Armed with plywood, paint and a jigsaw, a group of learners in the Rai Valley turned their hand to the creation of colourful plywood butterflies that will eventually be displayed in a community space. The Festival of Adult Learning event was organised by the Rai Valley Cultural and Archives Trust, with help from the Rai Valley branch of Rural Women NZ.

One of the event organisers, Diane Payton, says the idea for the event was inspired by a trip to a Te Anau DOC reserve. Diane is a self-confessed recycler who enjoys inspiring and teaching others about the potential of upcycling. With most materials sourced from the local transfer station, the group of Rai Valley locals spent the day learning new and creative construction skills.

Diane says that butterflies have been a recurring theme in Rai Valley Festival Week events. “Four years ago, the Rai Valley Cultural and Archives Trust, with the aid of our local Rural Women’s branch ran a basic carpentry course. Participants built a butterfly-rearing enclosure on the Trust’s section where we grow swan plants, feed the caterpillars and release monarch butterflies. The enclosure is double coated with mesh to prevent the Asian Paper Wasps killing caterpillars.”

The group is planning a community celebration later this year to install the newly created wings and celebrate a successful learning experience at the village green in Rai Valley.