Business Profile- Property Brokers’ Ashhurst

Thinking of buying or selling a home? Look no further than the Property Brokers’ Ashhurst office. Situated in Cambridge Avenue (next to the 4 Square – Lotto Shop) you will find Mary Laycock and Susan Woolnough; two very lively ladies committed to providing the best possible service to the community. Originally from England, Mary, husband Bob and young son came to New Zealand in

1974, settling firstly in Ashburton and then Christchurch. Three more sons were added to the family, and in 1985 the family made the move to Ashhurst where Mary and Bob still reside. Many of you will remember Mary as the School Secretary at Ashhurst School (1986 – 1995) where she enjoyed the interaction with children and parents and was an active member of the community. With a background in administration it was a career change when Mary joined Property Brokers’ in 2004, working from their Palmerston North office. In 2008 it was decided the time was right to establish an Ashhurst office which Mary opened in March of that year. She is now the only real estate agent working solely in Ashhurst.

Susan joined Mary in September and brings over fifteen years experience in the real estate profession to the business. The depth and knowledge and consummate skill that come from this gives her something that is hard to come by today - sound experience and a long and very successful record! Susan is qualified as an Associate Member of the Real Estate Institute (AREINZ) and holds a Diploma in Business Studies with an Endorsement in Real Estate from Massey University. This is the highest qualification available to real estate salespeople! Her real

estate career has been in Marton, Auckland, Palmerston North and now Ashhurst and she has owned and managed successful offices in Orewa and Birkenhead. The combination of Susan’s experience and Mary’s local knowledge makes for an unbeatable combination and they make a great team. Susan is married to John and is mum to Bridgette, who is twelve. When asked about the future of the Ashhurst office Susan was definite “Mary and I are here to stay!” Ashhurst continues to grow, with families and business moving from the city to outlying areas looking for value and a ‘lifestyle change’. Hopefully more folk will see the benefit of using the local team. Our aim is to be the first point of call for anyone looking to buy or sell property in Ashhurst”.

Mary Laycock

Inside:

Ashhurst Craft Fest -2

Ashhurst Harrier and Athletics Club - 4

Ashhurst Library - 5

Ashhurst Police - 6

Ashhurst-Pohangina Rugby Football Club - 7

Village Voice Advertising Rates - 9

Councillor’s Column - 12

Village Voice Contacts -12

September 2009

Ashhurst Stats

In the 2006 Census there were 708 families in Ashhurst. 44.5% were couples with child(ren), compared to 39.6% in Palmerston North, and 42.0% nationally. Ashhurst has a higher propertion of families with children. Stats from www.stats.govt.nz

Deon Knox

Photo: Mary and Susan at the Ashhurst Property Brokers’ office

Dear Readers,

Regretfully, I must step down as the Editor of the Village Voice in 2010. Study commitments mean the next two issues of the Village Voice will be my last as I undertake further professional development with my librarianship. If you are a personable, community-minded individual with a good grounding in basic computer skills, and time on your hands, I invite you to contact me about this awesome volunteer post.

Deon the Editor

Letter to the Editor2

Ashhurst’s OwnOut of School Care and Recreation

ProgrammeMorning, Afternoon & Holiday

Contact: YMCA Palmerston North Phone: 358-8921

Ashhurst Craft Festival

The Ashhurst Community Craft Festival 2009 takes place on the 10th October from 10 am through till 3 pm at the Village and Valley Centre on Cambridge Avenue, and this year the Ashhurst Pohangina Lions Club are in the driving seat.

Ashhurst Kindergarten will again be providing their baked treats in the café area, and no doubt painting the faces of the smallest visitors.

Skilful craft experts will amaze us all with their dexterity and ingenuity and tickle our taste buds with home made chocolates, jams and chutneys, wood turners extraordinaire, garden ornaments and mosaics, clothing and just about anything and everything in between, the talent truly abounds.

Ashhurst School will be on hand to show us some of their wearable art creations and show us the PTA’s new cook book but wait there’s more! A group of children have been working on a unique range of greetings cards which are stunning, get yours while you can!

