This weekend just gone saw us celebrate 88.2FM’s fifth birthday with quintessential Paekakariki bravura, freedom and style, with the entire studio moved to the floor of St Peter’s Hall for its centennial to record radio shows live with the public, DJ the Worlds Smallest Beer Festival and Famous for Five community cabaret, record oral history and the official celebrations and singalong. All rather glorious, and the events were packed. Images of our DJs in action are below.

I take this moment to thank some of the people who weren’t necessarily on air who enabled it to happen. Just as the station came into being because of a happy confluence of remarkable professional skills in our village, so it was with this bold move. Firstly the weekend was made successful by PICI, our trust, Paekakariki Community Trust, the Museum Trust and Tim Ward and his festival crew all working together. Particular mention goes to Francis Mills who had big vision we leapt to fill and who was there at every turn this weekend, gone finding ways to make the building, the lighting and sound dynamic and cared for.

From the PICI team Daniel Bar-Evan quietly got on with the job of making the whole thing like magic go to air  – first to arrive, last to leave. On his other flank there constantly when needed and able to put the whole setup together was the remarkable Mike Gibson, our studio engineer. PICI chair Paul Radich needs to give up his day job as QC barrister and just be a broadcaster and BBQ organiser. Renwick Wright and James Albertson were legends in backing the whole crazy caper supporting the DJs and programming. To the rest of the PICI committee you were legends and many, many others helped out – with a particular thanks to everyone who supported the enormous community party pulled off without a broken glass on the Saturday night. That was some hall celebration.

Mark Amery