wednesday 13th august 2025

Pigeon Mountain School Working Bee

Working Bee #73 at Pigeon Mountain School was all about breathing new life into a space that already held history, meaning, and potential. On Wednesday 20 November, students, staff, whānau, and volunteers came together with a clear shared goal: to bring the existing school garden back to life and set it up to thrive for the long term.

It felt like the perfect way to close out an incredible year. There was purpose in the air from the moment people arrived — not just to build something new, but to restore, refresh, and re-energise a space the school already cared deeply about.

The turnout from the school community was fantastic, with families and staff working side by side with corporate volunteers who brought energy, muscle, and a genuine willingness to muck in.

What We Revitalised Together

Rather than starting from scratch, this working bee focused on strengthening and renewing what was already there. Over the course of the day, the community achieved a huge amount:

• New Birdies raised garden beds installed to support both the vegetable garden and the memorial garden
• Existing garden beds brought back to life, refreshed with soil, planting, and care
• Additional fruit trees planted, expanding the orchard and supporting long-term food learning
• A renewed and more functional outdoor classroom environment, ready to be actively used and looked after

The memorial garden was treated with particular care and respect, restored in a way that honours its purpose while ensuring it remains a living, tended space within the school.

This wasn’t about replacing what existed. It was about backing it, improving it, and giving it the attention it deserved.

Supported by Generous Partners

This working bee was proudly funded by Dragon Community Trust Limited and 5+ A Day Charitable Trust, whose support made it possible to invest in the long-term wellbeing of the school’s outdoor spaces.

We were also grateful for the hands-on support from volunteers from Rubix, Haleon, and the One New Zealand Warriors, who worked alongside the school community throughout the day.

Funders backing the kaupapa, businesses showing up in person, and schools leading the vision — that combination is where great working bees happen.

A Meaningful Way to End 2025

By the end of the day, the garden felt renewed. Not just tidier or fuller but genuinely re-energised. There were tired arms, muddy shoes, and a shared sense of pride in restoring something valuable rather than starting over.

Pigeon Mountain School captured the spirit of the day beautifully in their own reflections afterwards, and for Oke, it was a powerful reminder that sometimes the most impactful work is helping communities care for what they already have.

A strengthened garden. A connected community. A fitting way to close out an amazing 2025.