For more information check out www.craftfest.co.nz or contact Doug on ph. 06 326 7227

We’re looking forward to your company.

Doug Wilson

Ashhurst-Pohangina Lions

Cook Book Takes Off

The School Staffroom was transformed into a recipe for success at the launch of the Ashhurst School Family Friendly Cookbook on Monday 7th September. A great turnout, great entertainment, and great wine and food, saw the cook book sales kick off to a fantastic start. Hester, from Hester Guy Catering, tickled our taste buds by demonstrating courgette and feta fritters followed by chicken, grape and almond salad, finishing off with a hazelnut and raspberry torte. Lots of laughs were had with Hester’s very charismatic and entertaining nature and her lovely assistant…Thank you Wendy G.

Ashhurst PTA would like to thank our many sponsors that supported this cookbook and it was awesome to see many of you there at the launch. We also thank Hester immensely for freely giving her talent and time to this cause. I would also like to especially thank Karyn Walker and Dan Fyles from the PTA for creating and masterminding this cookbook and for the

many hours of publishing and coordinating that went on.

The cookbook is now on sale from the Ashhurst School Office for $15 per copy. Numbers are limited at this stage so think ahead for Christmas presents and get your copies soon. The cookbook will also be on sale at the Ashhurst School production.

I’ve already posted some to ex Ashhurst family in the UK and I heard one parent at school say ‘I tried Naomi’s slice yesterday”. These recipes are very quickly going to become world famous…well in Ashhurst anyway. I’m looking forward to making Mrs Knight’s cheese scones and I am very excited to now have Kitty Wake’s Special Chocolate Cake recipe!!!! Happy cooking everyone.

Karina Jackson

Ashhurst School PTA

Photo: Craft Festival 2007, Demelza Davidson

Photo: Hester Guy at the Ashhurst School PTA Cook Book Launch, Karina Jackson

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Ashhurst Loses Petrol Service

News that our petrol station on the main road may be closing its pumps is not good news. The underground fuel tanks have reached Mobil’s use by date and need to be replaced or removed.

This is no minor task and the combined cost of tanks and refitting of the station could stretch to $500,000. Barry Jones, owner of the Ashhurst Service Centre, cannot see how his business could get a viable return on this size of investment. As a result, the staff have been served notice and the tanks may be removed as early as October.

Ashhurst and Pohangina Valley residents will soon find various problems. We will need to plan for future trips ahead or find ourselves, empty, on the side of the road. Driving to

the city for BBQ gas and lawnmower juice is wasteful. Increasing storage of petrol at home will concern the fire service. Ashhurst is at a crossroads to many destinations and travellers will have one less reason to stop, further reducing business options.

It is unlikely that a solution can be found in the near future. Eketahuna experienced the same problem in the past. Eventually the people had to come together and collectively raise the capital for a station to service its community.

What happens next in Ashhurst is unlikely to be solved by business interests. We will need to work together if we wish to overcome the bullying of corporate big business.

Harvey Jones

Photo: Ashhurst Service Centre, Deon Knox

Noticeboard

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Kids in Motion!Kids’n Motion -A preschool music and movement session. Every Friday 9.45am (during the school term), Village & Valley Centre. Gold coin donation.Come along and have some FUN!

Contact: Anne Tankersley ph. 326 9034.

The Elves have been hard at work creating treasures

for you to love

Available online andat The Herb Farm

Ashhurst Harrier and Athletic Club

Our new season start date is fast approaching. The first Club night is planned for Tuesday 13th October. We meet at Lincoln Park right here in Ashhurst. Juniors (Aged 3, 4, 5 and 6 years) competition starts at 5:30 pm sharp. Seniors (Aged 7 to 14 years) competition starts at 6 pm sharp

(warm up at 5:45pm).

