Whether you're from Iceland, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, the Faroe Islands or even New Zealand, one Bay of Plenty group is proving that Scandinavian culture is not bound by geography.

ScandinaviaNZ Bay of Plenty is a recently-revived group which seeks to promote the culture and heritage in fellowship and shared fun.

Chairwoman Hanne Martin is one of 12 committee members keen to reunite Scandinavian families in the Bay of Plenty with one another.

'As immigrants, Scandinavians don't tend to seek other Scandinavians, they seek to integrate and assimilate,” says Hanne.

'However, we're here to remind people that it's often quite nice to get together with people who share your culture, speak your language and understand your foods.

'We wanted to form a group where we could put on events that would enable families, particularly children, to experience some of what their parents and grandparents experienced growing up.

'Membership is not based on your place of birth, it's based on your interest in all things Scandinavian.”

ScandinaviaNZ BOP secretary Sally Read, for example, says her mother, who is Danish, is her reason for joining.

'I wasn't born in Denmark,” says Sally, 'but I grew up with all of my mother's cultural heritage and I wanted to share that with my children and grandchildren, which is exactly what this group is all about.”

Hanne, on the other hand, says she is born and bred Danish.

'I arrived in New Zealand as a teenager and made it my home. However, at various times in my life I've felt the need to share some of the Scandinavian culture I remembered as a child and I also wanted to keep my language alive.”

Hanne says food and song play a big role within the culture and the group hosts a range of events throughout the year which celebrate these, including a garden party, a midwinter dinner and a Christmas party.

'These events are our way of sharing the culture,” she says.

'For some people it's as if you reach a certain element of relaxation because you are amongst other people who share the same background – they understand the nuances of the languages and the nuances in manners.

'For others it's a way to understand more about their parents or grandparents.”

Sally agrees the events are a true taste of Scandinavia.

'There's almost an instant bond with the people who are there,” she says, 'even if you haven't met them before, because your shared history means you've always got something in common.”

The group currently has about 70 members and is seeking more families to come on board.

Membership is free, and those interested in joining can contact: scandinavianzbop@gmail.com