Knitters give boost for mountain trip

A ski trip just got a whole lot closer for Upokongaro School pupils thanks to their mates at the Gonville Knitting Group.

Learning that their young knitting buddies were working hard to fund raise for the trip, the group got together and organised a raffle to give them a boost.

"We have raised $400 dollars towards their trip but they don't know about it yet," said convener Kelly Scarrow.

Upokongaro novice knitters have been joining the Gonville group regularly this year to help with a rug they donated to Whanganui Women's Refuge.

They are now working on beanies to wear on their ski trip and 12-year-old Tekiira Hina-Pouro joined her friends Helen Brown and Dianne Newell to get to work on her hat.

She has made friends with the women over months of joining the group and the Gonville knitters have also made a number of visits to the school.

Tekiira and her fellow pupils have been learning about small business enterprise while fund raising for their trip next term and she has reached her target of $80 using school resources and her own initiative.

"I sold feijoas and then walnuts that we collected from the trees at school, then I had a wacky hair day.

"People paid a donation and I gave them a wacky hairdo."

Now that she has reached her own target, Tekiira is helping some of her friends with their fund raising.

Mrs Scarrow said the friendships that have developed between the knitting group and Upokangaro students are wonderful.

"The group started six years ago and we usually have between 20-35 women at the Gonville Library and Cafe every Tuesday.

"There are some very innovative knitters in the group and they have been so good at teaching the Upokongaro kids."

Upokongaro principal Warren Brown said the children have embraced the small business enterprise learning.

"Some have been selling kindling wood, compost and vegetables from the school garden.

"They have been keeping ledgers and working out prices so their maths skills have improved as well."

Mr Brown said the support from the Gonville knitters will go a long way towards making the school ski trip a success.