The Pat Kelly Enviroschools Action Fund recipients announced

Horizons Regional Council has awarded 10 grants to Enviroschools for environmental and sustainability projects. 
 

The Pat Kelly Enviroschools Action Fund, formally the Enviroschools Action Fund, was renamed at the end of 2019 in memory of former Horizons Councillor Pat Kelly who was a huge advocate for the programme. This fund supports sustainability projects from Enviroschools which are not eligible for Horizons’ Community Grants initiative. 

“It was really heartening to see so many applications. Lots of these were written by the students themselves, and some included videos of their proposed project,” says Sarah Williams Enviroschools Regional Coordinator.

“We received 14 applications, seeking a total of just under $13,000. From the $7,000 available I am pleased to announce 10 projects covering all districts of the region.

“This is the third year in which we have offered this funding. Although many Enviroschools have innovative ways to raise money to contribute to project costs, some projects may require a little more input,” she says. 

This year’s funding was awarded to:

· Little Kiwis Learning Centre (Whanganui) to develop an orchard;

· Whanganui Girls College (Whanganui) to restore their vegetable gardens;

· Brunswick School (Whanganui) towards the purchase of a new tunnel house;

· Love and Learn Care and Education (Whanganui) to purchase a water tank and irrigation system for the vegetable gardens;

· Follett Street Kindergarten (Rangitīkei) to create raised beds for a community garden;

· Tararua College (Tararua) to re-clad an ageing greenhouse to set up a propagation unit;

· Turaki School (Ruapehu) to purchase timber to build a recycled bottle greenhouse;

· Orautoha School (Ruapehu) to re-clad an 18-year-old shade house;

· Newbury School (Manawatū) to purchase a second worm farm;

· Kimbolton School (Manawatū) to purchase fruit trees for a community orchard;

In 2018-2019, the Enviroschools Action Fund had a focus for Palmerston North Enviroschools and supported the following projects; Monrad Intermediate School purchased fruit trees to set up their own orchard; Palmerston North Girls High School used the funding towards a new glasshouse; Ross Intermediate School purchased two worm farms to tackle their food scrap waste; and Freyberg High School also brought recycling bins to action their waste streams.

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Palmerston North Girl’s High School was a recipient of the 2018-2019 Enviroschools Action Fund and received funding for a greenhouse to expand their food production and allow more students to be involved. By increasing the amount of food they could grow, it ultimately allowed more members of the envirogroup and the wider school to engage with horticulture, biology, science, food sustainability and production. The greenhouse is now also used as a pop-up cafe by the food technology students. They have also planted several fruit trees nearby including heritage apples, pears, feijoas, plums and citrus. With the revamp, a new community has developed, with increased interest in plants and how the sustainability area can be used as a resource across a range of learning areas. Conversations about sustainability, food production and next steps happen daily. Relationships have formed that enhance hauora and are intergenerational.