My head is spinning! And that’s an understatement.
This year I decided to set a challenge for Wairarapa to celebrate Conservation Week and try and get 10% of the population involved in an event during the week. I’ve estimated the population between south coast and Woodville to be around 50,000 so that means getting 5,000 out and about getting involved. I’ve also got 50 schools in my area and I wanted to engage as many as possible.
The planning started well in advance with the first meeting of keen minds on 15 April (feels like months ago – aha it was) where I introduced my crazy target and declared that I wanted to get TVNZ6 engaged with our week. We prepared a draft schedule of events with all of our eager conservationists and then started to fill in gaps to ensure there was something for everyone. Nothing like setting your sights high.
We delightfully heard that TVNZ6 were keen to come along to our Castlepoint planting & beach clean-up on 16 September which has kept my inspiration brimming.
Now we are less than four weeks away and I think Wairarapa has confirmed 22 events for Conservation Week which has blown me away. Such an awesome effort from everyone.
I’ve got my list of things to do and at the moment am not sure where to start!
Sandra Burles - my shining star
Normally in my day-to-day life I manage community relations for the area on my own but thankfully to help me deliver such lofty targets I’ve recruited a couple of helpers, Sandra Burles (Hurley Burley) and Briggs Pilkington, our new trainee ranger. We are all keen and they are out showing their faces around and getting people’s support while running around on their errands like delivering posters.
Today while in Carterton Briggs got an invite to talk on the local radio station Arrow FM and I got contacted by a researcher from the Erin Simpson show on TVNZ2 which means our messages are getting out and about.
My list of to do’s includes updating the budget (rather small for 22 events but Sandra is working marvels with local businesses sponsoring us), developing press releases, writing an invite to our launch for our super organisers, updating the events page on www.conservationweek.org.nz, organising my nursery of plants and organising buses and schoools! Phew I’m exhausted thinking about it.
I’ll try and get on here every few days to keep people up with what’s going on and if you want to come along please let me know and I’ll give you any further details!
Another awesome addition to my team!
