Hawke’s Bay Eco Church Beach Clean-Up

Story contributed by Margaret Haliburton, Ahuriri-Putorino Presbyterian Church

It was heartening to see such a good response for the Napier Beach Clean-Up last Saturday. Around 20 people from eight local churches came together to care for God’s creation and show that the church community is willing to roll up its sleeves and make a difference.

The day was very warm, but we were thankful for a refreshing sea breeze that made the work pleasant. While we had thought there would be no nesting birds along that stretch, a dotterel’s nest was discovered the day before and safely cordoned off for protection. As expected, firecrackers were among the litter collected so it was good timing to be doing a clean up following on from firework weekend. Volunteers gathered everything from small scraps of plastic to larger debris, leaving the beach noticeably cleaner.

After the clean-up, we enjoyed cold drinks and rested together in the shade of a tree, chatting and getting to know one another. It was a simple but meaningful act of care, community, and witness — a way of working together and showing the wider community that our churches care deeply about the environment and the wellbeing of the place we all share.