Convoy of tractors brings mental health education to Far North schools

The Feelings for Life Tractor Trek 2025 is on a mission to raise funds and awareness for early intervention children’s mental wellbeing education in New Zealand.

Excited cheers and smiling faces welcomed the arrival of a special convoy that is on a mission to help tamariki build emotional resilience one kilometre at a time.

The convoy of 12 tractors and a military style Humvee is part of the Feelings for Life Tractor Trek and is raising funds and awareness for children’s mental wellbeing education.

The trek journeyed from Auckland and will end in Te Hapua in the Far North, covering over 15,000km.

This week the convoy delighted students at Peria School in the Far North, to provide tamariki with vital emotional regulation and resilience tools, supporting teachers and families in fostering long-term mental wellbeing.

The Feelings for Life Tractor Trek will be co-trekking with Think and Be Me who are delivering the Rotary International funded Te Tai Tokerau Tamariki Children’s Mental Wellbeing Project, which has already reached 36 schools in Northland since 2023.

Northland students got to interact with a convoy of tractors that are trekking cross the Far North raising funds and awareness around mental wellbeing.

Think and Be Me founder, Cat Levine said the trek is about more than tractors on the road.

“It’s a celebration of how communities and organisations alike can make an impact together. Rotary’s funding has had an incredible impact on tamariki and teachers across Northland and the Tractor Trek is an initiative to raise funds so that even more children, educators and whānau can have access to this important early intervention education and skill development throughout New Zealand.”

Think and Be Me founder, Cat Levine (left) with Northland MP Grant McCallum (right).

She said the trek had got off to a great start and the schools and children were very receptive to the programme.

“There is huge excitement when they see the tractors. The kids come out waving and smiling and the community is really feeling the love.”

Ron Rolston, one of the tractor drivers, said as a retired farmer and counsellor, seeing the children’s faces light up made it all worthwhile for him.

“It’s been an amazing couple day. The greatest thing is seeing the excitement and enthusiasm of the kids when they see the tractors. Most of us are older folk, retired ex-farmers and it’s great to link with the kids.”

“In my past life I have been a counsellor, and I know how important it is to understand your emotions and manage feelings.”

Rolston said he hopes to be able to do more of the treks in future.

Peria School said the school community enjoyed the visit.

“Students reacted with laughter at the show, enjoyment and were happy to be involved. As the tractor driver said, ‘If we can share this knowledge with students now, then we can start these conversations early and children can start to learn how to talk about their feelings.’”

“We are very fortunate as teachers that this programme comes with an abundance of resources online and hands-on, direct to the classroom today. Cat, the leader of this kaupapa will be returning in Term 2 and we look forward to sharing some of our learning with her. Koha mai, koha atu.”