A relaxing of Covid-19 restrictions means Anzac Day could be a busy day in Porirua.

Two dawn services are planned in the city on 25 April, at Titahi Bay and the Porirua RSA in McKillop St (both from 6am), with the Porirua civic service to be held at the Peace Memorial at Te Rauparaha Park from 9am. The parade will begin to gather at 8.30am.

Commemorations will take place at St Alban’s Church, Pāuatahanui (10.15am), Takapūwāhia Marae and Titahi Bay, Whitehouse Rd, (10.30am) and Pukerua Bay Community Hall (11am, which is then followed by a wreath-laying at Whenua Tapu Cemetery from noon).

The public are welcome to attend any dawn parade or service but due to Omicron’s continued presence in the community it is hard to predict the numbers of people, Porirua Mayor Anita Baker says.

"We respect that some people may wish to stay home, with Covid-19 still out there, and high daily case numbers," she says.

"But for those that feel comfortable, we want to offer an opportunity to get together and mark this special day for our country.

"I’ve always looked forward to the dawn parade and Porirua’s civic centre ceremony - it’s a chance to come together, and I especially love seeing the number of young faces that are attending Anzac Day.

"It’s about pride and nationhood and our tamariki understand that more than ever."

Since 1916, services have been held around the country to mark the landing of Australian and New Zealand soldiers at Gallipoli in Turkey on 25 April 1915, acknowledging the sacrifices and hardships made there and in subsequent conflicts around the world in the name of freedom.

Porirua’s civic service will be livestreamed on Facebook, for those who prefer to watch from home, and it will have a sign language interpreter.

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