Buddy Day: It takes a community to look after a child

Buddy Day: It takes a community to look after a child

8 October 2013

You may see adults walking around town carrying beautifully decorated cardboard children on Friday. [SUBS NOVEMBER 15]

It’s part of Buddy Day, which is being run in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Tauranga.

Buddy Day is a fantastic event where adults can adopt a “Buddy”, or a cardboard cut-out child, for the day to raise awareness of child abuse and the role we all have in keeping kids safe.

Hundreds of buddies have been decorated by school children around the country and delivered to businesses and community leaders, who will care for the buddies throughout the day on November 15.

Harcourts is getting behind the event, with offices in Auckland, Hamilton, Wellington and Tauranga delivering the buddies to schools, as well as many sales consultants being buddy carers on the big day.

Harcourts Mt Eden and Epsom Group Sales Manager Robert Tulp says he is involved because child abuse is a hugely important issue and one we all need to be aware of and take responsibility for.

He will be proudly taking his buddy to business meetings all day on Friday.

A total of 300 buddies have been decorated at schools in Auckland, including Murrays Bay Intermediate, Chelsea School, Henderson North School, Matipo Primary School, Glendowie School, Meadowbank School, Pt England School, Fairburn School, Mangere Central School, Mayfield School, Somerville Intermediate, Ararimu School, Ranui School and Taupaki School.

Chelsea School deputy principal Amanda Douglas says the children have become very attached to their buddies, and were passionate about decorating them, naming them and writing stories about them.

Mr Tulp says it was wonderful to visit with the schools taking part and watch how excited the children are about Buddy Day.

“It’s a great thing for the community to be involved in. There is nothing more important than being a dad, a mum or a caregiver. We should recognise raising healthy, happy kids as the most important thing in life.”

For more information about Buddy Day visit www.buddyday.org.nz

ENDS

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