Our season has a break over Christmas (same as school holidays) and finishes up in March. Each Tuesday children compete in two track events and 1 field event. On the track we run 25 m, 50 m, 60 m, 100 m, 400 m, 800 m, 1500 m and 400 m Walk. In the field we offer shot put, discus, high jump and long jump. The children are awarded Points for attendance and their placing. These points are collected throughout the season and certificates and trophies are awarded at an end of season prize giving. Certificates are also awarded to our Club champions and official recordings for first, second and third place getters in all events are recorded. Children must wear black shorts and purchase a club t-shirt which we will have on sale at the Club Rooms.

We take registrations for 3 weeks to give new children a chance to see if they want to commit or not. So Tuesday the 27th October is the last night to register.

Registration Costs:

3 - 4 years: $15

5 - 6 years: $20

7 - 14 years: $30

Please register your child under the age they will be on 31st December, 2009

The Ashhurst Club is run by generous volunteers and parents from our community. Last year our Club hosted over 150 children, which is just fantastic. Our Club members come from as far as Feilding, Woodville, Whakarongo, and Palmerston North. By joining the Ashhurst Club you are affiliated to the Athletics Manawatu/Wanganui Association, allowing you to compete at an interclub level and have access to the Massey facilities, should you want to take it a step further. All the athletics aside, there are a lot of other benefits in competing in an individual athletic sport. Learning to win and lose graciously, performing under pressure and also performing in front of an audience are just a few of the challenges. We hope that we provide an encouraging and supportive environment here in Ashhurst for our young athletes. We look forward to seeing you all again this season rearing to go and welcome all new faces. For further details or questions you can contact our Club President Erika on ph. 329 4056.

Karina Jackson

Ashhurst Rainfall

Rain was recorded on 17 days with the highest •one days rainfall of 17mm on the 18th August 2009.

Total rain fall to 31st August 2009 is •737.60mm. This is still above the average of 677 mm.

Last year, in 2008, Ashhurst had 128.05mm •with the highest one days fall of the 17.5mm on the 17th August.

Margaret Pemberton

Ashhurst FoodbankOpen 2 - 3pm every ThursdayMethodist ChurchBamfield St, AshhurstEddie Chapman, Convenor

Ashhurst Memorial RSA74 Cambridge Ave, Ashhurstph. 326 8296Opening HoursMon—Thurs 4 pm—7.30 pmFriday 4 pm—12 midnightSaturday 11 am—7.30 pm

Village Voice drop off pointIf you have a typed or handwritten item for the Village Voice you can leave it with Deon at the Ashhurst Library.

5Ashhurst Library

Stories @ 6pm Finale:

Friday 25th September is our final evening storytelling session in 2009. We have a 6pm start so be here with your kids and enjoy a fun session indoors for the family. Watch out for the return of Stories @ 6pm come Winter 2010!

New Open Hours:

The Library has new open hours consistent with opening hours at other City Library branch libraries from Monday 17th August. The new hours mean an extra morning for book-lovers on Fridays and longer opening on Saturdays. Thank you to library users who participated in the community consulation on open hours. The new hours are:

Monday 10am- 1pm, 2pm- 5pm

Tuesday 2pm- 5pm

Wednesday 10am- 1pm, 2pm- 5pm

Thursday 2pm- 5pm

Daylight Savings Fridays from 27th September 10am- 1pm, 2pm- 6pm

Saturday 10am- 1pm

Sunday Closed

Book Reviews:

“Roman Invasion”, by Jim Eldridge, is part of the My Story series of children’s fiction. The series has been out for a while now, with some readers familiar with the titles set in early New Zealand. The latest stories on offer push beyond these shores into places far away and long ago. The “Roman Invasion” book by Jim Eldridge will be perfect for those young minds

who love knights, castles, action and a fair dose of historical detail. Not as far advanced as the Rosemary Sutcliff books- but a good leap for young readers from Horrible History type books.

“Workhouse”, by Pamela Oldfield, has a young girl heroine who comes from middle class comfort and is saddened and touched by the plight of the Victorian poor. If your child likes this book, then there is plenty more for them to read- the series has well over 20 titles with a mix young boys and girls as the central characters. Good stuff!

