Canterbury’s Isleworth School has kick-started 2023 with a thriving orchard, thanks to a funding boost from the Earthwise Action Fund.
And the grant, says Isleworth School’s Anita Carey, has been a game-changer as it has enabled the school to purchase and install a water tank – which in turn has allowed them to harvest rainwater to water their vegetable gardens and orchard.
The grant has also allowed the Canterbury school to purchase seed to plant beneath the fruit trees in their orchard, to support the health of the fruit trees and attract bees, other insects and birds to ensure good pollination occurs.
“In all, this will feed more students, giving them invaluable opportunities to taste fruit directly from the tree and try fruits they otherwise wouldn’t have, as well as being involved in the whole growing process,” she says.
These sustainable initiatives have many positive benefits – restoring ecosytems, community resilience, fostering manaakitanga, developing practical sustainability skills, climate action, intergenerational learning, growing financial literacy, youth entrepreneurship, advancing the circular economy and more.
