Cheery face of Raglan childcare has seen generations come and grow
by Edith Symes
After teaching preschoolers in Raglan for decades Anne Snowden got increasingly used to seeing the children she nurtured long ago – now parents themselves – bringing their own littlies into Whaingaroa Childcare Centre.
“So glad you’re still here” or “I remember coming here” were the typical reactions.
How did that feel? “It was great,” the ever-cheerful Anne told the Chronicle last week, just a few days into her retirement from a 28-year career. “And lovely for the parents as well because they already had a connection.”
Not that Anne always recognised her young protégés as adults, either at the childcare centre or around town. When the likes of a “bearded creature” said hi in the supermarket or a young waiter acknowledged her by name downtown at a cafe, it invariably came as a bit of a surprise.
And when she had her farewell dinner at the Harbour View Hotel last week Anne didn’t realise at the time that “two of our kids from way back” were on duty at the pub.
That’s just the way it goes when you’ve lived 33 years in town and taught two
generations – some since they were in nappies – she laughs.
Anne also had a festive morning ‘mat time’ with the children and fellow teachers at Whaingaroa Childcare on her final day of work, which coincidentally was just after World Book Day. To mark both occasions everybody dressed up as their favourite storybook character, including Anne who was ‘Cranky Granny’ – though she looked anything but cranky.
She reckons she will become a professional granny instead, since she’s retired and already has five grandchildren to practice on.
With her four now grown-up daughters, Anne says she’s always had a passion for children which inevitably led to a teaching career. She remembers husband Mark bringing youngest daughter Kate to her to breastfeed when she started out her career at Raglan Kindergarten in Stewart St.
After a year there Anne moved on to become one of the original teachers at the newly opened Raglan Childcare in Wallis St, where she remained until last week. In her 27 years there she’s seen two changes of ownership, with the name changing first to Magnolia Tree then to Whaingaroa Childcare.
What’s been best about it all? Well she’s grateful to have worked in this close-knit
community, and for the support shown to “our” tamariki. “If anyone asks for help, it’s there,” Anne reckons. And people notice if you need help and will be there for you too, she adds.
It does indeed take a village to raise a child, she believes.
The only downside of her teaching career, Anne says, has been the endless paperwork needed to fulfill educational requirements. “You have to stand on your head to meet Government regulations,” she says, when it’s the actual nurturing of “our tamariki” which should matter most.
Anne has missed in recent years the putting together of each child’s portfolio –an individual collection of their work and observations that document learning and development over time. That work is now all online, and the children have had to get the tablet out to see it, Anne explains, as there’s no computer “on the floor”.
It’s just not the same as making a real scrapbook or portfolio like back in the old days, she laments. Children can’t share their stories with friends and family so easily, and have conversations while turning the pages which record their learning “journey”.
She wonders if this is partly why today’s kids “who can do anything on phones” – perhaps at the expense of face-toface contact – may have some language difficulties.
For all that she has obviously loved, as contemporary Sioux Swann recently put it, “raising half of Raglan in her role as early childhood teacher”.
But now it’s time to kick back and get used to another way of life.
She helped out with the ‘Feed the Kids’ programme at Raglan Area School her first week off, along with a few other new retirees, and that was “way fun”. She’ll possibly go back to the local Clay Shed on Wednesday nights and do pottery again. “And I’ll sort out my house and section … Mark doesn’t know how many jobs I’ve got lined up for him,” she quips.
As for the almost de rigueur overseas trip, Anne and Mark – married now more than 40 years – reckon they might instead just cross Cook Strait to spend some quality time with daughter Jen, herself also a former Raglan childcare teacher.
Not-so-cranky granny taking mat time on her last day of work with (from left) Angus, Thomas, Nikau and Reilly.
Treaty Principles Bill voted down
by Toitū Whaingaroa
On April 10th 2025 the Coalition government’s ‘Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill’ was finally voted out by a margin of 112 votes to 11. The introduction of the Bill on November 7, 2024 saw the youngest Member of Parliament, MP for Hauraki-Waikato, HanaRāwhiti Maipi-Clarke rip up a copy of the Bill. Viewed by millions around the world, Hana-Rāwhiti is seen as an inspiration to indigenous peoples globally, particularly young indigenous women.
Submissions on the Principles of the Treaty of Waitangi Bill opened on November 19th. Facebook, Instagram and TikTok feeds were filled with submission writing workshops and drop-in sessions, resources, and information. The message was clear – everyone, no matter how old or young, needed to submit on this Bill.
Over 300,000 submissions were received, and 90% opposed the Bill. Historian Vincent O’Malley talked about how “Te Tiriti o Waitangi was signed between the Crown and various rangatira Māori on behalf of their people. It was agreed in a particular context – one in which 80,000 Māori outnumbered and dominated the 2000 non-Māori resident in these islands not just demographically, but also militarily, economically, and culturally”. The group Asians Supporting Tino Rangatiratanga emphasised “Aotearoa can only flourish if all of us work towards upholding and honouring He Whakaputanga o te Rangatiratanga o Nu Tireni and Te Tiriti o Waitangi”, and the importance of Te Tiriti education to ensuring those coming to Aotearoa understand a more truthful history of our country.
Toitū Whaingaroa were lucky enough to be allocated time to make an oral submission. We asked the Select Committee to “imagine the conversations we could have and the dreams we could
realise as a nation when we understood not only our past, but how Te Tiriti lays the pathway for our collective flourishing futures in Aotearoa”.
Michelle Levy from Toitū Whaingaroa was part of the hīkoi arriving to Parliament on November 19th . She recalls a moment that stuck with her from that day.
“I was sitting outside the train station in the afternoon. Parliament grounds had been left spotless. Central Wellington was still buzzing. A wahine looked at me as she walked past. She had her tino rangatiratanga flag draped across her shoulders. She said something to me that summed up what so many of us felt in that moment – ‘I wish this day would never end’ ’’.
Whether you took part in hīkoi; delivered, organised or attended submission writing workshops or dropin sessions; shared links, information and handy hints; talked with whānau; or put stickers on your cars and placards on your fences – every single action mattered.
Although this Bill is gone, the work is far from over. The intent to remove or exclude Te Tiriti o Waitangi from legislation and policy continues. Here in Whaingaroa, Raglan Naturally have recently hosted, alongside Dr Ingrid Huygens from Tangata Tiriti-Treaty People, a training opportunity for those in our community who have a passion for continuing to ignite Te Tiriti focused kōrero and action across our community. Keep a look out for activations focused on the upcoming referendum on Māori Wards (September/October this year).
To keep updated join the Toitū Whaingaroa Facebook Group. Toitū te Tiriti!
*Toitū Whaingaroa, part of Raglan Naturally, recognises that achieving the flourishing partnership relationship aspired to in Te Tiriti o Waitangi requires learning and sharing. We have a focus educating, creating and activating; we seek to ignite not only thinking, but action!
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Shelley and Elliot Wilson at the Kirikiriroa Hikoi on November 14, 2024.
Kirikiriroa Hikoi held on November 14, 2024.
Boom summer season of Bowls draws to a close
from Raglan Bowling Club
The summer season of bowls has now been completed with the final two open tournaments and all club championships and Twilight bowls having all been contested and winners crowned.
Twilight Bowls finished with a flourish on March 11 with up to 90 people enjoying the friendliness of this fun event. Winners for a record fourth time were Pirates comprising three wily Te Mata lads Phil Shea, Terry Wright and Dave Robertson. The event is generously sponsored by Top Cut Butchery.
The Club's signature open tournament, the Western 1000 Opt 4's, was contested by 28 teams representing twelve clubs from throughout the Waikato on Thursday March 28th. This year's winners were the Kevin Quinton skipped Claudelands team of Bill Barwood, Dave Campbell and lead George Davidson. The event first contested in 2005 is renowned for having the best prize money in the Waikato thanks to the long term support of Fresh Choice Raglan, Seddon Park Funeral Home, and Chris Leuthart - PGG Wrightson Livestock.
The club's last open tournament for the summer season was the Ladies Theme Day held on Monday April 7th. This year the theme was the letter Q with most players in fancy dress with lots of Queen Bees buzzing around the green, a Mrs Quirky looking bemused, but the winning entry was Kath Gray from Beerescourt bowling club who was dressed in full Qantas pilot’s uniform. The event sponsored by Hilda Ross Retirement Village was played as drawn pairs with the winning combination being our own Suzanne McGarvey who teamed up with Raewyn Booking from Frankton Junction Bowling Club.
On the club scene, it has been back to back championship events with healthy numbers vying to get their names engraved on the many prestigious trophies.