Deon Knox

Support for Migrants

Settlement Support is a free service that aims to help people settle successfully in a new country or area. Information, referrals or just a chat about how to find what you need, are part of the local Settlement Support Coordinators role.

Finding out about how things work in a new place is often a challenge: differences in language [even if you already speak English!], customs, laws, and the ‘how-to’ of everyday life are all topics you might need to know more about.

Migrants, visitors from any country, migrant partners of Kiwis, returning Kiwis or newcomers

from another part of New Zealand are welcome to use this free service.

Fortnightly at the Ashhurst Library from Wednesday 16th September onwards, 3-5pm. Other times and locations by appointment.

Shelley Davenport settlementsupport@pncc.govt.nz or phone 356 8199

Settlement Support New Zealand is a Department of Labour initiative, hosted locally by the Palmerston North City Council.

Shelley Davenport

Ashhurst Plunket Coffee GroupFriendly welcome guaranteed. Last Monday of the month, 10am at the Plunket Rooms, 63 Cambridge Ave.

Contact Plunket Nurse, Anne Wild on ph. 358 9201

Ashhurst Scottish Country Dance ClubMeets every Wednesday from 7.30pm to 10pm in March to November

To enjoy folk dancing for fitness and enjoyment

At the Whakarongo Community Hall, Stoney Creek Road, Palmerston North.

All welcome. Tuition provided.

Soft soled shoes please.

Contact Anne ph. 357 1832 or Heather ph. 356 8806

Ashhurst Pohangina LionsThe Ashhurst Pohangina Lions meet every 2nd Thursday of the month at the RSA Clubrooms at 6.30pm . This upmarket and friendly Lions Club is community orientated – Contact Ray Hayes ph. 326 9237 or Greg Brown ph. 326 8102.

Community Notices6 Ashhurst Police

A reasonably busy few weeks here at the local Police Station, however most things are going along extremely well.

Skate park update. The Palmerston North City Council was due to have a final meeting around the time of making this notice. Updates leading up until now have provided good indications that things are looking favourable. However, we will not know the final result until the next few weeks so fingers crossed.

If we are successful in gaining permission to use the land on Cambridge Avenue for a skate park, we will be looking for volunteers to assist in the planning and preparation for the park and we would welcome anyone’s input. Please feel free to contact myself or Mark here at the Police Station to express your interest and we will forward your details on.

The Christmas Parade is looming ahead and we would like to remind everyone to cast your minds towards this event. The Annual Christmas Parade has been hugely successful in the past and is getting more and more popular every year. The organisers wish to thank all those past and present, who have contributed towards this event and we look forward to the next couple of months where planning and preparation will begin for the 2009 Parade.

This is another reminder to lock your vehicles at night and to not keep any valuables in them. We are still having the odd problem with an individual, who we believe to be a local, who appears to be helping himself to unlocked vehicles at night and even those that are parked in driveways next to houses. Please assist us and help yourselves by ensuring you lock your vehicles at night and remove any valuable items from them.

There is an upcoming Community Neighbourhood Support Group meeting on the 21st of September 2009. This

will be held in the School Hall and we will have guest speakers from the Emergency Services and the evening should be very informative. At this time, we have Ross Brannigan doing a quick presentation on the 2004 floods, so please come along. We have tried in the past to get the local Ashhurst Neighbourhood Support Group up and running a bit more efficiently, however to do this, we rely on the community coming along to these meetings and assisting. There are great benefits to be had from being part of a Neighbourhood Support Group, and we appreciate any and all assistance. Please feel free to come along to this evening, and further advertising will feature on the radio and on local notice boards showing start times.

That’s all from us here at the Police Station.

We wish you all the very best for the near future and we look forward to seeing you at the Neighbourhood Support Group meeting.

Thanks and stay safe.

Kind regards,

Darrell, Mark and PatreaAshhurst Police Station

Ashhurst and Districts Senior Citizens Assn IncMeets on the first Thursday of each month in the Methodist Church Hall, Bamfield Street, at 2pm. We invite you to come along and enjoy an afternoon of friendship and entertainment. For further information contact the Secretary, Rosemary Pinkney ph. 326 8590.

