Winton RSA

The Winton RSA is warm, lively and inviting. It’s a seriously impressive building, much larger than a lot of other RSA buildings in Southland.

One of the walls is lined with a photograph of every past president the association has had.

Above them the New Zealand flag is proudly displayed alongside a cluster of knitted red poppies.

The RSA, like many others, shares the building with other groups.

There is a group of pensioners sitting on chairs in a circle in one of the rooms discussing the newspaper.

It also hosts the senior citizens and a yoga class on Thursday nights.

RSA president Allan Batt walks proudly through the rooms. It appears he knows the place like the back of his hand.

Some time ago the building was given back to the council and 18 months ago it was done up.

Earthquake repairs were made to the front of the building. But with the trouble they had getting the facade off, there was no chance it would have come down in a quake, Batt says.

He has been president for about four years.

The Winton RSA has 74 members, including six surviving World War II veterans who will be seated up the front of the dawn service on Anzac Day.

It has more surviving veterans that most RSAs in Southland.

But it’s not just them the RSA looks out for. There are about 24 widows, who aren’t members, but who are retained in the system.

Members pay them visits at home or in hospital to help keep them company – a luxury not all pensioners have.

The association gathers for a meeting on the first Thursday of every month. They celebrate Armistice Day in November, mark members’ 90th birthdays and they try to contribute at funerals.

But, as with all RSAs, the biggest day of the year is always Anzac Day.