Ymca Nelson 1860-2010

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YMCA Nelson 150 years of building strong kids, strong families and strong communities in the Nelson Region

1860 - 2010

R Bester

Me whakahangaia hangaia e mĀtou, i ngĀ tamariki, i ngĀ whĀnau, i ngĀ hapori e

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This book is copyright. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. ISBN: 978-0-473-15185-0 © 2009 René Bester Cover art by Andrea Howat Cover design by Jabez Cho, Design Plus, 38A Wiltshire Pl, Auckland First published in 2009 Published by YMCA Nelson, 156 Toi Toi Street, P.O. Box 355, Nelson www.nelsonymca.org.nz

and History & More, P.O. Box 563, Nelson www.historyandmore.co.nz

Printed by Anchor Press Ltd. 58 Collingwood Street P.O. Box 977 Nelson, 7040 Printed in New Zealand

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Contents Preface …………………………………………………………………………...page 7 Foreword by Paul LeGros ……………………………………………………….page 8 Introduction: 1860 - 1920 The first sixty years of the YMCA in Nelson …………..……………………….page 9 Chapter One: 1920 - 1987 Sport and the Bridge Street Stadium …………………………………………...page 21 Chapter Two: The beliefs and values of the YMCA ………..…………………………………page 43 Chapter Three: 1965 - 1987 Accommodation, Camps and New Programmes……………………………….page 49 Chapter Four: 1988 - 2000 Hope for a struggling organisation ……………………………….…………….page 64 Chapter Five: International links ………………………………………………………………page 69 Chapter Six: 2000 - 2008 The YMCA in the twenty-first century ………………………………………...page 73 Epilogue: 2009-2010 Approaching 150………………………………………………………………..page 87 Appendix: Current Board members of the YMCA Nelson ………………………………...page 89 Acknowledgements …………………………………………………………….page 90 Bibliography ……………………………………………………………………page 91

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PREFACE It has been a great privilege for me, over the last few months, to gain an insight into the work of the YMCA in the Nelson region over the last hundred and fifty years, especially through the personal stories that people have shared with me of their involvement with the YMCA over the last eight decades. Through these stories, I have discovered that although the activities of the YMCA in Nelson has been extremely varied - from gymnastics and axe swinging to camps, education and social work - the impact of these YMCA activities has been life-changing to many. This booklet focuses largely on the history of the YMCA in the Nelson Region in the last thirty years or so. But to fully understand the YMCA’s more recent history, it is necessary to go to back to the very beginning. The introduction gives an overview of the YMCA’s beginnings in Nelson, from 1860 to 1920. Chapter One focuses on the role of the well-known Bridge Street Stadium, built in 1920 and demolished in 1987. Chapter Two takes a brief look at the values of the YMCA from the very beginning right through to the present. Chapter Three considers some of the events and programmes run by the YMCA from 1965 through to the late 1980s, including the role of the Y’s men’s club (service club to the YMCA). Chapter Four considers the changes and new initiatives by the YMCA in the Nelson Region from 1987 through to the year 2000. Chapter Five takes a look at how the YMCA in Nelson fits into the international framework of the YMCA as an organisation, and Chapter Six considers the role of the YMCA in Nelson in the twenty-first century. Finally, the Epilogue reflects on the YMCA in Nelson as it approaches its one hundred and fifty year anniversary. As we approach the one hundred and fifty year anniversary of the YMCA in Nelson and take some time to reflect on the organisation’s past, I hope it will be recognised that the role of the organisation today, identifying community needs and responding with appropriate programmes, is not a new phenomenon, but in fact a 150 year old tradition. René Bester, May 2009

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FOREWORD By Paul LeGros, past President and current Board member of the YMCA Nelson

This booklet encapsulates a history of the YMCA as a perpetual part of Nelson’s community, recognising many of those who have contributed as staff, volunteers and participants over the past 150 years. They have steered the YMCA through various economic and social climates resulting in a YMCA of today that is vibrant and actively involved in responding to community needs by working with all sectors of the community, emphasising education and empowerment of youth and working towards a more equitable society, recognising the cultural identities of the Nelson community, and implementing programmes that encourage individual growth and development within a YMCA values-based environment. Paul LeGros, May 2009

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INTRODUCTION: 1860-1920 The first sixty years of the YMCA in Nelson

The formation of the YMCA in Nelson was lead by Robert Black, Robert Lucas, J.M. Hill, H.C. Daniell and Henry Drew, who officially founded the Young Men’s Christian Association in Nelson on 2 November 1860.

‘We trust that the young men of Nelson will come forward and join this Association, which is formed for their social, literary and religious improvement.’ Excerpt from The Colonist newspaper, November 1860.

The foundation of the YMCA in Nelson would not have been possible without the foundation of the YMCA in London and its subsequent spread all around the world.

Robert Lucas, one of the founders of the YMCA in Nelson. He also established the Nelson Evening Mail in 1865.

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THE FOUNDATION OF THE YMCA IN LONDON The Young Men’s Christian Association was founded in London by a group of about twelve young men, headed by George Williams, on 6 June 1844. The events in George’s life that led to this point, which have affected the lives of millions of people worldwide since then, are fascinating. George Williams was born in 1821 on a farm near Dulverton, England, and left school at age thirteen to work on his family’s farm. Being declared unsuitable for the farming business by his older brothers after a horse and cart accident, George was sent to the town of Bridgwater, to work as an apprentice in a drapery shop. Even though he had been brought up in the Church of England, George described himself as ‘a careless, thoughtless, godless, swearing young fellow.’ However, his apprenticeship contract included a clause requiring his regular attendance at the local Zion Congregational Church. Partly due to the influence of his more spiritual peers and hearing a sermon on the importance of a clean, spiritual life given by Reverend Evan James, George Williams gave his life to God in 1837 with a simple prayer at the back of the drapery shop where he worked. © Claire Gregory, 2009

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He became a full member of the church on 14 February 1838, feeling that he had received a special calling. He believed that life was about how much he could do for others, and that he had to bring Christ to all with whom he came into contact. George finished his apprenticeship in Bridgwater aged 19, and worked in his brother Fred’s shop for six months. In 1841, Fred took George to London to get him a job with the large fabric manufacturing firm Hitchcock and Rogers, who employed about 140 young men, in St. Paul’s Churchyard, where George was able to get a job for a salary of £40 a year. As some relief from the overcrowded living conditions, with two workers per bed in small rooms holding two to three beds each, the workers frequently visited pubs, brothels and gambling houses. The combination of living away from family, the crowded living conditions and the long work hours of 7am to 9pm, created loneliness and confusion amongst the young male workers at Hitchcock and Ro

‘George Williams would never have started the Association, could never have steered it through the dangerous and troublesome years, unless he had unbounded faith in the new generation, unshaken confidence in the future which is in their hands.’ John Ernest Hodder-Williams, The Father of the Red Triangle, 1918, p.291. Rogers. Armed with his new-found faith, George Williams asked himself what he could do for these young men, and decided he wanted to change their lives by sharing his faith with them. He did this by obtaining permission from Mr. Hitchcock, the head of the firm, to hold monthly prayer and fellowship meetings in one of the upper rooms of the building, their first meeting being on 30 June 1843. By their second meeting in July, about twenty young men were coming along, this number increasing to twenty-seven by the end of 1843. From these prayer meetings sprung the idea of forming a wider Christian association with the aim of helping young men in drapery firms all across London. George Williams founded this association at a meeting on 6 June

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THE SFPRAMWYMEDOT? By the fifth meeting of George Williams’ association on 4 July 1844, a name for the association had not yet been decided on. The first suggestion for a name was The Society for Promoting the Religious and Moral Welfare of Young Men Engaged in Drapery and Other Trades. While the name they decided on in the end, the Young Men’s Christian Association, may not seem all that relevant today, it is difficult to imagine how relevant an acronym of SFPRAMWYMEDOT, or something similar, might have been if the original suggestion for the name of the association had been chosen. As Colin Taylor notes in his book, Body, Mind and Spirit, ‘while it seems there was some initial uncertainty and confusion as to what name the association adopted at the 4 July 1844 meeting, it is certain that the Young Men’s Christian Association finally triumphed, contributing in no small measure to the association’s survival to the present day.’ (pp.25-26.)

1844, as part of a group of twelve young men. In a letter to John C. Symons (one of the founding members of the YMCA who later moved to Australia), Williams later claimed that he was not the founder of the YMCA, but that God had used him to take the initial step towards forming the association. While there were other religious societies set up in England around the same time as the foundation of the YMCA, with the similar aim of helping young men, they were no match for the YMCA, whose success was attributed to its evangelical focus and interdenominational structure. Mr. James Smith was a personal friend of George Williams and one of the twelve founding members of the YMCA, and chaired the YMCA London committee. He later moved to Wellington, New Zealand, and established a branch of the YMCA there. By the late 1840s, a man called Richard Barcham Shalders joined the YMCA in London and became a committee member, frequently associating with Williams. A few years later he immigrated to Auckland, New Zealand, and founded the first YMCA in New Zealand.

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George Williams, c. 1845 © YMCA Archives, Sir George Williams in his later years. © National Portrait Gallery, London University of Birmingham

THE WORLDWIDE SPREAD OF THE YMCA The year 1849 saw the spread of the YMCA to countries outside of England, starting with Ireland in May 1849. By 1850, there were 1,500 members of the YMCA in London, and 2,700 across Great Britain. Between 1850 and 1855, the YMCA spread right around the world, to Australia, Canada, America (which included a special branch of the YMCA for black Americans by 1853), Italy, France, Switzerland, Holland, Belgium, India and New Zealand. The spread of the YMCA was aided greatly by the Great Exhibition held in London between May and October 1851, attended by six million people from around the world, which allowed the early leaders of the YMCA to present their message to the world, distributing about 362,000 tracts and brochures and holding over 550 meetings with interested young men from around the world. By the time the YMCA was established in New Zealand in 1855, the World Conference of YMCAs had been held in Paris, establishing a confederation that later turned into the World Alliance of YMCAs. The resolution which later became known as the Paris Basis, which defined the YMCA mission was adopted at this Conference:

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‘The Young Men’s Christian Associations seek to unite those young men who, regarding Jesus Christ as their God and Saviour, according to the Holy Scriptures, desire to be His disciples in their faith and in their life, and to associate their efforts for the extension of his Kingdom among young men. Any differences of opinion on other subjects, however important in themselves, shall not interfere with the harmonious relations of the constituent members and associates of the World Alliance.’ THE GREAT EXHIBITION, LONDON, 1851: The first Great Exhibition was organised by Prince Albert and took place in Hyde Park, London from May to October, 1851. Its purpose was to showcase the best manufactured goods in the world and to demonstrate Britain’s superiority. The Great Exhibition took place in a specially designed glass and iron structure known as the Crystal Palace. The Victoria and Albert Museum was subsequently established as a place to permanently exhibit the goods displayed at the Great Exhibition. The Great Exhibition was attended by people from all over the world, and greatly aided the worldwide spread of the YMCA. The Opening of the Great Exhibition by Henry Selous © V&A Museum, London, No. 329-1889

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THE YMCA IN NEW ZEALAND: Unlike European countries, New Zealand was a very young colony when the YMCA was established in London, and with large numbers of British citizens migrating to New Zealand from 1840, the establishment of the YMCA in New Zealand seemed like a natural part of the process of transplanting the British home culture in the new colony. The New Zealand YMCA could claim a strong connection to George Williams, being founded in Auckland by Richard Shalders who had served on the YMCA London committee with Williams, and in Wellington by James Smith, one of the twelve founding members of the YMCA and a personal friend of George Williams. Shalders had assisted the London YMCA during the Great Exhibition in 1851 by handing out tracts, at least until September 1851, when he left London to prepare for his voyage to New Zealand in October 1851. He and his wife arrived in Auckland in March 1852. Shalders used the same method of handing out tracts to young men on the streets to invite them to meetings at his home from 1853. Shalders’ invitation to young men in Auckland, April 1853.

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In the same way that George Williams’ prayer and fellowship meetings led to the founding of the YMCA in London, Shalders’ scripture conversational classes for youths led to the establishment of the first YMCA in New Zealand. The reverse side of Shalders’ invitation, April 1853. Six young men showed up to his first ‘scripture conversational class’ in May 1853, and it soon became known as the ‘Young Men’s Bible Class’, with the number of young men attending increasing to thirty. It was suggested at a meeting of Wesleyan Sunday School teachers in 1855, which Shalders attended, that meetings for reading the published lectures of the YMCA should be organised. Shalders volunteered to form an association for young men to fulfil this purpose. At the first meeting of Shalders’ association, Shalders gave a lecture on ‘the rise, progress, and influence of the London Association’, and the Auckland YMCA was officially established. James Smith arrived in Wellington around the same time that Shalders officially established the YMCA in Auckland, and established a YMCA in Wellington soon afterwards.

