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Hawke’s Bay President’s Report for the year 2010

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Highlights of 2010 include:

  • Banquets to welcome the Year of the Tiger and celebrate China’s National Day.
  • The International Cultures Day was held at Cornwall Park on 6th March, with many helping in both the overall organisation of the event and in our stall.   Thank you everyone.
  • The film Two Women in Red Scarves was a charming insight into rural life in a mountainous village in North-East China.
  • Speakers included Jennifer Leaf, Qi Gong instructor, Janet Kee and the group she took teaching English in China, and Mal McLennan, from Maimai Creek Wines.
  • The December meeting returned to an old format of a potluck dinner, this time at Sue & Dave Padfield’s, with Janet Kee demonstrating Chinese summer dishes.

Our Branch organises the International Cultures Day (ICD) held to promote positive race relations and cultural understanding in Hastings and this event is now firmly established in the Hawkes’ Bay calendar.  2010 was the first in a four year cycle of $10,000 funding per year from the Hastings District Council and with a $3,000 grant from Eastern & Central we were able to purchase billboards and two large street banners we can re-use in the future by changing the date. The Hawkes’ Bay Chinese Association arranged for the Wellington Dragon Dance Group to perform and they were a great drawcard. Thank you to Nina Siers for co-organising the ICD.

Dave Bromwich took a successful Projects Tour including a visit to Guangxi; Sue Padfield led a rewarding Teachers’ Tour to Guilin; and Mike Earle was our Branch representative on the Society Friendship and Prominent Persons Tour to Shanghai and Jiangxi.

The HDC continues to support us with the use of the Council Chamber for our monthly meetings; however these were unavailable for the second half of the year due to renovations.

Hawke’s Bay is the catalyst for NZCFS projects in China, and we were successful with both our applications under the new MFAT funding scheme: $30,000 to assist dragon fruit farmers in Pingguo, Guangxi, to market their produce, and $144,000 to extend co-operatives in Shaanxi. In addition $1400 from NZCFS has enabled 20 families in Sanzhiyang, Guangxi, to start rabbit farming and it is planned to continue with more farmers.

Thank you to everyone in this Branch for making 2010 the success it was and I look forward to a productive and satisfying 2011.

Warm Regards

Sally Russell

1 April 2011