Spurred on by a letter in The Weekend Sun, Tauranga Rotary has come to the rescue and acted as busy bees at a park in Tauranga.

The letter – published in The Weekend Sun on November 5, 2021 – expressed the writer's dismay that the ‘Bee Friendly Garden' in her local park was totally bare.

'Not a leaf or flower in sight,” she lamented.

Now, nearly a year later, Tauranga Rotary has started a project to ‘feed the bees' and belatedly celebrate ‘A hundred years of Rotary in New Zealand' at the same time.

With the aid of Tauranga City Council and Citycare, the site was given a new border, the soil prepared and the bee-friendly plants purchased by the club.

A working bee saw the garden planted, and to everyone's delight the bees started visiting straight away. Lots of mulch was added and the new sign erected just intime for spring.

But not all is as positive as it might seem. Tauranga Rotarian Sheena Spittles says two of the new bee-friendly plants have been stolen already, and has asked for the park to not be named.

If making a difference in your local community sounds like your cup of tea, or if you're new to the area and want to meet people, Tauranga Rotary are always looking for members.

'Our club members are dedicated people who share a passion for community service and friendship,” says Sheena.

'Becoming a Rotarian connects you with a diverse group who share your drive to give back.”

The original letter is below:

Bee-friendly?

I was walking in a park and came across this sign and a barren bit of so-called 'Bee Friendly Garden'.

I think not! Not a leaf or flower in sight.

Is it worth you prompting the guardians of this space to restore this area to what it is purported to be?

Enid Birtwistle, The Avenues.