Treats for growers at end of hard year

Gisborne’s Hort Day in support of the weather-hit horticulture sector here was a big success. Around 120 people — growers and their supporters — gathered at the Four Seasons packhouse at Waerenga-a-Hika yesterdayfor the event, which was organised by the Evergreen Foundation and Trust Tairāwhiti. Pictured with one of the crates full of goodies that were given to the 65 growers who attended are, from left John O’Sullivan, Brendan O’Sullivan, Annabel Mason (all of Evergreen Foundation), Trish Scott (Tumu), Peter Sutton (Kiwi Lumber), Karen Fenn (Trust Tairāwhiti) and Bruce Beaton (Evergreen Foundation). Pictures by Liam Clayton

‘Hort Day Gisborne’ went off a treat yesterday morning when a wide variety of the district’s horticulturists took part in The Evergreen Foundation’s cyclone recovery support event.

More than 60 local growers and others, about 120 people in all, got together at the Four Seasons packhouse at Waerenga-a-Hika.

It was run in partnership with Trust Tairāwhiti and gave growers affected by Cyclone Gabrielle the chance to connect with each other, with industry experts, wellbeing providers and business support services.

The Evergreen Foundation’s Cyclone Relief Fund provides support to rural communities enduring hardship.

Each grower was provided with a fruit bin full of practical items, things like orchard tools and equipment to take home with them, each bin load valued at $4000.

Evergreen Foundation executive officer Annabel Mason said it was a “fabulous” event.

“It was really great to see how much the growers enjoyed getting together, and connecting with each other.

“We gave away 65 of the bins of goodies and they were very well received,” she said.

“It was also great to see the variety of growers who turned up for the event, from the large hort companies, down to the smaller individual growers.”

Business Growth Advisor for Trust Tairāwhiti Karen Fenn said it was a much-needed event.

“Comments from growers like — ‘this is the type of thing we needed right now’, said it all,” she said.

“They were so grateful and there was some emotion shown by those who attended. It was a thoroughly worthwhile event for an industry that is so important to the region, that was so hard hit by Cyclone Gabrielle, and several other weather events.

“Thanks to Four Seasons for allowing us to host it there,”

The Gisborne ‘Hort Day’ was staged after the highly successful one held in Hawke’s Bay recently.