The under 5 singles was played on February 22. The men’s section
was won by Mike Kiely who only just squeaked past Ian Latham in the first round 20 to 18; he was then very dominant finally beating Malcom Hunia 21 to 9 in the final. Hunia in his first year had accounted for more fancied opponents John Robertson, Stephen Hand and Colin Hawkins on his way to the final. Bev McDavitt Whyte showed her class to take out the women’s section.
A new championship event, the mixed 2 x 4 x 2, was held on March 15 and was convincingly won by Bill King and Pim Blair.
The following week on March 22 saw the men’s and women’s pairs played; there were upsets galore in the men’s event with defending champions Colin Bouzaid and Peter Puschmann eliminated after being beaten by both Stephen Hand and Colin Hawkins and then by Bill King and Norm Burnand. This allowed wily veterans Ross Turner and Les Schlager to wind back the clock to win for the first time since triumphing in 2013 and 2014. Turner actually won his first pairs title back in 1982 and is arguably still the best player in the club.
The ladies section was taken out by Sue Kingi and Kathryn Fitzgibbon who were in hot form and edged out the more fancied Wahanga / McDavitt Whyte combination.
March 29 and it was the under 5 pairs turn to shine. There were some amazingly close contests before newbies Norm Burnand and Bill King were crowned men’s champions and Genny McLeod and another first year player Anne Burnand joined her husband Norm on the honours board in the ladies section. Both Norm and Anne Burnand only started playing bowls at our club's funday last November and have made huge strides ability wise and as valued club members.
The final championship event for the season was the triples on April 12; the experienced and talented combination of Colin Burnand, Peter Puschmann and Ross Turner were simply too good in winning the men’s section. The win gave Turner, in his 47th year of bowls, three championships for
the season following earlier wins in the pairs and fours. The ladies section went to the Bev McDavitt Whyte skipped team of Genny McLeod and Maws Wahanga.
Another popular event on the club’s calendar is the Rangitahi closed tournament for club members only.
This is a free day including sumptuous lunch, with every player receiving a prize. It is made possible by the ongoing support from the Peacocke family. The day commenced with a $50 spider where players surround the green and have to get their bowl closest to a $50 note pinned to the centre of the green. Barry Dalbeth showed his accuracy to grab the money. The actual tournament consists of three games of 10 ends with the Colin Bouzaid, Barry Dalbeth and Ian Latham combination being the only three winners to win the coveted Rangitahi trophy. The day concluded with a fun quiz.
The final summer event was the vet singles on April 26; this is played in two sets of seven ends with a tie break if sets are split and so it proved in the final. John Vati had been in imperious form and met Gavin Crowley in the final. Vati took the first set and was leading the second set when the rain came and changed the pace of the green. Crowley adapted better taking the second set and dominated the tie break to take the title.
The club now looks forward to their four winter open tournaments but of course still has rollups every Wednesday and Saturday to which anyone is welcome to come and join in.
For more information about becoming a bowler and enjoying the friendliness of our club call Alan Price on 021 456751.
Raglan surfers impress at Gisborne Junior Pro
young surfers delivered standout performances at the 2025 Sequence Surf Shop Gisborne Junior Pro, with Theo Morse claiming a decisive win in the Under 18 Boys final.
Held at Kaiaua Bay, the prestigious comp drew top junior talent from across Aotearoa. Despite changing conditions, Whāingaroa surfers impressed with style, power and composure.
Morse dominated the Under 18 final with highimpact surfing and sharp rail work, edging out fierce competition to take the title. “It’s always special representing Raglan and getting a result like this,” he said.
In the Under 14s, Jaxon Pardoe scored an 8.5 ride—the highest in his division—earning him a $100 prize and fourth place overall. Madeline Smith took third in the Under 14 Girls, also winning best manoeuvre for her division. Alani Morse placed third in the Under 16 Girls after a strong early run.
From podium finishes to breakout rides, Raglan’s junior surfers proved they’re a force on the national stage.
With talent and determination on full display, the next generation from Whāingaroa is clearly on the rise.
Theo Morse (left) claimed the Under 18 Boys title at the 2025 Sequence Surfshop Gisborne Junior Pro. Iamge: NZ Surfing Magazine.
Western 1000 winning team from Claudelands Kevin Quinton skip, Terry Green Sponsorship Manager, Bill Barwood three, Dave Campbell two and George Davidson lead.
Men’s Under 5 years pairs winners Bill King and Norm Burnand.
Men’s pairs winners Ross Turner and Les Schlager.
Ladies under 5 years pairs winners Genny McLeod and Anne Burnand.
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