Welcome Bay School’s PTA is asking people to rummage through their backyards, homes and businesses to find scrap metal to aid a court resurfacing fundraiser.
The school of 267 Year 0-6 students has two basketball courts and one netball court that need resurfacing – and the PTA has made this its goal for 2026.
“The metal [on the courts] is coming up, which has caused fine pebbles to surface, which the kids slip on. Each time it rains this further deteriorates the courts, so they need resurfacing for health and safety reasons,” said Welcome Bay School PTA administrator Lesley Beaver, who came up with the fundraiser.
All proceeds from Welcome Bay School’s PTA fundraiser will upgrade the three outdoor courts for students. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
The PTA has joined with Mount Metal Recyclers, which will take scrap metal the PTA collects.
Beaver said the PTA helpers group will collect items from properties on March 6 in the Welcome Bay/Maungatapu area.
Find items now
“What we’re asking for now is for people to dig deep at home, in their backyards and households to find items we can collect. We’re targeting brass, copper and lead.”
Think electrical wiring, taps and pipes, hot water cylinders, roofing iron, clean steel, aluminium door and window framing without glass, mag wheels, electric motors, aircon units, right down to fishing sinkers.
The team will not accept old TVs, gas bottles, household appliances, vacuums, barbecues or whiteware.
Beaver said the QR code – on this page – leads to a Google document where people can fill in details on donations before March 6.
Scan this QR code to fill in details on donations for the Welcome Bay School PTA scrap metal fundraiser prior to March 6. Photo / Supplied
“They put down their names, contact number, address and details of what items they will donate.
“We will contact them to confirm if we can accept the items, and if so collect them March 6 for free,” Beaver said.
She believed the project is win-win for all. “We get rid of people’s rubbish and we make money for the school court project.”
Beaver can be contacted by phone if people are uncertain of an item’s suitability.
“I will find out early if we can accept the items because we don’t want to end up with rubbish that we would have to pay to dispose of.
“If people don’t have the right stuff I will have to be very honest with them.”
Large or small
Beaver said donations can be small or large. “It’s about weight not size, so if I get 10 fishing sinkers – that’s lead – and could fetch something like $4 per kilogram. For example, 20 taps could earn me $100.”
Welcome Bay students Dylan Beaver, 10, Thomas Beaver, 8, Kade Eason, 7, and Amaiya Jones, 10, in front of a scrap metal truck ready to collect donations on March 6. Photo / Kelly O’Hara
A trampoline’s springs and framing is another good money-earner, said Beaver.
“Someone said they had a frame from an egg chair – that’s perfect because it’s steel. So people don’t realise what they’ve got in their homes and backyards.
“Plus, if it’s a one-off item, a metal recycler probably won’t collect it – but because we’ll collect everything and place in one spot, they will.”
Businesses
Beaver also hopes Welcome Bay/ Maungatapu businesses will donate items.
“For example, roofers who take an old roof off a house could donate the iron to our metal man and put it on the school account. Or a plumber with taps or pipes – or electricians with old wiring – can drop this off to Mount Metal Recyclers and add it to our school account.”
At this stage, the PTA will only collect from Welcome Bay/ Maungatapu properties. “However, if somebody outside of this area has a large amount of metal they’d like to donate, of course, we’ll make an exception.”
The goal is to raise $80,000-$100,000 to resurface the courts – so Beaver pleads for people to get digging.
To contact her about the project, phone 021 259 6609 or email: pta@welcomebay.school.nz