It was no tall order for a local furniture company to inject new life into a Nelson Tasman Life Education Trust mobile classroom.
Redwood Valley-based Learning Spaces Global prides itself in designing and manufacturing furniture to mirror the changing learning environments in kura (school).
Interior designer Beatrice Guy says she searched high for her next opportunity.
“We thought about the Harold trailer, and we thought it needed a good ol’ refresh… because that’s where students learn important life skills, and that must be a place they feel comfortable to learn.
“We started talking about it at the end of last year. We came up with the idea and contacted [Nelson Tasman Life Education Trust educator] Ingrid Kemp, and from there we visited the Harold classroom, and she talked about the fact that there is 30 kids in there… and they use the wall space too.
“So, we did a bit of design work around that and came up with a design, we did it in 3D and we presented the design to them and how we could facilitate that.”
Beatrice says the iconic Harold the Giraffe was at the forefront of the new designs and pieces for the mobile classroom.
“We did things like the door where Harold pops out, we’ve done a nice leaf engraving around there so it’s like Harold popping out from the bush.
“The trees on the wall represent the giraffe in nature.”
Nelson Tasman Life Education Trust co-chair Michelle Fitzgerald says some of the classroom elements were “old and worn” and she was delighted Learning Spaces Global had come on board for a revamp.
She says the classroom also features a wall whiteboard and a new seating area at the rear with a wharenui to represent the various cultures who are taught the life skills.
“The kids’ feedback has been great, they are really enjoying the space, the new colours, the trees and where Harold comes out.
“1698 kids have used the classroom already… we normally see over 6000 kids a year in Nelson Tasman, and Ingrid’s classroom has so far been to Upper Moutere, Motueka, and the Riwaka area, before coming to Henley School.
“After Henley School, she’s mainly going to go around the Nelson region before the third term and then she’s heading over to Golden Bay.”
The Life Education programme, along with Harold, has become a highly visible and popular identity within the community since the trust was established in 2002.
