Waimakariri residents are putting their hearts on paper and cardboard to show their support for a Woodend Bypass.

Hand-made signs are going up on fences and walls all over the township ahead of the Rally for Woodend being organised by Waimakariri MP Matt Doocey for Sunday 9 February.

Residents are also using their imagination to create innovative placards for the day of the Rally, Doocey said.

“Due to the number of people wanting to show their support for Woodend, I’ve arranged a community event this Thursday at 5pm at the Woodend Community Centre for people to get together and share their pens, paints, corflute and cardboard to make placards and signs for the day of the Rally,” Doocey said.

Doocey said he was impressed by the community’s commitment on Saturday when teams of volunteers arrived to help him deliver flyers to letterboxes and put up signs on fences around the township.

“Not only did residents from Woodend and Pegasus arrive to volunteer, but residents from Cust, Kaiapoi and Rangiora also came out to support our Woodend community by delivering flyers and putting up signs.

“I am moved by the support being shown to our Woodend community. This is community-led action with residents from all over the Waimakariri standing together to call on the government to build the bypass. With daily vehicle movements predicted to hit 20,000 this year, people are backing our Woodend residents’ calls for safety,” Doocey said.