Press Release 1 April 2009 For immediate release

A day where anything goes as long as it’s red!

Over nine thousand kindergarten children will be pulling on their red socks tomorrow (2 April) as the Auckland Kindergarten Association (AKA) celebrates Red Socks Day.

Red Socks Day is an extension of the beach clean ups held last November as part of the AKA’s Centenary. The six beach clean ups throughout Auckland were invaded by three hundred and fifty teachers who spent the afternoon scouring for rubbish. An astonishing amount was collected; over 9,000 items from a total area equivalent to the size of 16.5 rugby fields!

AKA Marketing Executive Liz Soma said it was an enlightening experience for our teaching teams to be at the coalface of such an underestimated issue that affects every New Zealander.

The Red Socks Day initiative will be a chance to extend the awareness and understanding of what caring for our environment means to the children, families and local communities. Each kindergarten will celebrate the day in their own unique way from dressing up as sea creatures and gold coin collections to learning how to keep safe in the water and ‘litter free’ picnics in the sandpit complete with red food!

‘The Association is really excited about the opportunity to participate in such a wonderful program to not only create a more sustainable environment for our future leaders but to also support the Sir Peter Blake Trust’.

The Sir Peter Blake Trust have been an integral part in establishing such a great initiative and also ensuring our kindergartens are well equipped for the day by kindly donating resource booklets, posters, stickers and 550 pairs of red socks, said Mrs Soma.

With 107 free kindergartens, three all day early learning centres, and up to 14,000 children attending every year, the Auckland Kindergarten Association is today New Zealand’s largest education provider outside of tertiary institutions.

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