Working Bee #80 took us to Mayfield Primary School on 28 May, where an incredible team of volunteers, staff, whānau and tamariki came together to create a brand-new outdoor classroom. Made possible through funding from Foundation North and Auckland Airport, the project transformed an underutilised area of the school into a vibrant learning space designed to connect children with nature, food growing and hands-on learning.
Auckland Airport also sent along an amazing group of volunteers who worked side-by-side with the school community throughout the day. Together they installed new Birdies raised garden beds, filled them with Daltons Black Magic growing mix, constructed a Morrifield tunnel house and assembled a Gary’s Garden Shed to store tools and resources. It was a full-scale build that completely changed the look and feel of the area.
Beyond the new infrastructure, a huge amount of work went into clearing green waste and revitalising the surrounding space. What stood out most, however, was the enthusiasm of the tamariki. From pushing wheelbarrows and shifting soil to helping with the tunnel house build, they embraced every challenge with energy, teamwork and plenty of smiles along the way.
By the end of the day, Mayfield Primary had gained far more than gardens and a tunnel house. They now have a permanent outdoor classroom that will support learning, wellbeing and community connection for years to come. A huge thank you to Foundation North, Auckland Airport, our supply partners and the entire Mayfield Primary School community for helping make Working Bee #80 such a memorable milestone.
