5 Dec 2023Congratulations to November’s Tidy Kiwi Volunteer of the Month, Quintin Kingi from Whakatāne in the Bay of Plenty. Quintin is kaiārahi (mentor, or navigator) who has been delivering the Para Kore programme in the Whakatāne region for over a year now. Para Kore is a Māori not-for-profit working towards a world without waste from a te ao Māori perspective. Among their programmes, the organisation works hard to promote healthy eating and food security, as well as spreading the love through positive community engagement and sharing knowledge for intergenerational impact. Over the past year Quintin has been involved in building up several community māra kai (food gardens) across the region, helping to put healthy, fresh kai on the plates of families in need. From planning each garden and troubleshooting, providing education and putting on community events, right through to planting and irrigating each garden – Quintin has been involved throughout! He has also helped local schools set up worm farms, worked with local maraes to help them on their composting journeys, and led discussions on how to grow and maintain healthy and nutritious microgreens. Quintin said, “I love working on māra projects that are going to make our hapū better equipped in the future. Learning from my tuakana and elders is an awesome experience anytime I’m in the māra.”Para Kohe also has a strong focus on waste minimisation, and Quintin is in the thick of making this goal a reality. Recently he has delivered a kope toitū (reusable cloth nappy) service across the region, to help normalise their use for the betterment of our tamariki, the wallets of parents, and the environment. With disposables accounting for a shocking amount of waste, the community – including local health services – are really coming on board with the scheme.We’re really impressed by the mahi Quintin puts in to ensure his community stays healthy and sustainable. Our CEO Heather Saunderson had the pleasure of meeting Quintin during her Beautiful Award judging visit to Whakatāne and was inspired by his work — we think he’s a very deserving recipient of this month’s Tidy Kiwi of the Month Award! Read more about the Para Kore programme here: www.parakore.maori.nz Whakamihi – congratulations! As this month’s Tidy Kiwi Volunteer of the Month, Quintin will receive a Keep New Zealand Beautiful merchandise pack and a Resene paint voucher for any beautification efforts, as well as being entered into the 2024 Beautiful Awards. Know someone keeping New Zealand beautiful? Simply nominate them to become a Tidy Kiwi Volunteer of the Month here. Share this page
