Rotorua backs Colour Your Day for Christchurch shootings victims

Mokoia Intermediate pupils Brooke Mills (left) Tara Thaine, Tara Browne and Emma Downes get colourful. Photo / Supplied

Rotorua schools and organisations are getting behind a movement designed to lift New Zealanders' spirits after the Christchurch mosque killings.

The Colour Your Day initiative encourages people to wear something colourful tomorrow to mark one week since 50 worshippers were killed in the two mosque attacks.

Melanie Boeck from the Rotorua Parents' Centre is one person getting behind the cause.

The centre has a weekly playgroup on Friday mornings and those attending tomorrow are being invited to participate in the initiative.

"I wanted to get mums and babies out of the house, rather than staying in and internalising it," Boeck said.

"I think it would be a really good idea for stay-at-home parents to get out in the community and be with others on such a sombre day."

The playgroup costs $2 a session and this week the proceeds will be donated to the cause.

"We're a non-profit organisation so we don't have much ... but it's something for our community, even though it's small it's a kind gesture to show we're thinking about them."

Owhata School will also participate in the initiative to show support for Christchurch.

Senior leadership team member Callie Raureti said they would collect gold coins but the emphasis was on thinking about others and manaakitanga.

"It's mainly about the message and being able to contribute in some form and tautoko those affected. It's about unity and whakawhanaungatanga [relationships]."

Raureti said since the shootings the teachers had been dealing with students based on their needs.

"We're being honest, brave and sharing a message of security with the tamariki."

Mokoia Intermediate held Colour Your Day yesterday as they already had a mufti day planned.

More than $500 was raised. They will also do a minute's silence at the assembly on Friday.

Deputy principal Annemarie Hyde said staff had been assessing children's needs following the shooting and working with them.

"We didn't want to normalise it by not discussing it ... We need to look at how we treat each other."

It was started by Christchurch youth worker Jay Geldard and endorsed by the Christchurch City Council but has spread nationwide. It will raise money for a fund for families affected by the attacks.