CALLING BARGAIN HUNTERS

The Great Oxford Garage Sale Trail is taking place again this year on Sunday, August 6th, from 9am to 2pm. The Trail is organised by the Oxford Promotions Action Committee (OPAC) and will be an exciting Trail for bargain hunters from around Canterbury. The event is in its thirteenth year and attracts a great crowd each year. If you love to fossick around at garage sales looking for a bargain or a special find, then don’t miss this

Trail in Oxford. There are normally about forty sites registered around the village. On the day maps of the sites will be available at Pearson Park Oval (off Main Street/Bay Road/ Dohrmans Road) from 9am to 11am and then by the Oxford Farmers Market until maps run out. A gold coin donation for the map to help with advertising would be greatly appreciated.

“Each year the Trail has brought hundreds into our town, and this year should be no different,” commented Ron from the OPAC. As well as bargain hunting at the Garage Sale Trail, there is plenty to do in Oxford afterwards, including relaxing in a café, shopping and visiting the Art Gallery or Museum. The Oxford Farmers Market on Main Street and the Oxford Craft Market in the Oxford Town Hall are also great places to browse and shop. See advertisement alongside for further details.

Matariki Dates

If you were wondering why the Matariki public holiday was observed on July 14th this year when it fell on June 24th last year, it’s because Matariki follows the traditional Māori lunar calendar system as opposed to the solar calendar system.

One of the major differences is the solar year that we follow is 365 and a quarter days long whereas the lunar calendar system is 354 days, meaning a difference of eleven days. This can provide a thirty three day difference over three years.

In the maramataka (the Māori lunar year), the extra month is added after Pipiri (June) every third year. The name of the extra month is Ruhanui.

“This was taken into account when the decision came to set the Matariki dates. Matariki is generally really high in the morning sky in the first year after that reconciliation. Then in the second year, like how it was last year, it tends to be lots lower in the sky,” commented Astronomy academic Rangi Mātāmua

The date of Matariki will change from year to year, however, it will always land in June or July. The proposed dates for the next five years are:

• 2024: 28th June

• 2025: 20th June

• 2026: 10th July

• 2027: 25th June

• 2028: 14th July.

Sunday

Venue Maps will be available on the day from 9am to 11am at Pearson Park Oval, off Dohrmans Road, off Bay Road, after 11am at the Oxford Farmers Market, Main Street.

Or you can sign up to receive one by email at 9am on the day: greatoxfordgaragesale@gmail.com

Facebook: Great Oxford Garage Sale Trail Coin donation appreciated for map.

Red Carpet Ball

Recently, the Kirwee Netball and Rugby Red Carpet Ball was held at the Kirwee Community Hall. Players and supporters swapped sporting uniforms for dashing suits and ties, glamorous gowns and heels. The Hall looked amazing, and the band ‘Old Skool’ had everyone up dancing and enjoying the night. A fantastic $14,000 was raised thanks to the amazing community support from individuals and businesses who sponsored the event with prizes for the raffles and auctions as well as ticket sales.

The event was well organised by Liam O’Callaghan , Marcia Taylor , Amelia McKnight , Ella Stokes with help from their partners, family and friends.

“A big thank you to the Kirwee Social Netball Girls, Friends of Kirwee School, Kirwee Fire Brigade and the Rugby team who cleaned up the following day. Thanks, everyone for attending and supporting the two Kirwee Clubs,” commented Marcia.

Thank you to our amazing Sponsors & Supporters:

• A Twisted Bunch

• Absolute Homes

• Coalgate Motors

• Darfield Ag & Lifestyle

• Darfield Bakery

• Darfield Four Square

• Darfield Hotel

• Darfield Kebab & Souvlaki

• Darfield Pharmacy

• Darfield Pizza

• Darfield Post Shop

• Darfield Village Meats

• Donna Hurndell

• Ella Stokes

• Fable Terrace Downs

• Farmlands, Darfield

• Gnomes

• Grain and Grape

• Hanmer Springs Pools

• Happy Hire

• Honeysuckle Apiaries

• Hororata Highland Games

• Inspired Hair Salon

• Jo McIntosh, Bayley's

• Johnny Fresh

• Jones's Family Farm

• Kirwee Challenge

• Lara Thorpe Hairdressing

• Mahuika Family

• Malvern News

• Natural Aroma

• New Image Hair

• New Image Hair Design

• Orana Wildlife Park

• PGG Wrightson, Darfield

• Redfern & Nimmo Families

• RK Firewood

• Scenic Hotels

• Sheffield Pie Shop

• Sprout Central Ltd

• The Beauty Lounge

• The Sewing Room

• Thirsty Liquor

• Thirsty Acres

• Truscott Family

• Val Briggs

• Vet Ent - Darfield.

Fixed Costs Vs Discretionary

When you apply for a housing loan, the bank or your adviser will analyse your spending habits and regular payments. There is the ‘discretionary spending’ that you can reduce or stop altogether, such as takeaways, entertainment etc, and there are the ‘fixed costs’, which will carry on once you have a loan.

The fixed costs include rates, insurance, basic food costs and of course the mortgage payments, and anything else that will continue after you have your loan, like transport costs and hobbies.

It is really important that you do a realistic budget so that there are no surprises when it comes to living with a mortgage. Be honest with yourselves. If you have hobbies that you are not prepared to give up, then factor the costs in. The math's is simple - income must exceed expenses, with allowances for an increase in costs. If it is tight, then you need to make changes to either income or expenses to make it all work.

When considering where to buy a home, do you buy a house close to where you work to reduce transport costs or get another job close to your new home that hopefully pays better. Are schools a consideration, or access to other services you require. Once again, it all comes down to the simple equation - income has to exceed outgoings, so make a budget!

Ginny Nelson

See advertisement alongside for contact details.