North Canterbury News: October 08, 2020
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NEWS<br />
<strong>North</strong> <strong>Canterbury</strong> <strong>News</strong>, <strong>October</strong> 8, <strong>2020</strong><br />
3<br />
Awoolly adventure unfolds<br />
Local author Jennifer<br />
Somervell, who is behind the<br />
awardwinning TalesFrom<br />
the Farm series, launched<br />
her sixth bookinOxford on<br />
Saturday.<br />
More than 80 people<br />
attended, including Peter<br />
Carrell, the Anglican Bishop<br />
of Christchurch, who<br />
described ABaarilliant<br />
Adventure,as‘‘a brilliant retelling<br />
of the famous story of<br />
the shepherds’ visit to<br />
Bethlehem’’.<br />
The book is not atale from<br />
the farm likeJennifer’s<br />
other books, but atale from<br />
Israel, inspiredbyavisitby<br />
Jennifer to that nation in<br />
2011.<br />
‘‘I imagined the angel<br />
appearing to shepherds and<br />
their sheepinthe fields<br />
outside Bethlehem, and I<br />
thought, ‘what happened to<br />
the sheep? Wouldn’t they<br />
followtheir shepherds?’ ’’<br />
Adramatic adventure<br />
results, as threesheep,<br />
Rumbly, Tumbly and Woolly,<br />
stumble after their<br />
shepherds in the dark.<br />
In keepingwith the<br />
nativitysheepthemeofthe<br />
book, the mostpopular guest<br />
for the 30 or so children at<br />
the launch was Sooty, a<br />
South Suffolk crossbred<br />
lamb.<br />
Children were entertained<br />
by sheepmaking, stardecorating,<br />
colouringin<br />
activities,and facepainting<br />
animals from the book.<br />
Jennifer waited seven<br />
years for the rightillustrator.<br />
Atale with atwist ... Author of ABaarilliant Adventure,Jennifer Somervell, right, with the book’s<br />
illustrator, Zerika van Jaarsveld.<br />
PHOTO:DANLIM DESIGNS LTD<br />
‘‘I needed an illustrator<br />
who could capture emotion<br />
and facial expression,<br />
including in sheep.’’<br />
She met her Southland<br />
illustrator, Zerika van<br />
Jaarsveld, in early 2019 at<br />
the Oxford Baptist Church.<br />
‘‘Fromthe momentIsaw<br />
her first pictures,Iknew the<br />
book would be special. They<br />
were outstanding.’’<br />
Thoughthe story is<br />
imaginative,itisset in an<br />
accurate historic setting.<br />
“I didn’twant white faces<br />
and Romney lambs. We<br />
neededthe right breed of<br />
sheep —fattailed —and<br />
clothing and footwear that<br />
could havebeen worn 2000<br />
years ago by Middle Eastern<br />
shepherds.”<br />
Help was sought from a<br />
scholar in Israel to clarify<br />
pictures.<br />
Jennifer’s husband, Ken<br />
Fletcher, researched the<br />
nonfiction end section,<br />
explaining the real nativity<br />
history, and the close<br />
relationship betweensheep<br />
and shepherds of the time.<br />
“There are layers in this<br />
book. On one level it can be<br />
read as adramatic storyof<br />
rescue.But it alsospeaks of<br />
the good shepherd and what<br />
that means.”<br />
Books are available from<br />
Emma’s at Oxford; Paper<br />
Tree and Wee Kiwi,<br />
Rangiora; Route 72, Cust;<br />
and online at<br />
talesfromthefarm.co.nz.<br />
Early polling places an hour away for some<br />
By ROBYN BRISTOW<br />
Voters keen to castanearly vote this week<br />
in the generalelection face an hourlong<br />
journey each way if theylive in some<br />
partsofthe Hurunui district.<br />
Voting facilitiesinthe district are not<br />
available untilthis Saturday, meaning a<br />
trip to Rangiora or Kaikoura for those<br />
needing to votebeforethen.<br />
Bill Blain, from Greta Valley, is<br />
incredulous there are no voting booths in<br />
the Hurunuidistrict, which is in the<br />
Kaikouraelectorate,for residents to vote<br />
beforeSaturday. He believes it is an<br />
oversight and lacks common sense.<br />
Mr Blainhas brought thematter to the<br />
attention of the Electoral Commission<br />
and MinisterofJustice AndrewLittle, but<br />
is resigned to the fact his wife will haveto<br />
traveltofindapolling booth before she<br />
heads away ‘‘intothe bush’’before<br />
facilitiestovote earlyopen on Saturday<br />
throughoutthe district.<br />
Maps availableonline on the Electoral<br />
Commission’s website show an<br />
abundance of earlyvoting booths, but they<br />
confirm that Saturday is the earliest<br />
peoplecan vote withinthe Hurunui.<br />
In Rangiora, there are facilitiesinthe<br />
shoppingcomplex nearthe Warehouse to<br />
castanearly vote todayright up until<br />
Friday, <strong>October</strong>16. Opening timesvary.<br />
In Kaiapoi, early votescan be cast at<br />
the Kaiapoi Cooperating Parish each day<br />
until Friday next week,but hoursvary.<br />
Voters heading north to Kaikoura can<br />
voteevery day until <strong>October</strong>16, but,once<br />
again, voters needtocheckthe map for<br />
times the booth is open.<br />
Additionalbooths will be available in<br />
all three towns, but at the weekend only.<br />
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