Club Profile

Membership of the Napier Club is comprised of New Zealanders who live in Hawkes Bay, which is situated on the East Coast of the North Island of New Zealand; Napier and Hastings being the twin cities central to this district. Hawkes Bay Wine Country is New Zealand's leading food and wine region. With over 2200 hours of sunshine, Hawkes Bay is a year-round holiday destination with an eclectic mix of visual and sensory experiences.

Official Club Name: The Friendship Force of Napier
Club President: Michael Lott
Club Address: c/- The President , 7 Claridge Place, Greenmeadows, Napier 4112.
Telephone: 0064-06-8453961 email: Mike

Brief History of the Club

The Napier Club was one of the first four foundation clubs set up in New Zealand. Established in 1983, the Club hosted their first New Zealand Conference in February 1986. The Napier Club's first Inbound Exchange took place in April 1983, when 62 ambassadors arrived from Santa Fe and Albuquerque, New Mexico. In May of 1984, 31 Ambassadors left Napier on their Club's first Outbound Exchange to Oklahoma and Albuquerque.

Composition of the Club

At present the Napier Club is comprised of 39 members. Of these, 14 are couples, while eight are single females and three are single males. The majority have been members since the Club began, which puts the median age of Club members at approximately 70 years. However, age is certainly not a governing factor, as several of the most active participants, particularly those taking part in outbound exchanges, are well into their 80s.
Members of the Napier Club live in the Twin Cities of Napier and Hastings, which are 15 kms apart, and in their surrounding suburbs, principally those of Taradale and Havelock North, as well as in the surrounding countryside.
While the Club does not possess it own rooms, regular meetings are held bi-monthly on the fourth Monday of the month, in conjunction with a dinner at the Taradale RSA. The Napier Club Board members meet in alternate months, at the home of one of the Board members taken in rotation. Members also arrange a social function in alternate months.
These days, in view of the high cost of travel insurance, many of the longer serving members now prefer to be more involved in home hosting. Therefore, while the Napier Club is happy to receive one or two Inbound Exchanges each year, it is unlikely that Club Members could support more than one Outbound Exchange in the same time frame.

How to find us:

Access to Napier is simplest by air. There is an hourly service to Napier by twin turbo prop aircraft of Air New Zealand from the principal cities of Auckland and Wellington. Flight time is just under one hour. The Hawkes Bay climate is such that visual approaches to the airport are rarely, if ever, affected by the weather. The Napier airport itself is just a 5 minute drive from the Napier CBD, while there is an Expressway linking Hastings with Napier, making the two CBDs just 20 minutes apart by road. Napier is less than a two hour drive from its nearest provincial neighbouring cities of, Taupo and Palmerston North, and under three hours by road from Gisborne, the next closest city. Wellington is a five hour drive away and Auckland a six hour drive. Intercity coaches provide.

About the Region

Located on the east coast of the North Island, the landscapes of Hawkes Bay begin with the high, forested Ruahine and Kaweka Ranges. From the mountains the land sweeps down towards the coast, flattening out to become the Heretaunga Plains. A number of wide rivers, excellent for fishing, run swiftly to meet the blue Pacific Ocean and glorious beaches which stretch from Mahia in the north to Porangahau in the south. Hawkes Bay is the country's oldest winemaking region and is New Zealand's leading producer of award winning red wines. Hawkes Bay is also home to a world-class concentration of Art Deco architecture, fresh local produce and artisan food producers complemented by a vibrant arts scene and a rich Maori culture. The region also hosts a number of 'must see' events throughout the year. Hawkes Bay is a region of contrasts with a diverse range of things to see and do. For families enjoying the sun, there are golden sand beaches, the Splash Planet water theme park, and crystal clear rivers to explore. Visit the National Aquarium of New Zealand, swim with dolphins or view the largest most accessible mainland Gannet colony in the world. For the mild to wild adventurer take a jet boat or cycle between wineries. Experience hot air ballooning at sunrise or surfing in Mahia. Paraglide off Te Mata Peak, hike or take a leisurely journey along one of the 17 heritage trails around the region. You can hunt in the ranges, fish for brown and rainbow trout or play golf at one of the 20 local courses. Whether it is the fresh bud burst of spring, long hot languid days of summer, the golden hues of harvest or crisp air and blue skies of winter, Hawke's Bay Wine Country is waiting to be discovered. For further information on Hawkes Bay and the twin cities of Napier and Hastings, please visit the following websites:www.hawkesbaynz.com; www.napier.nz.com; www.cityofhastings.co.nz

What to expect

The Club President and the Exchange Director together with hosts, will meet ambassadors at the Napier airport or Travel Centre, from where they will be transported to their respective homes. As the primary aim is for people to meet people, we do organise a fairly full programme of activities. We plan for at least one excursion together as a group, and at least one official dinner. In addition, there are informal functions such as barbecues, progressive or pot luck dinners, depending on the time of the year.
We also try to arrange a formal Mayoral reception at some stage. There are many places of interest to visit throughout Hawkes Bay and any tours are usually planned as a group activity. Hosts also arrange informal gatherings in private homes, where groups of perhaps eight to twelve will gather for a meal. The exchange committee tries to work out a programme which fully occupies the week while keeping within a budget, but also allows a balance between activities while also providing sufficient free time for interpersonal exchanges.