Selwyn Times: April 29, 2020

6 Wednesday April 29 2020
Latest Canterbury news at starnews.co.nz
Our People
SELWYN TIMES
Brenda Dunlop
Empowering women to help the community
Brenda Dunlop has
been working to bring
the community together
since 1997. The Rolleston
resident speaks to Devon
Bolger about starting the
Selwyn Women’s Issues
Group and her love of
gardening
How did the Selwyn Women’s
Issues Group begin?
It all started in the year 1997.
We were going to have a jubilee
this year to celebrate but we have
decided to hold off until we hit
25 years. Things really started
off with Dorothy Oakley and I.
We had been to see a women’s
issues group and felt like there
was a real need in the district
for something for women to
go along to. It was really good
to get together once a month
and invite speakers because
you are quite isolated out in the
country. We have made a lot of
friendships and it’s been really
very supportive.
What does the group do?
One of our ladies’ grandson
was killed in a car accident
getting off a bus in Greenpark.
My husband and I had a trip
overseas at the time and saw an
idea in Scotland. A bus stopped
and out of it came all these
children in high-vis vests. When
I came back after being away for
two months, the member who
lost her grandchild asked if there
was anything our group could
do to help. We decided to make
safety vests using the money
we had and it really took off
from there. The district council
helped at first and then we took
it on ourselves and we went to
individual businesses and ask
them to buy the vests and put
their logo on them to donate to
schools. We have supplied all of
the schools in Selwyn, a third of
them now stand on their own.
I still try to raise about $6000
each year and go around to all
of the businesses to ask if they
will buy some or renew the vests
in the schools. That’s one of the
main things our group does. We
also support Ronald McDonald
House with a grocery collection
and we donate about five or six
CONNECTED: Brenda Dunlop helped form the Selwyn Women’s Issues Group about 23 years
ago, The group still continues to meet to this day.
PHOTO: GEOFF SLOAN
boxes of groceries each year.
We also do a ‘spring clean’ each
year and we donate clothing to
women’s suffrage. About half a
dozen of our ladies make hats for
the children at Cholmondeley
Home. If there is a need we
fill in that space. We have 80
women on our group call list and
about 60 generally show up to
meetings.
Why do you think it is
important to have a women’s
issues group in Selwyn?
I just think it’s lovely to have
those friendships and to share
with one another. It is also about
what we can learn from each
other. Women didn’t talk freely
like they do nowadays and I’ve
learned a lot from my ladies, it
has been quite amazing really.
Things have absolutely changed
for women now since we started
in 1997. We are much more open
with each other now.
Can you tell me about the
Rolleston Residents’ Garden
Competition?
I think it has been going for
a while but it had come to a
halt a few years ago. I quite like
gardening so I was asked if I
would take over as president of
the competition. Since I have
taken over we have decided to
hold it every two years. That
means it is coming up this
year. We have volunteer ladies
that support us and offer their
time. We also go to different
businesses to get support to pay
for the judges and a few other
things. We are very grateful for
those who contribute and help
to make it so successful. Last
time we had 36 entries and that
went really well and surprisingly
we had a lot of young people
enter. We have decided to make
it every two years because it is a
lot of work for us who give our
time freely. We need to have
nearly $1000 every year for it to
be able to run. Now that we have
had trophies donated for each
of our 10 categories this year
•To find out more or
express your interest in the
Rolleston Residents’ Garden
Competition phone Brenda
Dunlop on 347 3073.
it has made it so much easier.
The categories this year include
industrial and commercial as
well as one for schools in the
district. We plan on holding
the judging over two days on
October 6 and 7. It all depends
on how many people enter. Then
later in October we have an
awards evening at the Rolleston
Community Centre.
How long have you lived in
Selwyn?
Quite a long time now. We had
a pig farm in Burnham for about
40 years and then we moved into
Rolleston and have been here
since the first earthquake.
What do you like about living
here?
It’s a lovely community, people
are very friendly. It is really
growing. Where our house is
was farmland when we got here.
It is truly amazing how the
whole township has grown. I
think there is a lot of things that
you can join now, it is good for
children. There are a lot of sports
grounds and things like that
out here so you no longer have
to go into town. I don’t think I
will ever be travelling into town
again. I think we have enough
amenities out here.
Can you tell me a little bit
about your family?
I have my husband Norman
who was a farmer when I met
him, I was a city girl. He is now
a property developer out here in
Rolleston. We have four children
and six grandchildren. I get quite
involved, I love my gardening.
I have an acre and a half of
gardening on the farm so that
has just carried on.
Do you have any hobbies
or interests outside of your
community work?
My husband and I enjoy
bowls. We play outdoor bowls
at West Melton. There is a club
out there. We like being outside
and keeping active. It is very
important.
Retiring after 20 years with Rolleston police
• By Devon Bolger
FAY SIMPSON has worked her
last day at the Rolleston Police
Station after 20 years.
She started as station support
officer in 2000 and her time has
been spent mainly behind the
front desk working on data entry
and administration.
Her career as a civilian staff
member with the police began
in 1991.
She has enjoyed her time and is
looking forward to what is next.
“The staff here have been
amazing, absolutely top-notch.
I couldn’t rate them highly
enough,” she said.
Mrs Simpson and her husband
now plan on moving south in
about a month.
“We aren’t quite at retirement
age just yet but we bought a
property just outside of Winton.”
Her career began in 1991 at
Timaru central station where she
worked at the front desk.
“I then relocated to Christchurch
and worked in the old
Christchurch central station. I
worked in the accounts section
and as a speed camera operator.
I then worked in the Hornby
and Sydenham stations also
doing administration work,” she
said.
After about 29 years with the
police, there is still one case that
stands out the most, Mrs Simpson
said.
“There was a homicide in
Caroline Bay, the boy’s name
was Leif Wulff, and he was killed
while I was working at the Timaru
station. It was during my first
year working there.
“That was something that
stuck with me because my oldest
son was the same age, and
the perpetrator wasn’t much
older, so that really stuck.”
Robin James Pitney was
sentenced to life imprisonment
after murdering Leif in 1991
when he was 15.
After the Christchurch earthquake
on February 22, 2011,
Mrs Simpson worked with the
disaster victim identification
unit that was set-up at Burnham
Military Camp
“That was a really, really interesting
experience. It’s such a
well-oiled team and it was quite
a privilege working with them
and doing what I could to help.”
Mrs Simpson had her last
day at the Rolleston station on
Thursday.