WARWICK SMITH/Things
Planters made with care and pride. COL Instructor Anton Williams, left, Michael Hoffman, Flynn Russell, Roy Fonoti, Darius Livai, Lincoln Allen-Jury, Connor Lines, and Dante Tanoa-Makiangareu.
Inspiration, encouragement, and heart help students earn their qualifications as they create garden gifts for state home tenants.
Manawatū high school students who earn building and construction certifications through UCOL produce planters for residents of Kainga Ora as part of a community partnership project.
“It’s the whole community working together,” said Dave Mollard of the Manawatū Food Action Network, who partnered with UCOL and Kainga Ora, along with Awapuni Burseries who provided plants.
The students follow a template designed by teacher Anton William, who said the project gave students an additional opportunity to develop skills.
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“It’s a good path for them… it will help them with their craft.
“Getting the planters across the community. That’s the project [purpose]that is the focus, and that is done by our students.”
The boxes are made from untreated pinewood and have a lifespan of three to five years, with screws that rust to prevent long-term waste.
In the new project, 50 planters will be donated to whānau, the first of which will be delivered this week.
Residents of Kainga Ora who expressed an interest would receive a compost planter built by UCOL and supplied by the Manawatū Food Action Network.
Residents would take full ownership of it and choose what to plant in it.
Growing your own food was mana-boosting, and there were also practical benefits to accessing cheaper food, Mollard said.
This time of year was a bit limited, but in the spring there would be a really good selection of herbs and produce such as tomatoes and strawberries to grow.
“It’s about creating a spark to grow food,” Mollard says.
WARWICK SMITH/Things
The planters are made environmentally friendly, built with untreated pine and screws that prevent rust.
For those with a growing interest in gardening, the Manawatū Food Action Network can connect residents with other programs, such as community gardens.
They can also support people who want their own māra kai (food garden) by helping to build larger gardens and providing mentorship.
Rangatahi from across the region including Horowhenua College, Freyberg High School, Cornerstone Christian School, Hato Pāora College and Palmerston North Boys’ High School are involved in the project.
By going to UCOL two days a week, the students have discovered that there is a big difference in building an item for assessment and making wooden planters to give away.
Roy Fonoti, of Horowhenua College, said the extra pressure to make a product for someone else sharpened his craftsmanship.
“You have to make sure it’s all flushed and nicely done,” he said.
Palmerston North Boys high school students, Dante Tanoa-Makiangareu and Flynn Russell, found building window boxes a good challenge.
“It’s good for the community and good for giving away what people need,” Dante said.
Flynn said that now that the family knew he could make them, he received additional requests while his grandmother placed her order.
In a statement, Rebecca Kinloch, senior stakeholder relationship manager at Kainga Ora, said the partnership showed what working as a community can achieve, and they were delighted to be able to provide customers with “fantastic planters”.
For UCOL, it is a project that leaves a good taste.
William said, ‘It was made by the students. It is built to a high standard, and then someone else benefits. It’s all that partnership.
“My heart is always to give back to the community and be part of the solution.”