The music workshop was pleased to be able to donate their services at cost for the Horeke concert.  

Many friends indeed at Horeke - Taken from the Northland Age, Thursday, May, 20th 2010.

A friend in need is a friend indeed according to the age old saying, and one Horeke famly has friends indeed to spare.

The population of the tiny harbour-side community exploded six-fold on Sunday night when some of the biggest names in New Zealand reggae music took the stage on behalf of a family who have fallen on difficult times.

The One Love concert at the Horeke Tavern, New Zealand's oldest pub, included performances by Katchafire, Norrthland's own 1814, Ed Ru from the band Sweet and Irie, Ardijah and Max Cochrane.

It was the biggest line-up of bands to hit the North since Kaihoke's Ngapuhi Festival in January. Organiser Te Whenua Harawira said 500 tickets were sold, but once musicians and guests were included, the turnout would have topped 650. The concert was a fundraiser for the Latimer family of Horke. Lloyd and Lesley Latimer have been actively involved in the community for years, setting up Horke's childcare centre, running children's reading classes, teaching martial arts, helping young people into musical workshops, but were struck down by serious illness within weeks of each other.

The concert was a way of doing something in return, Te Whenua said.

She had yet to tally up the total raised, which would include the proceeds of a hangi and raffles run by the local netball and pig hunting clubs, but The Northland Age understand that it will be in the region of $15,000, which will help meet the family's medical costs and support their five children.

In a brief speech on Sunday night, an emotional Mr Latimer said his family had been shattered by the events of recent months, but he was "blown away" by the support and turnout at the concert.

"I've got no words for it," he said. The founder of Far North band 1814, Patu Colbert, said Lloyd was a "great friend," who had made the band's Jah Rastafari video. The cameraman and former drummer for Big Belly Woman was a mujsician in his own right, with close links to the music industry in New Zealand and overseas.

"He helps everyone, and no one else up here has his skills, so when we heard what had happened we all pitched in to help," Patu said.

According to the 2006 Census, Horke's population is about 110, about one-sixth of Sunday's crowd.