Summer Gathering 2019-20
The 2019-20 Summer Gathering was held at Wainui Heights, a YMCA Camp on Akaroa harbour, from 28 December 2019 to 3 January 2020.
The gathering ran for six nights at the YMCA Wainui Heights Conference Centre at Wainui Bay which is about 1km back from the water’s edge of the beautiful Akaroa Harbour. The Akaroa township is about 25 min drive away. This steep hillside site is surrounded by native bush and birdsong, with shady walking trails. About 90 Friends enjoyed a wonderful time together, with outings, games, good food, and fellowship. Our theme was Kindness, and we had a series of Meditations to guide our thoughts. Anyone wanting a copy of these Meditations documents, please contact Derek at: derek@carver.net.nz If enough Friends wish, we could put them up as a downloadable file on this website.
Theme – “KINDNESS to OURSELVES, to OTHERS and to the PLANET”
KEY INFORMATION
To register for Summer Gathering
click on this link to download the Registration Form.
For how to fill in the form go here.
Do not leave your registration too late!!
The last date for the discounted rate is 1 November.
The closing date for SG 2019 registrations is 1 December.
Arrival Time at SG:
Reception opens at 2:00pm on 28 December, and the first meal is dinner at 5:30pm that evening.
Emergency Contact
An emergency contact name and phone number will be included in a second information sheet to be sent in November to all those registered for SG. This will enable other Friends to have a message relayed to those at Summer Gathering, as there is no mobile coverage at Wainui Heights.
How to get there
You will need to allow at least 90 minutes to drive over the winding scenic hilly road from Christchurch City to Wainui. For electric cars, there is a fast EV charger at Little River.
Wainui Heights is at: 172°53'39"E/43°48'45"S
The regular bus service (run by Red Bus) leaves the Airport at 8:30am daily and picks up at various city locations (hotels and bus depots) and goes over to Akaroa. If you were on that bus, we would meet you at Barrys Bay (let us know). The bus is $50 pp for return trip; see: redbus akaroa shuttle/.
For those who are travelling to Christchurch by public transport (plane, bus, train) and not able to use the regular bus as above, we intend to provide a subsidy for the cost of transport by minibus from the city to Wainui on the 28th December and back to Christchurch on 3 January. If you wish to use such transport, you will need to clearly specify this on the Registration Form – or by email to us. ( summer.gathering.nz@gmail.com )
Bunkrooms and camping
The main building, except for one 12 bunk family room, has four bunks to each room, ie 2 up and 2 down, each room with its own ensuite. There are also general-use toilets in the main building, and campers will be allocated to the many ensuite rooms for showers.
The main buildings have a maximum of 88 bunks (half are top bunks), so allowing for campers, we may need to limit total numbers to 110 Friends.
There is adequate access beside the main building for mobility impaired.
Limited camping space is available on the terraced grounds, with very limited electric supply. There are no standard caravan points, and the handful of 3-pin plugs may be 30 metres away.
We will hire portaloos to take care of camper’s night time needs.
Catering
Marion Leighton will once again be heading the food team, with a vegetarian menu, with small amounts of dairy and eggs. Meat portions for dinner must be pre-ordered on the Registration Form at an extra cost. (see explanation below).
Wifi and Mobile Coverage
Wainui Heights does not have mobile coverage or Wifi. The nearest is at Duvauchelle, 12km away, outside the pub.
PROGRAMME & ACTIVITIES
We will have a programme in three streams: talking, craft and active.
The Camp has adventure activities suitable for people of all ages, such as archery, flying fox, high ropes, orienteering, enviro study. These will require the supervision of a registered instructor which will incur a charge. However, we will put some of the selected activities into the programme as part of the SG budget. There will be other activities with no added cost, such as bush and hill walks, the waterslide and the beach.
The Wainui Heights venue does not have a swimming pool – it’s 1km to the beach.
The six nights includes five full days, and on the middle day Dec 31 st we will have a picnic at Akaroa, with more vigorous options for those wanting to walk or climb in the hills. That evening, we will have games and entertainment until midnight.
HOW TO REGISTER
Explanation of Registration Form – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY
- One Form can cover a full family, but please fill in a line on the Form for each person.
- Details: Even when the cost is free (for those under 18yrs), we really need to know their details and choices - age, food, accomm, offers, etc. Please tick your choices.
- Top bunks: Half the bunks are top bunks with a ladder. Please be sure to write in each person’s choice for top bunks: “Want to”, “Can do”, “Can’t”. We may not be able to satisfy all wishes.
Meat Vouchers: Please decide and show on the Form how many meat portion vouchers each person wishes to purchase – we have 6 dinners at SG.
For those with prepaid vouchers, we plan to provide lamb on 2 nights, beef on 2 nights, and chicken on 2 nights. On the Form, enter L for Lamb, B for Beef, and C for Chicken. For example, entering 2L+1B+1C means you have paid for 4 vouchers.
- Special Food Needs: If you have special food needs, tick the box and one of our food team will contact you to discuss your needs.
- Transport: If you need transport from Christchurch to Wainui, please specify in the box on the Registration Form (lower left).
- Interest groups: If you wish to offer an Interest Group, please tick on the Form.
- Payments: When making online payments, show your name in Reference.
- Discount: Note the discount of $30 per adult for registrations before 1 November.
- Duty Groups: The Form has columns for your choices of Duty Group. Choose from:
- Willing to do anything
- Breakfast set-up
- Breakfast clear-up and dishes
- Lunch set-up
- Lunch clear-up and dishes
- Dinner set-up
- Dinner clear-up and dishes
- Cooks dishes
- Kitchen helper
- Veges preparation
- Cleaning dining and conference rooms
- Cleaning general use toilets
- Grounds / rubbish, & green waste disposal
LOCATION MAP:
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WHAT TO BRING:
(LABEL your items with your name)
Your own pillow and pillow case
Sleeping bag or sheets and duvet
Towels and hand-towels
Any essential medications / special dietary foods
Your clothes, toiletries for a week away, earplugs
Torch
Sunscreen, sunhat, sun-glasses, insect repellent
Raincoat and warm jacket
Swimming togs (Akaroa Harbour), walking shoes.
Water bottle for walks
Musical instruments if you wish to play in the New Year’s Eve Band or final concert.
Clothes/aprons you can get dirty for craft work etc.
ADDITIONAL OPTIONS: you may also like to bring
Stout boots for vigorous hill walks -well, not for everybody.
Washing powder and/or soap for washing/handwashing clothes. Bring pegs. Two washing machines and a drying room are available.
Mat (for yoga or sitting on the ground)
Folding outdoor chair
Outdoor or indoor games equipment, board games
CD/music, songs/ poems etc. to share
Sketching pad and pens
Having your own coffee mug would be useful.
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A second information sheet will be sent in November to all those registered for SG.
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THE SG TEAM:
Derek Carver, Margaret Mouat-Carver, David Minifie, Deborah Williams, Brian Curtis, Cam Odlin.
Event Details
Derek Carver