Truckies to the rescue for Pukerua Bay community carols

The stage for this year's Pukerua Bay Christmas on the Field will look a bit different with Mainfreight providing two trucks for the stage. Photo / Ivor Earp-Jones

Pukerua Bay locals showed the kind of hospitality that only a small town could when State Highway 1 was closed for more than 16 hours after a truck rolled just south of the town on the Friday of Labour Weekend.

With drivers stuck since 3.45am, stranded for hours with no idea when they could leave, the locals came together providing food, drinks and even put on entertainment for the drivers, turning the small shopping area into a hive of activity.

For the drivers it was welcome hospitality, with only a small dairy in sight while they waited for the road to be cleared and cleaned of spilled chemicals.

"The Pukerua Bay community really turned it on for the drivers," said Pukerua Bay Hub chairwoman Beccy Davis.

"Locals provided a barbecue and caught the train down to the supermarket to get more food.

"They really tried to turn something that was a terrible situation for the drivers, something boring and awful, into a bit of a party atmosphere."

Afterwards as a thank you to the community, Mainfreight provided supper for the Pukerua Bay Residents Association AGM.

And as Pukerua Bay provided a ray of light when the truck drivers were in need, the truck drivers have since repaid the favour.

For the second time the Pukerua Bay Hub is running Christmas on the Field, a carols event for the wider community with carols, music, food trucks, rides, fun and entertainment for the whole family.

"We applied for funding for sound and lighting but couldn't get any for a stage," hub member Kirk Beyer said.

"We couldn't do the event without a stage, so someone suggested we contact the truck drivers who were stuck here when the road was shut."

So that is what they did, and Mainfreight answered the call.

"They said absolutely that sounds like a great event. Logistically we just have to make sure it can happen," Beccy said.

So Beccy and a representative from Mainfreight went down to the school where the event would be held to make sure that their big trucks could get onto the field.

"They came down, paced it all out and said 'we can absolutely make this work.

"It's the least we can do for a community that supported our guys when we were in need."

"It was definitely a moment for creative thinking.

"I guess it shows relationship and community spirit really comes alive at Christmas time."

And so the story will continue on December 1 at Pukerua Bay School Field from 4pm-8pm with a line-up of acts from around the community performing singing carols, dancing up a storm and providing festive fun for the whole family.