The Observer | May edition 2023

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Mother's Day in Oxford plus giveaway and much more.

Welcome to the May issue of the Observer.

The year is flying by so quickly, and we find that so noticeable in our business as we are always looking towards the next publication. Before it even hits your letterboxes we are on to the next. This is even more pronounced now that we have a publication in Kaiapoi as well. It is certainly never boring!

It's nearly Mother's Day and we have some great options right here in Oxford for treating the mothers in your life. Check out pages 8 and 9 for some awesome options.

We also have a great giveaway for you to win a $50.00 voucher from one of these participating businesses. Good luck!

We love putting these kind of features together and seeing how well served we are in Oxford. I think most people are noticing that things are harder out there financially, so it is more important now than ever to support each other locally.

OPAC's Winter Lights & Matariki Festival is coming up soon, and there are some fantastic prizes to be had! More details on page 5.

We hope you enjoy this issue.

Bruce & Emily.

COVER PHOTO Bouquet by Daisy's Wedding Flowers

PHOTO CREDIT Tamara Pfahlert

Oxford's first Women's Rugby Team

by Beka Hunt

For the first time in 140 years, a women's team is taking to the field for the Oxford Rugby Club.

Shara Kelsey-Ross brought the idea to fruition with the help of the club's director of rugby, and has since established a strong squad of 19. “I thought this would be my year to give playing a go, but it didn’t seem right pulling on another club's colours. So, we put a call out in the hope that we would have a women’s team repping the Red & Black and it just snowballed from there!”

The team is a mix of experienced and new players that are itching to take on the Women’s Premier Reserve grade. The season kicked off successfully with a win by default, pushing their first competition game to the 21st of April. In an incredible match, the Oxford ladies played through the rain to beat Suburbs RFC with a score of 46-10.

Kate Stevenson, number 2, explained that the team pulled together as a united and unwavering front (after a few nervous trips to the bathroom).

“As soon as the whistle blew, after all the training we had done, we blended and ran as one team; not just as single players.” Earning the win was a welcome boost to the team's confidence, especially as it secured bragging rights over the men.

Now, with the first game jitters out of the way, the team can focus on building their game through the season, with player/coach Zoe Johnson and manager Suzie Soper.

Hannah Annear

Rio Coster

Sally Davies

Charlotte Evans

Grace Ford

Patrice Garrick

The ladies are aware of the significance this holds for the Oxford Rugby club, and are determined to succeed for the younger female players that will follow in their footsteps.“We want to go all the way to the finals and to show any young girls that there is now a pathway for them within the club. They don’t have to stop playing at U13 like previous generations.” Of course, the team plays for their love of the sport too, adding ,“we’re looking forward to improving, growing confident, growing as a team and having a cold bevvy at the end of it- win or lose!”

For updates and game times (or cold bevvy opportunities), you can find their Instagram with the handle ‘oxfordwomensrugby’, or head to the Oxford RFC Facebook page.

Spectators are always welcome at the Friday night games, and the location is posted on the socials each week. For the first time in 140 years, there is an opportunity to become part of the Oxford Women's Rugby story, with a team that is developing a strong foundation for future players. Hannah Annear, a proud player in the red and black, knows that women's representation in the higher grades is incredibly important. “As with any sport, it gives the ability for girls to see past what is generally expected of them from previous generations. It will help girls and women alike to become positive, self aware, impactful adults with the ability to adjust to situations that may be mentally testing.”

Oxford Women’s Premier Reserve squad

Zoe Johnson

Shara Kelsey-Ross

Zoe Knox

Allie Langlands

Britt Liles

Kerry McCorry

Claud Mehrtens

Heather Muldoon

Kelly Rotch

Kate Stevenson

Millie Swinburn

Charna Thompson

Emma Young

It's time to get sparkly Oxford!

Are you ready to light up your life and brighten Oxford this winter? The Oxford Matariki Winter Lights Festival is back! And this year, we're shining brighter than ever before!

From July 1st to 16th, we encourage every business and household to light up anything seen from the road between 6 pm and 10 pm.

This is to light up our streets to mark Matariki and raise community spirit mid-winter, when some people feel lonely, isolated, or depressed.

But what's a festival without some prizes?

This year, we're giving away vouchers that can be redeemed at ANY local Oxford business.

So, when you win, not only do you get to treat yourself to something special, but you're also supporting local businesses and helping keep the money in our community.

Prize money ranges from $200-$600, and that's a lot of cash to splash! Whether you need firewood, a fence fixed, help in the garden, a relaxing massage, a fresh haircut, or even a week's worth of groceries - this prize has got you covered! You can even split the winnings between up to three businesses.

Don't be left in the dark!

Get involved and light up something on your property that can be seen from the street. Let your creativity run wild and show off to our judges.

And it's not just for individuals.

We challenge businesses to join in on the fun and participate by lighting up their storefronts, gardens, or anything seen from the road.

The festival is all about town pride and showcasing our community spirit. It's time to bring out the lights and get illuminated! So, what are you waiting for? Register for the festival today and brighten up your life.

Let's keep the community vibes and make Oxford come alive this July. Invite your friends, family, and neighbours to share the love!

So, what are you waiting for?

It's time to get sparkly, Oxford!

Register at www.oxfordnewzealand.co.nz, message us on Facebook @oxfordlightsnz, email webmaster@oxfordnewzealand.co.nz or call/text 021-0709729

Mortgage repayments going up? LET’S CHAT

In this time of high inflation, petrol price rises, and a cost-of-living crisis, one of the key things impacting household budgets is mortgage interest payments going up.

The Reserve Bank estimates around 90% of mortgages in New Zealand are on fixed rates. A large volume of loans will come off historically low 2 and 3% fixed rates interest in the latter half of this year and into next year.

It is predicated by many economists that fixed rates will peak at around 7% this year before drifting down in 2024 to 6%. The last time rates were at 7% was 2008 and many homeowners have become used to much lower rates in recent years.

