School offers memorial fence

Over 18,000 New Zealand lives were lost during the first World War and St Mary's Diocesan School want to honour those lives with a red ribbon memorial fence.

In the lead up to Anzac Day, 21 ribbons were tied to the fence as a memorial to the New Zealand nurses who died in the war.

"It is important for me the students understand the sacrifice nurses made as well as recognise the changing role of women during the war," says principal Fiona Green.

Fiona says it was a wonderful tribute and would now like to see the fence grow.

The memorial fence will be a community project and Fiona invites everyone to tie a ribbon to the fence. "My goal is to have 18,000 ribbons on the fence by Armistice Day, November 11 2018." The school office will keep a running total of how many ribbons are tied to the fence and those who are participating can share the name of the person or group the ribbon represents.

Fiona says the memorial fence is not about beauty and ribbons will stay tied fence right through until 2018.

It doesn't matter if they get tattered and old, war was not beautiful. I want the fence to be a reminder of the sacrifices of the men and women in the war.

Fiona Green, principal.

Fiona says the school also welcomes donations of red ribbon or red fabric that could be used on the fence. "It doesn't matter what it looks like, anything red would be a welcome addition to the fence."

If you would like to tie a red ribbon to St Mary's Diocesan School's memorial fence visit the school office or give them a call on (06) 765 5333.