Welcome to our City
Official club name: The Friendship Force Of Christchurch
Closest major airport: Christchurch International
Cost of transportation between airport and city:No cost as Hosts meet Ambassadors in cars. The airport is only 10km from the city centre.
The maximum number of Ambassadors able to be hosted:30 - 35
Club Profile
TFF Christchurch was formed in late 1984 and there are now approximately 130 members.
The club is happy to host up to 3 inward exchanges and have 1 outward exchange annually. We have also hosted specialist exchanges [eg teachers, golfers etc] and a festival group of 150.
Our monthly newsletter keeps members [and all other New Zealand clubs] informed of club activities.
Each month we generally have some activity involving exchanges or a social event for members
Our Country
Christchurch is New Zealand third city and the largest in the South Island with a population of 320,000.
With rainfall averaging only 660mm and 2000 hours of sunshine annually, it has a very agreeable,temperate climate and when allied with the naturally fertile soils,it is particularly apt that Christchurch is called "the Garden City".
While winters can be frosty, they are generally fairly dry and snow seldom falls in the city.
Historically, New Zealand is a young country is just over 150 years since Christchurch was settled by people from UK. Today this attractive city of parks, gardens, and trees supports professional theatre, music and the arts as well as being the home of many keen sports people. Year round outdoor activities include winter skiing, climbing, walking and mountain biking on Banks Peninsula and in the nearby mountains. There is also jet boating and fishing on the many rivers as well as the usual team sports like football, cricket, tennis, golf etc while water sports opportunities abound with yachting popular on river estuaries and harbours. Tourism is now New Zealands No 2 earner behind farm produce (wool, meat, dairy products etc) and Christchurch is the main gateway to the South Island resorts, the best in the country.
About the exchange:
About the exchange: Our hosts meet and greet their ambassadors at either the airport, the railway station or the bus depot. There are no difficulties with meeting at any of these venues and all three are easily accessible and close to the city centre.
Our primary emphasis is for the host family to get to know their ambassadors, but we usually have two group days out of the city in addition to a civic welcome by the mayor or deputy followed by a tree planting ceremony at a newly developed park on the outskirts of the city.
Evening neighbourhood "pot luck" group dinners give the ambassadors an opportunity to meet other club members and friends in their homes while the farewell party is a popular occasion for all the club.
We usually ask for incoming visits to be in the late spring (late October or November) or else late summer into early autumn (February, March)
If the ambassadors request or are offered a special activity not covered by the exchange committee, this is sometimes arranged in advance between the two exchange directors at an extra cost to the ambassadors. Some have been very popular harbour cruises, jet boating, alpine rail trip.
Click here for the Christchurch Info Page
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