It is well worth starting the thinking process of how to get the best rates at least 3 months before your loan is due to come off fixed rates. You may need to restructure or refinance your loan to achieve the best outcome for you and your family.

Take a good look at your budget. A good place to start is highlighting items on your bank statement you could reduce spending on now. Everyone’s situation is different. Let me help guide you through the sometimes-difficult decision-making process. There are a few mortgage options out there which could make a difference to your household budget.

My service is generally free, any fee would be disclosed to you prior to engagement.

I’m available now for a no obligation chat in person, via zoom or by phone at a time to suit you.

I’m local servicing Oxford, Cust, Rangiora and surrounding areas including Christchurch.

Looking for a mortgage?

Whether you’re looking to buy your first home, build your dream home, invest in a rental property, refinance, or consolidate debt, I can help.

Mt Oxford Odyssey

by Beka Hunt

Much like the epic, the Mt Oxford Odyssey is not for the faint hearted. Over the last 9 years, competitors have chosen between a 15km, 21km, 33km or full marathon course and committed to the gruelling race up Mount Oxford. Those that participate in the 42km marathon event, climb an elevation similar to the height of Mount Cook, summiting Mount Oxford twice in the process. This year, the Odyssey took place on the 15th of April, with the Canterbury temperament providing some wind and clouds- and a whole lot of mud. More than 400 athletes arrived in Coopers Creek on the morning of the event, with many attending the first safety briefing at 5.30am. Due to the roughness of the terrain and the sheer physical challenge of the course, the Oxford Land Search and Rescue team monitored the mountain, and those racing were required to report to check-ins along the trail. At 6pm the track closed (giving a 12 hour time period for completion) with participants' safety in mind. Despite a slippery track, Ben Williams completed the marathon in only 5:32:09, with the first woman Nancy Jiang following just after the 7 hour mark. Both raced exceptionally well and earned their place on the top of the podium.

In the 33km race, George Guerin and Katie Morgan won first place for their respective categories- George in the men's and Katie the women's. Julia Tully ran to victory in the Leki Oxford Half Marathon, with Gyuri Varga winning the gold in the male category.

In the final race, the Team CP 15KM Trail Run/Tramp, Ocean Faloon-Cavander took the win for the men, and Eva Pringle for the women.

I spoke to Tristan King about his experience, as the Leki 21km was his first ever competitive trail run. Although he had trained for the occasion, he was nervous to be in such a large event setting. However, he found that the day was incredibly well organised and full of beaming faces, with everyone chatting at the start line; “it makes a huge difference to feel welcome.”

Everyone was incredibly supportive. Runners would move to the edge of the track as soon as they heard someone approaching from behind and strangers were checking in on those that seemed to be struggling.

He was equally amazed when he reached the summit and found there was hardly any wind. “It was idyllic and there was so much variety of terrain. There’s parts that are rocky. There’s bushes, birdlife and wide open trails.”

He even debunked a trail running myth; it’s not uncommon to walk uphill!

Although there was a competitive atmosphere, most of the runners competed with themselves, pushing to reach personal bests and to accomplish something incredible. Without a doubt, Tristan will be back next year to run the full marathon, although the event has undergone a change since we talked. In 2024, the 42km course will be replaced by a 50km ultramarathon to mark the 10 year anniversary of Odyssey. Although there is more distance to cover, the organisers promise that it will be easier than the original course, and take less time to complete. With this change, it’s clear that the Mt Oxford Odyssey isn’t afraid to surprise and challenge its racers- whether it be with an abundance of mud or an additional 8 kilometres. Either way, the mount is where the action is.

We

We have a $50 voucher to give away to spend at a local Oxford business.

TO ENTER email us at info@oxfordobserver.co.nz, and let us know which business included in this Mother's Day feature you would like to win a $50.00 voucher for.

Recipe of the month

BAKED PUMPKIN | SQUASH CHEESE FONDUE

1 Small Pumpkin, Squash or Spaghetti Squash. 1Kg Approx.

100g Swiss Cheese Gruyere or Emmental, Grated

100g Mature Tasty cheese, Grated.

1 Tabsp Corn Flour

100g Crème Fraiche

1 teasp Hot Smoked Paprika

2 Tabsp White Wine

1 Shallot or ½ sm onion finely chopped.

1 Clove Garlic Crushed

2 Tabsp olive oil

To Serve

Crusty Bread or Flat bread

Bread Sticks

Raw Vegies for dipping

Salami sticks

Oven on 180oC fan bake

Prep Pumpkin/squash by cutting off a Lid to expose the seeds and flesh.

Scrape out all the seeds.

With a knife cut out excess pumpkin flesh to make a hollow about as big as a fist.

Try and keep the flesh in large chunks as these can be roasted and served with the fondue. If using a Spaghetti Squash leave all flesh in the squash. Put Lid back on and place Pumpkin on a baking tray. Bake for 30 min approx or until the flesh is easily poked with a knife. While the pumpkin is roasting, fry off the onions and garlic in the olive oil till softened. Mix the grated cheeses in a bowl with the cornflour and paprika till well coated, mix onions and garlic with the crème fraiche. When pumpkin has been in oven for 30 mins remove and discard the lid.

Increase oven temp to 200oC.

Layer up the cheese and crème fraiche mix in the hollow of the Pumpkin. Place back in the oven and bake for a further 30 mins or until the fondue is all bubbling and golden. Eat with a spoon scooping out chucks of pumpkin at the same time. Can be served as a starter with breads etc or as an acompliment with roasted vegetable.

with Louize Juniper

Oxford and Districts Lions - Supporting Youth in our area

Our Big Family Fun Day had 3000 people attend, with over half being children. All Black Joe Moody refereed ripper rugby. One boy and his family came from Hawarden just to get a photo with Joe.

