This year for Matariki we had a week of special events and we did a fair amount of cooking, alongside of harvesting our kumara and making kumara chips.  We also created innovative upcycled stars using our lunch wrappers; we do this to reduce the amount of waste we send to landfill.  We turned our waste into stars for a Matariki display at the Tairua library.

It was also amazing to once again collaborate with Lou Mackwell from the Thames Coromandel District Council, who gifted rakau to the tamariki to plant in the Derek Boyd Reserve.  This is a long serving kindergarten tradition and there was plenty of kaha strength and mana shown by all.  A special mention to Laura and Tiv for supporting the day with karakia.  Tau ke!  After the planting, everyone came together for hot soup and fry bread.

Derek R. Boyd “Boydie”

22.11.1941 – 31.5.2017

Derek had a incredible passion for protecting our native flora and fauna, and was a driving force behind predator control work.  Derek was a staunch advocate for his community and readily shared his experiences in regards to local environmental issues.