By Angeline Barnes, Community Outreach Coordinator
Welcome to Piripiri campsite
Last week, while out with DOC’s Manawatu Area team, I met a young girl named Hannah. She had planned and arranged a camping trip for her group of friends and they were camping at Piripiri, a free DOC campsite, along the Pohangina River.
Cooking on the campfire
Along with a little bit of help from her mum she had organised the camping trip. She had developed invitations, food plans, budgets, travel plans, sleeping plans and more.
Making gifts from natural materials
To make it happen they allowed one adult to come, purely for health and safety reasons! But the adult’s attendance (in the form of Hannah’s mother) came with rules – she had to sleep in her own tent ‘outside’ of the campsite territory, which was marked with colourful bunting spread amongst the trees.
The campsite was so lovely – a young girl’s dream – nature as the backdrop, colourful bunting, tents, friends and lots of giggling.
Chocolate damper dough hands!
Hannah’s mum was allowed to accompany them to the river where they swam (beautiful swimming spot), jumped off a ledge and had a fabulous time. I went and had a chat to them and they were all so happy – creating their childhood memories.
Crowding around the campfire
What a delightful story. Hannah shows great organisational and leadership skills. The young girls in her charge will remember this for the rest of their lives.and Hannah’s Mum must be bursting with pride!
Thanks , the story is great! BTW Hannah is 14 but the girls were all 10, 9 and one was just 8, plus two 12 yr old “helpers.”
The boys just want toknow when there one is now…
“Mum”
Thanks Jane. I just read your blog post about Hannah’s camp. Amazing! Let me know when Ollie and Charlie get their turn – I’m sure it’ll be a story worth sharing!
What a lovely story! How old were the girls?
Hi Monika,
It is a lovely story isn’t it! The girls were around 14.