This years TV2 KidsFest runs from July 5 to 18th

This years TV2 KidsFest runs from July 5 to 18th with over 180 events.

The school project event A Plastic Peace offers children all over the city the opportunity to express their creativity through recycling. Children will be creating hundreds of colourful flowers from PET bottles (soft drink) using plastic, wire, hot glue, paint and other recycled plastics The finished works will become a beautiful Peace Garden in the Avon River on the island at the corner of Hereford Street and Oxford Terrace from July 7th to 17th.

Project creator Henry Sunderland of the KidsFest Charitable Trust believes the project will make children more aware of their environment. " Kids just throw these bottles to the ground and forget them. We'd like to make them aware that they can be recycled into something of beauty." He says.

The concept grew out of a television craft idea that Henry designed for the 'Son of a Gunn' show over 5 years ago.

Last years 'Great Pipe Dream' recycled project saw 30 incredible plastic sculptures created, with several travelling thousands of miles to appear in an exhibition in New York City USA.. This year several New York and New Jersey schools are invited to create their own peace flowers for the Christchurch exhibition.

The project will foster school and community spirit and Henry feels that flowers have always been associated with peace and the feeling of going back to nature is a positive outcome for recycled plastic. " The Avon River island will be transformed into a splendiferous display. We're going to make people smile in the middle of winter!'.

The flowers will be available for purchase in Cathedral Square on Friday July 18th, with the proceeds going to charity.

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