My Account
RSA’s poppy pin ups – Anzac poppies bought on the Hibiscus Coast are likely to have passed through the hands of women from the Women’s Section of the Hibiscus Coast Community RSA who put in thousands of pins. Those poppy pinners included, clockwise, from left, Sylvia Hall, Carol Lee, Sheryn Ferguson, Brenda Brown and Jocelyn Stubbing.
You might think in these days of automation that the pins which hold that Anzac poppy to your chest are put there by a machine.
But no – each is pinned in place by hand, and on the Hibiscus Coast a large share of this work falls to members of the Women’s Section of the Hibiscus Coast Community RSA.
Every year the group spends a portion of its April meeting putting around 4000 pins into 4000 poppies, readying them for sale on Friday, April 20.
While the women are happy to do the work, which is done in sociable groups around tables at the RSA in Vipond Road, some murmur about wishing the RSA would come up with another way of attaching the poppies other than pins, to save them the job.
Along with the repetitive task of putting pins in place, the search for dropped pins on the carpet also takes time, especially when your vision is limited.
The women’s section of the RSA currently has more than 230 members. Thirty-one of those are over the age of 90 – if you’re over 90, membership is free. Some, but by no means all the women, joined because their husbands or partners were in the armed forces. The group is open to any women and is very sociable. They even have their own song!
Monthly meetings are held at the RSA with entertainment or a speaker and attract 70-85 members each time. The group also raises money for charity with a trading table.
Women’s war stories told
A documentary about women who served in World War II, made by local filmmaker David Blyth, will screen on Maori TV on Anzac Day, April 25. The documentary consists of interviews with five women, who share their memories of the war. It opens with the story of Doris Coppell of Arkles Bay, who has since died. She served in the Women’s Royal Naval Service. It will be on Maori TV at 9am.
Poppy pop-in
Estuary Arts Centre is opening its doors to anyone who would like to make poppies on Anzac Day, April 25. The drop in session runs from 10am to 1pm at the centre, on Hibiscus Coast Highway, Orewa. Participants can take as long as they need to make their poppy – a small amount of tuition is offered. The cost is $5 per poppy. Info: www.estuaryarts.org or phone 426 5570.
