An invitation was extended (via Tawa's email network) to anyone in the community to assist with a working bee this past Saturday morning, 31st March. A certain property needed a major cleanup - trees trimmed and overgrown vegetation brought under control.

It was raining when the first dozen or so turned up at 9am, but it wasn't long before the weather did improve. People kept turning up, and when we stopped for brief refreshments mid-morning, the head count numbered 28. There could well have been 35 or more pitching in at different times, ranging in age from 12 to late 70s, including a few scouts getting involved as part of their "community service".

Many hands - along with a chainsaw, weedeaters, loppers, spades and rakes, etc - do make light work, and after three hours of hard labour, the front yard had been completely transformed. Re the "hard labour", it wasn't quite as bad as that. A certain amount of physical activity was actually beneficial for some more sedentary types, and we came away pleased with a job well done and at being able to help out a fellow Tawa resident.

So a big thank you to all who gave us a hand in any way on the day, especially to those who were there the whole three hours, to Kevin of Harbour City Tree Care (232 0484) for his expertise, and to Jarrod of the Wellington City Council for co-ordinating the operation. We finished up with lunch at the new Tawa Community Centre premises in Cambridge St.

[Click on photos to enlarge]