51 trees planted at Whangārei Falls to honour Christchurch mosque shooting victims

School children, parents and teachers were among more than 100 people who together planted 51 trees in Whangārei to honour the victims of the Christchurch mosque shootings.

The idea for the planting of native trees to remember those who lost their lives in the March attacks came from a student who was on the Curious Minds-Possible Worlds programme.

Child Flight Charitable Trust CEO Chris Jordan, whose wife Kathryn Pavlovich developed and teaches Curious Minds-Possible Worlds, said as part of the programme students were asked to discuss a community project.

The course was held not long after the mosque shootings and one student came up with the idea of planting a tree for each victim as a way of remembering them.

Jordan said the Saturday event started with an emotional powhiri which was followed by speeches and then the planting of the trees at the Otuihau Whangārei Falls.

Photographer Michael Cunningham went along.

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