'Angels in red' help transform kindergarten

Watching "angels dressed in red" transform Botanical Road Kindergarten's outdoor area was a breathtaking sight for staff and pupils.

About 20 Bunnings Warehouse staff from the lower North Island spent a couple of hours at the kindergarten yesterday upgrading the outdoor playing area by planting trees and installing a shed which will soon be home to sandpit equipment.

The Tauranga kindergarten was vandalised late last year with staff arriving to find the outdoor shade sail ripped to shreds and rude drawings on the children's slide.

Over the past 12 months, head teacher Vicky Wilson said the kindergarten had developed a partnership with Bunnings Warehouse. Stores across the country make donations of goods and services to local community groups in need.

"It's such an amazing thing. We have to fundraise for everything - this means so much to us," Mrs Wilson said.

"They do work in the community and instead of doing lots of smaller projects, they've chosen to stick with us and it means the world ... because the partnership between us is helping to build a much richer environment for the children's learning."

Mrs Wilson said the Bunnings workers were like "angels dressed in red".

During their mid-morning visit to the kindergarten, the Bunnings team planted more than 120 plants on a hillside area, which earlier lay bare.

Mrs Wilson said what the team had achieved was "significant".

"This kindergarten is 50 years old and when we redeveloped the outdoor area we ran out of money ... so finally getting some plants there has made it more aesthetically pleasing."

Mrs Wilson was hugely thankful for the Bunnings volunteers and their ongoing support.

"Being a not-for-profit organisation it's good to have this support, it means a lot to us."

As the garden shed was being lifted over the fence and into place, 4-year-old Zavier Rayner jumped around and clapped his hands.

"They're from Bunnings, I'll have to tell my mummy, it's so cool," he said.

Classmate Robert Sidwell, also 4, said the best part of the day was helping the volunteers plant trees and shrubs. "I did some digging and I played in the dirt and I got to put the plants in."

Taking part in the community working bee was "a treat" for Colene Nicholson, centre manager at Bunnings, Mount Maunganui.

"It's what Bunnings does. We help out with various community projects," she said.

"We love helping out, it's very rewarding."