Whanganui and Districts

Overview

The Whanganui Regional Life Education Trust’s Harold Club covers the Whanganui, Rangitikei and Ruapehu regions. Established in 1994, the Harold Club is run by a board of members who ensure the continued service of the Life Education Trust classroom within the region. 

The mobile classroom is a renowned feature in young student’s health education, with the innovative and interactive resources, children experience an engaging and memorable classroom experience. The region’s teacher has become a prominent figure within the community and is met with enthusiastic faces through his fun educational programs that work to inspire children to make positive life choices. 

Over 4,500 children from 50+ schools eagerly await Mark and Harold’s (the giraffe) visit and mobile classroom’s special education. Together with Harold, Mark delivers meaningful messages in areas such as: food and nutrition, human biology, relationships and communities, identity and resilience, and substances. As the major supplier of health education in the region, Mark works directly with the schools to cover up-to-date topical issues such as substance awareness (including vaping), bullying, anxiety and cyber wellbeing. While Life Education Trust has two programmes to reach secondary school age students, the Healthy Harold programme is designed for primary age children and plays an essential role in children’s learning and development. Harold is a well known and loved mascot for Life Education. He makes appearances at our various community youth-focused events, such as the Mitre10 Tough Kids, where he is excitedly received by the children. 

While Life Education Trust is a national organisation, each region is responsible for their own classroom and teacher  which relies on sponsorship and funding to upkeep the mobile classroom and resources. The team works hard to maintain the valued relationships with their sponsors in order to remain independent from government funding. This is because private funding is essential to ensure the education program can respond quickly to school concerns and not be restricted by government policy or political influence. 

We value our sponsors and their commitment to our programme, without them the Harold Club Whanganui could not continue to provide the unique and essential health education to the district.

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Our Partners

Without our partners it would not be possible to bring quality health education to our region’s tamariki. We are grateful for their continued partnership, and encourage you to support the local businesses that are passionate about creating a future generation of healthy community members.

Join Us

The Harold Club is an essential component of maintaining the running of Life Education Trust within the region. It is all about growing healthy and resilient children to become respectful and kind members of the community. To continue offering the professional and quality educational programme the district’s schools know so well, more financial support is needed.

The funds necessary to operate the mobile classroom are high, and although we have a few loyal sponsors who are passionate about their community, the organisation is depending on enlisting more community members to rally behind us and help grow that support. So, we invite you to join the Harold Club Whanganui & Districts, there is no support too big or too small, in fact we have just introduced a new exciting sponsorship program that will be hard to resist!

Tiered Sponsorship Programme

Our new tiered sponsorship programme offers all businesses/sponsors, no matter what their size, to partner with us. Our aim is to sustain a minimum of $10,000 per year of sponsorship to ensure the maintenance of the mobile classroom and resources. You can be assured that all funds received remain within the Whanganui, Rangitikei and Ruapehu region.

Own a Harold Hoof Print:

With the support from our friends at Display Associates Whanganui, the mobile classroom is getting a makeover! Harold is dipping his hooves and making his mark on the classroom, and your family can have a piece of the action. In return for your sponsorship you can place your name inside Harold’s Hoof. Can you imagine the excitement of the children when the classroom visits their school and they see their name, surname or their parent’s business in one of the hooves. 

Below are the annual sponsorship options to claim your hoof.

• Brown (small): $50
• Orange (medium): $100
• Yellow (large): $250

Harold Club Member:

$400 per annum, your name/business will be displayed on the classroom door.

Corporate Sponsorship:

We have different options available for you, starting at $700 per annum for three years,  to display your business on the classroom. If you would like to find out more details about our corporate sponsorship program please contact Mike Green (contact details below).  

The benefits of becoming a Harold Club member or corporate sponsor:

• Make a difference to your community and create a positive identity for your brand.
• Receive a framed partnership certificate 
• Have your name/logo printed on the classroom 
• Receive brand exposure on our social media pages
• Receive brand exposure on our website and periodic newsletters
• Access/discounts to social and special events
• Receive recognition in the trust’s annual report
• Be issued with a GST invoice and tax deduction certificate (if applicable)

The most rewarding aspect of your sponsorship is that you can be proud to be a part of the Harold team. Your sponsorship makes a difference today in young people's lives who are our tomorrow’s future.

Our Region

Waverley, Waitotara, Whanganui, Whangaehu, Ratana, Turakina, Marton, Bulls, Hunterville, Taihape, Waiouru, Ohakune and Raetihi.

Participating Schools

Our People

Educator: Mark Keelty  Mark is a registered primary school teacher and joined Life Education in 2015. Mark enjoys having the opportunity to teach across many schools within the region and interact with students and teachers. “With an ever-changing society it is good to be involved with the health and wellbeing of our future generations” Mark is well known in the Whanganui community and  finds working with a New Zealand icon very rewarding. “Harold is loved by all age groups and it is exciting to bring that magic to life while educating children on important health and wellbeing issues”.  Contact:  Phone: 021 554 031 Email: [email protected]

Chairperson: Mike Green Contact: Phone: 027 442 8330 or (06) 345 0460 Email: [email protected] Address: Life Education Trust Whanganui, PO Box 360, Whanganui, 4500

Board members

Mike Green - Whanganui Trust Chair (middle back)
Karen Edlin - Treasurer (front right)
Phil Walker (back right)
Lucy Dunlop (absent)
Gordon Keelty (back left)
Clive Rennie (middle front)
Susan Andrews (left front)

Kezia Spence - Executive Officer