October 2026
Updated: Oct 7
WELCOME
Warm greetings to all of our club Members. While the spring weather is upon us and the sun is warm, we still have cool winds and cold nights. We hope that flu season has departed, but wrap up warm on those less than sunny days.
Our latest events at Tip Top Icecream and Waipuna Lodge were attended by a small number of club members. The Tip Top tour took our group back to younger days, and was enjoyed by all, especially with a choice of their favourite icecream at the end of the tour.
Kings Service Medal
Congratulations to our Club member Bill Rayner, who was awarded the Kings Service Medal for services to seniors and cultural heritage. in the June Kings Birthday Honors list. Mr Bill Rayner has advocated for seniors in New Zealand for more than 25 years and has contributed to the heritage sector.
Mr Rayner was President of Grey Power North Shore for 14 years and is currently Vice President and a Life Member. He was the Auckland representative to the Grey Power Federation National Board in 2024, after serving as National Treasurer. He was integral to the establishment of the Auckland Council Seniors Advisory Panel. He worked closely on the Haumaru partnership between Auckland Council and the Selwyn Foundation to ensure affordable housing for older people was retained, and on the introduction of the Auckland Transport SuperGold HOP Card for senior travel. He was on the Auckland Council Heritage Advisory Panel for many years and was a founding Board member of the Museum of Transport and Technology, continuing his involvement in various roles for 25 years. He served a term on the Board of the International Association of Transport Museums. He advised the Ministry of Culture and Heritage on technical heritage issues and was a member of the Te Papa National Services Sector Standards Advisory Panel. He has been involved with many local heritage organisations, particularly the Devonport Museum. Mr Rayner served on the Ngāti Kahungunu Asset Holding Company Board and the Iwi Board.
SHARING HIS STORY
Jamie Shedden (Brandane)
Air New Zealand Passenger Services Officer Jamie Sheddon left the British Merchant Navy in 1973, and migrated to New Zealand, where he successfully applied for a Traffic Officer position with Air NZ, where he worked from 1973-2010. The job with the airline was similar to being a purser at sea; both dealt with customer passenger services...
Download and read the full story below...
We hope you are enjoying our Club Members stories in SHARE YOUR STORY. If you would like to contribute please email these to airnzretirees@gmail.com, for publication in upcoming newsletters. We look forward to hearing all your airline work stories - keep them coming.
UPCOMING EVENT
Christmas Lunch
Date: Wednesday 02 December 2026
Location: 27 Ohinerau Street, Remuera
Time: From 11:30am
Lunch: $45.00 per head including drink voucher and a raffle ticket for Xmas hampers and gift prizes draw
Come along and enjoy some Christmas cheer with your friends. Bar opens at 11.30am and lunch is served at 12 noon. Raffle draw is at 12.30pm followed by dessert, tea and coffee. We have managed to keep the subsidised cost for the buffet meal including drink voucher at $45 per head
Bookings will close 25 November.
OUR AUCKLAND Independent Event Ideas
We have no future events planned for next year apart from our mid-year and Christmas lunches. However you may like to meet up with some of your friends to make your own group for one of the many events throughout the year. Check out Our Auckland the official news and events platform of the Auckland Council, and subscribe to receive regular updates.
Titanic - The Human Story is on until 25 October in the old Smith & Caughey building. Created by Musealia and Titanic historian and expert Claes-Göran Wetterholm, this experience separates fact from fiction like never before. An audio guide in English will serve as the narrator that will guide you throughout the experience. Testimonies of passengers and crew will take you back to 1912. Unravel the true story of the ship as you embark on a trip through time bringing you closer to the myths, stories and the real history of the Titanic.
Royal New Zealand Ballet present The Sleeping Beauty at the Kiri Te Kanawa Theatre, Aotea Centre, from 3-12 December 2026. Our Vice President Jo Foged's granddaughter will be dancing in this ballet.
Maungawhau Market Get along to the vibrant new Sunday market where great food, local produce, creativity and community come together at the exciting new Maungawhau Station! Location: Maungawhau Station, 27 Shaddock Street, Eden Terrace, Auckland
AUCKLAND MUSEUM
Twilight Tuesdays Take in the relaxed atmosphere as the whole Museum is open for you to wander, every Tuesday evening until 8.30pm.
March of the Triceratops Step back 66 million years and meet five enormous Triceratops from the world’s only herd. This exhibition commenced 24 October, 2026 and runs for around six months, with a Gold Card price of $27.90.
IDEAS FOR A HANDMADE CHRISTMAS
It's October, so you still have a few months up your sleeve to start a creative project, or plan something special, from gorgeous handmade gifts, to lovely items perfect for sharing at Christmas. Discover more ideas on Pinterest.
A tiny baby swaddled in a felted blanket embellished with hand stitched flowers. Christmas platter idea Three Wise Men with felted gowns Santa's Buttons biscuits Christmas Cookie jar Little leaf wreaths to hang from the tree Handmade tote bags Christmas Tree cookies Christmas charcuterie platter Little Christmas Fairy Christmas bookends from leftover wood 
Hand-stitched gift tags Orange peel Christmas wreath Pressed foil Christmas Decorations Christmas Pouches; fill with your ingredients for mulled wine or spiced nuts
NEW MEMBERS
For those interested, you can now keep in touch via our Facebook Groups page. If you have friends or know of anyone that might wish to join the club, please invite them along to an event so they can see the camaraderie club members enjoy. Frazer Reeves 1973 2023 Pilot/ Flight Operations, Aircraft Engineer / Maintenance
Richard Ingham 1973 2004 Flight Operations
Christine Crabb 1988 2014 Cabin Crew / Inflight Services
Brent Daly 1975 2004 Engineering apprentice, Hydromechanical, Hangars
Joanne De Lore 1998 2026 Ground CSA, Mt Cook Flight Attendant, Cabin Safety
Alan Moss 1971 2026 Engineering
OBITUARIES
If any members hear of anyone passing away, please let us know. These days many people are not having funerals, or even noted in NZ Herald as an obituary. Hager, Sigi passed away 31 May, 2026. A funeral service was held on 5th of June.
YOUR COMMITTEE
Please find the Club Committee details below. Members considering joining our thriving committee are invited to contact either Antoinette Nelson or Gaye Mears.
President / Treasurer Gaye Mears gayemears45@gmail.com
Secretary Antoinette Nelson antoinette@outlook.co.nz
Past President Jo Foged jonjosie.foged@xtra.co.nz
Committee Peter Elmsly, Jo Foged, Tanya Somerville, Maggie Willis,
Margaret Holden, Peter Burn
Contact us airnzretirees@gmail.com
NAME BADGES
Name Badges can be requested by emailing airnzretirees@gmail.com
We encourage you to wear them at lunches as it makes it so much easier when you know a face but can't quite remember the name that goes with it.
CURRENT PAYMENT OPTIONS
You must be a fully paid up member to attend club events.
Annual membership fees are $ 15.00 per person, invoiced in May and November each year. You can pay into our bank account online banking (direct debit or direct credit), by phone banking, or at a Smart ATM.
Air NZ Retirees Club
Account: 06-0222-0851695-00
Particulars: Your Surname
Code: SUBS
Reference: Your phone number
Payee Name: Air New Zealand Retired Staff Club Nthn
COMPANY NEWS
Regular media releases are published online by Air New Zealand and you can access these from our website under the heading Links.
Comments