Thirty Girl Guides from Porirua proved their commitment to community and environment this week by cleaning up the Porirua Harbour in a joint effort with the Keep New Zealand Beautiful Trust.
On Tuesday, girls from the Papakowhai, Tawa, and Titahi Bay Brownies units collected several bags of rubbish and hauled two road cones from the harbour’s edge during an hour-long cleanup. The event, part of the Brownies’ “My World” badge activities, aimed to teach young girls what it means to be good citizens and community contributors.
Brownie leader Katrina Clokie said she was amazed by how much rubbish the girls collected in such a short time. “It was a real eye-opener for all of us. The girls were shocked to see how much waste was hiding in such a small area,” Clokie said.
The Keep New Zealand Beautiful Trust supported the initiative by supplying litter pickers, recycled canvas bags, and high-visibility vests. Wellington’s own “plogging” advocate Michelle Stronach-March joined the event’s final moments, sharing stories of her most unusual litter discoveries and encouraging the girls to take pride in environmental care. She handed out Keep NZ Beautiful stickers and badges to acknowledge the girls’ efforts.
The Brownies’ badge work this term includes learning about global citizenship, friendship, and giving back to their communities. GirlGuiding New Zealand is also seeking adult volunteers to help lead local units and develop their own leadership skills.
For more on joining or supporting Girl Guiding in New Zealand, visit girlguidingnz.org.nz.