CONCENTRATION: Daisy Clarke, 7, stands on one leg to read her citizenship affirmation, with her mum and new citizen Mrs Jean Clarke, Ireland, and Carterton mayor Ron Mark. PHOTOS/LYNDA FERINGA
CONCENTRATION: Daisy Clarke, 7, stands on one leg to read her citizenship affirmation, with her mum and new citizen Mrs Jean Clarke, Ireland, and Carterton mayor Ron Mark. PHOTOS/LYNDA FERINGA
Seven-year-old Daisy Clarke shared her first kiss with mum as a New Zealander after becoming on Wednesday the youngest ever new citizen sworn in at Carterton.
Daisy, a student at Carterton School, stood with her eyes lowered to recite her affirmation of citizenship, completing her momentous statement without pause orinterruption and all while standing on one leg.
Her mum Jean and dad Michael completed their affirmations of citizenship, as did British couple David and Victoria Wish, expatriate Brit Grace Firth and expat German Florian Nebel.
Daisy's younger sister Poppy, 5, was among a host of supporters who helped celebrate the moment with applause alongside Carterton Mayor Ron Mark, a corps of district councillors, and Ngati Kahungunu ki Wairarapa chief executive PJ Devonshire and Ra Smith, as representatives of the iwi and Hurunuiorangi Marae.
Mr and Mrs Clarke said they had chosen to settle in New Zealand about five years ago after holidaying in the Shaky Isles and "falling in love with the place".
"I was pregnant with Daisy, so we decided to make a big change and take that next step."
Mr Clarke said the couple lived in Karori in Wellington for a time and had since settled on Carterton, as Wairarapa offered the pair of keen cyclists plenty of room to roll and was a familiar provincial district in which to raise a family.
Mr Clarke was working in the IT sector and commuting to Wellington for work and Mrs Clarke had started relief teaching after earlier working at Kuranui College.
