ZESPRI AIMS GAMES ​​​​​​​GIVES BACK 
Kaitiakitanga events and opportunities

CONGRATULATIONS TO our Zespri AIMS Games Gives Back 2024 wiNners!

This year, for the first time, schools earned points through a range of kaitiakitanga (guardianship) activities, showcasing their commitment to sustainability.

Thank you to all the teams who embraced AIMS Games Gives Back activities, including food rescue, riding the AIMS free buses, using Boomerang Mugs, participating in coastal cleanups (collecting an impressive 90kgs of waste, with 19kgs sorted for recycling), and planting 1,000 native trees. Your enthusiastic participation made a meaningful difference!

Te Awamutu Intermediate topped the leaderboard collecting the most points, largely due to their enthusiastic use of the free AIMS buses. They will receive the new Kaitiaki Trophy, a stunning creation by Mike Buck of the Tauranga Woodcrafters Guild. This trophy embodies the spirit of ‘Kaitiaki for a better tomorrow.’

Bombay School wins the participation award, earning the most points per student. Their points were earned through doing a coastal cleanup and engaging in the majority of the AIMS Games Gives Back activities. Their school will be awarded an awesome ‘bug hotel’ to reflect their dedication to environmental stewardship.

Ka pai, your efforts help keep Tauranga beautiful and we can't wait to see what next year’s competition brings.

GIVE BACK AND WIN FOR YOUR SCHOOL

Zespri AIMS Games Gives Back returns in 2024 with more ways for you to give back to your host city. This year you can earn points for your school at the same time! Up for grabs is the first ever AIMS Games Gives Back trophy for the school with the most points, plus a special prize for the school with the highest participation (% of students).

Every sustainable activity earns points for your school. Claim your points by scanning the QR codes on display at each activity.

TREE PLANTING

Contribute to the largest urban wetland restoration in the Southern Hemisphere

Dig in with Tauranga City Council and Toi Ohomai Institute of Technology to help plant trees for this important biodiversity project. Kōpurererua Valley is a 300 hectare block of wetland in the city that for many years was inhabited by the people of Ngai Tamarawaho.

It’s a special area that’s being lovingly restored. The planting day is a chance for you to get your hands in the earth and be part of its legacy.

Wednesday 11 September - 9:45am-12:00pm - Kōpurererua Valley, Marshall Avenue entrance.


REGISTRATIONS HAVE CLOSED FOR THIS EVENT

COASTAL CLEAN-UPS

Help keep rubbish and waste from entering our precious moana

The Coastal Clean-up is back! We love how passionate our visitor athletes are about helping to look after our beautiful beaches. This year there are two clean-ups along the coast, organised again by Tauranga City Council. Everything you’ll need on the day will be provided, just make sure you bring covered shoes and an appetite for the free BBQ. Come along for a bit or stay the whole time.

Tuesday 10 September - 9:30am-12:30pm - Hopukiore (Mount Drury), Mount Maunganui

Thursday 12 September - 9:30am-12:30pm - Gordon Spratt Reserve, Pāpāmoa

REGISTRATIONS HAVE CLOSED FOR THIS EVENT


SUSTAINABILITY SUPERSTAR QUIZ

Are you a Sustainability Superstar?

Test yourself, and you could win!

Download the Zespri AIMS Games app and correctly answer the daily multichoice question. Each correct answer scores points for your school.

ZESPRI AIMS GAMES GREEN TEAM

Local heroes doing the mahi

Give them a finish-line cheer when you see the Green Team in action. The Green Team is the volunteer squad of local students who’ll be managing the recycling programme at the event, trained and mentored by local waste minimisation experts, Waste Watchers.

FOOD RESCUE STATIONS

Do you have more food than your team needs?

Please don’t chuck it away! Tauranga City Council have teamed up with Good Neighbour to rescue your leftovers. Drop off any unused food items at one of the Good Neighbour food rescue stations and they’ll turn it into delicious, nutritious meals for the community.

Please note updated dates and locations: 

Thursday 12 September - 9:30am-2:30pm - Blake Park

Friday 13 September - 9:30am-2:30pm - Blake Park

BOOMERANG MUGS

Did you know, 500 billion disposable coffee cups are thrown away globally each year? Before you order your hot drink at the games, bring along your own reusable cup or grab a boomerang mug from the mug library at Blake Park. Don’t forget to scan the QR code for points.

FREE BUSES

Park the car and ride sustainably

With over 20,000 visitors to the city, the roads are going to be busy, so Tauranga City Council and Bay of Plenty Regional Council are once again putting on dedicated free buses to make it easy for you to get to your games. The Zespri AIMS Games buses will run on a loop around the major venues.

Plus, all Tauranga Bayhopper buses will be free for athletes, referees, and coaches for the week of the Games (not for family and friends).

Full details on the Free Bus page.