In term 3 2023, Otūmoetai Kindergarten celebrated the grand opening of their first official Pātaka Kai, combining this event with their kai Forest Planting Working Bee. The event saw a fabulous turn out of volunteers including ngā tamariki, kaiako and whānau, a representative from Tauranga City Council and an amazing crew from Tauranga Arbor Care!
On the day, a dynamic tamariki duo lead the whakatau. The Pātaka kai was officially opened, and then the volunteers set to work digging, planting, and enjoying the community spirit that comes with such a positive, landmark occasion.
Pātaka Kai created with repurposed timber is open to the community with local produce and gifted items.
Travelling along their Enviroschools journey, our Otūmoetai team had been working in conjunction with Tauranga City Council and Arbor Care’s tree specialists to plan out a fruit tree forest in their local community playground. They had long dreamt of creating a place where locals could come together, working as a community for the community, providing shade and food for all who use this space.
The Pātaka Kai part of the project had recently kicked up into a new gear when a kindergarten dad came along offering right set of skills and with a vision for old, unused timber. Remnant timber from a previous chicken coop project along with 40-year-old timber salvaged from Maungatapu Primary School was re-purposed. It was lovingly sanding, painted and varnished, honouring the history of its origins to become Otūmoetai’s Pātaka kai! Well done Otūmoetai kindergarten! Congratulations on your Pātaka kai and kai forest!
Banner image: Digging holes for the fruit trees that will contribute to the kai forest.