Toddlers from Best Start in Marne Road Papakura will soon be planting their own vegetables.
Centre staff told Manurewa-Papakura Councillor Daniel Newman they were keen to help their little charges learn about fresh food but lacked the resources needed.
Newman was soon enlisting the help of real estate business Harveys Papakura, Bunnings Takaanini, and the Boomer Shed that’s part of the Manurewa-based Beautification Trust.
“Once we had a good deal on the timber, Bob Scott got to work with his Boomer Shed friends, building planter boxes for the kids to establish gardens that will help them learn about where food comes from, and growing your own.
“They tell me the kids were dab hands at pumpkin last year, turning them into soup and healthy chips.”
Harveys Papakura representative Marleigh Brady keeps an eye on a young speedster.
Anyone is welcome at the Holmes Road Boomer Shed site, where volunteers decided to also build balance bikes for the centre.
“We didn’t have wheels but Papakura business 3R, which is committed to recycling to keep material out of landfill, had old prams and was able to sort that out,” Scott says.
“Watching the smiles on the kids’ faces is more than enough reward,” the long-time Papakura resident says.
Both the Manurewa and Papakura local boards have partnerships with the Beautification Trust, whose head Daniel Bartholemew says he’s amazed at what skilled older residents can build.
“The shed brings them together and I suspect they enjoy the social aspect of that as much as they do using their skills. It’s so rewarding to see guys from a time when you built and fixed things and didn’t just shoot down to the shops, putting their skills to work.”
Newman admits he’s no hammer hand but says taking time to help a local centre was a nice change from the grind of meetings and workshops.
“What’s not to like? It’s just good local people helping other good local people.”
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