YMCA Central's Spring Clean Extravaganza promotes sustainability in Whanganui

Jocelyn Bright with her one year old Chihuahua Maltese Cross, Teddy, at YMCA's Spring Clean Extravaganza. Photo / Bevan Conley

There were all sorts of antiques and used goods on display at several stalls set up at YMCA's Spring Clean Extravaganza on Sunday.

The stalls cost $10 and gave people a roof over their head at YMCA Central's Grey St address, as well as the chance to earn some cash for their old items.

The idea was initialised by Raise Up, a youth group that meets every Monday and wanted to promote reducing, recycling and reusing materials.

They worked with youth work co-ordinator Tony Sundman, who has been in the role for about a year.

"It's essential for young people to have awareness around environmental focuses," Sundman said.

"If they treat the environment correctly and properly, they can treat people the same."

YMCA Central recently implemented a recycling system, thanks to the Whanganui District Council which provided it with the bins to do so.

Collectively they are now saving about six woolpacks of paper and plastic a month.

This is the first time they have run the extravaganza and the youth group will be looking to hold at least one event each term.

Sundman said the next target cause would be waterways.

"Bodies of water like Virgina Lake and Wiritoa have become very stagnant.

"I went to Thailand for a conference in May and they raised an idea of creating these mud balls that are all organic material."

He said that the balls were formed with things like mud, oats and organic material which would then be left to ferment.

"Then you put it into a body of water and the micro-organisms eat away at the algae and things like that."

The money raised from the stalls would be used to fund these activities for the group of 13-17-year-olds.

"A lot of people put money into charities and things like that, but putting it into the actual local people, you see a more direct response or direct effect," Sundman said.

"Whanganui's a beautiful town, we've got some amazing architecture and the more we can support our local people, the more we can put the life back into the centre of town."