The opportunity to attend an ANZAC service in the Upper Clutha this year will be limited to just two dawn services but the annual fundraising Poppy Day will proceed as usual on Friday, April 22.

On Monday April 25, Hāwea will host its regular Dawn Service at the memorial above the dam at 7:00am. At the same time, Wānaka will also host a reduced format Dawn Service at the end of Helwick Street on the Roys Bay foreshore.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings and the current spread of the pandemic, the Upper Clutha branch of the Returned and Services’ Association (RSA) has decided not proceed with all the regular services.

Hāwea’s Dawn Service will begin at 7:00am. PHOTO: Supplied

This means Wānaka’s primary civic service traditionally held in the Lake Wānaka Centre, and the briefer Laying of Poppies service at Wānaka’s Cenotaph, will not proceed this year. There will also be no Tiger Moth flypast.

The Wānaka Dawn Service will include guest speaker Zoe Learmonth, a Year 13 student from Mount Aspiring College, and national anthems sung by Jen Anderson. 

Wānaka local bugler David Leslie will perform the Last Post and Reveille at the Wānaka service and guest piper Clifford Hiscoke from Alexandra will also perform.

The annual Poppy Day street appeal will go ahead on the Friday (April 22) before ANZAC Day with collection points manned by volunteers at various sites in Wānaka’s town centre.

The traditional march to Wānaka’s cenotaph for the laying of poppies will not  occur this year. PHOTO: Wānaka App

The national RSA stated the focus of this year’s ANZAC services was to remind New Zealanders that while the RSA was an old organisation not every member is old and younger veterans also needed support.

Although the RSA was established over 100 years ago with the purpose of taking care of New Zealand’s soldiers returning from Gallipoli, in the last three decades alone, 30,000 New Zealanders under the age of 50 have become veterans.

“While today’s soldiers face different challenges, our support to them and their whānau continues,” the RSA said.

Online donations to the RSA can also be made here.