LIKE Yorkshire folk everywhere, Ron Bird and his wife Sylvia will be waving the White Rose flag and tucking into proper Yorkshire grub tomorrow.

The only difference between them and those celebrating Yorkshire Day here at home is that they’ll be doing it 12,000 miles away, in New Zealand.

The pair emigrated to the country from York in 1969.

But to mark Yorkshire day they have organised a get-together with other Yorkshire ‘exiles’ at their local hotel in Waiuku, an hour’s drive south of Auckland.

They’ll be tucking into Yorkshire food (Yorkshire puds, anyone?), waving the White Rose flag – and even linking up (online) with the Mayor of Rotherham.

Ron, who was born in Pocklington but grew up in Clifton, York, said for exiled Yorkies Yorkshire Day was always a big event.

“It marks a special day in history and it is a bit like remembrance day in the UK and ANZAC day in Australia and New Zealand!” he said. “We generally wear a white rose like the soldiers.”

Before Covid, The Yorkshire Day get together was a regular event – with as many as 100 people turning up, Ron said.

“We have had some amazing things happening - like I got a pat on my shoulder once and when I turned around it was a lad I went to school with in York!” he said. “Another time I met the niece of a lass who was in my primary school class at Shipton Street School.”

They’re hoping for a good turnout this year, too – because there are quite a lot of Yorkshire folk living down under. “Looking at our list of people we have 65 people /couples living within 20 minutes drive of Waiuku town, and there are about another 30 who live further afield,” Ron said.

The link-up with the mayor of Rotherham will happen at 9am UK time on Yorkshire Day – although because of the 11-hour time difference between the UK and New Zealand it will be 8pm in New Zealand.

Ron and Sylvia have organised a meeting room upstairs at the hotel where they’ll be having dinner, so they can zoom link to Rotherham, Ron said.

It might be more than 50 years since he and Sylvia emigrated.

But York and Yorkshire are still close to their hearts.

Sylvia was born in Goole and brought up in Barlby.

She and Ron met because they both worked for Armstrong Patents, based in five used hangers at Clifton Airport. They married at Selby Abbey in 1962.

So what made them start a new life on the other side of the world?

Like his elder brother, he got a job as an Engineer Officer in the Merchant Navy, Ron said.

“Amongst the ports we called at were ports in New Zealand, Australia and South Africa.

“Later in life an advert appeared requesting people with engineering skills to apply for vacant positions here in Auckland - the rest is history.”

Thy may be 12,000 miles away - but for a few short hours tomorrow their hearts will very much be back home in Yorkshire.