Cycling: a good way to get around

I started biking round Halswell when I was a kid - around about the age of 9, from what I remember.  It was nothing unusual at the time - it was just what we all did.   Unlike most, however,  I’m still cycling now a few decades later.  Why? Mainly because it’s fun,  but it is also convenient, quick, cheap, friendly and safe.  

I bike all around the City and out to Lincoln regularly to get to work meetings, shop, run errands, visit various libraries or meet people for coffee.  And heaven forbid - at weekends I've been known to do it for recreation but that's a bit less common!

 "You're taking your life in your hands" someone said to me the other day and many people say to me that they won't cycle because it is too dangerous.  It's not as bad as most people think.  It is much more common to die or be severely injured driving a car or a motorbike than it is riding a bike - so much so that bike deaths are still considered newsworthy - so we hear about them.

Looking back over the many decades that I've used roads around Christchurch - and I've biked 1000s of kilometres each year -  I've had one accident (in 2010, someone turned his vehicle, right, into my path as I travelled straight ahead at the traffic lights by the Halswell Library, because he didn't see me) and I was driving my car at the time.  Despite travelling at well below the speed limit, the car never recovered, and I was out of action for about three weeks while my ribs healed enough for me to get back on the bike


Not that I haven't had near misses on the bike, but I've also learned where to look for trouble,  and how to avoid it.  It is possible, as with driving, to be a very defensive cyclist and to cycle in ways that minimise risk.

In rush hour, cycling is incredibly safe, fast and fun.  I love passing all the cars in the tail backs from Dunbars road onwards.  The only things moving at any pace are cyclists.
On top of all the obvious things, are the statistics on the effects of inactivity on health and death rates. We never consider that too much time sitting down in front of the computer or watching TV might be dangerous - but it is!In fact it turns out that the overall health benefits of cycling are far greater than the overall health costs (in terms of cyclist injuries etc)

"Those who exercise regularly are at significantly lower risk of cardiovascular disease, type two diabetes, all types of cancer, high blood pressure and obesity,” says Dr Lynn Cherkas" in this article. 

As a cyclist, the research indicates that I have less chance of catching colds and 'flu and when I do I"ll recover quicker than people who do not exercise as much.  Kids who get exercise on their way to school do better at school and adults who exercise before work do better too.

A study of 200 people carried out by the University of Bristol found that employees who exercised before work or at lunchtime improved their time and workload management, and it boosted their motivation and their ability to deal with stress. 

And on top of all this cycling is a great for mental health! As this article points out, cycling not only makes you smarter - it also increases a lot of the chemistry in your brain that makes you feel peaceful and calm.

On top of that, I save money. There is the obvious, of course.  I fill my car up with about 35 litres of petrol every 6-8 weeks rather than every week or two weeks.  My car running costs are not high.  I don't have as many sick days as I would if I didn't bike (and because I work for myself and as a volunteer, that is significant).  I don't have as many doctors bills, I don't pay gym fees.

I even save YOU money! How?  Well, There's lower health bills, and this is pretty significant!  Check out this publication for a very comprehensive outline.
I do about 10,000 times less damage to the roads on the bike than in the car, (and I still pay the same rates and taxes as you for that roading). In Portland, Oregon, they found that investing a few million dollars in cycle paths caused about 10% of car drivers to get onto their bikes.  The savings to the city in road maintenance alone more than paid for the cycle paths.

I also subsidise your parking - particularly around Halswell where parking is "free".  Car parking is, of course, NEVER free! It's just that out here you don't pay the cost of it directly (and even in town you don't pay the full cost of it).  Car parking takes up a lot of real estate and we share the cost through rates, or in our shopping bills.

So, get out there guys - consider the benefits and think about the possibilities.  Even getting out there and walking more can be of major benefit to you personally.  Both cycling and walking are friendlier than driving a car -  after all, it's much easier to smile and say hello! :-)

Halswell Craft Group

This month I decided to visit the Halswell Craft Group.  They meet in the Scout den in the Domain on Wednesdays 10-12am during the school terms (and not during school holidays).

I was surprised at the number of cars parked outside, and walked in to find 21 women sitting around tables working away on a wide range of crafts.   I first chatted with Marion and Trudy who run the group and they told me that this was a small group compared to what they normally get - perhaps because of the bad weather.  They also introduced me to some of the women there, and to the activities that were going on in the room.
The room was humming with conversation and I moved around and chatted to many people.  Crystal made my day by telling me that she found out about the craft group through the Halswell Community Website and had been coming to the group since she retired.  She told me that her first projects were photo albums that she 'scrapbooked' for her family.  "The earthquakes taught me that for family memorabilia it is well work having copies in different places.  That way, if one gets lost, there are others around.

