Through the Grants for Good funding program, this Southland school, nestled at the foot of the Hōkonui Hills, has been able to connect its students with the surrounding landscape, bringing multiple benefits, not just to the students, but to the community at large.
Hedgehope School, Southland, has been working hard for the last two years on a community-driven environmental initiative for its students. The school is central to the local dairy farming families. It has a close-knit and supportive learning environment, where the motto “anything is possible with effort” resonates deeply.
What originally started as a biodiversity and regeneration project has also grown into a cultural and artistic expression. Both the nature-based and creative strands of the project are about building wellbeing, resilience and sustainability throughout the community.
“Sherwood Forest, just eight kilometres from our school, is on an alluvial flood plain, meaning it is home to some very rare species. As a school, we want to connect our students to this special place. We collect seeds and germinate them here in our purpose-built nursery.” says Sue Rogers, Principal at the school.
The Grants for Good program has enabled the school to purchase supplies to support this nursery, as well as buy a night-vision camera to track pests in the forest.
“We’ve also bought extra traps for the forest in an effort to preserve as much of the native species as possible.”
Now, the school is documenting the community’s history through filmmaking. The students have researched local history, written their script and are acting as cast and leading as crew members.
“Samantha Robertson from Reece has been inspirational and so supportive of the student's journey with the support of Rodney from Hōkonui Runanga. Jeromy van Riel and Hokonui Rūnanga have helped us learn about the local stories and last year created a 10-tonne limestone calving of The Hōkonui Taniwha called Matamata and this year Matamata’s master Te Rakituaneke is getting close to being in position at school. Steph MacDonald has also connected students to the natural environment through visual art with a mural and fence full of student art. The forest and our local environment and waterways are now well connected and integral to life at Hedgehope School.” says Sue.
The decision to pursue external funding through grants stemmed from the school’s unwavering commitment to fostering connection and amplifying student voices.
“When given the opportunity to apply for a HealthCarePlus grant, it seemed tailor-made for the school’s vision and aspirations,” says Sue. “We applied under the Group category and found the application process really straightforward and seamless. We are incredibly grateful for the generous support provided.”
Looking ahead, Hedgehope School wants to continue its high engagement and connection within its student body and community. Through its ongoing projects, the school aims to inform, inspire, and advocate, while also addressing pressing environmental concerns such as reducing pest species. “The Hedgehope School Enviro Leaders recently hosted a student-led Enviro hui. Students guided two other schools through their programme and shared their learnings about Sherwood Forest. It was so great to see something like this in action,” says Sue.
Together, through collaboration and collective action, with the help of this grant, this school is empowering communities, inspiring change, and leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come.
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