Community commemorates one year on | Canterbury News | Local News in Canterbury

The Crusaders helped bring smiles to hundreds of Cantabrians who gathered at Branston Intermediate School, in Hornby, for the one year anniversary of the February 22 quake.

The school, Hornby Presbyterian Community Church and Gough Group organised a community picnic to bring people together to reflect on the last year and remember the 185 lives lost in the quake.

Crusaders' Andy Ellis, Tom Taylor, Adam Whitelock and Patrick Osborne mingled with the crowd signing autographs and played touch rugby with the children.

Among those to line up to meet the players was four-year-old Sophie Norris.

Sophie stretched out her hands to get a signature from Ellis, but it wasn't any ordinary item she wanted signed - it was an old ripped singlet top.

She bounced away smiling after Ellis signed it, in spite of later admitting she wasn't a big rugby fan.

Her baby sitter Kate Knolles said to her: "Aren't you lucky you got to meet a famous rugby player?" Sophie just smiled.

Her mother Rebekah Norris said it had always been Sophie's favourite singlet but when it became ripped she wasn't allowed to wear it anymore and it became her "cuddly".

The family relocated from Auckland to Christchurch at the end of 2011.

Sophie's father, Brendon Norris, said they were welcomed to the region by the February quake.

"Our famous last words were: 'now they've had the big one [the September quake] so we're all sweet now'," Mr Norris laughed.

Ellis said it was good to be in the community and see how everyone was doing a year on since the quake.

"I didn't think there was going to be this many people. It's such a special day for Christchurch and it's good to see everyone enjoying themselves."

Madison Leggett celebrated her eighth birthday at the picnic.

Last year she missed out on her birthday party. It was to be held at McDonald's at Eastgate Shopping Centre but had to be cancelled due to the quake.

This year, family and friends celebrated her birthday on Sunday, just in case.

"We held her party on the 19th, we didn't want to jinx it," her mother, Angie Leggett, said.

Madison said the community picnic; which included bouncy castle, barbecue and soft serve ice creams, was like a second birthday party after having her belated one on Sunday.

Labour MP for Wigram Megan Woods said, during a memorial at the school, it was important that people stay united during trying times and what more quintessential kiwi way of bringing people together than a barbecue.

"It's important we reflect on what we've been through in the last year and commemorate the lives of those lost," she said.