COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES BRING HOLIDAY CHEER TO HIGHLANDERS REGION

The festive season spirit was alive and well across the Highlanders region, as a variety of community events brought together schools, Highlanders players, and local businesses in a celebration of holiday cheer and community spirit.

One of the standout events was the Breen Road Show to North Otago, which saw students from nine schools, ranging from Maheno to Oamaru, welcoming some very special guests to their school and participating in skills and other activities with them. Supported by Highlanders’ commercial partner, Breen, the day was made even more memorable thanks to the support of the North Otago Rugby Football Union (RFU), who provided assistance with logistics and organisation.

“A big thank you to Sene and the North Otago RFU team for their hard work in helping make this day such a success. It was a day that delivered a bit of Xmas joy to the children, but also hopefully delivered a sense of community among the schools involved.”

The community work continued with the South Otago Schools event, where students from four schools were treated to a special day of activities, supported by Isaac Construction. The event included a variety of skills games and development drills plus a bit of festive cheer.

Excitement reached new heights with the Meridian Mall Christmas Event, where players were enlisted to wrap presents and take festive photos with Santa Claus. The event was a hit among attendees, with families and players alike participating in the Christmas cheer.

The Christmas festivities culminated in the Dunedin Santa Parade, where the streets of Dunedin were filled with floats, music, and the 2025 Highlanders Squad.  One of the highlights was the presence of Cliff, the Save Our Hospital ambulance, which added a unique and special touch to the parade and reinforced the deep links the Highlanders have to their community. The community came out in full force to support the event, lining the streets to catch a glimpse of Santa, his helpers and even some Highlanders! 

ENDS