Flag Flyers of Manawatū: Bill O'Donnell

Feilding's Bill O'Donnell with two of his flags - the silver fern and "The Witch Is In".

Pride in New Zealand prompted Bill O'Donnell to start flying flags.

He got his first flagpole when he lived in Ōtaki and had a high fence.

His first flag was the New Zealand one and he thought a flag would be good to fly over the top of the fence to show people he is proud of who we are.

"It was pride in New Zealand, pride in who we are, my lineage."

Another motivation was to brighten up people's days.

"People were quite amused by it because no one much was flying flags 12 years ago."

Bill has lived in Feilding for 10 years and flown flags at both houses he's lived in there.

"I fly a flag every day, the only time I bring them in is if there's a real gale."

Each of the flags he flies has symbolism at a particular time.

Over Waitangi weekend he flew the tino rangatiratanga flag.

"I'm not Māori but I respect what that stands for."

His collection includes a "ban the bomb" flag and a Happy Birthday flag he flies in celebration of family birthdays.

At Halloween he flies an eye-catching purple flag declaring "The Witch Is In!".

His Christmas flag, Ho! Ho! Ho!, gets lots of comments.

The day the Guardian visited Bill was flying the silver fern flag in acknowledgement of the upcoming America's Cup races.

The silver fern is his favourite flag.

"The word underneath is New Zealand and that's who I am."