South Canterbury’s supreme street will be decided this month.

The Amazing Neighbourhood Race is being held on October 17 at the Caroline Bay Hall, with winners securing the golden street sign, which would be installed on their street sign post.

Neighbourhood Support South Canterbury spokeswoman Zoe Kirk said the organisation had wanted to help connect neighbours in a fun and non-threatening way.

“We know the traditional knocking on neighbours’ doors is a bit of a thing of the past.”

She said with people working longer hours and no mother at home caring for children, like there had been, there was a lot of anxiety knocking on doors.

Along with former refugees in the community who “can’t quite speak English”.

“That is what my role is, to introduce people to their neighbours,’’ Miss Kirk said.

“It is a very odd job, probably one that no-one ever thought you’d have to have.”

But she had embraced the role, creating something she wished she could participate in.

She said the use of the word race in the title was slightly misleading, as it was not a race as such.

“It is not time-based, however it does help, but most of it is points-based so you do get a certain amount of points for completing a task, but then you get additional points for doing it in ways of showing sportsmanship.

“It is really not physical.

“It is open to pretty much all abilities so if you are in a wheelchair we’ve got that all sorted.

“We wanted to try and make it as inclusive as possible, without any barriers, and that is why we kept to Caroline Bay.”

“If you are 86, if you are 4-years-old, you can enter, as long as you have a team of six to eight.”

However,  small children would need a guardian.

Miss Kirk said there was a team who had entered where one participant had gone around the block knocking on doors until she had found a team.

“That is what we are hoping for.”

However, she realised it was tricky for some people, so there was a database set up so people could contact their neighbours through that.

“We can match them up.”

And all team members did not have to live on the same street, they could just live near each other, but they would need to be in agreement as to where the Supreme Street sign would be installed.

There would be prizes for the best dressed teams.

For more details or any questions email Miss Kirk on scns@xtra.co.nz

The event will be held on October 17 at Caroline Bay Hall.

Tickets could be purchased on humanitix, with readers getting a $5 discount when using the COURIER5OFF discount code.