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THE YMCA IN NELSON: With the YMCA Auckland already established in New Zealand, Robert Black, Robert Lucas, J.M. Hill, H.C. Daniell and Henry Drew started meeting together in Nelson from August 1860 to explore the possibility of establishing a YMCA in Nelson. They put a note in the local paper, The Colonist, declaring their intention to form a Young Men’s Christian Association in Nelson, with the hope that it would ‘meet with the approbation, co-operation, and support of all persons who feel interested in the mental, moral, and spiritual condition of the young men of Nelson.’ By September 1860 they had held ‘the first devotional meeting’ of the YMCA, with additional Bible classes being held on Sunday afternoons. Reverend Biss, a Baptist Minister in Nelson, was invited to attend one of these early meetings to explain the workings of the YMCA Auckland, and on 2 November 1860 the YMCA was officially formed in Nelson, with about thirty people enrolled as members. They intended to open a reading room and a library, which people who were not members of the YMCA could use for a small quarterly fee. They also intended to continue with the Sunday afternoon Bible classes and the devotional meetings during the week. An announcement of the formation of the YMCA in Nelson in The Colonist expressed the wish that ‘the young men of Nelson will come forward and join this Association, which is formed for their social, literary and religious improvement.’ A new hall for the YMCA in Nelson was formally opened in Bridge Street in September 1861, and by June 1862 the YMCA Nelson opened reading rooms and a library in their new hall for use by the public. The hall was also used for meetings and lectures in Nelson throughout the 1860s, but by 1869 the YMCA hall was for sale. It is thought that the YMCA Nelson established their headquarters elsewhere in Nelson, from where the association continued to develop. While not much is known about the YMCA in Nelson between the late 1860s and the mid-1910s, there were two newsworthy events which occurred during that time. One was a visit to Nelson by a well-known evangelist, Dr. Somerville, who gave a lecture in Nelson on the topic of “The

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Bible for the World” in 1878. After his lecture, he addressed 100 young men on the objectives of the YMCA. The other newsworthy YMCA event was the YMCA Nelson’s eighth annual Christian conference on New Year’s Day, 1881. INTO THE 20th CENTURY: THE YMCA NELSON CONTINUES While details of most of the YMCA events that occurred in Nelson in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century are unfortunately no longer available, the following photo from Kelvin Gay’s collection gives us an interesting insight into the types of events organised by the YMCA in Nelson. The photo, dated 4 March 1916, captures a garden party which took place in Nelson’s botanic gardens – one of the more cheerful events during the dismal First World War years, when quite a number of men from Nelson were serving overseas.

Y.M.C.A. Garden Party, Nelson, New Zealand, 4 March 1916.

By the end of World War One, it was thought that the role of the YMCA in Nelson was far different than before the war. It was hoped that the YMCA would meet the needs of soldiers who returned from the war. This change in

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direction for the YMCA marked the start of an aspect of the YMCA Nelson that would continue throughout the twentieth and into the twenty-first century – the process of continually assessing needs in society and adapting accordingly. In July 1919 a YMCA Nelson provisional committee was set up, which attracted one hundred and thirty charter members by August. The purpose of the YMCA was to produce good character in boys and young men. At a public meeting in Nelson on 21 July 1919, it was pointed out that not much was done for boys and young men up to the age of 26, and the YMCA would fill this gap. The first meeting of the charter members of the Nelson branch of the YMCA was held at the City Council Chambers on 14 August 1919. At this meeting a constitution was adopted and a Board of Directors appointed. It was proposed that a property should be purchased in the town centre on which to build a YMCA building to house a library, writing room, billiard room and gymnasium. Because of the costs involved (approximately £9,000) a building campaign would be necessary to raise the funds. The first Board of Directors meeting took place on 26 August 1919, at which it was decided that a building By September 1919, the YMCA Nelson had three branches: campaign would be launched in Octo1) Nelson ber. A special committee was set to 2) Richmond oversee the property and building 3) Wakefield plans. The YMCA Nelson became in- These three branches met tocorporated, opened a bank account with gether regularly and shared BNZ and became affiliated with the their profits and expenses. National Committee of the YMCA. The YMCA had done much for soldiers overseas during World War One, and the work of the YMCA was well known among soldiers. At the first official meeting of the YMCA in Nelson in August 1919, it was decided that free YMCA membership would be extended to returning soldiers in Nelson to show them that the YMCA continued to be interested in their wellbeing. A memorial to fallen World War One soldiers was secured, and the building

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campaign was postponed until March 1920 because of the efforts involved with the returned soldiers. Early in 1920 a property was secured in Bridge Street with a £200 deposit from Mr. H.E. Nightingale, who was on the Board of Directors. The building campaign included a ‘Campaign Week’ from 10-20 September 1920, and through the fundraising efforts of the campaign, the Bridge Street property was paid for by the end of November 1920. Although a site for the YMCA was secured, the building of the hall continued until 1922, and the YMCA Nelson Grand Opening took place on Friday, 29 September 1922.

References: Colin Taylor, Body, Mind and Spirit: YMCA Auckland, Celebrating 150 years, 1855-2005, Auckland, 2005, Chapters 1-4. J.E. Hodder Williams, The Father of the Red Triangle: The life of Sir George Williams, founder of the YMCA, London, 1918 (first published as The Life of Sir George Williams in 1906). Sharron Smith, The Nelson YMCA Story, 1860-1985, pp.1-9. YMCA Archives, Nelson Provincial Museum, AG 362 A1.

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CHAPTER ONE: 1920-1987 Sport and the Bridge Street Stadium ‘Over the years I’ve felt it filled a gap in young people’s lives, or children’s lives, to give themselves confidence and ability to do physical things, that helped them be equipped for life.’ - Graeme Todd

‘It was fantastic, you were just busy all the time. You went there all the time, every day virtually.’

- Jill Powrie

‘The Y.M.C.A. [in the 1960s] was a nursery for various sporting activities.’ - Alan Turley

‘Friday night basketball was something else, in the little gym that we had in Nelson City. It was really I suppose the birthplace of basketball in Nelson.’ - Brian Coulter

‘The YMCA during the 1980s was a rather large recreation clubbased facility in Bridge Street…when my children were young we all used to play badminton and volleyball at the YMCA, so it was a family recreational period of time.’ - Paul LeGros

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THE FOCUS ON SPORT AT THE YMCA IN THE 1920s Although the YMCA hall had been built and officially opened in 1922, by 1925 much of the rest of the building was still incomplete. This was seen as a potential disadvantage, since the only activities the YMCA could facilitate were sporting and physical activities. Between 1923 and 1924, however, the YMCA hall was in strong demand by sporting bodies, church groups and the local boy scouts. By 1924 the Boy Scouts Association and the YMCA In 1924 the Governor General paid had agreed to joint control of the a visit to Nelson. The YMCA Ladies hall. The focus on physical activity Auxiliary organised a Father and at the YMCA hall in Bridge Street Son Banquet for the occasion. quickly became a strength of the YMCA in Nelson. The YMCA Nelson had two Physical Directors from the mid-1920s, Miss Berry instructing physical classes for women and children, and Mr. Scott instructing physical classes for men. In conjunction with the YMCA National Office, they put on a physical display in 1925, which was held at the Nelson School of Music and attracted thirty-five new applicants for YMCA gym classes. The Nelson Basketball League was also formed in 1925, with fourteen teams participating at the YMCA every Thursday. Although sport was a strong focus of the YMCA in Nelson from the mid-1920s, there was also a keen awareness of needs in the community. As

A gymnastic display on the tennis courts outside the YMCA Bridge Street hall (now the Montgomery car park), c.1925-1926.

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the result of a meeting in 1925, it was decided that an employment advisory board would be set up to help boys who were part of the YMCA Cadets Club find employment in trades or other occupations. Club rooms were opened at the YMCA Bridge Street premises in 1926, with fundraising providing furnishings for the room, including a piano. This allowed the YMCA in Nelson to expand the range of activities it provided, although the focus was still very much on sport and physical activity. By 1926, rugby, hockey and basketball were all popular sports at the YMCA Nelson. While experiencing a bit of financial trouble in 1926, the formation of the Young Men’s Cabinet as part of the YMCA in the same year turned out to be of great benefit to the YMCA as an organisation. The Young Men’s Cabinet increased their activities in 1927 and raised an income for the YMCA that meant the organisation was more stable. By 1928, clubs, lectures, entertainment and social functions were key parts of the YMCA, along with sport, which remained a focal aspect of the organisation. YMCA NELSON IN THE 1930s While the YMCA board of directors were grateful for the energetic Young Men’s Cabinet who greatly relieved the financial burdens of the organisation, their efforts were not enough to protect the YMCA from the 1930s Depression, known at the time as “The Slump”. As Sharron Smith points out, families were struggling to pay their basic expenses and could not afford to support the YMCA. In May 1930, the board considered selling the YMCA tennis courts. A miniature golf course was set up outside the YMCA in November 1930 as a fundraiser, but thefts over December meant that this venture was a further financial burden on the organisation, and the golf course closed in January 1931. Two major natural disasters which occurred around this time, however, proved that the YMCA was always ready to help out, in spite of its own financial situation. The Murchison earthquake of 17 June 1929, which caused major geographical changes, including the creation of the Maruia Falls and Lake

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Matiri, led to a stream of refugees coming into Nelson. Assisted by the YMCA Optimist Clubs, the YMCA Nelson offered assistance in the aftermath of the quake in a manner that ‘showed the splendid spirit of the young men of the YMCA.’ (Minutes from the 11th Annual Meeting of the YMCA, 29 May 1930.) The YMCA Nelson also offered assistance in response to the Hawke’s Bay earthquake of 3 February 1931.

The Depression continued to take its toll, and unemployed men’s camps became common. YMCA members assisted at these camps, providing the men there with food and organising sing-songs for them. In spite of the economic difficulties of the 1930s, however, the YMCA Nelson actively continued to offer physical and sporting activities, including tennis, cricket, hockey, soccer and badminton. It also continued in religious, social and educational work, along with running the following groups: • • • • •

Optimists Club Business Girls Club Employed Boys Club Young Men’s Cabinet Ladies Auxiliary

YMCA girls marching team, c.1935

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Boys Work Big Brother Movement YMCA Conventions Youth Employment Bureau

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Physical activity outside the YMCA Bridge Street Stadium

The YMCA Nelson went into a brief period of recess from 1935 to 1938, although several activities continued at the YMCA stadium. Geoff Gilbert, who was involved in gymnastics at the YMCA during this time described the 1930s as a tough period: ‘We had nothing...and we certainly had no money to spend….but we weren’t interested in money. We just used to get into that gym and enjoy ourselves.’ By 1939, there was strong doubt about whether the YMCA had a future in Nelson. It was thought that the people of Nelson no longer wanted a YMCA and that the Bridge Street building should be sold. Efforts to sell the property were unsuccessful, however, and Kelvin Gay, Miss Chennells by late 1939 a management committee was and Mr. Mellsop received set up to re-establish the physical activities special recognition in 1939 at the YMCA and purchase new equipment. By the time many of the region’s men went for their efforts to reto war in 1940, the YMCA activities were establish physical activity at well established and able to continue the YMCA as part of the management committee. throughout the war years.

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GEOFF GILBERT: GYMNASTICS AT THE YMCA IN THE 1930s Geoff Gilbert’s involvement with the YMCA in Nelson started because of his interest and skill in gymnastics. Geoff’s interest in gymnastics came from his involvement in the sport at Nelson College, where he discovered that not only did he enjoy the sport, he also had a talent for it. Gymnastics at the College was traditionally an activity for borders, and Geoff was only the second dayboy to get involved in the sport (Avon Tatton, who was also involved in the YMCA, was the first). After leaving college in 1934, the YMCA in Nelson was the only place where he could pursue gymnastics. The others in his team had also been involved in gymnastics at the College: ‘We had all been involved in gymnastics at Nelson College, and we wanted to carry it on.’ There were about a dozen men who formed the men’s gymnastics team that met up once a week, but Geoff was part of a group of five young men who met up almost every night of the week during the winter months of 1937 and 1938 to train for the New Zealand championships. Their commitment and dedication to training paid off in 1937, when they won the New Zealand Gymnastic Championship. Geoff’s team-mate Ron Muncaster won Geoff Gilbert, late 1930s. the individual title that year. Geoff’s gymnastics team at the YMCA did not have the benefit of instructors during the midlate 1930s. They learned from books and from each other: ‘If one of us knew how to do something, we taught the other.’ While pursuing their interest in gymnastics at the YMCA, Geoff and two others trained the gymnastics team at Nelson College, bringing gymnastics as a sport at the College up to New Zealand standard. Geoff Gilbert at his home, 2009.

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Kelvin and Zena Gay were an integral part of the YMCA at this stage, and remained prominent in the YMCA as an organisation for many decades. Although a bit older than the other young men in the gymnastics team, Kelvin Gay, who had been in previous championship teams, joined them for the 1938 New Zealand championships, and his wife Zena usually organised and produced the annual combined gymnastics show. Geoff Gilbert remembers them both as being ‘a big help to the YMCA.’ When the war broke out in 1939, the national gymnastic championship was cancelled and the YMCA Nelson gymnastics team dispersed, most of them being in the armed forces by 1940. YMCA men’s gymnastics team, late 1930s.

Winners of the N.Z. Gymnastic Championship, 1937. Picture frame in Geoff Gilbert’s home.

Men’s gymnastics at the YMCA, 1934.

