Ned Shaw plays Last Post at Anzac Day ceremony in Katikati

Ned Shaw.

The sound of the Last Post has been echoing across Wairoa in the lead-up to Anzac Day.

Trumpet player Ned Shaw, 16, has been practising the ceremonial call for Homewood Village’s Anzac Day event, which was held at 11am on Tuesday.

He was chosen to play the Last Post for the village’s observance event in Katikati which has been held since the Covid-19 pandemic.

It’s not the first time Ned has played it to an audience ... of sorts.

During the first lockdown, brass instrument players were encouraged to play at the end of their driveways when the pandemic put an end to Anzac Day services.

Ned played to the rising sun with his family. They could hear others playing in the distance, he says, including another trumpet player up the road.

The Aquinas College student says the Last Post is not hard but an emotional piece with notes held for longer and extended pauses so timing must be perfect.

Ned has played cornet with Tauranga City Brass since 2019 and volunteers with Katikati Concert Band.

He’s been involved in the National Secondary Schools’ Brass Band, New Zealand Secondary Schools Symphony Orchestra and New Zealand Youth Symphonic Winds.

In 2019 he won the under-15 solo cornet at the national contest and came second in the under-19 solo cornet last year.

His hopes for the future are to play in a professional orchestra, he says.

Hundreds came to pay their respects at the Anzac Day services held across the Western Bay of Plenty.

Katikati held its dawn parade and civic ceremony from the Talisman Hotel to Katikati War Memorial Hall. There was the Katikati Cemetery memorial ceremony as well as the village ceremony.

Waihi Beach has its dawn parade and service at RSA Waihi Beach and Omokoroa held a dawn service at Gerald Crapp Reserve. There were also ceremonies in Te Puke and Maketu.

Homewood Village have held their own service since the pandemic, says organiser Steve Allen. The event was held outside Lexham Park.

There are at least six returned service personnel living at the village, Steve says.

‘’I’ll do anything for the RSA and its people. There’s a lot of are ex-servicemen who do attend and it’s just something that I do to honour those who have passed away.”