featherston Community Board.

We would also like to say a big thank you for in kind donations and services from The Rimutaka Country Music Club, The Friday Craft Group, Des Pugh and JNL Masterton, Bruck Muench and the Colonial Trading Co., Chris Miller, Dick Smith, Julia O’Neale, Reiner Schoenbrunn, Brian Adamson, All Seasons Tree Services, Bruce Greentree, Janice’s Lawnmowing Services Property Brokers, Brett Davis’ Chimney Sweep, and the Featherston’s Menz Shed.

And we would like to congratulate the lucky winners of our Christmas raffle: 1st prize: H Burgess and 2nd prize: Watson

Our Christmas opening and closing hours are: 

The Community Centre will be closed from Wednesday 24 December 2014, through to Sunday 11 January 2015. Should you need to use the Centre between these dates please contact Siv at the Centre by 2pm on 23 December 2014, so that alternative access can be arranged.

The Centre and Board would like to wish everyone in our community a wonderful Christmas and New Year, and we look forward to seeing everyone again in 2015!

Posted by Paul Mason in Announcements

Cleaner Vacancy

The Featherston Community Centre (FCC) is seeking a employ a short-term cleaner while we advertise for a permanent cleaner.

The FCC would like to employ a person for 5 hours per week (8.15-9.15 am each week day) for the following dates:

  • 8-24 December 2014
  • 12 Jan-27 February 2015.

The successful candidate would report to the FCC Manager. References required.

For further queries, please contact Sonya Logan, the FCC Board Chairperson ph 021 302 585.

Posted by Paul Mason in Announcements

Volunteer Training – Free Course

“Community helping community the key to the first 72 hours”

Saturday November 1st Town Centre, Greytown

9:30am – 12:30pm Session One – Personal and Community Preparedness

1pm – 4pm Session Two – Gathering and Communicating Emergency Information

Saturday 8th November Carterton Events Centre

9:30am – 12:30pm Session Three – Providing Comfort in the Community

1pm – 4pm Session Four – Working in a CDC after a large emergency

When completed you will be able to ensure your personal, family and neighbourhood preparedness, share the preparedness message, be able to assist during and after an emergency supporting people, gathering information, and assisting at Civil Defence and Welfare Centre.

The course is free, bring your own lunch.

If you or someone you know in the Wairarapa is interested register by visiting www.getprepared.org.nz  via Connect with your community – volunteers, or alternately contact Kim Whiteman Kim.whiteman@gw.govt.nz  or 027 4465 628

Wellington Region Emergency Management Office (WREMO)

NB. You must attend session one first. Other sessions can be attended in any order so if you are available for a session you can pick it up in the next training round.

Posted by Paul Mason in Local Events

Introduction to Video Game Art – Coming Soon!

IntroToGameArt

Click to enlarge

Introduction to Video Game Art: This course is currently running at Kuranui College in Greytown. If there is more interest from our local community, we hope to be able to offer the course here. Course details: 10-part evening course. Suitable for all ages. To register your interest to do this course next year, or for more information on the course, contact deepwater3d@gmail.com or e-mail the Centre Manager or on 06 308 8239.

Posted by Paul Mason in Local Events

Clean Up Featherston 21 Sept. Be there!

Due to bad weather yesterday Clean UP Featherston is now taking place this coming Sunday 21 September 10am-noon.

Part of the annual Keep New Zealand Clean campaign. Start and/or finish at the Centre, get your hands dirty and Featherston clean; followed by a well deserved cuppa. Tell your friends!

Where: Featherston
Date: 21 September 2014
Time: 10am-noon
Meeting Point: Featherston Community Centre, 14 Wakefield Street
Contact: 021 574 156

Posted by Paul Mason in Local Events

Get Involved with the Community!

The Featherston Community Centre (FCC) is looking for new Board members. Come along to our INFO SESSION:

Tuesday 13 May 2014, 7.30 pm – 8pm 

If you want to know what being a Board member involves, come along an information session on the 13th May 7.30-8.00 at the FCC Centre 14 Wakefield Street with the current Board Chairperson or phone Sonya 021 302 585.

The FCC is a great way of getting in involved in the Featherston Community!

Posted by Paul Mason in Announcements