Petrol, beer at Bus for the handicapped Easter week-end

Press, 12 April 1979, Page 20

Petrol, beer at Bus for the handicapped Easter week-end

Neither petrol nor beer, will be available on Good' Friday, but both will be on sale on Easter Saturday. ; Petrol stations will close; at 9 p.m. today, and I will re-open from 8 a.m. to j 5 p.m. on Saturday. Nor fur-j ther sales arc- allowed untill 6 a.m. on Tuesday. Hotels will be closed to-1 morrow but, apart from I Sunday, will be open for the rest of the Easter holiday. The main Christchurch bakeries had their last big bake before Easter yesterday and will not do another until Monday in preparation for Tuesday. Normal Sunday bread from these bakeries will be available on Saturday. Fresh bread will be available front some specialty

■ I shops throughout the week-; I Jend. i > Postal deliveries will end! ifor the week-end to-1 day and will not resume iuntil Tuesday. | Banks and most shops will I (observe normal hours, closijing this afternoon or evening and reopening on! (Tuesday morning. I Most law offices will close : today and not reopen until next Wednesday or Thursday. Christchurch police have an emergency contact list for those needing urgent legal advice. Further details about week-end hours for such services as swimming pools, libraries, and hospital visiting hours will appear in the regular services list in i “The Press.”

i Help is un the way fori (those persons in Christ-! (church who are housebound! ibecause of handicaps which (render them unable to use ! normal transport. ( A “Be Mobile” bus fund. ! which has a target of 'slo,ooo. was launched this I week bv the National Council of Women. , I The money will provide a | Christchurch Transport ( Board bus with a hoist and ramp at its rear, so that persons confined to wheelchairs or crippled through . illnesses or accidents can board it easily. Once the money has been raised the Transport Board : will provide a new bus for the alterations, a driver, and a “door-to-door” service to pick up handicapped persons who have telephoned the I board asking for transport Ito town.

The project is the first cl ; its kind in New Zealand. “The National Council of Women is not a fund-raising; group, but this project is; consistent with our aims,” I said Mrs G. M. Samson, a’ council funds co-ordinator. A total of $4OO has been given so far. Mrs Samson has written to such groups as the arthritis and rheumatism and mental health trusts, as well as Christchurch firms, seeking money for the project. The council is working in conjunction with the Co-or-dinating Council of the Handicapped, backed by the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr H. G. Hay) and other organisations, to reach the goal. Mrs Samson said that the money had to be rasied as soon as possible because of rising costs. Those who used the service would have to pay bus fares.

The president of the Nat« ional Council of Women in Christchurch (Mrs M. 0. , Cleland) said that if had : been suggested the bus ' would run in different sub'urbs on particular days, in I the metropolitan areas covered by normal bus services. "This will enable people Ito book appointments for 'dentists, doctors, and go i shopping and to clubs on ‘these days,” she said. Mrs Samson said that a | public notice in local newspapers 18 months ago soliciting interest in the bus service had brought more than 400 inquiries. I Anyone who can provide 1 information. suggestions, i publicity, or money is asked |to write to the "Be Mobile" I bus fund, care of the CanterI bury Savings Bank. 21 i Wakefield Avenue. ChristI church 8.