Prebbleton

Community Association Inc.

The Prebbleton Community Association was formed at a public meeting called in 1975 because of concerns over proposed changes to the zoning of land in the village. The first newsletter was distributed in 1975, and the association became Incorporated in 1977.

The aim was:

“To promote, preserve and protect the interests of residents and ratepayers of the Prebbleton District.”

Over the years the PCA Inc has become involved in opposing ventures considered to be against the interests of the community: the Wool Village, Seed Cleaning, Habgoods’ Truck depot and Meadow Mushrooms factory. With this last issue a committee was formed separate from PCA to take over the Meadow Mushrooms issue which became a major undertaking.

The PCA paid for an Environmental Plan to be prepared, conducted a survey of residents opinions on the area and what they felt was important, formed the playground in William Street, arranged for the sun dial on the triangle corner, Springs and Birchs Roads, and set up the Gardening Competition, although this is no longer held.

Prebbleton Heritage, now an incorporated society in its own name, and the informal group, Friday Friends, were also initially set up by PCA committee members.

Working bees at All Saints Churchyard, planting trees along the railway land, daffodils around the Blakes/Springs Roads corner and arranging for a seat in memory of Charlie Tilson at the triangle corner were among the other community activities undertaken.

In the early years Progressive dinners, old time dances, book marts, raffles and cake stalls were held to provide the funds for the quarterly newsletter which had no advertising revenue. An annual village tea in the hall with games and competitions was another event enjoyed by residents.

For several years, before Health and Safety regulations put an end to it, at Christmas a truck travelled around the area with carol singers on the back. The committee then organized carols in the Domain, later the public hall, and more recently around the Community Cottage. Christmas decorations and lights were also put up along the street. All these events helped to create camaraderie and a village heart. A representative was provided for Civil Defence, Lincoln & Districts Neighbourhood Watch and also Lincoln & Districts Community Care.

In more recent years the PCA established a sub-committee to set up and run the Prebbleton Community Cottage and has also been responsible for running the monthly Community Market around the Cottage. Matariki Celebrations were arranged for when covid restrictions allowed, and this event will now be a part of the PCA calendar.

Justices of the Peace in Prebbleton

Clive

The “Find a JP” website will allow you to check details including availability of each JP.

Expanding Selwyn Community Patrol

Selwyn Community Patrol is an established local community patrol based in Lincoln and is focused on Prebbleton, Lincoln, Tai Tapu, Springston and Leeston. We are fully affiliated with Community Patrols of New Zealand (CPNZ) and fully supported by the police. We are a completely voluntary group in need of your help. Due to the growth in our area and the increasing issues of car thefts, burglaries, ram raids etc, we are looking to expand our patrol hours in order to better act as a deterrent and to keep our communities safer.

Volunteering is a great way to help your community and to meet a great diverse group of people. The commitment that we ask for is just one patrol per month of three to four hours on the road. This can be at any time that fits in with your lifestyle as we patrol at all times of the day and night.

Our patrol car is a fabulous Mazda CX5 SUV and is equipped with GPS, emergency lights, a light bar, an extensive first aid kit and a defibrillator. It also has a dashboard camera installed for recording everything observed whilst on patrol.

Our costs are mostly met by fund-raising and the kind generosity of our sponsors. Should your business wish to become a sponsor, please get in touch with us. All donations would be most welcome.

Email: info@selwyncommunitypatrol.org.nz

Phone: 022 042 9420

Website: https://www.selwyncommunitypatrol.org.nz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SelwynCommunityPatrol

(please like and follow us) Hashtag: #selwyncommunitypatrol

Traffic Issue

There is still ongoing roadwork and restricted access to Norris and William Streets. This will be ongoing until June this year. Please be patient and respect the road cones.

Prebbleton Pocket Park

A new ‘pocket park’ is coming soon to the small piece of land beside the Prebbleton dairy. This will be an inviting green space where we can all sit and enjoy an ice cream or fish and chips together. This area is currently uninviting, plagued by rubbish and graffiti, and hard to access as the rubbish bins and noticeboard block the entrance.

We conducted a short survey on the local Facebook page and spoke to some students at Prebbleton School who provided plenty of great ideas to improve this space.

The new park will include:

• More seating and plants

• Scooter and bike parking

• A colourful mural

• A new community pantry

• Another book swap

• An updated local noticeboard

Be part of this project

There are still plenty of opportunities to be part of this local community project:

• Funding - https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/ prebbleton-community-pocket-park

• Local artists – we are looking for local artists to help us create a fabulous mural on the wall in the park. Please contact me if you are interested or have ideas!

