Kia ora whānau,

On top of the core business of the rūnaka, the main focus for the early part of February has seen us putting everything in place to host the Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu hui at Te Kōawa Tūroa o Tākitimu. This hui was a great success and yet again we are indebted to everybody who supported us with this mahi.

Over February we hosted a couple of groups at Takutai o te Tītī Marae. A group from the Number10 organisation in Invercargill held their team building at the marae and we had our bi-annual visit from NMH School in Boston, United States. We also look forward to hosting Riverton primary school in early March. At the end of the month we welcomed the return of the Carving of Tū Te Rakiwhānoa to Takutai o Te Tītī Marae. This figure had been loaned to Southland Museum for the Tamatea, Art and Conservation in Dusky Sound exhibition. A similar exhibition featuring many of the exhibits is now being run at Te Hīkoi here in Riverton.

Rhys Horrell

Rhys and I would sincerely like to thank you all for the wonderful support you gave us both to get to the New Zealand and South Island Secondary School Clay Target Competition held in Christchurch in September 2016.

It was a great experience for Rhys and he’s looking forward to the 2017 shooting season. Rhys has managed a few trophies, medals and badges over the season with his shooting for the Aparima college clay target team in the secondary school competition and for his club Western Southland. He even gained a south Island junior title for the handicap by distance at the South Island Championships held in Invercargill in November, and also received the Southland Future Champion for boys clay bird shooting award at the 2016 Southland Secondary School Sports awards.

Thanks again for your wonderful support it was really appreciated. Your Sincerely, Rhys and Keri Horrell.

Rhys with his trophies and medals.

Rhys with his trophies and medals.