12 INTERCLUB • VOLUME 29, ISSUE 2 - 2023 REACHING CLUBS SINCE 1995 CLUB LIFE: NATIONAL SERVICE CLUB Club making people feel really welcome For all your foodservice needs call us today on 06 843 0555 order online at mybidfood.co.nz HAWKE’S BAY Passionate about service @bidfoodhb BidfoodHawkesBay GOLF CLUB HAWKES BAY Eighteen holes designed to challenge the skills & determination of any golfer. You will find we are the friendliest golf club in the bay ! New members and green fee players are always welcome. Grillz Cafe, Club House with Bar & Cafe, Pro Shop, Golf Simulator. 114 VALENTINE ROAD BRIDGE PA, HASTINGS 4157 (06) 879 8890 | office@hbgolf.co.nz | hawkesbaygolfclub.co.nz Sue Russell Hasting’s National Services Club has been in existence for 100-plus years and is still going strong. Shelley McGhie is the club’s Manager and says that through the struggles of dealing with Cyclone Gabrielle a lot of people used the club as a place just to gather and talk. “I think there was a reassurance for them in being able to have a natter about how things were feeling for them and that certainly helped get them through. This is where our club has an important role to play, at times like these,” Shelley explains. Over the years, the nature of the club has changed, becoming a place where the younger generation are increasingly drawn. “We work hard on making this club feel really welcoming and accessible for everyone. "It’s important to do that in this day. We owe it to all those who have come before us to keep the club relevant and growing.” All adjuncts are popular and offer a safe environment for those newer to the club scene. A courtesy van ensures all patrons can get home safely when needed. Shelley says it is really important to keep putting the message out about the club’s existence. “You’d be surprised how many people come here for the first time for a function and didn’t know the club existed.” The club employs 17 bar and kitchen staff and is open seven days a week, with the kitchen open Wednesday through Friday. Karaoke is very popular on Sundays. “It’s our aim also to have entertainment every month. Our members are absolutely ‘sports mad’, so on big game nights we’re always busy.” The club is in the process of altering and upgrading its kitchen facilities, enlarging the space and creating a faster bistro service, with the aim that it will have final plans before September. A long-term plan to upgrade to redecorate and refurnish is in place and, Shelley says, is the best way to achieve long-term improvements. She has been part of the club’s staff 13 years and in the role of manager for 11 year. With a membership of nearly 1300, the National Services Club is well poised to grow and develop into the future. “One of the really nice things is that just about everyday we have some community group making use of our space to meet.” The club has a long and proud history, establishing between 1914-18 as the Returned Soldiers Club and being renamed the National Service Club in 2020. Shelley McGhie the club's Manager says that through the struggles of Cyclone Gabrielle a lot of people used the club as a place to gather and talk.
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