Gate Pa students interview former All Black

Gate Pa students interview former All Black

As Feet First Senior Ambassadors at Gate Pa School we decided we wanted to interview people who work and live near to our school to gather stories about how they used to get to school? After some thought and with the help of Gail our Kids On Feet Walking Bus Parent Co-ordinator, we contacted Robin Brooke - former ‘All Black’ and owner of a local supermarket near to our school in the Gate Pa community who was really happy to share his stories with us.

We visited the store and asked Robin three simple questions. These were his replies:

What school(s) did you used to go to?

· Ahuroa Primary School

· Warkworth Primary School for about a year and a half

· Mahurangi College

How did you used to go to school?

Robin told us he lived on a 1,000 acre farm and had to walk rain, hail or shine 1km up his driveway to meet the school bus which then took him on a 20km trip too school.

Also when Robin was a Mahurangi College he travelled by bus for 14 miles (23kms) along a very bumpy metal road which took an hour each way everyday.

Do you have a memory of going to and from school (or something you experienced)?

Robin told us that he is one of six children in his family and each morning his Mum sent them off up the driveway to school with their shoes on but as they got to the end of the driveway everyday they would take their shoes off and hide them in the postbox until they came home from school!

Robin also told us that when he was at Ahuroa Primary there were only 20 pupils at the school and as he was one of six children that went to the school that only left another 14 pupils at the school! Wow that’s small….!

Robin also shared lots of other interesting stories with us but we couldn’t fit it all in.

Thank you Robin.

Further information: Angela Joyes, angela.joyes@tauranga.govt.nz .