As well as 49 stalls and food outlets we had:

• Sheep dog display

• Blade and machine shearing

• Wool spinning

• Farm animals and poultry on show

• Kapa Haka group from Oxford Area School

• Oxford Fire brigade along with St. Johns put on a Jaws of Life display.

The programme of events ran from 10am to 3pm. A day like this takes a lot of organisation and without Rangiora Lioness Lions, Rangiora Leo’s , ATC cadets and other volunteers things would not have run so well. All these efforts were greatly appreciated.

View Hill School have provided us with dinners along with students serving at the tables, for a donation. We also supported Junior Netball the same way.

In December we set up the food caravan in Oxford township giving away food with most of the patronage coming from the youth of Oxford.

We ran our usual Christmas Parade with giveaways and games for the children. The theme this year was Kiwiana. There were some new fun activities at the park which were enthusiastically received.

We had the usual give aways, and two local women to do the judging of the participants.

Our local Mayor, along with some of his councillors and local MP’s got wet on the rainy day, and we appreciate their support.

The Lions gives out scholarships and this year gave $1000 to a student going on an exchange trip to Austria. This is the 5th year we have given two $1000 dollar scholarships to emerging achievers at the Oxford Area School.

Air Training Corps are youth whose ages range from 15 – 18 years.

Thirty of them were working on the Ashley Gorge walkway. We provided them with lunch. Ten of these young people also helped at our Big Family Fun Day.

We spent two days at the Ashley Gorge Camping Ground to help raise money for the track, with the ATC supervising children, selling raffle tickets with others lining up to assist in the food caravan.

Our effort contributed $900 to which we added another $1100. Emma Warwick, from the ATC, has won an exchange trip to Australia. We contributed towards her trip expenses. Emma has assisted the Lions at many events.

The Oxford Lions provided meals on a Friday night for the West Eyreton School. This was a family type gathering with all the proceeds going to the School.

In November we had our Food Caravan at the Oxman event. This event includes a junior Iron man for 10 – 16-year-olds and a kids Duathlon for 5 – 9-year-olds. This is organised at Geoff Spark’s property on Poyntz Road.

On the 14th of March we had the Food Caravan at the Canterbury Primary Schools Triathlon being run from the same property.

President

Oxford and Districts Lions

WHATS HAPPENING AT THE OXFORD CLUB!

MAY THE 4TH BE WITH YOU - QUIZ NIGHT

THURSDAY 4TH MAY - 7PM

Get your team of Aliens and Star wars heroes or villains together and the best dressed will win a prize!

Speights Duck Season Promotion

• Buy any Speights product in the bar (min purchase over $5) and receive a stamp and collect 5 stamps to receive a scratch card to see if you win a prize!

• Buy any Speights product in the bottle store and you could win a Speights Duck Season Vest (one entry per member per day) & weekly winner wins a camo cap!

Moth ’s Day

Cheers Mum!

SUNDAY 14TH MAY

All Mums, Grandmas, Nanas, step-mums that Dine in the Restaurant will receive a complimentary glass of bubbles. Restaurant open from 5pm bookings essential phone 312-4411 ext 4

Saturday 20th May

80’s Night from 7pm

Girls just wanna have Fun!

Come on down to our 80’s night Club.

We’ll have all your favourite 80’s tunes, drink specials on the night and a prize for the best dressed 1980’s male and female.

Sunday 28th May

Red Wine Tasting

3pm - tickets $20pp

Widen your palate and taste some great NZ Red’s just in time for winter

May Members’ Draw

All members who visit and scan their card with any purchase in May will go into win our May Members’ draw. This month’s prize is a 3.5L Russell Hobbs slow cooker and 10 of our $8 Frozen Meals of your choice. (one entry per qualifying member per day, min spend $5)

OF ALL CODES

Come down and watch the action live on our big screens. Don’t worry if your codes clash as we have 3 of them!

SATURDAY 6TH MAY

4.35pm Crusaders vs Force 5pm Warriors vs Panthers

SUNDAY 7TH MAY 9.30am Sail GP Finals 9.30am Club opens at 9am 4.10pm TACTIX vs Stars

MONDAY 8TH MAY 9.30am Sail GP Finals 9.30am Club opens at 9am

FRIDAY 12TH MAY 8pm Warriors vs Bulldogs

SATURDAY 13TH MAY 7.05pm Crusaders vs Blues 7.15pm TACTIX vs Magic

FRIDAY 19TH MAY 7.05pm Moana Pasi�ka vs Crusaders

SATURDAY 20TH MAY Pulse vs TACTIX

MONDAY 22ND MAY 7.35pm Mystics vs TACTIX

SATURDAY 27TH MAY 4.35pm Crusaders vs Warratahs 7.30pm Warriors vs Broncos

What’s On Every Week!

What to Read As the Days get Shorter and the Evenings get Longer

by Amy Riach

While Easter in the Northern Hemisphere signals the beginning of long spring days, Easter on this side of the world means changing the clocks to mark the end of daylight savings, as the days get shorter, and we start lighting the fire in the evenings once again. There is no better season than Autumn for curling up with a good book, and now that it gets dark before 6:00 pm, the evenings that many of us look forward to are showing up even earlier. I still have a whole pile of books, that with the best intentions and a Uni timetable, I have yet to read - but I’ve already formed a few favourites!

The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon - Richard Zimler

Erudite and poetic, The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon is entirely transportive, a literary mystery set among a secret sect of Jews living in Lisbon in the sixteenth century. The year is 1506, and the Inquisition has reared an ugly and violent head. When Abraham Zarco is found dead, murdered in a hidden synagogue with a young girl by his side, the streets of Lisbon begin to seethe with a palpable fear. Abraham was a renowned kabbalist, a practitioner of the arcane mysteries of Jewish tradition, at a time when Jews living in Portugal were dragged to the baptismal font and forced to convert to Christianity. With Abraham among them, many of these New Christians continued to uphold Jewish tradition and prayer in secret, and the shrouded sect of kabbalist Jews survived in hiding. His killer unnamed, Abraham’s death is a mystery which drags Berekiah Zarco into a world of vengeance.

