Local Natural Goodness - A Room Designed & Crafted By Gems Whanau

The Nest Lake Hayes Estate Head Teacher Marianne Beer heads up a teaching team who are passionate about creating the best environment for children in their care to explore and flourish in. An environment where free movement explorations flourish. While there is outdoor climbing equipment aplenty in The Nest the team had a dream of indoor climbing equipment where children could discover a variety of challenges in their indoor space. During cold winter months indoor climbing discovery allows children to move and engage regardless of what the weather gods are throwing about outside.

Marianne is also a devoted Mum to Lucas and wife to Paul. A young Scottish teacher who came to Queenstown, married a good Southland bloke and together they have put down roots here in Queenstown. Paul runs his own building company, you know the type – a no fuss, can do type that quietly gets the job done with a good side of dry humour.

So when Paul heard of the plans the team had for The Nests indoor climbing set up he cast an eye across the equipment ideas that they had in mind. Now, prefabricated furniture and activity equipment doesn’t come cheap especially by the time you ship it in from the other end of the country. Even then, it doesn’t always meet the exact needs or align with our Gems philosophies. With typical generosity and resourcefulness Paul offered to take a closer look and see if he could make the full set for within the allocated budget. Before you could say ‘Knight in Shining Armour’ plans were drafted, materials costed up and a plan of attack made.

Over the course of a weekend a full set of climbing equipment was crafted. The Gems love of all things natural is at the forefront of these bespoke pieces. Utilising untreated chemical free wood each piece is finished with great care and attention to detail. Sharp corners and edges sanded back so little fingers and toes encounter the smooth tactile warmth of wood. Paul sourced beeswax from a local supplier to seal the set in local natural goodness.

The Monday morning after Paul had completed and delivered his handy work was a joy to watch (just quietly and humbly   dropping it off before heading off to work in typical Paul fashion) Teachers proudly seeing their plan realised. Parents watching their children delight in discovery.  

This equipment is more than a selection of climbing equipment pieces for the children in The Nest. It is a testament to a teams dream of providing the best environment to nurture their tamarikis needs. A testament to the skills and generosity of Paul Beer whom we are immensely thankful for.

It is a reflection of the Gems Community which we are all a part of, where the whanau of our  team and the whanau of our tamariki  come together to create a community.

Local, Natural, Goodness. Aroha.