A Longford Intermediate School project is blooming for a good cause.
A group of pupils planted daffodils in the school grounds earlier in the year as part of a group project.
The flowers have been sold to raise money for the Cancer Society of New Zealand.
The group has raised about $50 so far.
Pupil Kim Green (11) said every pupil was a member of a manaakitanga (kindness and care for others) group which chose a project for the year.
‘‘The goal was to give back to the community.’’
Her group was called the Community Busy Bees and the pupils decided to plant the bulbs to fundraise.
The pupils researched and planned how they would undertake the project.
Suitable places at the school were chosen and school caretaker Brent English helped prepare the ground.
The bulbs were growing on staff member Miranda McDowall’s farm and the pupils dug some up and transplanted them in the prepared ground.
Mitre 10 Gore also gave the group some bulbs for the project.
The bulbs planted at the back of the field were not flowering yet, but some in a garden near the tennis court were.
Pupil Amelia Cole (13) said the daffodils would bloom every spring and each year the new pupils of the school would be part of the fundraiser.
‘‘It’s going to be really cool.’’
Daffodils were her favourite flower, she said.
‘‘You can walk up to them and know you planted them and hopefully you will get to take your family members there when you grow up to see them.’’
Pupil Riley Reed said the Cancer Society was a good cause.
‘‘They’ll be very thankful they can buy more medical equipment.’’ The flowers were a good example of manaakitanga, they said.
‘‘It shows about helping the community [that] we can all do stuff together,’’ Amelia said.
‘‘It encourages other people to do things,’’ Kim said.
Otago Southland Cancer Society marketing and fundraising manager Jonet Warhurst said the society was grateful to the Longford Intermediate pupils for their hard work to raise money.
‘‘Daffodils brings hope for the many people facing cancer in the community and the students should be very proud of what they have achieved.’’