A talented manuscript illuminator, Berekiah is a kabbalist keeping the written word of Jews alive, and as he investigates his beloved uncle’s murder, he discovers in the Kabbalah clues that lead him into a labyrinth of religious secrets, in which the Jews of Portugal sought to hide from their persecutors. Berekiah seeks answers among Christians, New Christians, Jews; and among the fellow kabbalists of his uncle and their beautiful words, whose secret language and codes by turns light and obscure the way to a fundamental truth.

The Jane Austen Remedy - Ruth Wilson

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a book can change a life. Or perhaps more accurately, six of them can. The six novels of Jane Austen shape Ruth Wilson’s ‘remedy’ for life, and this is an uplifting and delightfully bookish memoir about an 89-year-old woman, who reclaims her life by re-reading each of Austen's novels. As she approached the age of 70, and finally began to feel herself ageing, Ruth Wilson began to have recurring nightmares about losing her voice. And her voice is one thing she is determined to keep. Unable to dismiss her feelings of unexplainable sadness, Ruth retreats from her conventional, white-picket fence life with her husband, to a sunshine-yellow cottage in the Highlands where she will live alone for the next decade. From the first moment she encountered Pride and Prejudice in the 1940s, Ruth looked to Jane Austen's heroines as her models for the sort of woman she wanted to become, and in an effort to reclaim her voice, she resolves to re-read Austen's novels and rediscover the heroines who had inspired her. Published the year Ruth turns ninety, the lessons learned from Jane Austen span nearly eight decades, Ruth resolves herself to read between the lines of both the novels and her own life, and Wilson’s ‘remedy’ talks beautifully of the curative power of reading. The book is a poignant reminder that it's never too late for a second chance, and for Austen fans who have already watched ‘The Jane Austen Book Club’ an impossible number of times, this should be next on the list.

Hamnet - Maggie O’Farrel

There are books we read because they are uplifting, full of laughter and hope. And there are books we read because they are devastating, and beautiful. Hament is one undeniably of the latter, a book just as haunting as the play which inspires it. Agnes is a woman feared, a woman scorned, and a woman loved. It is Warwickshire in the 1580’s, and on Henley street in Stratford, she raises three children.

First Susanna, the beautiful daughter, and then two bright twins, Judith and Hamnet. All of them muses, all of them marked by fate, their lives and loves making their way into poetry. And then in 1596, aged eleven, Hamnet dies. Four years later, his father will write a play called Hamlet. It is written in his name and performed in his honour, remaining Shakespeare’s most powerful, grief-filled work.

A loss usually consigned to literary footnotes, Hamnet imagines the very heart of a timeless and enigmatic tragedy, and the lives of all its players. Written in prose so beautiful it might be poetry, Hamnet is an unforgettable portrait of a child history has all but forgotten.

As local MP for Waimakariri I am acutely aware of the importance of our farming sector, and often say that when farmers do well, we all do well.

New Zealand farmers are the backbone of electorates like Waimakariri, support the wider national economy, and are world leaders in their field.

Last year, New Zealand’s agriculture exports totalled $41 billion, or 63 per cent of our goods exports. As such a key part of our economy, it’s been disappointing to watch the sector face unreasonable and often unmanageable demands from a Labour Government hellbent on bureaucracy at all costs. Labour has introduced or changed more than 20 new or amended regulations that directly affect the ability of businesses in the agricultural sector to operate.

I have spoken to farmers in our district who are becoming increasingly frustrated with the hoops they are expected to jump through, with many seriously considering the future of their farms. Wetlands are so poorly defined that farmers are having to go to court to determine whether the land can be farmed, while others have to navigate having a Significant Natural Area (SNA) on their land.

Because farmers are spending so much time trying to work with Labour’s new rules, they have less to invest in their farms, risking lower productivity. Costs are passed on to consumers so we all end up paying for Labour’s over-regulation. It’s no surprise then the cost of food in New Zealand is at a 30-year high. Labour has overridden local communities and imposed one-size-fits-all rules with massive compliance costs for farmers, often for limited or no environmental gain.

National’s recently-announced Getting back to Farming package will cut the red tape to help farmers get on with doing what they do best – farming. And when they get back to farming the rest of us will benefit.

We’ll ensure farming regulations are fit for purpose, and protect our environment, as domestic and overseas consumers expect.

We will also return the management of local issues to local councils rather than running everything out of Wellington. National will deliver a professional, competent regulatory system that targets environmental outcomes without telling farmers how to run their businesses, and while imposing the minimum compliance costs on them. This country does not need more rules, it needs better regulation. National will be announcing more policy on agriculture in the coming months. In government, we will deliver results to ensure all New Zealanders get ahead.

Matt Doocey MP for Waimakariri

Rangiora Office

Level 1, Conway Building, 188 High Street 03 310 7468

waimakariri@parliament.govt.nz

Kaiapoi Office

137 Williams Street, Kaiapoi 03 327 0514

kaiapoi@parliament.govt.nz

Oxford

- Ohoka Community Board update with Thomas Robson

Hi Folks

It has been a busy time for the Oxford Ohoka Community Board, with work continuing on submissions on the Councils Annual Plan and ECANs Annual Plan.

We have included feed back received from the Community on our Facebook page and in person. There has been a lot of interest and support generated for our Submission against the Woodstock Quarries resource consent application to build a landfill at their current site.

We are preparing expert evidence and collating the Communities perspective so as to be able to present this to the Commissioners at the Hearing starting 16th May at the Oxford Town Hall.

It has been pleasing to see the development of the Oaks Walk Way over the last couple of years as this has been a long term Community Board project which is now a real asset for the area and which show cases Oxford’s natural beauty. The wild flowers looked stunning this year so we hope that they will continue to flourish there.