Anglican Parish of Pohangina Service TimesSt Mary Magdalene, Ashhurst

10.00 am every Sunday•

8.00 am on the 1st Sunday •of the month

St Bartholomew, Komako•

10.00 am on the 2nd, 4th •and 5th Sunday

7.00 p.m. on the 3rd Sunday•

Service times may change occasionally for local activities.

For more info: ph. 326 8543

7Ashhurst-Pohangina Rugby Football Club

The Junior Rugby competitions are drawing to a close and the young girls and boys playing for the Club in the various grades can be especially proud of their efforts this season.

The Under 7s, with Theo at the helm, are sitting in the top three of their grade and have at this stage only lost three games. This is pretty special for the team players as this is where their rugby grounding starts and the confidence in their coach and management. The fashion in which they enjoy their rugby is apparent by the way they play the game. They may be the small ones, but to watch them on their mini-ground and the enjoyment they create for the mums and dads is something special.

Dave’s Under 8s continue to perform well and at this stage of the season are sitting in second place. All are hoping that they continue to play well and hold their position. This is a tight grade and to hold a top place at this time is an excellent effort.

The Under 9s, with Ian in charge, are in the first equal position at this time. They are playing excellent rugby and deserve their position in this grade. There are high hopes that they will go one better and sneak past the post to win the grade.

Nigel and Johno have the Under 10s, and at times the team has shown great strengths. Their skills are pretty good and

they play reasonable rugby. This is a very competitive grade and this team has stood up well to some much bigger opposition and are running mid-table in their competition.

The Under 12s, with Rowdy and Piney, are in fifth place in their grade and have enjoyed a reasonable season. Again, this is a tough grade, and our lads have done a great job playing themselves into this position in the competition.

The Club has two players in the Under 12 Representative Team. They are Cameron Rowden and Luke Warren. Congratulations to you both and may you make every effort to follow in Andre Taylor’s footsteps to the top of rugby. Also, our own Paul Adrian is coaching this rep team. Overall, the playing numbers for this year have been very good, but now we need to look to next season and set our sights on improving all aspects of the Club, so let’s start looking for those extra faces. Applications for all coaches will be called for next month, which will be by the AGM, which is in early December, the people for next season will be known. Thanks also for your support for the morning teas in the clubrooms after the junior games. Also, remember Junior Prize Giving is on Friday 25th September at 6pm sharp. All welcome.

The Gnome- Roger Heatley

Did you know you can subscribe to Village Voice? For a donation of $20 per year you will receive 10 copies delivered to your mailbox within days of printing. Email: ashhurst.voice@gmail.com to indicate your interest, or send a cheque for $20 to Village Voice, PO Box 38, Ashhurst with your name and postal address.

Photo: St Mary Magdalene Church, Cambridge Avenue, Deon Knox

Green Scene

“WELCOME to planet Earth!!, Fabulous to see you all! How was your trip?? Good, good…

I’m Don T. Care, your tour guide, that’s right hop on board, make yourselves comfortable for the trip of a lifetime. Our fabulous planet, let us show you how things are done around here and how much you can get out of a planet…

Questions?? Yes sir, bio fuel? No, we don’t worry about that, America has plenty of oil stashed away, for a rainy day and in the meantime, we have enough for today! That’s our motto here, ‘live for today, let tomorrow look after itself.’

As you can see, there is an air-conditioning unit above you, please use it, no, leave the windows please! You don’t want to be breathing that air out there, trust me, just turn the dial here, there we go….

Here we have one of our many beautiful cities, everything you could ever wish for, every need catered for at the push of a button.

Yes madam? Waste disposal, we have no problems with that at all, all very efficient, another of our favourite sayings here on earth is ‘out of sight out of mind’. That is all taken care of, taken away from life in the cities, wouldn’t what any rubbish sullying our lifestyle. Where does it go?? Oh, here and there, there are plenty of wastelands to get rid of stuff, yes even toxic waste, as long as it’s not in my backyard, ha ha ha!

