Media Release
28 February 2007

Celebrate National Children’s Day on Sunday 4 March

Te Ora o Manukau – Manukau the Healthy City’s Child Advocacy Group hopes all parents, caregivers and grandparents will put aside some time to celebrate national Children’s Day, Sunday 4 March.

Founded in 2000, National Children’s Day celebrates and honours children. This year’s theme is ‘giving time’.

Manukau City Council’s Child Advocacy Coordinator Clare Moss says, “We encourage all Manukau families to spend the day together. Walk to the local park, bake a cake, make a daisy chain or read a book, you don’t have to spend a lot of money to show your children how much you love and appreciate them”.

You could also spend time with your child at one of the following Manukau City Council facilities on Children’s Day.

* Manukau Pools (free entry)

* The following libraries are open on Sunday
- Botany
- Pakuranga
- Manukau City Centre

Specific activities include:
Manurewa Leisure Centre – Frances St, Manurewa
At: 10am – 1pm
Activities: Face painting, slam Dunk demo, volley balloon game, arts and crafts, hip hop dance and much more.

Auckland Regional Council is holding a Children’s Day celebration at Omana Regional Park – Maraetai
At: 10am – 3pm
Activities: Horse carriage rides, tractor rides, pony rides, animal petting, games, puppet shows, orienteering, fire displays, scout village, dog demonstrations.

More fantastic ideas for celebrating Children’s Day at home, with family/whanau, friends and neighbours are available at www.childrensday.org.nz.

ENDS

Background on Te Ora o Manukau – Manukau the Healthy City and Child Advocacy Group

Healthy City
Manukau City is one of over 1800 communities worldwide involved in the World Health Organisation project, Healthy Cities.

The World Health Organisation recognises that health agencies must work together if health and wellbeing of a community is to be improved.

Child Advocacy Group
Established in 1993, the Child Advocacy Group strives for better opportunities for Manukau’s children. Driving this is the belief that children are our taonga and future and those who are nurtured and supported throughout their childhood are more likely to reach their full potential in all aspects of life.

In 2003, the group released a strategic plan setting out what they want to achieve over the next three years. A business plan was also released in January 2006. Priority areas identified include: advocating for better housing; supporting and promoting community health initiatives such as Let’s Beat Diabetes, Health Promoting Schools; and working alongside Manukau City Council Leisure Services and Counties Manukau Sport to encourage children to more physically active.

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