The Wolffs Road suspension bridge has generated a lot of community interest with the Council proposing to disestablish the centre section of the bridge. There have been a number of submissions which is pleasing to see and shows that the Community is keen to be involved in decision making.

For those of you who have missed it we now have a facebook page, (Oxford-Ohoka Community Board) where we keep you up to date with what has been discussed at meetings, and what projects we are working on, as well as any up coming road works or infrastructure projects in the area. We also post the times, locations and dates of our meetings so that should you wish to come and talk to us in the public forum portion of the meeting you are able to. This year we have had a number of people come to discuss their concerns and or ideas regarding issues such as recycling, road safety, pot holes, reserve maintenance, etc and we welcome their presence and input at our meetings and encourage anyone interested to come along.

Please remember that we do have funds available to grant to deserving Community groups, the information on how to apply for this money is on the Councils website under Community Boards.

The Board welcomes feedback from the Community so please contact your local Board members as listed on the Council Website or you can contact me directly at Thomas.robson@wmk.govt.nz

Funded by the Parliamentary Service. Authorised by M Doocey, Parliament Buildings, Wgtn.

authorised by Rangiora

Oxford Area School

Tumuaki|Principal update

Mauri ora ki a tātau, good health to all of us,

Last month the Ministry of Education was able to confirm Brosnan as the main contractor for our building project. Over the last few weeks, we have seen site preparations in anticipation of the pouring of the foundations which should take us through to the end of the month.

Just like a building’s foundation, we too set the all-important foundations for our students' ability to learn.

At Oxford Area School this is through the development of the 6 C’s - collaboration, communication, creativity, critical thinking, citizenship, and character.

As you read through our monthly pānui | newsletter please see where you can identify the 6 C’s in action.

What have our students been up to over the past few weeks? Here are a few highlights:

We are very proud of Amelia Smith in Year 8 and Olivia Smith in Year 9 who were both selected to represent our district on the Waimakariri District Youth Council. Congratulations to both for their selections and what they can bring to the youth council.

Over Easter weekend Hillary Cooper, head student, competed in in Breeders classes and Youth handlers class at the Royal Sydney Easter Show, Australia’s biggest show based in Sydney.

We are very proud of Jero Galway and Charlotte Shelley who both represented our school at the South Island Secondary School Athletics in Invercargill last month.

Noho ora mai, nā | stay well

Mike Hart

Tumuaki | Principal

Te Kura o Te Poho Rakahua (the school of Mt Oxford) Oxford Area School

Year 7/8 camp experience at Living Springs

by Rachel Campbell

Last term, the Year 7/8 students went to Living Springs. The camp began with some learning about the history of Lyttelton and the coastline.

We hiked up quite a large hill to get to our location. We spent three days participating in many activities including a swimming code challenge, archery tag, mini golf, monorail, dodgeball, orienteering, bouldering wall, burma trail blindfold activity and an escape box.

We also had a very competitive quiz night and movie. Lastly, we finished off with a game of animal survival. The camp was full of teamwork, support for one another, GRIT and perseverance. Camp was a wonderful opportunity to get to know one another better as we build our team culture. The teachers were proud of the way the students were able to manage themselves, look after their own equipment and showed the school's values.

A huge thank you to the eight parents who came and supported the students and served the delicious kai!

Some student voice:

Unfortunately, we were gifted with a frustrating amount of rain and hail on the second and third day.(Jade) Excitedly, we made it to camp and we could try out some cool activities. (Sienna)

The bunkrooms- warm, cozy and calming- were the perfect place to sleep.(Indie)

Gasping for air, I sprinted up the last bit of the hill. (Luke) Sadly, it was the third day so we had to pack up and leave.

Alyssa

My eyes- sore, red and bloodshot- struggled to stay awake. Amelia Camp was tiring, fun and rainy. Scarlett

Animal Survival, this was a game where we were split into four different groups based on their food chain. There were dogs, large herbivores, small herbivores and small carnivores. Oliver Walking through the Burma Trail, I enjoyed trying to figure out my way around the trees and down the edges of the cliff, whilst holding onto the rope and being blindfolded. Bella-Rose

Ka pai everyone!

Willowbank Trip

On Friday 17th March, Year 7-8 students spent the day at Willowbank as part of their Science programme.

Students have begun their Ecology unit of work with a special emphasis on Aotearoa New Zealand endemic and native birds. Willowbank was an ideal learning environment to closely observe birds such as Kea, Weka, Kaka, Kakariki and of course, let's not forget the Kiwi.

The drawcard of Willowbank is that it is also the home of many other interesting animals such as Capybara, Otters, and Siamese Gibbons as well as examples of domesticated animals.

Students honed their scientific investigation skills with observation and the use of ethograms and ethogram tally charts. The data collected will be used back in the classroom over the coming weeks. While our ākonga may only be ten and eleven years old, the skills they are learning will provide a good grounding for NCEA investigations and beyond. In the students words, highlights of the experience includeThe Capybara had chunky shaped faces and were quite big (Rhylee)

I liked the Capuchin monkeys; they kept swinging on the ropes using their tails (Jamie)

The baby Capybara moved really fast (Alex)

When the rabbits were lying down it looked like they had a large pillow of fur underneath them (Xavier)

The miniature cow was very cute. It had a large head and eyes (Sophie)

The otters were really playful and were very good at swimming (Nakita)

The Kunekune pigs lay on their backs when their bellies were rubbed (Ghermyll)

A huge thank you to the parent volunteers who accompanied us alongside the Year 7-8 teaching teams. Without this support, we wouldn't be able to offer our tamariki these experiences.

