“The tool library has already made several loans to individuals and working bees,” says Whaingaroa Environment Centre Coordinator, Bexie Towle. “This includes a restoration project at Raglan Area School with Sustainable Coastlines, follow-up work on the restoration project with Karioi Lodge and Kristin School, and fruit tree plantings at the school and in our community through the Backyard Bounty project.”
The Backyard Bounty project, which saw 300 fruit trees planted in the community, received $1,500 from the Meridian Te Uku Community Fund in its March 2013 allocation. That grant was used to purchase the tools that now form the core of the tool library.
“Our next planting project will be called ‘Dig In,’ when we’ll work with locals who have never had a vegetable garden,” says Bexie. “We’re planning to send in volunteers to dig a one square metre garden bed and plant seedlings. The tool library will be a great asset to this project, providing tools for our volunteers and giving people access to tools needed to maintain their garden beds.”
The tool library has been well received by the Raglan community, says Bexie. “Locals have been dropping off unsolicited donations of tools to add to the library and our volunteers have taken on the responsibility of maintenance. Thanks to Meridian for funding the tool library – we expect that it will be a valuable asset for the Raglan community.”