Waiheke Local Board is supporting the Waiheke Island Playcentre to connect tamariki and their mātua with nature through funding from the board’s Environmental Grant programme.
The playcentre will use the grant funding to develop an existing vegetable garden which provides hands-on learning about gardening and food growing for parents and their children.
Fruit trees and herbs will be planted, along with a greater variety of vegetables, in a series of volunteer working bees over the next 6 months.
Playcentre parent Kodie Hyde says as well as more plants, they also needed new equipment to improve the garden through pruning, composting and mulching.
“We want to develop our tamariki’s love of nature and to teach them the practical benefits of growing your own food.
“We also think our gardening programme will work to develop a foundation of wider environmental awareness and appreciation.”
Waiheke Local Board chair Cath Handley says the board were pleased to provide support for the playcentre’s garden.
“Connecting younger generations with nature and teaching them practical skills like food growing, is something our board didn’t have to think twice about. This is exactly the kind of work we want to support in our community.”
Find out more about Waiheke Local Board’s Environmental Grant here.