Ravensdown - Kirwee Fundraiser

A huge thank you to all the parents and students who volunteered their help during the three days of the Kirwee Field Days, helping with the catering in the Ravensdown tent. Special mention to our Year 10 students who helped on Wednesday & Friday and who were able to put this experience towards an Assessment.Bridget Eder, Alice McLaughlan, Zara Chittenham, Alexis Stubbs, Hannah Mullis, Lillia Beer, Maia Regan, Alexis Graham and Scarlett Hart.

Such awesome young students, thank you.

ROAR

by Jesse Moore

This year, our awesome Year 10 students are involved in the 'ROAR' programme. This is a course designed to grow and stretch the students as they leave childhood behind and embrace adulthood, with more responsibilities and challenges being thrown their way.

This is where the name ROAR comes from as we want to see our ākonga grow in their Resilience, take Opportunities, seek out Adventures, and be Reflective about their lives.

For Term 1, we focused on IDENTITY; students worked on understanding who they are, where they have come from, and where they are going with in-class discussion, activities and games to help this process.

As part of this programme, we took some time outside of class to explore some local scenery and spend time reflecting on the people in our lives and what kind of adults we want to be. Our Year 10's braced the cold and headed down to Ashley Gorge. The aim of the trip was to reflect on the people in our lives that have helped shape us into who we are today and think about what qualities we want to work on in ourselves. After a quick walk around the loop track, we wrote some gratitude letters to the adults and family that have helped shape us into who we are today. The day ended with a big challenge - to leave something from our childhood behind (bad habit, attitude, etc) and pick up something new for the journey into adulthood ahead (courage, caring, humility, etc), to which all the students embraced and had a great time doing so.

Special thanks to Mr Halliwell, Mrs Lovatt, Mrs Gilpin, Miss Wallace, Samara and Beth and Iain Froud (24/7 YouthWork), for your mahi on the trip

SITUATIONS VACANT

Oxford Community Trust is looking for a Community Youth Worker and Holiday Programme workers.

The youth work role will entail recreation events, working with other organisations to further youth work in the community, and building relationships with and supporting young people.

The position will be for approximately 10 hours per week. Full Drivers License is essential.

The Holiday Programme role is assisting every school holidays at our fun programme. Full Licence required for this also.

There could be an opportunity to combine both roles if interested. If you would like some more information please contact Jo Ealam, Manager, Oxford Community Trust. 021 995 972, or jo@oxfordtrust.co.nz.

Mayoral update

with Dan Gordon

I hope you all had a wonderful April.

It’s a busy month, we launch into Autumn with Easter, School Holidays and of Course Anzac Day.

I attended some wonderful Anzac Day services in the District. It is such a special time of year for me, it’s a time where my family and I reflect on the service of my Great-Grandfather in WWI and Grandfather in WWII.

It’s also a time where we come together as a community and collectively pay our respects to the young service men and women from our District, who served in past wars and in present day conflicts. We are forever grateful, and we will remember them always.

I also attended the Oxford A&P Show - it really is fantastic to be back enjoying the shows after Covid-19 severely hindered them in recent years. It was a great day out, watching town and country come together, enjoying some of that famous Oxford hospitality and seeing agricultural and pastoral excellence across all aspects of the industry.

I’d like to congratulate this year’s president Steve Macaulay and the show committee on another successful event.

Submissions have recently also closed on the Draft Annual Plan.

We started this Draft Annual Plan with a proposed rates increase of 14.4% and have gone through our programme looking for savings and at what projects we can defer to keep increases as low as possible.

Oxford

Community Trust

We had a goal of keeping increases under the inflation rate of 7.2% and the Local Government cost index which is consistently higher than the consumers price index (CPI). We are pleased to report we have reviewed our programme extensively and managed to cap our proposed rates significantly lower than forecasted at an average of 5.97%.

But importantly it also ensures any critical work isn’t put off for too long and we can progress with meeting new water regulations, improving the stormwater network, and ensuring our roads continue to be well maintained.

Your feedback is important to help inform the decisions Council makes when planning for the District’s future. The best way to ensure your voice is heard and your point of view considered, is by making a submission. I would like to thank everyone who took the time to do so.

Council will meet in early May to consider the feedback received on those issues and hear from submitters before making changes to the final plan which will be adopted in June.

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Winter grazing

Preparing for a successful winter grazing season.

We are undertaking a flight over the Waimakariri district in May to observe how farms are set up for winter grazing this season.

This will be in a fixed-wing aircraft, over some parts of the region. Staff members and an industry representative will be onboard to observe winter grazing crop preparations. Follow up will occur with advice and guidance where needed, and we plan to do a follow up flight in winter during winter grazing.

Remember, if you’re practicing winter grazing on your farm, you need a written management plan that details how you will manage environmental risks.

more information on our winter grazing flyovers, visit

Oxford Area School bids farewell to Marie Mehrtens

by Amy Riach

The students and the teachers of Oxford change a little every year, but there are always certain constants. Some things are perfect just the way they are, and once a year every year, Yr 6 camp takes off to Hamner, the A and P show commandeers the school field, and the Houses battle it out at Athletics.

For the last 43 years, Marie Mehrtens with her smiling face and high-heeled shoes has been one of Oxford’s most treasured constants, and now as she steps down, we all bid her a most heartfelt farewell.

Marie is retiring from her “second family” to spend more time with her first one, saying that “while teaching has been a life-long career the thing I have loved most is being a mother, and now a grandmother”. She goes on to tell me that “my family is and always will be the most important thing in my life”, and it’s clear with every word she says, just how proud she is of her two children and her brand new grandbabies.

The love Marie has for her family is a love she has always brought with her to Oxford, and without fail, at the start of every year Marie would tell her classes “I will be your school mum”. She tells me that it always got them laughing, but she absolutely meant it, and the young students of Oxford will sorely miss having Mrs Mehrtans as their teacher.

In fact, Marie Mehrtens will be missed by everyone at Oxford, and the whole school, students and staff alike, took part in what was a very special farewell.

