It is pleasing to report that all our Service desks appear to be running smoothly.

Both Tuesdays’ after Christmas and New Year were public holidays so most libraries were closed. The exception was Fendalton, Christchurch South, Halswell and Shirley libraries. If we had JPs able to work at those four libraries they would but it ended up that we could only staff JPs at Fendalton and Shirley libraries. Sincere thanks to our JPs who worked those days.

Papanui, Rangiora, Lincoln and Shirley have been very active in organising morning tea for their JPs working on those Service desks. It is a great opportunity to meet your fellow JPs and robust discussion/great suggestions have come out of it. I have been lucky enough to be invited to these morning teas and from my perspective, find everyone seems a little more confident asking questions in a smaller group. At the Shirley morning tea, Rod Paton a very experienced JP with Judicial experience was there and he answered a couple of questions that one or two JPs were unsure about. We all left knowing a little more.

I have a morning tea organised for my Linwood group and I have asked our trainer Bruce Cameron if he would join us. It is a good opportunity to run over any queries any of us might have and to get to know each other first hand.

I am sorry to report that Dick Johns our co-ordinator of our Shirley Service desk ended up in hospital in December. Dick was our first featured “good sort” in the last newsletter and is a truly remarkable man. The good news is that he has made excellent progress after a few weeks in hospital and is back home now. We all wish you all the best Dick.

We are looking for some more volunteers , particularly on our Upper Riccarton and Linwood desks. The other desks are always very happy to have new volunteers too.

Please come and join us. It is fun, friendly, rostered work (about 3 hours every five weeks) on our Service desks’ situated in libraries which are at Christchurch South, Fendalton, Halswell, Linwood, Papanui, Shirley, Upper Riccarton, Lincoln, Kaiapoi and Rangiora. There is a variety of work so really interesting. For new JPs just sworn it, it is a chance to practice all you have learnt and the opportunity to get to know others.

We are looking to work with Oxford in setting up an official Service desk there and urgently require some extra JPs to work on the roster there.

Could you please contact me, Gwen Mitchell, cell 0274 589 178 landline 03 3528 525 email: clareview3@xtra.co.nz if you could help us. Thanks.

Sincere thanks to all of our JPs working on our ten desks.

Best wishes to everyone for a great 2017.

Our February Service Desk Good Sort…..Meet Cheryl Colley

Cheryl Colley has been a JP since 2000 and is the co-ordinator of our JP Service desk at Upper Riccarton. She also works on our Papanui Service desk and sits on the Community Justice Panel. She was also on the Bails committee.

Cheryl has an impressive background which includes being Deputy Chairman on the Fendalton/Waimairi Community board. Her involvement on this board was for 18 years.

She was Deputy Chairman of the Court Theatre Trust; Chairman of the Court Theatre Supporters’ Committee; Past President of Christchurch/Canterbury Zonta club; was a Member of Rotary; a member of the Institute of Directors; is a qualified Proof reader and is also a Freelance Journalist who writes for Canterbury Today; Canterbury Build; Metropol and Auckland Today.

Interestingly Cheryl was a senior Journalist and Programme Editor for TVNZ here in Christchurch for ten years from the late seventies to late eighties.

She moved to Northwood and enjoyed being involved in the planning and design of her new home there and was also on the Styx Mill Country Club Management Committee. She told me she loves living at Northwood.

In her spare time…….she loves to cook Mediterrean type food, travel, is interested in New Zealand Art, is a step Mum and Grandmother and is Mum to two feline lovelies. She is fluent in French and said she speaks a “little” German.

“Une femme formidable” …….translated ……. An amazing woman.

We enjoy having you on our JP Service Desk team Cheryl. Thank you.