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YMCA NELSON DURING WORLD WAR TWO While many members of the board were away at war in the early 1940s, activities at the YMCA continued almost as normal. Dick Vining, who was later very influential in the YMCA Nelson, was a teenager during the World War Two years, and commented that the gym and sporting activities at the YMCA continued just as normal during the war years. The success and high standard of the sporting activities at the YMCA Nelson was largely attributed to Kelvin and Zena Gay, who put a huge voluntary effort into the YMCA at this time. As well as continuing their sporting activities, the YMCA Nelson also responded to the community needs that the outbreak of war created. They provided canteens for men involved in the war effort, as well as free recreational activities at the YMCA building for men on leave from the war. By the end of the war, the YMCA Nelson was not in a good financial position, and the sale of the YMCA building was again recommended. It was recognised that the appointment of a full-time General Secretary was necessary to keep the organisation running, and by 1946 Kelvin Gay was appointed as the full-time Physical Director. His salary of £400 per annum was paid for through fundraising, and was well deserved after his years of commitment to the YMCA as a volunteer. The year 1947 was a year of high achievement for the YMCA Nelson. Its sporting teams excelled in gymnastics, basketball, marching and badminton on both regional and national levels. Galas which were held by the YMCA Nelson in the late 1940s greatly assisted the organisation financially during this period. The YMCA Nelson clubs continued to do well and in 1948 YMCA Nelson gymnast Alex McNabb won the title of all-round Gym Champion. He went on to win the New YMCA gymnast Alex McNabb.

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YMCA Nelson Junior Girls Gym Class, 1949. Kelvin Gay, physical director of the YMCA, is on the far right in the back row, and his daughter Jill is on the far right in the front row.

Zealand Men’s title several times during the 1950s and 1960s. By the late 1940s the extension of the Bridge Street stadium, in particular the extension of the gym, was a frequent topic of discussion. INTO THE 1950s The popularity of YMCA activities in the 1950s required not only the extension of the gym, but also additional club rooms and reading rooms. The extension of the YMCA building commenced in 1953, and required a huge financial commitment from the YMCA Nelson. In 1950 they sold their tennis courts to start the fund for the building extension project. By 1952 they had £2,567 out of the £7,000 they needed. A combination of a government grant and further fundraising meant that the building extensions could commence by the end of 1953. While the building extensions were in its early stages, the 1953/1954 Royal Visit to New Zealand was announced. Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Phillip arrived in New Zealand in December 1953, and passed

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through Nelson in mid-January 1954. The YMCA Nelson organised a float for the Royal procession and opened up their building as a rest room while crowds gathered to see the Queen. They also ran a mobile canteen for the occasion.

The YMCA float for the Royal procession in Nelson, January 1954.

YMCA NELSON BOARD OF DIRECTORS With the bad financial situation that the YMCA was in after the war, a new Board of Directors was appointed, with representatives from the City Council, the Ministers Association, the Employers Association and the Rotary Club. Women were not able to join the board at this stage, even though they were the ones who kept the organisation going during the war years. The board members put a huge amount of volunteer effort into running the organisation.

YMCA Board of Directors, 1954.

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SPORT AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AT THE YMCA IN THE 1950s During the 1950s, the YMCA ran physical culture classes which were attended by about 300 boys and girls. The YMCA Swimming Club, formed in 1948, had about 100 members by 1951 and met one evening per week at the Council’s Municipal Baths. Basketball, badminton, weightlifting and boxing were popular sports at the YMCA in the early 1950s. Kelvin Gay resigned as Physical Director of the YMCA Nelson in 1951. The position was filled by Mr. Wrankmore for about six months, but he emigrated from New Zealand and was replaced by Douglas Harris in 1953. When the board could no longer afford to pay Mr. Harris, the role was taken over by several part time volunteer instructors, including Kelvin and Zena Gay. When the first stage of the building extensions were finished in August 1954, Jack Hanna took up the position of Physical Director at the YMCA, and the role was combined with the role of General Secretary. Jack Hanna proved to be a great asset to the YMCA Nelson and stayed in his role there for about fourteen years. The 1950s saw the advent of the popular Friday night basketball league which ran during the winter months at the Jack Hanna, 1954 YMCA Nelson. Gymnastics continued to Friday Night Basketball at the be a dominant part of the YMCA proYMCA: gramme, with gym classes and clubs for ‘Every Friday night nearly men and women of all ages, including a every kid from ten to eighteen married ladies gym class.

went to the YMCA and played indoor basketball.’ - Jill Powrie ‘Lots and lots and lots of people talk with great fondness about their time in the Friday night basketball.’ - Brian Coulter

Boys and girls Friday night basketball teams in the late 1950s.

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The YMCA Nelson also regularly participated in gymnastic championships. One of the main events that Jack Hanna was known for during his time at the YMCA was the Gym Frolics production, which he instituted in 1955 and ran for twelve consecutive years. GYM FROLICS Gym Frolics was an annual production put on by the YMCA between 1955 and 1966 involving gymnastics, skating, dancing, music and singing. For most of the years that Jack Hanna put the productions on in the late 1950s and early 1960s it was a great success for the YMCA, not only financially, but also in terms of being a high standard production. As well as the weeks of rehearsals to prepare for the Gym Frolics productions, there were weeks of behind the scenes preparations, involving many volunteer working bees. In 1960 the theme for the Gym Frolics production was Luxury Cruise, with the YMCA hall transformed into a Pacific Island with palm trees, a native hut, a waterfall and a luxury liner. Rehearsals for Gym Frolics Productions, c. 1959-1960.

The Gym Frolics productions were not only highly successful in the years they were run, but also left a legacy in the YMCA Nelson long after Jack Hanna left. Although large productions on the same scale as Gym Frolics were not common after the mid-1960s, the YMCA and the Gymnastics Club associated with the YMCA continued to put on gymnastic displays and shows during the 1970s, like the ‘Gymnastics Circus’ in 1976.

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Other activities introduced at the YMCA during the 1950s included mother and daughter banquets, Square Dancing, which ran on Saturday nights from 1951 to 1952, and Friday night skating sessions which ran in the summer months from 1954. Bible classes associated with the YMCA also organised various social activities during the 1950s. From the late 1950s the YMCA Nelson started to get involved in local holiday programmes, contributing to events like the Big Holiday Programme at Tahuna Beach in 1958. YMCA IN RICHMOND AND STOKE, 1958 - 1959 As Nelson was expanding and its population increased, the YMCA Nelson recognised that there were community needs not only in the Nelson city area, but also in Richmond and Stoke. Some parents living in Richmond and Stoke could not bring their children into the YMCA stadium in Nelson for the various programmes that were run there because of transport difficulties. A branch of the YMCA was formed in Richmond in 1958, with classes held for children over nine years old one night a week at the Richmond sports hall. The popularity of those classes led to further classes being held after school, along with basketball coaching sessions during the winter months at the A&P show-grounds. A branch of the YMCA was formed in Stoke in June 1959, and planned to build a YMCA hall next to the Stoke Hall. Both the Stoke and Richmond branches of the YMCA continued to expand, and held their activities at various locations, including the hall at Waimea Intermediate School until the long process of planning and building YMCA stadiums in both Stoke and Richmond was completed in May 1968.

Construction of the Richmond stadium, 1968

Plan for the Stoke stadium, 1968

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YMCA NELSON IN THE 1960s AND 1970s Friday night basketball in Nelson and the combined Stoke/Richmond Friday Night Basketball continued to be popular during the 1960s, with over 300 participants in Nelson alone in some years. Badminton, wrestling and yoga were also popular at the YMCA during the 1960s. A new sport, Ju-jitsu, was introduced at the YMCA Nelson in 1959, known at times as the Judo Club, and was popular during the early 1960s. The YMCA Nelson often sent teams to compete in the Older Boys and Older Girls Tournaments, a National YMCA competition that included several sports and a Scripture Reading. Kelvin Gay’s son, Michael, was selected for the Older Boys Tournament in 1961, which was hosted in Nelson that year and which the YMCA Nelson won. Gymnastics at the YMCA during the 1960s was strong as ever, with the YMCA Nelson hosting the New Zealand Gym- Glenys Towns (nee Haase) participating in gymnastics at the YMCA, c. 1960. nastics Championships in 1964. A variety of gymnastics classes continued to be offered at the YMCA Nelson. Further building extensions were planned for the Bridge Street stadium in the 1960s, but because of lack of room for expansion to that property, the purchase of a site on Haven Road to build a new YMCA stadium was considered as an alternative. However, the Nelson City Council postponed any building plans for the building of a new stadium, and a lease for the Haven Road site could not be obtained. The YMCA continued to expand its property in Bridge Street, and by 1966 new offices had been added to the building, the The YMCA Nelson celebrated equipment room enlarged and new staits 100 year anniversary in dium seats added. The year 1968 saw the YMCA 1960 with a centennial service taking on an ambitious fundraising and

in the Stoke Memorial Hall.

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YMCA Christmas Dance, 1964

YMCA dance, 1960s

building project known as ‘New Look’, to modernise the YMCA stadium. Hal Lucas, an American YMCA worker, came to New Zealand to assist the YMCA Nelson in this project, which required a large number of volunteers. The building project included the extension of the gymnasium and the addition of a film room, a coffee lounge and a meeting room. By 1969 the YMCA purchased a property next to the Bridge Street building and expanded further. The YMCA Nelson ran numerous fundraising and social activities during the 1960s, including baby photo contests, selling Christmas trees, Christmas concerts and dances, street stalls and galas. Jack Hanna received a special acknowledgement from the Board in 1963: ‘His faith in the YMCA ideal and the ability to pursue that ideal against opposition is a wonderful achievement.’ By the mid-1960s, the YMCA Nelson saw a fundraising opportunity in the holiday programmes in Tahuna. The YMCA leased an area of land close to the beach and provided four trampolines which kids could use for a small fee. Trampolines were also a feature at the Richmond branch of the YMCA, where new Physical Instructor John Dunlop set a world record by bouncing on the trampoline at the Richmond stadium for twenty-eight hours in August 1969. Trampolines at Tahuna Beach during the holidays.

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John Dunlop remained in his role as Physical Instructor at the Richmond YMCA until 1972, and the activities he ran in Richmond during that time included gymnastics, badminton, table tennis, judo, yoga, ballet classes and basketball. Activities that ran in Stoke in the early 1970s included ladies keep fit classes, slimnastics, square dancing, badRichmond YMCA stadium minton, judo and weight lifting. Jack Hanna resigned his role as Physical Director and General Secretary at the YMCA in 1968, largely because he felt he was getting too old for the role. Ray Simpson took over the role of General Secretary at the YMCA. After Jack Hanna’s resignation it was difficult to find a suitable, long term replacement. Ray Simpson only remained in his role at the YMCA until the end of 1970, and his replacement, Bill Painter, lasted for less than a year. For several months between 1971 and 1972 the YMCA Nelson ran without a General Secretary, relying solely on its volunteers and two staff members. This quickly changed in 1972, however, when Brian Coulter, who had been the General Secretary of the New Plymouth YMCA was appointed to the role of General Secretary of the YMCA Nelson. His title changed to that of Executive Director in 1974, and he remained in his role with the YMCA Nelson until 1986. Sports continued to be a dominant feature of the YMCA Nelson in the 1970s. By 1971, after twenty-one years, Friday night basketball was still going strong. Badminton, volleyball, gymnastics, trampolining, table tennis, yoga, judo and wrestling continued to be popular activities at the YMCA in the 1970s. Brian Coulter arrives in Nelson with his wife Clare and their two children. October 1972. The Nelson Provincial Museum, Geoffrey C Wood Collection, 8640, fr3.

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While sport and physical activity was a central part of the YMCA Nelson after the expansion of the stadium in Bridge Street in the 1950s until its demolition in 1987, enthusiasm about physical activity was not a requirement to be involved. Graeme Todd, for example, was not very keen on physical activities, but saw enough other things within the organisation that needed support that he could help out with. For example, Graeme got involved with the Y’s men, the support club for the YMCA, and also started up a YMCA newsletter. Heather Scoltock (nee Kerr) also Graeme Todd in the mid-1970s. commented that her lack of sporting knowledge did not affect her involvement with the YMCA Nelson: ‘I wasn’t a per-

Heather Kerr in the mid-1970s.

Heather Scoltock, 2009.

son with a sporting background or sporting knowledge or gymnastic knowledge, but that didn’t matter, because there were a lot of activities at the YMCA that Graeme Todd, 2009. were not just sports.’ However, because of the YMCA’s emphasis on integrating physical activity with other parts of life, and because the YMCA stadiums were conducive to sports and physical activity, both Heather and the Todd family were involved in the physical activities the YMCA had to offer. Heather taught KinderGym and housewives keep fit classes. Graeme’s sons David and Paul were involved in gymnastics, and were taught by national tumbling champion Stuart Kerr assisting chilHughes in the early 1970s. Heather dren with gymnastics at the

YMCA tumbling coach. December 1970. The Nelson Provincial Museum, Geoffrey C Wood Collection, M225

YMCA in the mid-1970s.

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YMCA NELSON IN THE 1970s AND 1980s Several new programmes were initiated at the YMCA in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including the Hi Y club, which was a Friday night programme for about 500 teenagers, organised by members of the Board as well as the Youth Leadership Group. From the late 1970s, the YMCA Nelson saw itself more as a community agency, and this was reflected in the number of new programmes initiated during the 1970s. New initiatives included a ‘drop-in’ programme in 1973, catering for about seventy teenagers. Other new programmes included family nights and disco dances. By 1975, new programme initiatives included the Y Drift-In, offering refreshments, music and sporting activities like table tennis to young people who were ‘drifting by’, as well as holiday programmes for kids, which saw 1,627 participants in the May school holidays of 1975. By 1976 there were about 250 volunteers involved in running YMCA programmes. Another new programme initiated in 1979 that the YMCA Nelson received much publicity for and would be well remembered for was the RYDUM programme. for YMCA Fundraising activities in the 1970s included a Advertisement activities in 1975. Pic-O-Teens contest, along with the sale of Christmas trees which was organised by the Y’s men’s club, and the YMCA Walkabout. By the early 1980s, inflation in New Zealand was increasing, putting the YMCA Nelson in a fairly tight financial position. However, the YMCA continued to expand, opening a new lounge and office area in its Bridge Street building in 1981. Volunteer input into the organisation remained huge in the 1980s. The YMCA Gym Club, for example, ran all YMCA gymnastics acYMCA Pic-O-Teens tivities for almost 200 children. Fundraiser.

