Dig in for cancer: Join the Memory Meadow daffodil planting day

Dig in for a good cause this Sunday and help us plant another 10,000 daffodils in Waipā, creating more Memory Meadows to honour those affected by cancer.

On May 11, the Cancer Society, in partnership with Waipā District Council and Lodge Real Estate, is inviting everyone in the community to roll up their sleeves and join the daffodil planting day in either Cambridge or Pirongia.

Last year, 10,000 bulbs were planted in Te Awamutu’s Sculpture Park, and this year the aim is to plant 5000 at each of the Cambridge and Pirongia sites.

Mayor Susan O’Regan said it’s a great chance for people to come together, share stories of love, loss and resilience, and create something beautiful that will bloom for years to come.

“Each spring, these Memory Meadows will blossom into a sea of yellow — a living tribute to those we’ve lost to cancer, those still fighting, and the people who’ve stood beside them.”

Bulbs can be purchased online, with funds raised from the Memory Meadows helping the Waikato Bay of Plenty Cancer Society provide crucial free services to people with all forms of cancer and their whānau.

“As someone who lost both parents and two grandparents to cancer, I am an avid supporter of the society and the very important work it does,” said O’Regan.

“Bring your whānau and help us turn these spaces into golden fields of remembrance, reflection, and hope.”

People keen to volunteer can head down to either the Oak Arboretum in Cambridge, on the corner of Bowen and Taylor Streets, or Franklin Street in Pirongia, opposite Belcher Street, between 9am and 12pm on Sunday.

If you are coming along to help, make sure to wear covered shoes or gumboots, bring a spade, and if you have them, a bucket and gloves.

Those who can’t make it on the day can still be part of the Memory Meadow movement by purchasing a daffodil bulb at memorymeadow.nz.