Caroline Walmsley and Jane Gravestock are everyday wastewise heroes. They find time in their busy lives to make a meaningful contribution to making Māngere Bridge a Wastewise, Caring, Connected Community. Caroline helped to co-found Friends of the Farm in 2012 and is our group secretary. Jane is another long-time member.
Caroline and Jane hold regular sewing bees where along with other community volunteers they make fabric shopping bags. Our local Tote-All Recall scheme has been running for several years and these reusable bags are available free at the Māngere Bridge Library and the local Fruit and Vegetable shop for residents who forget their own bags. People are encouraged to wash and return the bags so others can use them. Last year this sewing bee focused on making fabric masks to meet local needs. Lately they have been making a new product – reusable fabric ‘produce bags’ for fruit and vegetables in place of plastic bags. The bicycle-powered sewing machine is always a popular drawcard at these events.
Locals may also see Caroline and Jane outside the Māngere Bridge Library on a Saturday morning, doing a pop-up stall to talk to people about recycling soft plastic rubbish, other household wastewise practices, and Council-led initiatives.
Both women also organise and help with community clean-ups, native plantings, and pest plant removal.
Caroline has taken on the community fruit harvesting initiative for Māngere Bridge and is also actively involved in helping to maintain our very own community orchard. She is also our link person with other environmental initiatives in the wider Māngere community.
Jane was instrumental in co-leading a ‘Living Locally’ speaker series introducing new and existing residents to initiatives in our community.
Story by Robyn Martin for Friends of the Farm
Connected with Friends of the Farm
- Sew Good!
- Māngere Bridge – A Busy and Rewarding October
- Crafty Work by Crafty Folk
- It’s the 2025 Repair Café Festival 6-14 September!
- The 3 R’s on show at our 10th Repair Café
- Moonlight Family Fun – our 2025 Matariki Lantern Walk
- Māngere Bridge Recycling – blister packs, batteries, and more!
- Māngere Bridge Craft Group
- Māngere Bridge – It’s a Hive of Wastewise Activity!
- Tonnes of eWaste Collected at Ecofest – Māngere Bridge eWaste Day 2025