Carola had been helping another woman learn about beadwork - how to translate the instructions and the basic techniques to produce some great looking stars - perhaps Christmas decorations.  i could see possibilities for making some great earrings.  Next to her was a woman who showed me some fantastic cards while another was stitching some applique Christmas decorations.  Over at another table were three women painting and drawing, and at another was someone working away on some incredibly fine embroidery and someone next to her stitching a picture for a cushion cover.  A number of people there are also experienced quilters although no-one was working on quilts at the session.  Quite a number of people were knitting and there was one women wandering around and knitting whilst talking to people at various tables (I was very impressed, and had pictures in my head of Aran knitters known for their capacity to knit while walking, tending sheep and  range of other tasks!).

The craft group offers the women who go a great place to talk about the issues going on for them.  For some it was a useful outlet for managing the ongoing problems emerging from the earthquakes.  As Marion pointed out, as she dished out soup (served up as an end of term treat), it is quite easy to come along and not actually do any craft work because there are so many people to talk with.  Mind you, looking around, this is a great place to come to learn some new crafts or to work on crafts you've been working on for years and there's a huge depth of knowledge here to tap into!  

Find out more here

How can we promote, grow and sustain our Halswell businesses in these times of social, environmental and economic change?

The  Halswell Residents' Association and the Halswell Community Project invite all businesses in Halswell to a meeting at Craythorne's Public House, 5.30 pm on Monday 19th August.  This is an opportunity to meet local businesspeople, network and think about the idea of forming a Halswell business association to strengthen and grow business in the area.  

Population in the area is set to double over the next decade.  In that event, Halswell be a suburb similar in size to what the City of Gisborne is now increase.  This brings in new businesses and increases demand for business.  On top of that, more people are now working from home, having lost their premises in the earthquakes.   

There are many small businesses in the area that it’s difficult to find out about.  As a result, Halswell people often go outside Halswell for their goods and services when they might be available here.   Likewise, it is surprising what we don’t have available here, given that the population of the suburb was about 14,000 back in 2006 and it has been growing ever since.

All this means there are great opportunities to promote Halswell business to Halswell residents and even to other Halswell businesses.  The business page on the Halswell Community Website and the Halswell E-Newsletter provide a starting point for doing this.  However, businesses in other places have found that having a local business association helps them to reap greater benefits by working together. 

A business association would create a strong central platform for dealing with issues facing businesses in the area and help to advocate for good local facilities (e.g. public toilets open 24/7).  Such an organisation might also allow businesses to access cheaper business supplies, for example, by buying in bulk. 

So to any and all businesses out there – sole traders, retailers, people working from home, tradespeople and other service providers, come along, buy a drink and do some networking, whilst having a bite to eat (food will be provided free).   

5.30pm Drinks and nibbles (Buy your own drinks, food provided)

6.00pm Speakers begin.  

• Anthony Barker, chairperson of the Sydenham Quarter will speak about the Quarter’s experiences with growing businesses and regenerating Sydenham by working collaboratively.   
• Lorraine Rouse from the Canterbury Employers Chamber of commerce will also speak about the services they provide and a collaborative business development initiative she was involved with.   

6.35pm:   Discussion of the issues and opportunities of doing business in Halswell and whether there would be benefit in forming a Halswell business association.

Cost: Attendance is free, thanks to Craythornes and Christchurch City Council for their generosity in supporting this

Please RSVP for catering purposes to Halswell.Newsletter@gmail.com or phone Chrys on 338-0313 by Thursday 15th August. 

Winter Wildlife

A week or so on from winter solstice, I am sure I am not alone in welcoming the prospect of longer days. The sun over this past week has been fantastic, and is slowly drying up the lakes left by the heavy rainfall a few weeks ago. A quick look at the rainfall in Christchurch to date shows that we are up almost 100mm on the average for this time of year.

The large amount of water lying about means that the horse paddocks have been visited by a series of water birds. White-faced herons pick their graceful way across the ponds, while spurwing plovers, pukeko, and paradise and mallard ducks have also put in an appearance. Watching a group of pukeko chase each other around in the snow a few weeks ago was a novelty, and quite funny as they skidded and splashed.

A common skink (photographed in summer).
Photo credit: L. Hawke

I went to replace my electric fence clips last week and found a very cold lizard curled up inside one of them. Reptiles such as this do not generate their own internal body heat, relying on the environment to provide them with warmth. They are extremely sluggish when cold, making them easy pickings for hedgehogs and birds. This particular lizard (a common skink) eventually had to be shaken out of the fence clip, as it was unwilling (or, more likely, too cold) to leave voluntarily. It crawled away to take refuge under the replaced car battery, and I imagine that it is still there, holding out for warmer days.

