It was a packed house at the first Citizenship Ceremony of the year in the Central Otago District Council chambers on Friday.

Residents from Bulgaria, Papua New Guinea, USA, Phillipines, South Africa, England, India, Germany and Brazil were welcomed by Mayor Tamah Alley, who shared some of the new citizens’ background stories.

Each new citizen was given a kowhai tree to plant, and were treated to New Zealand kai including cheese rolls and pikelets, while the pupils from The Terrace School sang the national anthem.

Mayor Tamah said all New Zealanders have come from somewhere else, the only difference is when they came.

She quoted Martin Luther King Jnr, “we may have all come on different ships, but we’re in the same boat now.”

Amongst the 20 new citizens was a policeman originally from the United Kingdom (Constable Mark Sheehan) and a retired medical professional who once worked in China in an attempt to ‘relax’ the one-child per family policy (Helen Axby - also from the United Kingdom).

Terrace School pupils lead the national anthem at the end of the ceremony. Image: The Central App.

Jinu James came from Southern India with a background in electrical engineering and is now settled in Central Otago with his family working as a construction foreman.

Sandra Schubert and Thomas Kaestner were from Berlin and had lived in Christchurch during the earthquakes. They are now settled in Bannockburn.

Charlie McLeod was a musical director from South England and met his wife Amy from Alexandra overseas, where they shared a mutual love of New Zealand band 'The Black Seeds.'

They named their daughter Marley after the late singer-songwriter Bob Marley, and Charlie continues to teach the drums around Central Otago and play in bands.

Charanjeet Singh was originally from India where he played professional cricket from a young age and opened a restaurant in Alexandra when he arrived. He is also a surveyor at Fulton Hogan, and has been playing for Otago Country cricket since 2021.

The next Citizenship Ceremony will be on Friday April 17.