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YMCA WALKABOUT From 1970, the YMCA Nelson started a fundraising activity known as the Walkabout, which was a sponsored walk between Nelson and Richmond. This continued to be a popular fundraising activity until the mid-1980s, raising over $7,000 in 1982. Various members of the community would get involved in the YMCA walkabout and usually turned the seemingly long walk into a fun-filled event.

A wet YMCA Walkabout, 1983

Elaine Hemi, carried by soldiers during the 1982 Walkabout.

YMCA Walk. September 1970. The Nelson Provincial Museum, Geoffrey C Wood Collection, 6647, fr4, fr5

Brian Coulter’s beard being unceremoniously removed after the 1982 Walkabout.

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The YMCA Walkabout was: ‘A big, very high profile event that had lots of people involved in it.’ - Brian Coulter ‘A fun thing to do. We had families, kids in prams and people that [had] little toddlers with them and on their shoulders and everything.’ - Pauline Jary

Pauline Jary being pushed in a pram by Pat Paterson in the YMCA Walkabout.

HEALTH AND FITNESS AT THE YMCA Health and fitness had been a popular activity at the YMCA Nelson for many years by the early 1980s, and the YMCA opened a Health and Fitness Centre in Bridge Street in January 1983. Because of financial difficulties and increased competition, it closed down in 1985. It opened again soon after under the leadership of Brent Potthoff, running activities like Y Aerobics. By 1987 the YMCA Nelson established a Health and Fitness Centre at 23 Halifax Street and the Bridge Street Health and Fitness Centre was sold in 1988. TRAGEDY STRIKES THE YMCA In 1985 the Mosey and the Grayson families, who were involved in the YMCA Nelson Gymnastics Club, travelled to Wellington to attend the New Zealand Junior National Championships. As their aircraft flew over the Tory Channel in the Marlborough Sounds on their way to Wellington, the aircraft hit power wires and crashed, leading to the death of all three members of the Grayson family, four members of the Mosey family, as well as the pilot. Miraculously, Cindy Mosey, who was eleven years old at the time, survived.

‘It was a tragic loss...a real shock, but at the same time there was the survival of Cindy, which people looked at and it gave them hope that whatever happened there was something that comes out of that adversity.’ - Gary Cox

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DEMOLITION OF THE STADIUM IN BRIDGE STREET By the late 1980s, society’s needs were changing. Schools and local clubs built gymnasiums and facilities for their sports, and the need for a community gymnasium and sport facility, like the YMCA stadium, ceased to be as important as it had been in previous decades. In 1987 the difficult decision to demolish the YMCA stadium was made, mainly for financial reasons. Longstanding board member Jim Bishop describes it as one of the biggest decisions that had to be made during his time as president of the YMCA Nelson. The stadium’s demolition was a reflection of changes that were taking place in society, both socially and economically. The economic situation in New Zealand worsened from the 1970s as a result of the global economic downturn, even more so from the Once the stadium was demolished, 1980s. Robert Muldoon, whose Na- a shopping centre was built in its tional Government had been in power place as an investment property. since 1975, lost the 1984 election, YMCA Nelson held fifty percent of prompting the new Labour Govern- the investment and the Nelson Diment to make several major changes, ocesan Trust held the other fifty especially in the economic sphere, in a percent. The money YMCA Nelson bid to increase economic growth and received from the investment propbring down national debt. Whereas erty was put into a trust, which toelectricity and rates had previously day owns the properties that been subsidised or provided free of YMCA Nelson operates from. Alcharge for charities, the new govern- though a sound business decision ment initiated changes which made and probably essential for ensuring New Zealand society more of a user- the continued existence of the pay society, requiring charities like the YMCA in Nelson, the demolition YMCA to cover their own overhead of the Bridge Street stadium was a costs. The 1987 share market crash sad time for many in the commualso meant that people’s recreational nity. As Peter Martin describes: ‘It time became less, as some people had was the end of volleyball, it was the to start working two jobs. end of basketball as we knew it.’

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The nature of recreational sport changed, becoming a profession rather than a hobby, and sport was more commonly played at specialist clubs. Even after the difficult decision to demolish the stadium had to be made, physical fitness continued to be an important part of the YMCA Nelson. Although the YMCA no longer had a suitable facility for team-sports, the physical aspect of the body, mind and spirit philosophy of the YMCA continued to be emphasised at the YMCA’s new health and fitness centre. The health and fitness centre in Halifax Street was a business venture for the YMCA, which unfortunately was not profitable and ended up being a liability for the YMCA Nelson. YMCA STADIUMS IN STOKE AND RICHMOND After some investigation in 1977, the YMCA Nelson discovered some serious limitations to the YMCA stadium in Stoke as a sports centre. While attendances at the Stoke programmes were good, the Stoke YMCA was not seeing the same financial returns as the Nelson or Richmond YMCA, and the YMCA stadium in Stoke was sold in 1982. The YMCA stadium in Richmond continued to be an important part of the YMCA as an organisation in the Nelson Region well into the 1990s.

References: Interviews with Jim Bishop, Graeme and Pat Todd, Jill Powrie, Michael Gay, Brian Coulter, Paul LeGros, Geoff Gilbert, Healther Scoltock, Pauline Jary, Gary Cox, Peter Martin, March - April 2009. Correspondence with Alan Turley and Robert Gay, April 2009. Jim McAloon, Nelson: A Regional History, Nelson, 1997. Sharron Smith, The Nelson YMCA Story, 1860-1985, pp.9-78. YMCA Archives, Nelson Provincial Museum, AG 362 A1, G5. http://www.gymnasticsnelson.co.nz/a_brief_history_of_gymnastics_ne.htm

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CHAPTER TWO: The beliefs and values of the YMCA In 1978 the band The Village People released a song called Y.M.C.A. which became very popular internationally. Although the lyrics of the song do not fully encompass what the YMCA does today, the following line from the song: ‘No man does it all by himself’ is very representative of the beliefs, values and goals of the YMCA in New Zealand, and particularly in Nelson. The focus of the YMCA Nelson as an organisation is, and has been, very much about people, family and working together. This is evident in the following comments people have made about the YMCA Nelson:

‘The thing that I get most out of the YMCA is the people.’ -Jim Bishop ‘The association with the people who are invariably modest and hard working and tend to be very cooperative and supportive...that's - Bernard Downey been the major highlight for me.’ ‘It was awesome, it was just great. Tremendous sense of community, [and] growth opportunity for the people that were involved, but commitment, huge commitment from all these volunteer people....Lots of people...were part of the process of the YMCA’s influence in the local community.’ - Brian Coulter ‘The tireless and endless amount of work that they put in was just amazing, and the commitment to the YMCA is fantastic.’ - Gary Cox ‘Any one of us wouldn’t have been able to do it on our own...no one was working for their own particular good, but working for the broader good of the Y.’ - Bernard Downey ‘We were just one big family, it was just great.’

- Janette Hueting

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THE YMCA IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY The main object of the YMCA in the mid-1800s in London was to improve the spiritual condition of young men in drapery and other trades by introducing them to religious services. Church membership, or ‘sufficient evidence of his being a converted character’, was also a requirement to be considered a member of the YMCA, and eligibility for membership depended on a person’s moral character. While this may seem exclusive, non-Christians were always welcome to the YMCA. In fact, one of the first young men to attend George Williams’ prayer meetings was not a Christian, even though he ‘was of good moral character’. By 1845, Bible classes were set up as part of the YMCA for young men who wanted to come along but were not church members, and by 1849 Williams had persuaded the YMCA committee to allow young men who did not qualify for YMCA membership to use the YMCA library, reading rooms and classrooms. As Colin Taylor points out in his book Body, Mind and Spirit, ‘this resulted in many of them joining the Bible class and becoming members, even though they were only initially attracted to the association by having access to the reading rooms, library and educational classes.’ (p.29). The YMCA Nelson started off in a similar vein in 1860, with the intention of developing the moral, mental and spiritual conditions of the young men of Nelson. Its focus was on Bible classes and devotional meetings and providing facilities like a library and a reading room. VALUES OF THE TWENTIETH CENTRUY YMCA IN NELSON From its inception, the YMCA Nelson took a very holistic view of the person. This really started to develop from the early twentieth century, as the YMCA stadium in Bridge Street provided the ideal facility to cater to the physical needs of people in the community. YMCAs worldwide started to actively embrace the Body, Mind and Spirit philosophy that the YMCA is today so well known for. As outlined in the previous chapter, sport played a significant role in the YMCA Nelson, as facilitating physical activity was seen as a vehicle to improving people’s lives by building confidence and fostering friendships.

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By the 1960s, a large percentage of the local population were involved in the activities that were offered at the YMCA Nelson. Jill Powrie and Michael Gay were involved in the YMCA from the mid-1940s and described that the YMCA left them with an interest in sports and knowledge of the benefits of physical exercise. But even more importantly, Jill Powrie their involvement in the YMCA left them with (nee Gay) as a good values and good friendships. YMCA Nelson Michael Gay, 5-year old at 1960 the YMCA was not merely a facility for sports - the attached club room was a good venue for discussions, prayer meetings and watching films and was often used for these purposes. Good values remained a central part of the YMCA Nelson throughout the twentieth century, and providing a facility for sport and physical activity was merely a vehicle for contributing to the value of Watching a film in the YMCA club room society. While physical activity has been an important part of the YMCA Nelson for a long time, Brian Coulter (YMCA Nelson Executive Director from 1972 to 1986) has pointed out that it was not the be all and end all of the organisation. As various sports clubs have come to fill the need for physical activity in the region, the YMCA has turned its focus more towards youth work and education. In doing so, however, YMCA Nelson has remained true to its underlying objective of evaluating community needs and responding with appropriate programmes. With or without the physical presence of sport or fitness centres, physical activity and recreation continues to play an important role in the programmes the YMCA Nelson runs today. This will be outlined further in Chapter Six, but it is important to note that the physical aspect of the body, mind

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Various YMCA Nelson pamphlets outlining the beliefs of the YMCA, c. 1960

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and spirit philosophy of the YMCA was fostered and developed while the YMCA Nelson had its Bridge Street stadium, and that aspect of the YMCA philosophy has continued to grow and develop, even though the Bridge Street stadium no longer exists. FAMILY VALUES Although not officially outlined in the YMCA’s values, one of the underlying, core values of the YMCA Nelson is its family values. This is evident in the attitudes the YMCA Nelson’s leaders and staff have brought to their work. For example, in spite of the various positions and many roles he has held with the YMCA Nelson, including being president of both the Nelson and the National YMCA for a time, Graeme Todd described his most important role in the Nelson YMCA as that of a parent. Current YMCA staff also comment on the importance of the YMCA family: ‘The YMCA whanau is what gives a lot of our clients hope.’ - Maria Scaletti ‘The YMCA values are the base, or foundation of a family unit….It’s nurturing for a young person.’ - Tremain Mikaere CHRISTIANITY IN THE YMCA The YMCA was originally a very evangelical Christian organisation. Although this changed slightly in the twentieth century as the YMCA Nelson focussed more on the physical activities at its Bridge Street stadium, the Christian values of the YMCA as an organisation remained important. As evident from the pamphlets produced by the YMCA Nelson in the 1960s, ‘Christian usefulness’ expressed through good character, leadership, fair play and team spirit was important to the organisation. As Robert Gay has com- YMCA pamphlet, c. 1960 mented: ‘I certainly found the organisation to be values based and there was always a strong message of fair play, ethical behaviour and honesty.’

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Living out these Christian values in a practical way was emphasised, however, and personal growth and development was evident not only in the people who used the YMCA facilities, but also in the volunteers and staff of the YMCA. In 1983 the National YMCA reaffirmed the Christian commitment of the YMCA in New Zealand. This has by no means excluded non-Christians from the organisation. As Paul LeGros has said of the people who have been involved with the YMCA: ‘People do it because, inherently, they like the values that we stand for which is really putting community first, and...generally accepted Christian values of helping people.’ VALUES OF THE YMCA NELSON IN THE NEW MILLENIUM In 2000, the National Board of the YMCA implemented the four values that YMCAs all over New Zealand are today so well-known for: Responsibility, Respect, Caring and Honesty. These values are today taught to all children and students involved in YMCA programmes in very practical ways, but ultimately the importance of the YMCA family remains key to the organisation. The YMCA’s four values

References: Interviews with Jim Bishop, Bernard Downey, Brian Coulter, Paul LeGros, Gary Cox, Janette Hueting, Jill Powrie, Michael Gay, Tremain Mikaere, March - April 2009. Correspondence with Robert Gay, Maria Scaletti, April 2009. Colin Taylor, Body, Mind and Spirit: YMCA Auckland, Celebrating 150 years, 1855-2005, Auckland, 2005, Chapters 1-2.

