My Perfect Weekend: Family sports, drinks at a local pub, and a spot of gardening for Whanganui principal Gary Johnston

Carlton School principal Gary Johnston. Photo / Bevan Conley

Each week we ask someone from the Whanganui community what their perfect weekend in the region would look like. This week, Finn Williams spoke to Carlton School principal Gary Johnston.

My weekends tend to be pretty varied thanks to all the different stuff you can do around Whanganui, which is one of the benefits of living here.

On Saturday mornings my wife and I like to start things off by going for a run.

We either go around the bridges or up the Durie Hill steps depending on how we feel that morning, but it’s good to start things off by getting the blood pumping.

Most weekends will involve sport of some description with one of my sons as well, which changes with the seasons.

We’d either be heading out for football in the winter or athletics in the summer.

In the evening my favourite spot to head to is the Commercial Hotel, it’s one of the last real pubs in town so it’s a good place to have a few drinks and enjoy some live music.

On Sundays, I like to go out for a coffee at Recaffinate.

Heading out to one of our beaches for a walk is always nice too, I tend to frequent South Beach or Castlecliff Beach.

Finally, I’d spend some time tending to the gardens around our home.