Local events offered 'wings'

The Wairarapa Development Group (WDG) has offered to help local businesses and individuals to create commercial opportunities through the staging of events and wants businesses and event organisers to get in touch.

The offer follows the success of last month's Wings Over Wairarapa Air Show, which was attended by more than 30,000 people over three days.

Shane McManaway, WDG chairman and member of the Wings Over Wairarapa board, said WDG was committed to improving the economic prosperity of Wairarapa.

Mr McManaway is general manager and director of Allflex, Australasia, the world's largest suppliers of ear tags for stock identification.

"We are a group of businessmen and women from a wide range of commercial backgrounds and are here to offer our help and support to anyone who is investing in the region through their business or an event," he said.

The WDG is self-funded and independent. It comprises Alastair Scott, Anders Crofoot, Bob Francis, David Borman, Donovan Wearing, James Smallwood, Kay McAulay, Nick Rogers, Peter Munn, Robin Dunlop, Shane McManaway and Wendy Morrison.

As well as Wings Over Wairarapa, the group is involved with Kokomai, the Wairarapa Arts Festival, and Heartland Wairarapa, which recently lodged an application for an ASB National Football League franchise.

The WDG became involved with Wings 18 months ago in a move to maximise the economic return of the show and help steer the event into the future.

Mr McManaway, with fellow Group members Bob Francis and Nick Rogers, joined the Wings Board of Trustees to give hands-on help and advice.

The WDG chairman said that the success of these large-scale events in the region had given everybody a great degree of confidence.

"Wings Over Wairarapa 2013 has just demonstrated that events like this have tremendous pulling power and have good potential to give the local economy a financial boost," he said.

"Last month's show was the biggest and best yet.

"This puts our region on the map, increases confidence, hopefully encourages further investment and directly benefits local businesses."