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CHAPTER THREE: 1965-1987 Accommodation, Camps and New Programmes While sport and physical activity was an important feature of what the YMCA did in the Nelson region up to the late 1980s, there were several important features of the YMCA Nelson that did not focus solely on sport. These included running education programmes in Motueka, providing accommodation through a YMCA hostel in Motueka, and initiating youth programmes in Nelson to cater not only for youth in general, but also for youth at risk and unemployed youth. Another important feature of the YMCA Nelson was the Y’s men’s club, which was a support club for the YMCA, raising funds for the various new YMCA programmes. The Y’s men’s club was also instrumental in getting the YMCA Nelson Camp Gowan up and running, which was used as a family centre and leadership training facility, as well as various camps for the youth who were involved in YMCA programmes.

Reverend J. Craighead spending time with youth at a YMCA youth night.

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ITS FUN TO STAY AT THE YMCA: THE YMCA IN MOTUEKA \

In 1960 the Motueka Rotary Club asked Jack Hanna to speak to them about the possibility of opening a branch of the YMCA in Motueka. By 1965 a YMCA had been formed in Motueka, with a membership of about 135 people. They ran gymnastics classes, a coffee club, as well as Christmas dances. By the 1980s the YMCA in Motueka was running a work skills development programme in conjunction with the Motueka borough council. One of the major features of this programme was the running of a herb farm, which provided employment to about 28 people in the Motueka district. The herb farm was an initiative that intended to create job opportunities, but also to provide some income for the YMCA. The herbs were grown, harvested and packaged through the programme, but the emphasis was on selling the packaged products, and the programme was a precursor to the retail course that the YMCA Nelson runs today. The Motueka YMCA also estab- While traditionally associated lished a hostel in High Street, with the with accommodation, providing help of the government who saw a need accommodation has never been to cater for the backpacker market and the main focus of the YMCA seasonal workers and loaned the money Nelson. This was very different to the YMCA, writing the loan off over for the Motueka YMCA. subsequent years. The herb farm did not do as well as expected and the Motueka YMCA got into financial trouble in 1984, resulting in the herb farm having to be sold. The National YMCA took over the running of the Motueka YMCA and by the 1990s asked Jim and Wendy Bishop to run the hostel after the YMCA Nelson board declined to buy the hostel and take over the running of it. The hostel was at this stage supposed to be a community hostel, run by a community committee, but it was still running under the YMCA name. Jim Bishop’s daughter, Tina, worked as a volunteer with youth at the Motueka hostel for a few years before commencing her studies in Wellington.

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The hostel was not in a good state when Jim and Wendy Bishop took over the management of it, and much renovation was required.

Jim Bishop building a fence outside the YMCA hostel in Motueka, along with his building crew.

Jim Bishop saw the running of the Motueka YMCA hostel as part of the Christian role of the YMCA in society, going beyond the call of duty of just providing beds for weary travellers. For the Bishops, the hostel was about providing a family for their tenants, being called ‘mum and dad’, being asked things that people would normally only ask their parents. During the time they ran the YMCA hostel in Motueka, they met tourists from all over the world.

Jim Bishop with two Irish tourists at the YMCA hostel in Motueka, late 1980s.

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Getting the Motueka YMCA Hostel up and running again: Jim Bishop’s account of how the Motueka YMCA Hostel got back on its feet. ‘...there were all sorts of drug related problems and alcohol problems...in and around the hostel, which really got me annoyed...to the extent of saying that yes where I’d previously said no that I wouldn’t take over the management of it, but it needed to be sorted out and because it was under the YMCA name, I believed it had to be done pretty soon. I was accepted as the manager and my wife and I, Wendy and I...took over as management staff there and moved in because it was live on seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day for that operation.’ ‘...the previous manager...closed the place down, which was the best thing he could have done....The place was in such a neglected condition that I had to spend a month just cleaning the place and so Wendy and I were full-time cleaners and...our friends came to help and it was just in such a rundown state. But, we managed to get it all up and running, we put in some money of our own and, to buy bedding and things to get the place going and then got a grant from the National YMCA to do some more...renovations.’ ‘And so we got it going and had agreed to do it for two years which, by the end of two years we could see where it needed to go and what needed to be done. I’d been a builder initially, and I built another six bedrooms on to the hostel to make it a more economical size and also a new manager’s flat to make the accommodation for the manager more tolerable and, so that you could have space of your own, which we did in that latter period...while we were there, and turned the operation round to being quite a profitable enterprise and very well accepted within the community.’ Extract from an interview with Jim Bishop, 4 March 2009

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While Jim and Wendy Bishop were running the YMCA hostel in Motueka, the accommodation there was very much associated with seasonal work. Jim assisted tourists or unemployed New Zealanders who came to stay at the hostel to get work on orchards and would even arrange transport for them. Many of the tenants at the hostel who had not been in paid employment for over twelve months were very grateful for Jim’s assistance. But while he was happy to help, he very much impressed on them the importance of their work ethic, since his reputation was on the line by recommending them to local orchardists. While ‘most of them measured up and worked pretty well’, Jim had real trouble getting some of them to pay rent. The hostel continued to be profitable, however, but the twenty-four/seven working weeks took their toll on the Bishops, who after five years of hard work decided to move on and recommended to the National Board of the YMCA that the hostel should be sold. Jim did not quite realise what he was getting himself into with this suggestion, and ended up having to sell it himself – a process YMCA hostel in Motueka, 1980s. which took almost a year. While there were benefits in calling it a YMCA hostel, not allowing swearing or heavy drinking on the premises because of its association with the YMCA, for example, Jim changed the name of the hostel to the Happy Apple Backpackers to make it more sellable. That is the name it is still known by today. The Happy Apple Backpackers Lodge in Motueka today.

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TREMAIN MIKAERE’S JOURNEY WITH THE YMCA Tremain Mikaere first got involved with the YMCA in the mid-1980s in Motueka when he left school. He spent twelve months on the work skills development programme that ran the herb farm, and also attended educational classes that were held at the YMCA hostel. The education offered through the Motueka branch of the YMCA in the 1980s was very practical and included learning about how to run a business. Incorporating outdoor activities like tramping and overnight camps was also a big part of the education that the YMCA offered in Motueka. Tremain fell away from the YMCA for many years, was involved in gang activities and spent some time in prison, but the Christian principles that the tutors in his YMCA course in Motueka lived by was something that really stuck with him. In 2002 he came back to the YMCA and enrolled as a student in the YMCA Nelson security course. Tremain, who attended the course with his sister, was extremely committed to his studies, travelling to Nelson from Motueka every day Tremain’s wife, Paula, with students in a YMCA course. to attend the YMCA course. He did extremely well in his studies at the YMCA and became a security guard for Chubb. Less than two years after finishing the YMCA course he was asked to come back to the YMCA as a tutor, and has been tutoring the YMCA Horizons course ever since.

‘The YMCA has been very encouraging, and they support me in a lot of the things that I do….The YMCA have supported me one hundred percent...to become who I am.’ ‘It’s like a big family, and we encourage that family concept here at the YMCA.’ Tremain Mikaere

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SUPPORT FROM THE Y’S MEN The Nelson Y’s Men’s Club was formed in 1965. Its main purpose was as a service club to the YMCA, supporting its activities, mainly through raising funds. It was part of the international Y’s men’s movement which was founded in the US in 1922 to support local YMCAs. The Nelson Y’s Men’s Club was involved in selling Christmas Trees on an annual basis to raise funds for the YMCA from the late 1960s until the 1980s. In 1971 it was noted that the Y’s Men’s club contributed over 100 hours of voluntary labour towards fundraising activities and projects that supported the YMCA. By 1979, Y’s men’s club projects included transporting disadvantaged children to the movies, and the funds they raised for the YMCA supported the building and renovation projects at the YMCA Camp Gowan. CAMP GOWAN

Nelson Y’s Men’s Club Mission statement

From the early 1960s, Jack Hanna, who was the Physical Director of the YMCA Nelson at the time, started to look for a suitable camp site in the Nelson district that could be used for YMCA camps. By 1965 the Gowan Valley School site was secured as a place for YMCA camps. In the 1970s, the Y’s men started to develop Camp Gowan as a family centre and leadership training facility. The funds for Camp Gowan came from the hours of voluntary fundraising that the Y’s men club did.

Patricia Todd’s view of the role of the Y’s men: ‘The Y’s men club was a pretty vital part of the YM really, because it was through what they did and the fellowship of those people that…kept the YM boistered up.’ ‘The men that were involved in the Y’s men club had such good rapport with each other and would be willing to do the things that were required to keep the YM going.’ Extract from an interview with Graeme and Pat Todd, 5 March 2009

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Along with Jack Hanna, one of the founding members of the Y’s men’s club in Nelson was Cyril Martin, and the Martin family went on to have a significant input into both the Y’s men’s club and the YMCA in Nelson. Peter Martin described that the YMCA was like a great big family to him, as both his parents and his sisters were involved in the YMCA. Peter’s sister, Di Martin, was involved with the Stoke YMCA in the late 1960s and was the gym instructor in Stoke from 1970 to 1972. Peter was involved in various YMCA and Y’s men’s club activities, and in the mid1980s travelled to Scandinavia to attend a Peter Martin, Cyril Martin and Geoff leadership training course through the Y’s McBride, 1984 men’s club. By the mid-1980s, the Y’s men’s club in Nelson was flourishing. Executive Director of the YMCA, Brian Coulter was actively involved in the club. Janette Hueting became involved with the Nelson Y’s men’s club in the mid-1980s. By this stage many women were involved in the Y’s men’s movement internationally, and Y’s men’s clubs were also known as Y service clubs. The Nelson Y’s men’s club officially changed its name to the Y’s Service club in 1995. Janette described her first Christmas as part of the Y’s men’s club: ‘We were out collecting Christmas trees to sell for the YMCA....we’d have sing-alongs and I thought this is great.’ By 1989 Janette was on the board of the YMCA Nelson as the Y’s men representative, which was the start of her long Janette Hueting on the cover of Newsweek involvement with the YMCA Nelson, magazine as part of her involvement with the Y’s men’s club. which has included several leadership

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positions and visits to YMCAs overseas. Most of the funds raised by the Y’s men’s club went towards the YMCA Nelson’s new youth programmes. These included the Hi Y club, Y Drift-In, and the RYDUM programme. THE RYDUM PROGRAMME: 1979 - 1986 In 1978, a new programme called RYDUM, an acronym for Redirecting Youth Development Using Minibikes, was introduced to New Zealand by the National YMCA. It was based on an American programme and was aimed at intermediate school-aged children at risk of offending. This programme was offered in Nelson for the first time in 1979, initially funded by Nelson Motor Vehicle Dealers and Transport Nelson Ltd, with the mini-motorbikes donated by Honda. When it started, RYDUM in Nelson was run by social worker Margie Robson, with the participants in the programme being referred to her through local schools and the Psychological Services Department (part of the Ministry of Justice). The board of the YMCA Nelson set up a separate committee to run the RYDUM programme, and legal professional Paul LeGros was asked to chair it, which he did for the length of the RYDUM programme. The programme was based in Saxton Field, and the participants were taught how to ride and maintain mini 50cc motorbikes by a traffic officer. This was based on the idea of youth at risk being introduced to and forming relationships with authority figures, interacting with the police in an informal setting. Policemen and traffic officers also ran camps for the students in the programme.

Students and staff involved in the RYDUM programme, 1981

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The RYDUM programme was well supported by the justice system. One of the practical ways in which the justice system supported the RYDUM programme was by providing a mechanic to service the mini-motorbikes. This was an informal arrangement with the Nelson District Court. Gordon Chisholm, a probation officer for the Court, was a member of the RYDUM committee, and together with Paul LeGros, Stuart McDougall and Barbara Ralph: offered the RYDUM programme as a form of community service for mechanics with minor offences. The year 1981 saw Stuart McDougall taking over the directorship of the RYDUM programme from Margie Robson, with thirty boys and girls between the ages of 11 and 13 involved in the programme. It not only served to introduce them to authority figures, but also developed their confidence and self-esteem. He was assisted by Barbara Ralph, who was employed do their bit for worthy cause. December by the YMCA with the assistance of Bikes 1981. The Nelson Provincial Museum, The Nelthe government VOJCP scheme son Mail Collection, 7137 fr4. (Voluntary Organisations Job Creation Programme). By 1985 the RYDUM programme was extended further, with the young participants in the programme teaching intellectually handicapped children how to ride the mini motorbikes. Throughout the time that the RYDUM programme was running in Nelson it re1979-1981: Margaret Robson ceived a large amount of newspaper cov1981: Stuart McDougall 1982-1984: Rosmary Hanna-Parr erage and was seen as a high-profile, successful programme in the community. 1984-1985: Ian Fenn In 1986, the difficult decision to 1986: Michael Lynch

RYDUM Directors:

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end the RYDUM programme had to be made, because the funding for the programme could not meet its running costs. While RYDUM had to be stopped, another programme, called ACCESS was started, which was essentially an employment programme which also taught people life skills. This programme was headed by Michael Lynch, who had taken over the position of RYDUM director when Ian Fenn left in December 1985. By the time the Bridge Street stadium was demolished in 1987, it had been over a year since the RYDUM programme had ceased to exist. Although it was a shame that Rydum children. June 1981. The the RYDUM programme could not continue Nelson Provincial Museum, The Nelbecause of inadequate funding, it served an son Mail Collection, 6287 fr6 important purpose in the YMCA as an organisation. Because of the demolition of the stadium, large-scale team sports and competitions were no longer available at the YMCA. The RYDUM programme was a key transitional programme, setting the stage for the future youth and educational programmes the YMCA Nelson would run. This made the shift away from a sport-centred organisation less drastic than it might otherwise have been.

