Matariki 2023: Remembering Mary Geddes

Mary Annabella Geddes was a pioneer of service to women. As a daughter of Ngāti Toro (Ngāpuhi) she remained proud of her Māori heritage, passing her values and identity to the following generations.

Purewa Receives the Green Award for Water Conservation

Purewa Receives the Green Award for Water Conservation. The Green Award acknowledges Purewa’s rainwater harvesting project. The program began in 2021 by reroofing the chapels to allow the collection of rainwater into three 30,000 litre tanks, which Purewa then uses to water the cemetery’s flowering kidney-shaped gardens.

Anzac Day 2023: Remembering Walter Batty

Tongan New Zealander Walter Batty left New Zealand as a 35-year-old to fight in the New Zealand Artillery 6 Field Regiment in North Africa, where he fought against Rommel’s Panzers in Operation Crusader. His selfless actions in that campaign earned him a Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) for his single-handed combat against German tanks.

Waitangi Day 2023 - A Time to Remember A Shared History