Here we have what’s left of the Amazon rainforest, which is now put to so much better use as productive farmland.

Ecosystems? Never heard of them sir! But don’t you worry, with all the money made from this land you could buy hundreds of them. That’s the secret to our successful planet here folks, the folding stuff, Mr C. Ash himself. We have found if you have enough of this wonderful stuff anything is possible, fresh water at the turn of a tap! Any food you want anytime of the year.

Other species? Well sir, you see we have found that being the dominant, and more intelligent species (cough, cough) here on earth, things are much easier and cleaner if it’s just us. Survival of the fittest and all that. Not really enough to share with the lesser species. Can’t abide all that sharing of resources. Take Africa for example, all that land! What a waste!

Right folks, there you have it. They used to call us clean and green, but I prefer ‘lean and mean’. And our grandchildren? Well, they will need a challenge! Hey, don’t look so horrified! Live for today, don’t worry, it’s worked so far and as long as it works for my life time, that’s all I need to worry about.

That’s me, Mr Don T Care, catch you next time, have a good trip.

Jane Higgison

Ashhurst Health Clinic

Don’t forget about the free Health Clinic if you have any chronic (ongoing) health problems. They operate from the Ashhurst Plunket Rooms in Cambridge Avenue, from 10am to 1pm once a month on the second Thursday of each month. Next few dates are 13th August and 10th September. Blood pressure and nagging problems can be checked before they get out of hand.

Appointments for any of the clinics are not essential, but you can contact your own doctor or the Manawatu PHO (Primary Health Organisation) on 354 9107 for more information or to arrange an appointment if desired.

Community Notices8

Neighbourhood Support and Community Policing

Worried about crime? If you are you a concerned citizen of Ashhurst there is a public meeting on Monday 21st September.

WHERE: Ashhurst School Hall

TIME: 7.00 pm.

SPEAKERS: Neighbourhood Support, Police, Fire Service, Civil Defence, St. John.

HELP to make your community a safer place to live, work and play.

Tim Handley

Village Voice Advertising Rates

Advertising rates vary from business card size - $45 per issue (10% discount if paid in advance for 10 issues) , to A4 size $450, 1/2 page $250, 1/4 page $130 , single column (approx 6cms) x 13 cms $68, single column x 4 cms $25. Articles are free, as are community notices. Advertisers - please supply your advert in PDF or EPS format, or simply text and graphics files.

The Lions Club of Manawatu Town & CountryThe Lions Club of Manawatu Town & Country Lions welcomes you along to monthly meetings, held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at High Flyers in PN, at 6.00 pm. This is a mixed gender club.

Contact Jenny on ph. 326 8102 or Carolyn on ph. 357 2730

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Photo: Ashhurst Kapa Haka Group at Country Women’s Institute 77th anniversary, Deon Knox

Ashhurst CWI Anniversary

The Ashhurst Country Women’s Institute celebrated their 77th anniversary since its founding in 1932. The Ashhurst School Kapa Haka Group were on hand with a special

performance in the Devonport Hall at the Methodist Church on Bamfield Street to celebrate and mark the occasion.

Deon Knox

Ashhurst Posties- Reminiscences

It is encouraging to read reports about the good things that people do in Ashhurst. The report on our postie in the August issue reminded me of past posties. The most efficient were those who were posties for long periods of time. I name our first postie being Jim Curry, who had to know every resident in Ashhurst because there were no street numbers. He was followed by Happy Griffin whose commonly used name described his attitude.

Prior to a true postie, mail was delivered by post office staff who also took mail bags to the trains that passed through Ashhurst and returned with mail bags from the trains. Due to the size of the Village, mail deliveries were only part of their duties.