Robert Muldoon visiting the YMCA Nelson RYDUM programme at Saxton Field in 1981.

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VIEWS ON THE RYDUM PROGRAMME:

‘It was a great programme, it was a fantastic programme.’

- Gary Cox

‘Just seeing their development was a highlight, and then going on the camps, and seeing their enthusiasm with the camps and sliding down the banks on the snow. I think that was probably the greatest thing I got out of the programme.’ - Stuart McDougall ‘The RYDUM programme was quite unique and quite special....It was a high profile New Zealand wide programme.’ - Brian Coulter ‘I felt that this programme had the potential to sort out problems with kids at the most crucial time in their lives....I can remember having good feedback on the response of a lot of the kids that were involved.’ - Gordon Chisholm

Paul LeGros: from RYDUM representative to National YMCA President. Paul LeGros’ involvement with the RYDUM programme in Nelson was only the start of a long period of involvement with the YMCA. He got involved in the RYDUM programme at a time Paul LeGros, early 1980s when he was doing a lot of legal work in the youth court. He chaired the RYDUM committee for the whole time the programme was running in Nelson (1979-1986) and raised funding for the programme. He became involved in the YMCA Nelson board around the same time, becoming president of the YMCA Nelson around 1980 and president of the National YMCA in 1989. He has since held those roles for various extended periods of time in the twenty-five years since then, and gone on to being involved with the YMCA internationally as part of the Paul LeGros, 2009 Asia Pacific YMCA and the World Alliance of YMCAs.

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YMCA NELSON IN THE 1980s As well as the RYDUM programme, the YMCA Nelson was very active in new programme initiatives in the 1980s to respond to community needs. They provided resources and assistance for unemployed youth in 1982, for example. Another youth initiative was the STEPS programme, which stood for School Leaders Training and Employment Preparation Scheme. This was a government funded programme that offered life skills to unemployed 15 and 16 year olds, teaching subjects like cooking, budgeting, recreation, the law, the road code and personal values. YMCA Nelson also actively continued its holiday programmes for school children, and by 1983 after-school programmes became a regular feature of the YMCA’s activities for children. The youth involved in YMCA programmes often assisted in the YMCA’s childcare programmes.

‘We had lots of teenagers that were involved in assisting with us after school with the programmes, and through the summer camping programmes and holiday programmes, and so those leadership training programmes were really influential in their lives. But of course it was great to have the input from them back into the organisation as well. There were great results out of that and we saw many young people just blossom into leadership.’ - Brian Coulter NEW STAFF Numerous volunteers continued to be involved with the YMCA Nelson, but as new programmes developed, many new staff members came through the YMCA. In 1985, Brent Potthoff was appointed to run the YMCA’s Health and Fitness Centre and Gaye Hoole came on board as the STEPS director. While the STEPS programme did not continue for long beyond the mid-1980s, the ACCESS employment and life skills programme continued until 1989.

Brent Potthoff and Gaye Hoole:

New faces at the ‘Y’. March 1985. The Nelson Provincial Museum, The Nelson Mail Collection, 9984.

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As the YMCA Nelson became more focused on youth initiative programmes and helping those affected by New Zealand’s worsening economic situation in the 1980s, the YMCA Nelson was starting to reinvent itself, focussing less on sport which was no longer such a pressing need in the community, and more on areas where there was an obvious community need. Brian Coulter’s comments on the occasion of the YMCA Nelson’s 125th anniversary in 1985: The Y has been many things to many people and has responded in a multitude of practical ways to a huge variety of human and community needs. The basic values of the YMCA have changed little since its foundation: • Christian values apply to everyday life. • Each individual is worthy of recognition no matter what their circumstances. • It strives for the development of the ‘whole’ person, body, mind and spirit. • Communities are important and should provide support for people. Within these basic values the YMCA has made rapid and profound changes in programme delivery to meet changing community needs and interests. Brian Coulter resigned from his role as Executive Director of the YMCA Nelson in 1986. He had put in thirteen years of long hours, and felt that he did not have the energy that the organisation needed to keep moving forward. He did comment, however, that ‘it was a bit like pulling off my left arm, because the YM organisation had been so good to me, and it was really a part of me.’

Kelvin and Zena Gay farewelling the Coulters, 1986

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References: Interviews with Jim Bishop, Graeme and Pat Todd, Brian Coulter, Paul LeGros, Gary Cox, Peter Martin, Tremain Mikaere, Janette Hueting, Stuart McDougall, March - April 2009. Correspondence with Gordon Chisholm, April 2009. Sharron Smith, The Nelson YMCA Story, 1860-1985, pp.35-78. Tremain Mikaere, ‘Tremain’s story: Violence Begets Violence’ in It’s time we started telling these stories, Family and Community Services, Ministry of Social Development, 2008, pp.22-37. YMCA Archives, Nelson Provincial Museum, AG 362 A1, G5. http://www.ysmen.org/

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CHAPTER FOUR: 1988-2000 Hope for a Struggling Organisation From 1988 the YMCA Nelson operated from its new health and fitness centre in Halifax Street. The fitness centre proved to be very popular, offering activities like aerobics and weight training, but financially the YMCA was finding the centre hard to operate, having to pay for both administration and operational costs. Subsequently the YMCA’s involvement in youth programmes had to be reduced. The YMCA stadium in Richmond continued to offer activities like gymnastics and junior basketball. John and Pauline Jary and Pat Patterson provided a lot of support to the Richmond YMCA in the late 1980s, and Pauline ran table tennis at the Richmond Table tennis at the Richmond YMCA YMCA for many years. By 1990, the years of financial pressure on the YMCA Nelson was starting to take its toll. Fortunately, however, the shopping centre that the YMCA had a fifty percent share in as an investment property helped to keep the YMCA Nelson financially stable. This highlighted that although the decision to demolish the Bridge Street stadium was difficult, it had been a prudent decision. The board turned their focus more towards developing long term goals and objectives for the YMCA Nelson, and they were committed to making sure that the YMCA would continue to be as effective in Nelson in the future as it had been in the past.

‘The good thing about members of the board at that time was that they were all focussed on the YMCA, not the programmes, or the people, but on the YMCA and making sure that it could last.’ - Gary Cox

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Even though limited finances meant the YMCA Nelson was limited in what it could do, it continued to be involved in community initiatives. These included organising a 10km Fun Walk in 1990, a Y Fun Walk in 1990 and 1991, running a cadet scheme in 1991 and running gym classes at a centre in Collingwood Street in the early 1990s. The YMCA Nelson Gymnastics Club also continued to enter and do well at national championships during the late 1980s and early 1990s. While the YMCA Nelson was at a lower point in its history, the Nelson Y’s Men’s Club was flourishing. In 1986 a group of about twenty young people (16 to 20 year olds) formed a junior Y’s men’s club, organising camps and Some of the Y’s men’s club and YMCA members raising funds. Janette Hueting’s children were involved in this club. This group only lasted for a few years, as most of its members left the district to attend university, but their involvement was a huge encouragement to the Y’s men’s club and the YMCA. A significant occasion for the Y’s men’s club and the YMCA Nelson in the early 1990s was the Y’s men’s fifth South Pacific Area Convention in 1991 which was hosted in Nelson. The National YMCA AGM was also held in Nelson in 1991 and the Nelson Y’s men’s club were very active in assisting in the organisation of the AGM. The YMCA Nelson’s successful activities and income from its investment property was not quite enough, and the organisation’s debts were accuGeorge Jones, YMCA mulating. The Christchurch YMCA supervised the Nelson’s ED from 1986, management of the YMCA Nelson from August resigned in 1992, and 1992 until the mid-1990s. Although the YMCA Martine McCabe was ap- Nelson was at a low point, it was very hopeful pointed as the new pro- about the future. Bernard Downey came onto the gramme director of the YMCA Nelson board around this time: ‘I started at a low point, so the only place to go was up.’ YMCA Nelson.

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150 YEARS OF THE YMCA WORLDWIDE In 1994 it had been 150 years since the YMCA was founded by George Williams in London. The occasion was celebrated by YMCAs all over the world. In Nelson, planning for the celebrations started as early as 1992. Some key events organised by the YMCA Nelson as part of these celebrations was a Family Walk Day and Picnic, a special church service and a Reunion Dinner. In the same year that 150 years of the YMCA was celebrated worldwide, Terry Waite, founder of Y Care International, travelled to New Zealand. The goal of Y Care International was to work in partnership with YMCAs in developing countries to bring about positive changes in the lives of disadvantaged young people. Terry Waite was a wellknown international figure because of the four years he spent in captivity in Lebanon between 1987 and 1991. Several members of the YMCA Nelson travelled to Christchurch to hear him speak at the YMCA Graeme Todd and Zena Gay at the YMCA reunion, 1994 AGM. YMCA NELSON IN THE MID-1990s Martine McCabe, who was appointed as the Programme Director of the YMCA Nelson in January 1993, was soon appointed as the new Executive Director. Her background was in physical education and recreation, and she had been the recreation adviser for the Nelson-Marlborough Area Health Board prior to her employment at the YMCA Nelson. The YMCA Nelson was still receiving direction and support from the Christchurch YMCA, and continued to run programmes at its fitness centre in Halifax Street. Many of these

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programmes were introduced by Martine, who saw physical activity as an integral part of the YMCA’s objective of caring for people in an inclusive and holistic manner. These programmes included ‘Introfit’, ‘Y’s Moves’ and ‘Y’s Way to a Healthy Back’. The YMCA Nelson also worked extensively with other service providers in the community to expand on the types of programmes the YMCA offered and to boost the image of the YMCA in the Nelson community. The YMCA Nelson contributed to the Certificate in Exercise Science programme at the local Polytechnic and also ran an Indoor and Outdoor Adventure Camp for over 50s at Bethany Park in conjunction with the Tasman District Council and the Christchurch YMCA. Involvement in local holiday programmes also continued to be an important feature of the YMCA Nelson in the mid-1990s. Although not in a strong enough financial position to initiate and develop new youth programmes, the YMCA Nelson actively supported the Nelson City Council in its Young Nelson job-seeker initiative. The YMCA Nelson started actively investigating developing programmes for the unemployed in the community from the mid-1990s. Martine resigned from her position in June 1995, but continued to be involved in the YMCA both locally and internationally in more minor roles. The YMCA closed down its Health and Fitness Centre in Halifax Street which made some provision for the YMCA Nelson to repay its debts. As discussed at a board meeting in 1995: ‘The YMCA wants to be financially viable and implementing programmes which meet community needs and the YMCA philosophy.’ Kirsty Strong, who had previously been involved in the YMCA Nelson gymnastics club, was employed as manager of the YMCA Nelson. With board member Bernard Downey’s expertise in education, he got involved in establishing a YMCA education office in Bridge Street, which Kirsty Strong managed. The focus was on helping people put together CVs, providing people who had fallen out of the education system with skills and getting them work placements. These education initiatives laid the foundation for the direction in which the YMCA Nelson would develop in the twentieth century.

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YMCA STADIUM IN RICHMOND Activities at the Richmond YMCA stadium continued to be popular, but financially the stadium started to struggle. The YMCA Nelson board started to consider closing the stadium down in 1993, but it was not until 1996 that arrangements were made for the stadium to be sold. YMCA NELSON IN RECESS Between 1996 and 1997, board member Alan Black recommended that the YMCA Nelson go into recess to take some time to pay off its debts. Having some time in recess was beneficial to the organisation, and by 1999 it was actively looking at re-establishing itself in the community. While no longer in major debt, the YMCA Nelson had to start rebuilding the organisation and its programmes from the ground up. However, the various YMCA programme initiatives in the early to mid-1990s stood the organisation in good stead. Martine McCabe resumed a role in the organisation on a part-time basis, and did some research into programme development. Youth and education programmes seemed to be an area of need in the community, and her recommendations included looking into TOPs (Training Opportunities Programme) and Alternative Education. References: Interviews with Pauline Jary, Jim Bishop, Graeme and Pat Todd, Paul LeGros, Gary Cox, Janette Hueting, Bernard Downey, March - April 2009. Correspondence with Martine McCabe, April 2009. YMCA Archives, Nelson Provincial Museum, AG 362 A1, G5. YMCA Board Minutes, 1991-2000.

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CHAPTER FIVE: International Links As outlined in the introduction, the YMCA has been a worldwide organisation almost from the outset. Although each local YMCA around the world, including the YMCA Nelson, has focussed largely on local community needs, there has always been an awareness of the global nature of the YMCA. The YMCA Nelson has been especially aware of this, not only receiving international visitors and sports teams from overseas, but also contributing to the YMCA internationally.

‘They have a saying that you can leave the YMCA, but the YMCA never leaves you...which I reckon actually is true, because wherever you go in the world you always feel some sort of connection to it because it’s a fantastic worldwide organisation.’ - Julie Heaton The YMCA Nelson has been very involved with the national and international movement of the YMCA for many decades. Through both the YMCA and the Y’s Men’s club, many YMCA Nelson members and staff have been sent overseas as delegates. For example, during his time as National President of the YMCA, Graeme Todd travelled to Fiji and Buenos Aires. The National YMCA helped Fiji set up a YMCA of their own in 1971. Dennis Oliver (director of the New Plymouth YMCA at the time) was asked to go to Suva from New Zealand to get a YMCA going there within five years, after which time Fiji would be left to do their own thing. Graeme and Pat Todd traveled to Fiji together for a few days in 1976, while Graeme was president of the National YMCA, as part of the celebrations of the success of Dennis’ efforts. Dennis wrote a book about his time in Fiji called My Friends the Shoeshine Boys, published by the YMCA of Fiji in 1977. The Todd’s visit to Fiji in 1976 coincided with Oliver’s book launch. Their visit also included travel through the villages of Fiji, and one of the major things they got out of the trip was learning about the Fijian people and culture.

