Ceremony organiser receives own citizenship

Napier City Council administrator and ceremony organiser Wendy Forman of Florida was ecstatic to receive citizenship at last night's ceremony at MTG Hawke's Bay. Photo/Warren Buckland

A public citizenship ceremony held in Napier last night marked a particularly special occasion for the organiser of the event who became a New Zealand citizen herself.

Napier City Council corporate services administrator Wendy Forman, 53, received her own official citizenship last night after organising the ceremony in her capacity as a council employee.

Originally from Fort Lauderdale in Florida, Ms Forman had been living in New Zealand in both Wellington and Auckland since 2005 before she moved to Napier with her husband in June last year.

"It was probably the best life change I've made since moving to New Zealand. Living in Napier is just a much more pleasant lifestyle. We like the smaller community and getting to know people."

Ms Forman said she was "ecstatic" to hear her own name called at last night's ceremony.

"I was so ecstatic when they called my name and I cried when we sang the national anthem. I actually had a hard time finishing it because I was so emotional."

In attendance last night was Ms Forman's husband, Frank McCue, whom she said was "very proud" of her.

She said they both intended to grow old in the region as, having fallen in love with both the community and the lifestyle, they were able to live in Hawke's Bay.

"He's really proud of me and I think I've inspired him to get his citizenship too. He's originally from Scotland and has been in New Zealand for 34 years."

Ms Forman gained citizenship alongside a total of 56 candidates from 16 different countries including Canada, Great Britain, South Africa, Thailand, India, China, Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, Belgium, The Netherlands and Ecuador.

Following a performance by the Napier Girls' High School kapa haka group, candidates took the oath and then affirmed their allegiance to New Zealand.

During the ceremony each candidate was called individually; Napier mayor Bill Dalton presenting each person with their Certificate of Citizenship and a kowhai tree to plant.

Ms Forman said she was pleasantly surprised to see that a male candidate from India wore a tuxedo to the ceremony.

"It was nice to see how he took the honour."

Last night she was celebrating at a restaurant and said she had ordered a glass of champagne fit for the occasion.

"We're really settled now. This is our [final] move and we're going to grow old here."