The Stokes Valley Christmas Parade

3rd December 2023

Kia ora e te whānau,

We were definitely blessed with the weather for the very much anticipated  annual Stokes Valley Christmas Parade on Saturday!

It was an early start for our merry band of staff who pitched up  to dress the truck with some amazing pictures (the artwork created by Mrs Dorgan was really exquisite!) a Christmas tree, presents, and even Bruce the Moose who decided that he was going to come along too for the ride!

The Meri Kirimete/Merry Christmas sign was a wonderful example of collaboration and mahi from each of the classes who decorated the letters!

Once the 12.00pm siren soundedt, it was off down Stokes Valley Road along with all the other fantastic floats! It was lovely to see some of our Tawhai ākonga on other floats too! There were so many ex Tawhai students as well watching and cheering the Tawhai float from the pavements!

A HUGE thank you to the team of Miss Sissons & Mrs Dorgan for all your hard mahi and many hours organising, making things, painting, etc.

A BIG thank you to all those who have either helped the team leading up to the day, dressed the truck, and supported the tamariki on the truck;  Karen Poole, Sharon Boese, Lynley Poole, Janette Page, Annelise Auker,  Lloyd Laurent, and all the classes who decorated the letters.

Lastly we could not do this without ex Tawhai parent, Dan Newman who for the last several years has not only been able to provide us with a truck courtesy of TR Trucks Ltd, Rental Trucks (Thank you TR Trucks) but has drove it for us too! A Massive thank you Dan! We really appreciate it. It was a fantastic truck! Mrs Poole, Miss Page, Miss Sissons, and Miss Auker were able to enjoy the ride too with all our tamariki.

Below are more than a few photos of our Tawhai float, our tamariki who got to ride in it in style, plus captures of other Tawhai tamariki who were either on other floats or watching from the pavement!