• Local contractor – digging out and pouring a new path and concrete pad. Can your company help?

• Local builder/DIYers – garden edging and some seating.

• Planting – We will be holding a communal planting day so keep on eye on the local Facebook page for updates.

We are aiming to complete the pocket park before summer returns so it is ready for everyone to enjoy. Please contact me on Shannon.boorer@gmail.com if you would like to be involved or have any questions. Thank you!

Did you know?

…that we celebrate ANZAC Day on the 25th April because that was the date in 1915 when the combined forces of Australian and New Zealand soldiers – the Anzacs –landed on the Gallipoli Peninsula.

ANZAC Day commemorations

On Tuesday 25th April New Zealanders will commemorate the Kiwis who were killed in the First World War and honour those service personnel who returned to New Zealand.

Among the dead during the Gallipoli campaign were 2779 New Zealanders who perished in the abortive attempt to capture the Dardanelles and open a sea route to the Bosphorus and the Black Sea.

Anzac Day was first observed in 1916 but, today, we remember all service personnel who have served in the many conflicts around the world.

Prebbleton has its own service which is staged at the War Memorial outside the Prebbleton Hall. This will commence at 9am. Over the years more and more residents have gathered on the day and it has been encouraging to witness a growing proportion of young people at the gathering.

Prebbleton Heritage

Almost a quarter of the year has gone already, and we have been busy working on a display for this year’s Anzac Day Service at the Prebbleton War Memorial. With all the ups and downs over the last 3 years, this year the service is going ahead as in the past with morning tea in the hall following the service.

Prebbleton Heritage are putting on a new display this year with the focus on the Prebbleton soldiers who fell in both wars and whose names are on the memorial. We have also included soldiers who fell with a connection with Prebbleton though not on the memorial. We have written profiles on each with their war experience and over the next few years we will progressively add profiles for those who served and returned, eventually including those names on the WW2 Memorial board.

We would welcome all residents to come along and attend the service which begins at 9am at the Community Hall in Springs Road and then come inside and see what we have on display. The display will be up until 3pm on Anzac Day.

Another long-term project we are working on is to build up our information on business enterprises which have been carried out in Prebbleton over the years including where they were located within the town. If you have any information you could add to this project, we would love to hear from you.

Hopefully we will see some of you at the Anzac Day service and display. 25 April - 9am Service – Display open until 3pm.

Regards to you all, on behalf of the committee, Lindsay & Sandra Serra

At a lunchtime concert, the owner of Operatunity which provides concerts and travel itineraries, spoke about visiting a cemetery in northern Europe where there were 10,000 white crosses. As she wandered around she noticed how many of the dead were in the age range 18 to 21. The lyrics of this song, presented as a poem, reflect these thoughts and combine with the meaning of Easter.

10,000 White Crosses

Ten thousand white crosses

In one cemetr’y

Ten thousand white crosses

Lives given for me

If only we would listen

To what history can say

There would be no warring today

Ten thousand white crosses for me

Ten thousand white crosses

Young men set free

Some of the losses

That haunt you and me

Why don’t we stop to hear

What these graves have to say

Then no more lives would have to pay

Ten thousand white crosses for me

But then I remembered

That cross on Calvary

Where they hung my (our) Saviour

Who died to set me (us) free

They put him in an empty cave

A large stone for the door

Some thought they’d hear of him

No more

They put Him in that empty cave

Forsaken and forlorn

But then they found He’d risen At dawn

Ten thousand white crosses

In one cemetr’y

Ten thousand white crosses

Lives given for me

Ten thousand white crosses

Ten thousand white crosses

One wooden cross – enough for me

Anzac biscuits

Anzac biscuits are one of New Zealand’s favourite snacks but seem to have been manufactured initially in Perth WA around 1916. Many people think that they were sent to New Zealand forces overseas but it appears that was not the case. They were often sold at church fetes and galas to raise funds for the war effort during the First World War but were not christened until the post-war era.

There are many different recipes but most seem to include the following ingredients and quantities.

1 cup plain/standard flour

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup coconut shredded

1 cup sugar

120g butter

2 tbsp golden syrup

1 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp boiling water

1. Heat the oven to 180C fan

2. Line two baking trays with baking paper

3. Mix the flour, oats, coconut and sugar in a large bowl

4. In a pan, melt the butter and syrup together

5. Put the baking soda in a cup and add the water, stir to dissolve the soda

6. Pour the soda water into the melted butter and syrup

7. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet ingredients, mixing into a crumbly consistency

8. Place heaped teaspoonsful or a dessert spoonful of the mixture on to the baking trays leaving spaces of about two cm for expansion

9. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown then place on a wire rack to cool.