As she left the Oxford Hall, Marie was greeted by a full school haka, performed and dedicated to her alone, and it is with tears that she tells me, “I’ll never forget that as long as I live”, saying, “I’ve never felt so special in all my life”. With a tribute from the school, Marie is saying farewell to OAS, but she is certainly not saying goodbye to Oxford.

This town is her forever home, and when she recalls first arriving in Oxford more than 40 years ago, “I can remember saying ‘I’d never live here!’

Famous last words, example no.1!” Famous last words indeed, because now Marie just can’t imagine living anywhere else.

After all, she has a garden to tend to, and she will forever love running into Oxford students about town. She tells me that “being a teacher is better than being a movie star (except for the salary!)

But where else would I hear, ‘Mrs Mehrtens, Mrs Mehrtens!’, as I walk down the street!”.

Marie has worked with a wonderful team of teachers, and she gives a heartfelt thanks to Barbara Kelly, Rochelle Welch, Andrea Shaw, Heather Nimmo, and Deborah Covert, as well as to Rachel Taylor, who will be stepping into her position, “and will do an absolutely fantastic job”.

But it is the children that Marie will miss the most. Her kitchen bench is covered in felt tip cards and gifts from students, and Marie can tell me who each gift came from, and what her students are best at. Someone who wrote a lovely goodbye message has such good handwriting, and someone else who decorated their own card will make a wonderful artist.

Not one student was ever just a name.

Marie has plans to make all the wee things her students have made and drawn into a book, and she says “every little piece means so much to me”, adding, “I will treasure these things always”. The syndicate teachers also put together their own treasures for Marie, and it is with great pride that she shows me a kete that every student from Yr 1-3 helped to weave. Every single student also added their own message to one giant card, which Marie says “melted my heart completely”.

As Marie steps down to spend her time with a much beloved family, Oxford says goodbye to a much beloved teacher. We all wish her nothing but the very best, and I hope she will always know what a huge impact she has made. After spending her life in education, people will often ask what she might do, if she could have her time again. And Marie says unequivocally, “I certainly wouldn’t change it”.

High School to University What You Can (and Can’t!) Prepare For.

by Amy RIach

As the Easter holidays pass us by, high schoolers are enjoying the end of Term 1, and Uni students are marking the first mid-semester break of 2023. And for those of us who went from an Area School in Oxford to a University mid-city, the term to semester transition is both remarkably familiar, and strangely new.

Being in Yr 13, and trying to decide on a career, a degree, and a new place to live all in one fell swoop, is a kind of pressure and excitement unique to leaving high school for the first time. It’s also one of the very first steps towards adulthood, and at first glance, being an adult seems like a whole lot of paperwork. Everything and everybody requires a form, a signature, an email, a followup survey. I wrote out about a million applications, convinced teachers to provide references, filled in every form going, and for all my preparations, I felt nothing but wildly unprepared. The truth is, I was wildly unprepared. But the new year will roll around anyway, move-in day will arrive, and no matter how prepared you are for the change, it will happen regardless. There is a limit to how ready you can ever really be, and if I’d waited to get all my ducks in a row, I would never have crossed the street. Sometimes, you just have to gather up what you’ve got and make a run for it.

The paperwork sticks around, and by all accounts will continue to do so for years to come. The nerves stay for a while too, especially when not a single step in your new routine is, well, routine. But the excitement doesn’t really fade either. With more responsibility comes more freedom, and it is you and only you who is responsible for choosing where and how to spend the day. For some people that sounds like a lot of pressure, for others it’s nothing but exciting, and for most of us, it’s a real mixture of both. There is no one marking you absent in lectures, no one chasing you for an essay at the deadline. You are the only person accountable for the assessments you sit and the classes you take, and in some ways, Uni fails

to resemble High School at all. But if the weather is terrible, and you don’t want to get out of bed and over to campus, you don’t have to.

You can watch the livestream lectures and take notes in your own room instead. You can arrange your own timetable, and choose where you want to be and when you want to be there. Sometimes you will get it wrong, and that’s okay too. Everyone is in the same boat, and everyone is making it up as they go along.

At 18, you’re an adult in a whole lot of ways. And you’re still a kid in many others. It’s okay if you feel like you’re bad at ‘adulting’. You’re still learning how. It’s okay if you failed one exam, or missed the grade on that essay, or don’t know what your own tax bracket is. The point is you sat the exam, you finished the essay, you aced that interview and got the job. Remember that this is all still new, and you're allowed to be a beginner.

Sometimes, being an adult is just treating yourself like an overtired toddler. Sometimes ice cream stops you from wanting to cry, and you fall asleep before the end of the movie because honestly, you just needed a nap. Sometimes, the Residence Hall chefs add frozen bananas to the ice in chocolate milk, because like a fussy 3yr old, none of you are really eating enough fruit. And sometimes participation awards recognise that you really tried, and just passing is more than enough. Whether it is built on A’s or on C’s, you will get the same degree, and you will take up the same opportunities.

You’re allowed to do things casually, and you’re allowed to be bad at them. You can join a Zumba class, drink wine beforehand, and dance in the back of the class with your best friends. You never have to go again, (I didn’t!). But try things, brand new things, even if you’re terrible and you only ever try it once.

Let yourself enjoy things you didn’t think you’d even try.

Oxford Area School Presents:

By Paul Johnson

Success for OAS Dragon Boating Teams

Last term some keen students signed up for the Aoraki Dragon Boating Secondary Schools challenge. With algae tested in Lake Hood in Ashburton the secondary schools' dragon boating champs were moved to Lake Ruger (Sparks Lake), here in Oxford, which meant we had an amazing support team as not only parents and family members attended but lots of supportive community too.

Our 10-man boat of mixed boys & girls team, along with our 20-person girls team worked hard all day long starting with a one-kilometre race, 500 metre and 200-metre races. With each race under their belt, a fire was building within and by the finals, they were well alight!

