Womad stalwart takes a stand
One of the men who helped bring Womad to New Plymouth is now finding great views in the over-65s stands.
But it was only last year that Bruce Richards, 70 this year, and his wife Dianne, 66, ventured on to the TSB Bank-sponsored platforms.
‘‘When I turned 65, I wouldn’t go in there by myself,’’ Richards said.
Richards initially felt a bit of a fraud because he was so fit. He still surfs, walks, plays golf, snowboards and was looking forward to hitting the mountain slopes for free this year for a 70th birthday celebration.
‘‘Life’s for living – I’m a strong believer in that,’’ he says.
Despite his protestations about using the stands, he got invited up by a mate and now enjoys the raised vantage points at the Brooklands, Gables and Bowl stages.
‘‘You don’t have to stand and you get a good view and we know a lot of people of similar age.’’
He also has a strong link with the supporter of the stands. For 28 years, the chartered accountant was a director of the TSB Bank and was chairman in 2015 and 2016, before retiring from the board.
His links with Womad are also strong.
With Roger King and Grant Kerr, he was a foundation trustee of the Taranaki Arts Festival Trust, which runs Womad.
‘‘I was asked for my accounting ability because I know nothing about the arts,’’ he laughed.
’’I remember one day King said we should look at Womad. Auckland had two goes at it and lost money both times.’’
The Trust got the contract for three Womads, with the first one held in 2003. Back then, the threeday festival was held every two years and the Taranaki International Arts Festival was every other year.
Womad is now held annually and is heading into its 13th year at the TSB Bowl of Brooklands.
Richards had been to every one so far. ’’Each Womad has artists I have never heard of. That’s what’s good about it, I go along with no preconceived idea about who to listen to; I just go from one to another.’’
And he would always be guaranteed a seat with a view. ‘‘I hope they don’t have an upper age limit,’’ he said.
‘‘Hopefully, I will still be going for another 10 to 20 years.’’
Womad world music festival run from March 17 to 19.