Welcoming you into St David's - Anzac Eve service invitation
On Sunday 24 April at 5pm we will host The Art of Remembrance in St David’s.
It was on ANZAC Day 1927 that the foundation stone was laid. When the doors opened later that year, St David’s was dedicated as the Soldiers’ Memorial Church. It commemorates the RNZE and Sappers, the nurses, World War II 29th and 30th Infantry Battalions, and all who have served Aotearoa New Zealand since World War I.
95 years later, we will welcome you inside this rare, living memorial, for a musical service of remembrance that will include the Scottish bagpipes, big band, taonga puoro, waiata and the 1910 Croft organ.
The Last Post will sound, and we will Remember Them.
Hot drinks and ANZAC biscuits (individually packaged) will be served afterwards.
We thank the Waitematā Local Board for their generous funding support, as Principal Event Partner.
Please note: due to COVID, numbers are strictly limited to 200 for this indoor event. Dress warmly as the windows will be open. The audience capacity of St David's is 420, so there is room for social distancing.
We encourage you to RSVP early.
ANZAC Week St David's - Nightly Outdoor Illuminations
Nightly from Monday 25 April – Sunday 1 May there will be illuminations, projections and sound installations on the grounds of St David’s.
The great leadlight windows will be illuminated, and waiata, taonga puoro, voices and imagery of remembrance will emanate from the Soldiers’ Memorial Church.
We invite New Zealanders to share images of family members who served Aotearoa New Zealand during, and since, World War I, including current members of the New Zealand Defence Force. These images will be projected nightly onto the walls of St David’s Memorial Church for ANZAC week. Please email photographs to contact@RememberThem.nz
Suitable for all ages. Plenty of parking available.
This free, community remembrance event is made possible thanks to the generous funding support of our Principal Event Partner, the Waitematā Local Board.
Lest we forget.
CONGRATULATIONS Simon!
Simon O'Neill ONZM - Image courtesy Jessica Chloe Photography
Simon O’Neill ONZM has won a Grammy Award for Best Choral Performance as part of a rendition of Mahler’s Symphony No. 8 conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. Simon is a Founding Patron for St David’s centre for music and we very much look forward to welcoming him home later in the year.
Click here to read the story: Kiwi opera singer Simon O'Neill lands Grammy award
Progress on the Centre for music
Thanks to the generosity of so many New Zealanders and worldwide friends who supported the nationwide BUY ST DAVID’S campaign, ownership will transfer into Friends of St David’s Charitable Trust in the coming weeks. As you know, the church was purchased by Ted Manson ONZM, Founding Patron, Friends of St David’s Trust, in December 2021 to secure its future. St David’s Memorial Church has been saved – and together, we will see it serve vital roles for the city, the region, and for all Aotearoa New Zealand.
The Friends of St David’s Trust Board has been busy making applications to organisations such as the Lotteries Significant Project Fund in order to complete the remediation required for opening as a centre for music. We look forward to sharing the outcome of this application with you in June.
Gardens working bee for ANZAC
Camelia hearts by Petra Bagust and family
On Saturday 9 April, a working bee was held to prepare the grounds of St David’s for ANZAC week. We intend for the green space around St David’s to serve as a pocket-park for the local community and visitors to Uptown.
Heritage Hero
Hamish Keith CNZM OBE, Barbara Baragwanath, Paul Baragwanath, Audrey van Ryn, Allan Matson
Civic Trust Auckland has made a presentation to Paul Baragwanath, Chair of Friends of St David’s Trust, to recognise his work in saving St David’s Church. President Allan Matson and Patron Hamish Keith CNZM OBE presented Baragwanath with a certificate at St David’s: “Civic Trust Auckland in recognition of his tireless work to save St David’s Church hereby confers the status of Heritage Hero upon Paul Baragwanath.” Friends of St David’s, under Baragwanath’s leadership, has been raising funds since 2014 to save the building and see it recognised as a Category A Historic Heritage place.
“Paul has managed to inspire thousands of people to support the vision of this historic building continuing to serve a range of communities in a new and different way. Civic Trust Auckland thought it was fitting to name him as one of Auckland’s heritage heroes,” says Allan Matson.
Friends of St David’s Trust would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge and to thank Civic Trust Auckland for their tireless work in the preservation of the region’s heritage, including for identifying St David’s eligibility for scheduling in its Unitary Plan submission in February 2014, and the many years of support since. You too are heritage heroes!