Elizabeth died on September 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland, aged 96. She was Britain's longest serving monarch, reigning for for 70 years, and was succeeded by her son King Charles III and his wife Queen Camilla.
During her first visit to the West Coast in 1953-54, as part of a six-week tour of New Zealand, all school pupils in the country were given a keepsake medal and souvenir guidebook.
The Moana Heritage Trust will host a community event on Saturday at 2pm, outside the Moana Church, to commemorate the Queen's seven decades of service.
A brief unveiling of a donated bench seat and plaque will be followed by a 'Right Royal' afternoon tea.
"Over the past week a number of former students from the 1950s have contacted organisers of the event to share stories and confirm their attendance on Saturday afternoon," organiser Judi Mears said.
Among them will be former Te Kinga School pupil Tom Griffin, who has both his medal and a photo of himself at the Te Kinga Railway Station on the day the Queen and husband Prince Philip passed through on the royal train.
He is looking forward to sharing memories of this occasion and catching up with others and remembering what the sawmilling town of Te Kinga was like 70 years ago.
"Moana Church will have the heaters on, and be decked out in British bunting, with afternoon tea tables set up to welcome and host those wanting to reminisce and reconnect, and those who just want to get out and celebrate spring.
"Organisers advise that pearls and bowties are not obligatory!" Mrs Mears said.
Due to the interest expressed by the Governor-General's office staff, they hope to take some formal photos after the brief ceremony, officiated by the mayor, to send to Wellington, as her office indicated when contacted that Moana was the only community in New Zealand planning to acknowledge the first anniversary of Elizabeth's death.
The tea inside the church is $5 per person.
Programme
• 1.30pm: Henie Gargett to play bagpipes down by the public boat ramp, near the Arnold River, or if wet, in the church.
• 2pm: Official start with one bagpipe tune. Moana Heritage Trust chairwoman Marilyn Smithem will welcome everyone, and there will be explanation of the connection between Her Majesty, the lake Kòtuku-whakaoko (Lake Brunner) and the bench seat.
• Mayor Tania Gibson will officially unveil the bench seat, donated by Liddell's Contracting and plaque donated by Rhodes Monumental Masons, on the concrete pad donated by Westmere Drilling.
• Formal photos.
• Informal afternoon tea in a royal setting inside the church at $5 per person, with a children's colouring competition on display.
