Embassies open doors for school funds
Families and local celebrities will open their doors to the public tomorrow as part of Wadestown School’s house and garden walk.
Ticket-holders will be invited through 15 homes and gardens, including the Italian and Dutch embassies, and given the opportunity to buy food and art.
This is the eighth time the three-yearly event has been held, usually attracting about 1000 people.
Organiser Andrea Davidson said the walk was the school’s biggest fundraiser of the year, with money going toward a muchneeded playground makeover.
The ARThouse at 8 Rankin St is a one-day gallery featuring paintings, ceramics, etchings, photography, and indoor and outdoor sculptures. Prices would range from $50 to several thousands, and 25 per cent of the proceeds would go toward the playground.
Local families will open the doors of historical and modern homes alike.
‘‘All the community gets behind it,’’ Davidson said.
Highlights included an arts and craftsstyle house, the gardens of the Italian embassy, and the house and gardens of the Dutch ambassador’s residence.
Mira Woldberg, ambassador of the Netherlands, shares the home with her husband and two sons, and said she was eager to give back to the community that welcomed them.
‘‘An ambassador should not be above everyone,’’ she said. ‘‘I want to share the community feeling.’’ The house has been the official Dutch residence since the 1960s.
Woldberg said she had uncovered old card tables in a cupboard, and guessed they would have been used in the ballroom for social events.
Tomorrow, visitors can wander through the terrace garden with a harbour view, see the wood-panelled ballroom, and several works of Dutch-Kiwi photographer Ans Westra.
Wadestown School has been working with developers since September last year on a plan for a playground across its two sites. For more information and to buy tickets, email wadestownschool@gmail.com with your details. On rain or shine.
The ARThouse is open to the public, not just ticket holders. Eftpos is available.