Enderley Working Bee targets graffiti litter and community spirit

hitting the streets of Enderley for a clean up this weekend. As part of Hamilton City Council's graffiti co-ordination work Council is joining forces with the New Zealand Police, Enderley residents and hundreds of Mormon Helping Hands volunteers to stage the Enderley Working Bee.

On Saturday 8 March volunteers will walk the streets of Enderley clearing litter, removing graffiti and carrying out maintenance on the community centre. Members of the local community are invited to join the Working Bee volunteers by coming along to the Enderley Community Centre on Tennyson Road from 8.30am onwards.

From 11am Enderley residents are welcome to come along to Enderley Park for a community celebration. The celebration will include family entertainment and a sausage sizzle leading up to the kick off of the Hillcrest Hornets' first Enderley game. The game will be the first of many as the league club will now be based at the park.

Hamilton Mayor Bob Simcock says that while Council are leading the project a great deal of hard work and resources have gone into planning the day from all involved - Council, the Police and the Mormon Helping Hands.

"Working with the community to revitalise Enderley, addressing social issues and making the neighbourhood a great place to live is a top priority for Council under the Social Wellbeing Strategy. Driving more positive activities like this in the neighbourhood will be key to making that happen. With the Hornets first game and family entertainment in Enderley Park everyone is welcome and we hope it will be a great day for the local community".

Police liaison and Community Constable Craig Berquist says while increased media coverage has made it topical recently, for a long time graffiti been a major focus for both the Police and Council.

"The Enderley Working Bee is a great opportunity for the Police, Council and the community to work together at a grassroots level, combat vandalism and generate positive neighbourhood activities. This is not just a Police or Council problem, it's a community issue best tackled together. This is a chance for residents to take back ownership of their communities and activities like this and Neighbourhood Support Groups can really support that".

Council are providing the majority of the materials, expertise and supervision for the clean up. Bunnings and Excel have also donated some equipment. It is hoped this will be the first of many community Working Bees based around Hamilton City Council community centres throughout the city. As well as the volunteers based at Enderley, upwards of 1000 Mormon Helping Hands volunteers will be carrying out work at schools and other Council community centres throughout Hamilton.

Volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints are volunteering their time to the Enderley Working Bee as part of this year's national Mormon Helping Hands day. Hamilton Stake President John Higgins says "Each year members of the Church come together to donate their time and effort to deserving community works as part of Mormon Helping Hands. The Enderley Working Bee is an ambitious project and we are proud to be working alongside Council, the Police and the Enderley community to make it happen".

Graffiti on street facing fences on all streets within a defined area will be removed as part of the Enderley Working Bee. The removal area includes the streets contained within the neighbourhood quadrant bordered by Snell Drive to Fifth Avenue and Tramway Road to Peachgrove Road. Graffiti on Snell Drive will be removed but removal will not be undertaken on Tramway Road, Fifth Avenue or Peachgrove Road. Members of the public who own property within that area and do not want graffiti removed from that property, should advise Hamilton City Council on 07 838 6509 before 5pm Friday 7 March.