Waipu wows with car & bike show

What a great innovation was the Waipu Car and Bike show at Easter 2016. Waipu Lions amassed the support of the community to stage a fundraiser at the Caledonian grounds with the hope it might become an annual event.

This year it was moved to Waitangi Weekend and, with word getting around and an even greater level of support from the community and sponsors, a line-up of 437 cars and over 100 bikes cruised into the grounds in a display that had to be seen to be appreciated.

The line-up included a number of oldies, built before most of the spectators were born, to classics which had become family members to their owners who rebuilt and preened them to the nth degree.

Even for those who are not petrolheads, cars of some type or other imbue memories of special places and stages of almost all our lives.

Waipu really turned on the weather for the crowd who at times jostled for seating in the shade. Waipu Lions worked hard preparing hot dogs, mussel fritters and chips but still ran out just as the day ended.

Lions Chairman Peter Blanch paid tribute to the Bream Bay College parents and pupils who helped on the day and though a final tally has yet to be done, significant donations will go to Bream Bay College for an educational trip to Japan, the music group ‘the Panimals’ tour to Australia, and the Waipu Playcentre.