YMCA New Zealand

04/10/2026

04/10/2026

For 150 years, The Y Southland has been shaped by its people. In partnership with He Waka Tuia, we're bringing art to the heart of The Y to celebrate some of the many Southlanders who have made it what it is today. 149 faces and their stories will be on the walls.

The 150th face belongs to you. Snap a Polaroid, add it to the wall, and you'll go in the draw to win a year's gym membership and a prize pack, thanks to Shoe Clinic and JB Hi-Fi Invercargill.

Fill a bag with old school favourites from the candy bar to snack on as you browse, and enjoy face painting for the kids and a DJ on the decks.

Friday 16 October, 3pm to 6pm
The Y Southland, Tay Street
Free entry, everyone welcome

04/10/2026

The YMCA Canteen truck.

🇳🇿 SOMETIMES WE DON’T TELL THE STORIES OF OUR VOLUNTEERS

Last year we were in Waipawa, where our team had spent the day working on the graves of 28 Māori Battalion men, as part of the visit where we also presented the Matt Gauldie portrait of Wi Huata to local iwi.

That evening we all caught up at the local RSA.

A number of kuia joined us, and before long the stories started flowing — stories about their whānau, the Māori Battalion, and particularly the incredible history of C Company and the men of Hawke’s Bay.

One of our volunteers mentioned that we were free the following day.

He said if they had whānau buried in the local urupā who had served, send him the details and we would see what we could do.

He gave them his phone number.

The next morning he woke up to 37 messages.

So off we went.

We met up with some of the kuia and started visiting urupā.

One grave led to another. One story led to another. And one urupā led to the next.

We ended up spending eight hours travelling across Hawke’s Bay, going from urupā to urupā, finding their servicemen, hearing their stories and doing what restoration work we could.

One of the team did 26 28th Maori Battalion grave restorations alone!

By the end of it, we were absolutely exhausted.

But it was one of those days that reminds you exactly why the Remembrance Army exists.

It wasn't planned.

There was no programme or big organised event.

Some kuia told us about their people. One of our volunteers gave them his number. Thirty-seven messages arrived overnight.

And because we had a free day, we went.

Sometimes remembrance really is as simple as that.

“Show us where they are.”

And we'll do our best to remember them.

🇳🇿 Lest We Forget.

29/09/2026

29/09/2026

Finals Night for the Suchy&Co Futsal League at the YMCA come on down to the stadium this Wednesday and check out some quality Futsal

29/09/2026

MYTH: Enrolling to vote is a long and complicated process.

✅ FACT: With a NZ driver licence, NZ passport, or verified RealMe identity, you can complete your enrolment online in just a few minutes.

By the time your coffee is ready, your enrolment could be too. ☕

If you don't have ID you can still enrol. You need to complete an enrolment form online at vote.nz and have it emailed or posted for you to sign and return. Upload, email or post your completed form to back.