Lytton High foundation student reunion all go

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

The call has gone out to foundation students of Lytton High School.

The students of 1961, when Lytton High first opened, are invited to a reunion in April.

The school only had third form students when it opened its doors in October 1961 under principal J.E.C. Wilson.

Those students became the school's first fourth form students in 1962.

Bernie and Christine Priestley, now living in Taupo, are organising the reunion.

“We were both foundation students,” said Mrs Priestley, who still remembers builders being on the site that year.

The couple originally planned a 60th anniversary reunion in 2021 only for Covid to intervene.

Now Cyclone Gabrielle is presenting an obstacle to any planned reunion for former students living in Hawke's Bay.

But the couple have decided to go ahead.

“People have already booked for the reunion,” Mr Priestley said,

The couple organised a “foundation” reunion five years ago in Taupo with people attending from as far as Rotorua and Hamilton.

About 40 people attended the reunion in 2018 and the Priestleys are hopeful of similar numbers next month.

The reunion starts on Sunday, April 23, with dinner at the RSA. The day after is a teachers only day at Lytton High School so principal Wiremu Elliott has arranged a tour of the school for the former students.

Sheryl McGrory, nee Irving, will pay tribute to deceased former classmates.

A Monday dinner will be held at Gisborne Tatapouri Sports Fishing Club

The Priestleys can be contacted at berniep60@gmail.com