Keeping NZ beautiful

Businessman and keen gardener Elliot Pollard. Photo / Stephen Parker

After more than a decade keeping Rotorua beautiful, retailer Elliot Pollard is about to work his magic on the whole country.

Mr Pollard, who has owned Pollard's Menswear for 33 years, was appointed the new chairman of Keep New Zealand Beautiful at its AGM this weekend. After being confirmed as the Rotorua zone's national board representative for the first time, Mr Pollard's fellow board members immediately elected him their leader for at least the next year.

"Somehow I got fast-tracked to the spot," he said. "I was very pleased, I was delighted."

And he already has a strong idea of what he would like to achieve in his time in the top job - which will see him attend monthly meetings in Auckland.

"Keep New Zealand Beautiful is a very well-known brand [but] I want people to know more about what we do," he said. "They know who we are but not exactly what we do."

To remedy that, he wants to improve the public relations programme and let the New Zealand public know what the group is up to within its community.

"When that happens there's more chance of people becoming members or supporting Keep New Zealand Beautiful."

Keeping Rotorua looking its best is something he feels passionately about, even if he had to ask what "KRB" was when then-mayor Grahame Hall called and asked him to be its chairman.

"It instantly appealed to me and I said yes," he said. "My wife and I are gardening people who love the beautiful city we have ... it's about creating positive things."

As a gardener, he takes pride in Rotorua's gardens which have helped the city win the "most beautiful city" award six times.

Other work performed by Keep Rotorua Beautiful volunteers includes "wombling" - picking up litter off streets - and an anti-tagging team that cleans up graffiti.

And as a businessman, he knows the way the city looks can have a big impact on the success of local businesses.

"So many people come to our city and comment on how beautiful it is," he said. "Benefits for the city create benefits for all of us."

He said he would love it if more of the business community got involved by becoming a Keep Rotorua Beautiful member or volunteering on one of its projects.