Welcome mat rolled out for couple

WELCOMED: Auckland couple from John and Gail Melton meet Masterton Mayor Lyn Patterson (centre). PHOTO/LYNDA FERINGA

An Orewa couple who expressed interest in moving from Auckland to Masterton received more support than they bargained for when they approached the council for advice on the move.

John and Gail Melton sent an email to Masterton District Council last week asking to "meet with somebody who could discuss life in Masterton and give us a better feel for the location and its lifestyle".

Within hours a Facebook Post by My Masterton, which called for ideas on how to make the couple feel at home on their visit, had attracted comments offering accommodation, dinner, chats, and even vouchers from businesses.

Masterton District Council's economic development manager Tina Nixon said she was surprised by the volume of support received.

"I mean generally as soon as people know there's a way they can help other people and promote Masterton, they tend to be in their boots and all," said Mrs Nixon who is involved in the My Masterton campaign.

"And I think the recent post around the Auckland couple looking to come here and wondering what to do, is a clear example of that.

"Everyone really wants to make the town go and they're looking at ways they can get involved."

Sandy Ryan was more than hospitable in her welcoming offers for the couple, posting an offer of dinner and a chat.

"I'd happily talk to them," she wrote. "I moved from Auckland and my son will be following next year. I also have the experience of having lived in Carterton and Masterton in the 1980s and early 90s and my children spent their early years of schooling here, which set them up as confident young people and now wonderfully successful adults."

Mrs Nixon said along with the support from the community on Facebook, she also had people approach her offline with offers to help.

Mr and Mrs Melton met Mayor Lyn Patterson yesterday and were grateful for the welcoming offers of welcome.

Mr Melton said the move to Masterton from the Auckland area would allow him and his wife to visit their family who live in both the North and South islands, and would still allow him to manage his financial services business.

"I've got a brother who lives in Palmerston North, grandkids in Nelson, and my two sisters live in Wanganui where I was brought up," he said.

"So I've got familiarity with the area but it seems to me you sort of get the best of both worlds in Masterton.

"For instance, we spent most of Sunday going through on the satellite pictures and basically walking up and down each side of Queen St, and we thought, 'wow it's got all three supermarkets, we've only got two of them in Orewa'.

"And the fact that there's the really nice restaurant at the top of Queen St, Farriers, that sort of thing appeals to us, just the general environment of Masterton looks like it's the sort of place we could live that's away from Auckland and yet sort of close to our family."

Mrs Patterson has been encouraging many other people in their move to Masterton, having frequent meetings and phone calls with people looking to make the town their new home.