Amid a challenging fruit season, two fun sporting evenings for harvest workers and locals are set to provide a bit of light relief.

All horticulture workers as well as orchard and vineyard owners and the community are invited to join in for football, volleyball, rounders and other games as well as a sausage sizzle. 

The evening sports will take place on Wednesday, January 27 at 5pm to 7.30pm at the Alpha Street Reserve in Cromwell and on Thursday, 28 January, 5pm to 7.30pm at Pioneer Park, Alexandra. 

The events are being organised by Sport Central, supported in Cromwell by Operation Cromwell Harvest (OCH), a community effort to help the industry and workers. 

OCH has been working to encourage people to offer beds, donate non-perishable food, welcome workers and encourage them to stay for the season.  

Operation Cromwell Harvest (OCH) has been encouraging donations of non-perishable food for harvest workers. Photo courtesy Connect Cromwell.

Connect Cromwell, Cromwell Community House, Summerfruit NZ, the Workers Accommodation Network and Sport Central had all been involved, Connect Cromwell communications manager Jill Herron says.

Hundreds of workers had been delighted to receive grocery boxes donated by the community over the holiday period. 

Some accommodation had been offered but more was always needed.

Due to community help, including donations from the Cromwell Lions and Rotary clubs, the Cromwell sausage sizzle was free, although people could give a small koha if they wished.

Sport Central’s sport and recreation advisor, Jo Knight, says people should dress for playing sport and bring a hat and drinking water.

Sport Central sport and recreation advisor Jo Knight. Photo courtesy Connect Cromwell.

“Sport Central are keen to encourage sport and recreation in this group of hard-working people and give them something fun to focus on outside of work,” Jo says. 

Seasonal labour coordinator for Summerfruit NZ, Tracey Mansfield says it was important to retain workers and a discount card was another initiative that had helped.

“Summerfruit NZ strongly supports OCH, like them we want to welcome workers into the community and want them to enjoy themselves. 

“The handpicked crew card is an initiative set up by Summerfruit NZ to support local businesses and provide discounts to workers so they can enjoy themselves during their time off and feel part of the community.”

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