Young Kiwi conservationists, gardeners and environmental champions at 30 schools across the country will now be able to kick-start their sustainability projects thanks to $25,000 of grants awarded by Countdown.
The Growing for Good grants aim to help primary and intermediate schools fund a range of projects focused on protecting New Zealand’s precious environment. These include installing beehives and chicken coops, planting native trees and plants as well as fruit and vege gardens, investigating maramataka, growing Māori medicinal plants, and reducing food waste.
Countdown’s General Manager Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, Kiri Hannifin, says they were blown away by the huge number of applications they received from schools across New Zealand.
“We were so impressed by the creative ideas demonstrated in this first round of Growing for Good applications. It’s fantastic to see our young tamariki and their schools so passionately engaged with weaving environmentalism and sustainability into everyday learning,” says Hannifin.
“What was particularly heartening was the number of projects designed to benefit not only the environment and the students, but their families and communities as well. It was incredibly difficult to make our final choices!”
“Countdown is focused on helping protect the precious environment we have here in New Zealand and we’re keen to help grow the minds of young Kiwis who are interested in sustainability. It’s really clear that there are thousands of kids who are passionate about doing more, so we’re pleased to announce that we’ll be running these grants again. Keep an eye out for this towards the end of 2019,” says Hannifin.
