Sunset Primary

Getting stuck in and giving back to the community was on the agenda at the PlaceMakers national conference, where 50 employees took time out to help a local primary school in Rotorua as part of the PlaceMakers Foundation. 

PlaceMakers employees from all around the North Island took part in a working bee at Sunset Primary School, replacing benches, installing vegetable gardens and fixing downpipes, with products donated by PlaceMakers. 

As part of the three-day annual conference held last month, Rotorua PlaceMakers’ account manager Chris Newson was tasked with arranging a community-based activity for staff to do once the conference wrapped up. 

After investigation, the council suggested the team use their skills at the local primary school as part of the council’s Child Equity Programme, which aims to provide children with equitable access to services and opportunities that will make a potentially life-changing difference into adulthood. 

Chris says the staff participation was great and they were all really eager to get stuck in to improve the facilities at the school. 

“It’s just really awesome to be a part of,” he says. 

“We came out to the school a number of times to check out the place and see what needed to be done and we just knew we would be able to make a difference.” 

In addition to building materials and manual labour PlaceMakers also provided the school with new sports equipment including rugby balls, basketballs and hockey sticks. 

“Just seeing the look on the kids’ faces was great. You know they really appreciate it.” 

Sunset Primary School principal Eden Chapman says the working bee had been on the cards for several months and PlaceMakers had done lots of planning to ensure the day was a success. 

He says if the school had someone undertake the work themselves it would have taken a year to complete. 

“A lot of the stuff, we had identified as needing fixing, but we just didn’t have the tools or skills needed to get it done,” he says. 

“We are really grateful for PlaceMakers to come in and bring their expertise, knowledge, tools and materials. For something like this to happen, you just can’t put a price tag on it. It really is invaluable.”