Tread Lightly's New E-Van is on the Road
To practice what we preach, Tread Lightly has recently acquired a fully electric e-van, a good way to ‘tread lightly’ on the environment, while we carry out our mission. The acquisition of the e-van was made possible through the Meridian Decarbonisation Fund.
Additional funding from The Jenkins Foundation enabled us to fit out the e-van internally with benches and storage cupboards featuring nature-inspired graphics. This extra support from The Jenkins Foundation will help us expand our reach, making it easier to deliver programmes across Tāmaki Makaurau.
Over the next 12 months, the e-van is already booked for 18 activations, 8 workshops and 30 school sessions.
The newly branded interior of the e-van.
Tread Lightly Merged with the Beautification Trust to Strengthen Impact
Since July 2025, the Tread Lightly programme has merged to become a part of the Beautification Trust, still providing its award-winning environmental education throughout Tāmaki Makaurau. This move strengthens the e-van’s environmental learning and behaviour change initiatives, and ensures the programme’s financial sustainability and long-term delivery.
This exciting consolidation brings together two like-minded charities with a combined 42 years of experience, building on their longstanding partnership and shared kaupapa. Both organisations are dedicated to empowering communities to take action to protect and nurture te taiao and to live more sustainably.
The Tread Lightly team took part in the recent EcoFest Whaanau Fun Day.
Hands-on at the Heart of Our Work
Teaching is at the heart of what we do, and it’s rewarding to see the impact of hands-on learning through the Tread Lightly e-van and the mahi of our experienced educators. In the photo below, you can see tamariki investigating Tread Lightly's worm farm. By the end of the session, every student understood how worm muscles work and their essential role in keeping soil healthy. This is a clear example of the direct benefits of our learning approach.
Tamariki from Glenbrook school observing worms, August 2025.
Looking Ahead to 2026
In 2026, we have two exciting new learning opportunities for schools: joining the Stormwater Sleuth project and becoming a recycling drop-off location. These new opportunities strengthen students’ participation in sustainability initiatives within their schools.
Tread Lightly and the Beautification Trust would like to take this opportunity to thank The Jenkins Foundation for their support this year which has enabled the Trust to expand, develop and deliver its environmental education programme.