Comments have been passed about the numbering system in Ashhurst. John King who worked for the benefit of Ashhurst developed it from knowledge of the Hastings numbers which relate to the streets as they extend from the centre so that the number describes the position in the town and made it easy for emergency services and others to find the location. Ideal for a town where the streets are generally in a square pattern with numbers to the north and west of those streets increasing while numbers to the south and east decreasing so there are a few streets with numbers starting at 1. For me, a simple understanding of that method of numbering makes it easy to determine where in Ashhurst any house number should be. Some more recent numbering has not followed that system so that the number does not identify the area where it is found.

Clem King

Photo: Donna Mercer, current Ashhurst postie, Mike Shepherd

Delicious Spring Salads

Spring is here and as it gets warmer it is easier to include some raw food in your everyday diet. Salads can be made out of anything- the main thing is that it is raw. Mix up whatever you like (or the kids will eat), make a nice vinaigrette, toast some seeds, or add fresh herbs and you have a meal!

Try some of these combos…

- Finely chopped silverbeet, grated carrot, toasted sesame seeds

- Grated carrot, sprouts, capsicum, spring onion

-Finely chopped cabbage, grated carrot, tinned pineapple, or grated apple, fresh herbs

-Tinned kidney beans (rinsed) cubed tomato, cucumber and cheese

For a dressing mix 3 parts olive oil, 1 part balsamic vinegar, 1 teaspoon of seeded mustard, juice of a lemon. You can also add garlic or fresh herbs.

Happy spring time!

Jane Higgison

Green Scene Eats10

Help Needed for Young Cyclists Group Start Up

It is well known in this region that Ashhurst is the best starting point for cyclists looking to spend a few hours in the saddle and ride through some of the most scenic landscape in the country. Along with being easy on the eye, the roads emanating from Ashhurst up the Pohangina Valley to Apiti and through Colyton to Kimbolton (and all the link up roads in between) are some of the safest roads to ride.

Ashhurst sees many cycling events start here including the last New Zealand Secondary Schools’ Championship. Over the last couple of years my son and I have concentrated on mountain biking and have recently taken up road riding to expand the cycling options.

Jordan (son) is a year 8 at the Ashhurst School and has several friends who are keen cyclists. Jon Clarke is a local up the Valley who teaches at Palmerston North Girls’ High School and coaches the girls road cycling teams. He invited us to attend a regular Sunday morning ride organised by Marist Cycling Club.I was impressed at the 100 or so young boys and girls aged from 12 to 18 participating.

After a conversation with Jon Clarke and Nick Reed (principal at Ashhurst School) we would like to put together a team (or teams) of boys (any keen girls??) representing Ashhurst School to compete in the sport. At this stage we have five boys who are keen to form the team, unfortunately we only have two with road bikes (BMX and mountain bikes are

simply not suitable). If you know of anybody in the area who has a bike that they haven’t used in a long time, that might be suitable for the boys (size small road bike) at a reasonable cost please contact Ross Castle ph. 326 9920 or 027 477 2548. Any donations would be happily appreciated.

The season is starting to gear up and the earlier we can get these boys “off the streets” and “onto the roads”, the more enriched we’ll all be.

Ross Castle

Bag the Habit

Well, it is one step forward and two steps back for plastic bag free initiatives this month. News that lower North Island supermarkets (New World and their associates) have decided to let customers choose whether or not to pay for plastic bags is unbelievable! Why are these people so scared??

Come on consumers, vote with your feet, your dollar, and with your memory (remember to take those reuseable bags with you!!!)Bag the habit! That is so last century to have a new plastic shopping bag every time you buy anything. It will not be the hardest thing you have to do in your life to buy a few reuseable bags and then take them with you whenever you shop. So come on!

Plastic bags use precious oil, they create a heck of a lot of rubbish, most of which does not get into the landfills, and is extremely dangerous to wildlife on land and in the sea. They are completely excess to requirements, so please take the time, make the (small) effort and say no to plastic bags! On behalf of our planet, thank you.

The Ashhurst Bag LadiesJane Higgison

Photo: Road cyclists in New Zealand, Yourcycling.com

Quiet Place- need one? Pop into the “Quiet Place” at St. Mary Magdalene Church (opposite the RSA) in Cambridge Avenue. Sit and reflect. Open between 1pm- 3pm Mondays, and 9am- 11am Thursdays.

