Vege venture way for centre to give back

Otago Childcare Centre children (from left) Nicholas Duncan, Elyse Casbolt, Frankie Still and...
Otago Childcare Centre children (from left) Nicholas Duncan, Elyse Casbolt, Frankie Still and Michael Yates (all 4) in front of the centre's new community pantry. Photo: Jessica Wilson
Otago Childcare Centre children are hoping to give back to the community.

The centre has new raised garden beds and a community pantry so children can grow vegetables and share them with the community.

Centre manager and head teacher Sonya Jephson said they wanted to instil in the children the importance of giving back, and not just taking.

The planter boxes would be another way for the children to engage in gardening, and the centre also had a ‘‘living wall’’ with herbs and did some planting in baskets.

They hoped to grow vegetables, starting with spinach, broccoli and cauliflower.

Some of the produce could be used in the centre’s kitchen too.

To raise funds for the soil and plants, they ran a sausage sizzle on Saturday.

The community pantry and planter boxes were given to the centre last week by Mitre 10, through its Helping Hands campaign.

Mitre 10 marketing manager Amy Wilson said she loved the idea of helping young children help others.

Mitre 10 had installed other pantries around the city and liked that they were a positive thing for the whole community.

jessica.wilson@thestar.co.nz

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