The Mid Canterbury Neighbours Day Committee, with people from the Ashburton District Council's Welcoming Communities programme, Hakatere Multicultural Council, Neighbourhood Support and Mid Canterbury TimeBank, are promoting working bees to foster connections, build community morale and raise awareness of local community groups.
Schools, groups and clubs who participate in the district-wide initiative will not only be giving back to their community, but will go into the draw to win a Dominos Pizza delivery for their event. Photos of their event will also get them into the draw.
‘‘Working Bee in Your Neighbourhood is a wonderful opportunity to make new friends and be involved in something that will benefit our local facilities,’’ Ashburton District Mayor Neil Brown said.
Five working bee projects are already proposed at Community House, Hinds School, Our Lady of the Snows Methven, Netherby School and Allenton School. Projects are set to include garden plantings, sanding and painting, weeding and general tidying and repair work.
The Neighbours Day Committee will be encouraging their members, staff and stakeholders to roll up their sleeves and take part in the working bees.
This includes businesses who featured in the Ashburton District Council's Welcoming Workplaces video series: ACL, Subway Ashburton, ANZCO, Talley's and Rakaia Island Dairies, as well as council staff, TimeBankers, Neighbourhood Support and Hakatere Multicultural Council's Newcomers Network.
Working bee locations will nominate someone from their group or organisation that will co-ordinate the event, in collaboration with the Neighbours Day Committee. Some clubs may incorporate a have a go element to their event as well.
To learn more about the working bees in various neighbourhoods, people are encouraged to visit the Welcoming Communities - Ashburton District Facebook page over coming weeks. Lists of registered organisations will be promoted on the Facebook page.
To register a school, club or group with the Mid Canterbury Neighbours Day Committee, contact any of the co-ordinators, email Janice.McKay@adc.govt.nz or visit tinyurl.com/MidCanterburyNeighbours2020.
