Giving back to the community

Waihopai School pupils, as part of a "buddy" programme between years 2 and 6, have been busy coming up with ways to help support native kereru.

Some of those pupils are Eli Waters (left, 7) Chelsey Duncan-Rose (11) and Bella Hackett (7), who, along with fellow classmates, visited Otatara kereru sanctuary Bush Haven to deliver window-hanging dreamcatchers that deter birds from hitting

them.

They also planned to plant native kowhai trees, which provide food for the bird species, but rain prevented from doing that outside work.

Assistant principal Claire Nimmo said: "At Waihopai School we are ‘Giving back to our community’ as our end-of-year activity, at a time when so often the focus is on receiving gifts."

Every class does something different, and activities range from park and beach cleanups, entertaining the elderly, to donating to community initiatives.