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In the late 1980s, Gerard and Janette Hueting travelled as delegates of the Y’s Men’s club to Africa, visiting Zimbabwe, Zambia and Kenya. Their involvement with YMCAs overseas really opened their eyes to how fortunate we are to live in New Zealand, but it also added tremendously to their personal development. Their subsequent involvement with the Y’s Men’s club and the YMCA Nelson was very much shaped by the eye-opening experiences they had as international delegates. Between 2001 and 2004, Janette was the area president for the Y’s Men’s club in the South Pacific Region - a role which involved frequent travelling. Gerard became heavily involved in the Time of Fast programme, which was a Y’s Men’s initiative to raise funds for developing countries. It was based on the idea of giving up a meal, and donating the cost of that meal to the Time of Fast Fund.

‘That was an experience of a lifetime.’ - Janette Hueting

Janette helping to prepare ugali for the evening meal in Chavakali, Rift Valley.

Gerard and Janette Hueting meeting with African delegates, outside the central YMCA in Nairobi, Kenya. They presented the African Area President with the Nelson Y’s Men’s Club banner.

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‘The Nelson YMCA was very involved with what was happening internationally in the YMCA, and nationally.’ - Julie Heaton Paul LeGros, who has been involved in both the Asia-Pacific YMCA and the World Alliance of YMCAs describes that his involvement internationally has brought an international perspective into the YMCA Nelson:

‘We’ve always had a bit of an outward looking vision to see what other YMCAs are doing and to try and bring some of those ideas back into the YMCA.’ - Paul LeGros As a result, the YMCA Nelson has often given assistance towards international appeals, like the tsunami appeal in January 2005, and partnered with YMCAs overseas in community projects.

‘We feel fairly sympathetic I guess to overseas movements, and where we can we would be one of the first to put up our hand to make a dona- Helen McEwan tion to the cause.’ Various YMCA Nelson staff members have also travelled overseas as delegates during their time with the YMCA. Martine McCabe was sent as a youth delegate to the World Alliance of YMCA’s 150th anniversary celebrations in England in 1994, for example. Board member, Helen McEwan, has also had a significant national and international involvement with the YMCA. She has been the National YMCA Treasurer since 2002, and was elected to the World Alliance Executive Committee in 2006, representing the Asia-Pacific region at their meeting in South Africa. She described it as a very humbling experience, meeting hundreds of other people from all walks of life who are involved with YMCAs worldwide. Helen continues to travel to Geneva for meetings regularly, and comments: ‘A huge amount of good work is being done around the world and we YMCA Board Member and really only know a very small portion of it.’ Treasurer, Helen McEwan

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Internationally, the theme of the YMCA is youth, and there is a strong focus on youth initiatives and youth programmes.

‘In Nelson, all our programmes really revolve around youth, whether it’s the childcare, or the education services, the OSCAR programmes, the alternative education, so we fit fairly well.’ - Helen McEwan References: Interviews with Julie Heaton Graeme and Pat Todd, Paul LeGros, Helen McEwan, March - April 2009. Correspondence with Martine McCabe, April 2009. YMCA Board Minutes, 1991-2006. http://www.ymca.int/index.php?id=445

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CHAPTER SIX: 2000-2008 The YMCA in the Twenty-First Century From the late 1990s, the Wellington YMCA was running a youth training programme in Nelson, focussed on retail skills, which was an extension of the programmes begun by Kirsty Strong. By 2000, the board of the YMCA Nelson had appointed Julie Heaton as Executive Director. She had been involved with the World Alliance of YMCAs in Geneva, and had worked with the Christchurch YMCA several years before that. Using some of Martine’s recommendations, Julie’s role was to initiate and develop YMCA youth programmes in the Nelson community, as well as spending about fifteen hours per week tutoring the retail course run by the Wellington YMCA. Julie saw her role as that of assessing the needs of young people in Nelson and networking with other community organisations to start up new programmes. Julie initiated a drama programme for young people who had been excluded from school or were not attending school. She also got the YMCA Nelson involved in the ‘Get An Edge Global Leadership Programme’ which was a national leadership programme. About thirty to forty students from Nelson College and Nelson College for Girls were regular participants in the programme. In mid-2000 Julie approached Nelson Intermediate to enquire about an after school programme, and investigated the possibility of setting up an OSCAR (Out of School Care And Recreation) programme around that time. She was also involved in a programme with young people at Victory Primary School, known as ‘Y’s Track’, which involved several outdoor activities. Between 2000 and 2001, Julie was the only person employed by the YMCA Nelson. Her contribution was valuable both in keeping the YMCA presence in Nelson and also in laying the foundation for its future programmes.

Julie Heaton, 2009

‘I know that those particular programmes that we ran did have an impact on the kids, in the young people that were in them.’ - Julie Heaton

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While in her role as the Executive Director of the YMCA Nelson, Julie worked with the following groups to deliver YMCA programmes effectively: • • • •

The Ministry of Youth Affairs Nelson Bays Youth Workers Collective Development Resource Centre Nelson College and Nelson College for Girls

• • • •

Trade Aid Youth Council Youth for Christ Health Action

Other groups the YMCA networked with included: • • • • • • • •

Youth Nelson Jubilee 2000 Amnesty International YWCA Women in Nelson National Council of Women Christchurch Youth Workers Collective Whakatu Marae Health and Social Service

• • • • • • • •

St Barnabas youth worker NCC and TDC Recreation Alcohol and Drug service Nelson Mail Youth Reporter Arts Council Nelson One to One mentoring Youth Matters Nelson Peace Group.

As the YMCA Nelson developed its education programmes further, Julie did not feel that she was adequately trained to remain in the position of Executive Director, as her strengths lay elsewhere. She resigned from her position towards the end of 2001 to take up a teaching position overseas. By 2002, the board received several new members and the YMCA Nelson really took off. It took over the retail education course that that the Wellington YMCA was running in Nelson, offering a National Certificate in Retail and Wholesale. It also started a security course, offering a National Certificate in Security, and opened an OSCAR programme. By 2003, the YMCA Nelson was also active in running a TOPs programme (Training Op- Although the YMCA was portunities Programme), and in 2004 took now flourishing in Nelson, over the ‘Lifeworks’ programme that had prethe Y’s Service club was not viously been offered at NMIT. Suzanne Snell, doing so well, and went into Education Manager for the YMCA Nelson, recess in 2005 because of was very active in running these programmes.

the lack of members.

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NEW PROPERTY While Julie Heaton was the Executive Director, the YMCA Nelson had moved its premises to Kerr Street. As it was expanding by late 2002, the YMCA Nelson was searching around for a new location. Because of Graeme Todd’s connections with St. Luke’s Church in Toi Toi Street in Victory Square, the YMCA relocated into the church in 2003, renting the property for several years before purchasing it in 2006.

St. Luke’s Church, now the YMCA building in Toi Toi Street.

VICTORY SQUARE The Victory Square area is seen as a strategic place for the YMCA Nelson to be located.

‘We’re in a community that probably needs a little more assistance than other parts of the community.’ - Paul LeGros ‘The Nelson YMCA is very conscious of catering to the Victory community, which is a lower socio-economic area, but it’s an amazing community, and I think people really pull together.’ - Talia Walker

Opening of the new YMCA building, 2006

The classrooms where the YMCA education courses are held in Toi Toi Street, Victory Square.

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NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR - ANDY PILBROW In February 2006, Andy Pilbrow was appointed as the new Executive Director of the YMCA Nelson. His background was in youth work management and outdoor education. The opportunity to have a positive impact on the community attracted him to the YMCA Nelson. He saw his role as bringing growth to the organisation, and was certainly successful in achieving this goal. The YMCA Nelson was already running very successful education courses in retail and security, and the student numbers continued to grow during Andy’s time at the YMCA. Along with his wife Dana, Andy developed the Alternative Education programme for teenagers who had been excluded from school. Andy saw some encouraging results through this programme, including seeing the students get more enjoyment out of education. The YMCA Nelson also continued to run the Lifeworks programme, with about 130 participants in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, the YMCA Nelson established a full-time role for a youth worker to assist in the education programmes the YMCA was already running, and also to develop new youth programmes. Katie Hughes filled this role initially, and Maria Scaletti took it over in 2008. She describes her role as being an advocate for youth, a shoulder to cry on, an encourager and a supporter. The role of the youth worker at the YMCA Nelson has been instrumental in terms of providing for the pastoral needs of the YMCA’s students. Some of the key aspects of the YMCA Nelson that Andy was involved in during his time as Executive Director of the organisation, was developing and expanding the OSCAR service the YMCA Nelson provided, and establishing the Y-Kids Early Learning Centre. Mr Pilbrow’s view on what has contributed to the current strength of the YMCA:

‘The board and staff team, who have helped to develop and deliver a new, modern vision of what a YMCA should be.’

Andy Pillbrow

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ACTIVE FAMILY DAYS In keeping with its values, the YMCA Nelson encourages families to be active together. From 2003 the YMCA Nelson has been active in promoting the ‘Push Play’ family activity challenge in schools. In 2004, eight schools were participating in the ‘Push Play’ programme. By 2007, the YMCA was much more firmly established in the Victory community. YMCA Nelson’s youth worker, Katie Hughes, organised an ‘Active Families Day’ in March 2007 in Victory Park. The goal of this event was to bring the YMCA’s family values into the community. The event incorporated various activities that were set up all over the park, as well as group activities and sing-alongs. It was a great success and over three hundred people attended. A similar event was organised by the YMCA Active Families Day, Victory Park YMCA in 2008.

‘It was great going along, watching these people, and it was mums and dads and kids as well, and watching them attempt these things that had been put out right around the paddock together, and then everybody trying to sing the YMCA song.’ - Janette Hueting

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OUT OF SCHOOL CARE AND RECREATION (OSCAR) By the time the YMCA Nelson opened its OSCAR programme in 2002, it had already had a long history of providing childcare in the Nelson region, with its school holiday programmes dating back to the 1970s. OSCAR programmes are run nationwide by different providers. OSCAR was first introduced to Nelson by Women in Nelson who recognised the need for an OSCAR service provider in Nelson. The YMCA Nelson OSCAR holiday programmes were established in September 2002, with the After-School Care programme following shortly after in October. These programmes were aimed at 5 to 13 year olds, and were based around Nelson Central School, Clifton Terrace School and Victory School. Several grants YMCA SCHOOL HOLIDAY ACTIVITIES IN THE 1970s were received from the Nelson City AND 1980s: Council and the Ministry of Social Development to fund these programmes. In 2008, Brightwater School approached the YMCA Nelson, indicating their interest in having the YMCA run an afterschool and holiday programme there. The YMCA started the afterschool programme in Brightwater in October 2008 and the Brightwater holiYMCA fancy dress. November 1973. The Nelson Provincial Museum, Geoffrey C Wood day programme in January 2009. As Collection, P344 fr5 well as responding to community needs and requests, the OSCAR programme has also developed some new initiatives. When the OSCAR programme for Central School relocated from Trinity Church in Nile Street to the Nelson Baptist Church in 2006, for example, the ‘Walking Bus’ was developed as a Face painting. May 1981. The Nelson way to transport children to their proProvincial Museum, The Nelson Mail Collection, 6156 fr25

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gramme. Vanessa Bradley became involved in the YMCA Nelson’s OSCAR programme in 2005, and became the co-ordinator of the YMCA Nelson’s different OSCAR programmes in October 2006. She describes that imparting the values of caring, honest, respect and responsibility to the children is an important aspect of the OSCAR programme. This is done through activities like baking, where the children would make different coloured cupcakes for each of the values, like ‘blue honesty cupcakes’ or ‘yellow caring cupcakes.’ The role of the OSCAR coordinator at the YMCA Nelson includes organising the holiday pro- YMCA Poster gramme activities, transporting children to their afterschool programmes, organising training opportunities for staff, and dealing with outside agencies like Work and Income New Zealand. Victory After-School Holiday Programme outing to Haulashore Island, 2006.

programme enjoying afternoon tea.

Children visiting Riverside pool as part of the OSCAR after school programme. OSCAR children at the Tahuna BMX track.

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When Vanessa went on maternity leave, Talia Walker came on board as the new OSCAR co-ordinator. She left that role to become the YMCA Nelson’s new Alternative Education Tutor, and Lisa Gray now co-ordinates the OSCAR programme. Vanessa Bradley describes the holiday programme outing to Haulashore Island: ‘It was just so much fun. We had thirty children over there...just

the adventures and things that they come up with....exploring the Island, and the kids having fun looking under rocks for things.’ Y-KIDS EARLY LEARNING CENTRE One of the biggest and most daunting tasks faced by Andy Pilbrow during his time as Executive Director of the YMCA Nelson was developing and establishing the Y-Kids Early Learning Centre. The YMCA Nelson wanted to expand its services to include childcare for 0 to 5 year olds, because of the need for early childhood education in the Nelson community, particularly in the Victory area. The YMCA Nelson believed that a community-based childcare centre would YMCA President Bernard at the opening of be preferable to centres driven by commercial values. Downey the Y-Kids Centre in July Applying for funding for an early learning centre re- 2008 quired extensive community research. While the YMCA Nelson was doing the groundwork for its early learning centre, businessman Chris Thornley purchased the land the YMCA Nelson was considering for its early learning centre, and started to build an early childhood centre on the same piece of land. He was happy to look into selling his early childhood centre to the YMCA, and funding for the centre became an issue of some urgency for the organisation. The amount of money the YMCA needed was about twice as much as the government had ever granted anyone in the past, and the application for funding was a lengthy process. Being unsure about whether the YMCA would get its funding, Mr Thornley considered sell-

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the childcare centre to an Australian company. By this stage YMCA President, Bernard Downey, was calling the Education Minister’s office daily to enquire about their response to the YMCA Nelson’s application. The Ministry of Education’s decision to grant the YMCA $1.8 million towards its early learning centre came through just in time. The Y-Kids Early Learning Centre opened its doors in May 2008 with a capacity of up to sixty-five children, and was officially opened by the Governor-General of New Zealand, who is also a patron of the Y-Kids Early Learning Centre in St. Vincent Street. YMCA, in July 2008.

