Kimbolton Kindergarten had its official opening last Friday, with children welcomed into the kindergarten this week. Pā Anaru and Whāea Lorraine from Ngāti Kauwhata attended the event to bless the kindergarten. Head Teacher Cindy Hawkins says the support from the community and from the Whānau Manaaki organisation has been overwhelming. She says everyone from the wider district is appreciative, and has really come on board and shown support.  She says the kindergarten is a real community hub, and although enrolments have only been open for two days, it’s already two-thirds full.

The kindergarten has two teachers - Cindy, who has lived in the area all her life, and Malu Sim who has worked for Whānau Manaaki previously and who has moved to the area.

Cindy says everybody is really positive and grateful for the service which has reopened with Whānau Manaaki’s support after closing around six weeks ago, and that when the kindergarten reopened, the children showed up this week with smiles on their faces. “It was a joy to be part of.”

There was a good turnout for the official opening on Friday from throughout the district and elsewhere. We thank Friends of Kimbolton Kindergarten and our other amazing supporters including the local schools, businesses, Council, community groups, Kauwhata Iwi, MoE, Rural Women and Rural Support alongside our neighbours, grandparents, aunts and uncles and the wider community. You have supported us as we worked to reopen the kindergarten and to re-resource it and we are extremely grateful.

Kimbolton is in the northern Manawatu region, between Fielding and Hunterville. It has a population of around 260, with many families living in the surrounding area.   

Find out more about Kimbolton Kindergarten here.