Grants available for Napier projects

Keep Napier Beautiful, an independent, community-based group, is making grants of up to $500 available for community organisations and schools to use in projects which will enhance the beauty of Napier’s environment.

Keep Napier Beautiful chair Cr Maxine Boag said that on the first Saturday of November every year, the group conducts Napier’s Recycling Day. The public drop off unwanted, useable household items at four sites around the city, and the Keep Napier Beautiful committee (assisted by Napier City Council staff and security personnel) exchange these for cash which goes back into the community for worthy projects.

The aim of this day is to divert material from the landfill, and make money to give for financial support to projects around the city which enhance the beauty of Napier’s environment.

“We’re offering grants of up to $500, which may enable schools, marae, environment or community groups to buy plants, building materials, or paint to help them along,” Cr Boag said.

Keep Napier Beautiful has previously undertaken projects to beautify the city, such as the gardens around the Westshore clock, the seats across from Centennial gardens, the gardens at the National Aquarium, and now would like to encourage others to take on that role and to help them do so.

“We have started this year with extra funds from previous years’ Recycling Day collections,” Cr Boag said, “so we are asking for applications to come in by 31 August 2011. There will be another opportunity to apply for funds collected at this November’s Recycling Day, with the deadline of 31 March 2012.”