Fine Art: Top Whanganui team recognised for Thank Your Cleaner Day

Children at Putiki Kindergarten enjoyed meeting their after-hours cleaners, Noel and Patricia Sexton. Photo / Bevan Conley

They are the good elves and fairies who often come in the night to leave workplaces and education centres sparkling clean.

This week, commercial cleaning company OCS New Zealand will celebrate its 40,000 workers on Thank Your Cleaner Day and it wants to recognise two special Whanganui employees.

Noel and Patricia Sexton have been cleaning at Putiki Kindergarten in Whanganui for more than a decade. Although Noel is 82 and Patricia 77, they have no intention of quitting anytime soon.

"It keeps us fit and we enjoy it," said Noel.

"We are happy to just keep going – OCS New Zealand hasn't told us to stop working yet."

Patricia had been cleaning the kindergarten on her own until Noel joined her 10 years ago and they have turned their teamwork into fine art.

"We split up and both do different jobs, but two sets of hands make it easier," she said.

"We're often fair motoring to get everything done, but we are happy to spend extra time to get it right - we get a huge amount of satisfaction knowing we've done the job to a high standard every time."

And their work doesn't stop at cleaning.

During a daytime visit, Patricia may notice some broad bean plants in the garden are starting to droop and sets about tying them back.

"If I come across any broken toys, I fix them," said Noel.

He used to work for an engineering company while Patricia worked at Arahunga School.

"We're not the kind of people to sit on the couch. We enjoy working together so it suits us fine."

Putiki kindergarten has daily sessions from 8:30am to 2:30pm, Monday to Friday, and the Sextons arrive at 4.30pm to clear up after 30 small attendees at the end of each day.

Head teacher Megan Bishop said it is wonderful to have such dedicated long-term cleaners.

"We appreciate them so much, they are part of our whānau even if we don't see them every day," she said.

The Sextons also fill in for other OCS cleaners at short notice and both enjoy doing voluntary work.

Noel has been a long-time member of the Lions Club, while Patricia does knitting for Whanganui Hospice.

"I mostly knit adult garments and I have a few that I need to stitch together," she said.

Thank Your Cleaner Day is a worldwide event celebrated in New Zealand on Wednesday, October 20.

OCS managing director Gareth Marriott praised cleaners for being in the frontline during the Covid-19 pandemic.

"These dedicated individuals have been bursting their bubbles during lockdown to keep the rest of us safe, deep-cleaning Covid-19 impacted areas and working harder than ever," he said.

He suggests workplaces can thank cleaners by holding special events or by simply leaving a 'thank-you' note to let them know their work is appreciated.