Orakei Community Garden Day with Sustainable Business Network

This month Ecotricity joined forces with the Sustainable Business Network (SBN) to plant seedlings at the Pourewa Community Hub in Ōrākei, supporting the local community garden on Kepa Road. This unique space, created in partnership with Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, offers a beautiful blend of sustainability and tradition.

Pourewa spans 34 hectares, once part of the Meadowbank Pony Club, and now serves as a māra kai (community vegetable garden) that thrives without artificial fertilizers or weed killers. Instead, it embraces traditional Māori horticultural practices, incorporating tikanga (customary law), wairua (spiritual essence), and whakapapa (genealogy) to honor the land's mauri (life force). Composting is central to this thriving ecosystem, preserving natural methods and promoting food sovereignty.

Completed in 2020, Pourewa provides free food to local whānau, the wider community, and Auckland City Mission. Each Friday, anyone can stop by to collect freshly harvested produce—an incredible way to give back to the community and reconnect with the land.

Mark and Marsha had the privilege of getting their hands dirty, planting seedlings alongside the SBN team on their annual volunteering day. It was inspiring to be part of this initiative, supporting food security and sustainability right in the heart of Ōrākei.

Learn more about the amazing work happening at Pourewa here.