Beautification Trust

25/05/2026

Giving to others lifts us all up 💚

A huge thank you to the Auckland Botanic Gardens who did a food drive for Pink Shirt Day last Friday. They collected so much kai which they've generously donated to our our Paataka Kai for the community to enjoy!

You can visit our Paataka Kai from Monday - Saturday 9am till 4pm.

Ngaa mihi nui for your generosity 🌿

24/05/2026

🎉Celebrating the conservation heroes of South and East Auckland!🎉

🌱 The first ever Taiao Conservation Awards celebrates incredible individuals, groups, and organisations working to protect and enhance biodiversity across the six Southern local board areas: Ōtara-Papatoetoe, Māngere-Ōtāhuhu, Manurewa, Papakura, Howick, and Franklin.

Award recipients that were nominated by the Beautification Trust include Margaret Gane for over 30 years of work with the Friends of Kirk's Bush and in other reserves in Papakura, Totara Heights Bush Guardians for their work in bush reserves in Tōtara Heights, Haydn Stewart for his successes in Kirk's Bush, and 7-year-old Jaxton for his efforts as a young trapper 🪤

🏆Congratulations to all award-winners, nominees, and individuals and groups, and a huge thank you for all the hard work that you do in our community clearing pest plants and reducing predators!

22/05/2026

☹️Bike Hub Manurewa is closed Saturday 23 May☹️

There's a bug going around and our crew has been hit! 🦠

Bike Hub Manurewa will be closed for today, Saturday 23rd May, while they recover. Thank you for your understanding.

Please stop by the Bike Hub next time it opens:
📍1 Dalgety Drive, Wiri
📆 10am - 4pm, Thursday - Saturday (except today)

21/05/2026

🌱 Learn about your local awa! 🌱

Join us for our fourth working bee along the Papakura Stream to protect its native plants from invasive pest plants. No experience required! 🌱

This time will be a bit different - after our weeding mahi, we'll have some yummy shared kai followed by a chance to learn all about an incredibly special taonga species that calls the Papakura Stream home: Inanga! 🐟

We'll be joined by Kate, a freshwater ecologist from Mountains to Sea Conservation Trust who will be talking about this amazing native animal and her work on the newly discovered spawning site. We will also be doing a macroinvertebrate survey, so bring your curiosity and your questions, and discover how your hard work along the stream bank contributes to conserving these tiny waterway residents.

As always, bring a hat, water bottle, closed-toe shoes and your enthusiasm! 🧢

📍Papakura Stream near the Tuawha Wetland. Park along Te Mura Crescent.
📅 10am - 12:30pm, Saturday 30th May

🔗 RSVP so we can estimate numbers and note down dietary requirements!

10/05/2026

Pick up a free rat trap this Saturday at the Sir Edmund Hillary Library!

Grab a free rat trap at the Sustainable Market this coming Saturday!

Rats, possums and other predators cause problems throughout Aotearoa by eating plants from our gardens, raiding our compost and rubbish bins, and nesting in houses, sheds, palm trees and rubble. They threaten our native species by eating insects, bats, skinks, birds and eggs, and new shoots and fruit from our native trees.​ But we can help! A little bit of effort in our own backyards can achieve a lot.

If you're a resident of Manurewa, Takaanini, or Papakura, start by grabbing a free rat trap. Begin small and make a big difference in keeping your home and neighbourhood rat-free. And don't worry if you're not sure how to use the trap, our Pest-Free Activator will work with you to teach you how to safely trap and dispose of pests, so you can get rid of those rats for good!

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Our pest-free activator will show you:

How to safely use a trap
Where to put traps for the best results
How to report animals that have been caught
How to dispose of pests once caught


We're here to support you in keeping your house pest-free and saving our taonga species.

Saturday May 16
10am to 1pm
Sir Edmund Hillary Library Foyer
209 Great South Road, Papakura

08/05/2026

☢️Nearly 3 TONNES of hazardous waste diverted from landfill! ☢️

We've got the numbers from the Hazardous Waste Drop Off event from a couple of weeks ago, and the results are incredible 👏
🖌1,877kg of waste paint
🛢318kg of waste oil
💦 196kg of household cleaners
💦 89kg of aerosols
🫗14.7kg of solvents
🌱 70kg of pesticides
🛢 131 nitrous oxide canisters
🧯26 fire extinguishers
💻 58kg of e-waste
🛢9.1kg of oxidisers
🛢4 gas bottles

More than 70 people drove through, dropping off 2,631kg of waste, not including the canisters, fire extinguishers, and gas bottles, which are difficult to estimate the weight of as they aren't empty.

HazTech, who ran the pickups alongside our Community Engagement Specialist, Fili, said "it was refreshing to see how well it was taken on board by the community and how grateful each and everyone was to have this space available to get rid of their chemicals at no cost to them."

We have one more Hazardous Waste Drop Off event in the works this year, so follow us to keep updated with events, good news stories, and more! 🔍

🙏 Thank you to Manurewa Local Board for funding this incredible mahi, and for HazTech for safely collecting and disposing of the hazardous waste.

04/05/2026

🏆Tāmaki Makaurau Zero Waste Awards: Nominations are now open! 🏆

🤔 Do you know a zero waste champion? You can nominate yourself or individuals, groups, and businesses who are making a meaningful difference in reducing waste across our region.

Award categories recognise rangatahi, volunteers growing the movement, community collaborators in paid roles, those drawing on cultural approaches to waste reduction, and businesses leading the way in zero waste innovation.

🔗 Nominate yourself or someone you admire from now until Sunday 31st May for the 2026 Tāmaki Makaurau Zero Waste Awards in the link below.

The Zero Waste Awards are brought to you by Auckland Council and organised by EcoMatters Environment Trust. Photo by Logan West for EcoMatters. 📸

04/05/2026

Need help with your phone, apps or the internet? 💻📱

Our friendly Digi-Coach is now at The Beautification Trust until Friday 17th July ready to help with FREE digital support for the community!

✨ One-on-one support
✨ No bookings needed
✨ Help with phones, email, apps & more
✨ Try out virtual reality (VR) to experience different work places

🕑 Tuesday - Friday, 10am - 2pm

Whether you're stuck, curious, or just want to learn something new, come say hi 👋🏻

04/05/2026

30/04/2026

🛠Fix your beloved tech, clothes, and items!🛠

Join us at the Manurewa Repair Café and Mending Circle and give your beloved items a second life! Our skilled volunteers are here to help you repair and restore a variety of items.

Bring your small home electricals, woodworking projects, blades for sharpening, small metal work, sewing, laptop & mobile phone assessments/advice, and general handy person tasks. ✨

Got a tear, a button missing or a rip you’ve been ignoring? Stop by our Mending Circle alongside the Repair Café! Our skilled sewists will guide you to mend your clothes, toys, and other textiles!

Koha appreciated – your contributions help us keep this valuable service going.

Save your items from landfill, preserve important belongings, and save some money in the process. 🌱💰

Please note, we are unable to repair lawnmowers or bicycles - stop by Bike Hub Manurewa from 10am - 4pm, Thursday - Saturday for bike repairs!

📍38 Holmes Road, Manurewa
📅 10am - 1pm, Saturday 9th May

No RSVP needed, just come along on the day with one item per person. Enjoy free advice and learn the art of repairing while sipping on a cuppa. Mark your calendars and be part of this global movement towards a more sustainable future!