Festival of Adult Learning for Whanganui to usher in spring

The man who brought Whanganui its temporary curtain banks is offering his house and garden expertise in several August workshops. Photo / File

People who rent houses and people who want a sustainable household and garden can benefit from some free workshops in Whanganui next month.

It's the fifth year that educator Nelson Lebo has provided workshops during what used to be Adult Learners Week and is now called Festival of Adult Learning. The workshops are funded by Adult and Community Education Aotearoa (ACE).

On September 4 Lebo will be at the Whanganui Learning Centre in Wicksteed St for a one-hour session on small backyard gardens from 3.30-4.30pm, another on basic care for fruit trees from 4.30-5.30pm and an indoor one on reducing plastic waste at home.

"I'm riding the bandwagon of our watershed moment, our cultural shift over plastic," he said.

He gets to visit a lot of households in his work, and said he sees a lot of untended fruit trees. Reducing plastic waste is something his own family has been focused on, and sustainability has been a guiding principle on a 5ha property on No 2 Line near Whanganui.

On September 5 Lebo gives a workshop for people renting houses, outlining their rights. It's from 4-5pm, in C Block at the Te Oranganui Iwi Health Authority premises in Campbell St. Landlords are invited to the next workshop, at the same place from 6-7pm, to hear about their responsibility to provide healthy rental properties.

There will be a children's corner, with toys, for these two workshops.

On September 7 and 8 Lebo is holding the annual Permaculture Weekend, with workshops at his property, a seed swap and shared meals. For details see his website ecothriftylife.com.