Monday, 18 March 2024 11:40

Rural schools receive over $100,000

Written by  Staff Reporters
Rural primary schools have received more than $109,000 from ANZCO Foods. Rural primary schools have received more than $109,000 from ANZCO Foods.

Rural primary schools have received more than $109,000 from ANZCO Foods as part of the company’s Sponsor a School Programme, with several recipients located in the South Island.

ANZCO Foods works with local dairy farming families who nominate a rural primary school to receive a donation from the company, that is linked to supply.

The donations mean ANZCO Foods has donated more than $1.4 million to rural schools since the programme began in 2011, and these donations have been used for a range of resources including playground bark, fruit and vegetable gardens, and extra literacy lessons.

Shannon Parnham, head of livestock at ANZCO Foods, says the Sponsor a School programme is a rewarding way to directly impact future generations and allow farmers to have a positive input into their local communities.

“It’s fulfilling to know that these donations are providing Kiwi children with tools for essential life skills,” says Parnham. “This is a company donation from ANZCO – there is no cost to participating dairy farmers.”

The five South Island schools that received the largest donations were Hinds School, Carew Peel Forest School, Dorie School, Mayfield School, and Dunsandel School.

“Our school community is very grateful for the funds donated to us through the ANZCO Foods scheme,” says Aroha Stewart, Mayfield School Principal.

Mayfield School in Canterbury will put the funds towards teacher aides that will give their students additional literacy lessons.

 “Without this money, it wouldn’t have been possible to give these students the boost they needed,” she says.

St Joseph’s Opunake School in Taranaki received $3,084. Brook Murfitt, acting principal, says they are hoping to put the donation towards improving and expanding the vegetable and fruit gardens at their school.

“We are hugely appreciative of ANZCO’s generosity,” says Murfitt.

“Our school has a Student Environmental Team and part of their role is to plant and take care of five fruit and vegetable gardens. We’re looking at using the funds to purchase more plants, improve the wooden garden frames, and potentially updating our garden tools, so we can continue to look after our gardens throughout the year.”

More like this

DairyNZ supports vocational education reforms

DairyNZ is supporting a proposed new learning model for apprenticeships and traineeships that would see training, education, and pastoral care delivered together to provide the best chance of success.

Massey courses meet industry needs

Massey University is regarded by many as New Zealand’s leading tertiary education and research institute for the country’s primary industries.

New ag degrees at Massey

Changing skill demands and new job opportunities in the primary sector have prompted Massey University to create a new degree course and add a significant major into another in 2025.

Featured

Tough times - Roche

The Ministry for Primary Industries' (MP) head of their On-Farm Support Team, Dr John Roche, says the declaration of a drought or adverse event is a recognition that things are tough in a region such as Taranaki.

Miraka CEO quits

Māori-owned milk processor Miraka is looking for a new chief executive following the resignation of Karl Gradon last week.

National

Bremworth board upheaval

Listed carpet maker Bremworth has been rocked by a call from some shareholders for a board revamp.

Let the games begin!

New Zealand's largest celebration of rural sports athletes and enthusiasts – New Zealand Rural Games - is back for its…

Chilled cow cuts enter China

Alliance Group has secured greater access for chilled beef exports into China following approval of its Levin and Mataura plants…

Machinery & Products

AGCO and SDF join hands

Tractor and machinery manufacturer AGCO has signed a supply agreement with the European-based SDF Group, best known for its SAME,…

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

House in order?

OPINION: Your old mate reckons a wake-up call is overdue for the platoons of non-productive (and now unemployed) bureaucrats, researchers…

Chicken Little

OPINION: If you're one of the few still reading the NZ Herald, you'd have seen Chicken Little academics screaming that…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter