ANZAC Day 2020

While our communities can’t physically gather to attend ANZAC Day services this year, there are ways we can acknowledge our veterans and service personnel within our bubbles.

Hastings District Council is supporting an online service being run by Hastings, Taradale and Napier RSAs that will be streamed from about 6.25am on Saturday, April 25 http://www.dunstalls.co.nz/anzac.php

Clubs Hastings chief executive Jackie Wells said that “in an ideal world we would have provided a traditional ANZAC service for all of our community to participate, however we are in Alert Level 4 on ANZAC day.

“In this current state of Alert level we have joined our local RSA’s – Hastings, Taradale and Napier to provide an ANZAC presentation with our combined Hawkes Bay community and RSA’s.

“What we would like to acknowledge is that we are compelled to provide our community with our ANZAC broadcast in these unfamiliar times.”

She said the people involved in the presentation, including Hastings mayor Sandra Hazlehurst, were taking part from the safety of their bubbles

“We have all taken this lockdown seriously and appreciate the effort that our country has made to create a safer future for us all.”

Mrs Hazlehurst says ANZAC day has an even more special significance this year with it being the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War.

“Hastings District Council has always taken great pride in supporting the acknowledgement of those that went to war for our freedom.

“Even though we cannot commemorate this special day in our normal way, it is still a time to reflect on the contribution made by everyone who has served in war time.”

Other Anzac Day ideas

• Bake Anzac cookies – go to the Hastings District Council facebook page for the recipe
• Have you noticed poppies on the street signs in your neighbourhood? These streets are all part of the Poppy Places project which helps us remember the sacrifices New Zealand soldiers made during war. Find out the story of the Poppy Places in your neighbourhood by visiting our website search #poppy places
• Decorate your letterbox or front window with handcrafted poppies
• Create a poppy wreath
• Although Poppy Day was postponed this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, people can still donate to help veterans, widows and widowers in our local community by going to www.givealittle.co.nz/cause/clubs-hastings-rsa-anzac

24 April 2020

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