Introducing the Open Home Foundation

Open Home Foundation is a Christian social service which provides home based social work and foster care for families who are struggling to provide safe care for their children. Our vision is that ‘every child in NZ will receive a depth of care that will bless them for the rest of their life’ – physically, emotionally and spiritually.

The organisation was established in 1977 by Ewen and Gillian Laurenson. Following their difficult experience in running a Social Welfare family home, they began to develop a network of Christian Foster families as an alternative for children and young people placed in Department of Social Welfare care.

The work began in the Laurenson's Johnsonville home with a small group of supporters and within a short period of time, it began to develop in other parts of New Zealand. In 1986, because of rapid growth, Open Home Foundation became a national organisation and both Ewen and Gillian were awarded the Queen's Service Medal for their service to Foster Care in New Zealand in 1995.

Families may need to be supported to safely care for their children for a number of reasons. Stress, mental health issues, domestic violence, drug & alcohol issues, homelessness, abuse & neglect and disability are just a few of the factors which can contribute to the breakdown of a family’s ability to provide adequate safe care for their children. In many instances the family simply needs to be supported to make the changes necessary in order to safely care for their children. Even with a high level of support however, there are times when it becomes necessary for children and young people to leave the care of their parents. Wherever possible this care is undertaken by kin. Where this is not possible foster care can be provided for a short time as respite or on a longer term or permanent basis if necessary.

Open Home Foundation believes that families, and preferably a child or young person’s own family or whanau, are the best place for a young person to grow. We therefore make every effort to place a child requiring foster care with a member of their own extended family before exploring any other options.

Since the earthquakes we have seen a significant rise (17%) in the numbers of children being referred for care and protection (Ministry of Social Development). Families have been stressed in so many different ways and this has been made all the more difficult by a lack of support as friends and relatives have moved away and communities have changed. With this increase in referrals there is now also an urgent need for additional support. We require more foster parents, prayer support, and financial sponsorship to provide for the needs of the children (swimming lessons, music tuition, furniture and holiday camps) as well as financial assistance to provide the resources needed to serve the community in this way (additional social workers, cost of running cars and transport for children).

We are very keen to share our story with the wider community and invite people in Canterbury to consider partnering with us in this local mission work by providing prayer support, sponsorship and by stepping up to provide foster care for a few days to give long term carers a break or on a longer term basis. We provide on-going training, 24 hour support and financial reimbursement to all our foster carers. They are the heart of our organisation.

Our vision is that ‘every child in NZ will receive a depth of care that will bless them for the rest of their life’ and our goal is to have enough foster parents to be able to say ‘yes’ to every referral.  We are very keen to share our story and to partner with the community across wider Canterbury. Our new website provides some wonderful information about the work we do including interviews with foster parents and online sponsorship details. www.ohf.org.nz  If you are interested in fostering or would like a presentation for your organisation, community group, congregation or mission leadership team please contact: nicole.garner@ohf.org.nz or

PH 03 366 5977   We’d be delighted to partner with you!

Thanks to Nicole Garner for sending this post in

Keeping Healthy with Exercise in Halswell

Exercise is a bit of a challenge at this time of year, its a bit chilly for walks and the mud makes gardening less inviting!

There are lots of great options in the Halswell area to keep you motivated and fit no matter your age or ability. Remember exercise keeps you warm and energised!! It can improve your immune system helping you to fight those colds and flu and can help you get out and have fun on a gloomy night, where you might normally end up on the couch.  There are many aspects to ‘being fit’ Strength, flexibility, aerobic and aerobic fitness are all important, and we should try to do something everyday to contribute to each of these aspects. 

Firstly we often think of exercise as aerobic exercise this is the type of exercise that goes for a long time and you have enough oxygen to fuel your body. For example going for a walk and having a natter to your friends, cycling to work, some housework and gardening or going for a swim. It should be enough for you to lose your breath slightly but still be able to have a conversation.  This type of exercise works the heart , lungs and your blood system to pump oxygenated blood around your body. We should aim to achieve 30 mins of aerobic exercise a day and this can be broken up into smaller segments such as 5 min blocks.  A really great way to motivate yourself to do this type of exercise more would be to join the Halswell Walk and Talk (call 941- 8999) or try Tai Chi (Annette 03 322-1289)

Another important type of exercise is where we don’t have enough oxygen to fuel our body- this is the exercise that makes you puff!! Think of a Zumba class, aerobics class, going to a run or playing sport. This type of exercise burns lots calories for the amount of time that you spend doing it- an 80kg person would burn approx 246kcal in a moderate 30min aerobics class. We do have to be a bit careful with this type of exercise as it can put some strain on your body and initially cause fatigue (due to that burny lactic acid!!) so if you are pregnant or have other health conditions it pays to have a chat to your medical practitioner first. We have some great sports clubs in Halswell to get involved in to add this ingredient into your fitness soup!! There is also Zumba (Contact Michelle: 021 1086 755) and aerobics all on your doorstep waiting for you to try!

