Cleaning the streets one Sunday at a time

 

- JULIA WADE

Not many would say they would be keen on swapping their Sunday morning lie-in to spend time traipsing along wet roads in the cold picking up soggy bits of rubbish. However while many Mangawhai residents were still cuddled in bed in the early hours of July 1, a gang of commendable local anti-litterbugs were clearing the kerbsides.

Organised by Mangawhai Tavern, staff, patrons and residents were invited to ‘pick up a sack or box and pick up rubbish’ for their first ‘Mangawhai monthly cleanup’ and, as a thank you, the Tavern served up a complimentary barbecue brunch. “We live in a beautiful spot and we want to keep it that way,” Tavern manager Poni Sula says. “It’s quite humbling really, we had a great crew come along and it is great to see the community get behind such a worthy cause.”

Participants collected a large assortment of roadside rubbish from along Molesworth causeway as well as in Hakaru, where collectors picked up a staggering trailer load of waste in just a 400 metre stretch of road.

Hakaru Transfer station also contributed, loaning residents hi-viz vests and allowing the trailer load to be dumped for free. “Without support from amazing humans none of this is possible,” Sula says. “We would like to thank everyone who came to the pick-up and look forward to growing this within the community at large. It’s great to be a part of something that is at the heart of the community.” 

For those who missed the invite, there are plenty more chances to participate as Mangawhai Tavern will be holding the street clean-ups every first Sunday of the month. The Tavern also co-hosted the launch of Plastic-free July with environmental group, Plastic-free Mangawhai later in the afternoon of July 1. “The tavern directors and management are dedicated to heading towards an environmentally friendly community… we’re committed to being plastic-free and to keep our magical Mangawhai, well, magical,” Sula says. “We are happy to announce this is only stage one with many more innovations, ideas, and initiatives beginning.

Keep an eye out for the tavern making changes and hopefully a difference.”

„ For more information and to keep informed, visit Mangawhai Tavern on Facebook.