Waihi prepares to mark Armistice Day

Some 2800 poppies have been crocheted or knitted in Waihi to mark the centennial of the armistice that ended World War I.

The flowers have been spread, along with images of Waihi men, around the walls of the mining town's Memorial Hall, which has been the centre of a series of commemorative events over the past few weeks leading to Armistice Day, this Sunday.

This weekend will see the final events in the series: The dedication of two artworks and a full day of activities on Sunday, Armistice Day, all of which were open to the public.

A Peace Wings installation - spanning 4m and painted by students from local schools, will be dedicated at the Cornish Pumphouse on Friday at 1pm.

On Saturday at 10am the Tunnelling Company embroidered and quilted cloak created by local embroiderers will be dedicated outside the Memorial Hall before being flown to Wellington to be worn in official Armistice commemorations.

Dawn pipers will usher in Armistice Day on Sunday at 6am at the Tunnellers' Memorial.

The day will feature a "peace train" journey and with the main service beginning at the Waihi Memorial RSA at 10.30am.

It will include church bells and two minutes of silence at 11am, followed by a parade with a Roaring Chorus to the Waihi Memorial Hall.

The roll of honour will be read and there will be a speech by Dame Margaret Bazley and community stories before poppies are presented to descendants of those whose names are on the poppy fence.

Project coordinator Sue Baker Wilson said the Waihi Armistice 100 group had been working for the last six months to prepare for the weekend's events.