Strength is one of the most important forms of exercise we should do as without it we can lose the ability to do lots of normal everyday things. I have met many older (and surprisingly young!) people who find hanging out their washing and getting in and out of chairs a challenge due to lack of strength. The good news is that strength can be improved quickly and at any age.  Some housework activities and gardening uses strength, however we need to be doing these every week to ensure we use it and don’t lose it. The bonus of strength based exercises is that we gain muscle which in turn burns extra fat when we are sleeping!  We have so many options in Halswell from a gym around the corner with great trainers who can help you with your strength training, Pilates classes (call Rebecca on 027 690 8993) on your doorstep and  butts abs and thighs classes (Phone John on 348 1718 or 027-335-9488). There is no excuse!

And lastly but possibly most importantly is flexibility. This is to ensure that our joints have enough mobility to function the way they were designed. We should all stretch everyday to help manage aches and pains and prevent future injury. How about trying Yoga (Call Rebecca on 027 690 8996)? Its not as scary as you think I promise!

With all this huffing and puffing and moving, you will be keeping toastie warm, sleeping like a log, free from colds, bright eyed and bushy tailed and ready for a fantastic summer, when it comes.  Enjoy!

Check out the Sports and Physical Activities Page for more information about what you can do around Halswell. 

Thanks to Rebecca Harford for this article

MENZSHED Opens in Halswell

The Halswell MENZSHED opened recently and is proving a hit with the blokes who have already discovered it! It is found in Nash Road just past St John of God. I’m guided there by a number of signs which give me some confidence that I’m going the right way.

When I arrive, there are about 10- 12 blokes around the place. Keith Kelvin, Kevin (I’m fast reaching the conclusion that that everyone’s name has to start with “K”), Chris, Don Harry, Robin, Roger and others I didn’t catch. After a minor double take when a woman walked into the room, they all resume working on their various projects. Don and Roger, the supervisors greet me at the door. They outline the health and safety rules. I note that things look pretty relaxed when they are all being followed. A “new” person comes in, introductions are made, and in minutes he is deeply engaged in discussing one of the many projects currently on the go.

Kelvin is sanding a small table that he is helping to restore. I take a photo and then am led around the shed to be introduced to some of the bigger… er “boys toys” around the place. There’s a wood lathe, a band saw, a drop saw, a drill press, and an array of smaller hand tools. While I’m there, someone offers to donate a compressor to the shed. And, of course, there is an all-important barbecue tucked in the back corner…. Keith tells me that the shed could still use a few more things including smaller hand tools – hammers, saws and they could also do with things like nails, screws and bolts. “Perhaps a thicknesser would be nice,” he says, “It’s worth coming to us if you want to donate something you are no longer using – even if we have something, it may be that one of the other sheds around town could use it instead.”

Over in the corner, I chat to Robin – an ex farmer with a lot of inventing and tinkering experience. He made bail feeders after he gave up farming, and retired from the feeders a couple of years ago. He’s enthusiastic about the project and tells me that it has largely been driven by Roger Spicer a pastor at the local Baptist Church. Roger tells me that many others have also been involved – from the folk at Craythornes, Teds Bar and Grill (in Ensign Street) and Anthony Wilding who gave them breakfast for their meetings, to Mark Anderson at St John of God who has had a large part to play in the project. Halswell Timber Company donated the sign on the Shed. The project is overseen by the Acorn Trust part of the South West Baptist Church (formerly Spreydon and Halswell Baptist Churches).
Robin tells me “When I heard about this project, I just had to be involved” he says. “It’s tremendous fun and it’s good to meet and work with others who have similar interests.”

 “There are lots of guys around here with a lot of experience and knowledge. I make toys and it’s really useful to be able to bring something in and ask how I should solve some problem I have” says Keith. You can bring along your project and get help and ideas about what to do how to get the tricky bits sorted, or you might just go along and work on projects that are already on the go. The men have made 7 seats for nearby Aidanfield School – a project that many of them clearly enjoyed. No doubt the school is pleased to have the results of that project too.

The MENZSHED concept is aimed at improving male mental health. No doubt it does that. But most of the blokes there are not thinking about that too much. They are enjoying themselves, making new friends, learning new skills or contributing the considerable skills that they have. If you have any kind of interest in this at all, get yourself down there, either on Thursdays or Saturdays between 10 and 12. Thank you to all who have been involved in setting this up. It looks like a great community asset.

Find out more about MENZSHEDS at http://menssheds.org.nz/ and, if you want to know more about the Shed in Halswell, Check out the info here contact Roger Spicer at roger.s@xtra.co.nz or phone him on 027 229 1928.