Team Members:

1. Bella Eginton-Abbott

2. Liz Eginton-Abbott

3. Jade Anderson

4. William Anderson

5. Elizabeth Cooper

6. Zara Chittenden

7. Lara Dalley

8. Isabella Duncan

9. Alyssa East

10. Kyron East

11. Bridget Eder

12. Isaac Elliott

13. Jero Galway

14. Jaxon Graham

15. Matilda Hart

16. Scarlett Hart

17. Will Hart

18. Talan Lovatt

19. Myles McLauchlan

20. Tayla Marquet

We came away with 3rd in the Girls 200m, 2nd in the girls 500m, 1st in the Mixed 10s 200m, 2nd mixed 10s 500m, 1st in the mixed 10s 1km, and best of all we retained the mixed small boats sprints championship trophy which has no one else's name on it at all!!

A huge thank you to the parents who supported their children, to Sue Eginton and Lisa Watson, Mike & Bec Hart, and Rachael Elliott for their endless support driving.

To Mike Robinson of Northern Phoenix for all his coaching hours and a super big thank you to Lauren Morris for her coaching and sweeping during this time. Lauren was one of the founding members of this Dragon Boating team and therefore it is only fitting that she has now gained her sweeping qualifications which means we get to have her as part of our team once again.

Oxford Butchery

Farm Fresh Flavour

Keeping Healthy

with Tracie Miller

While normal skin has a smooth and glowing appearance, dry skin looks dull and may be rough, scaly and prone to cracking. How dry our skin is varies with age and genetic make-up, but dryness can also be caused by exposure to the sun and wind, airconditioning, soaps and detergents, hot spas, baths and showers, and some medications. Although any body site can be dry, dry skin tends to affect the shins more than any other site, and areas may become itchy, indicating a form of eczema/dermatitis has developed. When the dry skin of an older person is itchy without a visible rash, it is sometimes called winter itch. The mainstay of treatment of dry skin is moisturiser/emollients. They should be applied liberally and often, and generally work best if applied to damp skin. Dry skin can be prevented by;

• Reduced frequency of bathing.

• Humidifier in winter and air conditioner in summer

• Consider having a short shower rather than a prolonged soak in a bath.

• Use lukewarm, not hot, water.

• Replace standard soap with a substitute

• Apply a moisturiser liberally and often, particularly shortly after bathing, and when itchy.

The drier the skin, the thicker this should be, especially on the hands.

EMERGENCY SERVICES

ST JOHN update with Mel Brooker

I’m sad to say that the dishonesty offending in the area has not slowed down. Commercial burglaries are on the rise. It has been a busy month ,with a spike in the number of burglaries that have occurred in the area. Secure your valuables. Something as simple as a security light could help to deter some of those people.

We are still getting reports of flash lights in the yard or at the fence line. These need to be reported at the time, not the next day or to your neighbours a week later.

Yes it’s good to let your neighbours know, but we need to know as well, and in a timely manner. Even if they have left the area it is good for us to have a drive and see who else is out and about.

It has been a long school break, but with kids back at school it’s a timely reminder to keep an eye out for kids on the crossings, and around the schools with the increased foot traffic. Reduce your speed around crossings and school and be prepared to stop for the unexpected.

Thank you for your time. Until next month. Be safe. Feel safe.

It is proving to be another busy year. We are on the exactly same number of jobs to date as we had last year, with a way smaller crew manning the ambulance.

Winter is here, and the frosts have begun. Remember to take care on the slippery footpaths.

Try to keep yourself fit and healthy with exercise, healthy food, and plenty of water.

If you require an ambulance, please don’t feel bad about ringing. We work on the ambulance because we care, and would rather transport a patient we are able to chat to, rather than one who is too sick to talk.

Any chest pain should be checked out. Sometimes heart problems do not have normal or very many symptoms, so it is important to get checked out.

Again, I would like to remind you to check your house number is visible at your gate, particularly if you are on a shared drive or your mail box is some way from the house.

Keep warm, safe and well.

The ambulance station at Oxford is not manned 24 hours a day. If you require emergency assistance please call 111.

FIRE RESCUE update with

Trevor Ealam

March was another reasonably quiet month for the brigade with six calls. One call was to assist the Cust Brigade at a house fire which turned out to be a false alarm.

In our area we were asked to attend two vegetation fires; one where a power line company accidentally dropped a hot object in a hedge and the other was to a controlled crop residue burn. We were called to an unattended rubbish fire where very strong north west winds were predicted and did arrive, one to a ride on lawnmower which was totally destroyed and one to a private alarm activation which was accidental.

This brings our total calls for the year to sixteen.

The Brigade would like to thank all those that supported our fire wood raffle at the Oxford A & P Show and Jarred Buckley for the wood donation.

The raffle was won by R Philpott. Also a big thanks to Kerry McCorry and Scott Evans for their most generous donation from their sunflowers as outlined in a previous article in the Observer.

This month's message is; It was the end of daylight saving on the 2nd of April and it was time to check your smoke alarms.

Just remember if you look after them they will look after you.

If you have any questions or problems with them give me a call on 0272977564.

POLICE update with Mitch Alatalo

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LINE DANCING AT OXFORD

NEW DANCE CLASS STARTING MAY 1ST

DANCING TO A VARIETY OF MUSIC, EXERCISE, SOCIALISING, & TRAVEL ALL IN ONE PACKAGE No need for a partner.

Suitable for young & old, men & women

Oxford Baptist Church hall: Monday’s 6.00 pm-8.30 pm. First timers please contact �rst Instructor- Jenny Brookes 0274 452 285

Yoga

WEEKLY CLASSES IN OXFORD Wednesdays & Fridays and Mondays in RANGIORA Gabrielle 027 225 1646

You can start anytime Gain Vitality - Flexibility - Balance info@taomotion.co.nz

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