Andy Pilbrow, Bernard Downey and Chris Thorley at the Y-Kids Early Learning Centre, two months prior to its opening. Photo courtesy of the Nelson Mail.

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Extract from the Governor-General’s Opening Address: 26 July 2008 ‘….As Patron of the YMCA, I have been asked to officially open this new facility, but before I do I would like to briefly comment on significance and role of the YMCA. For more than a century and a half, the YMCA has taken a leading role in helping young New Zealanders find their feet - and standing tall.’ ‘The YMCA in New Zealand has adapted over the years to meet the needs of the communities it serves. In the beginning it provided meeting groups for young men. Today it is the biggest provider of Out of School Care and Recreation in the country, and one of the biggest private learning establishments. It plays both these roles in the Nelson community. While the YMCA has adapted as times have changed, it has always kept its core values - of honesty, caring, respect and responsibility. These are values that will never be outdated.’ ‘The makeup of the people in our society is changing. We are becoming a much more diverse society….I believe that there are children in this Early Learning Centre whose parents have come from Pacific, Asian, African and European countries - as well as those whose parents are New Zealand-born Maori and Pakeha. It is important that whatever our backgrounds are, we are all able to be New Zealanders and “be ourselves” - that while being part of the New Zealand culture, we are also able to express our own various identities.’ ‘I believe that our nation’s growing diversity - in culture, religion and personal and family relationships - is enriching our society and

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economy. But this also poses challenges. Being ourselves and being able to get on well together: this is one of the major challenges for everyone in our society. A key to addressing this challenge will be to work together, which the YMCA has successfully done with this centre.’ ‘For centres like this one, the challenge is to provide a place where children can grow—where they are safe, where they are cared for, and where they are nourished. In the YMCA philosophy, there is an equal emphasis on nourishing the body, the mind and the spirit. We in New Zealand regard children as a taonga. That is to say, they are “a prized treasure.” I hope that all the children who attend this centre will have a happy, healthy learning experience here and that they will also enjoy themselves and make great friends.’ ‘I would like to close by offering you all greetings and wishing you good health and fortitude in your endeavours in New Zealand’s first language Maori: No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tena koutou katoa.’ www.gg.govt.nz/node/892

The Governor-General of New Zealand officially opening the Y-Kids Early Learning Centre, 26 July 2008.

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ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION When the Alternative Education programme started at the YMCA Nelson in February 2007 it had a roll of seven students, who had previously attended Waimea College. Andy Pilbrow’s wife Dana was the first Alternative Education Tutor. When Andy and Dana left the Nelson region towards the end of 2008, Craig Nicoll became the YMCA Nelson’s Alternative Education Tutor. When Craig left his position at the YMCA to pursue his teaching career, Talia Walker took over his role. Both Craig and Talia are passionate about teaching the students who come through the YMCA’s Alternative Education programme. The programme is structured in a way to provide a holistic approach to education, not only getting the students through their NCEA Level 1, but also developing their social skills and encouraging physical activity. The students in the programme really enjoy the regular sporting and outdoor activities organised by the tutors, and they regularly interact with the students on the other education courses at the YMCA. Several of the Alternative Education students have commented that being in the programme has increased their sense of responsibility and helped them to make friends. One student described the main goal of the YMCA Nelson as ‘helping people to achieve their dreams.’ Talia Walker with the AE students, 2009

ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION TUTORS:

‘I have never met a kid here that was without hope.’

- Craig Nicoll

‘We help them find another pathway to get back into work or future training….It’s not always easy, but you know you’re making a difference….They know that it’s a safe place for them. The kids like coming here….and they feel comfortable here.’ - Talia Walker

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THE YMCA VAN The nature of the programmes the YMCA Nelson has run in the past and continues to run today has required the use of a van to transport students to different activities. Although the vehicle itself has been replaced, the tradition of the YMCA van dates back to the early 1980s. Stuart McDougall described that the YMCA van was always in need of repair when it was being used for the RYDUM programme:

‘A couple of times I tried to get the RYDUM van up over the Aniseed hill and it couldn’t make it, it conked out halfway up the hill and I had to reverse the van and trailer all the way back down the hill.’ ‘One day, Barbara the assistant, was driving along, and she went to change gear, and the whole gear lever came off, the gear stick came out in her hand, and she was holding the gear stick in the hand and there was nothing to change.’ The YMCA Nelson acquired a new van to transport students to and from childcare and educational courses in 2002. Current staff members have also had several interesting experiences with the YMCA van, including breakdowns and parts of the vehicle falling off while they were driving.

Current OSCAR Co-ordinator Lisa Gray with the YMCA van.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES The YMCA Nelson’s Retail and Security education courses have been extremely popular since 2002, and the numbers have grown significantly since 2006. Today, tutors Bryan Walker and Tremain Mikaere are struggling to keep up with the demand, and there are several students on waiting lists. The YMCA Nelson hopes to be able to continue and further develop these types of educational courses in the local community.

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Bryan Walker describes his involvement with the YMCA Nelson: ‘I’d had a long involvement in the police...and saw the bad side of life…I just came to the conclusion that there was perhaps other ways of tackling our problems, and got involved in working with young people.’ ‘The highlights for me I suppose are the success stories for the kids that have been through the course and...are successful.’ ‘It equates to them having a good and meaningful life.’ ‘This is our job...but it’s far more than that, I think it’s a special kind of place. I think kids that come here take a lot away.’

Bryan with the students on an outdoor day.

References: Interviews with Julie Heaton, Bernard Downey, Graeme and Pat Todd, Paul LeGros, Talia Walker, Tremain Mikaere, Craig Nicoll, Vanessa Bradley, Bryan Walker, Janette Hueting, Stuart McDougall, March - April 2009. Correspondence with Andy Pilbrow, Maria Scaletti, April 2009. YMCA Archives, Nelson Provincial Museum, AG 362 A1, G5. YMCA Board Minutes, 2000-2008. www.gg.govt.nz/node/892

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EPILOGUE: 2009-2010 Approaching 150 Over the past 150 years, the YMCA Nelson has continually developed programmes in response to community need. As Joe Kennedy, current Executive Director of the YMCA Nelson comments: ‘The day that there is no longer

a need for the YMCA in Nelson will be a good day, as the YMCA would have fulfilled its purpose in the community.’ As the YMCA Nelson looks ahead to its 150th anniversary, it is clear that there is still very much a need for the YMCA in the community. Having come through some difficult times, the YMCA has proved its worth and effectiveness in terms of serving and local community, being attentive to those needs and having people on board who are committed to serving the community. As the YMCA Nelson approaches 150 years in the Nelson Region, it is worth reflecting on the role that it has played in people’s lives. No doubt the YMCA will continue to play a similar role in people’s lives for many years to come.

‘Camaraderie was tremendous...I felt very much part of a family, the YMCA family. Anybody involved in the YMCA just encompassed you and looked after you.’ - Heather Scoltock ‘It really was a place of friendship.’

- Michael Gay

‘I met a number, a huge number of people who were influential in what I ended up doing in my life.’

- Gary Cox

‘My memories of the YMCA is just that it was all about relationship with people….good relationships were formed and probably lasted for life.’ - Julie Heaton

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‘The camaraderie that came out of it was marvellous.’

- Peter Martin

‘It’s a very accepting organisation that’s open and people feel comfort- Paul LeGros able.’ ‘Helping others and supporting each other is probably one of the most important things we can do.’ - Talia Walker ‘It’s helping people get skills for life.’

- Pat Todd

‘YMCA can make a difference in people’s 1ives and give them hope and direction when all may seem lost. That’s worth everything.’ - Allan Kneale

‘Just being involved with the Y and having an awareness of the values that it has, it naturally has a carry over into my own life.’ - Bernard Downey

‘I would say the reason for [the YMCA’s success] would be its foundation, its basic underlying beliefs haven’t changed.’ - Brian Coulter ‘It’s been a really good involvement for me.’

- Jim Bishop

‘Highlights were seeing, seeing children who didn’t have much really enjoying fellowship and friendship and fun activities, and growing. And seeing children changing from shy people to quite confident and...watching their confidence level grow.’ - Heather Scoltock ‘It’s been an incredible journey, and I’m really grateful and fortunate that the YMCA were there, otherwise I guess there is nowhere that I could’ve gone and do what I do.’ - Tremain Mikaere

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APPENDIX: Current Board members of the YMCA Nelson

President: Bernard Downey

Vice-President: Sean Trengrove

Treasurer: Helen McEwan

Other Board Members: Jim Bishop Janette Hueting Paul LeGros Graeme Todd

Executive Director: Joe Kennedy

Business Manager: Allan Kneale

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There are a countless number of volunteers and past and present YMCA members that have greatly contributed to the YMCA in Nelson, who gained many rich experiences as a result. The personal accounts in this book are a great reflection of the nature of the organisation, but only capture the experiences of a limited number of people. Although the scope of this book did not allow for everyone who has ever been involved with the YMCA in Nelson to be interviewed, the YMCA Nelson would like to thank the large number of people who have been involved over the years, for contributing to the rich history that the YMCA can now be proud of. The YMCA Nelson also welcomes further involvement from past members and volunteers. When I started working on this project for the YMCA Nelson, I was often told about the ‘family feel’ of the organisation. I have heard numerous accounts of the positive, and sometimes even life changing, impact that the YMCA family has had in people’s lives. As well as hearing these accounts, over the past three months of working on this project I have come to experience the family values of the YMCA firsthand in almost every respect – from sharing meals, to being taken on a fishing trip, to experiencing the support of YMCA staff through a difficult period in my life. In particular, I would like to thank Lisa for sharing an office with me, and to both Lisa and Talia for their support over the last few weeks. I would also like to thank Joe, Allan, Maria, Tremain and Bryan for the many ways in which they have assisted me in this project. I have also received great support and encouragement from the board – particularly from Janette Hueting, but every member of the board has contributed to the success of this project, and I have appreciated their patience and their willingness to continuously answer my numerous questions. I would also like to thank Anne and Paula from the Nelson Provincial Museum for their assistance, and everyone who participated in the interview process and shared their personal stories of their involvement in the YMCA with me. René Bester, May 2009

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BIBLIOGRAPHY Interviews: Interview with Jim Bishop, 4 March 2009. Interview with Graeme and Pat Todd, 5 March 2009. Interview with Paul LeGros, 6 March 2009. Interview with Heather Scoltock, 9 March 2009. Interview with Brian and Clare Coulter, 9 March 2009. Interview with Dick Vining, 10 March 2009. Interview with Craig Nicoll, 10 March 2009. Interview with Jill Powrie and Michael Gay, 10 March 2009. Interview with Peter Martin, 11 March 2009. Interview with Pauline Jary, 11 March 2009. Interview with Bernard Downey, 11 March 2009. Interview with Janette Hueting, 12 March 2009. Interview with Julie Heaton, 12 March 2009. Interview with Talia Walker, 9 April 2009. Interview with Vanessa Bradley, 14 April 2009. Interview with Stuart McDougall, 15 April 2009. Interview with Tremain Mikaere, 16 April 2009. Interview with Geoff Gilbert, 17 April 2009. Interview with Bryan Walker, 17 April 2009. Interview with Gary Cox, 21 April 2009. Interview with Helen McEwan, 22 April 2009. Oral history sound files and transcripts are held at the YMCA Nelson office.

Correspondence: Gordon Chisholm, Martine McCabe, Robert Gay, Alan Turley, Maria Scaletti, Andy Pilbrow, April 2009. All correspondence is held at the YMCA Nelson office.

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Other Primary Sources: YMCA Archives, Nelson Provincial Museum, AG 362. YMCA Board Minutes, 1991-2009. Books: Hodder-Williams, J. E, The Father of the Red Triangle: The life of Sir George Williams, founder of the YMCA, London, 1918. McAloon, Jim, Nelson: A Regional History, Nelson, 1997. Mikaere, Tremain, ‘Tremain’s story: Violence Begets Violence’ in It’s time we started telling these stories, Family and Community Services, Ministry of Social Development, 2008, pp.22-37. Smith, Sharron, The Nelson YMCA Story, 1860-1985. Taylor, Colin, Body, Mind and Spirit: YMCA Auckland, Celebrating 150 years, 1855-2005, Auckland, 2005. Websites: http://www.nelsonymca.org.nz/ http://www.ysmen.org/ www.gg.govt.nz/node/892 http://www.ymca.int/index.php?id=445 http://www.gymnasticsnelson.co.nz/a_brief_history_of_gymnastics_ne.htm

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