It was the year that Saigon fell, the Footrot Flats comic strip debuted, and the average kiwi house could be purchased for $24,500. Something else happened in 1975, in a small and sparsely populated pocket of the region: the Dovedale News’ first edition went to print.
The community publication marked its 50th anniversary last week with its 443 edition heading out to local letterboxes around the area, as it has done for half a century.
For five decades, the dense A4 publication has brimmed with Dovedale life, sharing recipes, history, book reviews, local profiles and school updates, as well as a list of Dovedale’s businesses and services.
Stalwart Kay Nott has been involved since almost the very beginning, having lived in Dovedale since 1973. She reckons that the Dovedale News is a collaborative effort – one person designs the front page, another organises the calendar at the back, and content comes from submissions within the community.
She says the paper “keeps you in touch with who’s about and what’s happening”.
Fellow volunteer Sue Rewcastle says they are always eager for more contributions to share the load and widen the breadth of content.
Within the group of helpers, Sue is a relative newcomer to Dovedale, having just ticked off her 30th year there. Sheryl Waters moved into the area the same year that the paper was established, and she reckons it gives people an understanding of the community in which they live.
“We try to create an awareness of where people have come to.” Although the paper is distributed free, the group does occasionally ask for donations to help with running costs, and the community willingly steps up.
The print run of 173 papers is hand-delivered by a team of volunteers, with about 25 copies also emailed out each month.
“People like the hard copy,” Sheryl observes. The area has changed a lot since the paper was established. Sheryl reckons the roads have gotten a lot better, while Kaye misses the dances that used to be frequently held.
“You should get your act together for a bit of a slip along the floor,” Sue teases her.
There are a lot more houses in Dovedale now, dotted between what used to be isolated farm properties.
The school roll has shrunk from 60 to about 26, and the number of sports clubs has also diminished. However, the monthly Dovedale market provides a great social hub, and although it can be hard to connect with locals at first, Sheryl says it’s a supportive community. In times of need, “stuff just shows up”.
The team of about 11 volunteers are quietly proud of the way the Dovedale News can help bridge those gaps.
“It’s a good way of telling people what’s going on in the community,” Sue summarises.
