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Palmerston North kids put on show to raise goods for SPCA - Manawatu Evening Standard 

11th September 2015

Faith Sutherland/ Faiirfax

The kids formed a line to transfer all of the donated goods to the SPCA van. Helping is left Katy Anstis and Lucy King.

A group of Palmerston North children who decided they wanted to help their furry friends have organised a performance to raise goods for the SPCA.

A class of Riverdale School children held a performance in front of a crowd of about 300 people at the school on Friday.

Instead of selling tickets, they had the audience donate animal food or supplies.

More than 300 people attended the show and more than $1000 worth of goods were collected for the SPCA.

The class decided to fundraise for the organisation after they investigated the different types of animals around the world.

Teacher Jared Bron said the show was a mix between entertainment and passing on information about the SPCA.

The class, of 9 to 11-year-olds, put on various performances during the hour-long show, including game shows, speeches and making balloon animals.

He said they had an overwhelming response from the school.

The class had animals as their major inquiry this term. 

"The team looked into both endangered animals and the animals we have around us. We then started to think about ways we could help," Jared Bron said.

"It wasn't sparked until we had a guest speaker from the SPCA come in. She showed us some images that weren't very nice and the kids went away and came back and decided they wanted to help the local organisation."They came up with the idea of every child bringing something to put towards the SPCA."

Manawatu SPCA general manager Danny Auger said it was great seeing children take an interest in animal welfare.

"It's such a cliche but children are our future."