Everyone welcome.

Ashhurst Masonic Lodge

Otangaki Lodge No 70Meets 4th Wednesday of every month except December and January. Enquiries welcome.Contact us on ph. 326 8258.

11Neill Smart - Village Voice Volunteer

One wonders if former Councillor Marilyn Craig knows how influential her Vision for Ashhurst meeting, some ten years ago really was.

Another who attended her meeting was Neill Smart. Having decided to join the Action Group, when the reestablishment of the Village Voice was mooted, Neill joined that team as well, as he explains, more by default than anything else. What you may not know, is that Neill also is the developer of the Ashhurst Web Page (www.ashhurst.org)

Having been brought up on a sheep and beef farm at No 4 Line, and attending the Awahou South School until the amalgamation of the Valley schools, his education continued at Palmerston North Boys High School.

Today, Neill is employed by the Palmerston North City Council in City Enterprises,

involved in water reticulation. Apart from his commitment to the Action Group and Village Voice, Neill, as a member of the Ashhurst St Mary Magdalene’s Vestry, produces their web page. It is not surprising then that Neill lists his interests as his church and his computer work.

But this lad has done other things as well. He recounted his time in the States where he decided to join friends where they were working on long haul refrigerated trucks. Based in Cape Girardeau, (the only inland Cape in the States), his journeys took him over huge distances driving a 53 foot refrigerated semi-truck between Missouri and Los Angeles, Pasco in Washington State, Chicago, Columbus, Cleveland and Indianapolis. The trek from south east Missouri to Los Angeles (1875 miles) could take three days but with two driver teams, it could be accomplished in about 34 hours.

Delta Express, (the firm employing Neill), had around 100 drivers working up to 70 trucks. Schedules were tight. With goods being delivered 24/7, if you weren’t at the next stop by the due time, you could be sent to the back of the queue and you may have to wait another 24 hours to report in. Neill’s friends remain there and, had it not been for an accident, Neill wonders if he might be still there. However, he did manage to spend eleven weeks travelling all over the States.

Delta Expresses loss is Ashhurst’s gain.

Helen Whitten Photo: Masonic Lodge, Oxford Street, Deon Knox

Photo: Neill Smart

EditorDeon Knoxashhurst.voice@gmail.com

AdvertisingGaylene Knightashhurst.voice@gmail.comPO Box 38, Ashhurst Proofreader: L. Berge

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Letters to the Editor

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Councillor’s Column

Council committees in August covered a lot of topics from the mundane to the spectacular. We decided that houses could be numbered “13” again – that’s been off-limits for about

50 years – and approved a Recreation Strategy for the city. This sets out plans and a timetable for indoor and outdoor recreation developments, both active and passive, and tries to provide for all people in the community. Some parts will take shape quite soon while other parts will be implemented as funds allow over the next several decades. The Strategy is a living document so that as society changes the plans can adjust to meet the current needs.

The Waste Management and Minimisation plan was agreed to. This is about much more than simply carting away the garbage and sticking it in a hole in the ground, behaviour that is becoming increasingly expensive. Everything that we can do to recycle things we don’t need saves the city money and helps to slow the rises in rates. A Resource Recovery Centre is going to be developed, and wheelie bins for non-glass recycling will be introduced across the City over the next couple of years.

We now have the regular pattern of meetings re-established for the period through to December. Topics that will include community involvement are the development of an urban growth plan, the District Plan review, and the study relating to the proposed new City bus terminal. You will have an opportunity to “have your say” so keep an eye on the local newspapers for the signals to participate.

I intend to sit in the Ashhurst Library on

Saturday morning, 3rd October from 10am until noon so that anyone who wishes to chat with me can do so without an appointment.

Remember that many matters in the Council’s ambit can be sorted out quickly by phoning the City’s Call Centre staff (356-8199). Email: bruce.wilson@pncc.govt.nz

Cr Bruce Wilson

Ashhurst-Fitzherbert Ward